With the new year comes a new hiking season and it seems like a good time to reflect on some lessons learned during my failed thru-hike attempt last year, a hike that ended abruptly due to knee problems after just six short but amazing weeks. NOBO, SOBO, or flip-flop. A flip-flop hike is not for everybody but it was the right decision for me and … Continue reading Lessons Learned From My 2018 Thru-Hike Attempt
I thought it might be useful to prepare a gear video for my upcoming AT Thru Hike. Things have changed a bit since my earlier gear post based on some additional research and some great advice. The video won’t win any production awards and the plot and characters are a bit underdeveloped (lol) but if anyone goes crazy about backpacking gear, or just wants to … Continue reading AT Thru Hike Gear Video (and I get photobombed by my cat)
The Appalachian Trail is a very safe place. It is certainly less dangerous than most cities and you are probably safer walking along the Appalachian Trail than you are walking out your own front door. With that said, however, it is not without its dangers. While conducting research for my upcoming thru-hike and discussing my plan with friends, I began to get a pretty clear … Continue reading Bears, Bugs, Blisters, and Boredom: Common Concerns
As preparation for my upcoming thru-hike, I did a series of five shakedown hikes last fall ranging in length from two to five days. These proved to be incredibly useful as I continued the process of dialing in my gear and refamiliarizing myself with the physical challenge of lugging a pack up and down mountains for days at a time. This post includes my observations … Continue reading A Shakedown Hike and Gear Review
This was a bit of an experiment to learn the ins and outs of video making and to decide if I want to vlog my upcoming AT thruhike. If I do vlog, I am hoping to include a history angle along with the usual documenting my thru hike experience. This is my first attempt at a video of any kind so l welcome any feedback, … Continue reading Video: Appalachian Trail 2018 Prep Hike: Hiking and History in Prince William Forest
It has been more than 30 years since my introduction to the world of long-distance hiking. My first wide-eyed adventures on the Appalachian Trail as a young man left me amazed at the existence of such an extraordinary footpath winding its way through the mountains, valleys, and towns of fourteen states. I was hooked, and over the next decade spent as much time as I … Continue reading Some Reflections on Hiking, Then and Now
Hikes & History 