Day 85 I woke up after a restful night tenting next to the shelter and got back on the trail pretty quickly. The morning started off pretty easy but after passing the 501 shelter the rocks increased again, and I had to devote all my attention to my foot placement and not tripping. The northern…
By: Josh Sens May 28, 2022 In a new film about this life, Maurice Flitcroft is portrayed by British actor Mark Rylance. Nick Wall / Phantom of the Open In the summer of 1976, Maurice Flitcroft, an easygoing crane operator from northern England, registered to play in the local qualifier for the Open Championship. But…
Read More “The ‘world’s worst golfer’ became a folk hero. Now, his life story is a movie.” »
Oh, my. Every time I think I’ve hit the prettiest stretch of trail, I turn a corner and discover something even more beautiful, stunning, and / or life-affirming ahead. I remember visiting Wales with my sister, Tammie, my Aunt Barb, and my mom a few years ago. As we drove south down the western border…
Read More “Experience over Consumption: North From Hot Springs” »
Thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail are constantly checking the weather. Whenever there’s cell service, everyone jumps onto their phone to check their favorite weather app. Lots of people use atweather.org, which pulls data from the National Weather Service and generates simple forecasts for every shelter along the trail. This creates some amusing conversations at campsites…
Mount Hight it Androscoggin RiverEarly Spruce Camp it General Tso Mosquito CampAT miles: 13.9Total miles: 1904.9Elevation change: 2621ft gain, 6545ft loss As much as I hate to say it, I’m ready to be finished with all this hard stuff. The Whites have lived up to the hype in both their grandeur and difficulty, no doubt…
Day 38 I slept well and got an early start, eager to do a 20 mile day. Nearly five miles in I encountered Wendy slack-packing the opposite way. I hadn’t seen her since Winding Stair Gap, mile 109, but we’ve kept in touch via text. It was fun to chat in person. She might catch…
Madison Spring Hut it Mount HightFrozen Nose Camp it Early Spruce CampAT miles: 15.7Total miles: 1891Elevation change: 6847ft gain, 6860ft loss Today was the steepest. Today was the slushiest. After one final summit, I exited the Presidential Range, leaving behind one of the most glorious stretch of the AT so far, and ran straight into…
Day 18 Zero Day in Pie Town Shadowhawk talks with local author, Uncle River, while sorting his resupply at the Toaster House. Day 19 25 miles It was hard to leave the hot coffee and chairs behind at Pie House. We reluctantly left there a few hours after we had planned and started down the…
Read More “CDT Days 18-22: Trail Closures and Becoming a Thru-hiker” »
The sun is setting over an AT shelter crowded with hikers. Some are thru-hikers, while others are out for only a night or two. Everyone begins to quiet down and settle in for the night. Suddenly, loud crashing footsteps approach. A man appears, ragged and reeking. When he speaks, it is in an impatient and…
My enthusiasm continued to build as I moved into the New York section of the trail that would take me across the Hudson River towards Connecticut. My daily mileage also hit a four day high of 72 miles as I was really getting into a solid daily routine. Here’s the summary of these four days:…
