I'm Josh. I'm 23. I graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in May 2010. Since graduation, I have been traveling and doing adventurous things. I went to Mexico, Asia (Philippines), and over 12 US states for various adventures ranging from riding dirt bikes to whitewater rafting. When I wasn't out on an adventure, I would sometimes work my part-time job at a car dealership, operate my seasonal lawn business, or assist my grandmother with daily living.
I've always enjoyed hiking but have never really been much of a backpacker. The summer of 2010 was the first time I had ever set foot on the AT. It was for a very brief two days, one night excursion (with mostly the 'wrong' gear). Ever since then, I've been captivated by the Appalachian Trail! These past couple of months I have been carefully selecting and collecting gear and going hiking on the AT whenever I had the chance. I reasoned, with the current situation in my life, it would be a perfect time for me to attempt a thru hike. I'm excited for this new adventure awaiting me!
So, here's the dish about my trail name below:
It's Soulslosher. No, not Soulslasher. Soulslosher. I've had a few thru-hikers avoid me because they thought I was an evil person looking to slash their souls and any other unfortunate hikers. Also, some hikers call me Soul; others call me Slosher.
So, why Soulslosher? I didn't follow thru-hiker tradition and let others name me. I named myself: Soulslosher. To me, this name represents how I view myself and my place in this world (and one of the reasons why I'm hiking the AT). Now, I want you to know that I just might get a little "out there" right now in my explanation of my trail name...
So, I think we all have a "soul". Regardless of what it is, I think we all have one. And I think that in order to get the most out of life, you need to shake things up! Try things you wouldn't normally do. Stimulate you senses, your soul, your mind! Try things that make you feel ALIVE! Therefore, what is another word for shake? Slosh! Put them both together and what do you have? SOULSLOSHER! :)
