The Comedown from Katahdin: Recovering From the Appalachian Trail and the Post-Trail Blues

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on October 12, 2018.  It’s been about a month since I finished my thru-hike. I’ve been wanting to write—wanting to put into words what it all meant to me, but I’ve struggled to pick up the pen (or, you know, keyboard). The Post-Trail Blues I’ve struggled with a lot

A Tale of a Muddy Trail, and Muddier Relationships

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on August 10, 2018.  I have a lot of feelings about Vermont. Or rather, I had a lot of feelings in Vermont. Some were good, some were bad. Either way, I don’t think I could write honestly about my experience there without sharing them. So, I’ll start with the

The Grayson Highlands: Virginia’s Fairyland

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on May 24, 2018 The evening before we would enter Grayson Highlands State Park, we had to scramble to make it to a shelter as a big lightning storm rolled in. We had dillydallied at the bottom of a two or so-mile hill, sipping a trail magic PBR and

Straddling the Border of North Carolina and Tennessee on the Appalachian Trail

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on May 7, 2018. The last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind and a delight. I can’t believe it has been this long since I’ve written. But rest assured, I’m still on trail and still thriving (albeit with some aches and pains). In fact, I’ve fallen even more

The Splendor of Hiking Through the Great Smoky Mountains

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on April 14, 2018.  There is a rumor mill on trail the likes of which I haven’t seen since high school. Seriously, word gets around the trail, and it gets around fast. Some of the trail rumors are true, some are partially true, and some are just plain fake

Magic in the Daily Routine of an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on April 8, 2018.  A few people have asked me to post about what a typical day on the Appalachian Trail is like. And so, your wish is my command. A typical day on the AT so far is grueling, exciting, exhausting, inspiring, monotonous, crowded, peaceful, and really not

Six Lessons Learned on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on April 1, 2018. As I crossed the Georgia border into North Carolina, I smiled and let out a little whoop of excitement. I’d done it – made it through my first state on the AT! One down, 13 more to go. Despite taking only about ten days of

The Joy and Rhythms of the Appalachian Trail Get Into Your Blood

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on March 23, 2018.  The other night, I dreamt of a space heater. Literally, the thing I wanted most in the world was a space heater. I was extremely disappointed to wake up and find it had only been a figment of my imagination. It was hands down the

Compiling the Soundtrack to My Appalachian Trail Journey

This post first appeared on TheTrek.co on March 19, 2018.  Sitting on the plane, about to embark on what I hope will be the greatest adventure of my life so far, my feet won’t stop tapping. Tap, tap, tap. I’m probably driving my neighbor crazy – shifting this way and that, practically bouncing out of

Ready, Set, (Almost Time to) Go!

This post was first published on TheTrek.co on March 13, 2018.  Whatever happened to the calm before the storm? You would be surprised just how much preparation goes into a thru-hike. It seems simple, right? Pack up your backpack with camping gear and snacks and hit the road. Go be free, little bird, go be