Made it to Springer in 58 days! Here’s the beta for anyone interested in tackling this beast:
| DAY | START | FINISH | DISTANCE (miles) | NOTES |
| 0 (June 23rd 2015) | Arrived near trailhead at 10PM. Slept in the box of the truck on the side of the road near Baxter Park entry gate. | |||
| 1 | Katahdin Stream Campground (0mi) | Pollywog Stream (32.6mi) | 32.6 (+5.2 get to summit start from Katahdin Stream Campground) | Up at 5AM to eat/pack up. Park gate opened at 6AM. Steep start. Wind was nasty. Met a couple taking shelter under a boulder. Girlfriend was crying therefore stopped to see if they needed help but boyfriend said they were ok. Beautiful view along Katahdin summit ridge… one of the most scenic along the AT (here and the Whites). Nice rolling dirt trails once back down passed Katahdin Stream Campground. Finished the day at 6pm. The bugs are vicious… not able to chill outside the tent. Noseeum netting is a must. |
| 2 | Pollywog Stream (32.6mi) | Logan Brook Road (69.8mi) | 37.2 | 6h30 AM start. 6h15pm end. First black bear sighting. Was hoping for a fast day yet muck and intricate roots slowed us down. While crossing a deep river barefoot, I slipped and contused the outside of my right foot. Feels like a chip fracture on my 5 metatarsal. No pain with running but I almost faint due to the shooting pain if I happen to bang it on a root/severe pain on palpation. Definitely affecting my mental game… Supper: pasta with lentils, bagel/cream cheese. Giving up on the GPS watches. Don’t have time/energy to charge and upload data/blog. Sticking to good old stopwatch/maps, running, eating and sleeping. |
| 3 | Logan Brook Road (69.8mi) | Wilson Valley Lean-To (104.1mi) | 34.3 | 6AM start. 8h30pm end. First moose sighting. No significant climbs today yet constant vertical gain/loss. Arrived early at last checkpoint (Katahdin Ironworks Rd) therefore packed overnight gear since we figured we couldn’t make it to the next road crossing until late night/early next morning which would burn us out… still early in the game! Brought single sleeping bag for both of us, Big Agnes FlyCreek2 tent, aluminium blanket. Going extra light was a bad call. Had trouble sleeping all night due to cold ground. Should’ve carried our thermarests. Mike and I spooned like twins in a womb! |
| 4 | Wilson Valley Lean-To (104.1mi) | Moxie Pond South End (139.3mi) | 35.2 | 6AM start. 10PM finish. Trail mix/protein powder for breakfast. Body is feeling the lack of last night’s sleep. Getting out of Maine’s <<100 miles of wilderness>>. Logistically, should be easier from now on for the support crew. Met our first trail angel- offering beer and soda pop… declined the offer and left the goodies for the unsupported hikers. Mom got a flat tire and is running on a spare. Mike bonked during the last 10km which were spent in the dark…. Quote of the night: <<I’m in a very dark place right now>> while rocking a expressionless phantom white face. The ice water bath in Moxie pond perked us up. Just 4 days in and the trail is already proving itself to be a real challenge. |
| 5 | Moxie Pond South End (139.3mi) | Caratunk, ME (151.2mi) | 11.9 | 10h45AM start. Ideally we would have gotten an early start to catch the Kennebec River ferry before it closed but the body didn’t think it was a good idea. Furthermore, the pouring rain made for a slow morning start. Trying to pack away sleeping gear while crouched under small tarps is an arduous task with tired legs! Pouring cold rain and running in muck ALL DAY LONG. Ferry was closed by the time we got to the Kennebec River and no sign of our support vehicle (mom had to go get the flat tire fixed). Luckily there’s a town right by the river crossing. We found the Sterling Inn (hot shower and bed!). Mom arrived a few hours later. She found us via our SPOT tracker. Our bodies didn’t want to leave the civilized setting therefore we crashed there for the night. |
| 6 | Caratunk, ME (151.2mi) | Stratton, ME (188.2mi) | 37 | Crossed the Kenebec River via the ferry. Running in muck/intricate root systems all day long. |
| 7 | Stratton, ME (188.2mi) | Stratton, ME (188.2mi) | 0 | Mike’s knee is swollen like a watermelon… patello-femoral joint is severely irritated. Unable to weightbear on his leg. Rest day it is, hoping Mike’s knee will be better tomorrow.. Chilled out in ice cold stream on/off and ate all day. |
| 8
July 1st- Canada day! |
Stratton, ME (188.2mi) | Rangely, ME (220.4mi) | 32.2 | 5h15AM start. 5h30PM end. Mike’s knee is worse than yesterday, he decides to throw in the towel. Rain and lightning all day. I hesitated to stop in a lean-to packed with hikers waiting out the storm before getting up above the treeline on Saddleback Mountain. However, with yesterday’s <<0>> day, I just gave them a nod and smile and decided to keep going since I was already behind schedule enough as it was. The traverse on the vast rock summit dome was one of the scariest moments on the trail. The precipitation was coming at me horizontally due to the howling wind. Lightning was striking left and right. I wanted to put on an extra layer but I was too afraid to stop. My hands were numb due to a combination of hypothermia and death grip on my poles. I carried my BD carbon poles and avoided using them to propel myself forward fearing that if the metal tip would touch the ground it would trigger a lightning bolt to head my way.
I’d never been so happy to get back down below treeline. Despite the weather, second to Katahdin, this is one of the most beautiful sections in Maine. Roasted chicken, ceasar salad and pasta awaited me for supper in addition to an entire strawberry/rhubarb pie for comfort. |
| 9 | Rangely, ME (220.4mi) | Andover, ME (246.8mi) | 26.4 | 5h20AM start. 8h15PM end.
