You’re so brave, people say about me.
If they only knew.
I step out into the unknown with only the slimmest idea of what I’m getting into. But, isn’t that the story behind almost every success!
Mark Twain is quoted as saying: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.”
I attempt things that scare me only to see if I can conquer my fears. Fearlessness is less about fear than about self-doubt and having to prove to myself that I’m still here. Making my mark.
If anything the past few pandemic years has taught me to love deeply and extend kindness wherever possible.
Starting at age 15 when I left my driveway on a bike with no map, no water, no money, no plan—and ended up in Indiana, far from home—I’ve been on an adventure, testing my instincts, trying out new things.
Sone of the places I’ve ridden my bike:
Göta Canal in Sweden
Natchez Trace, the Katy Trail, Greater Allegheny Passage, and C & O Towpath in the US
2015 Jacksonville to Key West
2016 John O’Groats to Land’s End, UK
2017 Maritime Islands, down the coast of Maine
2018 Amsterdam to Norway
2019 Adirondacks, Green Mountains of Vermont
2020 Chicago to Astoria, OR along a modified Lewis & Clark Trail
2021 parts of Highway 101, McKenzie Pass, Oregon
Plus many more!
Writing is a lot like riding into the unknown. I start with an idea and end up somewhere else. What began as a child applying marks to a page has continued into adulthood as a way of self-expression. Through story, I feel the lifeblood of the universe pulsing in my fingers. Maybe not all the time, but enough to keep me at the keyboard, tapping away. Often that creative spark sets me on fire.
Let’s begin an adventure together!
Jane Hertenstein 