Walking across the country takes more dedication than just walking. It takes cooperation between the walker and the people who are helping the walker to get from point a to point b. On this morning, I had to wake up by 4:30am to be able to get a ride from my friend, Lauren, to the…
Category: Adventures
Antioch to Canaan Valley
After a short, ten mile day, I found myself in the yard of a chicken farmer. I had gotten a later start to the day because Lawrence drove me to visit the Nancy Hank’s Memorial before he dropped me off. The memorial was a simple log cabin that was a replica of the cabin Nancy…
Green Springs to Antioch
The moment I stepped off the canal I felt a weight lift off my chest. I’d been dancing with the border to West Virginia most of the canal but now, I would cross the Potomac River and not return. I wandered on the country roads and walked through small towns. My senses were stimulated by…
Chesapeake Bay to C&O Canal
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge was my first major hurdle, 4.3 miles of road spanned across the Chesapeake Bay without a pedestrian crossing. I had plan A, B, and C all lined up to accomplish the crossing. Option A: hitch hike. Option B: wait until a nearby family friend was able to come get me. Option…
Cape Henlopen to Chesapeake Bay
Serendipity: “The phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.” as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It is a traveler’s greatest ally and one of my favorite words. I have been traveling on the American Discovery Trail for about a week now and it is nothing that I expected. I flew to the…
LSHT Day 5
The pitter patter of rain drops woke me. I felt no rush to get up. I wanted to lie there, content forever. Today was my last day on the Lone Star Hiking Trail and after those 13 miles I would be going home. I hadn’t expected the rain so I had a few challenges ahead…
LSHT Day 4
Five miles of road walking, warnings about dogs, the bridge along the San Jacinto River being washed out, and 23 miles of total walking. These were the perceived obstacles for the day and I had no idea what any of them entailed or how I would overcome them. I woke at 4:30am to allow myself…
LSHT Day 3
The high temperature of the day was around 65°F, a drastically warmer temperature from the near freezing morning from the first day of the trail. It was going to be a good day. Today, I would exceed the halfway point, 48 miles. Everything was going according to plan. By noon I had already killed ten…
LSHT Day 2
Hounds alerted their owners in the distance as I woke, stiff and sore. Multiple gunshots went off, I knew a hunter was having a good morning. However, it disheartened me for I knew each time I heard gunshots a life was ending. I pushed the thoughts aside and convinced myself that I wanted to leave…