I am 20-something born and bred Manhattanite who enjoys exploring and the outdoors. My family used to split our time among the city sights, our grandparents in the Pennsylvania forests, and our grandparents on a Minnesota farm. I grew up wandering around and adventuring, but I found myself spending less and less time outdoors as I grew older, replacing the wild with (equally wonderful) trips to other cities. The Appalachian Trail has been a lifelong goal, and I decided that 2019 would be the year to give it a try. (Spoiler: completed in 149 days!) Off the trail, you will find me at great local coffee shops digging deep into a new novel: in 2018, I decided to read 365 books. I’m 2021, I’m meditating daily. 2022? We’ll see! Here's to the friends, adventures, and blisters to come.
Posts
Manhattan’s Before-and-After AT Gear: Day 1 Vs. 149
On my 2019 Appalachian thru-hike, I had a mix of thrifted, hand-me-down, and new (mid-range) gear. The choices were dependent on size, style, and
The Grand Finale: Trail Update Ten
Southern Maine was a rough way to start the last state on the AT heading north, and I spent the last weeks ready to be finished. Even when the
The Beauty (and Struggle) of New Hampshire: Trail Update Nine
After a two-week stretch through the rest of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, I hiked 11 days of over 20 miles each (mainly to get on
Singing the Praises of the Tri-State Area: Trail Update Eight
After a rough two weeks or so in Pennsylvania, I crossed over into New Jersey on Wednesday, July 3. The state line hits on a long bridge across the
The Pennsylvania Pouts: Trail Update Seven
Before heading out to the Appalachian Trail, I had heard all about the Virginia Blues from former hikers and general trail word of mouth: hundreds of
Trail Update Six: Trail Days and Nearly 1000 Miles
Given how many days have passed since mile 500, instead of day-by-day I’ll go through some broader updates on the trail. Overall I’m feeling great
Trail Update Five: Hail, Rain, and Marathon Miles
I am blister free at nearly 500 miles! Here’s the news from the past few weeks. Wednesday, April 24: Day 26 After a lovely evening in Hot Springs
Trail Update Four: Failed Hitchhikes, Five Guys, and Floods
I made it out of the Smokies with only a partial day of bad weather! Still feeling great, and I can’t believe I am in week four already. Sunday,
Trail Update Three: Gear MVPs and Biggest Miles Yet
Tuesday, April 9: Day 11 I continued my day off at Gooder Grove in Franklin today and ran all sorts of errands: laundry, mailing some things home,
Week Two on the AT: Mistakes, Surprises, Entertainment
I am still feeling good and strong after more than a week on the trail. Here are my most recent trail notes, and at the end, I’ve listed some