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Clarity on an AT thru-hike

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    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Twistwrist, what's been the most challenging thing about your hike? Did you get your pack weight down? Will your friends wait for you or will they continue on? I'm full of questions. :)
      enquiring minds want to know!

      Lest we forget.....


      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC

    • Base pack weight is down a hair, but I'm carrying a lot more food. I stay hungry and try to only stop in towns once per week, so I carry multiple days' worth of food. This makes for a pack 35-40 pounds, depending on how much water I'm carrying. Max food and max water is around 40.

      Challenging - Pennsylvania rocks when wet. Absolutely zero, hell NEGATIVE, amounts of traction. Also challenging? Tendinitis in both lower legs because I pushed it too hard one day walking into Delaware Gap. I was walking with a thru-hiker friend, feeling good, and lost in conversation, didn't even notice how fast we were walking. Until I did. Then it was too late. I hiked 22 miles the next day after hurting them. It was unavoidable. Shelters were lacking and NJ isn't the best place for stealth camping, not to mention it's some kind of weird law I think. Bears.

      Hmm, since my friends are thru-hikers, I wouldn't want them to be stuck up there waiting for me. lol! So no. But my favorite friend, Earth, is an older German guy who hikes slowly but hikes long, so I'm always ahead but he always makes it to our planned shelter. I hope to catch up with him.

      Leaving here tomorrow. I had to take 2 zeroes to let this tendinitis in my legs heal a bit.
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      When I left her she had 6 bottle of beer in her pack! LOL
      No wonder her pack is so heavy ;)

      I love the cafe, everyone is so supportive.
      It'll lighten up in no time. And, with each beer...she won't notice how heavy the pack is! :D I call that a win-win situation.
      There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?

    • ha! Y'all just cracked me up! Had an awesome time with Hikerboy, but I already knew he was a cool ass dude going into this whole thing. Holy hell, after he slackpacked me, i was spoiled! Not only did my pack feel like boulders were in it (after reading this thread, i understood why ;), but I had to climb this awfully steep mountain to West Mountain shelter which was then 0.6 tough miles off trail. The beer, is always worth it. ;) i drank ot watching the New York skyline below light up the darkening sky. Anytime I score beer bottles, it's worth carrying one (not six. Lol!). I also carried a sub sandwich and my third Dunkin Donut of the day.
      Slackpacking was the best gift ever! Meeting Hikerboy was icing on the cake!

      My hat was F-ed up. Lol
      I regretted not thinking of getting picture of me with the slackpack!
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • 400 mile journal entry

      Eighty two miles of this hundred continued in the same manner as the last hundred ended...painfully. Tendinitis in both legs augmented the normal trail trials and tribulations. New Jersey gave way to New York which abruptly greets hikers with challenging hand over hand rock scrambles with appropriate names like The Ladder and The Lemon Squeezer, eyes pointed straight up and thoughts repeating, "How am I supposed to get way up there?" These are fun challenges, and though pain attempts to blind one to the beauty of the present moment, it forced me to slow down and notice it...to savor the taste of thirst-quenching wild blueberries, my favorite distractions; to linger longer soaking my feet in a picturesque waterfall; to take a zero mile day with my favorite hiking friend for his first 4th of July in America! We started patriotically by ordering the presidential omlet at a local restaurant and ended being escorted by the city firemen to the town's grand fireworks display. The following morning was tough as I watched my friends pack up and hit the trail on the day I had to stay behind to rest my swollen legs. Twinges of loneliness ensued, but new friends came along immediately. Part of the journey.
      Thanks to the painful curse turned blessing, I stopped to watch the acrobatic antics of squirrels and birds in a mulberry tree, gazed as two graceful swans flew above and skidded into the lake for a morning swim, sat by a breathtaking lake listening to the whispers of the breeze and the splashes of frogs leaping off their lily pads in chase of an unsuspecting insect. In no hurry, I limped along New Jersey's mile long boardwalk in awe of the wetland ecosystems all around with cattails so close I couldn't resist reaching out and touching one. I withstood the wrath of angry mosquitoes and biting gnats for a nighttime view of New York city from the top of West Mountain and got stopped in my tracks by a bear cub and his mom. Heartbeat increased a bit at that moment!
      New trail angels assisted me along the way. The support these people provide for no other reason than to make someone's day has helped renew my faith in people. Pat, who offered me a ride to the trail from town also opened her home to me that evening complete with a home cooked meal, a comfy bed, and fun conversation. Hikerboy gave me the gift of a day of slackpacking. In essence, he met me along my hike, providing food and drink so I could hike without my 30-pound pack on my back. Then there was Sean who spent his day off shuttling another hiker and me to resupply and treating us to lunch. There were hiker feeds at shelters and coolers of goodies in the woods. Magic!
      This was the hardest hundred yet both in terrain challenges and physical ones. Still, life is unfathomably rewarding and exciting on the Appalachian Trail. Everyday is definitely not sunshine and butterflies, but every moment is worth it all.
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      ha! Y'all just cracked me up! Had an awesome time with Hikerboy, but I already knew he was a cool ass dude going into this whole thing. Holy hell, after he slackpacked me, i was spoiled! Not only did my pack feel like boulders were in it (after reading this thread, i understood why ;), but I had to climb this awfully steep Mountain to West Mountain shelter which was then 0.6 tough miles off trail. The beer, is always worth it. ;) Anytime I score beer bottles, it's worth carrying one. I also carried a sub sandwich and my third Dunkin Donut of the day.
      Slackpacking was the best gift ever! Meeting Hikerboy was icing on the cake!

