E29: A professional adventurer realizes his vision of a community homestead in the North Maine Woods | Daniel White @theblackalachian in ME

I’m excited for you to hear my conversation with Daniel White - homesteader, explorer, and all-around trailblazer. Originally from Ashville, NC, Daniel grew up a city boy. Yet, deep down, he always had a desire to live closer to the natural world.Daniel dropped out of high school at 16 and in his mid 20s took a job as an electrician. He spent over half a decade working 60 plus hour work weeks. At 31, he boarded his first airplane and immediately got the travel bug. After a bad break up he decided to quit his job, cash out his 401k and savings, and hike the Appalachian trail. With no training, his first time sleeping in a tent was on the trail. Daniel documented his experience online for his friends and family and began to amass a following of supporters who helped him stay the course and hike all the way from Georgia to Maine. Originally, Daniel didn’t think he would hike the whole trail and just planned to keep going until he couldn't afford to go any longer. He decided to document his experience on his social accounts and in a short period of time he amassed a number of supporters from all over the world that were able to keep him and his adventures going until he finished the trail in Maine. After that transformative 190 day journey, Daniel continued his adventures, biking the 2,000 mile underground railroad trail, hiking Scotland and Spain from coast to coast, and most recently the island nation Dominica.Perhaps Daniel's biggest adventure and challenge to date is realizing the dream he and his late father shared. Through contributions from his online community, Daniel was able to purchase 10 acres of land in northern Maine and is building his vision of a community homestead of tiny houses for like-minded folks who wish to enjoy a  lifestyle outside of the confines of the city. Daniel has zero pretense for the things he has conquered and achieved thus far. He is a person of action, a person who has realized that the people that succeed the most, often also fail the most and then are able to brush themselves off and try again. I think so many of us have these little voices in our heads that tell us we can’t do this or can’t do that, but I hope listening to Daniel’s wisdom and story helps inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and work towards whatever you want to manifest or change in your own life. Fear of the unknown and fear of being uncomfortable is a powerful deterrent on a path to greater happiness and self-reliance. Daniel has had the courage to take control of his destiny and work towards his own vision of a life well lived. That hasn’t been the easy route in any regard, but it is one that he is committed to and I know he will be successful in. In this modern day and age, each one of us has the power to share our stories and to connect with like-minded people - across the globe. I encourage you to follow Daniel’s journey and consider contributing to the build out Zion North. Daniel's story is one of tenacity, self-reliance, courage, and the endless pursuit of adventure. I hope you enjoy it. To see photos from my visits to Zion North, links to Daniel's website, crowdfunding campaign and social accounts visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book