Appalachian Trail

The first time I heard of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) was age 16 during a month long Outward Bound (Hurricane Island, Maine) hiking/ rock climbing trip. The trip leaders described the A.T. as a East Coast national scenic hiking trail traveling through 14 states over the course of 2,200 miles. Every year people attempt to hike it (aka thru hiking) continuously within a 12 month window from their start date. I remember my first thought, “What?! How, why?” I couldn’t even comprehend how long 2,200 miles truly was back then. The leaders would point out the thru hikers just from their particularly pungent odor, not to mention they would blow by us like we were standing still with their lightweight packs. That 25 day trip taught me much about myself and made a major positive impact on my life. Bigger than I fully understood and/or expected; everything I learned over the course took months to sink in post trip. I wondered what thru hiking the Appalachian Trail would bring to me.

After that summer adventure the dream of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail was born. That dream laid dormant for many years. University, relationships and a move to the West coast for a career pursuit put this thru hiking idea on the back burner. My partner at the time and I decided in 2010 when we move back to the East coast, we would attempt thru hiking the A.T. Fast forward to the end of 2020, my marriage with her was collapsing in every direction. Navigating the emotional turmoil in the start of ‘21 from the divorce was the most difficult time I’ve endured in my life. It was a major loss, and I was suffering. They say during the darkest times in life is when you grow the most mentally and emotionally. During this time of growth I found myself wanting a way to put a pause on life, let the dust settle from all that had happened and allow some light back into my soul. I’ve always turned towards placing myself in nature when needing time to heal mentally. Then the thought of the Appalachian Trail crossed my mind. There it was, the silver lining life was throwing at me. The opportunity to chase that goal while letting myself heal with time in nature. All I had to do was take the first step towards it. The second I decided to go for it I wasn’t going to let anything stop it from happening. I dropped off the radar, prepped as best I could, packed my shit and skipped town heading east in pursuit of that dream.

My research was limited on the trail and my plan of attack was minimal at best. I wanted to keep it that way, leaving a lot for the unexpected or unknown. Years of experience in the outdoors have taught me that plans never go the way you think. Just plan on being adaptable and everything else will work out. Full well knowing when I embarked on this adventure it wouldn’t bring major life epiphanies, clarity to a failed marriage, or a rainbow at the northern terminus making my life magically all better. What I did understand I could get out of this trip was giving myself two simple gifts. The first gift, turning a longtime dream into reality. The second and most precious to me, the gift of time. Its the one thing you can not get back and it is precious to me.

Everything I needed in life was in a backpack, nothing more nothing less. It was time to let the wind carry me down trail and not worry where I’d land. The trail has a way of providing for you as long as you don’t hold high expectations. I had all the time in the world with no expectations and no game plan. I was truly free.

Time for the adventure to begin.

(Continued below)

The first step of the Appalachian Trail journey, walking through the stone arch in Amicalola Falls State Park, GA. 2193.1 miles to go. 3/30/2021

A lot happens when your cruising at 3mph through the woods from Georgia to Maine with like-minded folk. There is so much to be said and discussed for a trip of this caliber. The culture on and around the trail were some of the most interesting and supportive people I have ever encountered while hiking. It truly is something to be cherished.

The high’s and low’s you venture through can be extreme.

The culture on and along the trail is phenomenal, gracious and truly supportive. It is incredibly unique and something to be cherished. Best way to see rural eastern America in my humble opinion. No timeline meant I could do whatever, whenever. I felt very fortunate to be able to hike the trail this way.

I went from a complete all time low in life to an all time high. I am a Gemini so it fit well. I was finally smiling and happy again. Something I had been missing in my life for a long time.

The culture on and along the trail is phenomenal, gracious and truly supportive. It is incredibly unique. Its true they say by the end it all starts to blur together. And its impossible to answer the question, “What was your favorite part?” Random things happen at different times on trail and each event are special is so many ways. The first weeks and couple hundred mile marks everything was new. New hikers every day, your first trail town experience, trail magic, hitches, people simply stopping to talk at a road gap. The energy was high and the fun was being had.

If you’re considering thru hiking on of the long trails, seriously, do it.

Camera used Sony RX100 Vll,

150 photos for 150 days on trail. Its about the journey, its about letting the trail decide your journey. trail life - fluid moving, ever changing, unknowns, a blaze a day