The privy is, surprisingly, not too bad. There’s a lock on the door and, on a scale of one-to-death by feces smell, it’s a solid four. As I’m about to set up my sleeping bag and settle in for the night, I remember the owner of the Hiker Hostel mentioning that they’re only six miles … More Day 1 cont./Day 2: Drying Out and Making Friends
The van lurches to a stop and we spill out into the parking lot near Springer Mountain. I’m queasy as hell from the long drive up the winding Georgia back roads and take deep slow breaths of the cold morning air. The ten or so of us hikers who spent the previous night at the … More Day 1: It’s Not an Adventure Until Something Goes Wrong
All day I have this unsettling feeling, kind of like the one I have every time I’m sitting on an airplane as it taxis down the runway before take off. You know the feeling, when the plane starts picking up speed, everything rattling and vibrating as you lurch forward faster and faster, holding your breath until the moment the wheels … More Finding My Trail Legs And The Fear of Becoming a Jock
With only seven days until I fly to Georgia to start the Appalachian Trail, the pre-hike anxiety is finally kicking in. It’s much better this year than it was last, though, when the months leading up to the PCT were spent in a near constant state of “what the fuck am I getting myself into” paralysis. This time … More One Week and Counting: Updates From the Couch
I Could Drive Forever 