Time to Catch y’all up on this hike!

I’ve been hiking on Appalachian Trail a full month. I started March 11, and here it is, mid-April. From early Lent to nearly Easter and Passover. I’m proud of where I am and how far I’ve come. I’ve had to learn more than I expected, and was definitely not in the kind of shape I thought I was! I still have much to learn and need to get much stronger to complete this journey, but really - I think your artist friend here is doing pretty great.

I’ve hiked 275 miles north-bound along the Appalachian Trail, beginning at the southern terminus in Georgia, Springer Mountain.

I’ve crossed three state lines so far, made it through the Smokies, made loads of lovely friend, and I forget the statistic I saw a while back about how many times I’ve hiked up Everest already (I’ll have hiked the elevation gain of 16 Everests by the time I finish). And I’ve gotten a trail name!

I’ve still got many many miles to hike, up and down. And many nights to sleep on the ground. And many days of cold and heat and rain and wind and gentle sunshine.

One month is but a fraction, but still, the months will add up and eventually this journey will be done.

For now though, let’s keep heading down the trail!

Training in the swamps is not the same as training in the mountains!

All will not go according to plan, yet constantly plan you must!

Any weight in the pack makes a HUGE difference in the experience of the hike. This is really a lesson I’m having to learn over and over. From the material of my extra set of undies, to the weight of water carried uphill vs down.

Figuring out what to eat on trail is really challenging!

Trail Glossary (in no particular order, if you’re interested, here are terms that fill my everyday thoughts and conversations these days)

- A “Zero” is a full day off trail, with zero trail miles hiked, and including two nights sleep on either side.

The zeroes I’ve had to far:

- A “Nero” is a day partially, to mostly, off trail, but with a few trail miles hiked on one end of the day or the other. One might camp a mile or two from a road, and so get into town early enough to do town chores, as well as grab a night’s sleep in a bed, be that in a hostel, a hotel, or the home of a friend.

- a majority of thru-hikers, and some section-hikers, are given or choose a moniker different than their given name. On this trip I’ve met a young woman from New Zealand who’s a triple crown hopeful trail-named “Bubble Wrap”, a retired fella around 70 who’s done many ultras in his life and covers the miles much faster than I, trail-named “Ninja”, a guy trail-named “Charlie Brown” hiking with his service dog trail-named “Snoopy”, and so many others. Keep

reading for mine!

-When we get off trail, resting isn’t an option for a while, if at all. Town chores to be done include: laundry, charging devices (most navigate using their cell phones, in addition to staying in touch with loved ones, and when you’re away from power for up to 5 or 6 days at times, re-charging phones and back up batteries is crucial), mapping out plans for the next several days on trail, food, fuel and gear resupplies, eating actual real food, and, if there’s time, really sleeping. And then there are other things, like staying in touch with loved ones, trying to catch up on work for those of us not retired, and any number of other responsibilities.

-Along the trail are sprinkled privately owned establishments which offer a safe place off the trail and vital services for hikers, at rates less expensive than those of hotel chains, and often offering community and resources for folks figuring out the often-complicated logistics of thru-hiking. Some hostels are walkable from the trail, but many require a ride of some sort from a trail head.

I’ve had several nights at hostels, including three at “Stanimals Around the Bend”, and three at “Ramblin Roots”, and one at another I won’t name here.

Stanimals a delightful hostel in Hiawassee. They also have a location in Virginia. They’re professional, clean, well organized, and so encouraging. During cold weather I was so grateful for their big stone fireplace, and their all you can eat big breakfast.

Ramblin Roots is just down the road from the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Owned by a delightful young woman/former thru-hiker. It’s lovely and cozy and so welcoming. I got to do a little work-for-stay there which definitely helped with the trail budgets! (See posts of privy and shower signs I painted)

Both of those places were true gems, and I’m so grateful for the respite they offered. There’s a third hostel where I stayed one night after I left the Smoky Mountains, and unfortunately I had a much less positive experience there and will not be recommending them. Cleanliness goes a long way with me.

-hiking without the weight of a full pack is called slack-packing. Many hostels offer slack-packing services. I slack-packed with both Stanimals and Ramblin Roots, and even a little stretch after the Smokies, when my buddies Helen and Eddie met me with some resupplies and kept my pack which I went up and over the next mile or so, meeting me at the next trail head.

-throughout the nearly 2200 miles of the Appalachian Trail there are simple wooden (and some stone) structures which (mostly) offer protection from the rain, and if one managed their time and mileage perfectly, I think it might be possible not to even carry a tent or hammock. I personally was DREADING staying in shelters, which is required in the Smokies to reduce wear on terrain. There’s lots of talk of mice and other vermin enjoying the shelters - the mice looking for hikers’ food; the snakes looking for the mice….etc, but I experienced none of that in the Smokies, and have even chosen to stay in one shelter since the Smokies to stay dry in some freezing rain. Sleeping shoulder to shoulder, or shoulder to feet, with people whose real names you don’t know and who are practically strangers turns out not to be so bad in the right circumstances.

- A privy is basically an outhouse; a simple structure built for relieving oneself. Not plumbed, privies are pit toilets, usually of the moldering kind, and as unappealing as this may seem, there were many privies I have been delighted to take advantage of, especially as an alternative to digging a hole on a freezing, windy, rainy day. Not every shelter has a privy nearby, and some are better than others, but really- definitely more grateful for these than I’d thought I’d be!

Maybe in future posts I’ll define bear bags, bear boxes, water sources, switchbacks and other terms, but I need to get this posted!

Get me more questions and I’ll try to answer them!

Oh, many of you have asked what animal sightings I’ve had so far:

Bear

Deer

Snakes

Butterflies

Bugs

Elk

Dark eyed Junco

Grouse

And finally, what’s MY trail name? (And I’ll have to explain later)

My trail name is “Adventurine” !

Happy Trails!