Erika really is hiking: My decision to hike the Appalachian Trail

Why hike the Appalachian Trail?

I started hiking and backpacking a year and a half ago after trying camping and discovering I liked it. I went on some overnight hikes with one of my sisters and was hooked ever since. Naturally, I’ve become obsessed with the Appalachian Trail since I found out about it a year and a half ago and kind of joked it into existence. My sister and I used hiking lingo we learned on YouTube and podcasts and joked about being on the Appalachian Trail, even trying out various silly trail names and the mantra «no pain, no Maine.»

Last summer, as reported on an episode of BPR, Nova Scotia and our neighboring province, New Brunswick, closed forests due to wildfires, which meant no hiking. I had already booked time off work to hike Cape Chignecto (Nova Scotia) or the Fundy Trek (New Brunswick) and was looking forward to getting out. I jokingly told my family they could look up trails in Maine, but the joke soon became reality as I hurriedly searched for health insurance and multi-day loop trails. I chose my trail, the Grafton Loop Trail, got my husband’s reluctant blessing, and informed my family that I would be crossing the border into Maine to hit the AT.

On that trail, which I chose because it intersects with the Appalachian Trail, I felt very alive. Even when I was crying (suffering a panic attack) on the side of Old Speck Mountain because I realized I was too afraid of heights, or when I came to camp after dark screaming 90’s pop songs because I was afraid of every little sound, and especially when I experienced camping completely alone for the first time!

Are you walking alone? Aren’t you afraid?

Yes, I’m walking alone and yes, I’m scared, and that’s okay 🙂

While walking with my sister is the most fun, there is something extraordinary about spending time completely alone. Needing to rely on your own body and knowledge and have your own special moments and inside jokes with Mother Nature is a mind-altering experience. I faced my fears and challenged my anxieties on my hike along the Grafton Loop Trail. I was faced with endometriosis symptoms that threatened to make me leave the path early. However, through the pain, tears, and laughter, the notion that I was participating in the ancient and sacred act of walking through nature became important to me. That revelation, no matter how small, helped me move forward and lit a fire inside me to hike the Appalachian Trail. When I walk north from Georgia, I won’t just walk a trail, I will walk home and find the courage to reconnect with the Earth with every step.

Besides, I just want to be hiking trash for a few months before more responsibilities come my way, can you blame me?

Why document it?

I want to document my hike for my own memories and for my friends and family back home. I will also vlog my hike so my family can see that I am alive and follow my adventures, and also so I have something to remember. So if you want to see me having takedowns on the sides of mountains, feel free to visit my YouTube channel 🙂

As an English student (and teacher?), I love the written word and have always loved reading and writing. I’m an avid journaler and have dabbled in creative writing, academic writing, and have had several blogs at different points, from Tumblr to long, rambling posts on Instagram and, at one point, my own website.

Giving voice to unique perspectives:

I have celiac disease and that is why I need to eat gluten-free. This will prove to be a challenge, especially as an international hiker (what’s up, Canada!!!) as mailing will be very expensive. I want to help raise awareness about celiac disease and what it entails to help others understand: what does gluten free mean? What happens when I eat gluten? What is cross contamination? What do you eat? And all the other questions people ask. In researching the trail, I found a lack of resources for completely gluten-free, mail-free hiking. By having a platform to document my trip, I can be a resource for celiac hikers in the future and a source of information about gluten and celiac disease for the trail community at large. Food is an integral part of life on the trails, and yet it could be a barrier for many. By sharing what I eat and where I hope to reduce that barrier, even just a little, for future hikers.

In addition to celiac disease, I also have endometriosis, which is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes chronic pain, especially during my monthly cycle. Since this is a big part of my life, I also want to share how I manage this condition along the trail and how it can affect my hike.

In short, I am an international hiker with two chronic illnesses and I love to write and share my experiences with others. By sharing our stories and experiences with each other, we strengthen each other and create community and understanding, and that is what I want to do.

Goodbye for now new friends!

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