Des Hikes Thru

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."

Day 19 Derrick Knob Shelter to Mount Collins Shelter Miles Hiked: 13 AT Milage: 202.8 Today I hit the trail before anyone else from the shelter a tiny bit after 7am. The weather was supposed to be miserable, so I wanted to get as many miles in as I could before the downpour started. IContinue reading "Day 19: GSMNP Day 3 – Milestones"

Day 18 Russel Fields Shelter to Derrick Knob Shelter Miles Hiked: 9 AT Milage: 189.8 Last night I fell asleep before 8pm and had the best sleep I've ever had on the trail. I stayed in the shelter and it never filled up. Everyone staying in it was extremely nice too. I decided to doContinue reading "Day 18: GSMNP Day 2"

Day 17 Fontana Dam Shelter to Russel Fields Shelter Miles Hiked: 14.9 AT Milage: 180.8 Last night at the shelter I had my worst shelter experience yet. Everyone was really mad and so was I, but I found a lot of humor in the situation. The shelter we were staying at is really close toContinue reading "Day 17: GSMNP Day 1"

Day 16 Yellow Creek Gap to Fontana Dam Shelter Miles Hiked: 6.9 AT Milage: 165.7 This morning I woke up in my tent where I was camped in the front yard of Creekside Bed and Breakfast. The creek was between me and the house and it was so nice to listen to it all nightContinue reading "Day 16: The Hilton"

Day 15 Sassafras Shelter to Yellow Creek Gap Miles Hiked: 14.5 AT Milage: 158.4 This morning I slept in because I didn't want to wake up the whole shelter and wanted to head out closer to the group. I was still the first person of the group to leave camp. The climb up to CheoahContinue reading "Day 15: Creekside"

Day 14 Wesser Bald Shelter to Sassafras Shelter Miles Hiked: 12.8 AT Milage: 148.3 This morning I woke up to noises outside my tent and the light of a headlamp. I was so confused because I thought it was the middle of the night. I poked my head out of my tent and saw thatContinue reading "Day 14: The NOC"

Day 13 Wayah Shelter to Wesser Bald Shelter Miles Hiked: 10.6 AT Milage: 131 Last night I slept very well despite the wind storm and being worried about my bear bag I hung directly over my tent. I figured I would just wake up if a bear came but I was still worried. Today IContinue reading "Day 13: Good Company"

Day 12 Siler Bald to Wayah Bald Shelter Miles Hiked: 7.3 AT milage: 120.2 This morning I slept in slightly later than normal since I barely slept at all the night before. Last night was my roughest night on trail yet. I was up until 3:30am having massive coughing fits and I didn't have anyContinue reading "Day 12: Wayah Bald"

Day 11 Rock Gap to Siler Bald Miles Hiked: 7.9 AT milage: 113.7 This morning I still woke up at 7am without an alarm, even though I fully intended on sleeping in because I had a real bed. Andrea and I got breakfast at McDonalds and got ready to check out of the hotel. MyContinue reading "Day 11: Trail Angels"

Standing Indian Shelter to Carter Gap Shelter Mikes Hiked: 7.6 AT Milage: 93.5 This morning I slept in til 7:15, a little later than usual. I woke up feeling sicker than I had the other days. I took some medicine and started getting ready. I believe I was the first one out of camp again.Continue reading "Day 9: Listening to My Body"

Day 8 Plum Orchard Shelter to Standing Indian Shelter Miles hiked: 12.2 AT Milage: 85.9 I slept SO well last night. I feel asleep before 8 and woke up around 7. I took melatonin, Tylenol, and night time cold medicine. I knew I needed to sleep very well to start getting better. For the secondContinue reading "Day 8: First Border Crossing"

Day 7 Sassafras Gap to Plum Orchard Shelter Miles hiked: 10.8 AT Milage: 73.7 This morning I woke up before 7am to the sound of woodpeckers and bird chirping. I had a dream about trying to hitch hike from the trail and woke up a few times last night thinking I heard a bear tryingContinue reading "Day 7: One Mile Per Hour"

Day 6 Unicoi Gap to Sassafras Gap Miles hike 10.4 AT mileage 62.8 Today is the day! My parents and sister sacrificed their weekend to drive me down to the trail at Unicoi Gap in GA. We stayed the night at Quality Inn in Helen, GA. I called around to several hotels and it wasContinue reading "Day 6: For real this time"