My name is Preston, but my friends call me Panda.
In 2017, I set out on a backcountry adventure that would go on to change my life and how I view the entire world. In my time thru-hiking on the Appalachian Trail, I traveled from Georgia to Maine and hiked over 2000 miles with nothing but my backpack and my camera. I was immersed in natural beauty and surrounded by fantastic new friends who gifted me my trail name which I still use to this day, Panda. It was on my 2017 thru-hike that I discovered my passion for outdoor storytelling.
After discovering the challenge and growth that long-distance hiking showed to me, I fell in love with exploring new places with new people. After completing the Appalachian Trail in 2017 I went on to attempt and complete a second long-distance thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019, backpacking from Mexico to Canada. I now live and work in Greenville, SC and spend most of my time outside on our local rivers and trails.