2 bagels with cream cheese and ½ rhubarb strawberry pie for breakfast. Legs are heavy from yesterday’s 8-9000’ of vertical gain/loss. |
| 10 | Andover, ME (246.8mi) | Gentian Pond Shelter/campsite (286.5mi) | 39.7 | 5h30AM start. 8pm end.
Bagel/cream cheese and orange for breakfast. In the evening, Mike and mom hiked up a sidetrail (Success Trail) to meet me along the AT since there were no road crossings. At 5PM, we met near Success Mountain and they fed me pasta, avocado wraps, fruit and protein shake. Once sufficiently full, I swapped my day pack (Salomon Skin Pro 10L) for an overnight pack (BD speed 30L) and we parted ways again. I kept going til sunset. Rehydrated with Skratch, chugged a protein powder mix, popped some electrolyte pills, setup the Big Agnes Fly creek tent and slept like a baby. The alarm was set for sunrise. |
| 11 | Gentian Pond Shelter/campsite (286.5mi) | Pinkham Notch, NH (319.4mi) | 32.8 | 5h30AM start. 8h30PM end. Packed up camp at sunrise and met the crew at Gorham Notch by 10h15AM. Psyched day, Mike is testing his knee out and tagging along! Officially entered the notorious White Mountains. Feels great to run on familiar territory since we did a training run on this section of the trail earlier this year. Crossed famous ultramarathoner Scott Jurek who went on to set the AT supported record (46 days). Ironically, when we crossed paths, we were running while he was walking. Ha! We had time to exchange about 5 words… we were both on a mission. No time to chat. He was surrounded by 2-3 pacers and 3-4 cameramen. Must have been nice to have that kind of support. |
| 12 | Pinkham Notch, NH (319.4mi) | Crawford Notch, NH (345.4mi) | 26 | 8h30AM start. 7PM end.
Late start, trying to freshen up the energy levels before heading up Mt Washington. Bouldery terrain, slow travel. Despite this, felt like we flew through this section since it was all familiar grounds. Steak, sweet potatoes, salad and pie for supper. |
| 13 | Crawford Notch, NH (345.4mi) | Franconia Notch, NH (373.1mi) | 27.7 | Another day in and out of the treeline in the Whites. |
| 14 | Franconia Notch, NH (373.1mi) | NH 25- Oliverian Brook (403.3mi) | 30.2 | 6AM start.
Crew transition day, Eleni (my girlfriend), arrived to take over the role of support crew. Mike is heading back home with mom therefore I am now officially without a running partner. He ran part of the day and ended his AT journey with Mt Moosilauke. Ironically, due to the circumstances (sad time since we trained for this together), it rained and struck lightning for the rest of the day after he left. Just like in the movies, I sobbed alone pushing forward in the rain. |
| 15 | NH 25- Oliverian Brook (403.3mi) | Trescott Road (437.7mi) | 34.4 | 5h30AM start. 7PM end.
Woke up with a tick on the tent… first of many ticks to come on this trip. Slow start, walked for most part of the morning due to fatigue. Took a break on a log mid-morning, leaned my head on my poles and took 15 deep breaths to try and perk up/oxygenate. Was in a fog all morning. Eleni was prepping smoothies off the truck’s battery with an inverter/blender. The liquid food was the only way I could sustain adequate calorie intake. The smoothies consisted mainly of nut butters, coconut oil, oatmeal, bananas and avocados with an assortment of other ingredients to switch up the flavour. |
| 16 | Trescott Road (437.7mi) | Stony Brook Road (477.7mi) | 40 | 6AM start. ?end. 5AM alarm. Pressed snooze because my body wanted nothing to do with getting up. Eleni pretty much force fed me. After battling through tight hamstrings, I was able to put on my socks and shoes and stumbled out of the tent with legs as stiff as 2×4’s. Ran by the town of Hanover, Eleni got me Starbucks! Moments like these where I don’t mind having done it supported (vs unsupported). Crossed into Vermont. No real summits yet continuous vertical gain/loss. The footing is getting to be nice. Finally able to lengthen the stride and not just hobble from rock to rock. The weather is warming up and the bars aren’t going down very well. Replaced them with salmon/cream cheese/avocado wraps + banana/honey/peanut butter/coconut oil wraps. Intaking smoothies every time I cross paths with Eleni (avg 3x/day). Starting to feel general whole foot and Achilles soreness on both sides. My right foot (5th metatarsal) still creates a sharp jabbing pain if I bang it onto a rock/root yet no pain with running motion per say. The sharp pain is less frequent and not draining my energy levels as much as initially. |
| 17 | Stony Brook Road (477.7mi) | VT 103 (505.7mi) | 28 | 7AM start. 7PM end. Woke up last night with acute left patellar tendon pain. Had set the alarm at 5h30AM but slept in since I was bummed out by my knee pain. Taped it in the morning and avoided running today. Walked all day except for when an off leash dog ran me down. Was happy to have my poles. He gave up and ran back to his owner who lived close to the trail after 5 minutes of snapping at me. No blood shed from either party. Chicken with quinoa/stirfried veggies for supper + ¾ of a chocolate cake. |
| 18 | VT 103 (505.7mi) | VT 11 (538.1mi) | 32.4 | 5h30AM start. 5h20PM end. Croissant and rest of the chocolate cake for breakfast. Gentle rolling hills today. No steep vertical. Nice footing for the second half of the day. Left knee is doing good, started running again. Feel good day… Was aiming to get 40miles in but reserve of shoes are depleting like crazy (already busted through 3 pairs). Stopped the day early and headed into Manchester Center where there’s a New Balance outlet. They credited my broken down shoes and got 5 new pairs. Great service! Pasta with chicken and ice cream for supper. |
