For me hiking is about unique experiences. I believe there are certain things that can’t be captured, and the only way to experience them is to place yourself right in the middle of it. And there are certain experiences that only happen for a brief moment and then it’s gone. Yes, there are times that I’m cold, tired, sore and lonely for the comforts of home, but the high points always outshine the lows.
One of the best examples happened to me while in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was my second day into the Whites and it was a day that I had been looking forward to for some time, the hike across Franconia Ridge. This includes a 2.5 miles stretch of ridge walking above tree line, providing some of the best views in the Whites. The only problem was that it had been raining since the moment I woke up and the closer I got to the ridge, the deeper the realization became that this iconic section of the Appalachian Trail (Also referred to as the "AT") was going to be covered in cloud. As I trekked across the ridge line I simply stared down at my feet, carefully placing each step between rocks.
 |
| A foggy hike across Franconia Ridge. |
It was during this section that I noticed my shadow, I had not seen it all day, and now I was staring down at it. When I looked towards the west the clouds broke apart for a moment revealing such a beautiful sight. When I saw this happening I was instantly overwhelmed with joy forgetting all of the cold rain and challenges of the day. I yelled out to the the mountains with a triumphant shout, rejoicing in the surrounding beauty! During this moment I realized it would be short lived so I scrambled for my camera to capture the last few moments of that experience.
 |
| The clouds break on Franconia revealing a great view! |
The Decision
The decision for me to start hiking long distanced began in May of 2006 when I went for a 3 day hike on the Appalachian Trail. At the time I had no idea what I was doing, I had a heavy external frame pack that I had outgrown from my Boy Scout days and it was filled with a lot of unnecessary gear, including what I thought would be enough water for 3 days of hiking. I started early that first day, and by that afternoon I found myself lying on my back, worn out and almost out of water... but I was happy! I was experiencing a sense of freedom and adventure that I had never felt before! I was alone in the woods, but I had everything I needed to support myself(besides the dwindling water supply) and I loved it! When I got off the trail at Neal’s Gap I looked North up the trail and knew that I wanted to continue all the way to Maine. I wanted to continue right then and there, but it wasn’t time yet, and ever since then it has been an ongoing learning experience and adventure.
One of the things I find interesting is that everybody on the trail has a different story about how they got there, but almost everybody has the same goal. To get to Finish!
Continue reading after the break for info on planning, challenges, rewards and lessons learned!
