See you later and thanks for all the hills.

July 4th was my trail independence day. I walked to mile 1354.4 and my friend picked me up to go to lunch. This lunch was planned, a friend visited me along the way and gave me a break from the heat. What wasn’t entirely planned, however, was that I was going off track for good.

The last day

I woke up in a tent wet from the storm the night before. I got up very early, not sure why, and was on the road at 5:30am.

The day went from cloudy to sunny and I enjoyed the relatively flat hike. However, my powerbank had gotten wet the night before and I texted my friend to confirm where and when to meet and to let her know that my phone might die before I saw her.

At some point I came across some fields, where there was a chair. I was quite surprised to see a random chair, but decided it was a good place to rest. I spread my tent and other wet things in the sun and relaxed.

After my nice rest, I had to walk along the roads of a small town and came across a magical house. They had a mini fridge, a hose and, surprisingly, a power strip. I was able to charge my phone! I had a soft drink and chatted with a cyclist who was passing by too. I had plenty of time before my friend arrived, so I relaxed in the shade.

Soon it was time to leave and I walked through some wetlands, enjoying the birds and the sun.

Soon my friend picked me up and we ate Mexican food and ice cream. They then took me back to their apartment so I could shower and make the final decision after getting some sleep.

feel done

There were many factors that led me to abandon the path, some of which I’m sure I don’t even appreciate yet.

The best way I can describe it is that I felt finished. I was happy and satisfied with what I had achieved and finishing the tour didn’t seem worth it. I have no strong motivation to overcome pain and suffering for reasons that seem arbitrary to me. I kept going as much as I wanted. Other hikers want to finish what they started no matter what, but I just don’t have that competitive drive.

I was done feeling uncomfortable. The fourth month is famous for being the time when hikers get bored or exhausted, and I just didn’t want to go through all that. I wanted to move forward. Staying felt like I was banging my head against the wall.

When I texted them about my flirtation with abandoning the trail, another hiker shared some wisdom I hadn’t heard before: Some hikes end in Katahdin, and some hikes end when you pass something. I think I got what I wanted from the hike.

My gut checks also gave clear signals. When I thought about at least finishing New Jersey, maybe another 20 miles, my stomach sank. I just couldn’t.

A satisfying ending

I understand if you don’t understand my reasoning or if you have different goals and motivations. “Walk your own walk” is a repeated mantra for a reason.

This was the biggest physical challenge of my life and I am very proud of it.

I also have 2 months left before grad school starts and I want to enjoy them. Resting up, getting ready for school by doing some studying, and seeing friends and family before my time becomes too restricted sound like elements of a summer well spent. Leaving the trail felt like freedom and staying like a restriction.

Good luck to the class of 2026!

If you’re still walking, I’m cheering you on! If you’re planning to do a day hike, section hike, or hike the AT in the future, I encourage you! This has been a great experience and I am very grateful for everyone I met along the way. Thanks also to Ray and all the friends and family who supported me and made my walk possible.

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