Lessons and Observations from the Appalachian Trail

There are times in life when plans materialize through series of events that look nothing like what was originally "the plan." The "carefully thought out, well-orchestrated" plan.I deem it a safe assertion to suggest that most folks who put into action the plan of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail do so with the strongest conviction that anything less than completing this goal, this original plan,...

‘Ah, life!’ – My AT journey continues…

Groceries here, just passing through.My time on the Appalachian Trail thus far has been amazing, and amazingly challenging on every imaginable level.After spending three weeks off of the trail dealing with my knee injury, I was welcomed back to the woods with a grueling hike out of the Nantahala Gorge. I heard an accomplished thru-hiker refer to this particular climb as his "most miserable day on ...

The river water swirls beneath my feet…

...then moves on. The Nantahala River is beautiful and beautifully powerful. Where it crosses the Appalachian Trail is nestled a virtual playground for rafters, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all flavors. It is a wonderful place to pause, to drink in the reward of civilization following a difficult hike, to enjoy a hot meal and to spend a day or so. It's a nice place to choose to be. On day fo...

My Appalachian Trail Journey Begins

After spending a couple of days in Indiana with family before heading out on my journey, my college friend Katie was kind enough to retrieve me from the Atlanta airport on Friday. She treated me to my "last meal" and provided lodging in her father's home south of the city – a converted cotton warehouse from the late 1800s.I had chosen the forest service road running adjacent to the trail to begin ...