Location: Unknown Shelter I got a late start on the 18 mile day today. I tend to start hiking late when I don’t have a full day to hike. Of course, 18 miles is a long distance. I always think that days in the teens will pass more quickly than they actually do. No matter […]
Coldfeet Leaves Candy Trail Magic in Pasture – AT Thru-Hike Day 130
Location: Unknown Shelter I left the shelter today expecting to move just 16 miles south on the AT. I started hiking late this morning, around 9:30. I allowed plenty of time to hike the 16 miles. It was supposed to rain all morning, but the rain never came. The sun shined all day and I […]
Crossing Tinker Cliffs and Dragons Tooth – AT Thru-Hike Day 129
Location: Unknown Shelter The Bear Mafia wakes up early. I woke up with them, ready for a 23 mile day. This morning was warm. Finally I could get out of my sleeping bag and enjoy the morning. I ate breakfast at the picnic table and left the shelter casually. The first obstacle today was a […]
Snakes and Bear Mafia – AT Thru-Hike Day 128
Location: Unknown Shelter Morning came too quickly in the hotel room. I wished that I had hours on end to waste in that room which had everything I needed and wanted. However, the trail calls. I woke up around 8:00am and ate a quick breakfast after putting my clothes in the wash. Before I knew […]
Hiking 32 Miles into Daleville Virginia – AT Thru-Hike Day 127
Location: Econolodge, Daleville, Virginia I woke to the patter of raindrops on the tin roof of the shelter this morning. A couple of the five section hikers had woken earlier and were hard at work on menthol cigarettes and coffee. The air was warmer this morning than many recently, but still there was a chill […]
Too Many Donuts and the Rat King – AT Thru-Hike Day 126
Location: Unknown Shelter I woke late this morning. I slept through my alarm. I did it at home, I do it out here. I ate breakfast in my sleeping bag as usual. I ate the second box of chocolate donuts. After packing my bag, I got out of my sleeping bag, exposing my bare legs […]
I Now Prefer The Trail to Town – AT Thru-Hike Day 124
Location: Unknown Shelter This morning wasn’t as cold as the last few, but I stayed in my sleeping bag to eat breakfast. Once Wrongway stoked the fire and had it blazing again, I moved all of my gear to the picnic table and packed by the heat of the flames. Everything was covered in ash […]
Freezing Temperatures and Ice Cold Beer Trail Magic – AT Thru-Hike Day 123
Location: Unknown Shelter Today the Topsail King Mackerel Tournament is in full swing. When I started walking this morning, I was thinking about where I’d be fishing if I were in the tournament and how badly I wanted to be fishing. I packed my pack from my sleeping bag again this morning. The morning was […]
Hiking the Priest – AT Thru-Hike Day 122
Location: Unknown Shelter The captain’s meeting for the Topsail KMT is today. I’m disappointed that I’m not there to fish. I haven’t fished in so long. I think about fishing every day, but I know that I must complete the task before me while I have momentum. A weekend of fishing at the beach might […]
Wrongway on the Appalachian Trail – AT Thru-Hike Day 121
Location: Unknown Shelter in the Shenandoahs I woke late this morning because the sun took forever to reach the floor of the valley. 9:00am looked more like 7:00am. Thunderstorms, waves of them, kept me awake much of the night. I don’t think Wrongway slept well either. He tossed and turned and woke up to pee […]