Brenda & Johnny Patterson

Brenda & Johnny Patterson, Hampton, Tennessee:
Brenda was originally from West Virginia and Johnny from Carter County Tennessee.

Brenda:
"We were married when we were really young. I was 18 and he was 19. We had two children. We had a problem that we didn’t really know how to resolve. Things happened and our families got involved. We went our separate ways. Forty one years later he sent me a request on Facebook, a friend request. Five months after that we remarried."

Johnny:
"She was living in Arizona as were our children. I was living here (TN). We have always loved each other."

Brenda:
"Now we have five grandchildren living in Arizona and a great grand child on the way! He came out to Arizona, 2000 miles. We came back here in 2012 and we we got remarried."

Johnny:
"When our families got involved and they made her to believe, well, I didn’t believe she loved me and she didn’t believe I loved her."

Brenda:
"But we always did."

Johnny:
"But we loved each other all them years; forty one years."

Brenda:
"Unfortunately we both were remarried to other people during that time, which was a huge mistake. But I’m just grateful we got back together and everything’s gonna be OK."

David Prince

David Prince, School Teacher and Musician; Louisa, Kentucky:

“My dad was a bootlegger and guitar player and mechanic and truck driver and there are so many things I could say that related to everything I learned from him, but there is this one: ‘Worried people are always looking to the future... I live in the now.”

Daniel Applegate

Daniel Applegate, Works at a Bike Shop and Outdoor Outfitter on the Appalachian Trail; Damascus, Virginia:

“A lot of hiking and biking was all I did growing up. Played sports in high school, baseball and football. In my graduating class there was only 75 people. This isn’t a very crowded place. Seems people living in other places are always in a rush. Everything is so chill and relaxed around here.”

“I think the media believes that people in Appalachia and the south are just a bunch of rednecks and hicks and stuff. In reality, we are just the same people, just going slower, you know. Living here is like living in a vacation spot. It really is. It’s a big tourist town because of the trails.”

“I’ve met quite a few interesting people on the trails. A few years back, can’t remember the year, I met a guy on the trail from Nevada, can’t remember his name. He used to be a lawyer. He had gotten into a car wreck with his family, his little boy and his wife. They ended up dying so he came out here. He was lost, just searching for answers. I haven’t seen him for the last couple of years but until then, he was on the trail for 15 years, just repeating it. He never went home. He was a really good guy. He was so nice. He couldn’t bring himself to go back home, to go into his house. He’s been on the trail ever since.”

“There are two kinds of people on the trail, those that love the outdoors, and those who are searching for answers.”