From Coastline To Woods: College Grad Rocks Appalachian Trail

Breaking: Inexperienced College Grad Attempts to Thru-Hike A.T.

What do you get when you mix extreme boredom with unemployment and an extended stay at your parents house? Adventure. It’s time to do it like Bilbo. The wild is calling. Follow me, Therese Masotta, in my daring attempt to leave no trail untrodden and no sock unrocked along the Appalachian Trail.

Where you goin’, kid?

The Appalachian Trail, 2200 miles of trees, rocks, animals…The great – nay – the grand outdoors. I will not weigh you down with too many facts, but golly this trail is cool.

• This puppy is around 2,200 miles long.
• Get ready to traverse America because it covers 14 states!
• It took 15 years to complete.
• Do you like Virginia? I sure hope so, because 500 of the miles cross through there.

By the looks of it, this is going to be one crazy cool hiking adventure. I am going to attempt a thru-hike as a flip flopper. What does that mean? Why, it’s a simple math equation!

Pretty foolproof, right?

So, you’re going to write about it?

Hell to the yeah, bud. I’m going on this trail and I’m taking you WITH ME! A storyteller at heart, I cannot let the days pass by unshared. Join the community, even if you can’t get your caboose out on the trail. I’m a writer at heart. Sharing the story is something that is deeply intertwined with my motivation to hike the trail.

Me and my journals dating back to 2009. Is this excessive? Eh. Maybe.

I hope you find some inspiration for your own adventures, too. I have romantic visions of a beautiful world that’s full of people traveling, experiencing, overcoming. Set the vagabond in your heart free.

Do you have any back packing experience?

Ahah, uh, no. Not an ounce! That’s why this blog is going to be super useful if you’re a novice like me. The goals?

1. That you get inspired to do crazy ambitious things too, because anything is possible, regardless of experience.
2. That you find comfort and knowledge in my hilarious inexperience.
3. To survive.

Who are you going with?

My good friend Waldo!…that is to say, myself. Because Waldo is a doll. This able-bodied, ambitious freak is going by herself! I’m going during the peak of the season on purpose. I am in this for the self discovery, but also for the humanity discovery.

Who’s out there? What’s your story, Morning Glory? Where are you in life? Where are you headed? What’s your favorite color Starburst? What do you think about college? I can’t wait to meet the humans of the trail.

Plus, I found Waldo drinking in bed the other night, and I think he needs to find himself. This is as much for me as it is for him.

Waldo on the edge of insanity, dreaming of an escape on the Appalachian Trail.

So come with me and Waldo on this erratic, beautiful, blossoming, outdoorsy adventure into the wild of the Appalachian Trail!

I’ll try not to disappoint you.

xoTM