this blog chronicles my 2189.1 mile thru hike of the appalachian trail in 2016.
After completing the AT in 2016, this blog was mostly abandoned.
I’m a little sad about that. As I move forward, this blog will be about a lot more than that. Hiking, biking, sewing, and other projects going on in my life.
Stay tuned, to the zero people who know about this blog again.
CB
This isn't necessarily about the AT, but it's related.
It was just about a year ago that I stepped foot on the Appalachian Trail. This is a reflection on that past year of changes. It was a sunny, partly cloudy day and I had absolutely zero clue how the next few months would really shape my future. Honestly, I didn't even know what was going on that day. It was such a blur. When I summited Katahdin, it was such a mix of emotions. Happiness, sadness, euphoria, joy, hunger, and pain. It was the culmination of 2 years of hard work, planning, and perseverance.
I've always been a risk taker. I hate being stagnant. Childhood was filled with crashed bikes, scrapes, bruises, and getting stuck in tall trees. To this day, I still can't grow any hair on my knees from all of the falls, and each of the scars has a story. All of these experiences culminated in that day.
As I look back on the past year, a lot of things have changed. Finishing the trail has given me a new lease of life. Like hitting that reset button you've been meaning to hit for the last few years, but never being able to touch it. I will be forever grateful for it.
For years I struggled with gaining weight. I put my job, career, and future first. I justified bad habits for success. I mean really, who has time to make a healthy meal when you're trying to organize, sort, normalize, and quantify thousands of GIS data points in search of a worthy Master's/PhD program. Chips, energy drinks, and shitty pre-made food became my life blood. I had terrible work/life balance. You can't relax and unwind when somebody's vomiting in the hallway and you're the only RA around. You can't go to sleep at 3am when somebody comes to you and tells you they're thinking about suicide. It wasn't a healthy lifestyle, but I justified it for the resume. As my weight ballooned from a healthy freshman year running weight, I grew complacent; I was okay with being stagnant. I justified making sacrifices in health for the future. And how did that turn out?
I decided that I wasn't even going to pursue higher ed. Oops.
I joined AmeriCorps and went down a completely different direction. Two years later, I had new outlooks, experiences, and goals. I hiked the AT. I finally got that rare chance. I finally hit that reset button and put myself somewhere I actually wanted to be.
Over the past year, I pummeled my weight into submission by dropping 70+ pounds, I moved to Denver, and I returned to having a social life. I'm back to the place I wanted to be all those years ago. While I'm forever appreciative of the experiences that I had in college, that really prepared me for AmeriCorps, I'm glad I finally got the chance to reset the clock.
2017 is looking to be a great year. WEMT, roadtrips, outdoor educator courses, and a possible 100 mile thruhike. I don't know everything in store for me right now, but I'm glad I finally had the chance to say reset!
Like most of my blog posts, this post was inspired by a question.
Did you ever want to quit?
The answer is: once.
Every thruhike begins with questions. A lot of questions. More questions than I thought I would have. What gear do I need? Is it going to rain a lot? How do I eat? Should I bring this item? How much money do I need? What if I get injured? One question, often overlooked, is deceptively simple: Why do I want to do this hike?
In addition to doing semi-regular blogs, I kept a small scratch piece of paper stashed away in my guidebook. This was my journal, a small little 5x5 inch piece of ripped up notebook paper. I carried it from Georgia to Maine. When things got difficult, I wrote my something down. A thought, a feeling, maybe something I saw that would remind me of the day. By Katahdin, it was nearly full with scratched out words, doodles, and even a little burn scar when I tried to hastily start a fire, which obviously failed spectacularly.
When things got tough and I thought about that nice comfortable bed at home, I looked at that piece of ripped up paper. I stared at it long and hard. "Look at everything you've endured, you can make it," is what I told myself every time I looked at it.
Now, back to the original story. It was the second week of May and I was toward the northern end of Shenandoah National Park. For most thru hikers, SNP represents heaven. A magical place where road and trail intertwine and there's more food than one can imagine sitting only a few steps nearby. For me, it was hell. It was week 4 of near constant rainy days and I wanted to crawl up in the campground bathroom and die. Wet clothes, wet feet, wet jackets, wet food, and the worst of all, wet socks greeted me everyday.
If you'd like to try this sometime, take a cold shower with clothes on, get out (preferably with your AC set to 45-55), get naked, put on dry clothes (without drying yourself off), then get into a slightly damp bed, sleep, and then finally get out of that warm bed, and put on those completely soaked wet clothes you had on and start your day with the AC still blasting. Mmmmm, squishy socks and shoes, my favorite!
It was probably somewhere around mile 950 that I contemplated for the first time how I could get home. I remember it vividly. I was sitting at a shelter with a very fine mist coming down and the wind gusting. The annoying kind of mist that gets everything wet, no matter how hard you try. I was huddled up in the corner of the shelter eating the saddest almond protein granola bar in my entire life. At this point, I didn't have a stove and this was one of the few days I regretted going stove-less. Every other day when it wasn't raining and I didn't have to schlep that extra pound up that mountain was great. It was at this point that I looked at my guidebook, looked at that little sheet of paper, and debated it all. I sat there for almost 2 hours debating everything. Will I be a failure? Will I be able to look at myself? What will everybody think? In addition, I thought about the less than stellar idea that I would have to get a job again. I sat there and was eventually snapped back to reality by howling winds and rain. I decided to stop there with only a few pitiful miles in for the day. I sat some more and kept thinking.
I woke up the next day, put on those wet clothes, and did it all over again. Three months later, I summited Katahdin. Sadly, I lost that piece of paper somewhere in the final hundred miles of the trail.
