You know who shows up to walk five miles in 24-degree weather at 8 AM?
The right people.
One Saturday, in what felt like the arctic tundra to Texans, 25 people bundled up and walked.
Cameron was hosting. About ten minutes in, a stranger asked him one of those questions that only happen on The Board Walks:
"What do you think about suffering?"
What followed was a conversation about loneliness, distraction, and the quiet gap between being surrounded and being seen.
Cameron wrote what happened next.
It’s one of those conversations you don't forget.
Grab your favorite drink, sink into a comfy chair, and dive in… 🧡
Different cities, different weather, same thing happening everywhere:
People choosing depth over default.
Photos from our walk chapters:
Action shot from the Austin Walk in this week’s Trail Tale. Smiley group + conversation about suffering = classic walk paradox.
Style icons for Detroit Walk #3. That black and white scarf is chef’s kiss.
Big smiles in Denver despite the freezing temps. Legen… wait for it… dary.
Columbus throwback. Right before the ice and snow took over!
(Don’t see your city? We post the photos in each Meetup group after the walk. Otherwise this email would be longer than a CVS receipt.)
🏆 Cameron in Austin for hosting 20+ people in the frigid cold, including an exchange student who'd only been in the US for weeks. What started as “sheesh, we’re cold” turned into a conversation about pain vs suffering, loneliness, and feeling alone in a crowded city.
🏆 Kenji in Denver for creating space for a conversation that shifted someone's entire perspective. Mid-walk, one guy turned to another and said: "I'm so glad I came here today. You helped me see this situation in a completely new way."
🏆 Izzy in Detroit for learning to let go and trust her community. When one walker's knee gave out mid-trail, a kind soul offered to drive back and get her. "It was very interesting to let my community handle it, and not rush in to be the leader.” Walking villages, for the win. 🧡
This week's Trail Tale comes from Cameron Hogan, who's been hosting in Austin while Julia preps for baby arrival.
It started with a simple question, and turned into something deeper.
A few lines that stayed with me:
"There's this backlog of conversations we're supposed to have with ourselves as we go through life. And most of us just keep avoiding them. We stay busy. We fill the space. We distract ourselves. But all those things we're avoiding don't just disappear. They stack up. Like voicemails you never listen to."
"I had this friend. I'll call him Jake. Friends since seventh grade. Good guy. Nothing wrong with him. But when I really thought about it, I couldn't remember a single meaningful conversation we'd ever had."
"I got to the point where I genuinely didn't need anyone else. Where I could just be alone with myself and actually enjoy it. And then people showed up. The right people. It's like I became magnetic for connection the moment I stopped desperately needing it."
It's a juicy read. He walks through their conversation, line by line.
This week on The Board Walks, people brought these topics:
"When was the last time you took a real break from your phone?"
"How do you make a new place feel like home?"
"Is it possible to feel inner peace while still engaging with the world?"
"How do you balance social norms with being authentically yourself?"
"What does ‘being yourself’ actually mean?"
Screenshot these. Steal with pride. Bring one to your next dinner party to shift the conversation from “meh” to marvelous.
Quick hits:
✍️ Got a story? The walks are hard to fully “get” until they’re felt. That's where your stories come in. If you’ve had a standout moment, I’d love to hear it. Share here →
✨ Expansion updates: Our new host onboarding process has me pumped. It took a lot of love and care, but we’ve built a system to bring The Board Walks to 100+ cities without losing the magic. Apply →
📸 Tag us: We're showing up across all platforms now! Got any epic moments from your walks to share? Get social →
And my personal favorite…
🔐 The Board is almost here. For people who don't want the conversations to end when the walk does. Global, curated, application-only. Join the waitlist.
One line that stuck with me from Cameron’s reflection:
"About a year ago, I stopped proactively reaching out to people. All the people I normally texted first, called first, made plans with first. I just stopped. And 90% of those relationships just disappeared."
Which means:
10% stayed.
And that’s more than enough.
The 10% are the people who see you, ask real questions, and show up even when it's freezing cold. The people who match your energy instead of draining it. With them, connection feels easy. Like breathing.
Most people spend their lives chasing the 90%.
The real shift is learning to recognize — and invest in — the 10%.
Here's your experiment this week:
Text one person from your 10% today. Right now, even.
Something simple: "I was just thinking about you. What's on your mind this week?"
Or: "You came to mind this morning. Wanna catch up soon?"
Or: "Miss you. You free for a call later?"
Put your energy where it’s already reciprocated, and watch what grows.
Looking for your 10%?
The people who show up when it's cold are usually the right ones. Just saying.
Saturday morning. Five miles. Real conversations.
Have a whimsical week,
Founder of The Board Walks
P.s. If you ended up texting someone because of this email, reply and let me know. That’d make me so happy. 🧡
