Sitting in Cuba waiting for rain. About to hit the start of the snow and it feels like a wall. Trying to figure out what to do next while reflecting on the past month of Trail and the past few years of Trail life. Here’s how it’s all been going.
Day 23
I had an amazingly relaxing zero day in Grants. It was really nice after three weeks of “go, go, go” to intentionally sit and do nothing but watch TV all day. ...

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We left Idyllwild late in the afternoon on Sunday with a plan to hitch back to Paradise Valley Cafe. We agreed to hike no more than five miles so we could maximize our feet’s chances of healing. Our time relaxing in town had already done us a world of good, and the insoles I bought for arch support made an instantaneous, miraculous difference. We wound up stopping at a tent site near a small stream about four miles in and eating our dinner on large sandstone rocks under pink and orange skies. ...

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I’ve walked over 1000 miles now and it is hard to put into words. My feet are a size larger, my beard is covering my face, my drive to reach Maine is unwaivering.
I’ve had my highs and lows over the last 1000 miles and as I leave Virginia, a state that is roughly 550 miles and a quarter of the trail, I have been thinking about what’s keeping me going. Reaching Maine has been such a big goal of mine for so long that moving north does not feel like a choice but a compulsion. ...

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“When the snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives” GOT
I have my experience with snow, coming from Germany and traveling in various countries around the world, that get covered in a great white blanket every so often, has definitely taught me a thing or two about snow! But the Sierras are a whole new level! When I got to Kennedy Meadows I did my research on what the snow situation was in the High Sierras! ...

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Getúlio Felipe is a 14-year old kid born with cerebral palsy. That didn’t stop him climbing the highest mountain in the Italian Dolomites 3,343 m (10,968 ft). … At the age of four, he was advised to start using a … Continue reading →

Climbing Out of Paradise
After almost three weeks off, I finally hit the trail again. I started where I had gotten picked up, Paradise Valley Cafe. I knew that water was going to be less frequent on trail between the cafe and Idyllwild. It was a hard day of constant uphill hiking but I stopped at a little oasis of cedar trees and a spring. It was a mile side trail but totally worth it.

The next day I woke up and powered up some more hills. ...

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Spring is here. The leaves are green, the flowers are blooming, and the animals are out to play. The first week of May has brought some very different kinds of animal encounters for me ranging from scary to adorable.
The Scary One
My hike into Woods Hole Hostel was an especially early one for me. I began hiking at 6:00 AM, about thirty minutes before anyone else, and made a joke to my friends before I left that I’d clear the little webs for everyone that form across the trail overnight. ...

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As promised we’ve compiled a list of all of our gear for anyone who cares! Hiking as a couple has allowed us to share certain items and split weight between two packs. Our sleep system and tent will be shared along with our cook set.
Our Big 3 Include:
Tent: Big Agnes UL2
Sleep System: Enlightened Equipments Accomplice 20 degree 2 person quilt and Exped Synmat Duo 2 person sleeping pad.
Packs: Gregory Octal 45 liter and Osprey Exos 58 liter

Electronics and Gadgets
-Anker Power Core 26800 with chords
-Cannon G9x Mark II Camera
-Camera Charger and Batteries (3)
-Casio Watch (Cody)
-Timex Watch (Kelsey)
-Black Diamond Headlamps
-Guthook Guides
-iPhone XR (1 each)
-Charging Blocks (3)
-FitBit Zip (Kelsey)

Kitchen
-Katadyn Be Free Water Filter (1 each)
-MSR Pocket Rocket w/ 2 liter pot
-Lighter (2)
-Platypus 1 liter (Cody 3, ...

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