It really hit us today how fast we were going when we planned out the next few days and realized that we are going to be in New Jersey on Monday. It was a mixture of relief to be almost done with the rocks but at the same time we don’t want the trip to end too quickly. I have the pre post-trail blues. We spent a long time today reminding ourselves of some of our favorite spots and funny stories. I know there is so much more ahead of us but it’s been so special that I don’t want it to end.

I fast packed today. I got up early and headed out at 6 with Astronaut and Jellyfish. We hit a really fast pace early on and held on to that for the rest of the day. The rocky sections were technical but we kept a great pace. Just a few hours into the hike I realized that we were just about half way through our hike and I was curious how fast I could get through the rest of the 25 mile hike. I jogged and pushed pretty hard and popped out into Port Clinton around 2:15. It was fun but not something I want to do every day. I much prefer a slower pace where I can enjoy the views and hunt for cool critters.

I walked past the historic Port Clinton train depot and then scurried up an embankment to highway 61 and walked the shoulder of the road for about a mile to hiker Shangri-La. A huge Wal-Mart plaza with a Microtel and every type of fast food you could imagine. I got all of my chores done after checking in to the Microtel and then spent some really fun chill time with the crew. We are really starting to gel as a hiking team and it feels so great to have such a tight group to stay with.

Astronaut has this really cool Garmin tracker that drops a pin for all of her camping spots along the way. She does this every night to show her family where she is and to confirm that she is safe. It is really cool to look at the map and see how far we’ve come. This helps explain why my shoes are so torn up. I ordered my fourth pair of today and they will be waiting for me when I get to Delaware Water Gap. I don’t think they will be my last.

We camped at a really cool spot last night and the porcupines were so funny. They played and called to each other outside of our tents for about and hour and it had us all giggly until we fell asleep. I woke up really refreshed and ready to hit the Trail. I felt pretty beat up after the hard hike yesterday but my body recovered and the first few miles were really easy.

About 8 miles in we had a choice of either walking across a beaver dam or taking a dry detour. I haven’t hiked a beaver dam before and wanted to see what this was all about. As you can imagine, it was a mess and smelled pretty bad but I got the chance to see a bunch of frogs but no beavers. It reminded me of how much fun I have when I run with the Hash House Harriers. This is exactly the kind of muddy stuff we love to run in when we are “On On!”

The 26 mile hike today was pretty tame but we would run into some really technical rocky sections every few miles and have to slow down. It was a beautiful warm day so I stopped and had a long lunch on a bridge at the half way point. There was a big climb after lunch and then we were back on the rocky ridge for the remaining 13 miles or so.

I felt really good today until the last few miles. I was on the phone with a friend and wasn’t looking up and banged my nose and forehead pretty hard on a – you guessed it – a low branch. I think this is #5 so it’s hard not to laugh at it. Especially since I’m not really hurt and fortunately nothing is broken. Just a bloody nose and a reminder that I need to look up every once in a while. It was funny how your mind races when you have a little accident. I immediately went through the steps that I would need to get back on Trail. Still so focused on the finish line! I was just happy it wasn’t my foot or leg that was hurt.

The day ended beautifully though. It is a warm night and we were able to order pizza and cokes up to our campsite from the nearby town. A big salad and five pieces of pizza is just what I needed to recover. We will be back at it tomorrow and already planning the next sections in New Jersey and New York.

So many things I heard about the Trail turned out to be different than what I experienced. I did not get the “Virginia Blues” and I’ve yet to get a blister. However, they were not kidding about the rocks in Pennsylvania. When we left the coffee shop in Boiling Springs on Monday the Barista apologized for what we were about to experience. Yikes!

I got up with the sun this morning and headed out on our 25 mile hike. As soon as I left the campsite it started to get really rocky and technical. At times, it felt more like bouldering than hiking. The pace was frustrating but I tried my best to just accept it and enjoy the different terrain. I got a break from it as we hiked through the center of Duncannon and I picked up my new shipment of Outdoor Herbivore from the Post Office. Their food is so healthy and good and I was so happy to fill up my pack with it.

I stopped for water at the Peter Mountain Shelter and they had a friendly little sign that said “Spring .2 Miles – 300 Steps”. I headed down to fill up my water bags and quickly realized that they meant 300 stairs – not steps. I may have been cussing a bit by the time I made it back to the top. The last thing you want on a long hike like today is 600 more steps to add to your count. My grand total for today is 64,470 so I didn’t need any extra credit.

Not too many critters today but we do have a very friendly porcupine at our campsite tonight. These guys can be a real pain. They love to nibble on hiker gear for the salt and will show up in your tent if you don’t watch them carefully. There are even signs posted in this part of the Trail to be careful with your stuff or else these little guys will chew right through you pack straps.

We are pushing hard today and tomorrow to get to the next shelter where we can order pizza! It will be another 25 mile day tomorrow and then I hope we can slow down a bit after we get out of Pennsylvania. I like that we are getting closer to the goal but I don’t want this to end too quickly.

One of my favorite dark comedies is the 1997 film The House of Yes staring Parker Posey. Posey plays a woman that as been recently released from a mental hospital and she is obsessed with Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis. She even calls herself Jackie O and dresses up in vintage Jackie drag. Her character is smart but vicious and she has a silver tongue that she uses to deliver some wonderfully memorable lines. In my favorite scene, she blithely cuts down her brother’s fiancée (played by Tori Spelling) who is from Pennsylvania by declaring that she had never met anyone from Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvania is just a state that gets in the way when you are trying to go somewhere else.” Here is a link to the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvLZJOlrD0g

After my first few days of hiking in Pennsylvania, I have to say that Jackie O is missing out for sure. The hiking is terrific here and the Trail cuts through some beautiful farm land. The hike today was 22 miles and the first half was really flat so we were flying. The second half got a lot rockier and that is what we are expecting for the rest of the state. Thru hikers have nicknamed the state “Rocksylvania” or another play on their state logo “You Have a Friend Rock in Pennsylvania.” I expect that it will slow us down for sure.

One of the things the Trail is teaching me is not to wish for something that I can’t change. I don’t really want to hike 200 miles across a rock pile but that is what there is so I have to accept it and move forward carefully. It will also require a lot of mental energy to get through this next section so that I can plan my steps carefully and avoid any nasty falls. Speed will have to take a back seat for now. The goal is Katahdin in one piece.

I’ve been dealing with the homesickness by scheduling some calls with friends. I had a great FaceTime with my friends Betty and Ernie yesterday and they are doing great. Betty is done with her stem cell treatment and she looks terrific. I’m going to connect with my godmother Alvina tomorrow. I know everyone is struggling with isolation right now and so glad we have this technology to help us out.

You would think that going from Georgia to Maine would be enough of a challenge but these crazy thru hikers have developed little mini challenges along the way. There is the Grayson Highlands Pony Challenge where you are supposed to try to ride a wild pony for at least seven seconds. Fortunately, we didn’t learn about that one until we were a few hundred miles away. There is the Four State Challenge where you hike continuously touching Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jellyfish, Astronaut and NC’Ice did that one but somehow we ended up ahead of them anyway with a good night’s rest in between.

Then there is the Half Gallon Challenge where you try to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting in honor of reaching the half way point. I opted out of this one fearing that the sugar rush would keep me up all night but it was fun to watch the others crush this much ice cream in under an hour. It really isn’t much of a challenge with how hungry we are all the time but it is a cool tradition anyway.

The 23 mile hike today was perfect. The weather warmed up nicely and I spent some time in the Appalachian Trail museum park. Everything was closed but the grounds were beautiful and the dogwoods are just beginning to open in this part of Pennsylvania. It’s been so great to spend over six weeks in dogwood season as we chase spring up to Maine.

When we got into Boiling Springs we found a place called Buck Off Farm that we could camp on for the night. They had horses, chickens and some friendly dogs to play with. We built a huge fire, ordered a pizza in from town and sat around reminiscing about home. We are all starting to feel pretty homesick but at the same time looking forward to the next 1,000 miles. This thru hike can only be done if you spend a huge chunk of time away from family and it got a lot harder over the last few weeks.

Now that we are over half way done we are starting to talk a little bit about Katahdin. I wasn’t ready to even begin dreaming about the finish but it is starting to feel like we might actually make it. The hike itself is fragile as is everything else in life but we are feeling so much more confident that our bodies are holding up and the logistics are falling into place. It feels great to dream about it during these long days but then I remind myself to come back to the moment and enjoy this day. There is so much that the Trail has to offer before Maine and I don’t want to miss a second.

You would think that going from Georgia to Maine would be enough of a challenge but these crazy thru hikers have developed little mini challenges along the way. There is the Grayson Highlands Pony Challenge where you are supposed to try to ride a wild pony for at least seven seconds. Fortunately, we didn’t learn about that one until we were a few hundred miles away. There is the Four State Challenge where you hike continuously touching Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jellyfish, Astronaut and NC’Ice did that one but somehow we ended up ahead of them anyway with a good night’s rest in between.

Then there is the Half Gallon Challenge where you try to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting in honor of reaching the half way point. I opted out of this one fearing that the sugar rush would keep me up all night but it was fun to watch the others crush this much ice cream in under an hour. It really isn’t much of a challenge with how hungry we are all the time but it is a cool tradition anyway.

The 23 mile hike today was perfect. The weather warmed up nicely and I spent some time in the Appalachian Trail museum park. Everything was closed but the grounds were beautiful and the dogwoods are just beginning to open in this part of Pennsylvania. It’s been so great to spend over six weeks in dogwood season as we chase spring up to Maine.

When we got into Boiling Springs we found a place called Buck Off Farm that we could camp on for the night. They had horses, chickens and some friendly dogs to play with. We built a huge fire, ordered a pizza in from town and sat around reminiscing about home. We are all starting to feel pretty homesick but at the same time looking forward to the next 1,000 miles. This thru hike can only be done if you spend a huge chunk of time away from family and it got a lot harder over the last few weeks.

Now that we are over half way done we are starting to talk a little bit about Katahdin. I wasn’t ready to even begin dreaming about the finish but it is starting to feel like we might actually make it. The hike itself is fragile as is everything else in life but we are feeling so much more confident that our bodies are holding up and the logistics are falling into place. It feels great to dream about it during these long days but then I remind myself to come back to the moment and enjoy this day. There is so much that the Trail has to offer before Maine and I don’t want to miss a second.

One of the best things about a thru hike is that you have so much time to think and to think deeply. Hikers also talk a lot about the feeling that you have people hiking in spirit with you and I’ve been spending a lot of time hiking with Mom. As you all know, she is a big supporter of this hike and it’s been so encouraging to get all of her comments on the blog.

My Mom has taught me some important lessons along the way and always had my back. I am especially thankful for four key approaches to life that I use just about every day and wanted to share those with you.

Find a Way – growing up I watched my Mom accomplish some amazing things against some pretty stiff headwinds. She raised two boys in a constantly changing and complicated military environment. She completed her degrees and blew the curve while driving hours each way to school. She worked with abused and neglected children and cared for those with severe eating disorders. She instilled a work ethic that relies on grit instead of pedigree. She found a way and those lessons have helped me push through some doors that weren’t exactly open yet.

Make, Buy and Appreciate Art – some of my earliest memories are from museums. Mom exposed me to a wide range of art forms early and often and encouraged me to find my what type of art I was passionate about. She made beautiful drawings, paintings and sculptures and I did the same. She taught me to support artists by buying original work and displaying them proudly.

Stay Positive – my Mom is positive in the face of adversity. I can’t remember a time when she hasn’t responded to a challenge with a positive attitude and a practical approach. She got this honestly from her mother and it has gotten her through some tough spots.

Manners First – Mom was raised with great manners by terrific parents and she honed her skills as a polished military spouse. She taught me that the best way to show your love and appreciation for friends and family is to entertain them well and make them feel comfortable and welcome.

I can’t imagine better lessons to live by and am so thankful for her in my life. I wish I could be with Mom today but she will be walking with me for sure on the AT. Happy Mother’s Day Mom.

A photographer once told me that you can tell the difference between a fake smile and a genuine one by looking at the person’s eyes. If their eyes are smiling with them then it is for real. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately in this new age of mask wearing and trying my best to express a smile with my eyes.

We stayed at a great hotel in Rouzerville last night and it was managed by a delightful woman named Janet. There aren’t many guests at the hotel right now so she is filling her spare time by making masks for chemotherapy patients and first responders. I hung out for a while with Janet in the conference room that she had turned into her impressive production line. She had two sewing machines set up and bolts of fabric laid out so she could turn out 30-40 masks per day. I am so glad that I took the time to talk to her about her work. It’s impressive that she has turned her spare time into such a gracious volunteer opportunity.

Janet was also planning to host an Alice in Wonderland Mother’s Day brunch for the community and had made some fun props for the event. Unfortunately, that had to be canceled but she has all the decorations for next year. Janet was so supportive of our hike and is really missing all of the hikers that normally come through this time of year. She is so friendly that that she is mentioned in the AT guidebooks. You just have to stop in and visit with Janet the next time you are in Rouzerville.

We left a Rouzerville this morning for a relatively short 15 mile hike and headed into some pretty nasty weather. It rained all day and we got to our campsite soaking wet and cold. It’s going to get down to 29 degrees tonight but it is supposed to be dry and windy in the morning. I really hope this is the last of the cold fronts! At least I am prepared for this one as I bought new base layers at Wal-Mart.

We stopped for lunch near a pair of shelters that had separate facilities for snorers and non-snorers. This is one of the most important things on the Trail even when we are tenting. There are some severe snorers out here and you learn to avoid setting up near them. Maybe Janet can help us out with a mask that will solve that one. 😂

One of my favorite documentaries is called The Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. They also have a great podcast that I’ve been listening to a lot on the Trail. They are spreading the word that we can all live with much less and be happier in the end. Their message really resonates with me and I’ve been trying to put this into practice in my life for the last few years.

The AT is a perfect place to really focus in on this. For two months now I’ve been carrying everything I need on my back and I haven’t been happier. I love the simplicity of just having two outfits, a sleeping bag and a tent. I like keeping everything clean and organized and in good shape. I get excited about doing little repairs to my gear to keep them in good shape. I don’t lose things because I have so little to keep track of. Trust me – when you have one pair of pants you aren’t going to leave those behind. Now that I am half way through, I thought it would be interesting to see if my gear list has changed much since I first packed my bag in February.

Not much has changed actually. From my original list, I sent home the following items:

Tyvek House Wrap
Gloves
Long Sleeve Running Shirt
Hiking Poles
Kindle
Go Pro 7
Titanium Bowl and lid
Coffee Press
Black Plastic Garbage Bag

I haven’t really added anything and it feels good. In the process of hiking, I don’t think about the things I don’t have. I’m surrounded by so many amazing and new things in nature that I don’t have time to think about it. As long as I have enough food and clothes to keep me warm I can keep moving and enjoy everything the Trail has to offer.

The challenge is going to be taking this attitude home with me. I certainly don’t need to live this sparsely in Atlanta but I will definitely remember how happy I am in this realm of uber simplicity. This should help me second guess my next purchase and stick to Joshua and Ryan’s favorite saying “love people and use things”.

I arrived in Pennsylvania today and am going to do a quick resupply. I heard from Mallwalker and he made it to Harpers Ferry but unfortunately he rolled his ankle and he thinks it might be pretty serious. I hope he can recover and get back soon but he said that he thinks he might have to go home. I hope he can heal quickly but this is a good reminder that injury can take you out of this game at any time.

We’ve been in Virginia for so long that we got used to the way that state was handling the pandemic but things are radically different just across the state lines. As soon as we got into West Virginia and Maryland the change was drastic and shocking. Literally everything is shut down in Harpers Ferry except for a handful of places to stay and one restaurant. Here in Maryland, the difference is palpable even on the Trail. I didn’t see anyone hiking all day and the signs announcing closure of the shelters are menacing.

This fractured and inconsistent response is unnerving. I knew from news reports that each state was responding differently but I hadn’t experienced it first hand until now. No wonder we are still struggling so uncertainly through this.

The Trail today through Maryland was easy and fast. I hiked 24 miles and it went by quickly with just a short break for lunch. There are a lot of interesting Civil War memorials and markers and I stopped to check those out along the way. I’ve also been listening to the 1619 NYT podcast about the slave trade and it it made it all seem so real as I passed through many of the places that they are referring to in the episodes.

As we approach the Mason Dixon line, the difference between the south and north really come into focus. We are noticing fewer large farms and more densely populated areas closer to the Trail. I fought so hard to get out of Virginia and I’m missing it already. I’ll be in Pennsylvania tomorrow and we will be there for a couple hundred miles. I am hoping I can connect with my friend Polly while I pass through and looking forward to walking through Amish country.

This might come as a complete surprise to you but I am a bit of a planner. I love to think through how each day is supposed to go and then execute that no matter what gets in my way. I think this approach has been a blessing and a curse in my life. In so many ways it has resulted in some accomplishments that I’m very proud of but I’ve never really enjoyed this thing they call going with the flow.

