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Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers

Hi! My name is Gerjan. I'm a 28 year old Dutchman and I will be thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail (NOBO) with my dad in 2026! Besides crushing some miles every day, I will write up all about this journeys' beauty, struggles and everything in between for you to follow along and get a feeling for what it's really like out here.

Posts

Going to Grandma’s house! (Day 128)

Going to Grandma’s house! (Day 128)

Today has it's nice parts, but generally it feels a bit dull. There's little variety in the terrain. I can see the objective beauty of the forest,

Sep 19, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
A day of hiking alone (Day 127)

A day of hiking alone (Day 127)

We got some great rest and sleep at the lodge, ready to hike again! But, within the first mile, Dreamcatcher was unable to hike further. It's her

Sep 18, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
3/4 of the way! (Day 126)

3/4 of the way! (Day 126)

In the morning we saw a sign saying we've done 3/4 of the way already! It made us think about when we saw the 1/4 sign. It doesn't feel that long

Sep 17, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
Green Mountains (Day 125)

Green Mountains (Day 125)

Vermont is redeeming itself a little bit. The forest opens up and is actually quite pretty. Dreamcatcher was feeling unwell. She took the blue

Sep 16, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
Vermont, we’ve got to talk.. (Day 124)

Vermont, we’ve got to talk.. (Day 124)

I have a new role in the group today: to be a nutritionist. Dreamcatcher sometimes gets energy crashes where she has to sit down and eat something

Sep 15, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
Another day, another state! (Day 123)

Another day, another state! (Day 123)

The days are getting shorter. We used to naturally wake up at 5:30 from the sunlight, but now there isn't any sunlight untill 6:30. At the end of the

Sep 13, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
Locking in for Mount Greylock (Day 122)

Locking in for Mount Greylock (Day 122)

After an amazing day at the Airbnb with the gang and my friend Ruben, we headed out. We also went to the outfitter for a new CNOC bag! My old one had

Sep 10, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
I’m getting bamboozled! (Day 121)

I’m getting bamboozled! (Day 121)

We woke up from the backyard of Levardi's in Dalton. We went to gas station for a little appetizer breakfast and to the coffee shop for coffee and

Sep 9, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
Pancakes & Cookies (Day 120)

Pancakes & Cookies (Day 120)

It's a crisp cool morning, which seems to be the norm now. The temperatures during the days are fantastic though. The colder mornings are a reminder

Sep 8, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers
The best kept secret on the AT (Day 119)

The best kept secret on the AT (Day 119)

I'll be honest with you, I don't know if any day is going to beat today. It was simply perfect. In the morning we hiked out with our newly made

Sep 4, 2026 : Gerjan "Hungry" Hertgers