| 19 | VT 11 (538.1mi) | VT 9 (578.2mi) | 40.1 | 5h50AM start. 7h30PM end. Alarm was set at 5h15AM. Lazy start, pressed snooze twice. First meeting point of the day with Eleni (Prospect Rock) was not accessible by vehicle therefore she hiked up to meet me. I had arrived 10minutes before her and was starting to wonder if I was at the wrong location. Luckily, it all worked out. Hard pack dirt trails with minimal roots made for great footing for the first half of the day. Switch backs up Stratton Mountain were gentle therefore I was able to make good time. Loaded my pack with wraps, chips and cholocate bars for the 22 mile stretch from USFS71 to VT9. I just might be eating Big Macs by the end of this trip to keep up with the caloric depletion, ha! This last half of the day was loaded with roots/rocks and made for slow travel. Finished the day before the sunset, such a good feeling! When I finish my days in the dark, my travel speed decreases by about 30% since the technical footing doesn’t flow as nicely with a headlamp. This ends up being draining mentally. |
| 20 | VT 9 (578.2mi) | Cheschire, MA (611.3mi) | 33.1 | 7hAM start. 8h30pm end 5h30AM alarm. Legs felt like Jell-O. Pressed snooze twice which didn’t work out. I finally woke up at 6h30AM which I was quite disappointed about. First meeting point (mi 589.4- ‘’country road’’ just before Seth Warner Shelter) with Eleni did not go well. The gravel road she was supposed to drive up ended up being an ATV trail. She drove up the boulder ridden trail to a point of no return. The trail got so narrow that she wasn’t able to turn the truck around. She ended up leaving the truck and hiked up to meet me at the trail junction. Once reunited, I hiked down and backed the truck down the trail until I found a spot to turn around. This delayed my progress on the trail by 90minute. By midday, I entered the next state, Massachusetts. Floated pass MA’s highest peak (Mt Greylock). Ran out of water for a 10 mile stretch. Had my Survivor Straw with me but didn’t cross any watering holes despite the fact that the topo map pointed some out (Wilbur Clearing Shelter and Mark Noepel Shelter were dry). Finished the day with a nice facecloth bath and setup tent in the town’s church parking lot. |
| 21 | Cheschire, MA (611.3mi) | Jerusalem Rd, Tyringham, MA (648.7mi) | 37.4 | 6h30AM start. 6h45PM end. 6am alarm. Slept very well. Feeling rested today. Zucchini bread, leftover pasta and turkey for breakfast. Hot and humid morning. Rain in the afternoon was refreshing and the trails didn’t turn into mud. Easy rolling terrain with good footing. Massachusetts is definitely a ‘feel good state’. No water source at the day’s end point so we decided to camp away from the trail. Eleni gave me a ride a mile uproad and found an old stone dam with trickling water to bath in. We set up camp next to the waterfall and I slept like a baby. Today I added another key meal to my diet for the trail, Kozy Shack rice pudding. A tub a day keeps the bonk away (620g= ~700calories, 3g fat:22g carbs: 4g protein). Body is feeling good. No residual sharp pain in my right foot. Both feet still feel ‘sore all over’. |
| 22 | Jerusalem Rd, Tyringham, MA (648.7mi) | Salisbury, CT
(689.6mi) |
40.9 | 6h30AM start. 7h40PM end. Was blessed with a 3 mile flat section with good footing midday. Haven’t been on good flat terrain for this long since the beginning of the trail. Felt so fast! Towards the end of the day, my right tibialis posterior started acting up (feeling tight and irritated). Taped it for the night. |
| 23 | Salisbury, CT
(689.6mi) |
Hoyt Road, CT-NY border (733.6mi) | 44 | 6h30AM start. ?end. 5h40AM alarm. Ate a box of Nature’s Path cereal. Got ready to run through Connecticut in a day. Terrain for first half of the day was pretty good. Rolling hills with up to 500’ of vertical gain. No major climbs. Another 3 mile flat section midday felt great except that my left knee flared-up. After all that vertical over the past few weeks, my body seems maladapted for running on flat therefore brings out aches and pains. That pain disappeared by the end of the day… just ran it off. At a meeting point with Eleni (Schaghticoke Rd, Kent, CT), a full beer can was thrown at the truck while she was parked on the side of the road. No apparent reason for doing so…good ol’ America. We’re assuming they didn’t like hikers or our canadian license plate. Got my first tick of the trip that latched onto my left inner calf. Got the tweezers out and ripped it out with some of my skin. I’d rather that than lyme disease… I hate ticks! Made it to the New York border! Another good day. |
| 24 | Hoyt Road, CT-NY border (733.6mi) | South Highland Rd, NY (773.8mi) | 40.2 | I was entering the State of New York expecting it to be easy rolling hills with fast travel. I had run the Bear Mountain 50 miler the year prior and the terrain was quite mellow. The first 10 miles started out well. However, after that, the rocks in the trail became jagged and 500’ ascents/descents just kept coming one after another. Alot of tripping from the leaves covering the roots/rocks. My right shin (tibialis anterior/extensor digitorum) became irritated from catching the top of my foot on roots/rocks. I ended up limping and having to apply a compression taping. The air is starting to heat up and get humid. Solid foods are becoming a problem again… just doesn’t want to go down. Having to carry more litres on me since my water consumption has increased significantly (from 1L to now 2L per hour in the midday heat). |
