We started off at 7 AM on the trail after getting a ride from Jeff at the Green Mountain House hostel to McDonalds for breakfast. Since Don’s Brother and Pilgrim are often voting for McD’s breakfast I’m collecting the monopoly game pieces. We’re pretty close to winning a million dollars, a 2014 Fiat, and tickets …
Mile 1680.2 Rutland, VT – Cairns, Heat Wave, Homesickness Read More »
We climbed Bromley Mt. today which had a fairly gradual approach until the last bit where we walked up a steep ski slope. Once on top we saw the ski gondolas used on the other side of the mountain. The black flies were out in force so we quickly moved on. We met up with …
Mile 1665.4 Big Black Branch Bridge, VT – Bromley Mt., Mad Tom, and Training Montage Read More »
We hiked over Stratton Mt. today, the first of 3 large mountains in Vermont. The name of the state, Vermont, I think is French for “Green Mountain.” The hiking here is rated a 6/10 on the difficulty scale of the AT so I’ve heard. There was a 1700 ft climb. At the top is a …
Mile 1647.8 – Manchester VT – Mt. Stratton, No Extra Credit, and Terminology Read More »
Bob: Welcome back to ESPN Trail, the only network providing 24/7 live coverage of hiking and only hiking. Our hiking head-cam today is on our featured hiker along the Appalachian Trail giving our home audience a first-person view of the action just as happens, LIVE! People are actually willing to watch golf and bowling so …
Mile 1628.3 USFS 71 – ESPN Trail, Steve, and a Moose Read More »
I really like information. Being in the wilderness and out of the know on the Appalachian Trail is difficult for me. I certainly don’t want to know about world events or the news. But I love the Information Age for the ability to read about any topic on Wikipedia. I also love books but I …
Mile 1607.7 Bennington, VT – Lost Treasure, The Clash, and Info Read More »
This is just a placeholder for an article I hope to right soon. I’ve written how Christianity solves philosophical problems such as: 1. The Euthyphro Dilemma And 2. The It seems likely that Cornelius Van Til was on to something else; the doctrine of the Trinty solves the problem if “The One and The Many.” …
“I’m going to close the bathroom door because the faucet drips and the toilet runs,” said Pilgrim. Pilgrim, Don’s Brother, and yours truly (Banzai) are staying at the Villager motel in Williamstown; chosen for its availability more than its price. Despite the high price of the motel here in the Berkshires it’s not terribly nice …
Mile 1589.3 Williamstown, MA – Mt. Greylock, Camaraderie, and the Summer of George Read More »
Hiking with Don’s Brother and Pilgrim is going swimmingly. These are the only hikers I’ve met that are more restaurant-happy than I am. Pilgrim, who is an emaciated 135 lbs needs to eat at every opportunity. We’re each in the mindset that success on the trail outweighs the financial costs. Thus we’re living it up …
Mile 1556.3 – Beckett, MA – Hotel Hopping and Microwaved McDonalds Read More »
I’ve crossed path with Don’s Brother a few times along the trail. I again met up with him yesterday and decided to tag along on his AT plans. Don’s Brother, along with Pilgrim, are planning a hike of slack-packing, shuttles, and hotels. This sounds like a good idea to me. Slack-packing requires a shuttle ride …
Mile 1538.3 – Tyringham, MA – Don's Brother, Runners, and Drop Outs Read More »
My beard was growing more sideways than acceptable so I decided to buy a comb. I haven’t owned a comb in years since I generally don’t care about my hair. The beard however was out of control. It tools a few painful passes of the comb but now I look more like an Akkadian king …
Mile 1517.7 Great Barrington, MA – Beard Comb, iPad, Bugs, and Bugs Read More »
I’ve hit a roadblock. It is equally physical and mental. On the physical side the trail seems to be moving slow. This may be the terrain itself through New York which seems to twist and turn at every possibility and go over many rock piles. Mentally, I’ve ran out of things to think about on …
Mile1428.0 – Fishkill, NY – Heat Wave, Monastery, and Toenails Read More »
