What if the life you were taught to chase isn't the one that will truly fulfill you? What if success isn’t about titles or money, but about the freedom to rewrite your own story?

Brenda K. Uekert spent decades building a successful career and launching a business—only to find herself questioning everything. When a long-held dream began slipping away, she felt lost. But years earlier, a chance encounter with a radiant woman on a ferry—a woman who had traded a stagnant life for one of adventure—came rushing back to her.

That memory, and the imagined “postcards” of wisdom that followed, sparked an audacious idea: to hike 1,000 miles in five months while traveling in her RV across the American West.

From sun-scorched desert paths to misty coastal forests, Brenda forges her own unconventional journey—hiking hundreds of trails while navigating both the wild and the uncertainties within. She chronicles heart-stopping rattlesnake encounters, solitary sunsets, and the wisdom found in unexpected places.

Along the way, she reconnects with nature, confronts deeply ingrained fears, and learns to embrace uncertainty, freedom, and joy. Meanwhile, her mother’s battle with cancer unfolds in parallel, offering profound lessons about living fully until the very end.

Part adventure memoir, part philosophical exploration, The Woman on the Ferry challenges our culture’s narrow definition of achievement. With unflinching honesty and lyrical prose, Uekert reveals how nature becomes our wisest teacher when we’re brave enough to listen.

For women seeking midlife reinvention, entrepreneurs questioning conventional success, solo travelers craving both adventure and meaning, and anyone who has ever stood at a crossroads wondering what’s next?—this book offers both companionship and courage.

The Woman on the Ferry isn’t just about walking 1,000 miles—it’s an invitation to step off the expected path and discover where true joy begins.