My first backpacking trip ever was the Black Forest Trail in Pennsylvania. My college teammate took me the summer before my senior year...

Hot Springs, NC —> Off-Trail —> Rockfish Gap, VA The next day I couldn’t walk. The boys told me they hiked half a mile down to the...

Luray, VA —> Rollercoaster, VA The next day the three of us hiked back up the mountain. We hiked slower because I told them about my knee...

I woke up early that morning and packed up quietly. He was still sleeping. I was almost all packed and in the clear when I heard, “What...

Port Clinton, PA —> Delaware Water Gap, NJ I woke up to my foot throbbing and itching. I checked the bottom - the blister was bigger. I...

New York, New York We met a hiker named Slug and caught up to Bearfood. We all decided to drive into New York city for a day trip. I had...

The next morning I woke up in a pool of my own sweat, rain water, and blood, both mine and the mosquitoes’ I massacred. I put my wet...

New York --> Connecticut Through all of this I felt myself drifting further and further from Sam. I lost my tramily and friends on trail...

Kent, CT It was a hot and cloudy July day in Kent, CT. We began the day fighting over something unremarkable. I remember that he argued...

July 31 That night Beetle and I decided to attempt a 50 mile day together. We needed Cory to slack pack us so I texted him to pick us up....

The next day, Cory drove me back to the other side of Mt.Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. I hiked about ten miles to...

Killington, VT — The next day, Linda dropped me off at the Green Mountain Hostel in Mountainview, VT and we hugged goodbye. I knew it was...

There is something I have not opened up about publicly. It is extremely personal but I think it’s important that I share for two reasons;...

Springer, GA —> Hot Springs, NC I started late - very late - way after the bubbles. I didn't know hiking southbound was an option at the...

Rockfish Gap, VA —> Luray, VA Tom drove me to Rockfish Gap where I got back on trail. Before I even saw a white blaze I saw a hiker in a...

Rollercoaster, VA —> Pennsylvania Border The next day was “The Rollercoaster” - the rolling mountains leading the trial to Harper’s Ferry...

Pennsylvania Border —> Duncannon, PA I hiked to a parking lot at a trail head just over the PA border the next day and asked some kind...

Port Clinton, PA —> Delaware Water Gap, NJ It was only a few days from Port Clinton to the DWG so walking out of town I felt great. I...

The next day I wanted to get back on trail so I could catch up to Tracks and the rest of my tramily. He said he couldn’t take me because...

The next day I reached a small town called Unionville in New York. The local post office let hikers sleep on their lawn. The local post...

Kent, CT Lionheart said he had never had a good birthday. He told me something terrible always happened on his birthday. Growing up it...

I was distraught about what to do romantically. I felt like I had to choose between Lionheart and Sam. There was a time when I thought I...

Massachusetts Beetle and I hiked together and decided to attempt the 50 mile again in a few days. We hiked very well together and always...

Williamstown, MA —> Bennington, VT While Cory and I were in Williamstown I wrote an email I sent as an update to people in my life...

Mountain Center, VT —> North Carolina The next day he picked me up at the hostel. I felt so tired from lack of sleep and a sugar hangover...

Springer, GA —> Hot Springs, NC I hiked fast. For two days I sprinted through the woods. Twenty-six miles by my fourth day on trail. I...

Rockfish Gap, VA —> Luray, VA Some hikers were watching the sunset to I walked to join them. Perched on a rock was a hiker with thick...

Harper’s Ferry We finally got a hitch close to our final destination but it helped a bit. We got dropped off at the local “outfitter” so...

Duncannon, PA —> Port Clinton, PA We hiked into Duncannon, PA and stayed at the infamous Doyle. This place is infamous for its stained...

Delaware Water Gap, NJ —> New York Lionheart arrived the next day and since it was Saturday, he drove us to the local farmer’s market. We...

New Jersey I bolted down the trail in New Jersey - it was already 3PM so I had to hike fast to get to the shelter twelve miles away. I...

Unionville, NY —> Connecticut Gone. They were gone. Everyone was gone, actually. I thought I had woken up in a sci-fi movie where aliens...

This is where my memory gets blurry. I stopped journaling. I stopped texting friends and calling family. My mom started to get scared. My...

Salisbury, CT Cory said he would meet me later on in Massachusetts. I hiked out of Kent depressed and anxious. At this point, every day...

Upper Goose Pond —> Williamstown Beetle and I hiked to Upper Goose Pond cabin and met Cory there to start the 50 mile attempt the next...

Killington, VT I found Beetle inside a church in Bennington and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Some very kind church people decided to be...

NY —> NC Cory was so happy. He admitted that selfishly, he was glad he got so much time with me. Sometimes he worshiped me. That’s why we...