Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Less than a week in the woods, and we are soaked, bedraggled. The morning fog never lifted, so a walk in the clouds turned to a fine mist of rain and then a downpour as we edged along slick rock ledges on the way to Woody Gap. The rain pounded heavy and …

There are Trail miles, and there are miles. Trail miles count towards getting the Appalachian Trail finished. Every day, however, we find ourselves putting on the “extra mile,” the one that doesn’t count but that the feet still feel. …

With nearly 500 miles behind us and the daily temperature rising, it’s time I got a haircut. We pulled off the trail for resupply and ended up staying an extra night. Across the street, a beauty salon tempts. I clean up as best I can and head over …

We didn’t make it to the meadow to camp as we’d planned – we stopped at Sam’s Gap to take care of John’s aching feet. But this meadow is certainly one of the beauty spots of the southern AT.

“I’ve never done a rock scramble!” said John, looking dazed and worn atop Albert Mountain. “Three times my pack pulled me backwards and I had to hang on for dear life.” It wasn’t an easy day by any means. A lot of up, a …

Hiking in a misty rain, we followed one of the easier stretches of trail so far, treated to gentle climbs, short stretches of rocks, and the moist fragrance of a spruce forest filling the air. Quartz shards sparkled along a footpath lined with densely knit …

A week into our hike, it was obvious my old backpack and rain jacket had seen better days. The aches and pains and chills that I didn’t need to have came from a source that could be replaced. And so it was that we spent my birthday gear shopping. I …

As a couple, we prefer sleeping in our tent at night. One of the features that makes the AT appealing to long distance hikers, however, is the shelter system, three-sided buildings with sleeping platforms that accomodate from 6 to 18 hikers, depending on …

“How did you like the Smokies?” asked Waterboy. It took me a minute to think about the answer. “Beautiful, but difficult,” I said. The Great Smoky Mountains include some of the tallest mountains in the Southeast, and yes, the …

We’d stopped for a lunch break on a Georgia mountaintop when John stood up to marvel at something in a tree. “Look at this!” He reached up and found a stout length of rope perfect for bear bagging, better than the rope we were carrying. …

There is a visceral reaction that happens to a hiker when the air becomes charged with electricity. It might be fight or flight mode, adrealine racing. Or glancing nervously at the skies, walking faster. I’ve literally had my hair stand on end as a …

Hiking the AT isn’t easy. Having section hiked parts of it years ago, I thought I was up to the challenge, but even with years of hiking experience, it’s like starting from scratch for both of us. Georgia whipped us hard. John turned an ankle …