Category Archives: Hiking

Day 3 on the Appalachian Trail

Day 3 on the Appalachian Trail

On the trail early after my soaked oatmeal. I dropped down to Hogpen Gap, crossed a highway and waked through the woods with only minor ups and downs for 4.6 miles to Low Gap Shelter. Nobody was stirring. Easy walking for the next 8 miles mostly on a road. Flat and smooth with few rocks.…

Day 2 on the Appalachian Trail

Day 2 on the Appalachian Trail

Up at 7am and on the trail after eating soaked oatmeal for breakfast. I said goodbye to Christina and Marge then headed down to Woody Gap. After a stop at the bathroom, I headed uphill. In 1.5 miles, I got water at a spring. In 2 more miles, I came to Lance Cl and got…

Happy Feet, Happy Hiker

Happy Feet, Happy Hiker

Long-distance hikers utterly depend on functional feet that can take a beating and keep on walking. The photograph shows me doctoring an infected blister on the outside of my left heel on the Colorado Trail in 2009. You can see the outlines of strips of duct tape that I wrapped around my heels. I learned…

A Steep Hike Ahead of Me

A Steep Hike Ahead of Me

Three weeks from today, I expect to camp at the Hawk Mountain Shelter at mile 7.8 on the Appalachian Trail, day 1 of my AT through-hike. To get to that point, I’ve been steadily checking off tasks on my spreadsheet. See my Appalachian Trail Gear List. The AT is reputed to be more challenging than…

My Appalachian Trail Gear List

My Appalachian Trail Gear List

Here is my Appalachian Trail Gear List! Last fall, I started thinking seriously about hiking the Appalachian Trail. I was ready to continue my long-distance hiking cycling adventures. One major consideration was my wife, Betsy’s, feelings about my being gone for 4.5 months. I was grateful that she gave me the go-ahead to attempt a…