The southern border of Great Smokies National Park represented a transition on this 2,193 mile hike. Going forward from there it is only 168 miles to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the AT. As of today its even fewer, 151 miles! The mountains will be lower than the Smokies, although sometimes just as steep. I will finish on December 15 when my lovely wife Cindy will meet me at Springer Mountain. I really look forward to our reunion! The schedule enables a welcome level of flexibility for my hiking to the finish.
My mind wanders as I walk these near-the-end miles, often landing on a larger perspective of the journey.
How have my impressions of the AT evolved? I have more respect for the trail, the people whose passion for the trail amazes me, the trail angels, the hikers who put one foot in front of the other every and overcome obstacles. My intense dislike for the boulders of Maine and New Hampshire, and anywhere along the AT in New York will always be there. But those places prepared me for the long haul of 2,193 miles.
What have a learned about myself on the AT? Did any knowledge and confidence earned on previous hikes on the PCT in 1995 & 1996, the CDT in 2016 help me on the AT? It’s about resilience, resourcefulness, persistence, confidence, risk-taking, planning, responding to changes in conditions on the trail (such as cold nights), helping others, graciously receiving help, toughness, understanding my own abilities and limitations at 67 years old. And more. Once again I learned that strength and confidence earned from real adventure is the most durable.
What do I enjoy most on the AT? The sounds and sights of birds, insects, animals as I walk in the woods and while in my sleeping bag at night. The green tunnel (I love trees). The transition from steamy summer to cool autumn to frigid, nearly winter. The transition from wildflowers along the trail in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to the golden leaves in Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Camping.) The people who made me feel welcome: Brownie in Vermont, Bill and Cecilia Shea in Massachusetts (and Tony), father-in-law Bill in Pennsylvania, Jeff Zimmerman in Pennsylvania, Sutton Brown in Hampton, Tennessee, and the organizers of hiker Thanksgiving in Hot Springs, including Arnold who drove me there and back to Standing Bear Farm. And the people who happily interupted the thousands of hours of my solitude to hear my stories and tell me theirs.
Those are my thoughts for now. Rain and perhaps snow will find me next week. Even with the cold nights and icy wind in the Smokies I have had good fortune with the weather. I expect drama between here and Springer Mountain. It will fill my sense of adventure! Greg in Wild hikes on!
See my real-time location produced by the InReach unit I carry and a daily log of my progress on the trail.
Almost done!!!!
Excellent! Almost there. So proud of you and your accomplishments. What an incredible adventure! Thank you for sharing it.
Grey Goose
Thanks, Grey Goose. I am happy to have met you in Maine! You should know that the green lighter and chamois cloth you gave me are still with me and valuable pieces in my backpack!
Doing great Bro!
Congratulations and safe travels. I look forward to seeing you when you are home again.
Enjoy your reunion with your lovely wife Cindy!
Unbelievable accomplishment Roger. Perhaps you will write a book?
Yes! I have intentions to write a memoir in 2022!
Thank you for your thoughtful reflection on what it means to hike a long trail. You have captured the essence of adventuring precisely.
Great going Roger. Enjoy these last few miles. You surely deserve the Triple Crown.
Whoops,I got the mileage wrong. But still following you along. Trying to imagine exactly where you are each day. The ground will be soft with all those fallen leaves on the trail. I’m wondering how many people who are southbound that you are seeing. As I was going north in ‘18 in March I saw two people finishing their southbound hikes.
I estimate about 30 to 40 southbound hikers still on trail. This is based on the hikers who were at the Thanksgiving dinner in Hot Springs. I know of about six who did not attend.