With My Toes in the Sand
/Breaking free of the urge to run when the going gets rough
Susan Conrad in her kayak on the inside passage. (Photo courtesy Susan Conrad)
Throughout her whole life, whenever things weren't going well, Susan Conrad's tendency was to run. She ran from one problem to the next, one job to the next, one man to the next.
But seven years ago, she embarked on a trip that would change all that. She decided to kayak the Inside Passage, a 1,200-mile coastal route from Washington State to Alaska -- by herself.
On this episode, she shares her story. It's a story of a troubled past (#MeToo), and of a journey that changed the way she approaches life -- a journey that taught her patience, and showed her how to appreciate where she is -- right here, and right now.
“I knew I was going down the wrong path when I found myself rummaging through my backcountry first-aid kit for pain pills that were prescribed years ago for emergencies.”
Special thanks to Steve Jahn and Ben Wells for recording Susan's story. Steve and Ben are part of Burnt Breakfast, a 5-piece band specializing in "mud blues" in the Puget Sound area of Washington State.
