">
Cats and Bears and Many Stairs
Me at three, dreaming of the A.T.!
A grown-up flower child at the gate, ready for adventure!
As I start my blogging venture two weeks into my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, I found it hard to decide where to begin. With my history? My hike preparation progress? Or straight into tales of the trail? Well dear reader you’ll find I like a challenge, so you get a little of all three!
After decades of dreaming, months of preparation, a day of driving, and a scant four hours of sleep, departure day arrived! I survived tearful family farewells, the storied 600+ stairs of Amicalola Falls, and the stares of tourists eyeballing this (probably) crazy middle-aged overweight woman with the giant backpack panting her way up the path. I hoped the hike would get easier after Amicalola, but no such luck. I decided to call it and chose one of those bare bones campsites at the 4.4 mile mark along the approach trail.
The sun sets over my humble first night campsite.
After a cold meal and a reasonable stab at nightly ablutions, I tackled two slightly scary yet essential thru-hiker chores: the cat hole and the bear hang. Nailed the first, not so much the latter. As an English major who never fails to grasp the symbolism in the most mundane of situations I laughed to myself and thought “Yup, more like Mom than Pop!”
I was raised by my mom, and to say that my childhood was non-traditional is an understatement. Think communes, no television, science fiction conventions, the Society for Creative Anachronism (a living history organization), and more. She’s the “Cat” in my story, that being her shortened name and our family pet of choice. Mom instilled in me a love of fantasy and adventure, and our historical reenactment group honed my camping prowess.
Me and my gorgeous hippie Mom Cat.
My Pop is the Bear, as it is his (for lack of a better term) “spirit animal,” and an alter ego stuffed animal who he’d talk through to the delight of all his kids. Although I didn’t see him much growing up, my times with him and his family were marked by treks into the Adirondacks and other mountains of the east. “Going swimming” didn’t mean a day at an overcrowded and over-chlorinated city pool, but rather a long hike to a waterfall with an ice-cold pool at the bottom.
Eleven-year-old me and my Papa Bear at Sleeping Giant State Park, C.T.
Fast forward to my treks with my own family and children, driving across country and visiting national parks, hiking whenever possible, and I found that just as in my childhood, the woods were the place where I always felt the most alive and whole. And even more forward to where I find myself now, my children grown and the stars aligned to allow me to set off on the kind of quest I only read about as a kid!
I can’t say all of that played through my tired hiker brain as I settled into my sleeping bag that first night, but I do know I felt very much I was where I belonged, bad bear hang and all.
Let’s go class of 2025!!!
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 20
Go Arwen Go!
Papa Bear
Thank you Papa Bear! 🐻 I just shared a hostel with a hiker named Goldilocks. I believe you’ve met? 🥣 🪑 🛏️
Awesome first entry, Arwen! I can’t wait to read more about your journey!
Thanks so much Nancy! I’ve got weeks of material ready to go! I think one could write a whole book based on just a few days out here!
You go girllll!
You’re the best Bounce!!!! Thank you for everything!
Looking forward to hearing about your adventure…
Thanks Rick! As time as the interwebz allow, I’ll be sharing much of my journey!
I can’t wait to see and hear all the progress you make! Love your nephew
Many thanks my beloved nephew! ❤️
Oh boy. Librarian and an English Major on the trail. This old guy (Ex-LTA) is looking forward to following vicariously. All the best. Good walking to you.
Yermo, I too am an LTA! I never got my Masters of Library Science, but I did most recently work 13 years as a Library Technician at a medical school. You have my gratitude for the follow and my promise to post as prolifically as the trail will allow!
Thanks for the reply. 🙂 I shall be following. I promise. And what fine writing. You ever thought of an Instagram page?
I am reluctantly on Instagram, but I have never really understood how it works nor appreciated its nuances. I would be off all socials if I could manage it, but it’s simply not the reality of our current age. 😅
I do thank you again though for your very kind words!
Way to go Arwen! You have a beauty with words and I look forward to reading more about your adventures!
Thank you for your kind words Nubia! Adventure #2 is finally posted!
Love this Arwen! Hope our paths cross again on the trail!
Thank you so much Emma! I can’t wait to read your blog now that I have some downtime today. I hope we meet again up trail!
Hi Arwen, I’m looking forward to hearing your stories from the trail.
Like many, I’ve watched, wondered, researched and wanted to hike the AT, so I’m looking forward to hearing your perspective.
You only know me by seeing me on the “Chat box” from work.
I’m rooting for you, but hoping the roots stay away from the toe of your boot.
PS, hubby and I were just camping near different trailheads of the AZT (Arizona Trail). I like to leave some trail magic in the bear boxes at the trailheads.
Maybe you should consider AZT next….too soon? haha
Lorna in AZ
Lorna, what a delightful message! I’m sorry it took me so long to respond, but as you know there’s so much to do out here and the good Internet spots are few and far between. Unlike those dastardly roots, always lurking and waiting to trip you up! Roots and rocks, bugs and blowdowns, all part of the adventure. You rock and thank you for rooting for me! I truly hope you can come fulfill your dream of hiking the A.T. some day, and I shall most assuredly consider the Arizona Trail (in a couple, three, five years maybe…lol). I may be crazy enough to attempt the triple crown if this goes well, but one trail and trial at a time! 💙
~Arwen on the A.T.