      My hat was F-ed up. Lol
      I regretted not thinking of getting picture of me with the slackpack!
      :)
      its all good

    • twistwrist wrote:

      400 mile journal entry

      Eighty two miles of this hundred continued in the same manner as the last hundred ended...painfully. Tendinitis in both legs augmented the normal trail trials and tribulations. New Jersey gave way to New York which abruptly greets hikers with challenging hand over hand rock scrambles with appropriate names like The Ladder and The Lemon Squeezer, eyes pointed straight up and thoughts repeating, "How am I supposed to get way up there?" These are fun challenges, and though pain attempts to blind one to the beauty of the present moment, it forced me to slow down and notice it...to savor the taste of thirst-quenching wild blueberries, my favorite distractions; to linger longer soaking my feet in a picturesque waterfall; to take a zero mile day with my favorite hiking friend for his first 4th of July in America! We started patriotically by ordering the presidential omlet at a local restaurant and ended being escorted by the city firemen to the town's grand fireworks display. The following morning was tough as I watched my friends pack up and hit the trail on the day I had to stay behind to rest my swollen legs. Twinges of loneliness ensued, but new friends came along immediately. Part of the journey.
      Thanks to the painful curse turned blessing, I stopped to watch the acrobatic antics of squirrels and birds in a mulberry tree, gazed as two graceful swans flew above and skidded into the lake for a morning swim, sat by a breathtaking lake listening to the whispers of the breeze and the splashes of frogs leaping off their lily pads in chase of an unsuspecting insect. In no hurry, I limped along New Jersey's mile long boardwalk in awe of the wetland ecosystems all around with cattails so close I couldn't resist reaching out and touching one. I withstood the wrath of angry mosquitoes and biting gnats for a nighttime view of New York city from the top of West Mountain and got stopped in my tracks by a bear cub and his mom. Heartbeat increased a bit at that moment!
      New trail angels assisted me along the way. The support these people provide for no other reason than to make someone's day has helped renew my faith in people. Pat, who offered me a ride to the trail from town also opened her home to me that evening complete with a home cooked meal, a comfy bed, and fun conversation. Hikerboy gave me the gift of a day of slackpacking. In essence, he met me along my hike, providing food and drink so I could hike without my 30-pound pack on my back. Then there was Sean who spent his day off shuttling another hiker and me to resupply and treating us to lunch. There were hiker feeds at shelters and coolers of goodies in the woods. Magic!
      This was the hardest hundred yet both in terrain challenges and physical ones. Still, life is unfathomably rewarding and exciting on the Appalachian Trail. Everyday is definitely not sunshine and butterflies, but every moment is worth it all.
      I was asked one time about marriage by a young guy I worked with as his was quickly approaching. I told him, "the days can last forever, but the years fly by". Three months is a blip on the radar, Twisty, so keep getting everything the trail has to offer and enjoy the hell out of it as I know you are and will.
      If your Doctor is a tree, you're on acid.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      400 mile journal entry

