The last few weeks have been full of adventures. So much so that I’ve gotten behind in blogging! The first adventure was attending Trail Days about two weeks ago. Trail Days is a festival in southern Virginia that celebrates the Appalachian Trail and thru hiker culture. Thru hikers and other hiking enthusiasts flock to Damascus, …
Current Location: Pearisburg, VA Miles Hiked: 636.1 Miles to go: 1,562.3 Percent of trail completed: 29% Virginia holds more miles of the AT than any other state. 556 miles, almost a quarter of the trail, passes through Virginia. Virginia also happens to be the state I currently call home. In fact, though I’ve moved around …
Part of the backpacking experience is foregoing your usual creature comforts. No electricity, running water, Netflix, or couch. It’s somewhat of an ascetic lifestyle, but that’s also kind of the point. It’s a minimalist way to live, valuing experience over belongings and being in the moment over distractions. Having a limited number of belongings heightens …
Current Location: Hampton, TN Miles Hiked: 428.5 Miles to go: 1769.9 Percent of trail completed: 19% It’s been an eventful couple weeks since the last update. Here are some of the highlights: ✔️ Completed the Great Smoky Mountain National Park section Standing Bear Farm marks the end of the section in the Smokies and is …
(and what it has to do with hiking) I rocked a flip phone until the end of 2012, long after all my friends had gotten smart phones. Even after converting to a smart phone, I always remained a bit of a luddite when it came to new phone technology. I would limp along with an …
Current Location: Gatlinburg, TN Miles Hiked: 207.7 Miles to go: 1987.4 Percent of trail completed: 9% I’m about halfway through the section of the trail that runs through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park holds 77 miles of the AT, including the highest point on the entire trail. I’m taking a night off the …
was the question I almost always got after stating my plan to thru hike the AT, usually with a look of concern. Yes, I am hiking alone. It is generally advisable to hike with a buddy in the backcountry. A hiking companion brings several advantages, like the ability to get help in an emergency, administer …
Current Location: Hiawassee, GA Miles Hiked: 69.2, plus the 8.8 mile approach trail Miles to go: 2125.9 Percent of trail completed: 3% And we’re off! It’s day 7 and everything is going great so far. I’m having a blast. Georgia is gorgeous! Because the trees are still bare, I have unobstructed views of the mountains. …
I leave tomorrow to begin my northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. I get on a plane bright and early for my one-way flight to Atlanta. From the Atlanta airport, I’ll hop on the subway and take it to the end of the line. From there I have a shuttle arranged to take me to …
A merchant sent his son to learn the Secret of Happiness from the wisest of men. The young man wandered through the desert for forty days until he reached a beautiful castle at the top of a mountain. There lived the sage that the young man was looking for. However, instead of finding a holy …