Fortitude on the trail comes in many shapes and sizes on the trail. Some people look towards partners, others to the challenge, and others in themselves. Having both mental and physical fortitude is critical in making it north, or south! Find what drives you and keep on pushing.
Big O
Big O.
That's shortened a bit.
It's really Big Oriental.
Now, let me tell you the tale.
It was February 22, 2016. A moderately warm, but humid day in the deep south of Hiawassee, Georgia. Confederate flags flying, lifted trucks roaring, with thick accents aplenty.
It was the first zero (no mileage day) of my thru hike and I was exhausted. I was a pitiful 52.9 miles north of Springer Mountain, and I was beat. Sore feet, wet clothes, and an empty stomach. At thing point I was thinking I would never make it to Maine in 5 months...
Hitching in with Tyler, aka Trumoo, the previous day proved surprisingly easy. It was my first hitch on trail and I was obviously nervous. Thoughts raced through my head. Am I too disgusting? Are people going to pickup two dirty hikers? Am I going to get murdered? Obviously absurd ideas, but they plagued my head nevertheless. Is it really as easy as sticking your thumb out?
It the was moment, the first car. No response. Damn. Am I going to be here all day? Shit. A few dozen cars passed with little or no recognition of my predicament. I needed to get to town and I needed food. Did anybody even care? Sticking my thumb out rapidly became easier and easier with each passing car. Rejection was okay. A slow white truck chugged by....and then suddenly pulled off to the side of the road. Was it really happening?
A kind, short-figured older gentleman named Wayne cheerily hopped out and asked us if we needed to get into town. YES! A bit distraught, Wayne pondered the state of his truck, which happened to be full of wood scraps, tools, and file folders. Wayne and his and his well loved white truck were in town to help build a log cabin from the ground up. It turns out that Wayne was an engineer by day and log cabin builder by night. A couple of shoves here and a couple of shoves there, and there was just enough room to squeeze two hikers and their gear. Success!
20 minutes later and we arrived in town. A quick picture, a wave goodbye, and we were back on our own. Straight to the motel. It's closed. FUCK. Shit. Damn. This was the only place around. After a bunch of knocks, a phone call or three, a tepid women wearing a bedazzled tiger jean jacket approached us. "Come back in an hour; do you guys want two beds?" She rapidly returned to where ever she came from after our responses.
So, what do two thruhikers do then they need to wait? EAT! Onward to fast food!
After we showered, ate, and planned, talks of taking a zero the next day quickly came around. We were both tired and agreed.
The next day, I quietly threw on my rain gear (really my only clean set of clothes), hobbled out of Mull's Inn, and walked across the street to the local Ingles. Less than 10 days into my hike and I definitely did not have any idea of what or how much food I needed for the next few days. I grabbed far too much. Oatmeal, granola, pepperoni, peanut butter, nuts, and ramen, I took it all. I walked up to the register and was checking out when a tall, middle-aged man with long gray hair walked up to me. Oh jeeze, what now.
"Man, you're the biggest damn oriental I've ever seen. We don't get many orientals down here. Are you one of 'dem thru hikers?"
Uh, yessir, I'm headed north...and uh, yeah, I guess I ate my veggies...
"I've always wanted to do that, but never got around to it."
Oh, that's too bad.
(Oh shit, what do I do?)
"Well, uh, you need one of 'dem hitches back to the trail?"
Uh, yeah, but could you drive us tomorrow?
"No problem."
I rapidly finished paying, quickly got his number and left.
I did eventually call back Bruce and he did in fact give us a very nice hitch back to the trailhead the next day. Do I think that Bruce was trying to be inconsiderate or racist? Not at all. Bruce was a simple man, apparently from the city. I just think it was his norm.
As I recounted this story to many friends in the coming days, an older, but spry man named 'Sooner or Later' quickly dubbed me The Big Oriental. I later decided to shorten it, but the name stuck. Big O. I would carry it from Georgia to Maine. In log books, on murals, and hostel garages. It was mine. Like everybody else, each trail name has a story, a history, and typically a funny story to go with it. This was mine.
Until next time,
Colin "Big O"
One hundred sixty three days ago I walked off the Appalachian Trail, successful in my goal to hike the 2,189 miles from start to finish. These past 163 days have been some of the longest, hardest days of my life.
Indeed, months ago I promised a follow up post and yes, it took me this long. I've written this post on and off for weeks, never happy with it. Deleting, rewriting, editing, and writing sections over and over. I'm still not happy with it. I don't think I ever will be. I don't like writing conclusions. It ends things. And I don't want this experience to end.
In a lot of ways I didn't even want to write this post. It meant the closing of the journey. That I had to acknowledge that it was over. For the past few months, I've denied that it was actually over. It felt like my time on the trail had flown past and it was all just one crazy dream. Almost a year ago when I started the trail, I didn't think it would have nearly the impact that it has had on my life thus far.
Post trail life has been a difficult adjustment period. I long for the simple days when my hardest concern was to eat lunch at 11 or 1. Explaining the trail to friends, family, and strangers is a task I've found nearly impossible. How do you explain it in anything less than 100,000 words? Usually I've resorted to the following dialogue:
"How was it?"
"Uh, pretty good, I really loved it."
"Oh, cool."
To try and describe the trail to a non-thru has been a fruitless endeavor. To condense my experiences on the AT in some sort of short, concise way would be both an insult to myself and the trail. Usually when I've tried to talk about it, it leads to puzzled faces, confusion, and sometimes outright disgust. Questions revolving around eating, showering, and general hygiene usually lead to disgust and that final question of, "Why? Don't you like being warm and clean?"
I think the trail has made me less complacent than ever. My entire life I've hated being stagnant. I get bored easily. I pick things up and drop things constantly. I love learning, critically thinking, finding a challenge. The trail was all of these things. The trail never truly repeated. Each day was a new rock, new tree, and new experience. It made me question my decisions made previously.
