Miles: 9.9 Steps: 40,622 Kcal: 2062 Avg BG: 116 The day began with heavy rain – it was difficult to leave Gooder Grove Hostel for the trail. We were dropped off about 8:45 that morning in steady rain. Embrace the Suck This a term in the thru-hiking community used when you are having a bad… Continue reading Day 15 – Wayah Gap to Cold Spring Shelter
Day 14 – Betty Creek Gap to Rock Gap
Miles: 8.5 Steps: 32,484 Kcal: 1541 Avg BG: 120 Today we hit the 100 mile mark at the summit of Mt. Albert. We woke to an overcast day with rain forecasted to begin late in the morning. We knew from Zen at Gooder Grove that it would be a short day – he told us… Continue reading Day 14 – Betty Creek Gap to Rock Gap
Day 13 Deep Gap to Betty Creek Gap
Miles: 12.2 Steps: 44,228 Kcal: 1816 Avg BG: 113 Weather: Started out in low 20 degree weather ending in high 50s – low 60s by end of day. Spent most of the day observing the changing trail conditions (I can see why the Inuit have so many different terms for snow!): Began in ~8 in… Continue reading Day 13 Deep Gap to Betty Creek Gap
Navigation on the AT
Navigating the AT (especially south of New England) is relatively easy and there are quite a few tools to help you. First, when you are on the trail, there are white blazes on the trees/posts/rock faces to indicate your way. Any trails that cross the AT have different color blazes. The trail junctions are well… Continue reading Navigation on the AT
Day 12 – Rock Gap to Wayah Gap
Miles: 9.6 Steps: 34674 Kcal: 3554 Avg BG: 132 The temperature was in the low 20s as we started our slack-packing day. Slack-packing is the term when you are doing a day hike – so you are only carrying minimal weight and you can hike faster and longer than with a full pack. Although the… Continue reading Day 12 – Rock Gap to Wayah Gap
Day 11 – Part 2 – Franklin, NC
Pack shopping – After arriving back at the hostel, Zen told us that he would drive us back to the outfitter with my pack! At Outdoor 76 (https://outdoor76.com/), the owner helped me identify possible packs. There was a large area where I was able to load my gear into each pack and try it on.… Continue reading Day 11 – Part 2 – Franklin, NC
Day 11 – Muskrat Creek Shelter to Deep Gap, Shuttle to Franklin, NC
Miles: 4 Steps: 25,286 Calories:1816 Avg BG: 127 I have been putting off writing about this day – it was the day that Ready got off the trail. The day started out bitterly cold – both of the water bottles left in my tent vestibule were frozen solid. I managed to get a cup of… Continue reading Day 11 – Muskrat Creek Shelter to Deep Gap, Shuttle to Franklin, NC
Trail Magic
There is a saying among hikers that “the trail provides” indicating that what and when a hiker needs something, it will magically appear. This often occurs through the efforts of people known as trail angels – people who selflessly give of their time and resources to strangers who are thru-hiking the trail. Sometimes this is… Continue reading Trail Magic
Blog posts still to come
Although I am currently off the trail – I am very behind in posting about my experience. I have only posted the first 10 days of my hike while I completed 37 days on trail. I over-estimated my ability to write at the end of the day. After all, my days were pretty simple –… Continue reading Blog posts still to come
Leaving the trail
Wednesday, March 25 was my last day on the AT attempting a thru-hike. This is a long post – but I don’t know how to shorten it. Serpent compared leaving the trail to leaving a lover. I left the trail while we were still in our honeymoon phase. We had experienced our first squabbles, but… Continue reading Leaving the trail
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