This is one of the things that I’m trying to teach myself on the Trail and it is an excellent place to try it out. I started today as usual. I woke up early and found a great place to watch the sunrise and drink my coffee. After a nice breakfast, I set off on a solo hike into Harpers Ferry to meet some hiking buddies that went ahead earlier. All morning I planned every second of my day in town. I had two packages to pick up at the post office, was going to stay at a hotel near the Trail, hit the laundromat and then to the outfitter for new shorts and shirt. My shorts are falling off of me and my shirt is intolerably stinky.

I got to the post office to find out that my packages weren’t there. The one from my mom was delivered either to a church or someone named church. All we know is that the delivery was accepted by “church”. The letter from Bryan with my ATM card in it is sitting in Columbus, Missouri. The hotel where I wanted to stay is closed down and there isn’t a laundromat within walking distance. To top it off, the outfitter is closed. So glad I spent all morning planning this out.

The pre-Trail Drew probably would have tried to elevate the post office situation to a manager. That never works, right? I would have steamed about the hotel closing and then pitched a fit about my dirty clothes. But that isn’t how I responded and it felt great. As I calmly walked out of the post office, a woman approached me and asked me if I needed a ride. My initial reaction was to shut her down but I paused for a second and said okay. It turns out her name is Laura and she is the owner of the outfitter in town. She opened the store just for me and I was able to get everything that I needed. Okay, maybe a few things I didn’t need as well but it was a fun private shopping experience. On the way back, she dropped me off at a B&B that had a room available. Not only a room, but a room with giant sweet lovable dogs to play with.

It felt fantastic to give into the flow of things and I hope I can make this a habit. I feel like if I can loosen this hard edge then the things I need will find me. People want to help me and I just need to be open to allowing that help in my life. That has been the best lesson for me so far on the Trail. It makes me totally vulnerable and open to this flow of kindness. Has this always been around me and I didn’t know it?

The B&B owners were crazy nice too. They let me do laundry, invited me to dinner and offered up their car for me to use to go to the grocery store. Who does that? They made me feel at home. What is really remarkable about this is that all of this hospitality is happening at a time when this town is completely shut down. All of the stores, restaurants and most of the hotels are shuttered until May 11 but I was able to float through all of this with no problems at all. What’s going on here?

Maybe these towns are just starved for business but I think I’m also putting out some good Trail mojo as well. The woods slow me down and calm my hard edges. I might be learning this flow thing after all.

Today was filled with wonderful and hard fought milestones. We crossed the 1,000 mile mark and finally made it out of Virginia. She didn’t give up easily and threw the famous “roller coaster” set of hills at us as we fought to reach the state line. We’ve been in Virginia for more than five weeks and talked about this day for so long. We stopped at the 1,000 mile mark and had a nice long lunch break to celebrate.

I finally feel like a hiker now that I have these miles under my belt. My pack feels light and organized and I can resupply quickly in town with healthy food. I’m sleeping like a baby in my tent and and even getting better at the bear hangs. I am recognizing different animal tracks on the Trail and listening for all of my favorite bird songs in the morning. It is such a great feeling to feel so comfortable outdoors.

On our hike today we were talking about how strong townies smell. We been seeing many more day hikers on the Trail over the past few days and when they pass us the strong scents of laundry detergent, deodorant, perfume and hair products are really intense. I know we smell feral but it’s so interesting that the longer we have been out here the more we notice how civilized people smell.

Near the end of our 25 mile hike today we found a tiny market a few miles off the road. NC’Ice and I stopped in and had a sandwich and some ice cream. We chatted for about an hour and I learned about is family back in North Carolina and his job as a mechanical engineer for a Japanese transmission manufacturer. It was so nice to take the break and spend some time getting to know him better. I’ve been hiking with NC’Ice, Fire, Astronaut and Jellyfish for the last week while Mallwalker gets back on trail and caught up. They are a great crew and I plan to stick with them for a while.

We have an easy hike into Harpers Ferry tomorrow and then a quick two days in Maryland an into Pennsylvania. It’s hard to believe that we’ve come so far and looking forward to the next half of the adventure.

A few weeks ago I was thinking a lot about chain reactions and how we might be able to help each other in this stressful time. I’ve been doing small things like leaving double tips for hotel housekeeping, buying extra laundry supplies and leaving them in the laundromat and thanking all of the restaurants that we go to for being open. I think it might be working.

I had a beautiful experience in Fort Royal that I think proves my point. I went to McDonalds this morning before heading back to the Trail for the Big Breakfast. It’s the perfect way to start your hike. Just about everything that McDonalds sells for breakfast in one wonderful package. The dining room was closed so I walked through the drive through like we’ve been doing for the last few weeks. When I got up to the window they wouldn’t serve me. I asked to speak with the manager but she wouldn’t budge. I don’t know why this one isn’t serving people without cars but I walked away empty handed.

As I was walking back to the hotel a car pulled into the parking lot and a woman held out a big McDonalds bag with my breakfast in it. I couldn’t believe it and thanked her as tears welled up in my eyes. She refused to take any money and just wished me a good day. As she pulled out, I caught a glimpse of her name tag. My angel was named Theresa and she worked at Big Lots.

When I got back to the hotel, I emailed the following letter to the CEO of Big Lots and her manager here in Fort Royal:

Mr. Bruce Thorn – Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Greta Dip – Store Manager

I am reaching out to you to share a wonderful experience that I had this morning with one of your employees from Front Royal, Virginia named Theresa. Unfortunately, I don’t have her last name but I hope this gets back to her all the same.
I am hiking the Appalachian Trail this year and spent the night here in Front Royal. I went to McDonalds this morning for breakfast and walked through the drive through to place my order. They would not serve me and would not make any other accommodations. As a hiker I don’t have a vehicle with me and didn’t have any other way to get breakfast before heading back to the trail.
As I was walking back down to the street toward my hotel, a car pulled up next to me and it was Theresa. She was behind me in the drive through and noticed what happened, bought my breakfast and tracked me down. I went to offer her payment and she refused. I just caught a glimpse of her name tag before she drove off.
As you are so aware, we are living is stressful times. I believe that our best way out of this is to be kind to each other whenever possible. These small but meaningful acts will spread faster than the virus. We will pass along a pattern of helping each other instead of dwelling in fear. Theresa’s thoughtful gesture brought me to tears because it gave me some hope in these dark days.
Theresa deserves some heartfelt recognition for her kindness. You just can’t train this type of attitude and she should be recognized for that by her employer. You have a great person on your team.
Sincerely,
Drew Marlar

I got back on Trail thinking that was all that would come of it but I checked my email before I lost service and I had the following response from the CEO, Bruce Thorn:

Dear Drew –

I just got off the phone with Theresa. I read your note for her and she was overwhelmed (I was too!). I told her that the world needs more Theresas and that she makes all of us at Big Lots so proud. In honor of her kind act, we will throw a store party for her and the team. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me. It makes my heart swell knowing I work for a company with kind people like Theresa. By the way, she told me to tell you that it was her pleasure to treat you to breakfast! Happy trails!

Bruce

Now that was awesome! There are so many great things about this story but I just love the fact that Bruce responded right away and that her kindness will be acknowledged. Maybe this will inspire someone else that she works with. It surely inspired me. Happy trails indeed!

I first met Pancho on Trail about six weeks ago. He was hiking with Oso and helping out a little with resupply for a few hikers. As the virus made things more complicated, he made the gracious choice to devote the rest of the year to helping the few hikers that stayed on Trail. Pancho is from West Virginia and just graduated from high school. He got his Trail name because he did a YouTube review of a $.99 rain pancho from Wal-Mart. He wants to do a thru hike soon but has been helping us out in the meantime and we can’t be more thankful.

He has been a lifesaver in so many ways. He is running food supply errands, picking up packages from the post office and making us laugh so hard in between. We pay him well for these errands but I honestly think that he is really in it for the fun and friendship. It also doesn’t hurt that we are hiking with two cute girls that he treats extra nice. He always meets us with a smile and lots of juicy gossip about what is happening on Trail.

He almost broke my heart today. He told me he was considering staying down in Virginia as we head north because there are more hikers getting on Trail down here. We begged him to stay with us and I think we have him convinced. I hope so because he is so great to have around and a true Trail friend.

We are in Front Royal and frankly pretty wiped out. We did four 28+ mile days in a row to get through the last section as quickly as possible. It all worked out in the end but there was some silent suffering out there for sure. We are looking forward to a nice rest in a bed and clean clothes. It truly is the little things that help us reset for the next push. I’m starting to think that maybe I shouldn’t be hiking with these kids that were born after I graduated from law school. They are sweet as can be but killing this old man. 😬

I checked in with Mallwalker today and he is back home in Cincinnati for a few days. The hike with his brother and cousin didn’t go so great. They made it through the first day but then bailed the next morning. I never thought it was a good idea for them to jump into to hike after Mallwalker had nearly 1,000 miles under his belt but I think they had some laughs anyway. I hope he can get back to the Trail soon and catch up with us.

We are headed back out in the morning and will be crushing a few state lines over the next couple of days. It feels so so good to be almost through Virginia and making quick progress towards Maryland and Pennsylvania. I saw a road sign for Washington DC today and that freaked me out. I usually fly to DC but I can just as easily walk there. Now that is an awesome carbon footprint!

This was our third day of our big push to get through this section. We did another 28 miles and the weather was amazing. About a quarter of the way through the hike we came across this mother bear and three of her sweet cubs. I think you can only see two of the cubs if you zoom in but the third one was playing behind the rock. They were so small and mom was keeping a real close eye on us so we slowly backed away down the trail.

This made my day for sure. I have been waiting for so long on this trip to see a bear. This sweet bear family made the wait worth it for sure. Astronaut, Jellyfish and I stopped for lunch along a ridge that had a little sun but it was still pretty brisk so we got back to hiking soon to warm back up. We were hiking fast today and the miles flew past with some amazing views of the valleys below.

We talked a lot today about how incredibly isolated we are this year on the trail. We’ve only seen one other hiker in the past two days! I don’t know what to make of it. It is a constant reminder of how broken everything is right now but we are also glad that we are so alone out here. We feel safe while being able to enjoy the outdoors. It’s that same problem we’ve been trying to work out since the virus broke. Is it okay for us to be able to enjoy this experience while so many are suffering? I have come to peace with it. It’s the right place for me now but that doesn’t mean that the anxiety is any less. That will only come when we everyone starts to heal.

Tomorrow is another big day of 28 miles and then we will need to resupply and get to sleep in a bed tomorrow night. After that, we will actually leave the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has owned us for so long and it will be a great milestone to get to Harpers Ferry and the famous “psychological half way point.” At 1,025 miles you are not quite 50 percent done but close enough to tell yourself that you are. All downhill from here, right?

We are pushing through a particularly remote area if the AT right now and doing some genuine back country camping. No shelters or nice campsites for at least 4 days. Just a sorta flat area near a water source for us. We are also in bear country in the spring and hikers are seeing them everyday now. It’s time to get serious about our bear hang skills.

Let’s just say that there is a lot of room for improvement. Setting a bear hang line is the most hated camp chore there is. After I get done with dinner and work on my blog all I want to do is climb in my sleeping bag but i still have to go find a decent place to hang a line. It’s supposed to be something like 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from the tree but in the end we are lucky if we just get if off the ground in some fashion. Also known as a “short bear hang” or even a “mouse hang”.

In my experience, my bear hangs either go perfectly on the first try or it turns into a 30 minute comedy routine for the whole camp to enjoy. There is a lot to go wrong. The rock bag swings back and hits you in the face. The line gets stuck, tangled or twisted. If you do manage to finally hoist the bag up, you can break the branch off the whole tree can come crashing down. In my short time on the trail I’ve seen it all happen and sometimes in the same hang.

We did manage to get one line hung last night and it kept our food safe. We had major storms and high winds all night and the river that we camped next to tripled in size by the time we woke up. It rained most of the morning for our 28 mile hike but the sun did manage to peek out for a few minutes before the day was over. Fortunately, we have 5 days of sunshine coming up.

We have 2 more days of big miles planned but it will be nice to be able to stop and rest during the day. When it is so cold and wet I just want to power through the day and get into camp as soon as possible. It also gives me some more time time hang a perfect bear bag. 😮

I’ve had a lot of time lately to think. About 10 hours a day, in fact. It’s mostly about how lucky I am to have Bryan in my life. Today is his Birthday and I wanted to surprise him with a visit but things are just too crazy right now. Instead, I made this video and the Trail helped too.

I made a rookie mistake today. I tried to rush the Trail and that just doesn’t work. I slept in a barn on some property along the Blue Ridge Parkway last night that a guy opens up to cyclists and hikers. It wasn’t much but it was nice of him to offer the place. I was joined by Pancho, Astronaut and Jelly Fish. Pancho isn’t hiking but driving around and helping out with resupply. He offered to slack pack me into Waynesboro so I could knock out the 22 miles fast. Slack packing is when you carry just the essential food and water that you need that day. This was my first go at this and it was awesome to drop fro 35 lbs to less than 2!

It was really cool heading out so early and I loved hiking all alone pre-dawn. I ran most of the way and listened to music and then realized pretty quickly that this wasn’t going to be a lot of fun. The speed was nice but I was missing so much on the Trail. Trying to hike the trail fast just meant a lot of painful climbs and dangerous descents. I was missing all the good stuff. The wildflowers have gone crazy the last few days and there is so much to look at. About 3 hours into the hike/run, I gave up on racing it and decided to slow down and take more pictures and enjoy the Trail.

Scott Jurek completed the Appalachian Trail in 46 days and 11 hours back in 2015. It’s crazy impressive but I can’t help think about how much he missed. For me, this adventure is mostly about slowing down and letting the Trail show me what it has to offer. Sure, you can try to push through this as quickly as possible but then it just becomes another race. Those I know about. This approach is new to me and so far it’s been fantastic.

I got into Waynesboro today and am going to take a zero. I had a great call with my friend Leslie from Kutak. It was fun to connect with her but pretty alarming to hear how much life has changed since the virus. Her sweet family has had to separate to keep everyone safe. Her husband Bennett is a DeKalb County firefighter and is constantly exposed to the virus so Leslie and her children are living in Tallahassee for the time being. It’s so hard to hear these stories but she was the first to admit that their burden through all of this is doesn’t compare to others. We both agreed that we have so much to be grateful for. I miss Leslie and talking to her makes me homesick but I know how lucky I have it to be out here during this whole mess.

Mallwallker’s brother and cousin met him here in Waynesboro and they are going to hike together for the next week and then we are going to meet up closer to Harpers Ferry. Astronaut and Jellyfish are going to head out with me on Wednesday. The Trail is starting to feel much more alive. Some hikers are starting to return after leaving for the virus. I’m hoping that means that my buddies that wanted to hike might be able to join me. Anyone else out there want to hike a bit? Come on! I’ll teach you the lingo and we’ll find a fun trail name for you. Bring some Sour Patch kids!

Every shelter has a logbook and at the Priest Shelter it is tradition to write a confession of your trail transgressions. They are really funny and we got a kick out of reading them aloud. Here is a good example: “Forgive me Father for I have sinned. My cat holes are rarely deep enough and once I may have just covered it with a rock. I have had thoughts of fornicating within the Tramily. Lastly, I have yellow blazed (by accident) 13 miles of Trail but I didn’t miss anything important.” I love that she qualified that last one. I should also explain that cat holes are supposed to be at least 6 inches deep to adequately bury your waste, a Tramily is your group of hikers and “yellow blazing” is skipping sections of the Trail via car. That last one makes me shudder.

The hike today was a crusher. We had a 4 mile climb right out of camp and then another 18 more with some steep but short climbs. My new shoes are trashed already and I’ve had them for only about 400 miles since Damascus. I’m trying to push them to Harpers Ferry but I don’t think they are going to make it. I am not going to mess with my feet so if they aren’t feeling better tomorrow then I am ordering another pair as soon as possible.

I spent a good part of the hike listening to Krista Tippet’s podcast On Being. I’ve been a big fan of hers since she first started with her show on NPR called Speaking of Faith. Her topics are always on point and she has the most interesting guests. My favorite one today was with poet Wendell Berry and her former professor Ellen Davis. Wendell shared this beautiful poem called “The Peace of Wild Things” and I wanted to share it with you:

When despair for the world grows in me

And I wake in the night at the least sound

In fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be

I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water

And the great heron feeds

I come into the peace of wild things

Who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief

I come into the presence of still water

And I feel above me the day blind stars

Waiting with their light

For a time I rest in the grace of the world

And am free

Listen to Wendell read it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-being-with-krista-tippett/id150892556?i=1000471699134

It is such a beautiful poem and really moves me. I’ve always found perfect solace in the woods. When I was a child I spent all day running around the trails, lakes and streams near our homes. I built forts with friends and we created our own perfect worlds out there in the woods. As an adult I’ve retreated here during times of crisis and also celebrated the good times around campfires with dear friends. These natural places are where I belong. Thank you Wendell for expressing these truths so elegantly.

