Salisbury, CT to US 20 Lee, MA and Back Home!

This final blog post is going to be structured differently than the previous posts. I couldn't write on the trail because my potable charger died, so this post will be less about the days I hiked and more about stopping early, the people on the trail, and my thoughts on this hike after being off the trail for more than a week.

Hiking mileage recaps:
Day 24. August 11th, 2015. 3.8 miles. Showed first signs of problems with my right leg.
Day 25. August 12th, 2015. 18 miles. Leg swelling started and tightness in right Achilles and soleus.
Day 26. August 13th, 2015. 17.6 miles. Hurt my leg with two miles let in my day. Limped the final mile, taking me 45 minutes to walk in comparison to my normal 20 minute pace when not injured.
Day 27. August 14th, 2015. 11.8 miles and final day on trail. Slowly walked and stretched to get to US 20 and into a motel.

Here are some pictures that will show you the last couple of days on the trail.

                                                            Blisters inside of blisters!

                                   Noseblind setting up inside the shelter to avoid mosquitoes

                                                           Sunrise at Riga Shelter, CT

I don't want to give a synopsis of each day, but I do want to talk about the final day. What I will say about Salisbury to my final day was a culmination of a great trip where I saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in awhile and got to say good bye to. Here are three people that I spent time together on the trail with which I have mentioned before. The picture order is Noseblind, Happy Baby, and Pegleg. I don't have pictures of Rocky, Chuckles, Mountain Goat, or Pathfinder, and for that, I apologize.

So, some tidying up for the final parts of my hike. In 2013, I was hurt in the Smokies and had to get off the trail for four days and get a steroid shot and take ibuprofen at the max daily dosage to continue. I was experiencing shin splints which I have had before and can walk through, but after Riga Shelter, my right leg started to show signs of my previous injury. I confirmed that my leg was hurt when I limped for 45 minutes into camp one night and say my right leg, ankle, and foot was much more swollen then my left.

A quick point of clarification, long distance hiking is very hard on your body. On average, you walked anywhere between 8 to 12 hours a day depending on how many breaks you take and how many miles you are walking. Your feet and ankles swell. You will twist your ankles multiple times. You will fall (I fell seven times in 27 days with one complete wipeout). Your knees, ankles, hips, back, and generally every part of your body will ache when you wake up. After two weeks, you develop what is generally called the "Hiker Hobble". This is when you wake up and limp around while you break down your camp. Your body is trying to repair itself and I have found that about two weeks in, my body can't keep up anymore. Once you start moving, the hobble goes away, but it returns quickly. This type of physical pain is all part of hiking. It can be annoying, sometimes even painful, but it comes with the territory and is worth the pain to challenge myself and see amazing views along the trail. My right leg was beginning to go from a little swollen to painful and it wasn't changing. The old adage I mentioned before was that, "If the pain is moving, you're not hurt. If it stays in one place, it's time to be worried." The pain wasn't moving.

                                                    My right foot when I got off the trail

I talked to Noseblind, Chuckles, Mountain Goat, Happy Baby, and Pegleg the last night I was on the trail. I knew my right leg was messed up and that I had to get off the trail and get back to Philly and the VA to get it looked at in case it was Compartment Syndrome. The next morning I decided I would walk 11.8 miles to US 20 and to the best motel choice along the trail. I walked slowly, breaking a lot, enjoyed some trail magic, and got to share some laughs with the friends I enjoyed along the trail.

Noseblind and I made it to US 20 and we got into town. I found Noseblind to be a great companion, both in our similarities and differences, but mostly in his demeanor and sarcastic nature. We ate pizza, watched football, and played pool at a local dive bar. It was the perfect way to get off the trail.

The following day Noseblind and I got a shuttle to Dalton, MA where we got another room, I secured a rental car for the following day, and we found a nice little bar/restaurant with a pool table. We made bets when we are billionaires (the previous night, I won $400,000, but have to build him a lake house in Georgia, so I came out worse off in my opinion), and we eventually joined by Pathfinder. Dalton was nice little town.

The following day, I got the rental car, picked up Noseblind and Pathfinder, said good bye to Mongoose who I had met at Bearded Woods, and headed to Mount Greylock. It was a nice place to send off Noseblind. I believe he is almost through Vermont now, and I wish him good luck and I hope that our paths cross again! Pathfinder and I headed up to Bennington, VT so Pathfinder could join up with her trail family. She had to get off the trail for some time and her trail family pulled ahead. She wants to finish with them and make sure to get home in time for a family gathering. Pathfinder opened up to me about some of her personal and family struggles and I hope that she finds peace along the trail!

I started to head back to Philly, but stopped along the way in Troy, NY to see the Alpha Chapter of my fraternity. It was amazing to find that little college and meet a couple of the Active brothers there. I got back into my car and ended up going over the George Washington Bridge in NYC and eventually made it back to Philly.

Here are a run down of the numbers for my hike this year:
Miles hiked - 332.6
Total Days - 27
Zeroes - 3
Average Miles per Day with Zeroes - 12.3
Average Miles per w/o Zeroes - 13.9
Money Raised for Charity as of 8/24 - $671 ($500 was my goal)
Longest Day - 20.2
Shortest Day - 3.8
Bears - 2 (In the zoo along the trail. I didn't see any in the woods)
Rattlesnakes - 0
Copperheads - 0
Garter Snakes - Too many to count
Rat Snakes (aka Black Snakes) - 4
Northern Water Snakes - 1 (Scared the crap out of me and was super aggressive)
Red Fox - 1
Vultures - So many
Squirrels - Everywhere
Chipmunks - Brave and everywhere
Times I Fell - 7
Twisted Right Ankle - 10 times that I remember
Twisted Left Ankle - 5 times that I remember
Blisters - Two large blisters on my right foot with several small blisters along my toes on both feet

The most important number:
Total Miles of the AT hiked - 1,030 miles

I wanted to wait to write this, as I wanted to get back into real life and decompress the hike in my mind. Overall, the experience was great, but not as good as my other hikes. I got tired of "The Green Tunnel" and the repetitive views of the same thing and mostly just walking in the forest. It comes with the territory, but I am close to being half-way done the trail, but there is so much left to do and I really feel like another trail would be a better experience. I have to finish the trail, obviously, but the flavor and spice of the AT is wearing thin on me a little. Camino, Anna Purna, the PCT, and the Colorado Trail are all calling my name a lot louder than the AT is right now. If I get another opportunity next summer to hike, it will be hard to decide whether to do another large section of the AT or experience something new.

The people this year were much different than in 2013. I found a decent bubble, but it was just different.

Another comment is that this year I wasn't hiking with anyone I knew. That presented it's own challenges and difference in experiences. I enjoyed it, but it was a lot of me time. Too much really.

Overall, I enjoyed the trip, it was challenging in many different ways than my previous hike, and I got to raise awareness and donations for an amazing charity! The AT is still there, like it was when I left it in 2013 and in 2014, but it is changing for me. This year, "A Walk In The Woods" will be released in theaters, so next year the trail will be swamped and crazy I am sure. The trail will be different in 2016 and every year after that. I found that being a "Chunk" hiker (a new term I heard on the trail) is much harder than I expected. I have hiked 1,030 miles of the trail and I'm not even halfway done. It is amazing and a great feeling, but also daunting in the task. But, like John Muir brilliantly said, "The mountains are calling and I must go."

