SOBO
Southbound Thru-Hikers: The Appalachian Trail Hiker Survey
Since I finished my Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike in 2014, I’ve been working with The Trek to survey thru-hikers each year. Most of the hikers who take our surveys are...
Southbounding the PCT Part II: Setting Off
For Part Two, I asked fellow SOBOs their start and finish dates, what they liked about the schedule, and what about it was difficult. To close it out, we touch...
A World of Pain: Sufferfest and the End
From reading my blogs about this year's hike up to now, I realize that I might make this sound kind of easy. Well, this is going to be a complete...
The Flip Side: Becoming a SOBO
The Final Days (Kind Of) The last few days of my Long Trail thru-hike were the most relaxed I think I’ve ever been on a thru-hike. I knew my ride...
My Final Days on the AT; What’s Next?
It's been a month and I'm still coming around to the idea that I completed my 2018 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I started June 15 and finished on Dec. 12, a...
Four Days in the Smokies: What I Ate, Freezing Temps
I may or may not be writing this from the Fontana Dam ladies heated bathroom where I may or may not have taken a hot shower, washed and dried out my...
Central Virginia – Fun and Cold, Not Cold Fun
Central Virginia (Oct. 4 - Oct. 16) 249 miles, 13 days (Glasgow to Atkins) Southern Virginia started out promising but made me question my sanity, and, more to the point,...
In the Woods, I Know that I Am Safe
Sarah Grothjan recently wrote an article for Outside detailing some of her experience with sexual harassment and solo adventuring. Not for the experience she described with a man she called...
Bad Case of the Pennsylvania Blues
Northbounders are susceptible to the Virginia Blues, and although my symptoms may be similar, I'm experiencing them in a different state. While it's not Lyme disease or a twisted ankle,...
1,100 Miles, and Why It Doesn’t Matter if I Finish
Pinning my happiness on Springer is a recipe for disappointment. I plan to enjoy today first.