I’m going to do this, much like I did the wrap-up on Facebook earlier today. I’m going to type it, with no edit other than spelling (where I’ll still miss a few) and just “riff”.

I had started the last week or so of the walk going into a particularly depressed episode. “Post trail depression” is what a lot of people call it, and it isn’t uncommon after something like this. It had really put me into a bad place. Not necessarily back to where I was wanting to hurt myself, but I could assuredly tell I wasn’t doing well. But i got up and went. One step at a time, one day at a time. 
 

Sunday I covered 18 miles from Vallejo to Richmond. I had a second room donated by a woman whose son graduated with my sister, and she’d been a customer of mine when I worked at TruGreen years ago. The walk wasn’t anything overwhelming physically, some up and down but around here that’s to be expected. My feet were continuing to hurt, between adding the weight directly to them, and the plantar fasciitis I’d been fighting for over half the journey, I was hurting. Had a nice early day view of San Pablo bay though so it was a bit nice. 
 

Once I got to the hotel in Point Richmond, and checked in the clerk couldn’t believe I’d walked that far. (Very few can comprehend it). Ordered some Doordash and rested up. The next two days would be 25 miles total. So I could dial it back, and try to enjoy the remainder of the walk. 
 

The following day I covered 15ish miles to Mill Valley. Again with some deceptive but not overly demanding up and downs as I went. I continued to battle the depressive episode, but I tried to “fake it till I make it”. I smiled, put on more tunes to help me focus on the good and got to moving. I got to my hotel room this night, repeated the night before and got some food and rest. I laid out my outfit for the final day, like I was getting ready for the first day of school. I actually started to feel a little bit calm for the first time in the last few days.

I woke up on day 192 with a different feeling. Can’t really explain it, was it a sense of confidence knowing I was on the verge of completing a task that roughly less than 500 people have ever done? Was it relief from being finished? Maybe both? I couldn’t nail it down. The day started with breakfast at Fred’s Place in the Sausalito area. The walk through there was awesome. I worked my way up the road to the Golden Gate Bridge. Halfway done for the day. I marched over the bridge and took notice of the new mesh they’re installing to save people who jump. I went through the Coastal Trail to Balboa Street, then took that to Ocean Beach to meet my sister and mom. I was live on Facebook as I wrapped things up, had quite a few people watching. All I could muster as my feet went into the ocean was “Wow that’s cold, but it actually feels good”. My Judy said that was about the most “Joe Hall” way to end the walk he could think of. 
 

The walk is over. I’m now sitting in a San Francisco Airport hotel for the next four nights before heading to Santa Clara to catch my first ever home 49ers game. Potentially with field passes. I’m stoked. Just trying to budget enough to finish eating the rest of this week and fly home Monday. 
 

Now I begin my “post walk” life. Figuring out where I go next is the question. I will be writing a book on the journey, how it’s helped me begin to heal from my own depression, the stories from the road etc. A friend of mine (and quite a few people on Facebook) think speaking should be my next foray. I just don’t want to revert back to “old me”, and it’s going to be a battle for me. But if I can walk 3,176 miles, then I can battle through this. 
 

Thank you guys who’ve followed along, donated rooms and cash etc. I’ve gotten 3/4 of my hotel rooms covered for the remainder of this stay, now I’m just trying to relax, rest and figure out the next step.

That step is actually beating Michigan, but the step AFTER that is what I’m focusing on. 
 

Much Love guys!

Joe