Thank you so much for following my blog, making it through this post, and allowing me to write in a state of mind that varies much like life on the trail and real life! Here are a couple of pictures of where I left off! Until next time! Happy Trails!

                            The furthest north on the trail that I have hiked where my pack is laying

                                                                Mount Greylock, MA

Graymoor Spiritual Center to Salisbury, CT

Day 17. August 4th, 2015. 13.8 miles. I didn't sleep well last night. Got up and hit the trail a little before 8 o'clock and was just tired. Eventually, my legs kicked in, I saw Tilt and Akela, and met Butcher. As we got closer to the end of my day, Butcher hurt his foot and he ended up at the Clarence Fahnestock State Park beach and concession stand a little before me.

I saw Pathfinder and met Annie. Ordered some chicken tenders and fries and chatting for awhile while I charged my phone. We eventually made our way to a campsite over half a mile away. This means tomorrow morning I have to walk a mile just to get back to the trail, but it was a slow day for me today and tomorrow is only a 14 mile day. My legs are still tired, but I have made it over halfway through my hike!

I got some exciting news today! I hit my goal of raising $500 for Mind4Athletes! Thanks again for everyone that donated and help support this great cause! I am currently in a car ride back from a grocery store, so I hope all of you are having a great night as I'm out of here! Happy trails!

Day 18. August 5th, 2015. 14 miles. Woke up to a cool morning. Hiked the mile back to the trail and began my day. It was a breezy, cool morning and I stopped five miles in at a shelter. I talked with a section hiker for about an hour and headed out to get to a gas station. The trail is better maintained around here so I made good time. At a road crossing 10.1 miles in, I headed to a deli and pizzeria. I saw Tilt and Akela and met Mountain Goat and Rebel Yell. I ate terrible food and drank some Sobe and a Gatorade before heading out to finish out the day.

I met two section hikers on their first day and wished them good luck. It is amazing the range of people you meet on the trail and inspires hope in the human condition.

I got to the shelter for the night and met Lone Ranger, Cat, and a SoBo The Lover. Bear, Pineapple, Ghengis, and Papa JR showed up a little bit ago. Oh, I saw a huge tree today! I even gave it a hug. It most have been well over 200 years old! Not much else to report. My legs seem strong, my pains are still around but manageable, and nothing really new. If I don't take a zero, I will be getting into Bennington on the 17th if my legs can handle it. Hope you all are well and happy trails!

Day 19. August 6th, 2015. 16.6 miles. I was on the trail by 7:45 and I hiked 10.9 miles by 12:03. I hiked well this morning. I hurt my right foot two days again when my ankle twisted in a rock and pinched the outside portion of my foot into a sharp rock. It doesn't hurt too badly, but whe n i touch it, it is quite a jolt of pain. I'm hoping it isn't a minor stress fracture and just a bruise of some type. I also ran into some slack packers I have seen the past two days and a French woman doing a couple of days on the trail.

I also played slinky with Lone Ranger and Cat today for about five miles before I jetted ahead of them. I made it to a roadie garden center that sold snacks and eventually went to a deli. I ate, walked back the 0.6 to the garden center (adding 1.2 miles to my day unfortunately) and ran into Lone Ranger and Cat who would head to the deli. AND.... *Drumroll* Benjamin (or Sharknado) from my test hike in the Shenandoahs finally caught me! He has been doing 25 mile days and caught me just before the Connecticut line! We will part ways tomorrow, but we have spent the day chatting which has been great.

                                      Sharknado

I hiked the final 5.7 miles and felt crappy the last 3 miles. My achilles were tight and my legs were sore. Tomorrow, I will cross the NY-CT border and finish off NY! I will get into Kent, CT and hopefully find a shower and laundry (I showered last Sunday but I haven't done laundry since Wednesday and I smell horrible), and resupply on food.

Topics of discussion tonight with Pathfinder and Benjamin (Sharknado) include: music, religion, ethics, a new game involving romantic book cover reenactments, and food. I am getting up at 5:30 and it's 10:12 already. Time to hit the hay! Happy trails!

Day 20. August 7th, 2015. 12.7 miles. I woke up with the sun at 5:30 and bantered with Benjamin and Pathfinder while I packed up. I tried to keep up with Sharknado and the other speed demons, but they quickly pulled ahead. I was tired the entire hike. We didn't fall asleep until 11:30 the night before and six hours after consecutive hiking days and a 16.6 mile day was too much for my body. I still managed the 12.7 miles in six hours.

Along the way I met One Hit and her dog Lyla. It was nice to meet her and her dog was a great companion on a break at a view. I was picked up about half way into Kent, CT. Oh yeah, I finished New York this morning! That's six states of fourteen completed!

Anyways, I got into town, found the outfitter, ate some ice cream, candy, and had some soda. I found out about free camping and walked over and settled in. Pathfinder, Annie, and myself walked to get a resupply and do laundry. I showered before leaving. I hadn't done laundry since last Wednesday and hadn't showered since Sunday. I feel human again! 


We came back, I cracked opened some PBR and we waited for free cheeseburgers from the outfitter in Kent. Kent is a beautiful town and what a way to come into New England for the first time! I wanted to walk to New England before visiting and I have succeeded!

I ran into Seven, Goldilocks, and Freestyle again. There are too many thru hikers here tonight to name, but with free burgers and a great town, there is a renewal of spirit here in Kent tonight.

A section hiker came and read a passage about Jupiter. Here is a cool excerpt from the passage, "Jupiter, the friendly planet, exercising a beneficial influence on everything that comes in contact with it." My name originates from the song "Jupiter, The Bringer of Jolity", so this passage makes me happy to hear! I hope I am a positive, friendly influence to those I meet! Kent has been a great town and I will be sad to leave. I am tired, but I need to push on. Here's hoping to you all having a great night and Happy trails!

Day 21. August 8th, 2015. 0 miles. I took a zero. A combination of just being too tired and a headache with the pull of the awesome town that is Kent made me zero.

It has been a great day! Met a guy name Puck and Papa JR and Nose Blind showed up. Bunch of SoBos came into town. Jammed out with some eggs (the ones you shake) and imbibed a little to satisfactory levels. A great day and the perfect town to spend too much money in.

Day 22. August 9th. 2015. 17 miles. I awoke with a heavy head at 7 and started to get moving. Had breakfast with a SoBo named Stank at the local diner and got an offer for a slack pack from Annie. Pathfinder and I hiked out for our slack pack. A slack pack is when someone takes your pack up the trail and you walk with food, water, and toilet paper. It was great. We did 15.9 before picking up our packs and had a relaxing hike. We got a Bud Light from Flynn and Rainbow who were slacking with Rainbow's aunt and uncle around mile 12, which was a nice bit of trail magic. We got our packs, fresh fruit, Doritos, and water and did the final 1.1 miles to the Pine Swamp Brook shelter right as the sun set.

