I was born in Cambridge Springs, a small town in northwestern Pennsylvania. My parents were both attracted to outdoor sports and recreation, especially water sports. I spent my childhood boating, swimming, camping, and water-skiing. Later as an adolescent, I developed a love for hunting and fishing.

I discovered the effects of alcohol as a teenager, which took me away from the outdoors for a while. My addiction progressed to the point that it demanded all my physical attention, but I never lost my dreams or interest in the great outdoors.

I was dying from my addiction by early 1980. I wasn't even 30-years- old yet and about 60 pounds underweight. I was finanicially, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually bankrupt. I established sobriety and went through violent withdrawal.

I started to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and in time started to recover. The people of AA nurtured me spiritually until I had a spiritual awakening of my own.

At five years sober, I felt spiritually called to become a Drug and alcohol counselor to help give to others what was given to me. In 1986 with God's help, I became a counselor. I served the addicts within the legal system for the next twenty-five years.  During the last twelve years of my career, my office was between two male pods in the secured housing in Crawford County prison.

I started hiking short section hikes to cope with the stresses of the job. I quickly developed a love for the Appalachain Trail, so in 2006 I took time to thru-hike the appalachain Trail.

The demands and challenges of the trail soon became a spiritual journey. I journaled the trek to share with friends and family, but as my journey led me to Mount Katahdin, I felt called to write a book.

I wasn't a writer or interested in English when I was in school. I even hated one particular English teacher. The task seemed impossible, but each time I felt overwhelmed something inspired me to keep writing. Eventually, I decided to quit my job in order to finish 169 Days A Spiritual Journey. Seven years later my dream became a reality and the book was published. 169 Days A spiritual Journey, is my story.

In respect for Alcoholics Anonymous's Eleventh Tradition, which states, "We must always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and film." I choose to remain anonymous and be known at the public level only as,

Buzz W.