Kilometer Zero: Reflections from the East Coast Trail.

16-06-2025 Kilometer Zero: Day One on the East Coast Trail.

As some of you may already know, Spirit and I attempted to take on the East Coast Trail a year ago. That's 350km along the rugged shoreline of the Avalon Peninsula on the Island of Newfoundland - a sparsely populated landscape at the far East of Canada. On that first trip, I packed up my bag and left solo, by foot, walking through flooded marshlands and across the highway to make it to the trail head. We made it 150km and past the most challenging portion of the trail before quitting due to Spirit being overworked and eating something bad. I beat myself up and was not sure what to do with myself afterwards.

Last year it was just Spirit and I on the trail with very little outside support. I thought doing things alone made me strong, but I'm starting to understand the power in the words 'Faster alone, further together.'.

That trip made me truly appreciate everything that Spirit has done for me while giving me a stark reminder of our unique abilities and needs. However, I picked myself back up and was determined to try again. I was not ready to give up on Spirit but also knew that I would need to rethink her needs and safety. This time, I had a full team – Emmie Penney drove me to the trail and offered to be emergency pick up/drop off. Lesley James agreed to take Spirit if she needed a break. William was more than enthusiastic to buy gear to accompany for the first most treacherous passage. Beyond that, The Outfitters lent me gear while numerous other friends and supporters cheered me on.

I am so proud we went back. Resting does not mean quitting - when I first failed the ECT, I felt defeated that I could not do it the first try. Now, I am even prouder because I proved to myself that failure does not define me. I won't be deterred by setbacks!

On day one, we woke up at 6am and were in the car at 6:15am sharp. Emmie drove William and I to Topsail beach. With Spirit in harness, photos taken, and a backpack full of protein bites and chicken jerky that William and I made for the trip, we were off! We took off at a steady run. Spirit was her high energy self, determined to race her heart out and ready for whatever adventure lay ahead. William was supportive and thoughtful. The night before I was stressed. I was in the midst of packing up my apartment where my lease had run out. William made me dinner and packed the car. As I worked on my website until midnight, he supplied laughs, snacks, and words of reassurance.

The energy of the entire journey was so different. The first time, I was alone, rushed, and frantic. This time I had the support of dozens of people who care about me to fall back on. It was hard for me to learn to trust people – even harder to let them help me. It also proved game changing. When we completed the most challenging stretch over Picco’s Ridge and Whitehorse, Spirit was tired. This time I was able to call for reinforcements. As soon as a problem arose, Renee Spurrell was at the trail head. She drove us back to St. John’s where William and I were welcomed back by his sister Anna and the famous Freddy (their extremely sweet orange cat). I spent 24 hours resting and chose to keep Spirit off the trail for 6 days to fully rest with our Lesley and her Service dog, Bear. I was not alone. Had I been, I would have been forced to quit. With the support of the community, I was able to keep going.

After 24 hours, William and I returned to the trail with Spirit under the trusted care of

A map of the ECT.

Lesley. William and I continued the journey to ‘The Post Taphouse’, a lovely restaurant in Torbay. We shared a romantic dinner for two before his aunt picked us up. She drove us to the Marine Lab where the Alpine Club of Canada was hosting a climbing event. We got to spend the night climbing with friends, laughing, and even saw a whale! I was nervous, big crowds used to terrify me. This time I felt like I truly belonged. I felt like a part of the community, instead of the outcast. I still had that lingering feeling, the fear that maybe I don’t belong or that I had to prove my ability in order to finally be accepted as a true member of the ‘Outdoor Adventuring Club’.

Throughout the evening, William, and I each ran into several friends. For me, they were the new friends – a symbol of the new life I started for myself. For him they were old friends, a reminder of his long-time connection to this city. For me, I felt like an outsider becoming an insider. Having someone so closely aligned to my team accompanying me to something important to me was so validating.  At the end of the night, we helped Sue carry some crash pads to the car, then Trevor drove us both back to ‘The Post’. I jumped out of the car with my pack, William kissed me goodbye, and I ran off solo down the road, heading towards St. John’s as William and Trevor drove further towards William’s car. As I took off solo, without Spirit, I had this deep feeling of belonging. These people owed me nothing, yet here was an entire community helping me accomplish something that held so much meaning for me.

That night I continued on my own to Middle Cove Beach. There, I sat on the beach listening to the waves while contemplating. I realized that I am strong enough to do these things on my own, but having people on my team was game changing. To be loved, supported, wanted – these things are so powerful. I thought back to all the people who have carried me over the years. This drove my passion to help at-risk youth even further. We need each other, we need to trust that we have each other, and being able to see the power behind that support is life changing. Some people don’t have community, or the community they have only further perpetuates harmful ways of living. To have a community that will uplift you is invaluable.

Here I was, broke, houseless, jobless, yet somehow these all seemed like minor issues. I knew I had homes because all my friends freely offered theirs. William’s friends and family further supported my Go Fund Me, with William posting it all around the city – they raised $1000 in a week which was at least enough to feed me while I struggled with uncertainty. My situation may seem bad to others. I lay there under the stars, alone, uncertain, with no fixed plan other than to keep on walking, yet some how I felt at peace. I felt the safe in my social network, confident that if I fell, I had people to catch me.

The other thing I knew, is that I did not just stumble into this community. It took arduous work. I spent months going to ‘The Cove’, barely speaking to anyone, afraid to take my spot in line, nervous to get on the wall. After months of going back and pushing myself to be more outgoing each time – with the assistance of Spirit – I saw myself become a confident, social, bubbly person. I went through many spaces that weren’t meant for me, gossip, social drama, and night upon night of crying. Just 6 months ago I was crying myself to sleep each night, riddled with social anxiety and afraid to eat anything other than plain chicken and vegetables. Here I am now, with a boyfriend who would move mountains for me, friends who go out of their way to support me, and a family who believes in my dreams with me.

My view from Middle Cove Beach as I looked out from the edge of the world - it does not lead to emptiness, rather on the other side of the world are endless adventures, friendships, and opportunities.

 I worked hard for this. I earned it by working to be the person who capable of receiving these things while also setting boundaries for myself. Spirit was a huge part of this journey for me – that’s the entire crux of my ‘Spirited Canines’ dream. I want to create gateways into forming communities for young people who want those things and just need one person who says ‘ I believe in you, I believe you are worth it, and I believe that you can accomplish what you set your mind to’. I may not be able to change anyone, but I did change myself. Afterall, like my grandmother told me the last day I saw her when she gave me $5,000 and told me to leave home to chase my dreams: this is my life, and only I can live it for me.

With True Freedom,

-        Julia