Nose Blind was there waiting for us and we met Kim and Erin who are section hikers on their last night of the trail. They gave me some bag wine, Pathfinder and I cooked dinner, and we had good conversation! Best of luck to both of them and their awesome dogs!

I almost forgot, I met a hiker from 2013 today! His name is Choo Choo and I mentioned him in my blog from my 2013 hike. He was a speed demon. He is finishing up his final section this year after graduating grad school. He doesn't do 30 mile days anymore and opts for 20 mile days. Must be tough! It is 10:58 and I am tired. Take it easy out there and Happy Trails!

Day 23. August 10th, 2015. 15.1 miles. I awoke early and tired. Buns and Waves were packing up and I had coffee with Nose Blind. Pathfinder awoke and I headed out. The hiking was easy for the most part except for a road reroute of the trail that beat up my feet for 3.2 miles.

I stopped for lunch and made great time over Mount Prospect and got into Salisbury, CT a little after 3 PM. Ran into Chuckles, Happy Baby, Pegleg, and Mountain Goat. Pathfinder was also in town. I waited for Nose Blind and we got picked up by Hudson and were taken to Bearded Woods Hostel.

                   Civil War Monument in Salisbury

With over 900 miles of the AT hiked and many hostels and hotels stayed at along the way, I can say with great confidence that this is the nicest hostel I have stayed at on the trail. We had surf and turf for dinner, good conversation, and a bunk with a great shower. Hudson and Big Luh are amazing hosts and what a way to get into a hostel!

Heavy rains are coming tomorrow and there is some doubt as to the viability of hiking, so let's hope for some ease in the rain to get some hiking done! Happy trails!

Vernon, NJ to Graymoor Spiritual Center, NY

Day 13. July 31st, 2015. 17.1 miles. I woke up in a wonderful motel, having slept for almost ten hours, and wished for nothing more than to stay in the motel forever. I had eaten a personal pizza, wings, a salad, and some of my spaghetti and meatballs the night before while watching Top Gear all day while I iced my knees and ankles. Heaven on Earth! I eventually got a shower, packed, and got a ride back to the trail. I got a text from my buddy Griffin and called and was surprised to have him answer. It was good to catch up and chat with him, especially about the struggles of hiking since he is an ultramarathon runner.

I climbed the mountain in the morning and five miles in found Pegleg and Happy Baby at the first shelter! They had hiked out the night before and I would continue to run into them throughout the day, which is always nice to find familiar, friendly faces throughout the day.

I crossed the New Jersey/New York line and finished my fifth state on the trail! It felt good and inspired me to hike for awhile with that jubilation of triumph by physical and mental endurance. I saw the NYC skyline atop the highest point of NY on the AT, which was cool, and generally enjoyed the bouldering that NY has brought.

My injuries have been pretty decent, though my right left from my calf down is still bugging me and is annoyingly tight. The zero seems to have helped and today was the longest day for a span of eight days, so I'm glad I got that out of the way!

I also forgot to mention I stopped at an amazing creamery and got ice cream and a birch beer! The birch beer was amazing. I made a fatal mistake in passing up a good water source (on a cooler than it has been day, but still hot nonetheless), in lieu of another source coming up that turned out to be dried up. I made my way to the creamery and found Pegleg and Happy Baby and chatted with them and some civilians. I drank a lot of water too. I need to focus on my hydration more for sure.

We made camp tonight at Wildcat Shelter and after dinner and chores, Pegleg and Happy Baby made a fire. We were joined by another hiker and his dog Iris. Good times were had and good conversation along with some spirits provided by Pegleg. It's just after 10 o'clock now and I'm exhausted, so I'm out. I hope you all are doing well! Happy trails!

Day 14. August 1st, 2015. 14.3 miles. What a day. First, from the time I woke up at 7, I wasn't laying down and done everything for my day until almost 9pm. A fourteen hour day for only 14.3 miles is a long day. The terrain was rocky and up and down all day. I am completely exhausted, so excuse this for being short.

I hiked with Blue Moon and Harmony at various times today (section hikers), and got some trail magic in the form of a banana, an orange juice, and some donut holes around lunch time. My legs are smoked. Exhausted.

The elevation changes have begun and I am having serious doubts if I can't cover the mileage to get to Bennington by the time I have to come home. I can make Dalton, MA, but I really wanted to make Vermont. Time will tell it's tale.

This week I hiked 94.7 miles and have hit a total of 170.6 miles in two weeks. I still have 222.9 miles to go. Lots to do and lots to see! I can barely keep my eyes open, so I hope you all are doing great and happy trails!

Day 15. August 2nd, 2015. 15.5 miles. I woke up with the sun coming up the mountain. I ate breakfast with Sam I Am, Special Agent, and Papa JR in Fingerboard Shelter. I was on the trail by 7:30 and had a great day of hiking. The trail eased up, meet Goldilocks along the way and grabbed water at one of the very few sources in NY. Goldilocks, Special Agent, and Pegleg and Happy Baby (who I saw breaking down their tent along the way) and we all go water along the way.

I pushed on and saw the NYC skyline, Bear Mountain where I was heading to, and had a nice little hike to the top of Bear Mountain. I met a 1992 thru hiker named Tic Tac and his two children. The boy was 10 and the girl was 8. The boy was shy and the girl proclaimed her trail name to be Sprinkles. It was refreshing to meet a thru hiker from harder hiking times and seeing him teaching his kids the joys and pains of hiking.

Special Agent pulled up and we drank Powerades from a vending machine. There were people everywhere on Bear Mountain. It is a popular spot for NYC folks to get some outdoors time. Pegleg and Happy Baby meet up with me and went down the mountain to a recreation area filled with people BBQing chicken and the smell was almost intoxicating. We found some Philadelphia water ice and I bought a round for Pegleg, Happy Baby, and me and we walked to the Bear Mountain Bridge.

                           Pegleg and Happy Baby

We got picked up by one of my 2013 thru hiker buddies Dreamcatcher. It was great to have my trail family coming in to see me and help me and my friends out. We dropped Pegleg and Happy Baby at a motel and went to Dreamcatcher's house in Beacon, NY.

We caught up, grabbed some beers, ate nachos and burgers, and headed back to his house. It was great to reminisce and catch up. I met his girlfriend and I got to see his dog Jack Cougar who he found along the trail and saved. I really enjoyed today. I felt good, got to hike with some great people, and I got to catch up with an old friend. The next five days will be good days to Kent, CT before I have to turn it up to get to Bennington. I hope you all are doing well and Happy Trails!

Day 16. August 3rd, 2015. 6.4 miles. I woke up early and grabbed a bite to eat at a local corner store in Beacon. Dreamcatcher slept in and I enjoyed some lazy time on a couch. Dreamcatcher drove me back to the bridge and we said good bye. It was great to see him and I wish I had more time to hang out with Dreamcatcher and Jack. Time with old friends always seems to go too quickly.