I stepped off Katahdin more than 5 months ago, and my post-trail depression hasn't wavered. I long for days when I wake up in my sleeping bag, with a purpose, and goal ahead. Something about that simplicity has really changed my outlook. I long for finding kindness. I'm tired of all of the hatred for each other. Many have said it before, but the Trail is the greatest equalizer I have ever experienced. During my time on trail, I met millionaires, people who had sold everything, and everything in between. I met scientists, businessmen, college students, and retired folks. Nobody cared. There were no politics, no bullshit. We all had one same goal. Make it to Katahdin. We were all equals, and I dearly miss that.
However, there were a few groups that people nearly universally disliked: those with guns and those with no respect for the trail or others, but that's another story.
I met a lot of truly wonderful people on trail, many of whom I still keep in contact with. I would have not have survived the hike without many of my cohorts around me to share in the misery, joys, pains, and tribulations. To those I met, who supported me on and off the trail, thank you.
Until the next hike,
Colin "Big O"
As I approached the end of my journey on the AT, I became increasingly tired, for various reasons. Mentally, physically, etc. I apologize for neglecting the blog, for the many who were following my trip. I hope you were able to find other ways of finding my whereabouts.
Anyway, on August 5th, I summited Katahdin after 2,189.1 miles on the trail. I am grateful for all of the support shown to me over the past 5.5 months from friends, family, and strangers. It has been an incredible journey. I will be posting a followup with photos, and a longer blog post.
Laying down here in Gorham, NH, less than 300 miles to the finish. Exhausted and tired from the Whites,b it looking forward to the next few weeks and the Maine Border!!
Since my last update, I've walked quite a bit more and I am now nearly at the end of Vermont, with less than 500 miles left! I should be entering Hanover, NH and my final two states in the next 2 days. I am currently in Rutland, VT, near mile 1700!
The other day I was discussing routines with people. Ya know, those stupid things or whatever that you seem to do day in and day out with no thought. It was interesting to think about. The trail is all about routine. Walk, eat, sleep, repeat. We do the same 3 things, with minor variation in between. Sometimes it's 20 miles of walking and sometimes it's 10. Sometimes I eat a lot and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I get to bed on time and sometimes it's 12am and I have no idea how I will survive tomorrow.
Despite this routine, it's quite paradoxical to think about. Each day I walk into a new environment, one that I have never been in before. The people may be different, and the weather could be 180 of what it was. It's always changing. There's always a new town, a new sleeping place, a new place to poop! It's very disconcerting sometimes. And yet, within this chaos, there's this routine.
Somebody asked me what my daily routine is, so here it is.
Wake up, hopefully by my own alarm, and not some asshole making too much noise at 415am. Groggily check the time. Check how many miles I have to do. Debate how long I can avoid getting up. Go back to sleep. Eventually make myself move. Grab my sleeping stuff sack and shove my liner, bag, and sleeping pad inside. Fold up my ground sheet. Gather my things from my sleeping area and make sure I have it all. Lock my headlamp so it doesn't turn on in my bag. Put on sandals. Go pee. Get food bag and angrily grab a poptart sleeve. Immediately hate my breakfast choice.........again. Deflate sleeping stuff sack and put into my pack. Put ground sheet on top. Shove in shelter stuff. Change clothes and shove stuff sack on top of that. Grab food bag and take out snack bag. Shove food bag in top of pack. Throw in any other stuff I forgot. Close pack. Angrily put on damp socks. Shoes next. Continue eating drier than the desert poptart. Go poop. Angrily get water if I was too lazy to get it the night before at dinner. Drink a bunch of water. Pack up front pocket of pack. Read guidebook 1 last time. Pretend mountains dont exist. Put on pack. Finish poptart. Grab poles. Check sleeping area one last time. Leave.
Walk 15 to 25 miles.
Get to camp. Unpack shelter or sleeping area. Eat food. Get water. Hang food bag. Forget snack bag. Get food bag. Rehang food bag. Get in bed. Sleep.
Repeat.
Routine.
So the blogging app that Squarespace built is really terrible. Constantly deleting updates, so I'm going to change the way I write this blog to save my sanity. Seriously though.... Squarespace is worth 500 million and they can't hire a few developers to build a Android application that isn't broken as hell.
Anyway, I am currently in Cheshire, MA, Mile 1578, almost in Vermont!
Somebody asked me the other day whether hiking the trail has become a job. It took me a long time think about it before I could answer them. In reality, it was probably me staring at nothing for 30 seconds with a blank expression on my face....
Anyway, hiking the Appalachian Trail is just like any other long term commitment. There are ups, downs, sideways, and zigzag days. Sometimes the trail is beautiful and sometimes it's just fog. After being on the trail for over 4 months now, I honestly have to say that yes, hiking the trail can feel like a job. Why is this?
Sure I'm technically on a vacation, losing money everyday, doing something I love while other people work. People say the trail is a social experience and all these things. At the end of the day and at the core of everything is that only you can hike those miles to make it to Maine. Nobody can hike them for you. While you may be taking a nice day off trail enjoying a town, somebody else, including your friends are making miles ahead of you. It's a very tough realization to come to. At the end of it all, you need to put in those 10, 15, or 20+ miles to make that tiny bit of progress toward Maine. Nobody can walk them for you, and it is one reason I feel some people choose to cheat and skip sections by car (also known as yellow-blazing).
In addition, weather. Hiking the AT comes with dealing with the weather. Sometimes it rains for days, maybe even weeks on end. Or maybe it's snow. Or it's cold. Or whatever it is, you don't want to deal with it. Nobody wants to leave the warmth of a sleeping bag or the dry area under a shelter, but that's the reality of the hike. It's packing up your stuff in the pouring rain and making miles toward your destination. Hiking the AT isnt about being a fair weather hiker, it's about taking it as it comes and dealing with it.
