And the monsoons came. A tale from Good Friday…

The kids were out of school for Good Friday recently, so we took them backpacking on the Appalachian Trail near Tray Mountain.  Here they are at Tray Gap about a mile from the summit. Even the dog was having a great time at Tray Gap and went straight for a mega muddle puddle at the cross-roads.  Three 4x4 Jeeps did the same and entertained the kids before we hit the Trail.  All got a good smattering of mud as you can see below...  Uh, I gotta sleep with that? We considered … [Read more...]

Robert Redford Filming Of Walk In The Woods Underway

Passionate about the Appalachian Trail?  Live in the Southeast (particularly in Atlanta or North Georgia)?  Then this is your big chance to hang with Bob and Nick - they just started filming a Walk In The Woods based on Bill Bryson's A.T. memoir.  The movie is due for release in November 2015, and filming at The Lodge in Amicalola State Park began on 4/22/14.  Extra's casting is reportedly underway per this article in the Gainesville Times, and if your not the Trail Hard type - there's … [Read more...]

You can tell by the smell…..

Now you can smell like the Trail when you are off the Trail.... Some very clever marketing by the Appalachain Trail Conference. This is actually a fundraiser for the Appalachian Trail. Very creative ATC. Well done … [Read more...]

Spring Has Sprung, Time For A Hike On The Benton MacKaye …

After a unseasonably cool winter, the weather finally broke and we decided to take the kids out for an overnight hike. We did this one on a Friday night to avoid conflicts with spring sports and with spring break.  Here we are at the parking area at Three Forks on the Appalachian Trail. The dog is more excited than anyone and is hauling his own food, water, sleeping bag and sleeping pad.  All in - the dog's pack weighs about 8 lbs - nearly the same weight as my empty … [Read more...]

Bill Irwin, First Blind Hiker To Hike The Appalachian Trail, Passes Over The Weekend

I read Bill Irwin's book during my 1994 thru-hike - very inspiring.  He was the first blind hiker to hike the entire Appalachian Trail and did it with the assistance of his dog Orient.  Sad to hear that he has passed over the weekend: "Bill Irwin, who in 1990 became the first and only blind person to hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail without human assistance or companionship, died Saturday morning." A video story on You Tube...             … [Read more...]

41 CAMPING HACKS THAT ARE BORDERLINE GENIUS

Some of these "Camping Hacks" are pretty good.  I'm definitely going to try #9 "Make crescent rolls over the campfire" on our next trip... The complete list of camping hacks are at this link.... http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/camping-hacks-that-are-borderline-genius   … [Read more...]

And The Lackies Return To The Smokies…

We have a long tradition of backpacking the Smokies in the winter, but Brunn and I sit out the tough stuff this year and hike less than half of the ~35 mile route.   While the rest of the crew gets pounded by rain - I fly home from Vegas and Brunn hits the Allman Brothers Tribute show at the Fox in Midtown Atlanta (a worthy choice).  Needless to say, we get a late start on the trip.  Here's Brunn packing at noon on Saturday after the show.       But everything comes with a price and … [Read more...]

We weathered rain, slippery rocks, bears, and put Rebel to rest this weekend

Just returned from a loop hike at Blood Mountain via the Reece Memorial, Freeman, and Appalachian Trails. We were aware that bears were a problem in this area and reminded immediately by a sign at the trailhead. Here's two of our crew at the junction of the three trails. The 1.8 mile hike along the Freeman Trail was wet and slippery and much harder than I remembered it. There's not a lot of elevation change, but it's really rocky in sections. We arrive to an empty Woods Hole Shelter around … [Read more...]

Hiking/Geocaching With The Kids

Took the kids for a hike this morning and to try some geocaching after spending $10 on an app for the iPhone.  We found the first one quickly, but the second geocache was a challenge.  Here we are standing on top of the hidden treasure and we can't even find it.  Turns out it was well camoflauged and the container looked just like a log on the forest floor.  But after 30 minutes, we make the discovery.  We must have walked by it 20 times this morning. Just some party beads in this … [Read more...]

13 Year Old Completes The Triple Crown

The Triple Crown consists of the Appalachian Trail (2,181 miles), the Continental Divide Trail (3,092 miles), and the Pacific Crest Trail (2,652-mile). This 13 year old girl who is an 8th grader in Salem, Oregon just completed all three. Only about 200 people can say that, and here's a video interview with her .... … [Read more...]