      Eighty two miles of this hundred continued in the same manner as the last hundred ended...painfully. Tendinitis in both legs augmented the normal trail trials and tribulations. New Jersey gave way to New York which abruptly greets hikers with challenging hand over hand rock scrambles with appropriate names like The Ladder and The Lemon Squeezer, eyes pointed straight up and thoughts repeating, "How am I supposed to get way up there?" These are fun challenges, and though pain attempts to blind one to the beauty of the present moment, it forced me to slow down and notice it...to savor the taste of thirst-quenching wild blueberries, my favorite distractions; to linger longer soaking my feet in a picturesque waterfall; to take a zero mile day with my favorite hiking friend for his first 4th of July in America! We started patriotically by ordering the presidential omlet at a local restaurant and ended being escorted by the city firemen to the town's grand fireworks display. The following morning was tough as I watched my friends pack up and hit the trail on the day I had to stay behind to rest my swollen legs. Twinges of loneliness ensued, but new friends came along immediately. Part of the journey.
      Thanks to the painful curse turned blessing, I stopped to watch the acrobatic antics of squirrels and birds in a mulberry tree, gazed as two graceful swans flew above and skidded into the lake for a morning swim, sat by a breathtaking lake listening to the whispers of the breeze and the splashes of frogs leaping off their lily pads in chase of an unsuspecting insect. In no hurry, I limped along New Jersey's mile long boardwalk in awe of the wetland ecosystems all around with cattails so close I couldn't resist reaching out and touching one. I withstood the wrath of angry mosquitoes and biting gnats for a nighttime view of New York city from the top of West Mountain and got stopped in my tracks by a bear cub and his mom. Heartbeat increased a bit at that moment!
      New trail angels assisted me along the way. The support these people provide for no other reason than to make someone's day has helped renew my faith in people. Pat, who offered me a ride to the trail from town also opened her home to me that evening complete with a home cooked meal, a comfy bed, and fun conversation. Hikerboy gave me the gift of a day of slackpacking. In essence, he met me along my hike, providing food and drink so I could hike without my 30-pound pack on my back. Then there was Sean who spent his day off shuttling another hiker and me to resupply and treating us to lunch. There were hiker feeds at shelters and coolers of goodies in the woods. Magic!
      This was the hardest hundred yet both in terrain challenges and physical ones. Still, life is unfathomably rewarding and exciting on the Appalachian Trail. Everyday is definitely not sunshine and butterflies, but every moment is worth it all.
      Fantastic outlook! It's the moments, the friendships, the new memories - THAT is what matters most. Anyone can hike lots of miles, but few stop to really take in their surroundings and internalize it all.
      There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?

    • I wonder if this thread should be moved to another section since it's no longer "trip planning"??

      I walked 7 miles into Salisbury for a nero today...my first bit of rest in 10 days. I'm planning pretty short days through MA because there are so many cool places to stay! I'm planning my hike around those places rather than "how many miles can I do?"

      I stayed the last 2 nights at Bearded Woods Bunk n Dine nearly Cornwall Bridge. With 2 nights, he offers slackpacking for free, so I slacked 24 miles without my pack. :) I'd HIGHLY recommend the place! $50 per night gets you a comfy bunk with sheets, shower, homecooked breakfast and dinner, and a beautiful handcrafted wooden cabin and lounge room.
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      I wonder if this thread should be moved to another section since it's no longer "trip planning"??

      I walked 7 miles into Salisbury for a nero today...my first bit of rest in 10 days. I'm planning pretty short days through MA because there are so many cool places to stay! I'm planning my hike around those places rather than "how many miles can I do?"

      I stayed the last 2 nights at Bearded Woods Bunk n Dine nearly Cornwall Bridge. With 2 nights, he offers slackpacking for free, so I slacked 24 miles without my pack. :) I'd HIGHLY recommend the place! $50 per night gets you a comfy bunk with sheets, shower, homecooked breakfast and dinner, and a beautiful handcrafted wooden cabin and lounge room.
      Planning your stops because they're cool places to stop is always better than pushing the miles. Always. :)

      Take your time on the Race Cliffs and Everett because they're the last good views you get for a little while - and they are indeed good views.
      I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      I wonder if this thread should be moved to another section since it's no longer "trip planning"??

      I walked 7 miles into Salisbury for a nero today...my first bit of rest in 10 days. I'm planning pretty short days through MA because there are so many cool places to stay! I'm planning my hike around those places rather than "how many miles can I do?"

      I stayed the last 2 nights at Bearded Woods Bunk n Dine nearly Cornwall Bridge. With 2 nights, he offers slackpacking for free, so I slacked 24 miles without my pack. :) I'd HIGHLY recommend the place! $50 per night gets you a comfy bunk with sheets, shower, homecooked breakfast and dinner, and a beautiful handcrafted wooden cabin and lounge room.
      moved to trip reports
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123

    • 500 mile journal: Five hundred miles have now been traveled on these feet of mine. They have suffered numerous stubbed toes on trail-covering tree roots resembling gnarled arthritic hands. Early blisters have evolved into protective callouses. Mosquitoes have apparently organized mass attacks on exhausted hikers, even biting through clothes! You hide out in your tent, kill the four that follow you in, and listen to the hum of the hundreds swarming your tent and landing on the screen, itching to get inside. The days can be steamy, and water is growing scarce with the lack of rain, both a blessing and a curse to a hiker. Bugs, heat, exhaustion, and a scratch or two are the daily norm.

