I’m writing this from Hamburg, PA, on my first rest day after 9 days of hiking since DC. There’s not a lot to do here at my highway-side residence, so I’m deciding if I want to reluctantly take a lengthy ride-share to make it to a movie
I’m wrapping up my longest off trail excursion, a few days in Washington DC. I left the trail in Harper’s Ferry, the unofficial halfway point (1027 of 2198), where the AT is headquartered. It’s been fun and slightly jarring stepping back into urban life, especially after a
I’m writing this in my tent during a downpour and thunderstorm, on my second of likely 7 nights in Shenandoah National park. Shenandoah is the second of the two national parks the AT crosses through (the first being Great Smoky Mountain National Park). I just wrapped up a great
I recently made it to the 50 day mark, 1/3 mark, and McAfee Knob (where all are mandated to take the most classic AT photo from the cantilevered rock). I’m now approaching the friend gauntlet of the trail, where I’ll be seeing over 10 familiar faces in
I’m currently 40 days into this journey, crossing the quarter-way (~550 miles) sign yesterday. I’m about to spend my first night all alone in the woods, without the comfort of equally clueless strangers in their plastic bags (tents) a few feet away for comfort. Luckily, I have cell
I‘m in Damascus, Virginia, at mile 470. It’s supposedly the town most defined by the AT; the Trail Days festival occurs here (in a few weeks), it has the highest number of outdoor retailers per capita in the world (don’t quote me, but 4 for 800 residents
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