Sure I may want to stop and get into town to enjoy a hot shower and meal, maybe rest my feet, but at the same time I do not want to be left behind by my peers and my friends. For these reasons, I have to say that yes, hiking the trail is not always sunshine and rainbows and often feels like a job.
Sorry all for the lack of updates. I really hate Squarespace's Blog app and it keeps deleting unfinished drafts. I need to find a better system.
Anyway, I am currently in New York! Mile 1428 at the RPH Shelter! I look forward to seeing CT in the next few days.
Current Location: Home! New Jersey! Mile 1293 (left from DWG)
D104, 5/29:
Today I left Cheyenne's feeling clean, refreshed, and very very full. So much lasagna.... Thanks again for the hospitality! Anyway, I did a short 14 mile day to Palmerton due to the very crappy water situation in the area. After leaving Palmerton, it's a very long stretch without good water, and I did not want to push on and do a 30+ mile day in the blazing heat. Decided to get into town and stay at Bert's. It's $5 for very...errrr....rustic conditions. I guess I'll leave it at that. Good news is, it's very close to pizza, ice cream, resupply, and pretty much anything else. Enjoyed a few cold ice cream treats. MMMMMM malted milkshake! SO GOOD. And cold.
Sweating to death as I write this blog post. Not sure how it went from BRRRR it's freaking cold and raining to skipping spring and straight into the 90s in the heat index. I kind of wanted the really nice 65-75s weather when hiking is best....Guess mother nature had other plans.
D105, 5/30
Left Palmerton early thanks to a kind local doctor who gave us a hitch back to the trailhead. The climb out of Palmerton is a very steep, exposed rock scramble. It's a lot of fun, but slightly less so on the rainy wet morning I had. Not too bad, and at least it was cool. Dodged the morning sun at least! Captain America and I made it to Leroy Smith Shelter, took a long siesta, and enjoyed the very cold spring water. Nothing like hiking 15 miles with 2 liters of water in the heat. Ugh.
Pushed on from the shelter another 5 miles to Wind Gap, PA, where we hitched into town for a cold drink and a proper meal. Being in PA, so close to NJ, I ordered a Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll. Unfortunately it was called pork roll, but I can overlook that. Got a hitch back out of town from a nice old guy, and very quickly walked a half mile up the trail to the first campsite. Dodged the thunderstorms and stayed dry! Whew. Close call. Anyway, tomorrow it's home, so I guess I'll watch Netflix tonight, hahahaha.
D106, 5/31
Woke up early with Captain America and got moving towards the DWG. Really really enjoyed PA's last attempts to injure me and get me off trail. Stupid rocks. ARG. 15 miles went by quickly and CA and I got into town before 2. Grabbed some ice cream and waited around for my dad.
Picked up by my dad today for a few days off from the trail at home. Really looking forward to stuffing my face and eating wayyyy too much.
D107-108, 6/1-2
ZERO DAYS. Ate way too much food. Cake, bagels, korean bbq, ice cream, and everything else in the fridge. Put on a few good pounds. Oh man. No regrets. Looking forward to getting back on the trail tomorrow, 6/3, and seeing friends again.
Pennsylvania, Rest and Relaxation? Nope. Rattlesnakes and Rocks.
Current Location: PA309 Cheyenne's House! Mile 1243.5
D95-96, 5/20-21:
Hiked 18.3 to Boiling Springs, PA and headed to the Allenberry Resort for a good night's sleep and maybe a few beers. After a bit of convincing, not really, I also decided to zero the next day. Finally met up with Fiber again who I last saw over 1000 miles ago! His beard seems to have come in quite a bit better than mine. Sad days.
It's Fiber!
D97, 5/22:
The view above Duncannon, PA.
Reluctanly left the Allenberry and headed out planning on doing 21 to Cove Mountain Shelter. Decided that a pizza sounded good and decided to push on to Duncannon. Demolished a large pizza and continued on to the Doyle Hotel. If any future hikers are reading this, skip it. Yeah it's tradition, but it's disgusting, run down, and dirty. The owner even gave me a key to a room with somebody already in it....awkward. Definitely a place to check for bed bugs. Met up with Wetbeard and Obi Trail who i haven't seen since mile 400. Crazy to see people from so far back.
D98, 5/23:
Like a lot of other people I took a lazy day and left late to do 11 miles to Peters Mountain Shelter. Arrived 10 minutes before the severe thunderstorms hit with heavy winds, rain, and hail. So lucky. Unfortunately I also made the trek down the 300 rock steps to get water. Cursed rock steps.
Rocky torture.
D99, 5/24:
Uhhh, what? Huge rat snake climbing a tree.
Had a great 18 miles to Rausch Gap Shelter with a nice spring right in front of the shelter. After leaving Duncannon with some different gear, I decided to pitch my hammock and get things sorted with it. A bit of fighting, but I got it setup. Super comfortable. Might take a few days to get used to it though.
D100, 5/25:
After having a great night sleep in the hammock, I got up early feeling refreshed and good to go for day 100! Did 23 miles to the Hertline Campsite and once again setup the hammock. Met up with CousCous who also wanted to do a bigger day to get into Port Clinton earlier.
D101, 5/26:
Had a great time getting into Port Clinton and the pavilion in town. Headed into Hamburg, visited the largest Cabela's in the world, destroyed some Chinese Buffet, then resupplied. A local guy named Steve was gracious enough to shuttle us around for gas money. Headed into Port Clinton after and enjoyed a few brews with the gang at the bar. Unfortunately I didn't go to the Fire House which had insanely cheap pours of everything.
