Last week at work was a beast! I got home from South Carolina Friday at 8:30pm. We had already packed our backpacks because we knew I’d be getting in late. We made a fairly quick turn around and headed to Brevard, NC. We did not roll in to Brevard until after midnight. Whew! This backpacking trip was worth the late…
Tag: travel
Repurposing an Old Jacket into Insulated Food Pouches
We have been wanting to get food insulation pouches for quite some time, but never got around to it. You can get them for $15- $50, ranging from simple to fancy. They are not hard to find in stores or online. The insulated bags help freeze-dried food rehydrate better and keep it hot longer. I cannot attest to the fact…
Backpacking Adventure: Carvers Gap to US 19E Recap
This past weekend, we backpacked from Carvers Gap to US 19E. We tracked our hiking miles and it ended up being a total of 17 miles. We did hike to a few water sources. Most guide books say the hike is around 15 miles. Our 17 miles did not include any walking around campsites or anything off trail. We got…
Backpacking the Appalachian Trail: A Weekend Section Hike
This coming weekend, we are planning on backpacking 14 miles on the AT. We will hike from Carvers Gap to US 19E. It’s a busy section of the trail with many hikers claiming it’s the prettiest section of the entire Appalachian Trail. That said, it is the prettiest section in North Carolina, hands down. We are excited about the change…
Happy FriYay: Hiking Tales and Homeless Backpackers
Happy FriYay! It’s been a busy week here in the Carolinas. We went out and hiked 5 miles with our packs on Sunday after Mass. After the previous week and vertigo, I was a bit nervous. It turned out fine, thankfully. After my urgent care visit and a stronger antibiotic, the middle ear infection is gone and has not returned.…
Top Benefits of Using Grayl Geopress: Cleaner Water on Your Adventures
I am so excited about the Grayl Geopress! While we already own a Sawyer Squeeze water filter, we decided to give the Geopress a try. The biggest reason is that it filters out viruses as well as bacteria and other pathogens. We’ve recently experienced some pretty nasty things while hiking. Dirty diapers left right at the base of a waterfall,…
Healing Through Nature: My Journey to Section Hike the Appalachian Trail
I am in South Carolina for work this week and have done a lot of driving. It’s a big state! I was in Myrtle Beach yesterday and this morning. I am now in Columbia. As I drive around for work, I listen to quite a few podcasts. If you have not checked out the Huberman Lab podcast, you need to!…
Hiking with Ear Issues: My Experience. Gear Part II.
Yesterday, we loaded our packs and headed to Hanging Rock State Park. At just over a mile on the trail, I continued to get dizzy and ended up throwing up 3 times. Not fun. I did make it back and carried my own pack over a mile after this. Whew. Do not recommend! While we were at Red River Gorge,…
Gearing Up
Eighty-eight days until we hit the trail. We are figuring out the shuttle points and getting our gear together. Originally, we were going to shuttle to the end and back to the start. Marty had the idea of leaving a car midway and then at the end. Just in case something happens that we need to get out – heaven…
70 Miles on the Appalachian Trail
We are preparing to hike a 70 mile section of the AT this coming October. It’ll be a beautiful hike with the fall foliage in full glory. I have done many, many day hikes since getting out of the military, but I haven’t done a week long ruck or hike since then. I have officially been out of the military…
My Little Red Bike 