Refreshed and reinvigorated

As much as I love the Appalachian Trail life, I had a very brief moment of melancholy sadness earlier this week. I'm getting closer and closer to the end of my journey, and I don't want it to end. I'm consistently hiking over 20 miles per day, and I've been pushing myself to reach the October 15th deadline for reaching the terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Baxter State Park (they close the final peak of the trail when winter weather hits due to safety concerns). 

Life can be messy, and even the AT is under construction. 

This week was full of milestones, beautiful views, and intense physical strain. And I loved every minute of it. I am having a hard time imagining a life where I am not physically working for ten hours a day. The thought of sitting at any kind of job feels like torture. For the first time in my life I feel truly alive. I'm using my body to take me to amazing places, and it feels so good. 

We've hiked over 1,500 miles!

Roxy continues to shock and awe me with her physical fitness. Her endurance and strength have grown exponentially. After hiking 20+ miles, we get to camp and she is ready to play. Her behavior out on the trail is perfect, and our bond is unbelievable. Again this is another thing about ending the trail that makes me sad: I'm going to have to spend time  apart from Roxy :( For the past three months we have literally spent every moment together. The thought of living in a world where I have to spend time away from her makes me very wary. I've grown to think of her as an extension of myself. We are inseparable and everything I do revolves around her needs. 

My better half :)

I have just over a month left of the Appalachian Trail, and I'm determined to make the most of every moment. When I got to town today and turned on my phone, I was blown away by how many encouraging messages and comments I had from family, friends, and even past acquaintances from the trail. I am so thankful for everyone who continues to follow and support my journey. It still humbles me to receive packages and letters from each and every one of you. The trail has been truly magical and has shown me how much good is left in the world. As I finish this journey I hope to find a new and remarkable path to follow. No matter where I end up next, I'm lucky to have such an amazing following of supporters :) 

The Appalachian is just one stop, life definitely has more fantastic places to take me. 

Peace and Clarity

Hiking the Appalachian Trail has allowed me to spend lots of time enjoying life and focusing on finding happiness. But as I wander ever closer to Mt. Katahdin and my final terminus, thoughts of what is going to come next have begun to creep into my mind. 

Wouldn't it be grand if life consisted of just following white blazes?

I've come to the conclusion that worrying about what comes next is a pointless exercise. On the Appalachian Trail, my only concern is finding the next white blaze which always leads me in the right direction. Life happens one step at a time. I plan on carrying this mentality with me on all my future endeavors. 

Changing states, but still following the same signs. 

Worry gets you nowhere, and even the best laid plans always end up falling apart. So I am not going to focus on the future. I am alive now, and you can't enjoy life if all you do is worry and plan for the future. 

So every time someone asks me "what's next?" or "what will you do when you finish?" my response is simply: I'll keep on living. 

America! The land of freedom and happiness :) 

Interest in Internet Waning

The longer I am out on the trail, the less I feel inclined to check Facebook, Instagram or any other sort of social media. The woods are so beautiful and peaceful, and I rarely have any sort of phone service. When I get into town, it is hard to spend time staring at a screen. So once again instead of a real blog post, here are some pretty pictures and quick updates. 

This is Roxy's new hiking partner. Bailey is hiking with her dad who is a retired marine. It has been awesome having another dog to hike with. 

These two little monsters are section hiking the Appalachian Trail with their dad. They are ten years old and hike 6-10 miles per day for about a week at a time. 

This bird looks like he is the messenger of death. 

Susy came to visit me to hike! The bugs are crazy vicious right now so the bug nets are a necessity. 

I have no idea what is coming out of this guy's butt. 

I stayed with a fantastic family in Duncannon and Jan made this delicious chocolate cake. 

Roxy is getting very wild out here. She sleeps outside by herself even if I'm staying in a hostel or in my tent. 

Updates on Roxy

A lot of people thing their dog is the best dog ever, so this might sound a little redundant, but Roxy really is the best dog ever. Hiking the AT is transforming her in ways I never anticipated, and she has grown into a fantastic hiking companion. 

Several people have asked me where Roxy's pack is, and the short answer is she isn't carrying one anymore. 

Near Roan Mountain, Tennessee, Roxy began limping slightly. I took her to the vet and he recommended not having her carry any weight, so I of course immediately shipped her pack home. Although the limp gave me a bit of a scare, I was relieved that she was able to push through the injury and is now doing great again. She is very lean and muscular, capable of powering through even the most difficult rock climbs. 

Roxy is still maintaining a healthy weight of about 60lbs. I have to carry all of her food now, which is about 6lbs of food for 5 days. The Merrick backcountry kibble is working great for her, and I am thrilled that she still enjoys the taste. 

The biggest challenge along the trail continues to be the high temperatures. Luckily I have come to enjoy afternoon naps so we have no problem avoiding the hottest part of the day. 

Roxy continues to impress me every single day. Our bond has grown exponentially since we literally spend all of our time together. Roxy is calmer and more obedient than ever, and I am so proud of the dog she has become. 

Halfway Done!

It is hard to believe I have walked over 1,000 miles. The Appalachian Trail is 2,189.2 miles long, and yesterday I officially passed the halfway point. When I stopped in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, I got my AT hiker photo taken and was recorded as the 1,358th northbound thru-hiker. 

Reaching the halfway point has been bittersweet. I am thrilled to be making such great progress, but am not ready for this journey to end. Out here I am completely at peace, and that is a feeling I think will be hard to carry over to the real world.

Pennsylvania shelters are amazing, I could live here forever. 

Many people hiking the trail are here to figure out their lives and make sense of the world. They spend their time hiking and having deep thoughts while contemplating the intricate workings of the world. But I am quite content doing the exact opposite. My goal while hiking is to not think at all, and it is working out very well. I've spent enough of my life over thinking, over analyzing, and over stressing about every aspect of my life. Out here my mind is free of worrisome thoughts. I walk in the woods and my only thoughts are of admiration and appreciation for the wonderful beauty of nature. I'm quite content living a simple life with simple thoughts. 

Beautiful views inspire beautiful thoughts. 

I've discovered so many wonderful places and seen inspiring sights. As I continue along the second half of the trail, I know life will only get better. 

Ready for another 1,000 miles of adventure.