New York

24 July 2007 - mile1375 - Made it to New York a few days ago. ahve seen a group of hiker trash consisting of JB, Director, Unicycle Pirate, Tennesse Jed, Tenacious T, Cocoa, Sven and Uffda. New York has so far been very up and down with elevation changes in the 500s. not too much more. A second Roller Coster. but the trail is not as rocky as PA, Hiking the ridge line for the majority so far, then dipping down into the gaps. Stopped at Tiorati Lake for a quick dip, then called my old trail buddy Sylvan. She had gotten off the trail earlier due to illness, but told me to call her when i got close to NY. and thats just what i did. she hooked me up with a place to stay and the next morning, i went into New York City with her via the train to where she works. I know what your thinking....after nearly 4 months of being secluded and cut off from the civilized world, how would i ever survive and adjust to the sea of people in the big apple. everyone was worried because while she worked for the day, i would tour NY for the day. a lone hiker amidst the designed chaos in NY. Well, all was well. i hit the subway to the WOrld Trade Center, which was the only thing i really wanted to see under such limited time, then i just walked around and got a good feel for the city. Sylvan works at Madison Square Garden so it was the perfect hub to start and finish my outing. Met all her co workers who feared that i had come to take her back to the trail. They were great people and i really enjoyed talking with them. Hi guys! So after a few down days to let my feet heal up, i head back out to the trail in a few hours. its always hard to leave friends, but at the same time, its always good to keep going. friends understand the pull of the trail and the sigh of relief to be back on, putting in miles for 10 - 12 hours daily and slowly hiking to the ending goal. Its countdown mode. Once i hit the hlaf way point, i had to mentally readjust my thinking. so, here it is. Im at Arden Valley Road, and 799 miles to go . The miles are going by faster now.

New Jersey

19 July 2007 - 1330 miles - Some times on the trail, i don't have privy to information about a section coming up. New Jersey was one of those sections. So i just hiked my hike and put in the miles. It was a pleasant surprise to find NJ packed full of bears (they have more per square mile than any other trail state), black berries and blueberries. the entire trail today was covered in blueberries on the side of the trail all day. what a treat on a hot day. around 12 oclock, myself and Lunar from Arizona were taking a break and contemplating when it would start raining, being that the sky had grown dark and the air had grown cooler. Sure enough, as i hiked, it soon began to rain. and the rain got harder and harder the entire afternoon. the lightning would crash in the distance, the rain soaked everything i had, the trail was flooded, so soon i was walking in a rain gutter. as i am in the midst of all this inclimate weather and soggy conditions, i can't help but smile. there is no place else i would rather be. The day prior to, i had seen a black snake attack, and coil around, and crush the life out of a chipmonk. it then began to do what God had designed it to do. it ate. an awesome site to witness. Those powerful images of nature at its finest, uncensored, in raw form, culminated with the rain consuming me at the moment gave me a real good feeling of being a part of this great design. and i was. i had my part to play as we all do. we rule over the animals and in that have a responsibility to the land. A duty to protect, preserve and utilize the resources we have. America has done this better than any other country in the world. Communist and socialist countries have left an incredible blot of pollution in their lands. Because of our wealth as a nation, we have implemented better restrictions and monitoring for our comsumable resources, on our own without the need of an international overseer. America has truly stepped up to the plate of responsibility in this aspect. Wealthier means healthier and cleaner. This applies to us as a individuals also. It takes money and time to be responsible, but with power comes responsibility. We all must learn to consume wisely and act accordingly.
That night, i dried out in a little known shelter with Lunar and Sleeping Beauty. The sun reappeared and made a beautiful sunset. Another great day to be on the trail.

