After 4 months, I am still hiking the Appalachian Trail. I was NOT able to edit this blog from my cell phone, so I have been posting updates and pictures to my FaceBook account.
You can find me at under my real name on FaceBook: Kurt Rowe. I'd love to have you follow along - It has been an amazing adventure and the best time of my life!!
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Thursday, February 11, 2016
One Week until the Adventure Begins ...
With less than one week until I start hiking the Appalachian Trail, I am making final preparations.
I had the pleasure of enjoying time with family and friends over the superbowl weekend at our 6th annual ski vacation at Massanutten Resort not far from where the AT crosses through this area one valley over from the Shenendoah National Park near Luray, VA.
Temperatures turned colder Monday evening and snow began falling giving us about two inches of fresh powder overnight. Wednesday morning I decided to try hiking the Ridge Trail at the edge of the bowl that forms the resort area. It was rocky, snow covered, and icy and a good test of my choices of clothing to stay warm and how my boots and sock layering would work. At about 26 degrees and with a stiff wind, I stayed comfortable during my 4 hour hike.
Current plans are to drive back to North Carolina at the beginning of the week where friends will host me and I can go through food boxes and mail drop logistics before parking my car and getting a ride to the trail start. I plan to arrive near Dahlonega, GA on Wednesday afternoon February 17th and begin my journey from Springer Mountain on Thursday morning.
My time at Massanutten has been restful and relaxing. The view from the Ridge Trail was spectacular ... looking forward to many more similar views in the months ahead.
I had the pleasure of enjoying time with family and friends over the superbowl weekend at our 6th annual ski vacation at Massanutten Resort not far from where the AT crosses through this area one valley over from the Shenendoah National Park near Luray, VA.
Temperatures turned colder Monday evening and snow began falling giving us about two inches of fresh powder overnight. Wednesday morning I decided to try hiking the Ridge Trail at the edge of the bowl that forms the resort area. It was rocky, snow covered, and icy and a good test of my choices of clothing to stay warm and how my boots and sock layering would work. At about 26 degrees and with a stiff wind, I stayed comfortable during my 4 hour hike.
Current plans are to drive back to North Carolina at the beginning of the week where friends will host me and I can go through food boxes and mail drop logistics before parking my car and getting a ride to the trail start. I plan to arrive near Dahlonega, GA on Wednesday afternoon February 17th and begin my journey from Springer Mountain on Thursday morning.
My time at Massanutten has been restful and relaxing. The view from the Ridge Trail was spectacular ... looking forward to many more similar views in the months ahead.
“Live
in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste
the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”
-- Henry David Thoreau, Journals, August 23, 1853
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
30 days to a peripatetic life
It's hard to believe it has been nearly 10 weeks since my last blog entry. Where did all that time go?
I stopped shaving shortly after my last blog entry and have retired my razor until I complete my hike. I have consolidated my life's possessions down to what will fit in a Honda Civic, placed everything in storage, and found buyers on Craigslist for my Sea Kayak, Canoe, paddles, and Djembe drum.
Training and final preparations are in full swing and with less than 30 days until my start, I am feeling well and all is still a go.
I have been enjoying time with my father, brothers and other family and friends in Sarasota.
Training has been mostly 'hiking' the Ringling Causeway Bridge or walks at the Celery Fields - the only 2 places in the area with ANY elevation gain. I completed a little more than 100 miles on my bike over the past 5 days and I am feeling strong.
I recently received my updated 2016 version of the AT Guide and a few final items of gear - an Anti-Gravity pot cozy, an AT passport for getting stamps marked along the way, an Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 External battery, and a super light weight camping spoon. I've tested my GPS Spot Gen 3 satellite tracking beacon and figured out the basics for hanging my Jacks 'R Better hammock under-quilt, that I pray will keep me warm during the cold winter weather in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee at 5,000+ ft. I've packed up 6+ boxes of food for shipping to myself at general delivery locations along the trail. I've tested my SteriPen, ultra-violet light water purification system. I've prepared my first aid kit, and broken in one of three pairs of hiking boots.
I've left the dark ages and finally gotten a smartphone (iPhone 5) which I recently got service setup on and with which I am trying to learn how to use and more importantly how to manage the power consumption on it to maximize use on the trail. I have continued to correspond with great Paleo food sponsors and welcome their support. I will soon make arrangements for travel insurance and put my car and its insurance in 'storage'.
My journey is about to begin ... I hope you will share in it from the comfort of your home and stay connected as I soon begin to hike through Southern Appalachia searching for signs of Spring.
My next entry will be from somewhere north of Springer Mountain in Georgia along the AT. You will find me at the Where's Kurt tab from the menu at the top of my blog. Please do stay in touch. I'd love to hear from you!
- The Other One ... aka Two Eggs
"Your journey is completely yours. It is unique. Others may try to steal part of it, tell it in their words or shape it to suit them. Reality is no one can live it or own it but you. Take charge of your journey, it's yours and yours alone!"
- Kemi Sogunle
I stopped shaving shortly after my last blog entry and have retired my razor until I complete my hike. I have consolidated my life's possessions down to what will fit in a Honda Civic, placed everything in storage, and found buyers on Craigslist for my Sea Kayak, Canoe, paddles, and Djembe drum.
Training and final preparations are in full swing and with less than 30 days until my start, I am feeling well and all is still a go.
I have been enjoying time with my father, brothers and other family and friends in Sarasota.
I recently received my updated 2016 version of the AT Guide and a few final items of gear - an Anti-Gravity pot cozy, an AT passport for getting stamps marked along the way, an Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 External battery, and a super light weight camping spoon. I've tested my GPS Spot Gen 3 satellite tracking beacon and figured out the basics for hanging my Jacks 'R Better hammock under-quilt, that I pray will keep me warm during the cold winter weather in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee at 5,000+ ft. I've packed up 6+ boxes of food for shipping to myself at general delivery locations along the trail. I've tested my SteriPen, ultra-violet light water purification system. I've prepared my first aid kit, and broken in one of three pairs of hiking boots.
I've left the dark ages and finally gotten a smartphone (iPhone 5) which I recently got service setup on and with which I am trying to learn how to use and more importantly how to manage the power consumption on it to maximize use on the trail. I have continued to correspond with great Paleo food sponsors and welcome their support. I will soon make arrangements for travel insurance and put my car and its insurance in 'storage'.
My journey is about to begin ... I hope you will share in it from the comfort of your home and stay connected as I soon begin to hike through Southern Appalachia searching for signs of Spring.
My next entry will be from somewhere north of Springer Mountain in Georgia along the AT. You will find me at the Where's Kurt tab from the menu at the top of my blog. Please do stay in touch. I'd love to hear from you!
- The Other One ... aka Two Eggs
"Your journey is completely yours. It is unique. Others may try to steal part of it, tell it in their words or shape it to suit them. Reality is no one can live it or own it but you. Take charge of your journey, it's yours and yours alone!"
- Kemi Sogunle
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