My Hiking Story

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!

Pacific Crest Trail Documentary: "Walking the West"

This video about the Pacific Crest Trail(PCT) was an inspiration to me during my early hiking days. It's great to watch the guys in this film transform from their city life into dirty thru hikers. While I have not yet walked the PCT this film always makes me want to get up and go!

"Winner California Independent Film Festival (Best Documentary) and Vancouver Mountain Film Fest (Jury Award)"Walking the West" is an adventure Documentary about a New Zealander and an Irishman who quit their jobs, cash in their savings and walk 2626 miles from Mexico to Canada along one of the longest foot trails in the world, the Pacific Crest Trail. Walking a challenging pace of 21 miles a day for 4.5 months, they must cross the Canadian border before winter storms hit the Cascades.
see www.walkingthewest.com"

Meghalayas' Living Bridge

This is a great example of how man can work with nature to create functional structures that are sustainable. It's important to note the dedication and patience while forming these bridges. This is not a instant reward but the payoff is well worth the time and effort. Let Meghalayas' living bridges be an example and inspiration to us all!

Snow On Colorado Trail Thru Hike

This video was shot along the Colorado Trail during my 2011 thru hike. These clips show some of the fun, and challenges posed by the snow.

Visit America's National Parks for FREE!

This is a great opportunity if you live close to one of the parks. Go here to find the parks near you.
National Park Week is a chance for all Americans to experience the majesty of the national park system for FREE. Visit any of America’s 394 national parks and enjoy free admission all week long, April 16–25, 2011. Now there's nothing stopping you, get out and go!
Visit the National Parks Website for more information.

Green Tunnel - The Appalachian Trail in 5 Minutes!

This video covers the Appalachian Trail in 5 minutes! If you have hiked the entire trail, or even just sections of it then it's fun to spot some of the landmarks. If you are new the the Appalachian Trail then this will give you a good overview of some of the terrain it covers.


Green Tunnel from Kevin Gallagher on Vimeo.
A six month journey along the 2,200 mile long Appalachian Trail, condensed and reinterpreted into five minutes of stop-motion.

Great job Kevin, loved the video!

Ray-Way Pack Field Test

Now Comes The Fun Part
After finishing sewing my Ray-Way pack I finally got a chance to test it out! And guess what? I have mostly all positive things to say about it.

First off you need to be aware of a few things, this is a extremely light weight pack, and is made for light weight gear. If you enjoy bringing along a lot of luxury items, or heavy gear it's probably not going to work very well for you. Secondly, no matter what pack you choose if you don't allow time for your body to adjust to carrying a load, and walking all day with it you are still going to be sore. I can't express how important the training portion of a hike is. It gives you a chance to get in shape, test out gear and practice your skills. There are enough things to take care of while on a long hike, starting off out of shape is just one more potential thing that could lead to giving up(due to discouragement or injury), and ending your trip.

Taking advantage of the large pockets on the Ray-Way Pack!

Okay, Back To The Pack
One of the first parts you make when sewing the Ray-Way Pack is the shoulder straps. These are made of nylon casing and some thick foam that provided much more padding than my Golite Jam. While I never had a problem with the Jam's shoulder straps I was happy to see the thicker straps on the Ray-Way because of it's lack of a waist strap(there is a option to add one)

Plenty of Pockets
The back and sides of the Ray-Way pack are covered with 3 large mesh pockets, which I love! This was my first time hiking with a pack that had such a large amount of external storage. At the time I was not using my trekking poles and without the waist strap it was so easy to swing the pack onto one shoulder and retrieve whatever I want out of one of the pockets. I was able to store everything outside the pack that I knew I needed for the day, as well as clothing that I was either taking off, or planning to put on.
In addition to just storage, the mesh makes a very good option for drying any wet gear while on the move.

In addition to the large pockets, notice the black horizontal straps near the top, Ray calls these "Sock-hanger Straps". In addition to socks, they can be useful for securing an umbrella, collapsable trekking poles or other items.

The Cargo Hold
I'm not sure exactly how to describe this, but it has a good vertical feel to it. I don't like packs that protrude to far from my back. Everything feels close and I feel like i have a good center of gravity with it. Again, its not huge(although Ray does sell different size packs) but with the proper gear and planning its large enough for almost any trip.

So What's Bad?
Like most light weight gear, you must treat it with respect. This can be a little difficult if you get off the trail and are bushwhacking. While exploring around the foot hills trail I managed to put a hole in the extension collar. I knew at the time I was doing something that was risky, and I can now say that I know how to patch silnylon! It's very easy, and I will try to post some of my thoughts on it later.
Also, I'm a little concerned about the big mesh pockets that I love so much, there is a chance those could snag on some brush.
These are actually very small concerns and as long as you mind your surroundings there should be no problem.

Final Word
I'm thrilled with my Ray-Way pack! The construction was a learning experience and very rewarding and each time I take it out I build a little more confidence in it's strength and my ability to sew. I give it 5 out of 5!


For a little more info, be sure to check out my Ray-Way Pack construction page!