| 25 | South Highland Rd, NY (773.8mi) | Lakes Rd, NY (813.8mi) | 40 | The night’s sleep resolved the right shin pain. While crossing the lowest point of the Appalachian Trail, Bear Mountain Bridge of the Hudson River, Eleni’s family surprised me with a big roaring cheer. What a great surprise! They stuck around for a few more days. Their cheers rejuvenated my soul! Hot and humid without any wind. Sweat was sticking to the skin and not going anywhere. Thunderstorms rolled in late afternoon but the humidity levels didn’t drop until the last hour of the day. Very slow day. Not much running to be had (maybe 10% running). Jagged rocks everywhere. No major elevation gain yet recurring small ascents/descents. Today was the first day surrounded by a lot of people. The trail goes through the zoo. Amongst other animals, I got to see bears in captivity instead of in the wild. The trail then goes through the super busy Bear Mtn Recreation Area where there were tons of tourists having outdoor barbecue. After 3 weeks alone in the woods, I felt like I had entered a brand new world. Had plenty of entertainment while going up Bear Mountain. Tourists with ghetto blasters attached to their packs were trying to race me, not knowing I had 1300 more miles to go! Once at the top, I took a quick glimpse of the New York City skyline and headed back down the other side under the green canopy. |
| 26 | Lakes Rd, NY (813.8mi) | Deckertown Turnpike, NJ (858.3mi) | 44.5 | Hot humid day again. First section of the day was slow, rocky. Rollercoaster rock buttresses… continuously recurring 30’ elevation gain/loss with technical footing. Entered the state of New Jersey. Terrain was fast and flat. However, by midday, I was limited to walking because of the heat. As soon as I tried to run, my body would overheat and I’d feel nauseous/dizzy/headache (bordering along the lines of a heat stroke…). This was heartbreaking because I knew I could have crushed this section in no time! For the last 5 miles, the terrain became rugged with jagged rocks once again. A little taste of what Pennsylvania has to offer. Right Achilles feeling irritated by the end of the day. Foodwise, the heat is preventing me from consuming solid foods once more. Forcing down plenty of smoothies (about 4 pitchers per day). |
| 27 | Deckertown Turnpike, NJ (858.3mi) | Fox Gap, PA 191 (902.7mi) | 44.4 | 7AM start. 9h15PM end. Very tired this morning. Pressed snooze once or twice. Feet feel numb and swollen in the morning until I get a few hundred meters in. The rest of the body is feeling good. Hot but not humid with a light breeze which is a nice change. Able to breathe again! The last section of New Jersey was beautiful. Ran along a ridge line (below tree line) which offered frequent views down the valley on both sides. The forest density was low with grass covered ground. A refreshing change from the green tunnel I’ve been in most of the time since Vermont. Entered Pennsylvania. Rocky and rugged most of the day. A few small climbs yet minimal elevation gain. This state is renowned for its jagged rocks. To my surprise, I was able to run a few sections (but not many). When looking at the topo map, one would think he/she can run through the entire state due to the lack of elevation gain/loss. However, the layers of rock in Pennsylvania are positioned vertically which results in a continuous presence of jagged rocks. This forced me down to a walking pace. Luckily, by reading up beta on the trail in advance, I knew this. I love rock hopping, but there was no love for this type of rock. Took out my thick soled Hoka One One’s for this state. Eleni switched up the diet today with chicken/blue cheese/avocado wraps. Chugged a carton of chocolate milk before hitting the sack. |
| 28 | Fox Gap, PA 191 (902.7mi) | Blue Mountain Summit, PA 309 (945.3mi) | 42.6 | 7AM start. Didn’t record any beta for today. |
| 29 | Blue Mountain Summit, PA 309 (945.3mi) | Game Commission Road (985.9mi) | 40.6 | 7h15AM start. 9h30PM finish Sleep was disturbed when I felt my left arm was soaking wet. Woke up and realized I hadn’t properly closed my pee bottle and ended up spilling it all over my sleeping bag/mat… the downside to being too lazy to urine outside the tent. Fell back asleep but didn’t sleep well after that. Pressed snooze a few times in the morning. Mind was not feeling it today. Was in a dark place for ⅔ of the day. Took a power nap at noon near The Pinnacle. Perked up for the last 15 miles. Weather greatly improved. Sunny and humidity levels are back down. Trail is still rocky/rugged with a few running sections when it merges along forestry roads. For the second time on the trail, the top of a tree snapped and collapsed right next to me. This time, a branch contused my wrist. Luckily, no significant damage. Anything can happen on the trail! The last hour was completed in the dark. Traveling by headlamp in very rocky terrain made for a slow finish (3km/h… hard on the moral). |
| 30 | Game Commission Road (985.9mi) | Clarks Creek, PA 325 (1024.5mi) | 38.6 | 7h30AM start. 7PM end Since yesterday was a rough day, I decided to sleep in and get a late start. Slept like a rock. Energy levels were high today. However, I was getting frustrated with how slow the rugged terrain was making me. I’d been putting in 14-15 hours days with minimal elevation change and only clocking 40 miles per day! By the afternoon, the density of pointy rocks decreased and there was enough room for me to lay my feet flat between the rocks. Was able to finish the day with a few 2-3 mile sections of dirt single track, almost rock-free! Milestone day… hit mile 1000 today! Although it’s not the official half way mark, it is in my head. Such a good feeling! Starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. I still have hope to make it in 60 days eventhough I’m 60 miles behind schedule. Found two ticks on my legs this afternoon. Was able to flick them off before they latched on. I was hoping the tick story was over but I found out they’re down south as well. Saw my second snake of the trip today, a Northern Black Racer. These guys can reach up to 60 inches in length! As for deer, I’ve been seeing them on a daily basis since entering New Jersey.Body is feeling pretty good. I thought my right foot was fully healed but I managed to flare it up today by slipping and banging it on a rock right where I suspect there was fracture. 9/10 pain for a minute or so. Walked it off by swearing and cursing alone with the trees. That pain will probably come and go until the end of the trip. |
