Welcome to my blog.
Expect reflections on long distance hiking, hiking culture, nature, creativity and my undying love for backrests.
All in long distance hiking
I knew there was a tent site next to the Albert Mountain fire tower and last time I hiked through here, in 2018, I promised myself I would camp up here. And so I did.
The rain started at 11:00 pm. Not a deluge. Just a steady, soaking rain. Unrelenting water falling from the sky and seeping into my tent.
Today started off glorious—sunrise glorious—and eventually got weird—AK-47 weird.
Good things happened all day, today. But they did not involve donuts.
With trail legs comes hiker hunger. I am dreaming of donuts every step of the way, now.
I’m getting my trail legs, now. And it feels good to move, even uphill. It feels good to feel good.
Today I finished all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail. WOOT!
I finally succumbed to Rebel Roo who always lurks just beneath surface, looking for a moment to break bad, bend the rules, step out of bounds.
I summit the highest point on the AT, but don’t stick around for long…it’s cold, and there are women in heels.
Today, I find the silver lining of surviving standing room only, a parade and a circus.
Today I saw a ranger on the trail.
I’d been wondering if anyone actually worked here in the Smokies.
He told me he was out for two nights, picking up trash and checking privies since there’d been no ridge runners out this year.
Even though these 70-ish miles through the Smokies are the last 70-ish miles I have to finish the AT, I’ve both dreaded and procrastinated this section. This is the third permit I’ve bought, and I’m determined that it will be my last. This time, I finish.