I felt great today after our wonderful stay in Glasgow last night. Our host Charlie got up early and made us a huge stack of pancakes before dropping us off at the trailhead. He sent us off on our morning climb with full bellies and some great AT stories.

Charlie thru hiked the AT last year and is trail name was Pilgrim. His last name is Pilgrim and he his from Massachusetts. Also, his starting tag number was 1620. He helped explain that was the date the Mayflower arrive. Sometimes trail names are cool like this and work for several reasons. Sometimes they are just things you whack your head on. When he got to Glasgow last year he was suffering from really bad shin splints and a serious infection in one of his legs. He ended up staying with Stanley a/k/a Stanimal, the owner of the inn, for two weeks while his leg healed and he figured out how work through this splints. Stanimal literally nursed him back to the Trail and he was one proud hiker when he got to Katahdin.

It took him over 7 months to complete the Trail. I love Charlie’s story because behind all of the recovery time and work he did to solve his problems was an intense desire to keep hiking. This experience has grabbed me in the same way and I really respect his patience and determination to find a way. He was so changed by the experience in Glasgow that when he finished the Trail he accepted a job from Stanimal to run the inn. He does a beautiful job of it too.

We hit the 800 mark around lunchtime and had fun gathering pine cones to make the celebration numbers. I think we missed the 700 mark but what’s a 100 miles here or there, right? I can’t believe that we will be out of Virginia in just a little over 200 miles. Virginia has owned us for a good while now and I will be happy when I finally cross the state line.

Pilgrim asked us a great question at breakfast today. He asked what part of the Trail experience was our favorite? Not specific places per se but what were the best parts of your day. Without a doubt, my favorite is bath time at the river when I’m done hiking for the day. We always make sure that we camp near a creek or river for easy water access. I set up my tent and then take my time at the water. The best part of my day is the 30 minutes or so I spend gathering my water for the night, rinsing off and soaking my feet. The sun is usually pretty low at that time of the day but still warm on the water. The experience just feels so instinctive and natural. After walking all day, the humans gather at the water before eating and resting. I don’t think my ancestors ate Mac n Cheese for dinner but just about everything else is the same.

We have a two hard days coming up but we’ve be told the climbs are worth it. On Sunday morning we will reach the top of Priest Mountain and you are expected to confess your Trail transgressions in the log book at the shelter at the summit. I hope they have a lot of paper.

We woke up today super early to try to beat the bad storms that were scheduled to start in the morning. We had a 20 mile hike into Glasgow and wanted to get into town and find some shelter as quickly as possible. We left camp at 6 all wrapped up and ready for the rain.

We had two big climbs early in the day and the views from the summits were amazing. With all of the new growth on the trees the Blue Ridge has transformed itself into a bright green rolling carpet. It was so peaceful in the early morning light and reminded me of the hilly landscapes of the Virgin Islands.

My legs felt great today and the miles were flying by. The first time I looked at the map I had already clocked 10 miles and it was only 10 AM. Mallwalker and I got separated for a bit and I ended up meeting a new hiker called Gus. Gus was traveling with his father and I think he needed a break from two months of chatting with his dad. Before I knew it I had logged another 6 miles hearing about his fun job as a ski instructor in Whitefish, Montana. I’ve been to Glacier once and my friend Kim is trying to sell me on living in Missoula. After talking with Gus some more I can’t find a lot of good reasons not to!

The storms never materialized and Mallwalker caught up. We had a pleasant hike into town along the James river. We got in to Glasgow and scored rooms at the only B&B in town and the owner was amazing. He picked us up from the trailhead and drove us around for resupply errands and then to dinner. There isn’t much to this cute little town but we did get our picture with this awesome dinosaur statue downtown.

The B&B had this crazy futuristic massage chair that was way more intense than I had expected. It really gave my back and neck an intense working and it felt great. I’ve been dealing with this pretty sharp pain in my shoulder blade and I think it worked it out.

I’ve been wondering how much more weight I’ve lost since we last checked in at the Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. The scale said 151 lbs! Ouch. That was way more than I wanted to loose and is about 19 lbs from where I started. I’ve been hearing that the weight loss will level off soon but in the meantime I look runway ready. Minus the beard of course.

Sometimes the Trail is just fun. No snow, rain, falling or other miscellaneous drama. Just beautiful and light. The hiking feels effortless and the company is warm and friendly. I know so many are struggling out there but just be reminded that there are still peaceful and happy places out there and we will all get back there soon.

We are just past the half way mark on Virginia. When we crossed the state line near Damascus, it seemed like such a huge task to get through the biggest part of the AT but now I can feel how the next two weeks should play out until we get to Harpers Ferry. The half way point!

The weather was perfect today. The morning was cool but comfortable and the sun was rising just above the ridge as we climbed up and over the Blue Ridge Parkway to meet it. Our pace has definitely improved and we knocked out 11 miles before lunchtime at a campsite at the top of a hard climb.

After lunch we split up a bit to do some solo hiking. Mallwalker and I definitely enjoy each other’s company but we’ve gotten into a cool habit lately of spending the afternoons on our own. It’s great knowing that someone else is out there but also that you can stop and take a break whenever you want or just hang out near a stream for a while. I was listening to a really funny episode of This American Life today and had to stop several times because in was laughing so hard. It was a great way to spend the day.

I’ve also been struggling a bit the last few days missing Bryan and Chuck. We FaceTimed a few days ago and I’ve been sad lately. I know this is all part of the Trail experience. It takes huge sacrifices on both sides to experience something this amazing and I’ve been paying that price lately. I’m hoping that things will improve in the real world soon and we can figure out a way to see each other.

I have a lot of new friends out here to keep me company though. The butterflies are coming out in droves and I’ve been seeing more packs of deer lately. The birds are out in full force and it’s a thrill every time I hear a new bird call. They are doing their best but they can’t compare to my two favorite buddies.

The weather forecast looks nasty for tomorrow so we are going to hit the Trail at 6 and hike 20 miles to Glasgow and hope we can find some accommodations indoors to wait out the worst of the storms.

Before I started hiking the Trail I thought that the town stops would be the best. I loved reading all of the silly details in my guide book about opening times and menu options for the country restaurants near the trail heads. I don’t know if it’s because of the virus or not but I’m not really loving the experience in town. It is weird when people jump out of my way at Wal-Mart like I’m radioactive but I’m not sure if that is all it is.

We took a true zero day yesterday in Daleville. The town is fine and the people were nice but I was really anxious to get back in the woods. We’ve become very efficient at knocking out the laundry, store and post office chores and then we are just left with too much screen time. I binge watched Botched and the Leah Rimini Scientology series and flipped between the New York Times and CNN for any glimpse of good news. It all just feels like disturbing noise. Politicized pandemic coverage is exhausting.

I organized and reorganized my bag last night and was up and ready to hit the Trail early. I don’t think there is a tighter pack on the Trail. We were hoofing it pretty fast down to the start this morning when a former thru hiker from 2017 gave us a lift and wished us good luck. He hiked it with his wife and 1 year old daughter! Now that is impressive.

It felt so wonderful to be swallowed up again by the woods. As we got farther away from the trailhead, the traffic noise was replaced by the wind in the pines and the spring birds calling us to come further. I could feel my face, shoulders and back relax. My pack weight felt reassuring and sturdy. Things slowed down again. We stopped for lunch and were joined by a sweet doe that was happy to have the company. Ahhhh. I’m back.

This feels like home to me. As much as I miss Bryan and Chuck, I belong here right now and the Trail is providing what I need when I need it the most. As we came close to camp, we started to zig zag across the upper part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This brings back wonderful and funny memories of when I rode the Parkway from end to end with my buddies Crispin and Lee. We spent 7 days covering the length of this beautiful roadway and visited the famous June Curry a/k/a “The Cookie Lady” just before she passed away. The Cookie Lady spent her life welcoming thru hikers and cyclists doing the Transcontinental cycle route into her home and plying them with legendary chocolate chip cookies. I am so happy I got to meet her. Check out her Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Curry

Maybe this is where I am from. Who says a military brat can’t use “Appalachia” to answer the question I struggle with every time I meet someone new. “Where are you from?” leads into this long and confusing story of all the places that you have lived. Next time I’m going to try this beautifully simple answer and see how that goes.

Today was a big day. We got up to McAfee’s Knob for the iconic AT hiker photo on top of the rock monolith looking over the Virginia valleys. The weather was perfect and we spent about an hour at the summit celebrating over 710 miles of happy hiking. We’ve had our share of headwind over the past few weeks but we are finding a way. I hope you enjoy this collection of shots from our 17 mile hike today.

Also, thank you so much for following along with me. This blog has been really fun to write and I really appreciate all of your comments and outreach. Stay tuned. We will be right back to hiking after this very important zero we are taking tomorrow in Daleville.

I was chatting with a friend yesterday and she said something that really stuck with me today. She said that I am truly living in my body on this adventure. I love the way this sounds and it elegantly describes what we’ve been trying to put into words. Mallwalker and I have been talking a lot lately that you really can’t do anything else while hiking the AT. It takes everything you have to feed yourself, rest and hike big miles. I come into camp each day wrung out physically and emotionally. Then I spend the rest of the time putting everything back together to do it all again the next day.

And I love everything about this experience. It’s real, immediate and requires just enough discomfort to make it interesting. I went from a world that was packed with stress and demands that I didn’t really have a lot of control over to the simple joys of just keeping myself healthy and moving forward on the trail. Its sounds simplistic and it is. I think that is the true power of the Trail for me. Push hard every day, head north and follow the blazes. That’s it. My mind slows down and starts to feel so much better.

Today was a great day to think about this. The terrain was gentle, the views were amazing and the weather was cool and sunny. We had some climbs that we really pushed on and then took breaks at the top to catch our breath and soak in the effort. I have always loved the feeling of physical exertion. It feels so honest and clean to me and I always feel great when I get done.

We can across the eastern continental divide and then stopped for lunch at a campsite along a nice creek. I made my favorite hiking meal so far – Outdoor Herbivore Pihoti Queso dip with summer sausage and Sriracha sauce in a tortilla. It was perfect fuel for our climb up to the Audie Murphy memorial. Audie was the most decorated WWII veteran who died in a plane crash in 1971 near this site on the AT. It was a beautiful stone engraving and visitors left sweet notes, dog tags and pictures in honor. We spent a few quiet moments.

We have a big day tomorrow with a lot of cool iconic AT viewpoints to look forward to. Depending on the weather we might even make it to McAfee Knob. But first we are going to treat ourselves to a nice lunch at Catawba Grocery right off the trail. We met a few SOBOs today that said the pizza is amazing. Enough of the deep thoughts – back to food.

I’ve been trying to beat the Trail the last few days and she is winning. She always wins. In all of the AT books that I’ve read this is the most common theme. If you try to push through fatigue and hard days you will end up with nothing but injuries and burnout. We’ve had some pretty tough sections and weather recently so it’s time to take the advice and slow down. Don’t try to beat the trail but cuddle up and learn to be softer.

I didn’t just come up with this wisdom on my own. The Trail beat it out of me on this vicious climb that she threw on us right out of camp this morning. It was at the top of this beast that we started to get all philosophical about slowing down and enjoying the experience. It turned out to be a fantastic day to do it too.

After our big climb, the Trail opened up to a series of beautiful rolling fields on private land. We only had 12 short miles today so we decided to take an extra long break in a sunny field. I ate a big lunch, made a cup of coffee and enjoyed gazing across the field. I was finally thawing out and it felt amazing. When the Trail is good it’s real good.

A few miles after lunch we came across the 300 year old Keffer Oak tree. It is the oldest oak on the southern AT and she is a beauty. It has grown up in this sweet little protected valley and looks strong as ever. Ironically, 300 years ago there was a deadly pandemic of bubonic plague. It started in Marseille and was later called “The Great Plague of Marseille.” Resarchers estimated the number of deaths as 100,000. That depressing tid bit just popped up on Google.

After the Keffer, we had a hard climb onto the ridge line and then it was just a short distance to our campsite. We walked slow today and it felt great to be in camp early with plenty of time to get organized and really relax. It’s great to have so much time in camp to mess around planning our next few days of hiking and building a camp fire.

We just have one problem. We are dangerously low on Sour Patch kids so now we are down to ration sizes to get us to Daleville. Do you remember that scene from Airplane 2 when the flight attendant tells the passengers that they are out of coffee? YouTube it now. Funny, right? Yeah, that’s what we are trying to avoid. We can totally manage snow, ice, vertical climbs and all that but don’t ask to hike without Sour Patch Kids.

I promise I am not recycling my blog posts but this one is going to seem very similar to one from last week. We set up camp in a warm afternoon on a beautiful ridge overlooking the valley. As soon as we went to bed I heard ice crystals pelting the rain fly. I was having a hard time sleeping so I put in my ear plugs. If you can’t hear it it isn’t happening, right?

Wrong. So wrong. We got a pretty big snowstorm last night and there was a good 3-4 inches of snow piled outside and on my tent when I woke up. It was so hard to force myself out of my warm sleeping bag knowing all of the freezing morning chores I had to get done before hiking. I started by making coffee while still wrapped up in my down bag and that gave me the courage I needed. I still whimpered a bit when I had to pack up my tent. My hands hurt so badly in the cold and it takes forever to wrestle that frozen thing into the stuff sack.

We got going at 7:45 and had a hard time following the Trail in all of the snow but it was really pretty. The trees had grown these delicate layers of ice crystals and when the sun started to peek out it reflected tiny rainbows off of the snow. I spent a few minutes getting some cool pictures and my favorite is this one with the blue sky peeking through the icy trees.

It warmed up nicely and we hiked steady. We had 20 miles to cover today so we had to keep moving. We stopped for lunch at a beautiful stone shelter and ran into a SOBO hiker that had started in Harpers Ferry. He had badly miscalculated his food needs for this remote section so we helped him out with a few meals so he could get to Pearisburg in one piece.

Today’s terrain was tough. Not so much the climbing but we had a 3 mile stretch of really rocky trail that was angled on a pretty steep hill. It was slow going and we didn’t get to camp until 5. We’ve been going pretty strong lately and I can feel it in my whole body this week. I am taking a zero when we get to Daleville on Sunday and it will feel great after this 16 day push is over.

I started laughing out loud on our hike out of Pearisburg this morning. My pack was so heavy coming out of town that got to thinking that I look like one of those pack mules that they use in the Grand Canyon. We are moving at about the same pace and smell very similar.

The climbs out of town were steep and not very scenic as we came around a large chemical factory and past a decommissioned landfill. For most of the day we were just hauling our food and shelter to better places.

We ran into two more thru hikers that we hadn’t met before and that felt good to have some more company on the Trail. It wasn’t long before we popped out on top of our climb along a beautiful long ridge line that looks out over the valleys and farms on both sides. We set up tents on a nice open field and made a big fire. The temperature is dropping fast and there is another chance of snow.

The smartest thing I did in town was buy a bottle of Sriracha hot sauce. I used it for all three meals today and it really tastes great with the food that I am already loving. I am finally getting pretty comfortable with a heavier pack and have started to branch out with a few luxury items. The tiniest changes can add so much happiness on the Trail. I even splurged for sugar packets for my coffee. Ooooohhhhh.

We had strong storms last night but stayed dry and the rain stopped just in time for our 7 AM departure back on the Trail. Although the rain had stopped, the Trail was a river of rushing cold water. It was actually a blast to hike through once we got over getting our shoes soaked. You have to laugh at the fact that you are hiking miles in 6 inches of mud and water. It reminded me of being a kid and playing out in heavy rain storms feeling the power of the rushing water run around your feet and legs.

We had a short 9 mile hike into Pearisburg and on the way in I called and reserved a room for us at the Plaza Motel. It was rated very highly in the trail guide as having friendly staff that does your laundry for free. On the way in, we got some terrific views of the town and valley below. We also heard the tornado sirens going off so we picked up the pace to make sure we were off the ridge before the big storms came through.

The Plaza Pearisburg is a lot like the one in New York. It is conveniently located in the center of town, the service is outstanding and the beds are comfortable. The Plaza Pearisburg is just slightly more affordable at $66 for two people per night and that includes laundry. Unfortunately, the spa wasn’t open so we arranged our own schedule of mani/pedis and epsom salt bath treatments that were wonderful.

The motel restaurant was also closed so we walked through the Wendy’s drive through and they served us right away. No reservations required. After our resupply trip to Wal-Mart, I picked up my packages at the Angel’s Rest Hostel. Mom sent me an awesome package of luxury trail goodies that will keep me fat and comfortable for at least the next week or so. The real trick about resupply day is turning a big mess of food and provisions into a nicely organized pack.

