Readers of my blog might be interested to know that I have accepted a call to be the pastor of First Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Unionville, New York. As Unionville is a trail town on the Appalachian Trail, moving there (in a couple months) well-positions us to expand our mission work to hikers with Sola …
I’m a character. And now I’m a character in a book! Check out http://donsbrother.com
I met him one evening in North Carolina. On a day where I covered more miles than I should have, Shady came to the shelter after me meaning he had hiked even further. Yet he was full of energy. Shortly thereafter a hiker partner of his arrived. To my surprise they even considered hiking on …
Question 1. What did you eat? Answer: This is always the first question I get. People’s initial assumption seems to be that we are like Bear Gryll’s out the trail foraging as we go. This is impossible. There isn’t much to forage and you’d never make it 15 miles a day if you spent time …
Early on in my hike of the AT I heard this phrase (“If you go the whole way, you only come half way back”) was told to the Erwin, TN trail angel Miss Janet and she just smiled in response. There are many possible ways to interpret this saying. In fact, it is likely to …
If you go the whole way, you only come half way back. Read More »
I summited Katahdin at 11 AM on Sunday August 18. The trek is now complete and I’m staying for the week in Blue Hill, ME at Scout’s house. I summited with Spoon, Silver, Calamity, and Sherpa. On the same day reaching the summit was Johnny Walker, Jeremiah, and Misery. We had great weather in Maine …
Mile 2186 Katahdin, ME – Reflections on a completed thru-hike. Read More »
After the latest rainstorm I knew it to be clear for at least 2 days. Zero percent chance of rain. Shocking. So I got up at 5:30 AM to start hiking. The trail was a complicated double hitchhike of over 10 miles away. It was early Saturday morning in rural Maine. Not good odds. O …
Mile 2000+ Caratunk, ME – The Hitchhike, Lakes and Ponds, and Beer Magic Read More »
I usually try to write about three things that have happened since my previous post, and I put those items in the title. I don’t know what to list on this post. Really, I’m just still hiking. It is completely and utterly ridiculous. No one should do this. I’ve been posting some nice pictures on …
“If my mother saw me right now she’d probably have a heart attack”, I thought while hanging on to a tree root with one hand and jumping with both feet to the next position up the rock cliff. This trail is no longer a hike. It is mostly climbing. Our poles are put away in …
Mile 1918.7 Grafton Notch, ME – Toils, Dangers, and Snares. Read More »
Our Gang of Four resumed climbing yesterday up a steep 3,000 ft from Crawford Notch and then over Crawford Path (the oldest trail in the US) eventually landing at the Lake of the Clouds hut. At the hut we stayed for free and did dishes and various chores to compensate. The clouds came later in …
Mile 1853.0 Mt. Washington, NH – The Huts, the Hikers, and the Headaches Read More »
We hiked possibly the best section of the AT over the last two days. Franconia ridge, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, and Mt. Garfield. It was fairly easy to get up to the ridge as far as 4000 ft climbs go. Along the ridge we had fog clouds quickly rolling in and out with temperatures in …
Mile 1840.5 Crawford Notch, NH – 5 Hour Energy, Franconia, and a couple of tra-la-las. Read More »
