Skidding down the steep scree-lined slopes of Mount Webster, I was about to emerge from the magic of the mountains to witness the magic of human kindness in the form of a ‘Trail Angel’, and I was ready for it. Mount Webster was a total nightmare of a descent because my legs were still so …
Franconia Ridge was worth the wait to summit and explore in the sunshine. We’d emerged from the misty Pemi Wilderness, and I was very happy to see the undulating sea of mountains on either side of the ridgeline as I climbed. I spoke to some hikers coming down as I ascended, and they spoke of …
Continue reading “AT Sobo Part 12 – Emerging from the wilderness into Day-hiking madness.”
We left Gorham in New Hampshire with laden packs and rested bodies to head to one of the last monstrous mountains we’d see for a while: Mount Moosilauke; ranked number 9 in the top 50 of New England’s finest peaks. It was a beauty, and a tricky one to get up. Once up however, it …
Continue reading “AT Sobo part 13 – Moosilauke, a panic attack and on to Vermont’s Yellow Deli”
Hiking in a bigger gang was a lovely change. Hambone and I had had an incredible time roaming the remote trails and mountain ranges that made up the first 500 miles, but now we got to explore with a whole team. The Appalachian Trail is a social place, especially for the Northbounders, who start in …
We all loved Vermont, agreeing it would probably always be our favourite state; especially for its famous cheese that we had rammed deep in our packs. It’s important to keep fat consumption up on the trail for energy, and cheese is a great way! The hiking stayed interesting throughout the state which is good, because …
Continue reading “AT sobo part 15 – Where we lose some friends but gain others”
We were now in Massachusetts; our fourth state. What an achievement! MA’s Mount Greylock was our next big summit, and the last one we’d go over for hundreds of miles as the land levelled out ahead of us. Over we went, in a terrible black storm. On the other side of Greylock was the town …
Continue reading “AT Sobo part 16 – Church porches, retro-blazing and Upper Goose Pond”
The states were moving faster now that we were not crossing them end to end; the trail snaked its way across corners and dog legged left and right to keep itself oriented south as we moved along. It was warm and lovely when we passed from Massachusetts to Connecticut; a state I wasn’t particularly looking …
Continue reading “AT Sobo part 17 -Connecticut, Cornwall and Drought”
New York, New York!! In the words of the late, great Frank Sinatra: if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. And I made it; from deli to deli down the trail. I know this sounds like the life of luxury but it really wasn’t. The Deli’s were good but we had to …
Continue reading “AT SOBO Part 18 – New York, Deli Blazing, Zoos and Adventures”
You’d think that being able to camp at a drive-in movie theatre in New Jersey would make me as happy as a clam. You’d be right, but you’d also be wrong. What a cool place to pitch up; the movie owners were great trail supporters, and every night the grassy bank at the back of …
Continue reading “AT Sobo Part 19 – New Jersey broke my spirit and heart for a while…”
I covertly hobbled and limped my way forward on the trail for the next few weeks. My pride meant that I wasn’t going to admit how much it hurt. I quietly knew that it was serious but I, stupidly, wasn’t taking it seriously enough. Many people I’d known had had to leave trail due to …
Continue reading “AT Sobo Part 20 – From PA to VA with joy, and a very bad injury.”
