"I was given the trail name “Seven” in Franklin, NC because I had gone through seven pairs of shoes 110 miles into my thru hike. Most people are on their first or second pair that far in. 
I measure a size 7 in my heel but a size 9 in my toe box. I had been sized too small and then too big, resulting in six pairs of shoes not working out for my feet. Luckily, the seventh pair fit the shape of my foot well, and we custom-fit them to my feet by adding an extra quarter insole under my heel, a double knot on the fourth lace, and a runner’s tie at the top. 
So you can definitely say I earned the name “Seven”.

Somewhere in the Shenandoah National Park, I met another thru hiker named For Now. He is a tattoo artist who funded his thru hike via tattoos he gave on the trail. Being that we weren’t anywhere he could use a tattoo gun, he was using the old stick and poke method. 

I literally received two tattoos from him IN a shelter in the Shenandoahs. Somewhat unsanitary and maybe a little crazy but the memories are so worth it. We laughed as I cried lol since I didn’t do well with the pain of the stick and poke first round. 
The first tattoo is a Roman numeral seven (VII) on my right foot, and the second tattoo is a tiny little sun with sun rays on my left wrist. 

The Roman numeral seven came from my trail name, and the sun came from a promise I made myself 9 years ago when I started suffering from depression. I promised myself to have a sun tattooed somewhere once I felt that depression had lifted. During my thru hike, I felt my connection with nature, peace, and myself truly cured the darkness I had experienced for so long. 

The tattoos and memories will forever bring a little extra sunshine into my life, and I don’t regret them at all!"