I love everything about the Trail. The Trail is in the process of changing my life. I really didn’t think anything quite like this would ever happen to me. I’m about to be 66. 66. How often does a person at my age have their life enriched like this at this lateish stage. I’m already […]

This is pretty much the look and mood of the day as I started NOBO from Rt 309. Cold. Wind. Snow. Cool! I really like winter hiking. NO TICKS! That is the best. Those little buggers are always on my mind. Besides that, no gnats, mosquitos, snakes or sweat! Hiking was either easy flat fire […]

Wolf Rocks! Such a great spot! Cruising an easy 9 with my HS friend John.  Another Wolf Rocks view.  I brought my safety pin along.  😀 Leaving Wolf Rocks… a beautiful stretch of Rhododendron and rock.  Kirkridge Shelter.  My tent opened to the East! Breakfast! Teriyaki noodles!!!!! Approaching Mt Minsi, the view toward Portland, PA.  […]

Under the bridge just outside Harper’s Ferry, I found this. Just to the right there was an abandoned backpack, some clothing, and a pair of sneakers. I remember thinking that someone must have given up right here. How many of the ones who start leave remnants of their attempt? Do some of them come back […]

Sassafras. If you crumble the leaf in your hands it smells like lemon. If you steep the roots you get tea. Sometimes the leaves only have one section to the side of the middle section. It looks like a mitten. This has nothing to do with what I want to say. First, I’m writing this […]

Looking a little lost here after 4 days and 45 miles. I have NEVER gone that long without a shower! It was great. I have spent my entire life getting up, showering, and showing up. School. Work. AA. I pretty much lost the anxiety about what I look like years ago. I clean up because […]

Yeah. That’s me now Erle Douglas  “BOOM!” Shobert. BOOM! has been a calling card for me since the 20 mile hike a few weeks ago with my friend Karma. 20 BOOM! It was kind of a milestone for me. I never thought I could go that far and BOOM! 20!  Interestingly enough, I have been […]

Ok.  This post is going to be more of a vent/rant than anything. I buy slightly used shoes sometimes on Ebay.  I USED to have success in this area.  Not any longer. First I should say that I am a mess when buying shoes. It’s Riddell’s fault.  They used to make the best football spikes. […]

I’ve decided to section hike the AT. Really. The whole thing. Today, I started connecting the sections I’ve previously done.  When my friend Karma and I did THE 20, that’s THE 20, ( it will forever be THE 20 or 20BOOM) my FIRST 20, we stopped at 10 miles south of the Eckfield Shelter and […]

Karma was right.  Gray Dawn sounds too depressing.  The trail can be depressing all by itself.  No need to encounter a guy named Gray Dawn.  How about Apocalypse?  Maybe Beelzebub? Chernobyl?  Ha. So I will let go of this for now.  Something will come or something will not come. It was fun finding all that […]