It’s only taken a year!
Seems I’m think about the trail A LOT lately. Excited to share more of my story from the Appalachian Trail: FOLLOW ME
Just because you’ve left the trail doesn’t mean the trail has left you
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Before I die I want to…
It’s been much to long since I posted. Tonight brought some sad news, news which connects me not just to the trail but to my life in Asheville NC.
Pennsylvania Insurance
Despite the crazy push to finish the trail I found time to share a quick story!
Follow my link!
http://appalachiantrials.com/pennsylvania-insurance/
Living in the Moment
Lots of things going on. Check out my latest blog:
http://appalachiantrials.com/living-in-the-moment/
Go Fund Me! Yes we are at that point!
We are at that point where to complete our journey along the AT we’re having to ask for your support. Please consider assisting us. Check out our Go-Fund me page to learn more about us and our journey!
http://www.gofundme.com/rkkh44es
The Great Smoky Mountains a photo journey
The Smokies were incredible, met new and wonderful people, hiked without my companion and side kick, No Shame, for a week, and enjoyed the beauty of a section of trail like no other!
Clingman's Dome in the fog. Happy with a little trail magic, a banana and coke!
I first need to send a shout out to the wonderful trail angels who picked me and my hiking buddy up at Clingman’s Dome. We’d just come off the trail after 4 days of serious and difficult hiking, the air was cold and the rain was biting, and I couldn’t zip my rain coat tight enough to contain the stench! Despite our foul odor you loaded us up in your car and dropped us off at our hotel with an invite to dinner, after we showered. My evening out with you was fabulous. The food was great and much appreciated but talking with you was the best. I will leave you unnamed as we don’t want to blow your cover and interfere with your witness protection.
Part of our "Fellowship" entering into the GSMNF
The GSMNF was full of trail magic. You have heard of one wonderful couple but without the assistance and support of other “trail angels” this section of the trail would not have been as enjoyable!
Shuckstack Fire tower
Looking out from Shuckstack to Fontana Damn
The start to the "enchanted forest" a carpet of Spring Beauty and old fallen trees
Misty morning hike from Mollies Ridge Shelter
Shelters in the Smokies have fireplaces in them
Last couple miles up Thunderhead Mountain
A break in the clouds atop Thunderhead Mountain
Derrick Knob Shelter sunset
The terrain changed and the woods turned green with moss
The terrain changed and the woods turned green with moss
Beauty left over from the year before
Riding the trolley in Gatlainburg, we won't talk about the 4 miles walked to get to the post office...
Trail angel Michaela! Thanks for helping us get back to Clingman's Dome
Clingman's Dome tourist picture
View of where we'd been from Clingman's Dome
Things just kept changing from green to green
200 miles done!
Walked through moss covered trees for days!
There is no reason to be upset when this is your morning view
There were some cold nights in the Smokies
The moss took over!
The little things
Awesome trail magic at Newfound Gap! Thank you ladies!
New discovery! How can this be so right?!
It's true, less than 2000 miles to go!
Lunch time view from Icewater Spring Shelter
The new meal! Tuna with Cheetos!
Charlie's Bunion
And yet they let me out there to play...
Ridge line walk. 100+ foot drops to either side.
What every hiker should look like!
Silver birch
Beautiful skeletal trees
Plane crash site in park
A peaceful resting place. Dead bird trail side.
Sunrise at Crosby Shelter
Goats Beard making breakfast
Crosby Shelter sunrise
Painted Trillium
Another overlook to lose yourself in
Davenport Gap Shelter, the only one with bear cage, happy to say I didn't stay there.
But I did visit briefly
The only sign to let you know you left the Smokies! Sorry SOBO'S no big greeting for your trip through.
This section of the trail was beautiful, cold, physically challenging, and inspiring.
Thanks for the family visit on trail, with a dry place to sleep, more food than I knew what to do with (but it all found a home in my belly) and a place to get my girl back!
Happy to be back with me but still having anxiety attacks about me brushing my teeth!
We can't be seperated! Photo credit goes to fellow thru hiker Moonlight
Sunrise on Max Patch
And some spiders are best found in the bathroom. I don’t want to find this one in my tent.
Magic on the trail abounds
To often I’m at loss for words when it comes to the trail. The beauty which surrounds me is beyond belief.
Spring Beauty
I am lost in the small parts of the trail, slowing down to take in a single water drop or to step over an insect.
And then there is the ever expansive trail which opens before
Rhododendron tunnel along Standing Indian Mountain
Trail along Copper Ridge
Much needed river day on the Nantahala River
Fontana dam
What lies ahead
This journey has just begun and I’m so happy for it!
Appreciate what you have and where you’re going!
Present: My mind was already cranking predefined emotions through it as I placed my right foot on the 15 inch box; frustration, fear, and defeat.