Cabelas taxidermy mountain!
D102, 5/27:
Eventually left Port Clinton at noon after meeting up with Bigfoot and Hannah Solo. Chatted for awhile and headed out back into the woods. Did a very hot 15 miles to Eckville Shelter and enjoyed a popsicle courtesy of the caretaker. Sleeping was very difficult with such a hot night. Ugh. So hot.
D103, 5/28:
Left Eckville early and headed out on a short day to PA309 to meet up with Cheyenne who I first met during my AmeriCorps term. It really amazes me how many friends I have along the trail. Cheyenne was kind enough to make me lasanga and buy me ice cream. Thanks so much for the hospitality and generosity.
Current Location: Pine Grove Furnace SP, Mile 1101.7, PA
D89, 5/14:
Left Bears Den Hostel full, warm, and happy. Unfortunately it rained and my motivation dropped once again. Oh well. Made it 11 miles to David Lesser Shelter, which is a beautiful shelter with a patio and many camping spots. Water was a bit of a walk, but a great spring. Made it to the shelter and planned to leave again, but never did. Rain is a big downer. Butter did the same...
D90, 5/15:
The ATC!!
Woke up today feeling great. Powered the 8 miles to the ATC and registered with the album. Officially NOBO hiker #177! Excited to be under 200 and on my 90th day on trail! What a relief to finally leave Virginia!!!! Stupid state. Virginia Blues were totally real and awful.
After a break in Harper's Ferry and a bit of food, I headed out again. Soon after leaving HF, I hit Maryland! A short 40 mile section and then it's on to PA. Made it 20ish miles to Crampton Gap Shelter tonight even with a 4 hour break.
D1, 5/16:
The Original Washington Monument.
Headed out Crampton Gap and made it to the very first Washington Monument. A decent day on the trail with only a bit of morning rain. Hiked 20 miles to Ensign Cowell Shelter and made a quick pit stop and resupply in Smithsburg. Resupplied with wayyyy too much food. Oops.
D92, 5/17:
Mason/Dixon Line and PA!
A great 18 mile day with Hootie. Got to PenMar park and ordered pizza from Bobby D's. A really nice treat to eat pizza on trail.
Finally made it to Pennsylvania! Glad to finally be out of the south and into the north. Not a big deal, but a nice mental checkpoint.
Made it Tumbling Run Shelters which were a really beautiful pair of well maintained shelters. Super clean privy, fire pits, and 4 water sources. Awesome spot with nice caretakers. Definitely recommended. Met up with General Lee, CousCous, Hannah Solo, and Hootie.
D93, 5/18:
Hootie, Seaweed, and Big O
Left the shelter and met up with Hootie at US30. Found out that Garrett was stopping by for his farewell tour and decided to stop and say hey. I first met Garrett/Seaweed back in GA many months ago. Seaweed decided to head off trail and go back to summer camp. Hopefully I can see him again in Maine where he works! Tonight, Birch Spring Shelter.
D3, 5/19:
THE HALF GALLON CHALLENGE!
Made it Pine Furnace SP with Lee, Hootie, CousCous for the challenge. All of us completed it! Super full. Tonight, Ironmaster's Hostel. Oh jeeze. So full.
Hit the official half way point as well. Mile 109.5!
CousCous has done it!
Hello all! I apologize for my lack of updates over the past few weeks. My phone slowly died after leaving Daleville, VA and I finally got a replacement in Front Royal. RIP LGG2. I really liked that phone, but this Nexus 6P is awesome. At least I can finally update you all with my progress.
LOCATION: I am currently at Bear's Den Hostel at Mile 1002.6 in the last stretch of Northern VA! Pizza, ice cream, and a warm bunk!
D68, 4/22:
Did a quick 10.2 miles after leaving Four Pines extremely full from the AYCE Homeplace Restaurant. Finally hit the famous McAfee Knob. The plan is to camp just north of the knob and then head back up for the sunrise. We'll see how that goes tomorrow morning. It's a horde at Pig Farm Campsite tonight. Hit the knob on a weekend and it's crazy packed with people. Ugh. Oh well.
D69-70, 4/23-24:
Made it into Daleville, VA today for a resupply, rest, and zero. Decided to stop at the HoJos since everybody else did. Got a room with Sorority Steve and Smokey Bear to help with the cost. Many others are around including Steady and Teach, Ribbit and Goose, and General Lee. Decided to grab food at 3 Lil Pigs BBQ which was really good. I highly suggest the BBQ Nachos and hush puppies. Oh man. Huge portion for $9 Nachos.
Zero day means doing nothing all day. Managed to see an old college friend today! Kelli D came down to visit and we grabbed more BBQ! I love food and friends. Thanks again for coming to visit and driving me around a bit!
D71, 4/26:
Did 18.5 out of Daleville today and made it to Bobblets Gap Shelter. A pretty boring and standard day on the trail. Thought a lot about cheese today. Not sure why. I was thinking heavily about cheeses in lasanga. Oh man. Lasanga. I miss that. Food.
D72, 4/27:
Lots of ups and downs today. Made it to Bryant Ridge Shelter fairly early and had a terrible run in with a crazy conspiracy theorist. Something about chemtrails, nano metals, and government programming. Yeahhhh. Got the hell out of there as soon as possible. Apparently he had a gun too. Highly unfortunate as the shelter is a beautiful 20 person Shelter with great water and nice amenities. Some people have already let the ATC know of his presence at the shelter. Pushed on to the next shelter.
