Abby Evans (she/they) is a strange bird and a poet who will measure their 2023 Appalachian Trail NOBO thru hike by how fast their pre-hike shaved head hair grows back. Inches and miles, one day and one hair follicle at a time. Someday, they will have a head of hair and several pairs of worn out shoes. They will continue to write on trail and will have fun developing their laugh lines and joint pain. They’ll be walking through all of the states they grew up in; they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. As a recent graduate, they’re not sure where their life is going — but they’re determined to make it to Maine before their 23rd birthday (August 24). They can’t wait for this bildungsroman to start.