The Appalachian Trail

Trail Name: Couscous

On March 4th, 2017 I set out from Springer Mountain, Georgia with the intent of hiking 2,190.3 miles north to Mt. Katahdin, Maine on the Appalachian Trail. I had a very broad yet specific goal: hike a completely ridiculous distance through and over the Appalachian Mountains. It was a phenomenally simple and fulfilling way of living:

Wake up. Set a goal. Calculate it. Map it. Do it. 

Each day I went to bed satisfied because if nothing else, I moved a little farther north, a little closer to Katahdin. My problems were so minuscule compared to anything in real life. Being wet, cold, tired, hungry, or even in immense physical pain just unrest issues in the grand scheme of things. The sun will rise tomorrow, and everything is going to work out just fine. My worst day in the woods was so much better than my worst in real life, because to me physical pain is far preferable to emotional pain.

I wasn’t always happy, in fact very often I was far less than happy. But I was fulfilled in mind and body because every single thing I did was intrinsically valuable to me; I had something quantifiable to be proud of at the end of every day. In my eyes, walking around is how I can live my life to the fullest, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to live my perfect life for a little while. This will certainly not be my final thru-hike.

Distance: 2,190.3 Miles

Elevation Gain: 515,000 feet

Days taken: 151

Zero days (no distance traveled): 26

Average mileage with zeros: 14.5

Average mileage without zeros: 17.5

Highest mileage: 43.0 (23:13)

Steps taken: ~5,000,000