| 31 | Clarks Creek, PA 325 (1024.5mi) | Butcher Hill Rd, PA (1068.0mi) | 43.5 | 6h30AM start, 8PM end Slow start. Jagged rocks persist. Last 10 miles opened up. Flat hard packed dirt trail through open fields along the valley bottom. I’ve now figured out that wherever there’s a drop into a valley bottom on the topo in Pennsylvania, the footing is good and the travel is fast! They are far and few between but they’re there! Plenty of deer, hare and snake sightings today. Body is feeling good, ache free aside for the feet. Had a bad experience with meeting up at the end of the day with Eleni. She was going to run in the opposite direction to meet me on the trail However, I took a wrong turn and we missed crossing each other. By the time I got to the day’s final meeting point, she was still heading in the opposite direction along the trail, with hopes of meeting me. As the sun was starting to set, she decided to turn around and found me lying on a park bench in town at 9pm. Frustrated we both were: I was tired and hungry, she was worried all evening looking for me. We didn’t talk much that night… Eleni wanted to avoid the tent tonight and found post on a message board from a trail angel that let ppl sleep in their gazebo. Didn’t sleep very well. Hot night. Ended up setting up the tent halfway through the night because of the bugs. |
| 32 | Butcher Hill Rd, PA (1068.0mi) | Swamp Rd, South Mountain , PA (1111.9mi) | 43.9 | Last full day in Pennsylvania, so excited to get out of the rocks. The southern part of the state is not as rugged yet still rockier/slower than I had hoped. Officially made it to the halfway point! I was thinking of cutting the day short until I got a pleasant surprise: my friends Paul Gauthier and Shane Maley drove down from Ottawa to spend a few hours with me on the trail and a night in the tent. They surprised me on the trail. While I was stopped with the map opened up to figure out where I was, what I thought was a stranger ran by and yanked down on my shorts. When I turned around to get a glimpse of the guy, a second person ran by me giggling while filming me with his iPhone. When I finally figured out who it was and what was going, I was ecstatic! My energy levels perked right up and I was able to get an extra 5 miles in for the day. Felt so good! At the end of the day, Shane popped up his 8 person tent and Eleni treated us to burgers and beer (½ of one for me… knocked me right out). That night, the truck locked itself while we thought the keys were in the cab. We searched everywhere without any luck and figured we’d deal with the issue the next morning. |
| 33 | Swamp Rd, South Mountain , PA (1111.9mi) | Gapland Road, Gapland State Park, War Correspondants Monument
(1155.7mi) |
43.8 | 8AM start. 10PM end Luckily, in the morning, we found the truck keys on the rubber surrounding Paul’s trunk. He must have left them on the trunk and fell on the rubber as he opened it. Had a late start because of this incident (and the fact that I went to bed later than the usual 🙂 ). Paul and Shane left in the morning once I headed back onto the trail. After yesterday’s high, I hit another low today. Very hot and humid that night. The thunder was rumbling afar. I suggested to put on the rain fly but Eleni objected because it was too hot and figured we’d have time to put on the fly if the clouds rolled it. That was not the case. As the strike of a nearby lightning bolt woke us up, the rain poured down with it. Before I had time to reach for the door’s zipper, we were soaked. Struggling against the wind naked in the dark and rain, I finally was able to put on the fly. Too late, the damage was done. Our sleeping bags were soaked! |
| 34 | Gapland Road, Gapland State Park, War Correspondants Monument
(1155.7mi) |
VA 605, Morgan Mill Rd (1192.4mi) | 36.7 | 8 AM start. 7pm end. Body felt slow today. <> started out with nice sandy switchbacks which was fast and fun but by the end, the trail turned into rugged rocks once more. |
| 35 | VA 605, Morgan Mill Rd (1192.4mi) | Skyline 21.1, Hogback Parking (1236.3mi) | 43.9 | 6h30AM start. 8h15PM end. I asked my father the night before to give me a call at 6AM. He stayed true to his word and gave me a pep talk which made me jump out of my sleeping bag and into my shoes. It was inspiring to hear a familiar voice that was well rested. Both Eleni and I are quite drained by this point and we must be careful not to fall into a vicious cycle of negative emotions. Once out of the tent, I cranked out <> by Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros which psyched me up for the day. First 10 miles was slow (4.5km/h). Finished off the <>. Felt low in energy and wanting to lie down and sleep on the trail. I took a quick sitting break with my head leaning on my poles then perked up. Once I entered Shenandoah National Park, the trail was golden! So good and fast. Packed dirt trails. Gained 3000 vertical feet when entered the park but barely noticed it since it was so gradual. First day in a while that I spent most of my time running and not just hobbling from one rock to another. Body is feeling good, no sharp pain felt anywhere. Feet are still numb/sore/swollen in the morning before I get going. Horse flies were abundant at the end of the day. One bombed me right in the eye and another caught a chunk of my calf. Eleni’s poison ivy outbreak, that started about 10 days ago, is starting to recede. She’s quite happy about this milestone. We both saw black bears today. Eleni saw a mom with two cubs. |
