Ruck the Way

On this episode of Ruck The Way, Gabe Smith unpacks the heavy thread of responsibility that has shaped his life—from a childhood trauma that left him frozen in shame to a celebrated capacity for compartmentalization in the military. Gabe shares how carrying others’ pain became his default, and how a pivotal moment in South Africa invited him to finally tell his own story. This is a deeply human conversation about what we carry, why we tuck things away, and how story work can bring freedom, repair identity, and invite us into a more alive way of being.

In our first episode, we introduce ourselves—Gabe and Chris—and the story behind Ruck the Way. After more than a decade of walking together across continents, we’ve learned that pilgrimage is more than a hike—it’s a physical journey for a spiritual purpose.

We unpack where the name comes from: rucking as carrying weight on the road, and the Way as the earliest name for followers of Jesus. Gabe shares how his Army experience shaped the metaphor of the rucksack, while Chris explores how walking creates space for story, healing, and encounter.

You’ll hear about Wide Open Hill, a moment of reckoning that changed everything, why “let the walk do the work” isn’t just a tagline, and the science behind why walking helps us process trauma, clarity, and calling. We also talk about thin spaces, liminal moments, and why life is meant to be lived—and healed—with others, on the way.

This episode sets the foundation for the conversations ahead: honest stories, unhurried pace, and an invitation to journey together.

Slow down.
Pick up your rucksack.
Let the walk do the work.