Five days after graduating from Auburn University, Birmingham’s Joseph Harper set out to realize a dream he had dreamt since middle school.

       Harper took his first steps on the Appalacian Trail, beginning his journey with a clean-shaven face and short blonde hair. He saw the first few rocks slip from beneath his boots. His new grey hiking pants, those he wore throughout the entirety of his epic journey, were dusted with the first specks of dirt. That moment was a culmination of weeks of planning and years of excitement, all of which led to those crucial few steps that began what would be a 2,190-mile walk.