appalachian trail
A Banana, a Pickle, and a Hot Dog Walk into the Grayson Highlands…
The Virginia Blues were looming. We spent a night in Bland, VA, to avoid some 40-degree rain, and I wondered if the town's name was an omen of what was...
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,...
Post-Appalachian Trail Gear List: My Life in 36L
2,190.9 miles, six months, nine pounds, 36 liters, and now we're here. You guys know that I had a blast falling into the gear vortex and putting together my For...
Why I Am Doing a Flip-Flop Thru-Hike
What the heck is a flip-flop? No one who has learned that I’m thru-hiking the AT has been shocked; not in the least bit. In fact, most have wondered what...
West Virginia and Other Things
West Virginia (Sept. 13 - Sept. 21) Four miles, eight days I know what you may be thinking. It took you eight days to walk four miles, what are you...
To Katahdin… and Beyond! We Did It
On Sept. 16, 2018, we summited Mount Katahdin and concluded the most surreal, beautiful, and challenging experience of our lives. The last day felt like a dream. The five-mile stretch...
The Maryland Challenge – It’s Type 2 Fun
Maryland (Sept. 12 - 13) 14 hours, 38 minutes The following will describe my experience as well as provide an additional five tips that may aid you in the Maryland...
Here’s Why I Won’t Get Lost on the AT
Recently, a woman from our city became separated from her daughter during just a short “walk in the woods” in the Smokies. Like many, I was carefully watching the...
Episode 18: Family Hiking with Shoe Expert Damien Tougas (aka “Toe Salad”)
Maybe you've wondered, "What's the deal with those 'five finger shoes'?" (And shouldn't they be "five toe shoes"?) Or perhaps you're curious about minimalist footwear. You're in luck hikers! This
Highs and Lows of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (Aug. 30 - Sept. 12) 229 miles, 13 days This was a hard state to compress into a length that would keep even my own attention span, but I...