I hiked across the bridge starting around 1PM and had a couple of climbs. The hike was mostly clear of rocks and I ambled into Graymoor Spiritual Center. It is a place of worship and where friars live. Calm.and peaceful and they offer a free place to stay, a solar shower, and bathrooms. A god send on the trail, no pun intended.

Pegleg, Chuckles, Happy Baby, Sam I Am, Bear, Ghengis, Pineapple, Papa JR, and a whole host of others are here. It's good that I found a group of good people that I run into daily. I am used to hiking with people and this chunk of trail I have hiked alone almost exclusively except for Rocky. I miss Rocky and our hiking together, but I am sure I will see him on his return from Bermuda.

I feel good. My legs feel good, I feel in better spirits, and I have almost found my groove in the hiking world. I have four days of easier hiking to Kent, CT to help my legs rest a little and recover from pushing too hard early on. After Kent, I will have to do big mile days. I built it into my schedule, hoping it would be easier on my legs. I still have hope for Bennington, but if I only make Dalton, that will still be a huge chunk of the trail either way. I hope you all are happy and full of food (I am starting to get the hiker hunger). Happy trails!

Delaware Water Gap to Vernon, NJ at NJ 94

Day 8. July 26th, 2015. 13.5 miles. I woke up with sinus pressure again. I stayed up until 11 talking to other hikers. I didn't sleep well at all and I awoke tired and agitated by some of the conversation the night before at 7. I packed up and headed to the hostel where I saw Caesar was awake and packing up. It took me two hours to get out of the hostel. Once I did, I still had a headache and was agitated. It took me all morning to get out of my mood. I did meet a section hiker out for her first hike named Buffalo Gal. I would say she was in her 50s and was walking 100 miles from DWG to Bear Mountain, New York. I loved her energy! She was asking me gear questions and she was excited to be on her first big adventure! I hope she enjoys her journey!

I found Caesar under a tree by Sunfish Pond. We discussed Carl Jung, the ACA (Obamacare for most people, which I think is a silly name for it much like the Czar titles given to Secretaries and the such, but I digress), the VA, and the trail. He is from Philly and an interesting dude for sure. I also met Whoopie Cat, Papa JR, and Delilah and his dog Sampson. I saw Rocky again today as we ate lunch by the pond. There was an amazing breeze and I got to know some more thru hikers. They all calmed my nerves and made me relax my agitation from the night before.

I left and headed towards the Mohican Outdoor Center run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. It was a nice little place to buy powerades (I bought three), M and Ms, Cool Ranch Doritos, HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD, and a grilled cheese. This may seem unhealthy and like a lot of food (and that's a big yes to both), but hikers usually burn between 4,000 and 6,000 calories a day depending on how far they hike and the elevation changes during their hike. Tilt and Akela (Previously Akula in the blog, but I misheard her when she introduced herself) joined me and I caught up to Rocky again. Rocky left shortly there after and Caesar caught up. I ate way too much and felt sleepy, but I knew there were storms coming in.

I stopped and talked to an Army reserve guy and his girlfriend and actually walked with Tilt and Akela for about 2.7 miles. It was quite nice to hike with people again. I have had a lot of head time while hiking alone, and I have found that hiking brings both the best and the worst thoughts to mind. There are so many thoughts one has when you walk anywhere from eight to twelve hours in one day. Music, unlike my experience in 2013 when I didn't have music, has helped tremendously when bouts of doubt and worry creep into my mind. It was nice to talk and listen to Tilt and Akela and it made the miles fade away.

We reached the Catfish Fire Tower and they went on for water and I climbed the tower. I always love being in the fire towers. There is a slight anxiety when nearing the top because they are old and you are quite high up, but much like when I jumped out planes and climbed rocks without ropes, I enjoy the thrill of heights. I surveyed the surroundings and to the west, a storm was brewing. I ran towards my next water source, but I took a wrong turn. I went down a road that I thought was the correct turn, but to my dismay I saw Tilt and Akela exiting right by the water source. This will probably upset Spicy Brown, but I walked back up the road and walked down the trail back to the water source since I had missed about 0.2 of the trail. I may be a section hiker, but I intend to walk every blaze of this trail! 

After collecting water, and not seeing the campsite supposed existed in the guidebook, I started hiking, not knowing my deatination. I walked maybe three minutes and came to the campsite. Rocky, Papa JR, Whoopie Cat, and Delilah with Sampson were all there! I hung my water and rushed to setup my tent to beat the storm. Over two hours later and all it has done is thunder. Caesar arrived shortly after me and a little before 9, Chuckles, Happy Baby, and Pegleg came in. They are currently rushing to setup their tents before it starts raining. It still hasn't started, which is odd. Papa JR said there is a flash flood warning with two inches expected: a repeat of the Shenandoahs it would appear! I hope it doesn't soak everything like before, but it's part of the life we live on the trail.

I almost feel like I have made some headway with the thru hikers and made some friends. It has been hard to hike alone and everyone I have seen today have been great. It rejuvenates me to know that good souls are found in the strangest of places and everyone mentioned on this day are amazing people!

 The wind just came in. Here comes the rain. Time to put the phone up and enjoy the cool air that the storm brings! Happy trails!

 Day 9. July 27th, 2015. 17.9 miles. I awoke exhausted and some of my stuff got wet from the rain. Nothing too serious. I packed my soaked tent and head out around 8. I was not looking forward to today, if it were to rain all day, but it never did. I met Rocky just down the way and we walked 14.9 miles together today. I walked the final 3 alone. Rocky and I got to know each other and talked on a wide range of topics. It was just nice to chat with someone while I hiked! He has had an interesting life and passed on some knowledge about careers, women, raising a family, and life in general. It was nice to listen to his advice. He is getting off for Bermuda for his anniversary in Connecticut and getting back on five days later. I might him and see him when he gets back. I hope so! He was a pleasure to hike with for today.

Rocky and I stopped at Gyp's Tavern in Blairsville, NJ. I would see Bear, Pineapple, Ghengis Khan, Pegleg, Happy Baby, Chuckles, Delilah and Sampson, Whoopie Cat, Papa JR, and a couple other people I didn't really know. I had a burger, fries, a beer, and three gatorades. Expensive, but worth it. The terrain is still rocky from PA, but less shark fins and more manageable hiking. I can't remember if I mentioned this, today and the next two days will paint a good picture if I will make Bennington on time. Today was 17.9, tomorrow is 18.4, and Wednesday is 18.5. I'm already tired and sore, but hiking is always like that. I could be doing 12 mile days and enjoying leisure time, but that would A) get boring quick B) I wouldn't be pushing myself and C) it would take me forever to get to Bennington. These long days might force a zero, but I will try to push it off if I can.

Today's hike was a good one, but my legs feel it. I have my legs back I'd say 80%. I can do big miles and I can hike fast for long periods of time, but I haven't tested my ability to hike this way day in and day out. Here's to hoping I make it the next two days! Blog posts might be shorter from here on out. I'm exhausted. Good night and Happy Trails!!!

