WHY I WANTED TO BE ON A BLOG
I applied for a blog for Trek because I want to see women my age on the trail! Don’t get me wrong: I really love Gen Z and was grateful they let me tag along this year and last, but where are my Gen X women? We have dedicated our time to jobs and raising our children. Many of us have cared for a parent in their final years. If we have a spouse, he will survive without us; That’s why God invented DoorDash. I got a lot of questions from women my age about doing the AT when I finished LASH last year, so I think there’s genuine interest. Come on, the forest is fine!
STATISTICS
Start date: 4/5 at Mile 610, Weary Feet Hostel, Virginia
Completion date: 4/6 at Mile 1500, Falls Village, Connecticut
Total miles: 890 miles in 8 weeks
Zeros: 7 (4 for injury, 2 for illness, 1 for fun)
Slackpacking days: 0 Maybe I’ll do it one day, but I haven’t yet.
Blue flames: 1? I took the Wolf Rocks bypass for safety (I had already walked 23 miles), but otherwise it was all white flames.
Longest day: 26 miles
Shortest day: 11.8 miles
Miles to Katahdin: 697.9
Last white glow of the walk
SUPERLATIVES
Favorite Trail Town: Del Water Gap, PA (live jazz, coffee shop, church lodge, sake flights!)
Least favorite trail town: Port Clinton, PA (steep climb in and out of town, no place to resupply)
Favorite photo: McAfee Knob at sunset
Jolt of joy: every time a fire led DOWN instead of up
Toughest day: climbing Lehigh Gap alone in the rain with a full backpack
The Hardest Day: From Bellvale Creamery to Fingerboard Shelter. It was only 16.5 miles but it was tough.
Funniest Day: From Pochuck Shelter to Warwick, New York Drive-In. 22 miles and 2 ice cream cones with Frisbeer
First Aid MVP: Uncut Moleskin Squares and Leucotape Strips on Parchment Paper
Best surprise: receiving a care package from friends in Harper’s Ferry
Favorite Section: Southern Pennsylvania: Glamorous Havens and Easy Terrain
Least favorite section: Northern Pennsylvania. The rocks alone explain it to Eagles fans.
Best Backpacking Food: Pad Thai Ramen (ramen, peanut butter, siracha, peanuts)
Worst Backpacking Food: Any Knorr Side (ugh. I just can’t do it, y’all)
Longest stretch without shower: 10 or 11 days
ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS OF GEARS
AGGREGATE
Inji Toe Socks
I developed a large blood blister on my heel the first week of the hike. In Daleville, I stopped at a clothing store and picked up a brochure about some Injinji toe socks. My mantra: can’t hurt/might help. I loved them so much that I bought a second pair at Harper’s Ferry. These reduced friction on my shoes, so no more blisters, and I noticed that they were extremely helpful in helping the leucotape stay in place.
Dirty Girl Leggings
I didn’t see the point in leggings during last year’s LASH, but this year was different. Leaf litter was abundant along the trail, and large amounts of it stuck to my socks and got onto my shoes every day. Like the toe protectors, the gaiters seemed like just another nuisance I didn’t want to deal with, but I loved them. They kept my socks much cleaner and kept things out of my shoes. I wish Topo installed a velcro tab like Altra does, because the velcro that came with the gaiters came loose after a few weeks and I had to take them down several times a day. (The Topo shoes have two small rubber holes in the back, apparently designed for their patented gaiters, which have mediocre reviews.)
Kindle Paperwhite
I spent the first 5-6 weeks hiking/camping alone. I sent this to Waynesboro and it made a big difference – something to keep me company in the evening hours before bed.
ABANDONED
travel bidet
I didn’t use it this year and discarded it halfway through. It requires too much water and you still need toilet paper to dry yourself off. I prefer coin towels: 2 tablespoons of water turns a small coin towel into a large, absorbent washcloth. After using them, I stored them in a small black zip-lock bag that I threw away every week when I went into town.
HOT TAKES
February is the start month for introverts. Many hikers told me they started in February to avoid the crowds. They shuddered at the thought of encountering the bubble, some imagining it as a giant party in the forest. (Maybe they were thinking of Trail Days?) One night at a hostel, I described what it was like to start in March of last year. Two other hikers asked, «But would you really prefer to hike with the bubble now if you could?» «Yeah!» I practically screamed. Some hikers prefer solitude; I don’t mind hiking alone, but I love chatting with other hikers at the end of the day.
The ATC is not a villain. There is vitriol among some Appalachian Trail Conservancy hikers. They are a bloated bureaucracy! They closed the trail during the pandemic! They don’t care about hikers! They’re going to clamp down on hiking by requiring permits one day! It’s all about rules! Guess what, kids? Nearly 17 million people will set foot on the Appalachian Trail each year; Approximately 4,000 of them undertake long-distance hikes. We’re all lucky to enjoy it, and day hikers wandering around with grandkids in tow have as much right to the trail as a hiker vying for an FKT.
I took the train from Pawling to Grand Central – it’s surreal to land in the big city!
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