12 July 2007 - mile 1225 made it to Allentown Hiking Club Shelter. my Aunt Deb and Uncle Ron met me here to camp over night, then we hiked a few miles. They are such big fans of the outdoors and the AT that they got married on Bake Oven Knob just a few miles from here. All my AT friends love hearing about that. It was a real treat to have them meet me and hike this section with me. And all my hiking buddies that came through the shelter on this given day were treated also...to pizza and mountain dew courtesy of the family. Even a small shelter mouse made out a with a little powdered cocoa in the middle of the night. All was well though, we interupted his midnight meal and stowed our food higher. no problem for the rest of the night. we hiked to 309 the next morning, then i was treated to a ride in a car, (they let me sit IN the car) a hot shower and good meal. Saw my cousin Era who is the Captain of the Hazle Township Volunteer Fire Dept. and had a real good visit. I hardly ever see these guys since i live in Florida, so the visit was a long time coming. just didn't think it would be a long walk coming also. So with a new set of shoes (the old ones lasted me 1200 miles and were worn smooth on the tread)and a full belly, i say good bye to the last of the family that Ill see on the trail, and press forward to the last 944 miles of the hike. My pack is down to 40 lbs of essential gear to include 1 sleeping bag, 1 short sleeve shirt, 1 longsleeve shirt, 1 set of rain gear, 1 pari of pants, a small 1st aid kit, headlamp 10 lbs food, 6 lbs water and journal. my body is 20 lbs lighter, leaner and meaner, my walk is steady and quick, my appetite is still monsterous and my complaints are non existent. Its is my dialy routine to be up at 6-7 and on the trial by 7-8 hiking all day till dark, setting up camp, eating, going to sleep then getting up and doing it all over again every day for 5-6 months. it is a lifestyle at this point. One I fulyy enjoy and relish. My mind is clear and my thoughts are steady. I am mentally prepared to carry on as long as my body holds out. More hikers have left the trail due to injuries and obligations. So I hike on. Hoping the experience leaves an unexplainable stamp on my soul. Its already left a pretty good stamp on my feet. Until then. Good Hiking

4 July 2007 - 1.133 miles - Happy Birthday USA! made it to past the half way point, through Maryland and half way through Pennsylvania to Duncannon. The trail took me through my first wheat fields and corn fields. I loved the low land hiking through the farm lands. this is the area my dad grew up in, so i was looking forward to this section, even though i heard the rocks were gonna be trouble.
The universe works in mysterious ways sometimes. this time, my folks were going to come up and visit one last time. We visited My Aunt Betty and Uncle Stan and Gram around Allentown. It just so happened Dad wanted to hike a section of the trail with me, so my Aunt Deb (she got married on the AT) researched the area and told us where the easiest part of the trail in Pa was. It just so happened to be right outside of Duncannon, which is on the ridge right above the valley where he was born and raised. Perfect. The night before we are to hike the 10 mile section from Pa 225 to Pa 325, i get a call from a Japanese Filming company. Turns out they are doing a made for Japanese television documentary on the Appalachian trail and are interviewing 4 hikers, one of which happens to be yours truly. So on the 8th of July, on the high ridge around Shikellimy Overlook, dad and i were followed by 4 members from the film crew. That was a good section of trail. We ate blackberries, identified sassafras and saw 2 big rattlesnakes. both of which were great footage for the film crew. We all survived the hike and the rattlesnakes. Lesson of the day. enjoy your friends and family while you can. Make the most of every moment .

Harper's Ferry

June 28th 2007 mile 1,008 - made it to Harper's Ferry, the psychological half way point of the AT. The town is full of history and is especially rich in Civil War history, which just happens to be one of my favorite. My day started with the hike into town followed by the traditional stop in at the AT Conservancy where i signed in, got my official thru hiker picture taken and logged into the archives. I searched the pictures for trail friends to see who made it this far and who did not. thankfully i knew a few of the names and faces. everyone has lost weight since the journey began 1000+ miles earlier. But this is a major step in reaching the end. Up until this point, i have been focused on getting to the next shelter, or just getting out of Virginia. But now, the focus has shifted and for the first time, there is a glimmer of knowledge that I just might finish this thing.its all pretty much count down mileage from here. So with a quick check of gear, and a hot meal and shower, I set out to do what any proud American would do in this area...i jump in the river and relax for the afternoon.
The next day, i was greeted by a friend of the family, Mr and Mrs. Arch Hoxton who opened their home, pool and refrigerator to a smelly hiker. we swam, ate and visited for the evening. The next morning, i had one more thing to do, visit the Antietem Battlefield and museum. it was incredible and a good source of accurate American history. The visit helped me realize that hiking the trail was not just a hike, but also an experience of America's rich history. God Save the Republic of these United States.

Majic

mile 987. Theres something on the trail called majic. in short, its basically something good that happens or comes your way that you are not expecting. I ran across some former through hikers hanging out and they told me they were on thier way to see RUSH in concert the next evening. ....There is only one particular concert i wanted to see this year, and it was be RUSH. However, my AT thru hike would not allow this. so, my good friends GMan and John bakc in florida had planned since March on seeing them when the tour dates came out. a few weeks ago, my buddies did get to see them without me. i know they coulndt enjoy it completley with the knowledge that i coulnt be there to experience it with them, but all is not lost. The gods were smiling down on me and this RUSH tour was written in my stars. For last night, beyond any explanation from science, i , a thru hiker living in the woods and away from civilization for 6 months got a ride to a RUSH concert in VA. VA is truly a great state. Thanks PI and K-ACHE for some great majic. Snakes and Arrows Baby! dont let your fire burn out!