D73, 4/28:
Hiked in 20 miles to Glasgow, VA for pizza and cold drinks. Glasgow is kind enough to provide a very nice shelter to hikers on the trail. The shelter has room for 6, a hot shower, tent sites, and privies. Not to mention it is close to town, which has food and a grocery close by. Met up with Smokey Bear for the last time today. Smokey has decided to leave the trail as he feels fulfilled and ready to go. I feel bad to see another friend get off trail, but I respect his decision.
D74, 4/29:
Did another 20 out of Glasgow to Brown MTN Shelter. Feet hurt today. Not sure why. They've been pretty good until today. Probably the big climb today. Did the last 5 miles to the shelter in less than 1 hr 20 minutes. Felt good to make it here and setup. Metup with Stealth again.
D75, 4/30:
Big climb out of the shelter this morning, almost 3000 feet. Wanted to make it to The Priest shelter, but the rain stopped me after 16. Ugh. Cold rain is the worst. Time to sleep. Fuck the rain.
D76, 5/1:
Did 22 miles today to Devil's Backbone Brewery and down and up the Priest. Nothing like an immediate 3000 foot drop and immediate 3000 foot climb back up the other side. Ouch! Finally met up with Spirit of 76 today after nearly 600 miles since Hot Springs! It was great to catch up after so long. Failed to get a hitch to the brewery, but they were nice enough to pick us up. Food was terribly overpriced and small portions. Beer was good. Tent site needs some rehab. Very overgrown. Currently surviving thunderstorms and multiple inches of rain. Please no hail!
D77-78, 5/2-3:
Made it into Waynesboro today after 19 miles. Got a room with Tesla and Grits at the Quality Inn, which did not honor the hiker price. Awful. Enjoyed the hell out of Ming's Garden buffet and ate enough for a few days. Sooo full. Washed and dried a bunch of stuff and set up clothes lines in the room. Finally got a chance to dry out my tent! Woop!
Zero day included a lot of laying around, eating, and watching TV. Also coffee.
D79, 5/4:
So sick of the rain. Barely left Waynesboro today. Left at nearly noon and did only 8 miles to the first shelter. Finally made it to SNP. Fuck the rain. Many others did the same.
D80, 5/5:
Really rained today. It was freezing cold today and pouring rain. Made it to Blackrock Hut and called it quits after just 13 miles. Tired of the cold and wet. Ugh. Today was one of the few days where I didn't make my mileage goal. Oh well. I can make it up later. Maybe if the sun ever shines again. It has now been raining for a week straight. Ugh. Stop rain....no more. I surrender.
D81, 5/6:
Did 22 miles to Hightop Hut in the rain.....again.....ugh. Stopped at Loft MTN campstore to dry out and buy a few snacks. Stayed for a bit and threw everything in the dryer. Soooo nice to wear warm clothes.....for about 3 minutes before being soaked again.
D82, 5/7:
Once again, it rained. Day 9 of the rain. Did another short day to Bearface Shelter. 12.4 miles of rain. I hate being this wet. Why? Why so wet? Yay, a damp sleeping bag too! Ate 2 calzones and a bunch of snacks at Lewis Campground store. Packed out hot dogs with Tesla and Grits!
D83, 5/8:
23 miles with only a tiny bit of rain today! Still cloudy and cold though.... Stopped at Rock Spring Hut and met up with Aleve today while leaving. It turns out he took a fall up in PA and decided to head back to VA to heal and reassess his thruhike. Unfortunately it seems he will be calling off his hike due to his knees giving him tooany problems. I am sad to see him get off trail, but I wish him the best on his surgery and big motorcycle trip! Aleve was kind to buy me lunch as well. Too many friends are getting off trail. Booo.
D84, 5/9:
Rain again. 18 miles to Gravel Springs Hut. Stopped at Elkwallow Wayside for a sandwich and drink. At least it was warm inside. Some of the staff were less than thrilled with our loitering. Kind of annoying after we spent so much inside....
Gravel Springs Hut was the first shelter where I got an idea to thruhike many years ago when I saw a few thruhikers there.
D85-86, 5/10-11:
Finally made it to Front Royal today! Woooooooo. Out of the rain for a second. Had a wonderful lunch thanks to Tesla's parents then headed back to the Mountain Home Cabbin, a wonderful Hostel close to the trail. Scott (Possible '12) has been renovating the property with his wife and turning it into a hiker Hostel and renovating the main home for a B&B. The 7000sq ft home is a wonderful old historical home with a fantastic interior. I'm excited to return to see it finished!
Jenny came to visit and brought me a plethora of snacks, food, and of course my phone. Thank you sooooooo much for the rescue! So glad to see an old friend on the trail. Spent the rest of the day reading, eating, and relaxing. No rain for 1 more day!
D87, 5/12:
Did a quick 15 miles out of Front Royal to Dicks Dome Shelter, a tiny little 4 person shelter, which we luckily squeezed 5 people into. Rainnnnnnnnnnnnn.
D88, 5/13:
Rained this morning, but managed to clear up by mid afternoon. So glad. Even saw the sun! Whoa. That big bright thing in the sky. Odd. Started the roller coaster today and will finish it tomorrow. Made it 18 miles to Bear's Den Hostel for the great $30 deal. Bunk, shower, laundry, soda, pizza, and Ben and Jerry's pint. So worth it. Maybe the rain will hold out.....probably not. Day 15 of rain....wtf....
Made it to Mile 1000 today! Yeahhhhhhhhh
Current Location: Four Pines Hostel, Mile 701.8
D61, 4/16:
The previous day, the 24+ mile day did not end well. After leaving Bland full of Subway, I did not feel so great. Extreme nausea. Oh man. Horrible. Barely made it the last few miles without vomitting. At least when I made it to the shelter Ribbit and Goose were setting up camp, who I had not seen in a couple hundred miles. A great time catching up.