It’s actually really stressful. I spent the last few days coming into town with a super light pack and a long shopping list and now you have a jumble of new stuff to sort through and reorganize. You go from carrying 20 pounds to over 35 but just think about all the calories you get to snack on.

The biggest problem I’ve had the last week or so is that my water system completely blew up on me. I am filtering my water using the Sawyer squeeze bags and filter and then transferring that into a Camelback water bladder that I can easily drink from out of a hydration hose. The bladder has been slowly leaking and I’ve been taping it together but still dealing with a slow cold water leak down my backside. It gets real fun when I add propel or crystal light to my water and that leak becomes a cold and sticky leak down my back side. My squeeze bags have also been leaking and those have been taped but it wasn’t working. The whole lot was chucked today and I bought everything new at Wal-Mart. Hopefully, it will stay together until I get to Harpers Ferry.

The best part of today was my chat with Pringles, the owner of the Angel’s Rest Hostel. They are closed for overnight guests but she was so encouraging and helpful. They held my packages and refused to take any money for it. She called us the “mythical beasts” of the AT 2020 class and told us to keep pressing on. Those terrific words did wonders for my mood. The support for hikers is still strong. Thank you Pringle’s!

We got lucky today and were able to get through our 15 mile hike today without any rain. We slept so soundly next to the waterfall last night and headed back on the trail at 7:30. The terrain was easy today but we were really feeling the last few long days. Plus, we’ve been out for 10 days without a break and our dogs are barking for sure.

The skies were pretty clear most of the day but we could tell that the pattern was changing and something big was rolling in. The wind was slowly picking up and the clouds were rolling in. We picked up the pace so we could get to our camping spot before it started coming down. We really lucked out and got in and everything set up just as the rain started.

The highlight of the day was this sweet note that we came across from the Woods Hole Hostel that was posted to a tree. There has been so much in fighting among the different trail community groups and their sentiment was a breath of fresh air. It was kind and simple and respectful of each individual’s decisions.

We will get through this mess. In the meantime, we just need more people like this around. They are turning their fear into action helping people. I spent a few minutes today with this note and it really brightened my day. I hope it does the same for you.

Virginia is complicated but worth it. She lashed out at us yesterday with that nasty storm and tried to blow us off of Chestnut Knob. She must have felt especially bad for that because she put on quite a show for us today. Bright clean cold air followed us through our entire 20 mile hike. The breezes were so gentle and the temps were ideal in the mid 50s. She led us past our 600 mile mark and then to our campsite nestled next to a beautiful waterfall. A perfect day of hiking and easy conversation with my trail friend.

I felt absolutely renewed after my fabulous 10 hour sleep at the Big Walker. The bed was so soft and warm and I piled pillows all around me and slept so soundly. I don’t think I moved an inch all night and woke up happy and excited to hit the trail again. I went down to get breakfast at Dairy Queen/Gas Station combo (you didn’t know DQ served breakfast, did you?) and found myself ordering from the calorie column on the menu. “Good morning, I’ll have the 1,490 combo please. Yeah, yeah – the sausage biscuit thing.” Honestly, I didn’t care what it was but just needed as many calories that I could get. Even after last night’s town food orgy I was starving. The whole “hiker hunger” thing is for real. For real real. We are supposed to be out here solving our deepest questions about life and who we are but all we talk about is food. If we aren’t talking about food, we are either eating food or trying to get more food. This leads to more talking about food. Ahh, can’t get out of the loop!

After dinner tonight of macaroni and cheese with salmon and lentil salad, we disagreed on how many sour patch kids are too many. I am in the camp that says we shouldn’t eat a bag a day or else we will rot our teeth out. Mallwalker respectfully disagrees and thinks the serving sizes translated into hiker portions totally make sense. One bag per day is dead on. He might be right but either way we are going to find out here soon enough. We went through 3 bags since Atkins, VA. Data will be available soon.

Seriously though. We are always hungry. I have been writing a lot about junk food but I am eating quite well actually. The Outdoor Herbivore (OH) dehydrated meals that I sent ahead to myself form the core of my food bag. Their meals are so good and are made with really terrific ingredients. Their Waldorf slaw salad with broccoli, ginger and garlic is my favorite. They also have great quinoa burrito stuffers. My favorite OH sweet treat are the dehydrated banana chips covered in cinnamon called “Cinna Monkey Chomps.” It’s so fun to say as well. I supplement that with easy rice/macaroni + tuna/salmon burritos and make cheese and sausage roll ups for lunch. I always hike out of town with some fresh fruit. So, all the falling, head banging and tripping in waterfalls is not because I’m stumbling around in a junk food coma. Just a klutz that comes by it honestly.

Today and tomorrow are going to be great food days. We will be In Pearisburg in 2 days to resupply so we can let loose on the feed bag. Hikers guard their food carefully and measure each meal so they know they can make their food last. Sharing food really isn’t a thing unless you are trying to drop some pack weight. Once you know you are going to have more than enough food to get to the next resupply it is fun to gorge a little. Not sharing – just cramming for yourself. Today, I doubled my snacks and felt so much better coming into camp. All while the pack grows lighter. A full belly and a happy back.

The next two days look like they will be wet but no stress since we will be in town at the end of it. We’ll have a chance to load up our food bags again for another 10 day push. Sour patch kids are definitely coming with us. Yeah, and the health food too. Geez.

Remember all that sweet stuff about chasing spring? Geckos, butterflies and rainbows? Forget about it. Virginia pulled a fast one on us last night. I set my tent up on a beautiful field on Chestnut Knob with the plan of sipping my coffee while watching the warm sunrise from my tent. See, doesn’t this look just delightful?

I tucked in early and the wind started to pick up. Around midnight it felt like two clowns were playing tug of war with my rain fly and they were banging my head back and forth all night. I gave up on sleep and just laid there trying to stay warm mummified in my down sleeping bag with just my nose out for fresh air. Around 3AM, I noticed that everything inside the tent was just a little damp and colder than usual. I turned on my headlamp to the fun realization that it was snowing INSIDE my tent! Only two things are truly sacred to a thru hiker. First, hike your own hike. Second, never ever get your puffy coat wet. I had to do some fast maneuvering to keep the puffy safe but my sleeping bag any everything else was covered in an icy sludge.

I peeked outside and we had received a couple of inches overnight and the wind was so strong that it was pushing the snow up under my rain fly and onto the outside of my tent. It accumulated on the outside of my tent and then seeped through as a steady stream of icy cold slush. Well, so much for spring. I got everything packed and then just had the hateful task left of packing up the tent with icy cold hands. It took a little cussing and a few deep breaths but I finally got everything crammed in my pack and Mallwalker and I headed out for our 25 mile hike.

The first 7 miles of the Trail today was along a high exposed ridge line and the wind was coming up the mountain at a steady 30 MPH and blowing snow and ice at us. The terrain was super rocky and covered in snow and ice and we made progress at at a whopping 1.5 MPH. It was so hard to even find the trail in this mess and the white blazes were not a ton of help hidden among the ice and snow on the tree trunks. We just tried to hike as fast as we could to stay warm. My water froze and and I had to move my water system from my pack to carry it across my chest under my coat so that I could thaw the hydration hose.

I don’t thing we said a word to each other until we reached our lunch stop at Noon. We had made it half way through our hike and the sun was coming out and starting to warm things up a bit. I made two rice and tuna burritos and instantly felt better. The rest of the day was long but the weather was perfect. Cold and bright with gentle breezes and no more snow.

We got to Bland, VA at 23 miles and decided to treat ourselves to a night indoors in a warm hotel bed. I needed a mental reset and a DQ Blizzard and both were available right off the trail in Bland. I hope we have another chance at spring soon but in the meantime I’ve cranked this hotel heater up to 80 degrees and am going to make like a starfish in this warm hotel bed and worry about tomorrow tomorrow.

I’ve said it before but the coolest thing about a north bound thru hike is chasing spring. We see new things every day and then see them again the next week as we move farther north. Today’s hike was a really impressive showing of the spring show that Virginia puts on. It all started with some intense spring thunderstorms this morning. The lightning woke me up at 3AM and you could hear a monster of a storm starting to roll through our valley.

The thunder was the best part of the storm. It boomed for minutes and then echoed down and across the valleys forever. I don’t think I’ve ever been in such an intense storm in a tent but it was amazing. I stayed totally dry and was able to fall back asleep once the lightning show was past and the steady rain fell on my rain fly. When we got moving around 7, the air was super clean and the sky a bright blue. A perfect day for our hilly 18 mile day.

We were greeted by a cheerful bunch of little yellow daisies in our first field and the birds were especially talkative after the rain storm. We scared a rabbit in the field and then came across these sweet little orange geckos on the trail. They were hanging out and didn’t really want to be bothered so we moved on.

We took a really long lunch and dried out our tents from the storm and then pushed the last 10 miles. We came upon a creek that used to be crossed by a large bridge that had recently been washed out. We forded the cold creek in our camp shoes and the water rejuvenated our feet.

When we got to the other side we were met by this group of colorful butterflies hanging out on the shore. They were also too busy to chat so we took a few minutes to dry off our feet and then headed up the last 6 miles of climbing into our camp.

Our camp tonight is on top of Chesnut Knob just over 4,000 feet. The views are great and the sun is out and the wind is howling. I hope my stakes keep my tent in the ground tonight. We are planning some big miles tomorrow and also looking forward to a well earned Nero in Pearisburg or thereabouts this coming Monday. Virginia continues to amaze me. Bring it on.

When I called my Mom yesterday she answered “Well, Hello Wal-Mart Shopper!” This is not just and honest statement because I was shopping there that day but a well deserved dig at one of the biggest snobs out there. Me. I’ve worked hard and made a decent living which has led me to some of the finer things in life which I quite enjoy. Thank you very much.

Back in Atlanta I wouldn’t be caught dead in the places that I now run to. I typically prefer custom rather than off the rack and can have an hour’s long conversation about the best pour over coffee bars inside the perimeter. That’s a clever insult of course – they don’t have pour over outside the perimeter. At home, my favorite places are (in order):

1. Dancing Goats Coffee Bar

2. Alon’s Bakery

3. Sid Mashburn Clothier

On Trail my favorite places are (in order):

1. Dollar General

2. McDonald’s

3. Wal-Mart Super Center (the bigger the better)

The Trail has a special way of teaching you how to keep it real. When you’ve been hiking 15 miles a day for 10 days and eating nothing but dehydrated meals out of a bag, Wal-Mart looks, feels and smells like Shangri-La. Everything you ever wanted under one roof. It’s clean, friendly and affordable. Except for the creepiness of the front door greeters it really is a great experience. Don’t get me started on Dollar General. I am convinced that their retail model was designed by a bunch of cheap dirty thru-hikers. It just fits so well (like a custom suit from Sid Mashburn). Last week, a fellow hiker stormed out of Ingles and headed over to Dollar General because those dirty thieves were charging .79 cents for a packet of dehydrated coffee. Outrageous indeed.

I will most definitely go back to shunning these honest brands when I get home. But in the meantime, let’s just say that I was wrong about most of what I said about these places. I will always have a special place in my heart for the candy isle at Dollar General but I’ll have to drive at least to Marietta to get my fix. Oh, the fear of being spotted slumming outside of a Whole Foods.

Our hike today was great. We got started around 8 and climbed up to meet the fog at the top of our first climb. For the next 10 miles, we meandered across the bright green farm land spread across the gorgeous rolling valleys of western Virginia. These farms are amazing to see from the high ridge lines on the Trail. The farm grass at this time of the year is an electrified neon green and the fields pop out between the breaks in the tree cover that are just starting to bloom.

Bob met us at lunchtime and had our clean clothes for us and ran us back into town so we could go to Dean & Deluca and Neiman Marcus. I mean McDonald’s and Wal-Mart. After lunch, he drove us back to the trailhead and we were enveloped back into the sweet Virginia countryside with full bellies and heavy packs. We found a nice campsite next to a stream and finished dinner just in time to duck into our tents to wait out a strong thunderstorm. We are staying warm and dry and will turn in early without a fire tonight. I called the front desk to schedule my turn down service. Still waiting.

I’m running scared when I come near towns these days. I am afraid that the locals are going to be at the town line with their pitchforks out warding off hikers. This is not a joke since we hear that is what has happened recently in a Bland, Virginia. Not sure what to believe but fortunately my experiences have been just the opposite. Today, I hiked 20 miles to meet my friend Bob who lives in Marion, Virginia and is a fellow endurance junkie. Bob was doing Ironman races before they were cool and has even traveled around the world to do some amazing multi-day adventure races.

Bob is a big believer in my hike and has been so supportive all along. His posts make me smile and he was eager to help us out as we came into Marion. I was a couple of hours early into the shelter and I texted him just to let him know that I had arrived. Within a few minutes he was here bearing homemade cookies and a cooler full of cold Cokes. This guy really knows what you want after a long day on the trail.

Bob took all of our dirty laundry and is going to deliver it back to us clean at the next road crossing tomorrow. He took me into town for a resupply trip to Wal-Mart and gave me a really helpful tour of the store pointing out where I could find all the hiker type food in a hurry. I loaded up with a good weeks worth of food and a few treats to bring back to the shelter. Wal-Mart was a little surreal. I shopped wearing a bandana and buff and people seemed to jump out of the way if you got too close. I tried to smile a lot (a least with my eyes) but the tension was palpable. When we got back we ordered a pizza, salad and carrot cake to be delivered and met the delivery guy down by the road.

But wait – there’s more! When he meets us tomorrow with our clean laundry he is bringing us McDonalds! It has been so sweet to soak up Bob’s generous spirit. I imagine that he has been supported like this in all of his crazy adventures and he is paying it forward in a big way. We haven’t had trail magic in a while and it’s not something that I expect these days. Still, I feel all warm inside when someone wants to to be so kind. These things don’t happen in the real world too often but the trail brings the best out in people.

So, no pitchforks yet but just a lot of smiles and helpful friends in Virginia paving our way towards Maine. We all want things to get better out there soon but in the meantime rest assured that good people like Bob are out there doing terrific things for dirty thru hikers. I guess that is something.

Here is how to start at perfect day. Wake up and head out to a beautiful field along a ridge near your campsite with a cup of coffee. Gently lean against a wild pony and softly stroke her fluffy mane as the sun creeps above the ridge and warms your face. Slowly sip your coffee and reflect on how lucky you are to be right here right now. That is exactly how I started my day on the Grayson Highlands and it was just like it sounds – amazing.

These ponies are a trip. They are all over the Highlands and are so friendly. Two of them hung out near our tents last night. I heard some rustling outside around 1:30 and peered out to see two big hooves. One of the ponies was laying down a short distance away. It was sweet to have them around and they were great to hang out with in the morning. We had shared our fruit snacks with them earlier in the day and they were looking for more.

Before we left camp today we made ourselves a 500 mile mark sign to celebrate our milestone. The hike out of camp at sunrise was so peaceful and the terrain looked more like high desert Arizona than Virginia. We hiked so slowly because the views literally stopped you in your tracks. We just couldn’t blow through such a stunning part of the trail. If you want to hike a special section of the AT – this is it. Head up to Grayson for a long weekend and bring some treats for the ponies (and the thru hikers).

We stopped for lunch at a horse corral and met up with two other thru hikers named Astronaut and Jellyfish. We had a nice lunch together and talked through some of the logistics for the next few days. It was exciting to see some more hikers on the trail and they were a blast to talk to.

We came through a famous part of the trail called Fat Man Squeeze and we made it through just fine. Actually, I’m afraid to get on a scale to see how much I’ve lost. I am guessing somewhere around 10 pounds and I don’t really want to lose anymore but the math just isn’t in my favor. I’ve managed to get my daily calories up to about 3,500 but I’m estimating that I am burning about 5,000. I’m loading up on pancakes and stuff like that when I’m in town but there is only so much catching up to do. Hope those Sour Patch Kids will pull me through.

Mallwalker is a great hiking buddy. He tells hysterical stories and is really easy going. He told me tonight that he was really glad we were together and I told him the same. I’m learning a lot about life as ex-Marine in the military contracting business. His job in Iraq for the last four years was searching for IEDs so this whole AT hike is a breeze. Nothing to blow you up except maybe the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Another hiker stopped by our campsite tonight and asked if we were the Marine and the lawyer hiking together. Odd couple for sure but we are having a blast.

I am getting up really early tomorrow to meet Bob (my friend’s father) for a resupply trip at a road crossing about 20 miles away. Bob has been a big fan during my hike and is so gracious to pick me up and take me to Wal-Mart. I have a long list of goodies to pick up for Oso, Mallwalker and Pancho. It’s all 100% junk food but stuff you just can’t carry on trail. It will be a bacchanalian feast of Doritos and cherry Coke’s tomorrow night. I already feel bad that Bob has to ride in the car with me tomorrow without a shower. I’m day 4 out of town and that’s when things get interesting. The ponies smell way better than my hiking shirt. Sorry Bob!