Day 10. July 28th, 2015. 18.4 miles. Today was a shorter day of hiking time wise compared to yesterday but it felt long. I hiked alone all day, only seeing five thru hikers I have never seen before on my lunch break trying to hitch a ride. I started hiking around 7:35 this morning and put down 11.6 miles by 12:35. I barely stopped to rest and I tried to get as many miles in before breaking for lunch because of the heat. The heat has been bugging me on long days, mostly because I prefer to be done before 6 at night and I hate the heat. I didn't sleep well again last night and I was tired all day, doubled with the long day yesterday.

 After lunch, I walked through the heat, my ankles twisted, my feet pounded, and a host of other pains nagged at me. I saw a trail maintainer about half a mile away from my stop. I finally made it to the Murray Property.

It was off the trail and is a private cabin/privy/shower that has been open for hikers for over 20 years. It is an amazing place. It's like I walked back into an episode of Little House on the Prairie or back to when I was a kid before everything become a subdivision. There is one really old tree on a hillside with freshly cut hay. It was the perfect woodland oasis to find myself at after 36.3 miles in two days. As I stumbled forward towards the cabin at 5 o'clock (I really was dragging my feet a bit. I finished walking four hours ago and they are still pounding), I see none other than Rocky sitting amongst two other hikers. I had been trying to catch him all day. I came within 25 minutes of him, but I took a two hour break for lunch to get out of the heat. We caught up, gave each other hell, and decided we will walk together tomorrow. Nose Blind is another hiker here. Very cool dude in his mid 30s from Atlanta. There are two SoBos but I can't remember their names.

This will make Spicy Brown happy: I ate an entire box of Velveeta mac and cheese for dinner today. Hit right on the spot. Had a Snickers for dessert. My diet is horrible on the trail. I really need to look into dehydrating food on my own. I have made an adjustment to my schedule, but it should actually allow me to avoid a zero, keep my days under 18 miles until at least Kent, Connecticut, and make up for the zero I took last week. My legs are smoked. Rocky and I are going to go 13.5 tomorrow to either a motel or this hostel in Vernon, NJ. Either way, the hiking should be easier tomorrow and it's only 13.5. The concern is the heat. It has been a killer and I haven't been able to stay properly hydrated. I have definitely been dehydrated almost every day I have been hiking. I'm tired, and it's after 9 now, so I'm going to hopefully fall asleep and sleep well. I hope everyone is doing well! Happy trails!

Day 11/12. July 29th and 30th, 2015. 13.5 miles and a zero. I woke up for the first time on the trail feeling somewhat rested. I woke up in the middle of the night with knee pain and ankle pain. I felt good when I awoke, said goodbye to Nose Blind and the SoBos, and headed out with Rocky. Within five minutes, I knew I had pushed it too much. But more on that later.

Rocky and I headed out and we quickly learned that the SoBos that said this section was easy were dirty, nasty liars. It wasn't the hardest in the world, but certainly not easy. This would be my last guranteed day of hiking with Rocky, so we discussed many serious and many fun things. I'm 28 and he is 55, so we both bring interesting perspectives to our conversation and it flowed easily. He left today when I took a zero and headed out. I may see him again in Massachusetts, so here's hoping for that!

We finally came to NJ 94 (to quote Rocky, "That's 94 mother @$!#/&@!") and we grabbed a hot dog and a birch beer at the hot dog stand a little ways down the road. We got picked up after walking toward town, got to a hiker hostel (an Episcopalian church) showered, did laundry, setup our tents, and headed to dinner at the Vernon Inn. The food and beer was good. By the time we got back to the hostel, Pegleg, Happy Baby, Chuckles, Bear, Pineapple, and the rest were there, spread out. I did yoga with Happy Baby, chatted with her for awhile, and headed to bed.

I slept ok but I got maybe six hours. I woke up again with knee pain. Rocky and I went to a Dunkin Donuts nearby and got breakfast. I said goodbye to Rocky and got to know Pathfinder a bit before I resupplied for my next stretch and went back to the hostel. I hung out with the bubble (a term used to describe a large group of hikers that travel up the trail together) and eventually made it to a local motel to relax the rest of my zero.

So, I lost another day. In the last four days of hiking, I hit 63.3 miles. The last two days of that, I developed general knee pain, aggrivated an old injury in my left knee, and both of my shins and Achilles pain has gone from aching pain that comes and goes to tight, sharp pains that last longer and longer as my day goes by. There is an adage within the hiking community that as long as the pain keeps moving around your body, you will be ok. These pains aren't moving and were getting worse, so I have been icing my knees and ankles while at the motel today.

Here is an example of what the last 139.2 miles have done to my shoes (notice the holes in the stitching and peeling of the front of the sole):

I am disappointed in my shoes. And in my zero today. I should be excited about my progress, but I made the fatal mistake of trying to push it too fast. The shoes reflect the amount of beating that has been happening since I started. Other factors include the intense heat and the extreme amount of mosquitos. I don't mind the mosquitos too much, you can't let them get to you, but after a long day, they do drag you down. The heat has been horrible. I can't stay hydrated properly and I have some minor dehydration problems (nothing serious or out of the norm in this weather).

Overall, nothing can prepare someone to hike. The only way to get back in hiking shape is to hike. I have extended my schedule to Kent, Connecticut from seven days to eight days without a zero in the hopes that less miles might make it more manageable, especially in the heat. Everyone out here is suffering in the heat, so it hasn't shaken me too badly, but it doesn't make it any easier climbing up and down mountains. Bennington seems far away these last three days, and the seeds of doubt have begun to take root, but hopefully my legs loosen up and I can catch up on miles in my third and fourth week. Plenty of time to get to Bennington, but the elevation gains and losses will become more significant once I get to New England, so the challenges change and the hiking will be harder in a different way.

To end on a positive note, tomorrow will lead me to finish another state! New Jersey has been pretty, but it's been painfully hot, still rocky, and the mosquitos have been miserable. Here's hoping to New York being a little less buggy at least! When I cross the border, I will have finished my fifth state on the trail and it will put me well over 850 miles of the trial hiked so far! I am excited and can't wait to see hello to New York! I hope you all are well! Happy trails!

Lehigh Gap to Delaware Water Gap

Day 5 - July 23, 2015. 14.7 miles. Such a beautiful sunset last night! I woke up to a sunrise beating down on my tent, making me hot as hell. I finally started moving at 7 and got on the trail by 8:15. I stayed up until after 11 with Pegleg, Happy Baby, Chuckles, and Bodyglide. Good times.

For those following the tale of my blister.... it died today around 9:15 AM when it popped. No problems for the most part today. I hope it stays that way. I put some ointment on it, a bandaid, and medical tape. About to fix it up again before bed after I write this. I got moving and saw Tilt and Akula (spelling?) camped just a ways up from where we tented. Said good morning. Ran into Apple and Crispy. They started June 1st in Georgia. They are speed demons! They were pushing a 31 mile day and averaging 25 miles a day. Nuts!