Flashback: three weeks ago I received an email stating I had won a one month membership to CrossFit Bona Fide (www.crossfitbonafide.com). The idea of doing crossfit was crazy but then again so was hiking the AT. I had to start somewhere and better to start close to home than halfway up a mountain in GA.
Present: Step Ups were on the board today for our workout. The last time I’d tried to do Step Ups, three months ago, my knee had complained and crackled, and it was only a 7 inch rise. So tonight it was understandable to feel a sense of defeat before I’d even begun.
When presented with a challenge I rarely back down. On the count of three I took all the work and knowledge of the past two weeks and drove my foot down, pulling my knee back and tensing my glutes to bring my hips into alignment. I was standing on top of the world in that moment!!! I had stepped up 15 inches with no pain and enough effort to know I’d had to work to get there but I was solid! All told I did over 30 Step Ups on my right leg that night – I felt as strong at the end as when I had started (for anyone who has gone through an injury you know just how exciting this is – to not feel the fatigue).
Stolen Picture – gotta start somewhere
Until recently I had been questioning just how smart my decision was to attempt the AT. My knee was only a part of my concern. When I was injured I went from a highly active life style of climbing on a high ropes course day in and day out to sitting on a couch… abrupt change in my physical activity caused there to be drastic change in my physique. As I push myself in crossfit I am excited to see a change in my muscle tone already, just two and a half weeks out. I am feeling VERY grateful for the trainers who work with me to adapt exercises and help me push forward to meet my own goals! This preparatory work will make the difference of hiking the AT and enjoying the completion of AT.
When you can pull the hair back you’re going in the right direction!
The last things which seem to be making this a truth rather than an idea: Posted apartment as available for Sublet! Started purging my belongings (If I haven’t used them in three months I don’t need them)! Started the purchase of my gear!
Star watching over the purging – she’s worried I’ll put her out with the trash!
Sponsorship…
To anyone who is checking in to see if I got the sponsorship I have sad news
The disappointment!!
I did not make the final cut from 4o entries to 12 – but I did get a wonderful email from the main person with much encouragement and appreciation for my video.
Please feel free to vote for other contestants, the video links are at www.appalachiantrials.com
(located partway down the page with the headings “name” wants Badger sponsorship powered by LARABAR)
I would like to assist in any way I can for the fellow Thru Hikers!
I hope to also provide you with a link to my video by the end of the week, I feel that you should get a chance to enjoy my little blurb about the AT even though it’s not in the contest!!!
And here is my serious nature as I go through the emotions of the news I received at 2:30am this morning:
The shock!!!
The contemplation
The Vengeance!!
The acceptance!!!
Beach break… A pause in the heavy workload
You hit the end of the holidays, Christmas is over, New Years is over, and the Valentine’s candy is already gracing the shelves of the super market, all the anxiety and stress of getting through the “major” holidays is over, for a couple months. And yet I have somehow managed to increase my stress level to record highs!
This whole journey of hiking the AT is no small potatoes, so I decided to enter myself in a contest for an opportunity to win a HUGE sponsorship package for my thru hike. The contest seemed simple enough, make a video explaining: why you are thru hiking the AT, why you want the sponsorship, and why would you hike ALL 2189 miles! (Here is where I apologize for not keeping up with blogging but I was buried under an assignment) As simple as these questions seem I was at a loss. I know why I want to hike the AT and I know why I want the sponsorship (who DOESN’T want a sponsorship?!!!) but HOW do I put this into words without boring the viewer. I spent days upon days coming up with a theme, a common thread to carry you through all 90 seconds of video. With a less than 24 hours to shoot, assemble and post the rush was on — wonderful people stepped in to help with shooting the video and helping me overcome my technological ineptitude in assembling it. At this point it has been sent in for review IF it makes it through the first batch of selection it will be posted tomorrow for viewer VOTING!
(Here is my shameless plug) PLEASE CHECK IN TOMORROW FOR AN UPDATED BLOG POST WITH A LINK TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE WHERE YOU CAN VOTE FOR A FAVORITE VIDEO (PICK ME! PICK ME! and share with friends)
happy days
To unwind from this I took a day. A day to get the camera out and just play! So after much time spent indoors working on a laptop (which almost grew wings multiple times) I went to the beach. Here is a photo story of the day – and I know they ALL look the same to you – but Star was enjoying herself as was I, so who’s to complain.
Rye Beach, NH Looking out at Isle of Shoals and a tanker
The bounce
What’s a little water in January?
Not even a moments hesitation!
HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY!
Look mom! I got it!
The ever present tongue “photo bomb”
More than an hour into our cold beach time and she was still at it!
“you try eating that much sand and see what happens to you!”
Forever happy with her ball! She may need to attend “chuck-it anonymous”
Pebble frozen in place
Love the view!
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