About Me, Josh

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Josh Koop

I live with my wife and daughter in Katy, Texas and my local trail is the Lone Star Hiking Trail which is an amazing way to experience the Sam Houston National Park!

I am an outdoor enthusiast and full-time husband and father to a teenager growing up to learn about being connected to the outside world. My daughter is already interested in thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail once she graduates High School .

I grew up in the woods of Washington State, in Woodinville when it was still a gravel road into town before Microsoft boomed and turned it into “tech” land.

My father took the family out frequently to hike and camp in the Cascades, and without knowing many of these trips were actually around the PCT areas, like Stevens Pass, without my knowing it!

On a trip to Leavenworth was the first time I heard someone speak about the PCT, and I was amazed that anyone could have walked from California to Leavenworth and what would possess someone to do this.

Fast forward through military service, then onto family life with a baby. I slowly became disconnected from the outdoors and more connected to technology, learning web design and forum software to build communities.

About four years ago, I found Dixie and her channel and Darwin and his channel and I found that long buried fire starting to burn once again.

I watched them and continue to watch Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and many other “documentaries” made by all types of YouTubers, which taught me something I lost a long time ago:

I enjoy living in the peace of nature without the constant noise of “life”.

This was also the point where I was finally not living paycheck to paycheck and could look to real hobbies or experiences as I don’t care much for television and couch sitting.

The last two years, I have spent exploring, doing day hikes, overnight hikes, and now to 100-mile thru-hikes working to push myself longer and longer times because I want the last half of my life to be full of experiences I could not take on earlier in life.

As I have a family, bills, and expenses my ability to quit my job and leave isn’t in the cards for now, and will become possible in 2025 when my daughter graduates.

Until then I am exploring any trails I can reach and thru-hike within my ability to get time off.

This includes:

It also is so many more than this, but these are all within easy grasp, and I have begun reading and researching all of them to be ready, this is what I present here for everyone on the same journey or similar.

I want to help others get out and to relearn that you can live away from the concrete jungles of our world, and it can help solve much of what may ill you, and I want to see people get outside and gain some semblance of true freedom.