 Ok, because this was so cool, I met THUNDER GOD, which for any student of Roman mythology would recognize Jupiter as the god of skies and lightning! She was super cool, on a slack pack southbound. I was sitting on a rock enjoying the breeze, said hello to Apple and Crispy when they passed and met Thunder God. She got off to see her brother and decided to tie up another section while he was at work. She will pick it back up in southern PA where she left off at the Half Way point. Hope to see you up ahead fellow THUNDER GOD! (It may be a little eccentric, but it was awesome to meet someone with a 'similar' name!) Thunder God informed me there was a Ridge Runner (someone paid by the ATC to help maintain parts of the trail and in case of an emergency along the trail) up ahead and TRAIL MAGIC!!! The Ridge Runner was a nice guy, but I had hot dogs and soda on my mind after talking to Thunder God.

I practically ran the 2.5 miles to the trail magic. For those of you who don't know, trail magic is anything that someone does out of the kindness of their hearts to help hikers along the trail. We call them Trail Angels. This time, Soul Flute and Kmaffles provided hot dogs, salad, water (which is scarce in this part of PA), sodas, and (check it out) CAPRI FREAKING SUN! I stayed there way too long, had too many hot dogs and two Capri Suns. It was amazing! Big shout out to our Trail Angels for the day! From the trail angels, I learned Loop, Jimbo, and Bear were all up ahead. I ate with Apple and Crispy and wished them the best of luck (they had both just graduated from Cornell and were super cool), saw Bodyglide and caught up with him, and finished my time at the magic with Tilt and Akula.

I finally left the vortex that was the trail magic and headed to the shelter. I am the only one here at 8PM. Pegleg, Chuckles, and Happy Baby are at the campsite, but I don't want to have to break down camp tomorrow so I can get an early start on the trail.

 I open the shelter log and I have a message from Cobwebs (D and D from my previous post). Cobwebs, the boy scout who I named, left a very nice thank you and left me a granola bar, which I inhaled. It was amazingly tasty! Thanks Cobwebs! I hope they finished their hike well!

 Tomorrow will be a play it by ear day. I could walk all the way to the end of PA or set myself up for an easy day on Saturday. Regardless, I am 20.5 miles from being done Pennsylvania! The next shelter is 13.8 away (it might be 13.6), so I may eat my dinner there, charge up on water, and walk a couple more miles to camp. Then Saturday I will have a short day into Delaware Water Gap, where I will shower for the first time in seven days, hopefully find a laundromat, and resupply. I am sure food and beer will find its way into the mix as well!!! Hope everyone is doing well! Peace!

Day 6 and 7. July 24th and 25th, 2015. 20.2 miles and 0 miles. I stayed at Leroy A. Smith shelter by myself overnight. Nice, quiet sleep. Woke up for the second day with sinus pressure. I started around 7:30 and met Rocky who was camped under the power lines by the shelter. Nice guy. Said he was going to Delaware Water Gap (DWG) which was 20.2 miles away. I said I was going to try to do around 16 or 17 and go to DWG in the morning. Within five minutes I decided to try the 20.2. I didn't break for two hours, rested for ten minutes, and walked another two hours before breaking again, then another hour or so and I had done 13.8 to Kirkridge Shelter.

I met a SoBo named Terrapin. He left Katadhin on June 1st. Speed demon. I also made a couple that were in their last 60s. Had a nice quick chat with them. I saw three guys in their late teens and joked with them as well. I ate my "dinner" and rested for about an hour and a half at Kirkridge. I packed up and set off to finish my day around 3PM.

I was tired. My feet hurt. My blister was becoming a blister within a blister, but I was moving at a good pace and finished the remaining 6.4 miles at 5:30. I actually put "Uptown Funk" on repeat as I came off the mountain and sort of dance hiked down the mountain. Judge all you want, but I haven't done a 20 mile day in two years and I was going to get a burger, some beer, and my first shower in a week!

I arrived at Church of the Mountain Hostel at DWG to find Bear. I twisted his arm and recruited my new friends Salty, Ghengis Khan, and Pineapple Express (Yes. Exactly what you are thinking. And he carried a pineapple out on the trail at one point down south. But still yes to your original thought), and found a happy hour at the Sycamore Grill in DWG. Got a burger, some brews, and listened to live music. Stories were passed around, laughs were had, and the atmosphere was alive with Craic (as the Irish would say).

I awoke this morning to have a shower and a zero. A zero is a day where you hike zero miles on the trail. I did laundry, resupplied food, ate, drank some water, ate again, walked around, and I am currently considering eating again. My ankles are still swollen, but my knee swelling has gone down. This is typical and every day brings new physical pains. I twisted both my ankles yesterday, but that comes with the territory. Stretching out and letting my legs recoup from the six days of hiking is important for the long haul.

So, for all intents and purposes, I have completed Pennyslvania, or as hikers like to refer to if, Rocksylvania. Some many damn rocks. All I have to do is walk across a bridge tomorrow and I will be in New Jersey! Another state checked off! I think I will be in New York in four or five days. I can't remember, but Jersey should be less rocky (I hope). Pennsylvania was challenging, both in lack of water and the amount of rocks, but overall, it was a lot of ridge walking. I will eventually start to hit more elevation change, which will make the hiking more challenging.

I did 75.9 miles in six days. I am happy about that. I wish I didn't have to take a zero, but it is necessary to let my body recover before making big miles into New England. I purposefully walked fast and for as long as I could before breaking. I figured the more I pushed early on, the better it will be for me when I am going up and down mountains instead of ridge walking. I have plenty of tiny physical ailments, but the only serious complaints are the one blister and my Achilles on both legs. I hike through them, but I sure wish they would go away sometimes! Mentally, I seem to be holding up. It started rougb, with serious doubts of whether I gave myself enough time, but after getting my legs back, I feel confident of reaching Bennington by Day 30!

A big thanks to Daniel Griffin and his ultramarathon woes and mistakes coupled with his massive success in running to helping me remind myself of my ability to succeed. I do miss home and my family and friends. It would be nice to shower every day and have AC, but this is such a great way to destress, push myself, and see and experience so many cool things! I always meet interesting people and at the end of the day, I am happiest on the trail. I hope everyone is having a great weekend and I hope you enjoyed my post! Happy trails!

Port Clinton, PA to Lehigh Gap

Day 1 - July 19th, 2015. 5.5 miles. It's only 7:33 PM and I am exhausted! I just had a mosquito land on my finger. I am beginning to wonder if sleeping in the shelter might be bad in comparison to a netted tent. Regardless, I was picked up today by my friends Mary and Timmy and driven to Port Clinton. Along the way,we stopped at Kutztown, where Timmy went to college, and we got Spuds burgers. It was like a Fourth of July fireworks show of kick ass tastes and awesomeness in my mouth! Definitely worth the trip just for the burger!

 I did the 5.5 miles to the shelter. I walked slowly (possibly because of the burger) and I got eaten alive by mosquitos. My mind isn't in the hike today and could be because of poor sleep the past few nights. Here's hoping to a great start for tomorrow! I met only one hiker that I talked to. His name is Kylie (Spelling?) And started in April. We said hello and introduced ourselves. Nice enough guy! We will see if we end up in the same place tomorrow. Planning on a 16.5 mile day. Big day out of the chute, but dream big right? Ok, it's ten minutes later and I can't stop yawning! Not a bad start and hears to making it to Vermont uninjured!!!!

