Just got settled in at a hostel in Erwin, TN, after a big 4 days, including 65 in the first 3. During this time, I’ve received the obligatory trail name: Tangent. My friend Bull, who I run into a couple times a week and is committed to the cause
Or a ”zero” in thru-hiker slang. A few days ago, I had my proudest accomplishment of my time out here; not due to some number of miles hiked or mountains climbed, but by jumping into a foreign social situation and having a great time. It feels noteworthy enough to write
It’s been over 2 weeks of hiking now, so I’m slowly starting to overcome my impostor syndrome of being labeled a thru-hiker. Therefore, I present my first iteration of what feels like a representative day out here. I’m curious how much this will change over time. Pre-hike
I just finished my 9th day of hiking, an easy 3 miles before getting a ride into the small town of Franklin, North Carolina, for my first truly restful day. For the sake of simplification, and to follow rules of writing I learned in high school, getting used to things
1. This is fun, really fun. A great match for my interests. Excitement is quite high that I get to do this for so long. 2. 15 miles per day has felt extremely manageable. Confidence in the body holding up is high. 3. It feels a bit like the beginning
Thrilled that this moment is here. Been imagining it for so long. Definitely feel a bit on edge, but I’m sure I’ll settle down soon. Some noteworthy occurrences and photos from the buildup: * Storms threw a wrench in travel plans, and 2 canceled flights later, the start of
I finished my last day of work yesterday and I fly out Monday, so I've been deep in preparation for some time. I have come to discover that leaving life, home, and work behind for 4+ months requires a bit of effort. A few things that feel noteworthy
I have no idea how to write a blog, so I'll just start by throwing my thoughts as of today down: * This is no longer feeling like a thing that's in the distant future, it feels quite real. I like that. * I have no second thoughts;
(Note I shared out prior to starting this website in November 2025) Hello Friends and Family! I’m planning on taking a 6 month sabbatical from work to hike the Appalachian Trail, tentatively starting on March 17, 2026. I’m inviting you to join me, meet me, or just follow