| 36 | Skyline 21.1, Hogback Parking (1236.3mi) | South River picnic area
(1278.9mi) |
42.6 | 6h35AM start. 8PM end. Trail is still great. No steep climbs. Continuous long ups and downs. Still using the poles. No sharp aches and pains to note. I had to stop an hour at the Skyland Resort because the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario had been trying to contact me multiple times (phone/e-mail) and threatened to discontinue my physiotherapy license since I hadn’t completed the annual on-line jurisprudence module that summer. I tried to explain to them that I was running the Appalachian Trail and didn’t have time to complete it til I was done the AT in about a month. They didn’t take that as a valid excuse therefore I took the extra time and flew through the online exam successfully. Tons of wildlife in Shenandoah! While running around a corner, I heard something galloping towards me. Thinking it was a horse, I moved to the side. To my surprise, a black bear was charging my way. When I first saw the beast, it was spread full out in a flying superman pose. My brain then perceived it was being chased by another black bear. As a basic instinct reflex, I raised both arms and shouted out jiberish. Five feet in front of me, they took a sharp turn off the trail, kept going another 30 feet then stopped, turned around and stared me down while huffing, puffing and grunting. All three of us stunned at what just happened. I put my arms back down and slowly walked away with my adrenaline levels cranked to the roof.Ran high for the rest of the day. A total of 5 bears, a hawk and many deer seen today. |
| 37 | South River picnic area
(1278.9mi) |
Skylie 99.5, Beagle Gap
(1322.0mi) |
43.1 | 7h15AM start Very tired for the first 2 hours of the day (took 3 x 5min sitting breaks) then got into a rhythm. Trail is nice and fast. Hot and humid today. Pouring rain + lightning in the afternoon. Trail stayed below treeline. Didn’t feel exposed. Acute right anterior hip pain came on towards the end of the day. Had to modify my stride to keep going. Animal sightings for the day: 2 bears, many deer and rabbits. |
| 38 | Skylie 99.5, Beagle Gap
(1322.0mi) |
VA 826, Crab Tree Falls (1363.0mi) | 41.0 | Yesterday’s storm brought in cool weather and got rid of the humidity. Fresh air! R hip pain disappeared. Body is feeling good. Got my third set of surprise visitors last night. While lying in the tent in a perfect setting (beautiful sunset, full moon was lighting up the meadows surrounding us), a vehicle parked next to us. I was suspecting it was a Park Ranger that was going to tell us we weren’t allowed to camp where we were. To my surprise, it was Mike and his wife Elizabeth! That got me so psyched up! I felt like a kid on christmas morning! Mike ran all day with me up until Tye River suspension bridge because he wanted to setup his camera for my arrival at the end point of the day. A great day. No lows felt. Best day in a while. While the boys ran, the girls visited Bold Rock cidery. Exited Shenandoah National Park. Trail footing is still great. First rattlesnake sighting. Mike spotted it before he put his foot on it. It stayed parked just next to the trail while rattling its tail. It was thick brush on either side, no way around it. We ended up leaping passed it and succeeded at not getting bit. |
| 39 | VA 826, Crab Tree Falls (1363.0mi) | US 501, VA 130
(1404.5mi) |
41.5 | 7AM start. Later start than I wanted. Reorganized the rubbermaid bins behind the truck and had to walk uphill ½ a mile to get back onto the trail (our campsite was a bit off route). Stiff and tired to start. Walked most of the morning. Continuous vertical gain/loss which didn’t give my legs any breaks. Beautiful views atop Cold Mountain (grassy meadows, cool and sunny). Fast travel from Brown Mountain Creek to Reservoir Road but hot/dry terrain which triggered a headache that lasted 24 hours. Footing is still great overall. No steep ascents, smooth switchbacks. Found 2 ticks on me today (one was latched on). |
| 40 | US 501, VA 130
(1404.5mi) |
Blackhorse Gap, Blueridge Parkway (1447.7mi) | 43.2 | 7AM start. 8h50PM end. Sad day. Mike and Liz are heading back home. Alone back into the woods I go. Headache persisting which caused me to walk most of the day. I was able to run the last 14 miles which were very cruisy. Footing is still wonderful. Saw 2 blackbear cubs that ran up a tree, mother bear was not in sight. |
| 41 | Blackhorse Gap, Blueridge Parkway (1447.7mi) | VA 624, Newport Rd (1487.0mi) | 39.3 | 7h20AM start. 8h30PM end. Slept very well. Because of yesterday’s headache and fatigue, I chose for a late start. Nice rolling terrain. Good footing (packed dirt at the beginning of the day, sand and rock towards the end of the day). From the US 220 (mile 1461.3) to the VA 311 (1481.1), I carried a 1.5L water bladder and 2x 500ml chest bottles. Most of this 20 mile section was hot and exposed to the scorching sun along a ridge. The ground was dry and sandy which reflected the sun’s heat. There was no water to be found and I ran out. Ended up getting dehydrated pretty bad. Ironically, you have a view of a beautiful turquoise water reservoir at the bottom of the ridge for most of this section. Like a mirage! Finished the day running through a pasture with cows. Felt like home, nice and fast. Right calf got stung by something. At first I was afraid it was a rattlesnake but I didn’t see any around and there was only one mark left on my calf. I believe it was a wasp. No bears today, only deer. |
| 42 | VA 624, Newport Rd (1487.0mi) | Trout Creek, VA 620
(1495.0mi) |