We hiked the Grayson Highlands today and it was amazing. The temps were in the los 60s and we were excited for the chance to check out the wild ponies near the end of our hike. I was also looking forward to spending part of the day with our good friends Michele and Craig. Michele has been working with my stepfather Gus for as long as I can remember and her husband Craig is a fellow cyclist and adventure nut. A few years ago they sold everything and bought an RV and are living the dream traveling around the US. They are headed up to Maine later this year to run a resort in Acadia National Park and I hope we can connect with them again there.

We really took it easy today and enjoyed a nice slow pace as we enjoyed the sunrise. The climbs were gentle and Virginia is proving to be quite a show off with her pretty horse farms and stunning views of the Blue Ridge. I’ve been warned that thru hikers experience the “Virginia Blues” because the state is so long but I’m not feeling that at all. I think the difference is that I feel so lucky everyday to still be out here that I don’t have any time to get bored. The fragility of everything right now just brings everything into focus. Living in the present is actually happening for me and it’s a very very pleasant feeling. For example, we took a break today and just sat on a rock for 20 minutes to chat. It was slow, lazy and really had no point. Just beautiful that break!

We met Craig and Michele around 11:30 and sat in the grass and had lunch together. A section hiker stopped by and gave us two Peak brand dehydrated meals and we had those for dinner tonight. This is the premium trail grub for sure. They make delicious dehydrated meals that are ridiculously high calorie. Mine was 920 calories and I loved every bit of it!

After Craig and Michele turned around to head back to the car we climbed up to the Grayson Highlands and got to mess around for a good while with the wild ponies. They nibbled at our sweaty pack straps and nipped at our arms until we fed them some fruit snacks. They were so sweet and one of the followed us down the trail a bit near our campsite.

We got into a beautiful campsite exactly at mile 500. I mean right on the line and it was an exciting milestone. Feels sort of like 25% of the way if you squint kinda hard. The campsite is our favorite so far. It is sitting in a ridge of a bald with a beautiful view of the valley and a clean cold spring for our water source. We spent forever making a fire and finally succeeded but it didn’t burn too long. After the fire I found a bag of brownies that a Michele and Craig gave us in my pocket and man were they delicious. They were not messing around with the chocolate when they made these. We are planning to meet up with them again later in Virginia for more brownies I hope.

Walking out of my B&B this morning and back on the trail felt amazing. Away from the New York Times and the spiral of bad news and into the clean air and sunshine. The familiar white blazes were there to welcome and guide me back into the forest. My heavy pack felt reassuring and familiar. As I walked higher up into the hills and away from the road I felt my body release and my mind settle down. Nothing about this seemed wrong or unethical. It feels like the best place for me right now. I feel healthier, happier and stronger.

We hiked most of the day near the beautiful Virgina Creeper trail that winds more than 33 miles along an old railroad line. It is an ideal location for cycling, hiking, camping, trout fishing, running and rafting. I can see now why my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Jimmy have been cycling here for so many years. There were a few cyclists out but the highlight was this friendly horseback rider that warned us about a snake on the next bridge. His accent was so strong that I thought he said there was a “snack bar on the next bridge” but Mallwalker was able to translate for me that he said “there is a snake there on the bridge”. Dang it. Snack bars are way better than a snake there.

The stream that ran along the trail was so strong and clean that we were tempted to camp short of our goal to go for a swim but it was only in the upper 50s so we pushed on to our 17 mile goal and got into camp around 4:30 and had a nice dinner and built a big fire. We lazed around the fire and watched the sun droop down the Grayson Highlands. These are my favorite moments on the trail. A full belly and all the camp chores are done. No cell phone coverage and I can just sit around the fire and stare into the flames.

Pancho and Ohso joined us a little later and we are going to try to stay together for a while. Pancho is going to hike a bit with us and has a car back in Damascus to help us resupply if we run into problems. It might come to that soon but hoping that the next few towns are as friendly as Damascus.

The moon rose just as we were headed to our tents and it is going to be a cool, quiet and peaceful evening. We are planning to sleep in tomorrow and start our hike around 8. I am looking forward to seeing the Grayson Highlands and hopefully some of the wild ponies over the next few days. Hooves crossed.

Zeros are supposed to be restful and fun. Sleeping in and lazily shopping for resupply items are the only things on the agenda. Maybe a beer in the afternoon? Unfortunately, I spent yet another zero deep in the Coronavirus vs Appalachian Trail hole. It seems to get darker each time I get in and today was a doozy.

Before we get to the serious stuff let me tell you how charming Damascus is. The town is small and friendly with a beautiful river running through downtown and beautiful bright green fields in the valley. The Virginia Creeper trail runs right through town and it is a terrific place for cycling, hiking, running or just enjoying one of their quaint bed and breakfasts. I booked a sweet room at the Dragonfly Inn and my hosts Patti and Ralph have treated me like family. The side of the family that you like even.

I had Amazon ship me a new pair of shoes and I cleaned all my gear and repacked food for the next 4 days. I also made plans to meet my friends Michele and Craig on Sunday. They are up here traveling through Virginia and are going to hike a few hours with us on the AT.

As I was chilling out on the front porch today, I made the mistake of checking in on the latest with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). They sent a letter yesterday to the Secretary of the Department of the Interior asking the Department to close the trail until April 30. The ATC has issued several letters over the last few weeks as the crisis has unfolded asking hikers to postpone or get off trail. They even issued a notice earlier in the week that they would not recognize any 2020 thru-hikers that continue after the end of March. I expected some guidance from them but I was shocked that they were taking such a drastic move to try to close the trail. Even the shelter in place orders did not try to limit outdoor activities like hiking while social distancing.

I feel strongly that the trail should remain open to provide a safe place for people to retreat to during this pandemic. In my opinion, the trail can and should be used during this stressful time to give people a healthy outlet. Of course, we have to maintain a strict set of behaviors to limit contact with others but shutting down the trail sounds very counterproductive to me. I emailed a letter to the ATC Board and also shared it with the Secretary of the Department of Interior and my Senator. I fully support all of the social distancing recommendations of the ATC and local officials but removing this beautiful resource from the public didn’t make sense to me.

Within 30 minutes of sending the email, I got a text message from the director of advancement from the ATC asking to schedule a call later in the afternoon. I was really impressed and happy for the opportunity to speak with them and we set a time. We spoke for almost an hour and had a really good conversation. They wanted to speak to me in person because they had received a lot of negative comments but they thought my outreach was done in a way that left room for discussion. I learned a lot about the evolution of their thinking and I feel like they heard my concerns. They are trying to balance many different constituencies but my main point was that they also need to consider the benefits to the public of being on trail. We agreed on a lot (and some things not so much 😬) but the conversation was important to me and we left the line of communication open. In the end, I think that is really the most amazing thing about the call. We exchanged complex and emotional topics in a professional manner. Yeah for us!

One thing we did agree on is that for many the trail is not a vacation that can simply be put on hold. I am one of those many. For me, this is opportunity to change my life and rediscover some things about me that I had lost. That is a big deal to me but seems quite silly in the grand scheme of what is going on. But wait, do we really know what the hell is going on? I am lurching from hour to hour from one extreme to the other. One person tells me this is overblown media driven madness. The next tells me that it’s immoral to keep going. The advice is shifting by the minute and we are in deeply uncharted territory. I spent 6 hours today reading in-depth articles on a wide variety of news sources and came out feeling like I was in free fall. Ironically, writing this blog is the most grounding thing I did today. You know this isn’t for you, right?

Jitter also left trail today so that was tough. Her hips were in bad shape the last few days and I think the stress of everything else was weighing on her. I got to meet her husband Mike and dog Appolo today and that was fun. I hope she can get back on trail soon. She is a tough cookie and a great hiking buddy. Our crew will be smaller tomorrow but heading back out and will look to the trail, trees and critters to lift our spirits. Stay healthy and as sane as possible.

It will get better. It will get better. It will get better.

We climbed out of Hampton TN on Tuesday morning and headed through Laurel Canyon and the beautiful Laurel Falls. The hiking in Tennessee has been interesting because we are passing through a mixture of private land with easements for the AT and some state parks. Most of today’s hike went along side the Watauga lake and dam. There were some steep climbs around the dam and the views were cool of the earth dam construction.

We stopped for lunch along side an abandoned restroom and huddled against the wall to get out of the wind. It wasn’t glamorous but it got the job done. I was surprised that we weren’t harassed by the police given our drowned rat attire but I wouldn’t want to come near us either. The rest of the hike was pretty easy and we arrived near the Vanderveder Shelter just in time for the rain. I set up my tent behind the shelter in an area that quickly turned into an big mud pit.

We woke up at 5 to a miserable freezing rain/fog combination and it took me forever to get my tent packed up. It was so cold that I had to take breaks to warm my hands up before diving back into wrestling with a frozen wet tent. As I was headed back around the shelter I banged my head on the shelter awning so hard that it knocked me straight back on my butt. After the packing fiasco was over we headed out on our 23 mile hike at 6:30.

When the sun came up we realized that the trail was covered in snow and it was beautiful and quiet but damn cold. Our gloves were soaked so we had to hike with our hands buried in our pockets for the rest of the morning. When we got about half way we came through a part of the AT that crosses through a beautiful private farm.

As we looked back across the grazing field we saw the most amazing view of the mountains we just hiked through and the bright line of snow and ice that looked like it had been painted on. As tough as today was it is times like these that make it all worth it. We were just a handful of lucky people to see that beautiful work of nature at the right time.

Ok – back to the miserable parts. The sun peaked out for a minute and then another round of storms came through as we were about 8 miles from finishing our long day. We were pelted with ice, snow, rain and sleet as we made our way over the last few hills. This derelict little Boy Scout hut almost became our shelter but we decided to push on to Abington Gap in hopes the tent sites were a little drier.

Nope. The Abington Shelter area was covered in snow too but I found a pretty good site and set up tent and ate a nice big dinner. Days like this on the AT really make you appreciate the easy warm ones but to be honest I felt really good when I got into camp tonight. It was an honest day’s work and my body and mind were tired but proud. I also have two sweet nights coming up in a fancy B&B in Damascus to look forward to! Bring on the soft bed and hot shower.

I am getting a few questions about why I am staying on trail and I wanted to spend an few minutes trying to explain this from the perspective of a hiker. It’s a different world out here. The trail is peaceful, safe and it’s easy to access resupply stores. We are isolated from the virus and are not coming in contact with anyone else except when we get groceries or check into a hotel. The last few days we have only seen a handful of other hikers. We are keeping a safe distance from them and they from us. We minimize our interactions in town and keep our hands clean. We are also isolated from the news and get updates only every few days. This gives us some space to focus on our daily obstacles. They do not involve the virus.

The alternative is to leave the trail and go back to Atlanta where I will be at greater risk and increase the chances of passing it along to others if I get sick. Out here, my days are filled with wide open spaces, clean air and tons of sunshine. I’ve honestly never felt healthier, am eating great food and drinking tons of water. I am staying on trail because it feels like the safest thing for me and everyone else. I am LOVING the long days, cool nights and constant logistical challenges of keeping myself clean, fed and warm. It’s hard work but it is simple and straightforward. There are no nuances out here. You either have enough calories to push that 20 mile day or you don’t.

For me, that has been the most therapeutic thing about the trail. My professional life as a lawyer is filled with complex, fast-moving and uncertain judgment calls with high stakes and delayed satisfactions. My deal closings feel good but they are months apart and there is only so much control I have over their success. Here, I need to find a water source and stay warm at night so I go to the stream and the wrap myself in my sleeping bag. These are immediate and physically satisfying tasks and they are fun to solve.

I’m constantly thinking about what is going on but there isn’t much I can do. I am choosing to stay safe out here and try to do my best to help Bryan and friends from home manage the stress. I hope these blog entries help in some small way. At least as a reminder that everything is working just as it should out here. Spring is coming on strong and the trail is just as beautiful as it always has been. The critters are waking up from the winter and greeting us as we walk through their safe, beautiful and peaceful world. There are open and happy people that are helping us and we are moving forward at a steady pace.

We are taking a nero today in Hampton before pushing 3 days to Damascus. I am getting a new pair of shoes and superfeet inserts there and taking a true zero in a nice B&B. Reaching Virginia will feel great and then will set my sights on the halfway-ish mark of Harpers Ferry.

The first 100 miles seemed to take forever but the last few are falling fast. Mallwalker, Jitter and I made it to 400 today a little after we climbed out of our overnight stay at the Mountain Harbor B&B. It is rated #1 in the AT Platinum Blazing guide book and for good reason. Our host Mary made a breakfast spread that looks like Thanksgiving. Pancakes, sausage, tomato pie, hash brown casserole, homemade cherry struedel, biscuits and gravy and fresh fruit. She looked so proud when we piled everything she offered onto our plates. We waddled out of there with happy bellies but slow legs.

The terrain for today’s hike was pretty tame but a little frustrating they way the trail hooks in a big circle and dumps you back even closer to the town you just left. To stay sane out here you should never look at the actual map of the trail – just waypoints and elevation plots. It seems like we are more often headed east and west. So, after our 17 mile day we were back where we started. Ahhhh. Thanks AT!

We were feeling pretty beat up today so we took a long lunch at Mountaineer Falls. After lunch, I went to play in the waterfall and immediately fell on my behind pretty hard and landed with both of my elbows on the rock. I was stunned and worried I had broken something but I was just bruised. So – lesson learned. See pretty waterfall. Don’t go play in pretty waterfall.

We headed back on trail after lunch intending to do 9 more to make it to the next shelter but we started to drag pretty hard about 2 miles from our goal and decided to camp at a nice spot along a good sized stream. The big days in the Roan Highlands were still in our legs and it caught up fast today. We set up camp, ate dinner and worked on our feet.

It might be the warmer temps or the 400 plus miles we just walked but our feet are yelling back. It was time to give them some love. We did a nice soak in the cold creek and then lathered them with coconut oil and wrapped them in our nice clean wool socks. I can’t tell you how good they feel right now tucked in my sleeping bag and getting the next 10 hours off duty.

Roan Mountain has been a goal for a long time now. I’ve been wanting to hike this area since I first read about it in a great nonfiction book called “Stand Up That Mountain” by Jay Erskine Leutze. It is the story of a lawyer that saved one of the most beautiful sections of the AT from a mining operation through a hell of a lot of work and a true love for these beautiful highland balds. It is a spectacular area and shows off some amazing views of the Blue Ridge mountains. I put a short video together to share my favorite day so far.

First off – an apology. I forgot to update everyone on Proper. Bryan took amazing care of her in Decatur and as she was heading back to Davenport Gap her father urged her to come home and she flew back to The Netherlands the next day. She sent us a beautiful chocolate thank you treat and a sweet note. I am sad she had to leave and hope she can come back soon to finish her adventure. It felt great that we could help her and that her transition off the trail was pleasant.

The last two days have been perfect. The sun has been out and it is still cool for great hiking. We got an early start out of Erwin on Thursday morning and climbed out of the valley along a strong flowing creek. As we worked out way up to Beauty Spot we ran into a ton of day hikers and even had some trail magic. I spent a leisurely lunch on top of the Beauty Spot Bald and chatted with some really friendly hikers out for the day. They loaded me down with cookies, grapes and roasted nuts.

We camped near Cherry Log Shelter and it was such a beautiful warm night we decided to build a fire. It was so relaxing to sit next to the warm fire and doze off thinking about all the amazing spots I saw on the trail. We chatted mostly about food (and especially lasagna) and planned our day tomorrow up to Roan Mountain. About a half an hour after we went to bed a pack of coyotes came past our site yelping and howling. It sounded pretty close but they took off and we didn’t hear them for the rest of the night. I thought Jitter was going to jump out of her tent when she heard them but after they passed she was able to relax and get some sleep.

Today’s hike was up to Roan Mountain to the highest shelter on the AT. As we left camp a huge tree fell near the trail and it scared us half to death. We kept a close eye on the trees as they creaked in the wind. As we came across one of the first ridges we found a tree that we could walk into. No wonder these guys are falling down.

The climb up Roan was challenging but beautiful. It was about 5 miles and wound around about 100 switchbacks with amazing views. We got to the shelter area around 5 and it is a quite impressive two story structure with 4 walls. The Taj of the trail for sure.

Things felt normal, happy and light over the past few days and I soaked it in. The last few weeks have been pretty tough while everyone was leaving but it feels like the hikers that are here are going to try to stay on trail. Everyone has a different set of circumstances and reasons for leaving and I don’t want to take away from that at all. It just breaks my heart to see their dreams on hold. The trail is still providing for me so I think it’s right for me to stay on. Hoping to be in Virginia by the end of the week!

