Andy Skurka, 24, hiked from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in 2004. He's the only man to have done so. Now he's back, and here's your chance to meet him while he's in Chicago.

Skurka speaks about his journey--and what it's like to camp in Upper Michigan in the winter-- Tuesday April 18 at 7 p.m. at REI Niles, 8225 W. Golf Rd.

Skurka's 11-month trek linked a network of existing long-distance trails from Cape Gaspe, Quebec on the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Alava, Wash., on the Pacific Ocean. Skurka will share gear tips and heartwarming and humorous tales of the amazing landscapes and people that filled his odyssey.

Photo: Skurka filled a flask full of Atlantic Ocean water at the beginning of his trek. While standing in the Pacific Ocean 11 months later, he poured it over his head.