Adjusting back to “real life.”

I’ve been off-trail for 20 days now. 20 days already!! Time is really strange. I remember stepping through the arches in Amicalola in May. I remember feeling a queer surreal feeling. It didn’t seem real at the time that I was embarking on a 2,189 mile hike. Even now after completing the thru-hike the idea of having hiked all the …

Day 205 – SUCCESS!!

I’m writing from Harper’s Ferry, WV. I’ve passed through four states since my last blog and we have a lot to catch up on! First, I finished my thru hike last night! I hiked into Harper’s Ferry at 9:45pm after a long 31.2 mile day(which ended up being closer to 34 miles because I hiked out to get beer and …

Day 181 – Hiking All Night

I’m writing from the Tuxedo motel in Southfield, NY while I do laundry. There’s no laundromat so I’m washing the clothes in the sink and rinsing them off in the shower. I’ll be entering New Jersey in two days and then there’s only Pennsylvania and a small portion of Maryland left to hike. I’m ready to be done. I’m ready …

Day 162 – What do you really need on the Appalachian Trail?

I’m writing to you from Manchester Center, VT. I hitched into town early this morning and will head back to the trail this afternoon. I plan to go in and out of towns like this frequently on my way back to Harper’s Ferry. It will save both time and money and help keep my pack light by allowing me to …

Day 154 – Five Months On The Trail!

I’m writing to you from Hanover, NH. It’s a very nice little town on the NH/VT border and the home of Dartmouth College. Today marks five months on the trail. Five months!! I’m going to keep this update short as I still have a lot I need to do(and a lot of beer to drink) before I hike out this …

Day 143 – Climbed Mt. Washington, Ate Pizza, Didn’t Die, Good Day.

I’m writing to you from a 12 tribes operated hostel in Lancaster, NH. The 12 tribes is a somewhat eccentric community that some describe as a “cult.” They have communities across the nation and are famous for their Yellow Delis. They’ve been very nice and super hospitable. They drove us 35 minutes from the trailhead and will return us in …

Day 100… something. Another state completed, on to the White mountains!

I’m writing from the White Mountains Hostel outside of Gorham, NH. It has a reputation as one of the best hostels on the trail. The reputation is well earned. It’s clean, organized, and very comfortable. Today makes a double zero. Southern Maine The last hundred miles through southern Maine have been the roughest terrain I’ve encountered yet. The mountains are …

Day 121 – Some Musings on Life

I’m writing to you from Rangley. A small tourist town situated in a valley on the bank of Rangley Lake in Maine. I’ve climbed several large mountains in the last week; the Bigelows, the Saddlebacks, and several other smaller ranges whose names elude me. This section of southern Maine and the White Mountains(which I’ll climb late next week) are the …

Day 108 – Starving in the 100 Mile Wilderness

I’m writing to you from the Lakeshore House in Monson, ME. It’s a two story house that has been converted into a hostel and pub. True to its name the house sits on the lake and there’s even a dock and kayaks available for guests. Pete’s Place, a small bakery and cafe is located next door. They serve the best …

Day 92 – The Journey of a Thousand Miles…

I’m writing to you from Harper’s Ferry, WV. Mile 1,022 on the Appalachian Trail. I expected a hiker town similar to Waynesboro – buffets, grocery stores within easy walking distance, and lots of hostels. Not so. Harper’s Ferry is a historic town. The homes here date mostly from the 1800s. The primary industry is tourism. Not bad, just not what …