Happy Birthday, Barry!

Today we celebrate the birth of Barry Williams - the man, the myth, the legend that is the better half of the dynamic duo behind all things Hiking My Feelings.

Here are some fun facts about Barry:

Barry sits at a viewpoint on the iconic Pemigewassett Loop in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. From this perch on the Appalachian Trail, you can see tree-covered mountains and a cloudy sky behind him.

🗻 He hails from New Hampshire

This is where he spent a lot of his life outside exploring. We joke that he was forged from grit, granite and glaciers, but it's true. He's rugged AF and having spent so much time in New England lately, I get it.

🪂 He was a professional skydiver for 17 years

That's how we met! He ran the biggest civilian student skydiving operation in the world and introduced thousands of people to the sport. With more than 8,000 jumps under his belt, he wasn't a tandem instructor, he taught you how to skydive with your own equipment! Oh, and our first kiss was in freefall. #swoon

🚑 He is a former Wilderness EMT

He also worked on an ambulance for awhile between skydiving seasons. I have learned so much from him just by being around him, and he inspired me to get my Wilderness First Responder certification from SOLO Wilderness Medicine, the same school he went to!

Barry stands at the summit of Tumangaya (Mount Whitney) at 14,505 feet above sea level in the Sierra Mountains. He's wearing a blue Salomon backpack, a black and camo jacket, black pants, and black Salomon shoes, holding up a Mt Whitney summit sign.

🥳 On October 7 last year, we summitted Tumanguya (Mount Whitney) together.

Along with our favorite adventure buddy, KBong - we kissed the sky from from the altitude which we used to jump out of planes and the highest point in the contiguous United States. We planned to renew our vows at the top but we were all a little loopy so we kissed, slapped butts, and descended. #nailedit

💚 I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't meet Barry.

Loving him and being loved by him is hands down the best gift of this lifetime and all the prior ones we've spent together. He was the first person I told about my assault, the person who introduced me to hiking and backpacking, and the biggest believer in me and what we are building here.

🥳 CELEBRATE WITH US!

Instead of gifts we don't have room for in the van, he's asking that you please donate to Hiking My Feelings instead to further our mission of making the world a little better than we found it. Click the button below to make a contribution and be sure to leave him a little love note when you do!

Do you have a favorite memory with Barry? Something he taught you that sticks in your brain? Share it in the comments below and wish him the happiest of birthdays!

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