Michael Beecher

Hi, my name is Michael. Trail name: Quick on the Draw. I am not good at sitting down. When my football (soccer) days ended, I turned to running and have done many marathons, ultras, fell races, and several iron distance triathlons. Most years have included hiking trips with good friends. Much of my work life has been active, including as a potter, carpenter, stagehand, and a 10,000 mile stint as a cycle messenger. But lately I have been deskbound and I’m now giving up a civil service job to hike the Appalachian Trail. However, you may pass me sitting down if you are hiking the AT in 2024, as I will be stopping to draw as I make my way from Georgia to Maine.

Posts

Quick on the Draw: Things I learnt on the Appalachian Trail, an A-Z

Quick on the Draw: Things I learnt on the Appalachian Trail, an A-Z

Introduction to this final blog I learnt so much from reading other people’s blogs before I started my thru hike. So, it was always part of my

Dec 31, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the draw: the end of the AT hike.

Quick on the draw: the end of the AT hike.

No more miles to hike After reaching the summit of Mount  Katahdin on 1 August, and after hiking well over 2200 miles (2197.4 official miles,

Aug 5, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the Draw: Waterlands

Quick on the Draw: Waterlands

This post covers the arrival into Maine, where the hiking continues to be demanding, but compensated for with some special moments, and reunions with

Aug 4, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the draw: very little hard hiking left. Mostly just very hard!

Quick on the draw: very little hard hiking left. Mostly just very hard!

This post covers New Hampshire and about 200 miles of the trail up to around mile 1,900. Only two states to go As Vermont was left behind after

Aug 3, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Getting cooked and eaten

Getting cooked and eaten

This post takes me up to the 1,700 mile  mark, so fairly close to where I actually am on the trail. As in recent posts, I am mostly letting the

Jul 7, 2024 : Michael Beecher
The day I almost forgave Pennsylvania

The day I almost forgave Pennsylvania

This bumper catch up covers approximately 300 miles since the previous one. If you want more detail than is included in the writing below, click on

Jul 6, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the draw makes a por*o (unintentionally!), and gunshots on the trail

Quick on the draw makes a por*o (unintentionally!), and gunshots on the trail

In an attempt to bring you more up-to-date, this post will mainly just be the drawings and you can click on the pictures for more details if you

Jul 3, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the Draw: You always have to pay to go on a rollercoaster

Quick on the Draw: You always have to pay to go on a rollercoaster

Another catch up post quite a few miles behind where I am now. You can find more detail than the summary below, in the text with the

Jun 17, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Quick on the Draw: mid Virginia

Quick on the Draw: mid Virginia

Catch up post I am rarely stopping in town these days, and phone signal continues to be variable. So I have got behind with my posts. Here is a

Jun 1, 2024 : Michael Beecher
Is something rattling?

Is something rattling?

Day 40: Out of the wetlands For a few miles after Dismal Falls the trail ran through groves of rhododendrons and crossed many brooks. It was

May 31, 2024 : Michael Beecher