In this new age of AT hiking amongst the virus the classic zero is turned on its head. I only had one zero in the good ole days 3 weeks ago and it was awesome. We hung out at a hostel in Franklin and shared food and played guitar. Ahhhh. Remember back then? Now, it is much more heavy on the logistics (and crappy highway schelping) but it can still be fun.

I slept in late and drank delicious coffee that the hotel brewed. It probably was terrible coffee but if you don’t have to make it yourself in the tent it tastes amazing. I did my laundry and then walked a few miles to Uncle Johnnys Hostel on the AT to retrieve my box. I was super nervous about going because I had heard that the owner was threatening thru hikers on Facebook and got banned from the 2020 AT Facebook page. They were still giving out boxes that had been sent so I came bearing a gift of a tin of fancy feast cat food. When I stopped by the hostel last night on my way in they were closed but I was surrounded by some aggressively friendly cats that were demanding treats.

I approached the door with a soft knock and Drew answered (gotta be cool with a name like that, right?). He couldn’t have been more pleasant and helpful. He immediately got my box, apologized profusely for closing the hostel facilities and told me that I was right to stay on the trail. In fact, he said that if they don’t reopen soon he is going to head out and join us soon. He graciously accepted the cat food and we served his friends the treat on the porch. He even accepted Taco’s dog food for his own dog for when they go hiking.

On my walk back to the hotel I felt a renewed sense of purpose. I felt proud that I’m following my own rules of no shuttles, hostels, shelters, congregating or food sharing. The AT most certainly can be done this way. Sure, it’s more effort but this is a 2,200 mile hike to Maine for crying out loud. A walk to town isn’t going to kill me.

My box was stuffed full of 5 days of healthy outdoor herbivore meals and organic twizzlers! It is an embarrassment of riches and though my pack will be heavy I will be eating like a king on my way into the Roan Highlands. I gave the dog treats away to the friendly front desk clerk at the hotel and then hiked a 2 mile ditch into Erwin for a late lunch/dinner. They were really sweet too and thankful for the business. I did some window shopping at the Dollar General and well – that is about all there is to do in Erwin. I hiked past a nuclear fuel facility and decided it was best not to inquire any further in that one. Uranium mining maybe?

I’m really excited for the next 3 days as I head into the Roan Highlands with all sun and warm temps in the forecast. This is a really special part of The AT and I have a treehouse cabin booked just shy of the 400 mile mark. I’ll share some great pics as I hike it through.

I got up early today with the intention of doing a 20 mile day to the No Business Knob shelter and then finishing up tomorrow to Erwin, TN. The morning was beautiful and as Jitter and I climbed out of camp we met the sun coming over the mountains and a sweet lab mix playing along the trail near her mom. The terrain was pretty tough today but I wanted to get as close to Erwin as I could as I had a hotel reservation there and was looking forward to getting a shower and my clothes cleaned.

I lost Jitter about 5 miles in and left her a note at the next shelter. When I got there around 4:30 I decided to push another 7 miles and get to the hotel a night early so I could take a true zero tomorrow and recuperate out of the rain. It was really eerie on the trail today. I didn’t see any other hikers until I got to the last shelter. When I got there most of them were getting off tomorrow for good. It’s so hard to be out here right now trying to push through with so many people leaving. Several times during the day I had to yell out my new mantra “I’m gonna make it!” into the woods and sending the birds and squirrels scampering. Poor critters don’t know what to do about this stinky crazy man with his home on his back screaming into the woods. I even stopped at one point today and hugged a tree. If felt good.

I know there are still hikers out there but it’s getting lonely. I’ve received so many great texts and messages from friends and family over the past few days. It’s a jolt of energy each time I get one and keeps me going.

My hotel was another mile or so off the trail so today ended up being around 28 miles and by the time I got here I was cooked. I took an amazing shower and ordered a pizza and salad while I cleaned up all my gear. The pizza was amazing too but I just about fell asleep eating it so I left my laundry for tomorrow and am hitting the sack. I am going to rest and resupply tomorrow and plan my next push to Roan Mountain. Please send good vibes for an improvement in the virus situation and for all of those good people out there struggling to keep their lives in order.

The mountains were perfect today. The sun was warm and the breeze was light and cooling. The fog cleared out early and left long clean views and fresh air that had just a hint of spring sweetness. My body is really hitting its stride. My feet feel great and I’ve found my favorite strides for climbing and descending. The days are falling into an easy rhythm of sunrise starts and early lunches followed by an early camp by 3 or 4. It really couldn’t be going any better except for what’s happening above the neck.

I’m getting sporadic cell coverage just strong enough to open the paper for a few minutes. I have a short morning call with Bryan and shocked again with another dose of horror from the news and then I’m in blackout zones for most of the day. My mind races and fills in the rest with the worst case scenarios. My head stories get worse as the day goes by. I’m shocked back into my surroundings by a beautiful crystal clear mountain spring offering cold clean water. The birds are singing in the background. Which is the right reality here. What’s really going on?

At lunch another hiking buddy decided to go home. A victim of the craziness out there that we don’t really understand. Each time someone leaves it feels like a death in the family and I had too much. I reached out to the group and just asked for some help to get me out of the ditch. They understood completely and helped put a few things into perspective and it got me through the rest of the day. One of our buddies Mango is hiking through a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and stopping in Damascus for treatment before pressing on to Maine. He is carrying some heavy stuff through. I can too.

When I got into our camp spot at mile 301 there was trail magic waiting for us! Derrick ran up here from town with bananas, dates and snickers bars. It was such a wonderful surprise and we chatted with him about his impressive ultra running career while we built a fire in the shelter fireplace. Somehow this trail continues to rescue me from the dark place. I think she can sense it and sends something sweet, beautiful or warm ahead. Today, she knew how bad I was hurting and so she sent all three.

My friend Matthew turned me on to this great little band called Cloud Cult and my favorite song of theirs is called “Chain Reaction” from their 2007 album “The Meaning of 8.” These lyrics ring so true to me and something I think about every day. It goes like this:

“You have eyes like mine. Are we strangers or am I you are I. Put your face on mine. What you feel makes a part of what I’ll feel – it’s a chain reaction. Put out fear and they’ll feel fear. It’s a chain reaction. Put out love and they’ll feel love. It’s a chain reaction. Put your face on mine. “

The last day has been a great example of what Cloud Cult is teaching us. The nice people in Hot Springs put out nothing but love under really challenging circumstances. It turned me right around and I wanted to give that back. When I left today I wrote a long note and left an extra big tip for the innkeepers thanking them for being so kind and welcoming. The first hiker I saw on the trail today got an extra big smile and I told them how happy I was to see them out here. I got a sweet text message from Bryan with a picture of our blooming Ginkgo tree with the outstanding news that there is toilet paper at the Kroger! Talk about putting out love. After I heard that I yelled out into the fog “Everything is going to be okay!”

I got to the first shelter pretty early and decided to treat myself to a short 12 mile day and call it quits. I had a nice lunch and cup of coffee and then had a great hour long visit from a day hiker named Warren Atwood. We chatted about a lot but we really connected about his work with CASA (court appointed special advocate) for children and I shared with him about the great work that CHRIS 180 is doing in Atlanta for foster youth. More of that putting out love thing. It’s really working.

There is not a damn thing I can do to change what is going on in the world but I absolutely can change my reaction to it. If nothing else I can at least acknowledge that fact and try to not transmit more fear. The facts suck but they are the facts. I truly believe that the best way to help each other right now is to be optimistic. Shit – fake it a little if you have to. Wash your hands, keep a healthy distance and pass on hope.

Going to read a book this afternoon that I picked up in Hot Springs and then get up early for a big day to Jerry’s Cabin shelter. Looks like I can get to Erwin TN by Tuesday or Wednesday and I have a box of awesome food waiting for me there and a room booked at the luxurious APPO Mountain Inn. I connected with 4 other thru hikers this afternoon that are sleeping near this shelter with me. There is a mouse in the shelter that sounds like he is in the middle of some big project of some kind so I’m going to leave him be and hope he doesn’t visit me in my tent. He knows I have sour patch kids so that might be an issue. We all had a fun dinner together and going to head out in the morning to catch the sunrise. Or fog rise. 😬

Frankly I was pretty worried as I descended into Hot Springs. I was afraid the trail towns would be shunning thru hikers because of the virus. The last few days have been bad. The terrain is fine but the weight of everything going on in the world feels like an extra ton in my pack. When I slow my mind down a bit I can hear the birds sing and the streams rushing in the valley and I do get a lot of peace from that. But every time I check in on the news or connect with Bryan I am thrust into a world that is out of control. It’s really hard to even fit these two realities into my mind right now. The trail and the forest are so beautiful and I belong here but I know so many people are suffering illness, anxiety and financial hardship. I hope the trail can provide some answers.

I got up early today and was hiking by 7 so I could enjoy the sunrise with my hiking mug full of coffee. I recently added this mug to my kit and it has been a game changer. Now I can make an extra large cup of coffee and slowly sip it for the first hour or so on my hike. It is 19 miles into Hot Springs from my Shelter but the trail was easy and I got in around 1:30 without stopping for lunch or a break. As I walked into town I found my B&B right away and received a big “howdy and welcome” from the innkeepers. I took a long shower and headed down to a super friendly restaurant down the street. They apologized a hundred times for not being able to serve indoors and they were so nice to let me eat on the front porch. They peppered me with questions about the trail and said they were glad that I was staying on.

These kind words meant so much to me right now and I thanked them back a hundred times for being open and so sweet to the hikers that are still out here. Rumor has it that about half of the hikers left the trail over the last few days. It breaks my heart to see them go. For me this trail is more than an adventure. It is a form of rehab and therapy to help find happiness and a sense of peace. The decision to hike 2,200 miles did not come easily but my goals are much larger than the distance and elevations I am logging. I still see a safe path forward and I’m not ready to leave. The trail has just hinted at what it can do for me and I’m eager to stay with in it and see what I can learn.

Talk about learning – I found out today that you can quite happily resupply for your hike at the Dollar General. I don’t think I had ever been in one before but it has everything a thru hiker dreams of. Tuna packets, rice sides, tortillas and sour patch kids. Man, can we talk about tortillas for a second? They are a hikers answer for every meal. Cheap extra calories and they hold breakfast, lunch and dinner like a champ. Hooray for tortillas!

After dinner and resupply, my running coach drove up from Asheville and we shared a beer on the beautiful grounds of my B&B. It was so generous of him to come and spend time with me and I really enjoyed hearing about is recent adoption of two sibling boys (now 3 and 5 years’ old). Randy also runs a high school track and field team with 60 athletes! That is super impressive. He is a great guy and a terrific father to these lucky boys. It was a wonderful visit and set me up well for the killer climb out of town tomorrow. Thank you Hot Springs for being so awesome when I needed it.

One of the coolest things about a northbound thru hike is that you get to walk through spring for weeks on end as it is happening right before your eyes. These sweet little wildflowers showed up for the first time today and it made me stop and look around for a bit. The trees are budding and a butterfly joined me for my lunch spot along the trail.

Today was tough. It was hard to leave Bryan and Chuck at Davenport Gap and I was not sure I was doing the right thing by getting back on the trail. Right before I got out of the car I got an email from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now asking thru hikers to leave the trail for a few weeks because of the virus and then come back. I’ve spent a lot of time of the past few days reading the CDC and WHO advice and I just don’t share the ATC’s opinion on what is best for me and others that I come in contact with. I am isolating myself from others, practicing increased hygiene habits and not using shuttles, hostels or trail shelters. In fact, I believe the ATC’s advice may be counterproductive if hikers leave the trail, expose themselves to the virus and then return and spread it to others on the trail and small towns. They may be right but I am going to stay out here for now and continue to monitor things.

When we got to the start, we saw Mallwalker and his hiking buddy that I met a few days ago. His buddy was having bad knee pain so Bryan drove him to the nearest hostel so he could take a few days of rest. I asked Bryan later on the phone if the hostel was open and he said it was but that it looked liked everyone was just sitting around getting high. I didn’t see that in the CDC protocol but I’ll take a closer look😬

I hiked 18 miles today and it was pretty challenging but it was all worth it when I got up to Max Patch. This is a bald on top of the biggest climb of the day and it was packed with locals from Asheville and Hot Springs out having picnics and playing with their dogs. I’m sure everyone is going stir crazy in town and it really lifted my spirits to see everyone enjoying themselves in the beautiful weather. I parted with Mallwalker at Max Patch and headed into the Roaring Fork Shelter and set up my tent. I’ve got the place to myself tonight so I had a leisurely dinner and enjoyed the quiet.

I am going to push another longish 19 mile day tomorrow to get to Hot Springs and spend some time with my running coach Randy Ashley. I’ve been working with him on my marathon running for the past 6 years and he is great. It will be great to connect with Randy and see what is happening in Hot Springs.

The virus news is getting worse by the minute and I am going to get back on the trail tomorrow morning but Chuck a/k/a Taco is going to head back home with Bryan. My hope is that things are going to settle down enough for him to come back on trail when Neil returns in early April but this feels like the right thing to do now.

I called ahead to the next two trail towns and the hostels are closed but hotels and food stores are still open. I’m worried that over the next few weeks that it could get hard to find shelter and food for Chuck but I am confident that I can press on and still follow the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) guidelines for staying healthy and not passing along the virus. I will stay away from shelters, practice distancing and hand washing and am prepared to isolate myself if I get sick. I believe I am still better off in the woods right now and will be careful around my fellow hikers.

A lot of people are suffering right now and I hope that I can have the best of both worlds by continuing my hike safely and helping those small businesses in the towns I pass through. I trust that I will be welcome when I arrive but will gauge that when I get to Hot Springs on Friday.

It’s a terrible name but a spectacular spot in the Smokies about 4 miles from Newfound Gap that looks down into the valleys below from an outcropping of rock just off the AT. My hiking buddies that I’ve been with for the past few days and I decided to get up early and head out there for the sunrise. We got to the spot just as the fog was parting and the wind was driving the clouds down into the valley.

We spent about an hour peering into the void and waiting for the clouds to part and the sun to peek out above the ridge line across the way. It was perfectly quiet except for the sound of the wind and we all agreed that this was definitely the highlight of the hike so far.

It was a perfect start to our long 20 mile day to push to get into Crosby Knob Shelter. We hiked strong all day and took a nice break for lunch about half way. Today really showed off the amazing diversity of the Smokies. Every few miles the trail was transformed from pine forests to rhododendron to high balds along skinny ridge lines.

We ran into 2 slackpackers (hiking without your pack and having someone drive it to your next destination) that were trying to push 38 miles that day and it was showing with 16 miles left they were pretty wiped out. They said they were starting to get concerned about timing since they had taken 6 zeros already. 6 zeros! It’s really funny to hear all of the different ways that people are attacking this trail. I’m more of the steady keep moving guy with a zero here and there but these hikers were in another wavelength for sure. Hike your own hike!

We got into the shelter around 4:30 and met some really friendly thru-hikers that we shared dinner with. I made a sweet trail burrito (actually 3) and went to bed full and happy. We laid around in the shelters telling funny stories and then slept hard through a set of intense thunderstorms. It was still raining hard for the morning hike out and the trail looked more like a rocky river.

I made it to the northern terminus of the Smokies and Bryan and Taco picked me up and we headed into Asheville for a fancy zero in a nice hotel downtown. Things are very creepy in town with the virus but we were able to get some food and do laundry. My heart really goes out to all of the workers that have lost their jobs over the last week and hoping that things turn soon. Let’s be extra generous with tips and smiles for the next few weeks. This is stressful as hell.

Going to lay in bed for the best part of tomorrow and soak up my time with Bryan. Back on the trail on Thursday and plan to be in Hot Springs by Friday.

Woke up today in a crazy good mood and anxious to hit the climb up to Clingmans Dome. I don’t know if it was the 13 hours I spent in my sleeping bag or the great sleep I got with the hard rain last night but I was ready to get things right with the Smokies.

The day started off pretty foggy and rainy but as I got closer to Newfound Gap things really brightened up as I hiked through the famous parts of the AT that looks like the fairy forest or where the Ewoks would hang out. I stopped for lunch at Newfound and got some trail magic and ran into my hiking buddy Jitter. We decided to meet up for the night at the next shelter in about 3 miles.

We got to Icewater Springs Shelter just as the sun really came out and had a great dinner basking on the hill. I pulled my sleeping stuff out and had a great conversation with a group of medical students here on spring break. The shelter filled up tonight (hooray) and I was happy to be allowed to set up my tent.

I think a big reason for my funk yesterday was the Appalachian Trail Debbie Downer that I ran into. We are on the lookout for bears and wild boars but this dangerous creature took me by surprise. As I passed a hiker headed the other way, I said hello and he attacked:

Low Branch (LB): “Hey there, beautiful day isn’t it?”

AT Debbie Downer (DD): “Are you trying to thru hike?”

LB: “Sure am and feeling great.”

