Summing up, he wrote, “Now that I’ve reached my destination, I realize it wasn’t the destination that was important: it was the journey. It was hard work, but rest and food have never been as sweet. I’ve been in bad weather and on dangerous terrain and have discovered that strength and youth aren’t as valuable as persistence is. And mostly I’ve just been overwhelmed by beauty—every day, every direction I looked. I won’t ever forget it.”
