Shenandoah National Park
You May Start Solo, but You’ll Never Walk Alone
"You're going by yourself?" That was the question I got most frequently when I began telling people I was going to hike the Appalachian Trail. I had a multitude of...
And Just Like That, It Was Done.
And just like that, it was done. I didn’t beat the odds of finishing a thru-hike in one year, but I did finish what I started. Ultimately I proved to...
See Ya Never Again, Shenandoahs!
How do you know someone's a thru-hiker? The outfit usually gives it away! Shenandoahs, done! I covered 108 miles over 8 days, which is actually kind of slow considering the...
Milestones!
Harper's Ferry I've made it to Harper's Ferry and I'm looking forward to my first planned break. Tomorrow morning I get on a train to go home. Going to see...
Bronchitis. Bear. Shenandoah Burning: The First Flipping 100 Miles
A flip flop beginning at this point, at this time, has given me a time to hang out a little longer with my husband, get my trail legs and enjoy...
A New Normal
Waynesboro, Virginia Some switch has flipped and I'm sporting a new normal. I shower about once a week whether I need to or not. I'm asleep by 8:00 pm and...
Forest Fire in Shenandoah National Park Closes Section of Appalachian Trail
A forest fire at Rocky Mountain in Shenandoah National Park has resulted in a closure to a section of the Appalachian Trail. The closure affects miles 892.1 - 897.3 NOBO (1291.8 -...
The History of Shenandoah National Park
During the 1920s, the National Park Service was on a campaign to create parks near the population hubs on the east coast. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was one such...
Three Important Black Bear Safety Tips
In which your humble narrator confronts an uppity Shenandoah black bear who has decided to move into his tent.
Crushing Mad Miles
I'm currently in Front Royal, about 965 miles into the trip! Since I last posted, we've come almost 300 miles and have really ramped up the intensity. I'm still in...