When one hikes 100 miles in less than a week, it doesn’t leave much time for writing, so this entry combines two hundred miles to finish out Virginia. Swiftly have the miles ticked by, expedited by the abrupt realization that things are about to get really cold! Waking up to frigid temperatures, (already plummeting into … More 1,600 & 1,700 mile journal – Weather Woes and Midnight Visitors
What a difference a hundred miles make! The trail transformed from a consistently drab, gray, foggy mud to an explosion of vividly vibrant colors. Every little girl dreams of finding that elusive end of a rainbow for that promised pot of gold, but even more enriching is the joy of walking through one, futilely hoping … More 1,500 mile journal – Kaleidoscope of Colors
This hundred miles began to feel more like home as I reentered the land of Kroger stores and Cracker Barrels waiting for me in trail towns. As the last hundred ended, so this hundred began…chilly, rainy, foggy gloom for several more days, eventually totaling twelve days out of thirteen. Hiking in such dismal conditions definitely … More 1,400 mile journal – A Puppy Rescue Brings Purpose
The good and the tough experiences work together to build strength, teach character, and provide clarity. The first hundred miles of part two has created a conflict inside of me…stronger is my desire for home, a feeling at war with my fierce resolve to see this journey all the way through. Knowing these disenchanting times … More 1,200 and 1,300 mile journal – Homeward Bound!
Ten states, 1,137 miles, three months and ten days. Where did they go? How are they suddenly a blur of the past? The myriad faces, extraordinary places, epic views, repetitive tasks, challenging steps of closing an unconquerable distance at a mere 2MPH pace, moments of feeling indescribably alive have, in hindsight, flown by faster than … More Halfway there!
Challenging myself in fresh and unique ways has always been what makes me thrive. To push myself to new levels and accomplish goals that at one point seemed impossible is intoxicating. The first half of this 100 miles made me question that whole philosophy, however. Riddled with days of physical, mental, emotional challenges, increasing in … More 1,000 mile journal – Maine Won’t Kill Me but Will Make Me Stronger
The trail of many forms took on a whole new life of its own with this hundred miles. The Appalachian River, the Appalachian Swamp, the Appalachian Boulder Field, the Appalachian Mudpit are just a few of the trail’s daily identities. New Hampshire, which the Appalachian Trail Conservancy rates an 8 in regards to difficulty level, … More 900 mile journal – Jungle Gym of Rocks and Roots
The 800th mile of this journey has brought with it many bruises, a heavier pack to carry full of cold weather gear and mountains more brutally grueling and more richly rewarding than any other on the Appalachian Trail! Gone are the twenty mile days of hiking solid speeds of three miles per hour. Miles in … More 800 mile journal – Vermont Bridge Jump? Yep, video below! Definitely recommend!
Welcome to the start of moose country in sunny, muddy Vermont, the state of mild temperatures, sweet raspberries, and steep mountains. The farther north my legs carry me on this journey, the more notable the changes around me. My ordinary greeting of “Hey y’all” isn’t as commonplace in this neck of the woods as it … More 700 mile journal – “Vermud”
This hundred miles greeted me immediately with a grand entrance into Massachusetts. Day one set a precedent that was, fortunately, continued throughout this hundred mile section. Upon saying farewell to Connecticut, there were miles of stream side mountain walks complete with inviting swimming holes, picturesque waterfalls that beckon hikers to pause their walks and enjoy … More 600 mile journal – I ❤ Massachusetts!
AppalachianTrailClarity 