The Doahs

Shenandoah National Park! mile 849. OK I know i skipped alot of details , Ill just say the last few weeks and few hundred miles went by very quick and i really lost track of time. Im enjoying myself and going to special hangouts only known to hikers. but a word to the wise.....if your family is used to hearing from you every hundred miles or so, and they are addicted to shows like "I shouldn't Be Alive", and "Survival Man" and "Man vs Wild", then make sure you either contact them or let them know you wont be contacting them for a while. theres nothing wose than a worried mother. visions of a hiker falling off a cliff in the middle of no where, both legs broken and slowly dying from exposure and lack of snickers will creep into your loved one's minds if not extinguished with a phone call of "I'm OK". Its good to be loved and better to ease thier minds that all is good in the woods.
The Doah's are great. ive been very close to a few very big black bears. anyone that says black bears aren't intimidating or dangerous hasnt seen them up close like i have. crossed one on the trail. tried waving my poles and growling at him to "GET ON OUTA HEEA!" in true redneck fashion.i thought i was doing pretty good until he stopped, yurned around and looked at me like...."YOU TALKIN TO ME?(enter Robert Deniro voice), yeah, pucker level delta real quick. eventually me smell and beard scared him off. the dear.....oh how i love the site of wild venison still breathing and grazing. yeah my thought was.......boy, if i had a gun with a scope on it.....of course in the Doahs, all oyu need is a potatoe chip and a good grip. they come right up to you. like shoooting fish in a barrel. i did see two, teenage im sure, jump in the road and hang out until a car got close. then, they just stood in the lane of the oncoming car and looked at the friver as if to say....."thats right buddy, Protected Species Here!" ....arrogant little pests. but they were cute and i saw quite a few tiny fawns with thier mother.
The views were incredible . starting to get into real good civil war history regions. trail lesson for the day....stupid rules are made to be broken. Applicable in all life situations.

McAfee's Knob

1 June mile 698. made it to McAfee's Knob. a famous photo op on the trail. great weather and better views. the trail is good and the hot days have added to the challenge. Tinker Cliffs, and the Dragon Tooth were good playgrounds recently. The views are incredible and the climbs are out of this world. Have seen a few rattlesnakes. fell on some rocks coming down a hill (did i mention i hate rocks) a good laugh for anyone watching. the one thing about getting up after a fall if your a hiker, is that you have an addiditonal 40 lbs on your back. lets just say, if you can envivison a turtle trying to get off its back, thats about what i looked like. But all was good, i was aobut to enter the Blueridge Parkway. The promised land of well graded trail, no slopes no rocks or roots, and cheeseburgers and milkshakes every 10 - 20 miles.....

Virginia part 2

15 May 2007 - mile 487. Just outside of Damascus is Mount Rogers, and then a wonderful open highland called Grayson. This area is home to Wild (feral) ponies. Just little guys, but they actually will come up to you and try to lick the salt off of your pack. This is adorable until the little jerks start trying to EAT YOUR PACK. yeah, and they don't scare to easy. kind of weird getting surrounded by 20 intimidating ponies. There are huge boulders covering the top of the highlands. like a scene out of Braveheart. Very nice.

24 May 2007 - mile 579. after 7 in the woods, i was hurting for resupply food. so i had to make a stop in Bland which is 3 miles off the trail. which means you have to hitch hike into town or walk the whole way in. my hitch hiking skills suck. not to mention the fact that, thanks to the beard, i now look like a fugitive from the law. Needless to say no one picked me up when i attempted to hitch. I've thought about making a sign for hitching that says "I Won't Kill You" maybe i can get a lift with some humor added. Made it in and split a room with a few other hikers. Bytecode, Churchmouse, Torpedo, Tony Tiger and Not Guilty. The next day, i was back on the trail and back in my element. It feels great to get back to the woods!

28 May 2007 - mile622. Spent the day in Pearisburg. My folks met me for the day. It was great to see them. Especially my MOMMY!!! Yeah, That's right, I'm a big momma's boy and proud of it. Had a good time with them.