Today did not go so well either. After waking up, the nausa didn't subside. Like an idiot, I pushed on anyway. Best choice, obviously. After 30 minutes of hiking, I started dry heaving. Thought I should turn around, take a day and rest. Of course I didn't. Drank a bit of water, and pushed forward. Made it a bit further and finally vomitted. Yay. Took a minute, seriously debated turning around, but of course, did not.
Third time is the charm of course. About an hour of misery later, I emptied my stomach. Shit. Maybe I should have turned around. Well, too far now, might as well push on. After too many hours I finally stumbled into Jenny Knob Shelter and sat down. Did I mention that that last stretch of trail (almost 10 miles) had zero water? Filled up my bottles and drank some very slowly, trying to mitigate my dehydration. Attempted to eat, but only got a single bite of a Larabar down.
Rabbit and Goose convinced me to push on to Trent's Grocery, and I reluctantly obliged. It took me forever, but I eventually made it. 16.1 miles hiked on half a serving of Gatorade powder and a single bite of a Larabar. It's amazing what the body can do under stress. After getting to the road we walked to Trent's, a hole in the road kind of grocery store. Where 50lb sacks of potatoes can only be found in the same aisle as WILD BEAST FERAL PIG ATTRACTANT. Awesome, but gross, and definitely a little run down. Ordered cheese sticks and inhaled a Gatorade. Hoped it would all stay down. Walked the .5 back to the trail and setup camp down by the river. Failed to hang my bear bag, which Ribbit had to do for me out of shame. Ugh.
D62, 4/17:
Woke up feeling much better. Hiked the 15.3 to Woods Hole Hostel, with a quick lunch pit stop at the Wapiti Murder Shelter. Seriously though, people were murdered there. It's creepy.
Woods Hope Hostel is probably my favorite stay so far. An absolute gorgeous property, cabin, and hiker facilities. Topped only by the fucking delicious home grown and raised meals. All of the meats are raised on property as well as the vegetables. It's amazing. I really didn't want to leave. I was so in love I forgot to take photos. Let's just say, I'll be back.
Finally met up with Smokey Bear who left the trail and got back on. Last I saw him was back in Erwin when he was terribly sick. Caught up and had some laughs.
Headed out to dinner at the local Mexican spot and saw Steady and Teach. Aparently gear and body issues have been plaguing them. Finally got a chance to catch up with them as they have been far ahead for many hundreds of miles.
D63, 4/18:
I didn't leave. Took an unexpected zero. I regret nothing. Amazing breakfast and dinner. Debated taking a few more. Slept great.
D64, 4/19:
Reluctantly left Woods Hole and pushed 18 to Rice Field shelter. It was freaking hot. Too hot for spring. Help. Last two climbs were brutal in the mid day sun.
D65, 4/20:
Managed to make it through the day without too much 4/20 smoke week everyday nonsense. That was good.
Hiked 16.5 to the next shelter and had a great day. Stopped by "The Captain's" and grabbed a soda. I don't know who he is, but he rigged up an ingenious system to cross a stream. Zip line chair seat. Amazing,and worth the detour. Awesome dog too! Crawled up the final climb, and Smokey Bear urged me to push another 9 to the next shelter. Declined.
All in all, a great day on the AT. It looks to rain tomorrow. It looks like my 8 day streak of sunshine is about to run out. Oh well. There's always next week.
D66, 4/21
MARATHON DAY!
Woke up feeling great after a great night of rest. Last night Smokey Bear called me a bitch for not pushing to the next shelter. In order to make up for it, I pushed 27 miles to meet him at the next shelter. It was a long 11 hour day, but I crushed it. 2.7 mph average with breaks and almost 4000 feet of climb! Felt good, but exhausted at the end of the day. Sleep is good. My feet smell.
D67, 4/22:
Took a relatively shorter 17 mile day to Four Pines Hostel after Dragons Tooth. A nice, DRY, spot out of the rain. Homeplace Restaurant was out of control. Serious eating. Unlimited fried chicken, and all of the fixings. Oh man. Soooo full. Oy vey. Happy to find many friends here. Smokey Bear, Ribbit and Goose, Steady and Teach, King Arthur, Fraternity Frank, Stealth, and many others. A great night to come.
Day 59, 4/14:
After a fairly restful sleep, I wanted to push it a bit. Did 20.7 miles to Chestnut Knob Shelter, which included a brutal 4000+ feet of elevation gain. Of course the last few miles was a straight 2000+ foot climb. Nothing like a climb to end the day. Unfortunately there was no water at the shelter, so I had to drag the extra few liters up to the shelter. Oh well.
A very cool shelter with FOUR walls and a door! Very nice to escape the wind. Unfortunately the privy was not as lucky and was quite chilly at 645am.
Sunrise at the shelter. A beautiful sky over the valley below.
Day 60, 4/15;
Feeling pretty good after the 20 miles the previous day, I decided it would be a great idea to do 24.2 to Helveys Mill Shelter. Why not? Minimal big climbs, and it would be a great idea to push my biggest miles on my 60th day on trail.
Wellllllll, like most things, it didn't go as well as planned. After descending nearly 1000 feet, it was a 5 mile rocky ridge traverse. Unfortunately during this time I lost my footing and fell. Nothing broken but my ego and morale. The last 4 miles into the first shelter were both painful and excruciating. Mentally broken I took a long 45 minute break, ate some snacks and drank water. With a bit of my dying battery, I turned on some music and hung out to clear my mind. With only 10.7 miles down, it was another 13.5 to my destination. Ugh.
Met back up with Hot Rabbit and King Arthur at Laural Creek/VA 615. Rabbit apparently had a shitty morning as well. We all pushed on and eventually made it to US52/Bland, VA. We decided to hitch in. Food. So Good. Grabbed Subway and ice cold soda.
