Des Hikes Thru

Day 47 Knot Maul Branch Campsite to Suiter Road/ Laurel Creek Campsite Miles Hiked: 23.9 AT Milage: 584.8 Today I left camp before Emma and Crunchy around 8am. I started hiking commando in just my rain gear with no underwear or bra on because all my clothes were wet and stinky from the rain stormContinue reading "Day 47: Chestnut Knob"

Day 46 Stealth Spot to Stealth Spot Miles Hiked: 19.4 AT Milage: 560.8 Last night it rained all night while we were sleeping. I barely slept 4 hours which is frustrating because it was my longest day yesterday. We got on the trail about 8AM. The first excitement of the day was an old oneContinue reading "Day 46: Sunoco"

Day 43 Damascus, VA to Elk Garden Miles Hiked: 24.2 AT Milage: 494.8 Today we packed up and left the hostel just after 7am. We hiked along the road for a while and then the creeper trail before we got back on an actual hiking trail for the AT. Emma hiked with me for aContinue reading "Day 43: Fresh Legs"

Day 45 Hurricane Mountain Shelter to Stealth Spot Miles Hiked: 26.4 AT Milage: 541.4 This morning I got out of camp right before 7am. I left before Crunchy and Emma because I needed to filter water. As soon as I left I started hiking as fast as I could so I could get to theContinue reading "Day 45: The First Marathon Day"

Day 44 Elk Garden to Hurricane Mountain Shelter Mike's Hiked: 20.2 AT Milage: 515.0 This morning Emma, Crunchy, and I all got on trail around 7:30. Emma and I saw a black bear on the hill above us about two miles into our hike. We stopped to fill up our waters for the day andContinue reading "Day 44: (500 Miles) The Proclaimers and Ponies"

Day 42 The Place Miles Hiked: Zero This morning I slept until 7:30AM but I barely got any sleep last night. I was frustrated because one of the major reasons I like to get a place to sleep other than my tent for the night is to catch up on all the sleep I missContinue reading "Day 42: A Zero in Damascus, VA"

Day 41 Stealth Spot to Damascus, VA Miles Hiked: 15.3 AT Milage: 470.7 This morning Emma and I hit the trail right at 7am. We were really excited to get to town, we were looking forward to the pizza buffet for a long time. We quickly made it to town by 2pm. We crossed theContinue reading "Day 41: The Place"

Day 40 Vandeventer Shelter to Stealth Spot Miles Hiked: 17.8 AT Milage: 455.4 This morning I woke up at 5:30 AM because I wanted to see the sunrise. There was a cool view of the lake and surrounding mountains from behind the shelter. It was a super foggy morning and I couldn't see much soContinue reading "Day 40: The Rabbit Hole"

Day 37 Carver's Gap to Mountaineer Shelter Miles Hiked: 23.6 AT Milage: 404.0 This morning Emma and I got out of our tent at 6AM. I really wanted to wake up and see the sunrise but we were both so tired. Last night we set up our tent close to a road and there wasContinue reading "Day 37: The Station at 19E"

Day 39 Kincora to Vandeventer Shelter Miles Hiked: 17.6 AT Milage: 437.6 This morning Emma and I woke up at Kincora around 8am. Last night Bob offered to drive Emma and I to Watagua lake so we could slack pack 9miles southbound over Pond Mountain back to Kincora. He said after that he would driveContinue reading "Day 39: Going SOBO over Pond Mountain"

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)"