      So why is it worth it? A lifetime is nothing but a series of moments. Every single moment out here, the good and the bad, has a purpose. The rainy and sweltering days teach a deeper appreciation for the sunny days when the afternoon high is 78 degrees in mid-July and the evenings are the kind of pleasantly chilly night that has always enticed me to leave my windows open at home. My "trail legs" have developed strength and abilities to carry me farther than ever before and make a 20-mile day feel easy. I have come face to face with a juvenile bear five feet away from me, watched a flock of mama turkeys herd their poults across the trail, chirping their displeasure at my interruption, and stepped over hundreds of cool little orange salamanders who are often out and active after a good rain. I have met people from all walks of life with unique stories to tell. I have learned something from each of them, learned some things from my own experience, but learned mostly from mistakes I've made along the way. Kind of a metaphor for life.

      Peaceful walks have included miles on the trail along rivers with swimming holes on a hot day and streams that end with a postcard worthy waterfall. Walks paused by the luxury of serene hours spent on the bank of a glassy clear mountain lake watching the sunset paint the sky behind the mountains and regular foot soakings in cold mountain springs...nature's pedicure! Miles of constant ridgeline walks have provided stunning views of our world as never really seen before. So many times it's a reminder of how small we really are in this universe. The largest lakes and fields look infinitesimal when viewing such a expansive canvas from the ledge of a mountain.

      One of the top ten days of my life was the recent perfect day walking across Mt. Race and tackling the most difficult terrain I've experienced to find golden silence and quiet peace on top of the world. The physical challenge involved in this journey is incredible and rewarding. After a brutal climb, it's awesome to realize just what these bodies of ours are capable of achieving! Sometimes the trail even offers rewards of fresh, ripe raspberries or blueberries dotted along its ridge or an unbelievable view that will take one's breath away!

      Not every moment out here is sunshine and butterflies, though both are plentiful. The trail can be harsh. The moments gaining understanding of happiness, perseverance, and that less really can be more are growing deeper within me everyday.

      Note: I recorded a couple of videos so that I could take some of you along with me and share the beauty of the hike across the ledge of Mt. Race. Next time I'm over WiFi, I'll post them. Thanks for reading my journal!
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      500 mile journal: Five hundred miles have now been traveled on these feet of mine. They have suffered numerous stubbed toes on trail-covering tree roots resembling gnarled arthritic hands. Early blisters have evolved into protective callouses. Mosquitoes have apparently organized mass attacks on exhausted hikers, even biting through clothes! You hide out in your tent, kill the four that follow you in, and listen to the hum of the hundreds swarming your tent and landing on the screen, itching to get inside. The days can be steamy, and water is growing scarce with the lack of rain, both a blessing and a curse to a hiker. Bugs, heat, exhaustion, and a scratch or two are the daily norm.

      So why is it worth it? A lifetime is nothing but a series of moments. Every single moment out here, the good and the bad, has a purpose. The rainy and sweltering days teach a deeper appreciation for the sunny days when the afternoon high is 78 degrees in mid-July and the evenings are the kind of pleasantly chilly night that has always enticed me to leave my windows open at home. My "trail legs" have developed strength and abilities to carry me farther than ever before and make a 20-mile day feel easy. I have come face to face with a juvenile bear five feet away from me, watched a flock of mama turkeys herd their poults across the trail, chirping their displeasure at my interruption, and stepped over hundreds of cool little orange salamanders who are often out and active after a good rain. I have met people from all walks of life with unique stories to tell. I have learned something from each of them, learned some things from my own experience, but learned mostly from mistakes I've made along the way. Kind of a metaphor for life.

      Peaceful walks have included miles on the trail along rivers with swimming holes on a hot day and streams that end with a postcard worthy waterfall. Walks paused by the luxury of serene hours spent on the bank of a glassy clear mountain lake watching the sunset paint the sky behind the mountains and regular foot soakings in cold mountain springs...nature's pedicure! Miles of constant ridgeline walks have provided stunning views of our world as never really seen before. So many times it's a reminder of how small we really are in this universe. The largest lakes and fields look infinitesimal when viewing such a expansive canvas from the ledge of a mountain.

      One of the top ten days of my life was the recent perfect day walking across Mt. Race and tackling the most difficult terrain I've experienced to find golden silence and quiet peace on top of the world. The physical challenge involved in this journey is incredible and rewarding. After a brutal climb, it's awesome to realize just what these bodies of ours are capable of achieving! Sometimes the trail even offers rewards of fresh, ripe raspberries or blueberries dotted along its ridge or an unbelievable view that will take one's breath away!

      Not every moment out here is sunshine and butterflies, though both are plentiful. The trail can be harsh. The moments gaining understanding of happiness, perseverance, and that less really can be more are growing deeper within me everyday.

      Note: I recorded a couple of videos so that I could take some of you along with me and share the beauty of the hike across the ledge of Mt. Race. Next time I'm over WiFi, I'll post them. Thanks for reading my journal!
      :thumbup:
      its all good