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Tom Abel

My name is Tom, but I am going by the trail name Red Beard. I am 66 years old, and as you can tell from my picture, my beard is no longer red. Red Beard reflects how I see myself when I am not looking in the mirror. I refuse to grow old gracefully. I am a geologist, now retired. I have always enjoyed working in the field and disdained working in the office. I have wanted to thru-hike the AT since 1975 and am finally going in 2017. In the mean time, I will be training physically and mentally (thank you Appalachian Trials) and getting my gear the way I like it. I will occasionally write about my progress. Happy Hiking!

Posts

Reflections on My AT Thru-Hike

Reflections on My AT Thru-Hike

Summary I started my southbound (sobo) thru hike at Mt. Katahdin in Maine on June 1, 2017 and finished at Springer Mountain, Georgia on November 26,

Mar 12, 2018 : Tom Abel
Life on the Trail – Continued

Life on the Trail – Continued

Where are you now? This morning I am sitting at a computer at the Econolodge in Harper Ferry, WV. Over the past five days I hiked almost 100

Sep 12, 2017 : Tom Abel
Life on the AT for Tom “Redbeard” Abel

Life on the AT for Tom “Redbeard” Abel

Apologies For me it has been difficult to blog from the trail. First of all, I don't usually have the availability of a computer and it is difficult

Jul 29, 2017 : Tom Abel
Katahdin and The 100-Mile Wilderness

Katahdin and The 100-Mile Wilderness

Katahdin Was... Exciting, invigorating, scary, fun, and tiring. It is a 10.4 mile round trip from Katahdin Stream Campground (KSC) to Baxter Peak

Jun 14, 2017 : Tom Abel
Only Three More Days

Only Three More Days

Three days from now I will summit Katahdin again. This time I will take Hunt Trail (the Appalachian Trail in Baxter State Park). The following day, I

May 29, 2017 : Tom Abel
Choosing My Trail Name – The Rest of the Story

Choosing My Trail Name – The Rest of the Story

Why the Trail Name "Red Beard"? In my bio, I imply my trail name, Red Beard, is based on my self image. However, there is more to it than that. When

Dec 15, 2016 : Tom Abel
Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness – The Call of the Wild

Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness – The Call of the Wild

Road Trip - Part 2 Monson, ME I am intrigued by the 100-mile wilderness and wanted to spend a few days hiking in it. My niece saw my Face Book

Aug 8, 2016 : Tom Abel
First Time to Maine – Time to Hike Katahdin

First Time to Maine – Time to Hike Katahdin

Road Trip - Part 1 In July, I had a great trip to scope out different parts of the AT and was able to get in a couple hikes along the way. The

Aug 8, 2016 : Tom Abel
Preparing to be a 2017 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker

Preparing to be a 2017 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker

Preparing for my AT Thru-Hike Finally, 42 years after I first stated my desire to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, I will begin that trek next

Jun 20, 2016 : Tom Abel