8 | 6h45AM start. 6h15 AM alarm. Pressed snooze twice. While studying the map last night, I was hoping for a 46 mile day today to camp at <>. Big disappointment, mega headache came on with profuse sweating while scrambling up the Dragon’s Tooth. There was rebar in some sections (Via Ferrata) and it was a fun climb but my head made it unenjoyable. Once at the top, I lied down and took 30 breaths. Got up and hiked another 2minutes. My head forced me back down. Lied down for a few minutes and got back up. Hiked another few minutes and was forced back down again. This time I took my pack off and laid there for 10 minutes. I got back up and dragged my feet 6 miles until I reached the set meeting point. It took me over 4 hours to cover the 8 mile stretch! Eleni wasn’t there but she had left a note on the footbridge. She went back to town to get cell reception to be able to see where I was with the SPOT tracker. While I waited for her to come back, I stripped down and laid flat in a stream hoping the throbbing headache would go away. When Eleni came back, the headache was persisting so we pitched a tent and I took a nap hoping that by mid afternoon I could get going again. I wasn’t able to eat much. Tried to drink as much as I could. I continued sweating profusely therefore took a few dips in the stream. By mid afternoon, things hadn’t changed. I stayed in bed until the next day. The symptoms were probably caused by yesterday’s dehydration. Or maybe whatever bit me? |
| 43 | Trout Creek, VA 620
(1495.0mi) |
VA 632, Johns Creek footbridge
(1521.2mi) |
26.2 | Woke up at 6h30AM. Was expecting to wake up top shape after almost a full day of rest. This wasn’t the case. Headache came back as soon as I sat up! Super bummed. Stayed in bed until midday. Eleni then forced me out of the tent and hiked the first few miles with me. If it wasn’t for her, I would have stayed lying down! The headache progressively subsided as the day went on. By 5pm, I was able to start running again with triggering any throbbing in my head. Footing is still good. |
| 44 | VA 632, Johns Creek footbridge
(1521.2mi) |
Sugar Run Gap
(1564.4mi) |
43.2 | Almost headache free when I woke up! Started the day with a 2000’ ascent. Headache was gone by the end of the ascent. Cool morning, low humidity levels.Rained hard all afternoon. Switch backs were nice and gentle today. Footing was so and so today. Some sections of hard packed dirt, other sections of hopping between rocks. Black bear cub sighting and a few deer. |
| 45 | Sugar Run Gap
(1564.4mi) |
VA 623
(1613.6mi) |
49.2 | 6h45AM start. Poured rain throughout the night. Cold, humid with a lot of fog and still raining in the morning. I really wasn’t feeling the urge to get out and move! Eleni was a trooper and got my shoes/socks from the truck and forced me to get out of the tent and go. Rocky terrain to start the day but single track turn into an old road bed which ended up being very fast travel. Was able to run all morning. Such a nice feeling to be on terrain that permits me to run! Forest became tropical in nature. Beautiful canopy, path felt magically fast all day. Left patellar tendon was slightly irritated (1/10). Skin has been soaked and fragile for the past 2 days because of all the rain. Blisters starting to form on both my big toes (the holes in my socks don’t help!). Chafing on my back from the pack rubbing on my skin is getting quite severe. Eleni took a rough back road to the final meeting point of the day. She was quite stressed out but ended up making it. |
| 46 | VA 623
(1613.6mi) |
VA 601
(1658.0) |
44.4 | 7AM start, 9h20PM end. Having trouble starting early for the past week or two… especially when it’s wet and cold! Fatigue levels are extremely high and hard to fight back. To get me going every morning, I listen to the first few verses of Mumford & Son’s <> that include:“Weep little lion man, you’re not as brave as you were at the start (…) take all the courage you have left.” Footing overall was good today. Ended the day with a twist. Was finishing my last miles in the dark when I ran by two guys who had made a fire in the trail. I found it a bit odd therefore turned around and asked if they needed help. They said that they were ok. A quarter mile further, I found another guy lying down by the trail with his pack off leaning against a tree. I asked him if he was ok as well. He replied that he was but inquired whereabouts the next watering hole was. With his slurred speech, I figured out he was severely dehydrated. He then asked if I had seen his brothers. I ended up making him chug most of the water I had left on me and carried his pack back to his brothers while he dragged his feet behind. I leant him my spare headlamp since his was burnt out. When we reached his brothers 20 minutes later, they shouted to him <<Dude, where were you. What took you so long?>>. I kept my mouth shut, drop off his bag, made sure he was ok and headed back out. While heading out, they shouted out to me ‘’There should be one more. If you see him, send him our way.’’ Never ended up seeing the guy… |
| 47 | VA 601
(1658.0) |
US 58
(1701.0mi) |
43.0 | 6h45AM start. 8h25PM end. Legs were very stiff this morning. Luckily, it was a beautiful day which kept my moral up. Sunny but not too hot (25C). Stopped by a blackberry patch to re energize and freshen up the pallet. Entered Lewis Fork Wilderness area. One of the most beautiful sceneries in the southern part of the trail. Ran by a herd of ponies managed by National Park Services that roam freely on its grounds. Also ran through a herd of longhorn cattle to finish off the day. Body is feeling good overall considering what I’ve put it through. Takes me about 2 hours of walking in the morning to warm up and be able to run. Legs are so sore! No sharp pain which is good :-). Hoping for a 55 mile day tomorrow if the footing is good. If it’s not, it will probably be a 39 mile day. |
| 48 | US 58
(1701.0mi) |
TN 91
(1739.4mi) |
