Hi! I'm hiking the Continental Divide Trail this summer, starting April 21st. This is a ~3,000 mile hiking trail that connects Mexico and Canada along North America's continental divide. So I'll be walking through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, and hoping to meet lovely couch surfing hosts.

I have used Couchsurfing a couple times in the past, and had really positive experiences. When I'm not traveling to work on trail crews or hike long-distance trails, I work as an interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service (which means I wear a cool hat and teach people about the park they're visiting), and I work at Manassas City Public Schools as a tutor and substitute teacher. Working for the federal government and public schools means I have had multiple background checks - I can show you my federal employee ID and my school employee ID to prove this.

The College of William & Mary, class of 2014
Seasonal park ranger (VA State Parks, National Park Service)
Trail crew worker
Tutor in public schools

Here's my Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/MackerelChill

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I really enjoyed using Couchsurfing in the past. Meeting locals and fellow travelers is one of the best parts of visiting new places. Hotels feel impersonal and culturally sterile. Staying with people is just more my style.

Interests

Hiking; camping; cooking; National Parks; Civil War; living outside for 5 months at a time; learning Spanish

• cooking
• hiking
• camping
• hockey
• rugby
• public policy
• science
• parks

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2017 (2,200 miles, five months, southbound, Maine to Georgia)

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm pretty talkative about backpacking gear if you get me started...
I work at a Civil War battlefield, and can speak extensively about the 1860s.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have many stories of my misadventures along the trail! Neck-deep river crossings! Ocean tides creeping on my campsite! Seals! Being stranded in the rain on an ocean spit! Camping at a nudist resort! Camping in a cemetery! Staying with a cult in Vermont! A lot happened in 2017. I'm trying to make 2018 just as interesting.

Countries I’ve Visited

Egypt, India, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States