Needless Worries — roo giordano

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Welcome to my blog.

Expect reflections on long distance hiking, hiking culture, nature, creativity and my undying love for backrests.

May 22

May 22 Needless Worries

long distance hiking, roulette

“I don’t worry. I don’t doubt. I’m daring. I’m a rebel.”

— Mr. T

I read a LOT of accounts of thru-hikes before I stepped onto the AT for real.

So I had a lot of things to worry about long before I was called to tackle them. (And some things I didn't even know I was supposed to worry about until I was in it and my stomach was doing flip-flops!)

What a waste of time!

Everything I thought was going to kill me or that I dreaded or that I was sure I would not be able to handle were just figments. Monsters with tiny teeth that I blew out of proportion.

By the time you get to the thing that scares you, you will be ready, whether you're literally following the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail or whether you are just following the path of your life.

"They" say the Universe never gives you anything you cannot handle. I believe this to be true.

And I believe we can handle a whole lot more than we think we can.

I handled the Presidentials.

I handled setting up my tent on a platform.

Not one.  Not two.  But three tents on one platform at Kinsman Pond! — Not one. Not two. But three tents on one platform at Kinsman Pond!

I handled wearing trail runners for 1,800 miles. Not the same pair.

First pair of four.

I handled Dragon's Tooth.

First time down a cliff.  With tiny ledges.  And rebar.  In the rain.  Good times. — First time down a cliff. With tiny ledges. And rebar. In the rain. Good times.

I handled the Knife's Edge. No pictures...it was raining and I was too busy scooting along on my ass to take photos.

And I more than handled Mahoosuc Notch. In fact, it was the funnest part of the entire trail, IMHO.

What are your figments with tiny teeth?

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@rubythroatwhiteblaze

Another day, another pass—Silver Pass, PCT mile 886.3, 10,934 feet. Stopping less on the way up (to suck air and appease my racing heart). I could get used to this. Especially watching the moon set from my campsite at the end of the day.
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Just a few places I’ve spent the night recently. Motivation to keep going through the hard parts (and ALL the parts are hard out here)!
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#pct2024 #pacificcresttrail #sierrahiking #womenwhobackpack #womenwhohike #womenwhohikethepct #

Chanting Bukowski all the way to the top:

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

Also chanting: please don’t let me be the one who gets the helicopter ride today.

I wasn’t. And though, after

Training hike complete—524 miles from Grayson Highlands to Harper’s Ferry. All the body parts cooperated and even thrived (thank you ankles and knees and toes, especially). Hopefully these #traillegs are good to go on the next phase of t

When you’re halfway through a 19.8 mile day with climbs adding up to 5,000+ feet, humidity through the roof, temps in the 80’s and a reservoir presents itself? You don’t ask questions when your feet veer off course in a beeline tow

Less than 100 miles to go. We are in the bittersweet phase of a long hike where the end is near and though I’m excited to go home and eat donuts from @holedoughnuts (and see my husband and dog), I know I’ll be twitchy soon and longing to

I’ll never be one of those “birders” who hikes with binoculars or stands around for extended stretches of time staring up into the leafy green. I wish. But the trail won’t hike itself and while I’d love to see all the

362 miles in. 162 to go till I get to Harper’s Ferry. Feeling all the bittersweet feels of my warm up hike coming to an end. Along with the giddies when I win the campsite lottery and get to spend nights and mornings on a cliff overlooking t

After three nights in the BeeChill Hostel in Daleville (highly recommend for the outdoor shower and that they served ice cream for breakfast), this little introvert is finally alone in my tent, watching the sun set thru the trees, bugs knocking again

Last year I attempted to long hike on the CDT. I failed spectacularly. Twice. Made it 45 miles in New Mexico (and wasn’t even the first one off the trail…the desert is a bully with spiky things, shifty ground and dead cows). Made it 7

Yesterday, I heard the sound of Big Creek and got a case of the SHIVERS (aka the heebie-jeebies). I was sure the final 30 feet of the Benton MacKaye Trail would involve yet another barefoot river ford. I can’t count the times this trail leads

Captivated by Katahdin. I can’t stop staring, can’t get enough, can’t pull myself away. I haven’t felt this way about a mountain since I fell in love with Mt. Rainier. What is your favorite mountain?
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#katahdin #badass

9.19.19...Nailed it! And no one got hurt (except a toe I stubbed, but he seems to have forgiven me and plans to hang on to his toenail for now). When I hiked most of the AT in 2017, I worried about so many things that turned out to not such big deal

The End....Day I did finish the Long Trail. Sunny. Cool. Dry. No chance of hypothermia. .
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#longtrail #longtrail2019 #longtrailvt #longdistancehiker #hikeyourownhike #52hikechallenge2019

Day I was supposed to finish the Long Trail...2.6 miles from the end, after hiking in a deluge with no rain gear (for future reference, an umbrella is not appropriate on the Long Trail for many, many reasons). I found my husband at the last road cros

Passed mile 200 today en route to the top of Vermont...Mt. Mansfield. Had some flashbacks to Maine, especially that part where I ended every day glad no one died. .
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#longtrail2019 #longtrailvt #longdistancehiking #womenwhohike #52hikechallenge20

Good night from the Puffer Shelter...better than Netflix.
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#longtrail2019 #longtrail #womenwhohike #lovemylife #longdistancehiking #52hikechallenge2019 #sheexplores

I love a nearo! Not so much out of town. Give me a nearo into town and I’m in heaven.

Hike a few miles to the road, hitch a tide to the nearest coffee and kale omelette (I lovermont!), spend the day exploring some quaint little enclave—

In 2017, I remember thinking how Vermont was like baby bear’s bowl of porridge...just right. Not too hard, not too easy, no one gonna die. Then the Long Trail peeled off from the AT and shit got real. Day 10 brought nine piles of moose poop

On the Long Trail this month, happy to be back for a little white blaze snack, an amuse-bouche, if you will. The first leg of my quest for a Triple Tiara.

I always get a little anxious before getting back on the trail, and this time was no differen

May 23 Counting Down and Still Dreading the Smokies

May 21 Desire is my GPS