38.4 | 7AM start, 6h15PM end. Finished early. Was very tempted to keep going. The next road crossing was 15 miles further which would have brought me to a 10pm finish. By the time I got to the last meeting point, Eleni had already setup the tent and it was raining/getting dark therefore we concluded that going to bed early and starting early would be a better call. Today was the first day I felt confident that I was going to finish the trail in under 60 days. If I keep up the current pace, I’m hoping for 59, maybe even 58 days! Rained hard that night. I feel like it’s been raining every day since entering Shenandoah! Ate some fresh eggs from a friendly guy named Eric that Eleni bumped into in Damascus. He gave her half a dozen, so nice of him! Eleni washed laundry at Crazy Larry’s hostel. He states having lived on the trail for 3 years while running away from the law. Have been getting skin irritation from poison oak for the past 3 days. It’s overgrowing into the trail and is unavoidable. I try wacking it down with my poles but lose patience and just run through it. No pain no gain! Left big toe= ingrown toe nail starting up. Will try to get take good care of it so that it doesn’t act up. Left plantar heel burning sensation. I don’t find any thorns/blister. I can only detect small black specks infiltrated into the skin. Left knee cap mildly irritated. |
| 49 | TN 91
(1739.4mi) |
Campbell Hollow Rd (1789.4mi) | 50 | 5h45AM start. 9h30PM end. Poured rain all night and in the AM.Eleni was my weak link this morning. She wanted me to stay in bed and cuddle. I resisted all temptations and jumped out of the tent. Need to make up for yesterday’s weakness! The morning was cold and foggy. The fog was so thick that I ended up wandering off the trail a few times. The beam of my headlamp would disperse in the fog and I could barely see ahead of me. Made for slow travel. I should have waited til sunrise! Recurring small up and downhills which got to be annoying. I was hoping to run quite a bit today but was restricted mostly to walking because of the terrain. Still raining!!! Because of last night’s and today’s hard rainfall, the long grass, poison oak and berry bushes had collapsed into the trail. I ended up having to bushwack my way through a few sections which made for slow travel and burning skin. Ingrown toenail is getting pussy and quite painful. Spotted a big black bear while turning around a corner. I witnessed it breaking a fallen tree in half to get to the grubs inside. It’s back muscles were popping out like crazy as it pulled on the log! I backed out of sight and made some noise. It ran away and was able to keep churning. Semi-hallucinated the last stretch of the day. Felt like I was surrounded and being cheered on by my former varsity running team. Furthermore, my late mother in law was pushing me from behind, making me feel like I was semi-floating. Felt funky but good… |
| 50 | Campbell Hollow Rd (1789.4mi) | Beauty Spot Gap
(1831.6mi) |
10h15PM end.
Slept like a baby next to a church. Left later than predicted because I couldn’t find any charged GoPro batteries. Looked around the truck but gave up after a while. Spilled water onto the open GoPro case which seems to have killed it :-(. |
|
| 51 | Beauty Spot Gap
(1831.6mi) |
Devil Fork Gap
(1876.3mi) |
44.7 | 8AM start. 9h15PM end. Didn’t sleep well. Rednecks arrived in the parking lot and partied most of the night. Revved their trucks and drank plenty of beer. First section was loose rock and roots. Trail cleared up after that. Eleni joined me for a few miles midday. I was so in the zone that I didn’t talk and she ended up turning around because I was no fun :-). #zombiebeastmode. Ingrown toenail still an issue. Having to drain it every morning which delays my starting time. |
| 52 | Devil Fork Gap
(1876.3mi) |
Garenflo Gap
(1918.0mi) |
41.7 | Slept well last night. Rocky ridge to start the day. Feeling tired/slow from pushing the pace yesterday. Trail was nice after the first section- hard packed dirt Stubbed my big toe with the ingrown toenail twice today…. SO PAINFUL! Almost makes me puke. At some points in the day, my mind is happy and tells itself it’s almost over. At other points, it gets discouraged because there’s still 500km left! |
| 53 | Garenflo Gap
(1918.0mi) |
? | ? | No info |
| 54 | ? | ? | ? | No info |
| 55 | ? | US 19 & 74, Nantahala Outdoor Center
(2048.0mi) |
? | No info |
| 56 | US 19 & 74, Nantahala Outdoor Center
(2048.0mi) |
Deep Gap
(2099.9mi) |
51.9 | Still raining! Fed up with having soaked feet! Definitely not a fun day even though we’re so close to the end! L plantar heel- severe burning pain (feels like there’s sharp tiny rocks under my skin) Left ingrown toe nail improving |
| 57 | Deep Gap
(2099.9mi) |
Hogpen Gap, GA (2146.7mi) | 46.6 | 7AM start. 10h30PM end. Still Raining! Slow start to the day. Chose to run with minimalist shoes since it was the only dry pair I had left. Bad call… severe pain in my left big toe and heel. Because of the rain and severe pain, definitely not feeling the joy I thought I’d be feeling when I reached this point. Before last day and miserable in the morning! Sun popped out in the afternoon. Moral perked up and I saw the light! The end is near!!! Last three hours of the day, lightning/pouring rain was back. Started laughing like a madman. Screamed out <> for about half an hour. While finishing the day in the dark pouring rain and lightning, I got bombed from behind by something. At first I thought it was an owl attacking me because I felt wings flapping on each side of my face and something gripping the back of my neck. However, I believe it was a bat. I thought it was the perfect setting for a horror movie… 2 bear sightings today. |
| 58 | Hogpen Gap, GA (2146.7mi) | Springer Mountain, GA
(2185.3mi) |
38.6 | Made it to the end! Not much of a view on Springer. The start on Katahdin was much more majestic. My mind and body are numbed by fatigue… speechless! |
Lalonde Adventures 