DD: “What did you do, quit your job or something?”

LB: “Actually, my firm was really cool and gave me a leave of absence and the trail has been amazing.”

DD: “It looks pretty miserable and I would hate to sleep in a tent and eat noodles for 6 months.”

LB: Maybe I can get this guy out of the ditch. “Actually, I’ve stayed in some really cool hostels and I’m making some tasty food.”

DD: “Well, you have a LONG way to go.”

LB: No shit Magellan. I have a map too. “See yah down trail.”

Man, you can only run from this stuff. I’m on mile 12 of a 17 mile day and staying positive to keep going but people like this just want to beat you down. It ain’t happening. Just keep hiking and stay happy. Debbies beware.

Talking with my shelter mates Braids and Pitstop tonight, we all agree that the Smokies are not our favorite section. Here are our reasons. The ATC ridge runners act like babysitter cops and stop and ask you for your permit in the most unfriendly ways possible. You are required to stay in shelters with the constant threat that you can be kicked out at any time during the night by a section hiker with a reservation. Don’t ask me to explain this rule since it makes no sense. Finally, no trail magic! At least not yet. There is just one road that crosses the AT in the park and we haven’t gotten there yet.

The funk doesn’t take hold for long especially when you get to these amazing mountain tops and are surrounded by 360 degrees of rolling blue hills that truly do smoke in the late afternoon. As I was coming into the shelter around 5pm tonight there was a beautiful plume of smokey clouds rising out of the valley in a light rain. Interrupted, or course, by another ridge runner asking about my permit!

About midday I met a trail volunteer that was out doing maintenance. Neil and I were talking about how awesome it would be to run along the trails with a big ass saw and cut out the downed trees in the trails. We were right! This 5 foot saw is as cool as it looks. Lucky devil.

I treated myself to a leisurely lunch and a cup of coffee along the trail. I still haven’t really perfected the art of the partial lunch unpack and end up dumping the entire contents of my pack out all over the place until I find what I need. I can pee without stopping the hike (yes, off trail) so I’m proud of that. I found a cool view point and made a trail burrito. I am really happy with my new food choices that I picked up in Fontana. I have a lot more variety and it’s stuff I actually want to eat right now. We are all trading recipies and ingredients with each other and coming up with some pretty tasty and healthy trail cuisine.

Not thrilled about another night in the shelter – especially after last night. Socrates’ alarm went off at 4am and woke everyone except him. It went off for about 10 minutes before Chives started kicking him in the side. So many questions. An alarm on the AT? 4am? Socrates? The word on the trail is that it isn’t cool to get a philosopher trail name. Fortunately I have a great set of friendly bunk mates tonight and looking forward to setting off with them in the morning to climb up and over Clingman’s Dome. Next post – things to be afraid of in the Smokies.

Spooky. I just came off a pretty down day and as I lay down in the shelter I look up at the ceiling and see this reassuring message to help me sleep. The trail really does provide. In this case some much needed emotional support. I went into Fontana yesterday thinking I would take a zero but made the mistake of opening the New York Times and got sucked into the shit show that is the corona virus. I decided to skip the zero and head back out on the trail after Bryan left with Chuck and Proper back to Atlanta.

I started late and didn’t see a soul on the trail. I got choked up when I had to put Taco in the car back to Atlanta and was missing Bryan even before he left. I expected a ton of solitude on the trail but the timing was crap today as I tried to unpack the rush of terrible world news alone. I haven’t been able to keep up over the last 2 weeks and it was just too much to process in such a short time.

As I climbed out of Fontana I tried to calm down by counting my breaths and also my blessings. We are in good health, have safe homes, good jobs, loving families. We are being kind and generous to others and taking precautions to stay healthy. It really will be all okay. As the miles passed I invited the mountains to help me feel better. The clean air, rocks and strong trees all are healing. They are where I go when I’m feeling lost and they remind me of everything that is right and good in the world.

I got about 14 miles in and hit the Mollies Ridge Shelter and there was Chives! I was so glad to see a friendly face. Chives was also hiking with his dog Liberty until we got to the Smokies and Ranger F’ing Rick hates dogs. We had a great long conversation yesterday about the logistics of hiking with your best friend. As I approached the shelter he asked “How’s it hiking without Taco?” “It f’ing sucks and I’m grumpy as hell” I said.

Nothing says comfort food like a Ramen Bomb so I got to mixing the ramen, instant potatoes and tuna packet and it was delicious. I had a good conversation with MF Poppins (the MF stands for what you think it stands for) about the joys of lawyering and I was out of my funk. MF was a DA in Brooklyn and cusses like a sailor. She made me laugh and we finished our meals together and traded some trail stories. Good ole Bob Marley was there to cover the last bit of wound for the day as I tucked into my bag for the night.

I had a great night sleep at the Brown Fork Gap Shelter. I had set up my tent in a really quiet part of a small valley near the stream and it was a warm night. Chuck insisted on being on my sleeping bag and pad so we spooned and he rested his head on my arm. He is really getting used to being in the tent and has stopped growling if someone walks nearby.

We had a pretty easy 13 mile hike into Fontana Dam and the weather was perfect. The sun came up about 30 minutes into the hike and we caught some amazing views. As we came up over the largest climb of the day I ran into a young woman along the trail that was head in hands sobbing and crouched on a rock. Elsa a/k/a Proper is suffering a pretty painful Achilles injury and she was trying to figure out whether she could finish the hike and was on the phone with her parents. To complicate things, she is from The Netherlands and traveling home is either really difficult or impossible right now. I gave her a few words of encouragement and then hiked a few hundred yards down the trail.

I went back a few minutes later and offered for her to stay with me in Fontana and also for her to ride back to Atlanta with Bryan and stay at our house to get some medical advice and possibly a flight home if she can’t get back to the trail. Hopefully she can confirm that nothing is broken and just skip the Smokies and come back with Bryan when he brings Chuck back.

Proper made it down the mountain a few hours later and joined me for the night at a cabin I rented just outside the Smokies and is going to head back with Bryan today when he comes to pick up Chuck. I’m imposing a huge burden on Bryan but at the same time feel compelled to help Elsa. I know the feeling of being out of the country and being in a vulnerable situation without family nearby. With everything that is going on right now it just felt right to help in this way. Maybe she can get back and finish her thru-hike but if not at least she can enjoy some kindness. Plus, Taco a/k/a Chuck loves her and spent the afternoon snuggled on the couch together after his hamburger dinner at the nearby restaurant.

I am going to spend this rainy Friday in town and do some resupply and then hit the Smokies hard Saturday morning. Wishing Proper a speedy recovery and return to the trail soon.

We started out from NOC with the plan to just hike 8 miles since the elevation looked nasty. As we climbed out of the valley, the sun came out and trapped the clouds down below. The conditions were perfect but the trail was challenging as promised.

I stopped for a break and ran into Bilbo, Glider, Jiter and Blackbeard and we continued on together after a few minutes of horsing around. I got so caught up in conversation and great hiking that we blew right past our stop and kept on pushing hard with the group. Bilbo, Blackbeard and I really got an good pace going and the miles flew past.

As we were plowing down one descent I hit my head pretty hard on 3 low branches within about 20 feet and the group thought it was hysterical. I have a bad habit of keeping my head down when I run or hike and I need to work on that a little in the woods. They decided right then that my trail name is now Low Branch. Chuck also got his trail name and it is Taco. When we took a shuttle ride the other day he literally inhaled a double meat Taco Bell taco that the shuttle driver had for him. Taco is really becoming the star of the trail and everyone loves hanging out with him at the shelters. I am going to miss him terribly during the Smokies (no dogs allowed).

The group stopped for another break but I pushed on mostly because I was out of snacks and wanted to get to camp and make dinner. Just when I needed it, I came across some trail magic green apples. They were delicious! Have you ever seen a thru hiker devour and apple? It’s quite a sight and leaves nothing but seeds and a stem. So, my planned short day turned into a 16 miler but it was a blast and I got into camp and made a double portion of my favorite Outdoor Herbivore meal called Pea-nutty Matchsticks. My nightcap was a hot Emergen-C toddy and all was well for a quiet and warm night. No tacos for Taco but he enjoyed his dinner and curled up on dad’s bed. I couldn’t get him off so we snuggled up together and fell asleep quickly.

We are headed to Fontana Dam today to meet Bryan so he can pick up Chuck. I don’t really want to take a zero but I am a day early and this place I am staying at has a pool so it will be a good chance to stretch out in the water and resupply for the next push. I am really excited about the Smokies. I spent nearly every summer of my childhood there with Mama and Papa Johnson and there are terrific memories all over those beautiful hills. I’ll have to reintroduce myself as Low Branch but I suspect the trees have already passed on the word to watch out for this guy and his dog Taco.

I had a great connection with a fellow hiker last night over dinner here at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I don’t know how it came up but we started talking about how much we have been crying over the last few days. The first week was all planning, worrying and adrenaline. Now I am accepting that everything is working just great and the anxiety is falling away. Chuck is having a blast, the pack feels good, it’s easy and fun to make new hiking friends and I am not injured or sick. On top of all that I get to hike all day in quiet beauty. It’s almost too much to take in.

This flood is all happy tears. The mornings are especially intense when we first set out and start planning another peaceful day. I just can’t believe that I get to be here right now and spend all of this time with Chuck on this amazing trail. I’m overwhelmed by the little things I notice like how soft and quiet the leaf covered trail was yesterday. Start the crying. The soft misty rain reflects back a bluish grey off the valleys. Tears. On top of the ridge coming into Nantahala Outdoor Center the fire damaged trees set against the overlook stopped me in my tracks. Uh oh, it’s welling up again! This trail is actually quite elegant and it puts on a thousand different shows a minute. You just have to be prepared for the emotional roller coaster. Screw it, I’m going to throw my hands up and enjoy this ride.

Just when I think I am pulling it together I come across some more trail magic and start the crying all over again. The trail angel we had yesterday had been sitting in his truck all morning and we were the first thru hikers he had seen. He promised himself that he would stay out there and give away goodies until they were gone before he would head off for some fishing. People are generous, patient and supportive. No, really!

I’ve also been thinking a lot about how lucky I am to be healthy and strong enough to be out here right now. Today, my friend Betty is staring the most intense part of her stem cell treatments for multiple myeloma and she has been on my mind constantly during this hike. She is an amazing friend in so many ways and someone that I truly admire. She is hardworking, funny, generous and has a positive force like I’ve never seen before. Betty literally can pull you though anything with her energy and vuvuzuela. This cancer doesn’t have a chance with Betty fighting back but I know the next stage of this battle is going to be tough. She will be back out on that racecourse in no time but for now she needs a little of that energy back from all of us that she has given so graciously. We love you Betty and just know that you are not alone for one second of the day. We are walking with you through this and will celebrate on the other side together.

Shit. Crying again!

I spent my first zero day at Gooder Grove hostel in Franklin NC and it was a restful and fun break. Zen Gooder has turned is sweet home near downtown Franklin into a peaceful place for hikers to choose a bunk or private room, share food and gear and socialize together. Chuck was happy to spend most of the day chilling out on the bed while I ran errands in town and went out to dinner with some new hiker friends. After we got back we sat out in the front porch and one of the hikers played guitar and we swapped stories about our adventures last week. It could not have been a better way to rest up for the next 5 day push to meet Bryan in Fontana Dam.

Zen drove us back to Rock Gap and we started with an easy climb in perfect weather. We had a pretty mild day of rolling terrain with a few steeper climbs but nothing too bad. The only real challenge I had was trying to keep Chuck calm for about an hour while we hiked near some gun fire. He pulls his leash off trail and tries to bury himself in the leaves but the only thing we can do is keep moving and hope we get to the other side of the mountain. When we came over Wayah Bald, he calmed down and we stopped and listened to some bird calls together and he felt better.

Wayah Bald has a beautiful historical fire tower made of stone and a magnificent 360 degree view of the valleys. I’ve notice something really sweet about Chuck on this hike – I think he enjoys the views as much as I do. As we are hiking along the trail he will pop over the overlooks and stick his long beautiful neck out and look at the horizon.

We are also settling into a great pattern to our day. He likes to power through the hike with a short food break with me and when we get to camp he has a big dinner and then makes his rounds to the shelter and the other tents to say hello to everyone. When he gets back to our tent in dives into his taco style bag and takes a long warm nap.

We stopped at 15 miles today at the Wayah Shelter and built a fire and had s’mores with the other hikers. It was a warm night and we chatted until it got dark and helped each other hang our bear bags. Nobody is really good at it yet but it’s fun trying together and pretty hysterical how bad we mess it up. I don’t think we have any real bear danger this early in the year but need to get in the good habit of hanging our food and toiletries.

The people I am meeting are just great. Funny, engaging and they all love being outside as much as we do. I’m learning a lot from them and they are generous with their tips and special food treats. The s’mores were hiked up from the Dollar General by The Weatherman. He brought enough for a crowd and walked around the camp and invited everyone to share. We are headed to Nantahala Outdoor Center tomorrow and looking forward to the long but mostly downhill hike to the river.

We spent a rainy day on Thursday with Glider in Hiawassee doing some resupply chores and watching The Office reruns. I thought I was coming down with a cold so took enough vitamin C to kill a horse and stayed in bed instead of hitting the AYCE (all you can eat – it’s a big acronym to look for in all of the hiking guides) restaurant with the other hikers. Glider and Neil stayed in with me and we had fun planning our the next few days.

As we boarded the shuttle for the trail I got a kick out of the fact that the Inn was full but the only vehicle in the parking lot was the van. We started hiking at 9:30 and we knew today was going to a big day and we weren’t disappointed. It was really cold and super windy as we started our 17 mile day of climbing to Standing Indian shelter. The topo map didn’t look too bad but there were a series of really steep (like leaning over and poles down) kind of steep that wrecked my quads and hip flexors.

It was cool to pass into North Carolina at mile 79 but Georgia didn’t give up easily. The wind didn’t help either and when we finally got into camp at 5:30 it was in the low 20s and the wind was howling.

First priority was getting Chuck in the tent and getting him warmed up and fed. We all piled into one tent to maximize the body heat and stayed in our bags for about 30 minutes until we could get to our camp chores of cooking, gathering water and trying to use the privy. We got 2 out of 3 accomplished but there was a 20 mph wind coming up the hill through the privy and well . . .

We slept surprisingly well and waited until the sunrise to get going. As bad as Friday was Saturday was just about perfect. The sun warmed up the trail quickly and the terrain was much easier. We were blowing through the miles today and quickly realized that we could easily get 20 done and catch a shuttle into Franklin NC for the night.

It was a big day and frankly too big so early in the hike but it really helped logistically for Neil to get in today and Chuck seemed like he was doing fine to push through. We stopped for a nice long lunch and Chuck had a chance to roll around in the dirt for a while. We picked up a shuttle at a Rock Gap and Chuck had is first taco! The shuttle driver had an extra meat soft shell taco and offered it to Chuck. It was gone in 3 seconds.

We had to navigate around some weird hostel rivalries (our shuttle refused to take us to a competitor) so we ended up in some basement but for $35 it is really clean and has the miracle of running hot and cold water. Being on the trail immediately resents your demands when it comes to where you stay and I have to say the people that run these places are great. We dropped our bags and headed to Lazy Hiker for a beer, dinner and a game of Farkle.

My buddy Neil is going home tomorrow and I’m not happy about that. It’s been great having him on the trail and it was so generous of him and his sweet family to take the time out here with me. He would be the perfect friend if he didn’t cheat at Farkle all the time.

We get along so well and enjoy the quiet together. I will be sad to see him go but I am looking forward to him coming back out later this spring. I am going to take zero day tomorrow to rest myself and Chuck and then I have a leisurely 58 miles to get to Fontana Dam by Friday.

A Nero is not a day off of hiking but shorter morning miles and then high tailing it into town for rest and resupply. We got up early today at Deep Gap and headed out with Jessica aka Glider for an easy 4 mile hike to Dick’s Creek Gap to meet our shuttle into our hostel in Hiawassee. Pop Rocks was waiting at the gap with more trail magic. He has converted his Chevy into a mini house van and even has an iPad mount in the ceiling so he can watch movies. This guy has figured a few things out!

The shuttle showed up right on time and we headed into Hiawassee for a resupply. I sent a box ahead to another hostel that closed recently but luckily the post office was holding the package for me. We are all geared up for the 3 day hike into Franklin and my first zero. Chuck got another massage and paw treatment followed by a long day of resting with Glider on the hotel bed. He’ll be ready for tomorrow for sure.

I’ve heard this phrase “The Trail Provides” so many times already and for good reason. I can hardly believe that there is this beautifully maintained 2,200 mile trail designed just for you to get away from it all. On top that, it is surrounded by real live trail angels that are there to make your experience that much better. It’s overwhelming how kind people can be out here.

