Heading back to AT Again!
I just can’t seem to stay away from the Appalachian Trail. It calls to me, begging me for one more mile, one more day, and one more peak. I can’t help but to answer the call. I enjoy the long days walking through the woods. I love the smells, the fresh water, the simplicity of taking one step in front of the other and ending up on some peak with an amazing view.
It’s like all the stress just melts away. I don’t have to worry about anything but putting one foot in front of the other. Sure, its sweaty, and exhausting, and everything hurts but its all worth it. It’s worth it when you reach the peak and get lost in the view. It’s worth it when you set up your hammock, take off your shoes, close your eyes, and drift away to the sounds of the bees, birds and the wind blowing through the trees. Your heart feels full and at peace. It’s where I find God.
A good friend of mine from way back, (I think we have known each other for 20+ years as of the writing of this post) saw all my hiking posts on Instagram. He reached out and asked if he could go hiking with me.
Back Story Time: Actually, we were on a road trip to visit my mom in Massachusetts. His house was about halfway there, so I called him up and asked if he wanted to do dinner tomorrow night. Keep in mind that I haven’t seen him in 15 years and we live 16 hours apart. In fact, the last time I saw him was at my wedding. Crazy. Dudes a legend. Truly one of those people who changes your life. I could write a whole blog post about him.
Anyways I called him up and was like “Yo, Bob, Can we come over for dinner tomorrow night?”
He was like ” Are you for real?”
I said “Yes”
He emphatically responded ” Yes and I just cleared my scheduled.”
So we had a pizza diner and had long over due hugs. I finally met all of his kids and he met mine. Bob and I talked late into the night with glasses of smoky whisky to help flavor the conversation. We talked about politics, wood working and being a dad. He asked about my recent section hike of the AT a few months prior. I recounted the events in great detail and how much I enjoyed it. He ask about my pack weight, the food I ate, how I stayed hydrated, my nightly accomedations and more. I responded with the delight and enthusiasm of a child recounting his Christmas morning . By the end of the conversation he was like “Ok lets do it! My 45th birthday is coming up and I want to hike with you.”
“Ok Done!”
We then began texting every day for the next few months. We talked about gear, food, bears, whisky, politics, and everything else. The excitement was mounting and you could feel it in the air. We had a few video calls to compare gear. I would offer recomendations and suggestions. He would immedialty place an amazon order. He would call me every time he went to REI with a million questions. I loved every minute of it.
So anyways, yes, I am heading back to the AT. We will be doing a section from Nantahala Outdoor Center to Fontana Dam. It’s about 33 miles and we will have 4 days to complete it. The plan is to drive up, its 8 hours for both of us, hike in for a few miles and set up camp. Then average about 6-8 miles a day to make it back in time with a half day off to relax. I am so excited and cant wait! Its going to be amazing.
