Summing up what the last Great Florida Cattle Drive (2022) meant to me is no easy task. It was an adventure that made me fall head over heels for old Florida, sparking an endless curiosity to explore beyond every grove of trees I encounter. It taught me to slow down, soak in the moment, and truly be present. I even rationed my phone battery, saving it solely for capturing photos—though no picture could ever fully explain to my family and friends why I returned a changed person.

On the first day, they told us this experience would transform us. I assumed they were simply romanticizing the journey. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It truly did.