Author Archives: Deserrae Potts

Day 38 Mountaineer Shelter to Kincora Miles Hiked: 16 AT Milage: 420.0 This morning Emma and I slept in, or at least tried to. It’s been so hot at night we can’t sleep in our sleeping bags without sweating a puddle. If we sleep outside our sleeping bags we risk getting bit by a lotContinue reading “Day 38: Kincora”

Day 36 Cherry Gap Shelter to Carver’s Gap Mike’s Hiked: 19.1 AT Milage: 380.4 This morning Emma and I woke up at 5:30AM and were hiking at 6:05. We did our first 7 miles super fast. My feet were feeling great. I was really frustrated and scared when I rolled my ankle badly going downhill.Continue reading “Day 36: Cloudland”

Day 35 Random Stealth Spot to Cherry Gap Shelter Miles Hiked: 15.2 AT Milage: 361.3 This morning we started getting ready at 7:30 am. I didn’t sleep well at all last night so I wasn’t motivated to get on the trail. I really didn’t want to say goodbye to Jeff either. He left at 8amContinue reading “Day 35: Beauty Spot”

Day 34 Erwin, TN to random stealth camping spot Miles Hiked: 1.8 AT Milage: 346.1 This morning I woke up at my house extremely tired from the night before. I was so slow getting all of my belongings together for the trail. We didn’t leave our house until 11am for the 7 hour drive backContinue reading “Day 34: On the Trail Again…”

Miles Hiked: Zero AT Milage: 344.1 I knew from the start of my hike that I would be getting off the trail for a few days so I could go see my best friends get married back in Cleveland Ohio. Because of this I purposely did not take a single day off the trail untilContinue reading “Days 30-33: 4 Zeros for the Tomm’s (and my body)”

Day 29 Big Bald Mountain to Erwin, TN Miles Hiked: 16.9 AT Milage: 344.3 After barely sleeping all night, I got everyone up at 6am. We wanted to get on trail as early as possible because we were planning on driving home to Ohio from Erwin, TN where Emma and Caroline parked their car beforeContinue reading “Day 29: Back to Ohio”

Day 28 Flint Mountain Shelter to Bald Mountain Shelter Miles Hiked: 18.9 AT Milage: 327.4 This morning we got out of camp so late. It’s the latest I’ve ever started a day on the Appalachian trail and I’ve only ever started later when I was on a trip with 8 other people. Starting the dayContinue reading “Day 28: Late Start, Later Night”

Day 27 Little Laurel Shelter to Flint Mountain Shelter Mike’s Hiked: 14 AT Milage: 308.5 This morning I got out of my sleeping bag at 6:15 and we all got on trail at 7:05. Everyone else in the shelter was still sleeping except Spider who got on trail about 15 minutes before we did. WeContinue reading “Day 27: Competition”

Day 26 Spring Mountain Shelter to Little Laurel Shelter Miles Hiked: 8.6 AT Milage: 294.5 This morning I woke up at 7 and listened to the rain hitting the tent hoping it would stop. I didn’t start packing up things until 7:20 knowing that the rain would continue all day long. As I was packingContinue reading “Day 26: A Little Rain Never Killed Anybody”

Day 25 Deer Park Shelter to Spring Mountain Shelter Miles Hiked: 14.2 AT Milage: 285.9 This morning we all woke up around 6am in the shelter. I felt something crawling inside my shirt. I went to scratch it and I grabbed a bug inside my sleeve. I whipped off my shirt as fast as IContinue reading “Day 25: Hot Springs, NC”

Day 24 Roaring Fork Shelter to Deer Park Mountain Shelter Miles Hiked: 14.7 AT Milage: 271.7 Today was a great day of hiking. I got on trail a bit before 8am. I caught up to a guy named Noah who I hiked with for a day near Wayah Bald. I was surprised to see himContinue reading “Day 24: Cozy Corner”

Day 23 Painters Branch to Roaring Fork Shelter Miles Hiked: 13.3 AT Milage: 257.0 This morning I hiked out of camp significantly later. I am not living up to my name of “Early Bird”. The first 2 miles up to snowbird peak were steep. Kentucky caught up to me and hiked with me to theContinue reading “Day 23: Max Patch”

Day 22 Standing Bear Farm to Painter Branch Miles Hiked: 2.2 AT Milage: 243.7 This morning I woke up in the bunk house and finished up my blogging from the day before. I really enjoy keeping a trail journal but it is a lot of work sometimes. I always try to write down everything beforeContinue reading “Day 22: A Nero out of Standing Bear Farm”

Day 21 Tri-Corner Knob Shelter to Standing Bear Farm Miles Hiked: 18.1 AT Milage: 241.5 This morning I was very slow getting out of my tent. My goal was to get up as early as possible to get to Standing Bear Farm as fast as possible. Standing Bear Farm is a hostel that is oneContinue reading “Day 21: GSMNP Day 5 – An Interesting Turn of Events”

Day 20 Mount Collins Shelter to TriCorner Knob Shelter Miles Hiked: 20.6 AT Milage: 223.4 This morning I woke up to the rain drumming loudly on the roof of the shelter. It had been raining hard since yesterday around 2pm. I just laid there in my sleeping bag wishing the rain would stop so IContinue reading “Day 20: GSMNP Day 4 – No Rain. No Pain. No Maine.”