Live - Appalachian Trail Thru Hike ... GA to MA

[Chad_E]

^^what does the "before" and "after" pic look like? haha

[Anvilheadtexas]

^^what does the "before" and "after" pic look like? haha

Let me see if there is a decent comparison. However, I know that I was 232 when I started and I weighed 193.5 right before the 100 mile wilderness. I am sure I lost weight in there, so total weight loss is over 40 pounds. I am way too skinny now... And that's okay, as I am told the weight comes back quickly.

[junkmanhunter]

Junk man, thank you. The two greatest decisions were 1) to hike my hike and 2) pay attention to the fact that I had to keep moving north daily.

The term "hike your own hike" is tossed around a lot out there. It starts with having a reason for being out there and an expectation of how one wants to experience the trail. I feel I hiked my own hike and when that was being compromised I made adjustments accordingly.

Focusing on the end goal (Katahdin) and that miles that laid between me and Katahdin was also a good decision. To be clear I did not try to hike say NH while I was in CT, but understanding what I need on a daily average to finish by Oct 1 paid off.

I also paid close attention to how much time I spent off trail and really limited the zero days (and doing not near zeros when in town). Sure, I finished a few days early and could have enjoyed a few days, but it seemed some hikers really fell into the town trap and are still hiking or quit!

I started April 5 to edge out cold weather. It worked. I hiked with many March starters who talked about brutal cold weather in mid to late March. However that being said if I had to do it over again I would have started around March 25 and giving myself a few extra days. This would have also enabled me to hike into Damascus Trail Days (as opposed to shuttling up and back when it was over). There is a very good social hiking bubble that forms after Damascus and I always was a little behind it for a while.

I believe I positioned myself with the right hikers for the most part. Early on I hiked a lot with one individual who ended up not being compatible. I made the decision to hike on and that was the right decision (although hiking on meant hiking alone briefly).

Another decision that was right was staying on the trail. So many young hikers left for weddings, music festivals and other reasons for extended periods of time. From the time I started to the time I finished I was always "on trail" with exception to getting off 24 hours to see Dead & Co who was playing near AT and the trip to Gettysburg when Kelly came up July 4th. Both of these sidebars were good distractions as I was not off trail long.

I am blessed I stayed healthy the entire time and there were no family emergencies. Several hikers either became sick or had to get off due to family
issues.

Me on day one (April 5). In so many ways I was so prepared and in so many ways I was clueless! The gut was the first thing that would go!!!

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Thanks for such detail. I wondered if the compatibility issue would ever become a problem. It seems to me just like anything else, you put that many different people together there will be some issues.

Glad it all worked out and once again, Congratulations and a huge thanks for taking us along the journey of a lifetime!!!

[Anvilheadtexas]

Thanks for such detail. I wondered if the compatibility issue would ever become a problem. It seems to me just like anything else, you put that many different people together there will be some issues.

Glad it all worked out and once again, Congratulations and a huge thanks for taking us along the journey of a lifetime!!!

Oh God yes, it was like one big traveling high school. There was drama and there were situations.

[Todd P]

Thank you Brandon for taking us on your GREAT ADVENTURE! And for giving such insight to what you felt along the way.

This thread has been an EPIC TBH adventure we will be talking about for years! You are a TBH Legend!

Todd

[Roscoe]

Let me see if there is a decent comparison. However, I know that I was 232 when I started and I weighed 193.5 right before the 100 mile wilderness. I am sure I lost weight in there, so total weight loss is over 40 pounds. I am way too skinny now... And that's okay, as I am told the weight comes back quickly.

I was wondering how hard it would be to change from eating the 1000's & 1000's of calories you were downing each day to keep your body going. Seems like it'd be darn easy to gain 20lbs in the blink of an eye if you have any kind of sedentary job at all...and maybe even if not.


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[Marion]

Speaking of food what did you miss the most while on the trail?

[Swampa]

Thread of the year, mucho congrats!!!

[Anvilheadtexas]

I was wondering how hard it would be to change from eating the 1000's & 1000's of calories you were downing each day to keep your body going. Seems like it'd be darn easy to gain 20lbs in the blink of an eye if you have any kind of sedentary job at all...and maybe even if not.


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The reality is, that is what happens! Or at least I have read it happens. I am super hungry all the time .... Even though I stop walking over a week ago! I'm trying to watch what I eat, But at the same time none of my clothes fit!!! And by that I mean I can't wear my pants they're too big.

[Anvilheadtexas]

Speaking of food what did you miss the most while on the trail?