The Road to Damascus

11 May 2007 - Greetings! I am at the 459 mile marker and all is well. Made it to the geat trail city, Damascus and my 4th state, Virginia. Damascus is rated one of the nicest cities on the trail. i resupplied and switched out my tent, which the tent poles broke on me, for a Hennessey Hammock. Lovin it! no more trying to find a flat place to get my tent soaked. now i am high and dry. 2 trees is all thats needed.
Virginia is the longest state on the trail. with over 400 miles. The terrain has still been up and down but not as many roots and rocks in some sections. i have been able to constantly knock out close to 20 miles a day. my pack is still heavy compared to some, weighing in at around 40 lbs with food and water. the days are getting hot and the water sources are getting scarce. in virginia, the standard hiking prcedure is to "climb out" of a resupply city and the trail stays high on the ridge until it drops back down into another city or road. while up high on the ridge, the water is very scarce and spread out.
Stayed in Damascus for Trail Days, which is the ultimate AT festival on the trail. had a great time with the Pain Train and crew. there is a hiker's parade where the hikers march down main street and all the locals watching the parade get to take out all thier aggression on the hikers with water balloons, super soakers and anything else that is wet. by the end of the parade, we, the hikers, were completly soaked. its amazing to watch local 12 year olds pound and get pounded by dirty, smelly hikers with water balloons. A good time was had by all.

Baptism by Water

greetings all! Well, i am 300 miles into the trail and loving every minute of it. the first few days it rained like crazy with a seriously strong wind/thunder/lightning/rainstorm, followed by zero degree temps on top of Tray Mountain in Goergia (Georgia's highest point)...with ice crystals. The hike started out well, i eventually had to downsize my pack and gear at Neel's Gap, 4 days into the hike. So i lost 20 pounds of gear in 20 minutes thanks to the new weight loss program at Neel's Gap...Thanks Neels!!
I have taken alot of photographs and video footage. my camera froze up on me a few days because it was so cold.

8 April 07 -spent Easter in Hiwawassee at a hostel called the Blueberry Patch. The owner and his wife made us blueberry pancakes with blueberries from thier land.

9 April 07- good hiking out back into the trail. stayed at Standing Indian Gap. one thing about camping out every night, you get to have a campfire every night also. there is nothing quite as fullfilling as throwing your sleeping bag down on the ground and sleeping right under the stars. its quite incredible to be miles from anyone else, and slowly drift off to sleep......then wake up in a panic when a tree limb falls 50 ft from you.
fast forward a little here. finally made it to the NOC. Nahtahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina. a nice break and time to restock up my supplies. Leaving the NOC is a straight up couple mile climb out of the gorge. when i left the NOC the weather was fine, as i trekked up the mountain, it suddenly shifted, the wind picked up (50 mph gusts), and the horizontal snow began to sting my face. stopped in at the first shelter i came to because the weather had deteriorated so badly. that night, 20 of us stayed in a 16 person shelter. for good reason, it ended up being a record of a storm that i would find out later devastated the Smoky Mountains.

18 April 07 - The smokies.... that storm i saw a few days prior had blew down over 200 very big and old trees in a 5 mile stretch in the smokies. I'm talking root bases 30 feet across and trunks 3 feet across. trying to manuever around the fallen giants was near impossible with the under growth and terrain. but it was amazing to be in a place like that right after the devestation took place. a bit a Real Truth. whether you heard it happen or not, the reality was it happened in a big way whether we were aware of it or not. It was very powerful and humbling to witness the raw power of nature just being nature. whether its the trees falling, the incredible wind gusts, the close proximity lightning storm, or the clear open sky. its all completely natural and an every day occurance we can miss out on when we lock ourselves inside our 4 walled bubbles of existence.

18 April 07 - took a zero day in Gatlinburg to let my feet do some healing. Jim Garst, a helicopter pilot, gave me a ride back to Newfound Gap, the trail head. He uses his chopper to deliver materials and equipment used to maintain the APP. Trail. He also gives rides to handicapped that normally couldn't experience the Smokies in any other way. It was great to meet someone that loved the trail and the Smokies as much as i did. Thanks for the ride and the good impression Jim.

