I posted this on another forum, but figured I'd share it here too....
10 years ago, at the age of 18 I attempted a thru hike of the AT with a good friend. My friend became extremely ill in northern VA and had to leave the trail. I continued on but ran into many road blocks, including a fairly major ankle issue that arose in the rocks of PA. By the time I hit Harrisburg, PA. my spirits were broken and my body tattered. I left the trail and went back home.
I often think back on how I wish I took a break for a week or so and tried to heal up to continue on, but honestly know I just wasn't mentally ready to finish out either. Today, I am definitely mentally prepared, but have a life that currently will not allow another attempt, atleast for the time being. Hopefully my 2nd chance will come sooner than later.
The trail and I are still good friends and see each other often these days. Typically only for a few days at a time, but quality time none the less.
Here are some pics of my wife and I out backpacking on the AT over the weekend, as well as some other pics hiking a section further north with a friend of mine just 5 days prior. We did a point to point that was about 21 miles this weekend and about the same the previous weekend. My wife and I are going to get another 9 days on the trail at the end of the month in which we will hit Mt. Rogers, VA. and head south into the Smokies, TN/NC.
While I completely respect and agree on the rule of no MTB's on the AT, I still can't help to drool over how sweet much of the trail would be to throw some rubber down on.
10 years ago, at the age of 18 I attempted a thru hike of the AT with a good friend. My friend became extremely ill in northern VA and had to leave the trail. I continued on but ran into many road blocks, including a fairly major ankle issue that arose in the rocks of PA. By the time I hit Harrisburg, PA. my spirits were broken and my body tattered. I left the trail and went back home.
I often think back on how I wish I took a break for a week or so and tried to heal up to continue on, but honestly know I just wasn't mentally ready to finish out either. Today, I am definitely mentally prepared, but have a life that currently will not allow another attempt, atleast for the time being. Hopefully my 2nd chance will come sooner than later.
The trail and I are still good friends and see each other often these days. Typically only for a few days at a time, but quality time none the less.
Here are some pics of my wife and I out backpacking on the AT over the weekend, as well as some other pics hiking a section further north with a friend of mine just 5 days prior. We did a point to point that was about 21 miles this weekend and about the same the previous weekend. My wife and I are going to get another 9 days on the trail at the end of the month in which we will hit Mt. Rogers, VA. and head south into the Smokies, TN/NC.
While I completely respect and agree on the rule of no MTB's on the AT, I still can't help to drool over how sweet much of the trail would be to throw some rubber down on.