Honestly I can't say that I missed any type of food. I think it has to do with the fact that we would eat in town every four days or so and that would give me a fix? When I was hiking I craved beer and not so much a bunch of them just one cold beer. Whenever I would go into town and have the first beer it tasted so good! Weirdly enough the second and third didn't taste half as good? Although I typically drink them anyways! Lol

[Devin]

This was such an amazing adventure. I'm sure most of us would love to attempt it, but will never be able to. Thanks for carrying us along with you.



Let's leave this stuck for a few more days.

For those that can, visit Brandon's fundraiser website to benefit the National Wild Turkey Federation. TPWD is matching the funds raised by Brandon 4:1. So for every $1 that's donated, $5 goes to the NWTF. Let's get it bumped up a bit more:
Turkey Hike

[Anvilheadtexas]

Devin, thank you! I have made it a point not to over promote my fundraiser on TBH, but now that my hike is over and we are soon to do the final tally, I will spend a minute promoting something that can benefit all of us here in TEXAS. Devin you are correct I n pointing out the for every ONE dollar I raise, TP&W will match FOUR! A simple donation of $10 becomes $50!!! And the money raised is earmarked for Eastern Turkey Restoration in EAST TEXAS.

Pledges off line and within the Gofundme account are now at approximately $15,000 ($75,000 after TP&W match). I am pushing for $20,000 ($100,000 after TP&W match). Anything helps get me there. These kind of dollars can go a long way to bringing Easterns back into the Pineywoods!

I wanted to also take this time to thank everyone for the encouragement, kind words and pleasant compliments made about my journey and this thread. I enjoyed updating my progress on TBH as the encouragement I recieved from members helped me to keep moving north.


Eastern turkey on the AT in New York.

Gofundme.com/Turkeyhike

[Pedernal]

Big Congrats on your accomplishment Sir. I can't even began to imaging how elated you must be with successfully completing such a journey. I can't thank you enough for taking us along. I hope to be able to buy you a cold beer or two one of these days.

I have a few questions as to your experience: Which do you think was more demanding, the physical challenge or mental challenge? Also, I know your body needs some recovery time but physically, how do feel cardio wise and leg strength wise?

[Anvilheadtexas]

Big Congrats on your accomplishment Sir. I can't even began to imaging how elated you must be with successfully completing such a journey. I can't thank you enough for taking us along. I hope to be able to buy you a cold beer or two one of these days.

I have a few questions as to your experience: Which do you think was more demanding, the physical challenge or mental challenge? Also, I know your body needs some recovery time but physically, how do feel cardio wise and leg strength wise?

Awesome questions. For me, I think the physical challenge was greater in that early on it was ALL physical. Later on it became a combination of physical and mental. It's important to point out I was well prepared mentally in that I had a well defined goal and an understanding as to why I wanted to complete the hike. An excellent book, Appalachian Trials, enabled me to be well prepared mentally and discussed having an understanding as to why you were out there when the going got tough.

Weirdly enough, I was better prepared for the elements and outdoors having been hunting/trapping/fishing my entire life. So I never hit a mental low point due to say rain, heat or cold. I did have some physical low points when my left leg in PA seemed to develop a nagging pain (that mysteriously disappeared one night?) And then towards the end my feet, ankles and knees felt cooked. I doubled zeroed in Monson before the 100 mile wilderness and honestly felt more tired when I ventured into the wilderness.

I did have days where I just did not want to climb another mountain or top another ridge. This is more mental I assume? I also told myself early on that I should always think about the next great thing that was just over the next mountain....and that kept me going. Sometimes the next greatest thing was a cool campsite, view, trail magic, tavern or a good laugh with a fellow hiker.

I also told myself this was NOT going to be a 2 or 3 time try in order to finally be successful. I am fortunate enough that my wife supported me being gone and I could miss out on earning money, but in fairness, I knew I would either do it this time or live with the realization I failed.

Regarding my body now... It's been just about 2 weeks since I stopped hiking. My body seems to be in a weird shock. Today I am finally starting to feel some relief. I have spoken to several fellow hikers (all much younger than me) and they also feel/felt wrecked. I was up at my place in Barnum this weekend and there are a million things to get caught up on and I barely felt the energy to sit on the tractor and brush hog. I am sure this passes. Also, my knees remain stiff. They loosen up if I move around, but tighten up as soon as I sit down. Again, this is to be expected.

Although pictures can not express what I saw, the picture below helps explain "the thing" I was referring to above. The picture shows the peak of Lafayette Mt. from Garfield Mt. (Looking south). This is in the Presidential section of The Whites (NH). We had just hiked from that peak. Looking back and seeing the distances covered was very rewarding for me. Especially in NH and Maine where the terrain was physically the most demanding.

[OleTomTalker]

Wow!! I'm not really even sure what to say and can think of a million questions!
I'll just leave it at this... Thank You for sharing your journey. I don't see how a person could read this and not be inspired to get up out of their chair and do something!


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