26 April 07 - made it to Hot Springs, North Carolina. a great little town with good country people. OK, heres a good story from the many that i have witnessed on the trail. will share the rest of them later, but this is a typical evening. I stayed at Elmer's hostel for the night, when my good buddy from the trial, Buffalo Bobby comes to me complaining about having cracked his tooth while eating Ben and Jerry's ice cream (mmmmmm) this guy is so hard core, he asks me to grab a pair os plires and pull his tooth out. Having done this wxact same thing a few years back while out of country, i agreed. we used a small pocket knife pair of pliars and using my honed medical skills, i pulled it right out. He thanked me and went about his business. i went to cleaning up when i glanced up and see to other thru hikers gasping at me in awe. they coulnd't believe what they had just seen. a puller and a pulley completely non chalant about minor oral surgery. to make it even more interesting, not 2 minutes later i hear a crash off in the distance. I end up being one of the first on scene to a major car accident. helping to monitor and comfort the injured before the ambulance arrived. not a good night when you have to wash the blood out of your shirt the next day. the thank God the baby was OK.

2 April 07 - After cowboy camping all week to get here, i have reached Erwin Tennessee and over 300 miles into my journey. yes, my feet constantly ache, I am always hungry, i smell like a bear (even after i bathe) and the beard is beginning to scare small children. But its one heck of a good time. Unplugging from the cable TV, the inet, the news junkies and all the other self made crap that is so smeared across our culture. getting back to the basics and appreciating the fundamentals. ALL YOU NEED TO LIVE IS FOOD, SHELTER, WATER AND YOUR GOD GIVEN ABILITY. so do yourself a favor an UNPLUG for one day, for 2, make it a week and i gaa- ruunnn-teee you will feel better about yourself and begin to get some real clarity in your life. you won't regeret it.
Good Hiking,
BluDog

The Trail: An Appalachian Trail Thru Hike

All my life, I have loved being in the outdoors. The sense of wonder and excitement associated with hiking uncharted territory shoots sparks of adrenaline through my veins. Its like entering a sacred place, a place that only you and a hand full of others know about. And growing up in the eastern US, I have always heard rumors of an ultimate outdoor/hiking adventure involving a 2100 + mile trek from Georgia to Maine enduring rabid animals, hostile locals and rugged terrain.
Life has brought me to a point where I can finally attempt this life long dream. To walk the most famous hike in the United States, if not the world. The Appalachian Trail. 2100+ miles of wilderness escape expanding roughly the extent of the Eastern half of the United States. Every year, thousands of hopeful hikers begin the journey from Springer Mountain, Georgia with the goal of reaching Mount Katadin, Maine before the snows in October close it off to hikers. Their goal is called the thru-hike, a nonstop hike the entire 2100+ miles of the trail. The journey normally takes 5 - 6 months of continual hiking to complete. Along the way, 90% of all those attempting will leave the trail due to injuries, financial burdens, back home issues or loss of interest. This column is an account of my journey to hike the entire trail and have a lot of fun along the way. The article is written as a “how to” and “how not to”, including lessons learned, some regional info and hiking highlights. I’m not planning on any other major goals or any rigid itinerary. Just a 6 month hike with a pen and a camera.
The Pre-Plan: There is a huge commitment to hiking the entire trail in one shot. Planning the hike involves as much or as little as you want. I opted for a basic pre planning setup including all pre-hike concerns: financial obligations, trail familiarization, a health check, and gear check.
For Financial obligations you want to ensure all your responsibilities like mortgages, bills and family matters are covered for 7 months (6 for hiking and one for societal reintroduction from the wild, aka wilderness detox).
For Trail Familiarization, you want to buy an Appalachian Trail Data Book, which breaks down info along the trail including milage markers from each shelter, water source and town along the trail. This information can help you plan food resupplies via towns on the trial by supermarkets or by Post Office pick ups where you schedule friends to send you packages at predetermined locations.
For Physical preparations and gear check, make sure you begin walking, and working out 2-6 months prior to beginning your hike to build up your muscles and to break in your equipment including boots and gear. Take a minimum of one over night camping trip prior to your thru hike for a gear and gut check. Find out what works and what doesn’t before you hit the trail and to see if this is something you really want to do for 6 months straight. Being on the trail is no place to test a 50 degree sleeping bag during an unexpected snow storm.
After all the preparation, the only thing left, is to do it. Start the hike. I will be heading out the end of March to begin mine. Ill be sending updated info on my progression via smoke signals and pigeon carriers to the editor for the next 6 months. look for my updates in the next issue of Small Town Living. You can also follow my journey via my website, www.thetrailhike.com. Don’t know how often i’ll be able to update it, but i will make a valiant attempt to send in my new journal entries.
So if you love the outdoors and camping or have ever dreamed of a long distance hike like this, anticipate the next issue, curl up with a cup of hot java, and enjoy the ride.... i mean, the hike.
Good Hiking,
Blu Webster