The mosquitoes have come out in full force. The rocks slowly give way to swamps as you leave Pennsylvania and hike into New Jersey. There doesn’t seem to be enough DEET in the world to combat the bugs. With the 90 degree temperatures our sweat removes any bug spray in about 20 minutes and demands …
Mile 1346.8 – Vernon, New Jersey – Pizza, Bugs, and 911 Read More »
My friend Mark picked me up at the Doyle Hotel and Bar in Duncannon, PA. He gave me a hug, little-realizing it would be cleaner to dive into a dumpster. He didn’t smell my hiker odor immediately but once in the car was forced to roll down the windows. Even when it started to rain …
Mile 1253.0 – Palmerton, PA – A Blitzkrieg, Lyme Scare, and more Rocks. Read More »
I don’t have many pictures from the last stretch as it seems I almost always had my camera safely tucked away in multiple layers of dry bags in the frequent rains. It has rained almost every day since I left Harper’s Ferry WV. I’ve still managed to make miles as I hike between rainstorms or …
Alright, a new state. Virginia was something over 500 miles. I’m not sure the correct mileage and am too tired to look it up. West Virginia has a total of like 4 miles. And Maryland coming up has only 40. I hiked the last section from Luray to Harper’s Ferry with Jeremiah. I just heard …
Along the trail the music best keeping me company has been that of traditional Irish songs. I was just learning the lyrics to “The Irish Rover” – a fictitious story about a massive Irish boat and its absurd crew and journey – when the lyrics of song came to real life: Then the ship struck …
I’ve decided to go Aquablazing. This means I’m renting a canoe to travel down the Shenendoah River parallel to the AT for a while. I’m headed out tomorrow with Shaman and Jeremiah and expect to go for maybe 5-7 days to Front Royal VA or thereabouts. Aquablazing is apparently approved by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy …
Down the track came a hobo hikin’ and he said “boys I’m not turning.” I’m headed for a land that’s far away beyond the crystal foundations. So come with me we’ll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains. I’ve been learning the lyrics to “Big Rock Candy Mountain” as it seems to fit well …
As I’ve spoken to other thru-hikers along the Appalachian Trail I’ve noticed a consistent theme regarding ethics – “it’s all the same” – so they claim. This claim is that the ethics of Christianity is sufficiently similar to any other ethics and thus it doesn’t really matter which you chose. There are three individuals that …
There’s a commericial for Planet Fitness where a massive weightlifter at a competitor’s gym say’s “I pick things up and put them down.” (I suppose they are saying that their own gyms have a normal person clientele, not just dumb brutes). Sometimes hiking the AT makes one feel like a dumb brute (or a pack …
Mile 780.3 – Glasgow VA – I hike things up and hike them down. Read More »
I hiked 0 trail miles today at a blistering pace of 0 mph. Even on zero days we still manage to get in some walking as we have no car and must walk everywhere in town. In a day and a half in Daleville VA (just outside of Roanoke) I’ve put away some 10-15k calories. …
I see why they call this the Virginia Blues. The initial excitement of the trail has waned for many thru-hikers. Some have gone home willingly, others injured. The crowds on the trail have disappeared and now I camp with only a few others each night instead of the 20+ as earlier on the trail. Despite …
I hiked 11 miles today from the Woods Hole hostel into Pearisburg VA. It was not a pleasant hike as I was still sore from the record 32 miles yesterday. The 32 miles took me from sunrise till about 6 PM, but I felt it was necessary to get a place inside the hostel rather …
Looks like it has been 10 days since I last posted. I hoped to post earlier but did not find a computer to do so. The trail has smoothed out a bit compared to the Georgia and North Carolina sections. Either that, or I’m just far improved on my hiking abilities. After Hampton TN I …
What is truth? This is the question famously asked by Pontius Pilate at the trial of Jesus. Jesus, the man best able to ever answer this question says nothing. But, he taught his disciples the answer. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” he said. What does it mean for Jesus to be …