Day 2 - July 20th, 2015. 9.1 miles. Woke up covered in mosquito bites and exhausted. I did not sleep well at all. Shared an apple with Kylie for breakfast and set off a little before 8AM. Came to Pulpit Rock about 40 minutes into my hike for a nice view! The climb there wasn't too bad at all. Ridge walked my way to The Pinnacle, which is supposed to be the best view from the AT in PA. I liked Pulpit Rock better, but still a nice view. The rest of my day was slow, with a lot of knee pain and a lot of rests.

Mentally, I am drained with lots of highs and lots of lows. Seriously doubting whether I will make it to Bennington in time. Between my Achilles and (again) twisting my right ankle, I decided I should go against the big mile days into Delaware Water Gap in six days and readjust to seven days. This will allow me to adjust back into the hike and not feel so pressured to make huge mile days. I can always catch up later. Starting is often the hardest, as I always want to do 15 mile days right off the bat, but it doesn't work that way so I get discouraged. I need to toughen up mentally again, as hiking is much more about the mental and less about the physical!

I stopped at Eckville Shelter, which is easily one of the nicest shelters on the AT, and had lunch with Kylie. He moved on and I stayed to play Solitaire and stretch my muscles out. I met David and David (a father and son who are 44 and 13) and have been chatting with them. They will probably be on the same track as me to Palmerton at least. My right ankle is a little sore right now and I hope I stop twisting it. Tomorrow should be a 13.4 mile day with only one big climb early in the morning. I already miss my friends and family and chatting and being connected, but it is always a good thing to disconnnect, recharge, and evaluate who and what is important. Hope everyone had a great Monday and stayed out of this god forsaken heat!!!!

Day 3 - July 21, 2015. 17.4 miles. First, I walked further than my new plan. Second, it has been an interesting day. Third, to hell with Pennsylvania and it's rocks! Rocks, rocks, everywhere! I started the morning tired, as I slept crappy again and managed less than eight hours, waking up every 30 minutes or so. I got started at 7:30 AM, which is good, as I really want to try to start around 7 so I can avoid the heat. It has been unbearably hot the past three days. Here's hoping to cooler days ahead!

The climb for the day went by fast enough with little excitement. I listened to music to help (I didn't have headphones in 2013, so music helps a lot) and began my climb. I came to Dan's Pulpit and saw David and David again. It is so nice to see a father and a son out hiking. The younger David is a Boy Scout and working on his hiking badges. He is quite the hiker at 13 and immensely better than I was at that age. Seeing them reminds me of hiking with my father when I was younger. They mentioned going the 17.4 to Bake Knob Shelter instead of camping at 13.4 and I said I was considering it too.

After I left them, I walked to Allentown shelter. I felt miserable. My left ankle was bugging me, my knees were stiff, and I was tired. I finally hit Allentown after 7.4 miles and ate my dinner for lunch. I stayed at the shelter for two hours, eating, drinking water, talking with D and D, met a thru hiker named Baer ( pronounced Bear), and even took a tiny nap. This morning I start Vitamin I ( ibuprofen) to try to help with my Achilles and this seemed to help quite a bit this afternoon. I decided to try the 10 remaining miles to Bake Oven Knob Shelter and took off.

I hiked 4.1 miles in an hour and ten minutes. Not the smartest thing, but I felt good enough. I met up with Baer again, got lost and walked a quarter of a mile before realizing I had to turn back (added half a mile to my already long day which was upsetting). The remainder of my hike to Bear Rock was amazing. I felt like I was back in my groove (Stella got it back? Emperor's New groove?) and I was hiking light and freely. Went over Knife's Edge, which is the top of the ridgeline and nothing but rocks which was fun and came to Bear Rock. I can't describe how amazing this view was. I mentioned yesterday how many people say The Pinnacle is the best view. Well those people haven't seen Bear Rock. It was a 360° view of both valleys from the top of the mountain, with huge boulders to climb and just breathtaking views. I think it is easily in the top three places I have been on the AT. Then I heard something. Something that sounded like thunder. And I looked to the West and saw the faint outline of a storm. I practically ran over Bake Oven Knob (which is a shame because I wanted to hang out there) and got to the shelter just ahead of the rain. It ended up not being much of a storm, but I am dry and I only have a 8 mile day tomorrow. If I had only gone to the 13.4 campsite,I would be wet and have a 12 mile day tomorrow. I am sure my body will tell me how much of a mistake I made today, but I ended with D and D, Baer, and met Loop and Jimbo? (I think). Everyone has been great I have met. D and D will be moving ahead of me and finishing before I will catch back up to them. I wish them the best of luck in their future hikes! Sorry this one is so long. A great day! I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to bed, but what started off as a pretty miserable day ended up being a great day of hiking! Happy trails!

Day 4. July 22, 2015. 9.0 miles. I got up and ate quickly, breaking camp at about 8ish. Later than I wanted, but I slept in a bit. I have a blister under my big toe. I inherited it from the rocks of PA. I walked lightly and happily. I caught up with D and D, passed them, and saw them again at the next shelter. I had a quick rest and said good bye. I wish good luck to them in all their future hikes!

 I made my way down to the highway and hitched a ride to Palmerton. It only took me five minutes to get a ride. I went to gas station and found out the hostel was closed, the hotel was full, and there was only a B&B left. The B&B wanted $120 for a ride and one night. While that would have been nice, I decided against it for cost. Two weeks from now, I might take that offer! I resupplied at a grocery store, walked to the One Ten Tavern, and had some beers, pierogis, and a burger. Good food, Jimbo showed up, and nice to relax. I hiked the side trail back from Palmerton (an extra 1.5 miles onto my day), said goodbye to Jimbo, and went back to where I left off to reconnect my piece.

I am now waiting for the sun to go down so I can setup my tent in the open and avoid climbing a hell of a mountain until morning. My blister isn't too bad,but if it bursts, it will be bad. Let's hope it heals up and tomorrow's 15.5 doesn't cause it to get worse (wishful thinking).

****Update for Day Four - I totaled at 9 miles for the day (of the trail). I climbed the Lehigh Gap. It was intense. It was nine tenths of a mile up with around 1,000 feet of elevation change. At one point, I stopped and had to put my trekking poles in my pack because the climb was all rock and nearly vertical. It was awesome! So much fun to climb but exhausting. I decided to go for it because a SoBo (South bounder walking from Maine to Georgia) said there was a campsite a mile up. Makes my day shorter tomorrow and I did the monster climb already.

I got to the campsite and met Happy Baby and Pegleg again. I also met Bodyglide and Chuckles. They are all fun loving hikers, enjoying the trail. I am currently lying in my tent, pretty tired, so I'm going to head off to the land of dreams. Night ya'll!!!