The hotel bed was comfortable but I was itching to get back to the trail. I laid in bed last night wondering what the trail conditions were like and if our trail buddies made it to the shelter they planned. Joyce picked us up right on time and we shared a shuttle with Gunnison who was cool with Chuck snuggling up to him in the back seat. As soon as we got to the trailhead we ran into Sidewinder and he found my sit pad that I left at the last shelter and hiked it out for me. I think he was just as happy to be able to do the favor that I was to get it back.

The conditions were perfect for our 14 mile hike to Deep Gap shelter. They were calling for rain but it held off and we hiked in 60 degrees with cloudy skies. We were loving the climbs out of Unicoi and didn’t make far until we ran into a guy doing trail magic with cherry pies and dog treats for Chuck.

Near the end of the hike we ran into a guy named Pop Rocks. He did the AT last year and was back out to do magic between Unicoi and Hiawassee. He was great to talk to and I soaked up his deli and ice cream recommendations farther up the trail. Apparently, parts of NY are called “Deli Blazing” because you hike between awesome delis. I can’t find a single thing wrong with that.

The rest of the hike was perfect. We felt strong and so lucky to be out here. Chuck had a blast and hiked ahead all day looking back at us to pick up the pace. When we got to Deep Gap shelter he had a big dinner and napped on the shelter porch.

The trail definitely provided today. Great conditions, shuttle rides, pies and friends.

We had a pretty dry night last night but woke up to some showers and it was a challenge to pack up our gear in the rain. Fortunately it wasn’t too cold so putting on our wet clothes and heading out early at 7:30 wasn’t too bad. As we climbed out of Low Gap Shelter we felt really good and so lucky to be on such a beautiful section between Hog Pen and Unicoi. The clouds hung low in the blue mountain ranges and several times we stopped and took in the views.

It rained pretty steady for the rest of the hike and we stopped for lunch at Blue Mountain shelter. As we left the lunch stop we decided it would be a good idea to head into town and get our gear clean and dry for the next few days. I called and got us room and we hung out at Unicoi Gap until we made a connection for a shuttle driver. Our shuttle driver Joyce was great and she outfitted her back seat with covers and we piled in with Chuck. We immediately apologized for the smell but she took it in stride.

We got to our room and headed to the laundromat. In only have 2 pairs of clothes so it was a challenge figuring out how to clean the maximum amount and not be naked. I ended up sporting my sleep run pants and puffy jacket around downtown Helen. It being hiker season I was in good company and saw some some similarly weird outfits. During laundry time, I went to the post office and mailed a bunch of stuff home. After 4 days of hauling this gear I got real particular about what I really wanted to carry. I sent home my GoPro, Kindle, Chuck’s Marty the Moose Toy (he was totally uninterested) and some extra batteries.

I spent another hour or so further reducing weight. I started to really think hard about all of the little ways to lighten the pack. Rubber bands instead of a binder clip for cash, ditch the envelope for the Smokies permit, dump the ibuprofen bottle and keep the pills in a bag. It all adds up (or down) and I think I’ll feel it tomorrow.

Today was also for Chuck. After two days of hiking in the rain he was needing a break. He is doing great but I wanted to give home some rest time on a comfy hotel bed. He has been a perfect hiking and tent buddy and deserves to crash for a good long sleep. Joyce is picking us up tomorrow at 8:30 and we are looking forward to some long challenging climbs to our next overnight shelter.

We have a few extra hours of tent time ahead of us as we got into camp early to hide out from the rain. Here is a short recap of the last 2 days.

I slept in a little at Gooch Shelter and then had an easy hike to meet Neil at Woody Gap. We should have done a better job of coordinating our outfits as Neil showed up in his matching Boston Marathon run shirt. They are perfect for the hike but totally killing the laid back hiker vibe out here. I used to run with the Hash House Harriers and it was forbidden to run in a race t-shirt. The few poor newbies that showed up with them were called “Racists”. We headed out across Blood Mountain and although I have hiked and run this route many times it felt really good doing it as thru-hiker. The ascent up Blood was steady but not too hard and the views from the top were amazing.

We had our first trail magic in form of a 12 pack of Mountain Dew. I normally wouldn’t touch the stuff but it sure tasted good and the sugar rush was a great boost. The back side of Blood is pretty technical and we took our time getting down and got to Neel’s Gap around 5:30 and found a quiet place tucked behind a hill to camp next to a friendly hiker named Paul.

Our hike today was soggy but not too cold. The rain started around 10 and it was steady but not a down pour. We decided against a lunch stop since we would get too cold and pushed on to our overnight here at Low Gap Shelter. Setting up the tent in the rain was a mess and I dumped all my wet stuff inside and got Chuck settled in and fed. Not sure what I’m going to do with this pile of wet muddy clothes but I think it’s going to be in the same pile when I get up in the morning.

Chuck has quickly taken to his sleeping bag and is tucked in and taking a nap. Neil and I are planning our next few days and are going to resupply and do laundry in Hiawassee. It turns out that the place we send our box of food to is out of business so we are working on plan B to shuttle into town and stay in a hotel. Looks like another rainy day tomorrow but looking forward to sun on Wednesday.

One day I am going to take a break from work and set out on a long hike with Chuck. We are going to take our time and enjoy the experience fully. I am going to give myself permission to go slow and work on being in the moment. We are going to take breaks along quiet streams and meet new friends. I’m going to try to stop the stories that I tell myself and work on a few things that need healing.

That day started today. We woke to Chuck pacing around the hotel room in Dahlonega not wanting to eat his breakfast. He knew something big was happening and could sense the weird mix of sadness, anxiety and excitement coming through us.

The shuttle driver showed up right on time and I was at the start by 9AM. My buddy Andrew decided at the last minute to meet me at Springer to hike a few miles with me as a sweet send off. Andrew is my crazy adventure racing buddy and we’ve done some insane stuff together. We joked all morning about all the miserable but fun multi day adventure races that we’ve done together. Our favorite story is from a race in the Poconos we did with Neil as few years ago where we had to hike our mountain bikes up the side of a mountain for 3 hours in the middle of the night to get to the next section of the bike course. It felt like it was nearly vertical and we pushed through dense underbrush. What adventure racing nerds lovingly call “bike whacking”. I don’t recommend it but it sure is funny to look back on it now. It was a blast catching up with Andrew. I miss spending time with him and it was so nice of him to make the trip up here.

We left Springer at 10 and Andrew hiked a few hours before turning around. Chuck and I had a perfect first day. He was “tail up” happy!

The snow quickly disappeared and it was sunny and cold all the way to Gooch Shelter. We saw quite a few thru hikers but still got plenty of quiet time to soak up the experience. I think Chuck could have hiked a lot longer today but I am going to take things slow at the beginning. The north Georgia mountains were showing off off their deepest blues today and the trees were swaying in a steady breeze. That is my favorite sound in the world. All of those beautiful tall trees moving together in the wind doing their best ocean sounds.

We got to Gooch around 5 and ate dinner together in the tent. Chuck got a mini massage and his paws rubbed down with Mushers Secret. After dinner he curled up in his own warm sleeping bag and we listed to those trees sway in the wind. Hiker midnight came early today and although the campground is nearly full it is peaceful and quiet. A damned perfect day one.

If you could invite three people to a dinner party who would they be? I have to cheat a little on this one because a couple of my guests would need to come in character. I would invite Larry David & Susie Essman (in character as Susie Greene from Curb Your Enthusiasm). Larry is just Larry, right? Please count that as one since they have to come together and preferably in the same car. Next would be Alanis Morissette. I have some questions for Alanis, like why she writes the lyrics that I was just thinking about. Is she following me? She scares me worse than Google. Finally, I would save the head of the table for Jennifer Coolidge (in character as Sherri Ann Cabot from Best in Show.)

In Best in Show, Jennifer plays a delightfully clueless and self-absorbed Sherri Ann Cabot. Sherri Ann is married to billionaire octogenarian Leslie and appears to spend her days primping ridiculous outfits and stumbling into a lesbian relationship with her dog trainer Christy Cummings played by Jane Lynch.

Sherri Ann is very nervous about the possibility of her third win at the dog show and hides out back stage scarfing popcorn and waiting for another message from herself. As my last bit of preparation for the Appalachian Trail I am doing the same (without the popcorn, billionaire husband or lesbian relationship). Click link below:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NI3Zm-VILa4

I have meticulously packed 10 boxes and am sending them ahead to meet me along the trail. This should get me through the first few months and then I’ll phone in my orders to Bryan for the rest of the trip. I’m sending them to Post Offices and hiker hostels in NC, TN and VA with a plea written on the address to “Hold for Thru-Hikers Drew and Chuck.” This is definitely the “Art” vs. “Science” part of trail planning. It is hard to gauge when I will arrive and if it will be a day when said post office, store or hostel will be open. For many of these I will need to shuttle or hitch into town to pick up. All part of the adventure!

These are indeed messages from myself but these come packed with dehydrated vegetarian food and Twizzlers for me and 4 pound bags of Chuck’s Honest Kitchen Limited Ingredient Chicken meals. He LOVES this stuff. We’ve been working him into this and he barks and dances at mealtime now. The ingredients are all first rate and it has the highest number of calories per volume on the market. I am going to triple his caloric intake and see how that goes. Hopefully that will be enough (plus a few hamburgers and tacos for him when we are in resupply towns.)

I am nervous about taking Chuck and am going to start super slow with him and make sure he has more than enough to eat. I think he is going to have a blast but like Sherri Ann I love my dog and would do anything for him. We are going to enjoy the trail and all of its wonderful sights and smells. There will be tons of stream crossings for Chuck to enjoy and we are going to take nice leisurely breaks at lunch to rest and soak in the views. When it comes to mealtimes I guess I just need to wait until I get another message . . . from myself.

As my AT start date gets closer I am really getting nervous and also starting to think hard about all of the wonderful things I’m going to be missing while on trail. I am going to really miss Bryan and even our cat LD. Even though he is a jerk (LD that is) I still love the little guy. Bryan is being an absolute saint about this crazy adventure and I couldn’t even begin to think about doing this without his love and support.

I am also going to really miss my underwater friends that I’ve been hanging out with the last few years. I discovered scuba diving thanks to a dear friend that we vacation with in the BVI every year. In 2015, JP told me wonderful stories about his experiences diving the HMS Rhône in Salt Island BVI and made me promise him that I would get certified before I saw him again the following year. I agreed and signed up for classes the day I got home to Atlanta. Let’s just say that it stuck and have been an avid diver ever since. I especially love all of the different training courses and recently became a PADI Divemaster. I have also enrolled to become a certified instructor later this year in the Philippines so I can help share this with others.

The ocean is an amazing world and I feel an intense connection with its creatures. My favorite moments are times that I spend alone with a turtle or school of fish. The shark encounter dives are really special and helped me see these beautiful animals in a new light.

I took one last trip this weekend to Palm Beach to say goodbye to my new friends. They will be missed while I am on trail but I have these great memories to carry with me in the meantime. Check out the video below to see what my underwater friends have been up to.

There is a new book out by Lydia Denworth called Friendship – The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond. Lydia explores two main questions: how friendship works and why friendship works. It turns out that it may be life’s most important bond and actually improve our evolutionary fitness and chances of survival. I am thankful that I have such a great friend in Neil – my super bestie.

Neil is going to hike the first week of the Appalachian Trail with me so I wanted to make sure that you were properly introduced. I met Neil in 2005 while we were on the same swim team. We were desperately into triathlons back then and he was the only person that I knew that wore a heart rate monitor in the pool. Like me, Neil is a gear junkie. We spent the first few years buying all things absolutely necessary for a successful triathlon: power meters, carbon fiber bikes and wheels, aero helmets, computers and those weird drink holders that strap onto your handle bars.

When we ran out of things to buy for triathlon we started adventure racing together. All of the above was purchased but specially designed for mountain biking. No, really – they are TOTALLY different. I bought things I had never heard of like portage wheels and map cases.

Adventure racing led to scuba diving and there just isn’t an end to the amazing stuff you can buy for this. Wetsuits, drysuits, more computers, regulators and BCDs. Tec diving is the next big plan and we have our purchases planned out for the 12 months. It’s a problem but a great one to have.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for Neil. He is also into climbing, fly fishing and welding. He also takes excellent care of his gear and is ready for any adventure. If we need to invade somewhere, Neil could be ready in 20 minutes. Seriously.

Neil is also such a great friend because he is practically unflappable and that will be a great buddy to have for the first week of hiking. It’s a perfect temperament for his chosen profession. Neil does high-end renovations for the Decatur elite and this is a very special group indeed. Generally friendly and polite but boy they want it their way. Neil calmly responds to things that would drive me crazy. Last minute picky changes that require a tremendous amount of work. He really just has one answer. “No problem. I can get someone out there next Tuesday.” I just didn’t think he could be pushed too far – until recently.

We drove down for a scuba dive trip last week. It was a long haul from Atlanta to Jupiter and we got to our campsite near the beach pretty late. It was a nice flat spot in a quiet section of the campground and I jumped out of the truck and started setting up my tent. Neil hesitated a bit – walked around the site a few times and then back and forth to the truck. He says, “Huh, where are we going to set up?” There as a large open sandy area that was a perfect spot for our tents so I wasn’t sure what he meant. “I’m just going to set up here on this nice soft area – looks great.” I could see the wheels turning. He was in panic mode but trying to keep it in check. Desperate for an alternative, he said, “Well, maybe we don’t need to set up both tents.” That’s when I understood that I had found Neil’s kryptonite. Sand in his tent. “Man, I hate sand in my tent,” he finally admitted. He pushed through and we had a great trip but that wasn’t the last I heard of it. I know for certain that the poor guy stayed up late the night we got home and got every single grain of sand out of that tent.

I’m pretty sure the campgrounds on the trail don’t have sand but I’m going to make 100% sure. What are friends for?

Planning for the AT has been a blast and the very best part of that has been studying and tracking down all of the gear. I’ve put in tons of research and talked to everyone that I would listen. I have test-hiked everything and woke many a night to make notes and minor adjustments. Sure, most of of them ridiculous minutia but it has been fun all the same. My go to source has been Mountain Crossings at Neel’s Gap. They are amazing – zero BS in this place. Everyone that works there has done a through hike of some kind and they cut right to the chase. I started working with them about a year ago when they did a pack “shake down” for me. They go through all of your stuff and throw out just about everything that you thought was cool and useful. It’s humiliating. A few weeks ago, I had convinced myself that I needed to spend $500 on a new sleeping bag to save 1 ounce of pack weight. Yes, I am what they call a “weight weenie.” I cultivated this expensive and unnecessary obsession in triathlon and its stuck with me. So, after hours of online research I drove 2 hours back up to Mountain Crossings and told them that I absolutely had to ditch that crap of a bag that I have and save that precious ounce. In the nicest possible way the salesperson told me to shut up and hike. Seriously, she asked what my set up was and told me that I was way overthinking this. Just stop planning and go hike was her advice. She told me that she didn’t start pulling things together until the day before she started the AT and she was able to figure everything out at the first few resupply places along the trail. I left elated – and with $500. You just couldn’t ask for a better retail experience.

After all that, here is what I’ve ended up with. Total weight 19.4 lbs (without water, food or the pit)

ULA Circuit Back Pack
Montbell Rain Shell
Arcteryx Down Jacket
REI Sub –Kilo 20 degree F Rated Down Sleeping Bag
Thermarest Neoair Ultralight Sleeping Pad
Sawyer Squeeze Filtration and Two Bags / Camelback Bladder
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 2 Tent
Tyvek House Wrap (for tent pad)
3 Sections of Thermarest ZLite
Noble Camper Dog Bed
Travel Pillow
Two Dog Bowls
Ruff Wear Dog Back Pack
Dog Jacket
Bear Bag Cable
Gloves
Hat
Two Pair of Darn Tough Socks
2XU Compression Shorts (Hiking)
Running Pants (Sleeping)
Long Sleeve Running Shirt (Hiking)
Short Sleeve Running Shirt (Sleeping)
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 Trail Shoes with Superfeet
Oofos Flip Flops
Bandana
Dr. Bronners Soap
Toothpaste/Toothbrush
Camp Towel
Blister Kit
Musher’s Secret
Coconut Oil
Headlamp
Toilet Paper & Trowel
Lighter
Swiss Army Knife
Batteries
Hiking Poles
iPhone
Kindle
Go Pro 7
Tough Tested Solar Charger
Mess of Charging Cords
MS Isopro Fuel
Pocket Rocket
Titanium Bowl, lid, cup and spoon
MSR Wind Screen
Coffee/Tea Filter
Black Plastic Garbage Bag
Pit Bull Mix -Tuxedo

This is happening. After 10 years of planning and dreaming I am finally heading out on the trail with my hiking buddy Chuck to have fun and figure a few things out. Please join me starting February 29. In the meantime, here is a poem by David Wagoner that I love.

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

— David Wagoner 
(1999)