Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Julie has traveled through much of the U.S., whether on foot, via bicycle, or in a car. She has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Colorado Trail (2007, 2011, 2012), and bicycled down the Pacific coast from Portland, Oregon to the border of Mexico. In addition to living in Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, California and Washington, she and her husband have lived abroad in Spain, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Guatemala, and hope to have many more wordly experiences. Before taking on thru-hiking, Julie's first real hiking experience was a week with her husband and friends in the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia, where they ran into packs of baboons, and the guide spoke minimal English and carried an AK-47 for their protection. She is an avid runner, always chasing a faster time or a longer distance, having completed one 100 miler, one 50 miler, a 50K, and 19 marathons, including the Boston marathon. Her husband is the force behind her and the impetus that lands her in unique, challenging, and otherwise dreary situations that always seem to end on a positive note of self-realization, mental strength, and the desire to do it all over again. Julie and her husband currently live in Seattle, Washington. To read more about their past, current, and upcoming adventures, visit their website at http: //urbyville.com/.