Now waiting for a shuttle back to the trail and then the final 2.2 miles to the shelter. Hopefully we can move after eating so much.
A very long day. 22 miles in less than 9 hours despite the horrid start. Now 2.2 left and then it's right to bed.
Tomorrow, less miles. 18 to Dismal Falls.
Beautiful Day through rolling pastures.
Current Location: 547.2, Davis Campsite, VA
Day 54, 4/9
Left Damascus feeling great and energized. Did 15 miles to Lost Mountain Shelter and felt great. A great day out on the trail. A heavy pack full of food, but no regrets. Food is delicious.
Day 55, 4/10
Passed near Mt. Rogers and made it 18 miles to Wise Shelter. I really wanted to climb Rogers, but the forested summit didn't seem completely worth it.
Walked into the Grayson Highlands and saw some ponies! Super cool, but unfortunately they seemed shy. Maybe not the social group of ponies. Haha, maybe tomorrow.
Day 56, 4/11
Walking through the Grayson Highlands and the other Highlands of Virginia was fantastic. Left ankle was a bit sore, but I managed to squeeze out 20 miles anyway. Probably not the best idea, but oh well. Waking up to ponies at the shelter was super cool. These ponies seemed to be much more social than the last. Probably fed by people before.
Day 57, 4/12
Woke up to pouring rain at Trimpi Shelter and headed out. Wanted to make the 10 miles to Partnership Shelter and the 11am shuttle, so I booked it. Absolutely decimated the 10 miles in less than 3 hours in the pouring rain.
Made it to Marion, and resupplied. Decimated the Chinese buffet as well. To top it all off, a few hikers and I ordered pizza at the shelter. So worth it. Too bad the shower wasn't working. Probably the nicest shelter on the whole trail.
Day 58, 4/13
Today has been one of the best so far on trail. Headed out of Partnership Shelter late around 9am. Beautiful sunny day without a single cloud in the sky. Walked 7 miles to the next shelter and had a nice break and soaked my feet in the cool stream. Made it a few more miles and found some amazing trail magic at the schoolhouse at the Settlers Museum. Nothing like a ice cold soda on a warm day. Ughhhhh. So good.
Made my way to Rural Retreat, VA and found The Barn Restaurant. Had the burger, charged my phone, and moved out. Heading to the Davis Campsite and the QUARTER WAY POINT tonight!
Settler Museum
PONIES!!!!!
Whitetop MTN on the left. The highlands.
It's springtime! Near Atkins.
Perseverance, noun, steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
For each of us, the definition of perseverance is unique and one of a kind. For some, it is working a dead end job to afford school. For others, it is living in a bad situation until an opportunity arises. No matter how, each one of us persevered through something throughout our lives.
As I look back on the past few days, weeks, and years, I look at everything I have made it through to find success in the end. Whether it was working in a difficult situation or dealing with strong personalities, I made it. Hiking the Appalachian Trail has the been the ultimate test of my patience, will, and desire. As I have traversed the last 500+ miles, I have been faced with achilles tendonitis in one ankle, norovirus in Gatlinburg, and currently tendonitis and swelling in my right shin and ankle. Yet I am still here. I refuse to give up. I won't give up.
I will persevere and I will make it to Maine.
I AM GETTING TO FUCKING MAINE.
Current Location: 4/6, 458.6, Abingdon Shelter, TN
Sorry for the lack up updates, the trail has been busy and I've been recovering.
Days 45, 46, and 47, 3/31 to 4/2 :
Listened to the doctors and stayed put for the full 5 days despite my reluctance. Watched as hikers came and went as I sat and watched. Ugh. Ate food. On a side note: Mountain Harbour Hostel's breakfast is well worth the $12 dollars. Also, I am sad to report that one of the original owners, Terry, recently passed away.
Day 48, 4/3:
Day 48 was bitter sweet. As I packed up and got ready to leave, I felt some slight desire just to stay put and never leave. The comfort of a bed. A toilet. Running water. As I reluctantly packed up and left the hostel, I felt hesitation. I pushed on and got on the trail. A short 8.8 mile day to test the ankle. Mountaineer Shelter is quite nice and water source is the top of the falls.
Day 49, 4/4:
Pushing out of Mountaineer felt good. I knew Mooreland Gap Shelter was the right choice, at 9.6 miles, but I decided against that. I pushed on 16.2 miles to Kincora Hostel and the legendary Bob Peoples. For those unaware, Bob is a legend in the trail maintenance circles and trail angel. For the low low price of a $5 donation, you get a bed, a hot shower, free laundry, and a shuttle into town for resupply. What a deal. Plus you get to talk with Bob! To explain his legend, only a quote from the scriptures of Vandaventer Shelter will do: "Bob doesn't recognize the periodic table of elements because he only recognizes the element of surprise."
Day 50, 4/5:
Feeling good after consuming way too many sodas the night before, I thought it would be a good idea to push 17.7 miles to Vandaventer Shelter. Ehhh, not too bad.
Day 51, 4/6:
Wanting to escape some hikers around, I pushed 22.7miles to Abington Gap Shelter. Ankle feels ok, but still quite a bit sore. Damascus tomorrow!
Day 52, 4/7:
In Damascus at the Woodchuck Hostel. Showered, clean, and dry. Pizza, sleep, and a zero tomorrow.
Current Location: Johnson City, TN
Huuuuuuuuge shout out to Jon and his family for picking me up in Roan Mtn, TN at 19E and driving me to the city to get looked at by a doctor.
Looks like stress fractures are out, hopefully! Xrays came out clean. Doctor said likely just severe overuse and inflammation. Rest and ice.
Disappointed to be off trail, but only for a few days. Looking to hop back on Friday after 5 days of rest!