During a recent trip, I became briefly frustrated by the small town where I was staying. As I began venting on paper, it hit me just how hospitable these sometimes-isolated hamlets are. By the end of the page, I felt downright silly, and now that I’ve been home for over a month, I’m aching to return. Do you enjoy staying …
Backpacking logistics part 2: Planning and resupply
Planning a backpacking trip can be confusing… How many miles should you plan to hike each day? How will you re-supply food and fuel? These questions are interrelated and can be tough to answer if you haven’t had much experience with backpacking or adventure travel. Daily mileage impacts food planning, but as a new backpacker you won’t know your pace. …
Backpacking and hiking logistics, part 1: Transportation
“You wanna go where lady?” Is what I expected on the other end of the phone-line when I started calling around for a ride to the trailhead while planning to backpack a section of the AT. Instead, the reply was, “Sure! I drive backpackers up there all the time.” My adventure planning was off to a good start. Sometimes the …
Solo on the Appalachian Trail
The sound of gravel under the tires of the hiker shuttle faded. I was alone at the Deep Gap trailhead to begin a solo hike on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina. Instead of silence, I heard the low drone of bees visiting blooms around the trailhead. One signpost indicated the trail leading south and another to the north. The …