My name is Adam Dube. I spent roughly 15 years of the second half of my life doing every substance imaginable - oxys to heroin, alcohol to meth. By the time I hit 33, I had burnt every bridge and exhausted every option available to me. I finally committed myself to getting sober. It was tough but after three 30-day programs and lapses in three different sober houses, I got and stayed sober.
During my first month of sobriety, while actually working a program, I met a women who changed the trajectory of my life. Her name was Briana, and she taught me about the concept of thru-hiking and the Appalachian Trail. It was at this point that I wholeheartedly committed myself to the goal of walking from Maine to Georgia, covering more than 2000 miles and conquering every mountain in between. I began my training regimen, running every other day for 2 to 3 hours and eating healthfully. Four months in, I was in the best shape of my life. All the while I saved every penny I had for gear and the funds needed to support a 6-month trip.
After a year of preparation, on June 5th, 2022, I started my hike at Mt. Katahdin in the great state of Maine. The journey was the most challenging yet rewarding thing I've ever accomplished. Along the way, I met incredible people from all over the world and from many walks of life. I formed friendships with people I'd probably never have spoken to if we hadn’t shared the common goal of reaching Georgia.
About 6 months later, I made it to Georgia with a group I’d been traveling with for more than 1,000 miles. I didn’t want to stop. I didn’t want to lose the feeling of complete freedom I had found in the mountains of Appalachia.
While my hiking companions headed home - some back to work, others to enjoy their retirement - I hitched a ride to Atlanta, where a friend had moved, to plan my next steps. Two weeks later, I was on a Greyhound bus to Pensacola, Florida, to hike the 1500-mile trail that stretched from the west panhandle to the east and then south to the Keys. After eight consecutive months of living out of a backpack, eating dehydrated food, and walking till my feet bled, I took a bus home.
Once home, it wasn’t long before a friend got me a job as a BHT at Avenues, a position which I love and am grateful for. Now, I’m able to pass on the lessons I’ve learned in my recovery journey and contribute to healing my community. I was even named Employee
of the Month last month! What they say is really true: do the right thing, and the universe will take care of the rest. The days of homelessness and chaos seem so distant from the man I am today.