I started my 2007 thru-hike March 12 and finished Sept. 9th. It was a magical hike through 13 states and some of the most remote and beautiful country on the East Coast. I was able to share this adventure with my brother, Steve, who for 6 months was my hiking partner.
We were a rare breed on the trail, as few people will have the ability to stick with someone on a 2000+ mile hike. (Actually, it’s rare for anyone to finish at all!) I saw some teams fail, and often this ended their hike. Doing something this intense, fun, stressful, and physically challenging has got to be thought out ahead of time, especially if you really want to enjoy your experience.
A shave and shower was long overdue!
On my hike I had a partner, but most people, for various reasons, choose to hike solo. This doesn’t mean you’ll be hiking alone. There will be many days when you may not see another person. Most days however, you will meet like-minded folks, looking for adventure. Everyone on the trail goes home with an experience they never anticipated.
You can hike alone or hook up with other solo hikers for a while. I said this in an earlier post, and it bears repeating–this is your experience, your time, your resources, so enjoy!
This is the photo my lovely wife, Norma, thinks looks like a Wanted poster.
Zen and the art of AT thru hiking 