What would you risk?

5:20am @ Brooklyn NY

My father drove down to Wind Gap PA yesterday. Really nice of him to do so. We drove back to NYC together. We had a great day too. Went to the Pretzel Factory where we had the best soft pretzels I've had in my life! Then we found this great hobby trail store off of Rout 33. Spent a couple of hours in that warehouse sized store. They had these giant slot-car tracks in the annex. Super cool.

Then back ot NYC, with a stop at Trader Joe's to find some snacks and dinner. Was a great day telling stories, jokes, driving around PA, listening to music and enjoying the sunshine.

Last days on the trail were great. Some of the best of the entire journey. The other night at the campsite was remarkable in retrospect. Not only did I night hike unafraid, I also slept along in the middle of the woods with out any sort of anxiety. That Bionic woman really tough me some confidence in the woods!

Spent Friday night in Wind Gap at the Red Carpet Inn.

The PA rocks were not nearly as bad as the NOBOs told me. I was pulling big miles (15+!) with out any troubles. It was not more challenging than anything other section.

So now, begins my new life. Have to get a new apartment. Buy a new wardrobe (gave all my cloths to salvation army before starting this journey). 6 months off work will feel like starting a new job.....but more importantly, I feel different. Nothing crazy happened to me out in the woods. No epic mistakes or adventures. My struggles were mostly in the mind. Competing with others. Feeling insecure. Etc. Took me several months of hiking before I found the hiker I wanted to be.....the having to stop to heal....and actually getting back out into the woods a different man!

I struggle to put meaning or insight into the memories / experience at this moment....or maybe ever.
I was simply living day to day. Solving each problem as it came.

I love that hiking for 12 hours a day became effortless. My body loves being on the move!

Over the next couple of days I'll write in my person journal all the meaningful places, event & peoples I met. Also want to do a short post review of gear /  skills for a would be hiker. Things I would tell my prehike self to prepare for....

But now...the new life begins. There are a great many more projects & dreams awaiting me me still. Feel like I have the growing courage & confidence to make some of the real!

Safe travels my friends. May your journeys be exactly what need & hope for. Good times & sad, the trip is yours. People may sometimes travel in packs, but our pilgrimages are solitary.

Singing in the rain.

8pm @ "campsite"
mi 910.1

Night hiked by myself for several hours today! Pretty pleased with myself. Night hiking was one of my big fears. Solo styles night hikes anyway. Bionic showed me the technique the other night. Glad to make use of it again so soon!

Made it to Delaware Watergap yesterday. 2x days ahead of schedule. I was flying down the trail! This is the AT I imagined. Feeling strong & confident. Hiking without pain. Falling in love with the forest. Not competing with anyone.
The last item is a big deal. There really are not any more thru hikes out here. The few SOBOs are so far into their own thing, there is no comparing, racing, or judgments to be made. Everyone is enjoying their hikes.

Stayed at The Church of the Mountain last night. Tried to stay at the Deer Lodge, but they were closed for the season. The proprietor (who answered her phone from LA!) advised me to try the church.

Found the church next door. AWOL said I'd need to call to be let in....but I found the door open...and inside was Bionic wrapped up on the couch!

After she left me to night hike all sorts of adventure found her! She set up her hammock poorly, and woke up soaking wet. So at 4am needed to start hiking to avoid hypothermia.
She tried to adjust the height of her prosthetic leg to help with the rock scrambles....but lost the screw! Ducktape worked only so well and she wound up biting it at some point, face down into the mud. But she made it to the Mohican ACM Outdoor Center non the less, and the maintenance guy helped her. He drove her around all day running errands. Drying her down gear at a laundromat. Hardware store to get a new screw (and spares!). Eventually she got her way to Delaware Watergap, and to the Church of the Mountain where I found her.

Crazy adventure right?
(a little over confidence goes a long way huh?)

Right now the rain is coming down in buckets. I set up my tent before it started. So I am snug as a bug in a rug at the moment. Bionic is still out there night hiking in the storm. She is out of the world.

Anyway. Think I might listen to some tunes & turn in. If no bears eat me, I am headed into wind Gap PA tomorrow to finish my trip.

Hard to believe this journey is actually coming to a close.

So glad to have my tyvek groundcloth again. Was silly to send it home. It works really well. I avoided a big hole in my bathtub floor the other day as the tyvek took most of the pressure.

I LOVE being inside a tent when it is raining. Just hold up one more night little tarptent. Just this last raining night.

Adventure time!

7:10pm @ "campsite"
mi 879.1

After yesterday's odyssey, I was hot to try my new night hiking toy/skill. On my own this time. Split off from Bionic after lunch and ran off into the wild.

Today was / is overcast & light shoers on and off. So that meant the night hike would be in the rain (exciting!) and I would need to pitch my tarptent in the dark when the storm was supposed to climax:)

I figured, I wanted to try and have some fun this last week.

I placed a cairn and an arrow on the trail in hope to catch Bionic once more before we separated. She found my tent some time in the night and stopped by to say hello. That was really fun. That woman is amazing. She is going to hike at least two more hours tonight (in the insane fog) and hammock some place. Bonic is the one who taught me how to night hike!

The last leg of my pilgrimage is turning out to be the hike I always hoped for. Walking with out any serious pain. Meeting incredible peoples. Being strong and confident. Adventures everyday.

I am happy this trip is starting to end on a high note!

Thanks AT for healing my body and spirit. Just what the doctor ordered.

Night hike!

10 something pm @ Gren Anderson Shelter.
mi 864.4

Epic day. I don't know how to book end this into a worth while story, so I'll just write it. Crazy as it comes.

Got on the trail by 6:45 am. Had to make a resupply in Unionville.  The store Howlers was great. Had everything I needed. I got lost going back to the trail (there were 2x entrances to the town). Thought I could be clever, and pick the trail up on the other side of town....got completely lost. Road walked 5 miles to get back on the trail at yet a further trail head.

Met some cool hikers at the Highpoint Shelter. Decided at 2:30pm to try & get two more shelters further down the trail (7mi).

So I am hoofing it. Went the first first 4 miles in about 1.5 hours. Was pretty stoked. Was "running" to the next shelter when I met a thru hiker sitting on a rock & I liked her attitude, so I stopped to chat. She had an artificial leg which was interesting. We walked together for a bit, then ran into two hunters. A father & son. It was the son's first kill! He was 13. Bionic (the one legged hiker) asked all sorts of interesting questions! We got to hang around as the father taught his son how to field dress a deer! I'd never seen that before.

Then I asked Bionic if I could night hike with her (I'd never done it seriously before, and wanted to learn!). She said yes. So we walked 7 or 8 more miles in the dark. One of the most memorable days on the trail.

I think I walked a marathon. Technically 25.2 trail miles....but I did all that road walking.....so I am going to say Marathon! My body hurt more than usual:)