Cimmentary: I felt crappy until after lunch on Day 3. I really feel much better and I feel like I am getting my hiking legs back. This blister needs to go, otherwise I feel pretty good. I am still going to take it slowly, as to avoid injury. I have been told twice now about my shoes being defective and I can see where the stitches are coming out. I will push them as long as I can, but they aren't holding out well. I guess it's back to my Moabs when I get back. It is good to be back on the trail, but the first couple of days are always tough. I am still readjusting, but mentally I feel a million times better than the first three days. I am hoping as my mileage increases, so does my enthusiasm and I keep riding this high. I doubt that I will, as it is the way of hiking, but for right now, I'm going to enjoy the climb of the roller coaster!!! Hope you all are doing well and comfortable! I haven't showered in four days! The hiker trash smell has returned. Happy trails!!!

Test Hike in Shenandoah National Park

Hello and welcome to the written form of my journey! My name is Jupiter (my trail name that I earned in 2013) and I am a long distance hiker. I have completed over 700 miles of the Appalachian Trail (AT) thus far in my journeys. This year, I am attempting a 400 mile stretch of the AT from Port Clinton, PA to Bennington, VT. In conjunction with my hike, I am raising awareness and donations for a nonprofit called Mind4Athletes. It focuses on the mental health issues and stigmas within the collegiate athlete community. This is a smaller community within our society as a whole that has stigmas attached to those suffering in public or suffering in private. Please look in the links to your right to find a website where you can donate to Mind4Athletes or visit www.mind4athletes.com for more information!

I want you, the reader, to know that if you are or ever have suffered from a mental health issue, you are not alone. You will never be alone. You don't have to talk to everyone about what is bothering you, but please talk to someone you trust or maybe someone you don't even know! If you look to the links on the right hand column of this blog, you will see a link to the National Suicide Lifeline, where you can either chat anonymously over your computer or call a toll free number. Remember, you are not alone! If you are thinking of causing harm to yourself or to others, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Now that you know a little about myself and why I am walking, I want to welcome you to the much less important part of what you will read in my blog: my hikes, what I will see, and the ramblings of a nerd who loves to hike! I hope you enjoy reading about my journey as much fun as I will have hiking it and writing about it!

This past weekend, Spicy Brown and I (I should note here that Jupiter is my trail name and Spicy Brown is the trail name of one of my best friends from back home in West Virginia) went for a three day hike to tie up another section of the trail in the Shenandoah National Park. We started on Saturday and finished Monday morning. The mileage round up was 10.9, 13.1, and 7.8 for each day. This was a great trip, as it shook the cobwebs off of hiking for the both of us, and it reminded me of the wonderful ups and downs of hiking!

Day 1- July 11, 2015. 10.9 miles. Written at 9:37 PM - I twisted my right ankle three times. What a pain in the ass. Meet thru hikers, sections hikers, and what Spicy Brown refers to as "Day Walkers". I can't help thinking of Wes Snipes every time he brings it up. There were great views in the Shenandoah, as always, and what a wonderful part of the trail to get my legs back! If you have never hiked before, check out the Shenandoah National Park! Besides my ankle, my knees are sore (not unexpected and typical to hiking), but both of my Achilles gave me some issue. My left Achilles has tendinitis and has had been there since February 2014. The pain comes and goes and I can walk through it. Perhaps I will look into seeing a PT when I get back. I am hiking in new shoes (Brooks Cascadia 10s) and I am proud to announce..... NO BLISTERS!!!! Let's see how day two and three treat me. The shoes are extremely light, so it is a bit different than my Moab hiking boots. As far as what my mind went on about while hiking - Spicy Brown gave great insight to my post-graduate school life, I reflected on past relationships and my wonderfully annoying dating life, thought about family, and I thought about Leadership Ethics (a class I am about to finish on Wednesday). Time to sleep. Catch you tomorrow night after my hike.

Day 2- July 12, 2015. 13.1 miles. It's not even 9:00 PM yet, but I am exhausted and ready for bed. Only twisted my right ankle once today, so there's a win! Achilles pain going in and out for both legs. Shoes are still doing well and NO BLISTERS!!! Met a 2009 thru hiker named Deer this morning, ironically when a deer was coming within six or seven feet of me and Spicy Brown. Deer was hiking the Shenandoahs and will finish tomorrow. Found out later he is retired Army and teaches science in VA. Nice guy. Spicy Brown suggested we hiked 20.7 miles instead of doing the 13.1. I didn't have the best hiking day yesterday so I brokered a deal: if the wayside we would hit that day (a wayside is a rest stop along the Skyline Drive that you can buy burgers and fries and other Shenandoah trinkets) had beer, we would stop and have some beer and only hike the 13.1. The wayside had beer. We only hiked 13.1. And we both will never drink beer before having to hike 5.7 miles ever again. While at the wayside, we met a thru-hiker that was averaging 25 miles a day! Insane, but his pack looked very light (and expensive). He will probably catch up to me after I start before I even get out of Pennsylvania if he keeps up that pace. After leaving the wayside, we saw a couple of views, got up a two mile climb too quickly and trudged the remaining miles to the shelter. Again, I cannot stress enough how you should not consume more than one beer and go hiking. Dumb. Once we got to the shelter, we said hello to Deer and setup our tent and hammock, ate dinner, and immediately went to bed. I'm finishing this up and heading to bed as well.

Day 3 - July 13, 2015 7.8 miles. Well, it rained four and a half inches on us in four and a half hours starting at 5:00 AM. I was laying in my tent, hoping for the rain to abate. Unbeknownst to me, there was a river flowing under my air mattress. At 6:30, I put everything into my pack, got out of my tent, grabbed Spicy Brown's pack (he has to keep it outside of his hammock because of space), walked down to the shelter to get under a roof, turned the corner, BOOM - copperhead. I kindly alerted the three thru hikers sleeping in the shelter to consider waking up and being aware of their situation. My first copperhead sighting and it was quite the surprise. It was a young copperhead, which means it is more dangerous than a full grown copperhead, and I named him Carl. He slithered into the shelter into a hole and hung out with us. I believe he was cold, as the rain was quite chilly. We broke down our shelters, stuffed them into our packs and took off in the rain. It was quite the experience. I was genuinely cold and we were hiking on a trail that had deluged into a waterfall. We walked for three and a half hours without a break and made it to the car. Our packs were completely soaked, we were completely soaked, and I had mentioned a chicken quesadilla. Fast forward 20 minutes and we found ourselves with a $28 tab from Taco Bell and the feast began. Another poor choice in our section hike, but tasty all the same! Another section walked and marked off on my AT poster hanging on my wall!

Endnote - I leave tomorrow for my hike and I am very excited! If you have made it this far, I will warn you, hiking leaves one physically and mentally exhausted. Blog posts will vary in length, as will the content of this blog. Some days will be good, many will be bad. I spend a lot of time reflecting on the past, mostly mistakes, and coming to terms with them (which is the healthy mental aspect of hiking), so if my posts are riddled with a lack of positivity, that is where it resides. Hopefully though, it will be a joyous blog, filled with adventures, cool days, no rain, and 400 miles of hiking completed! Thanks so much for checking out my blog and I hope you enjoyed my little test hike!