Life After the AT

Living the Dream



In one way it is hard to believe that it has been only a little over 2-weeks since I finished the AT -- in another, it feels like a lifetime has past.  I knew that assimilating back into "real" life would be difficult, but I didn't bargain on how difficult it would be.  The first few days back were very hard.  I had found so much comfort in the simplicity of life on the Trail.  My only job and purpose for 71-days was to cover miles (then get up and do the same thing over and over).  I trained myself early on to forget about the life I was leaving behind and consciously ingrained the mantra of "This is who I am and this is what I do."  I truly became Gobbler, the AT thru-runner/hiker.  Turning off my AT-mentality once we returned home was difficult and not something I even wanted to do.  Only days after finishing, I yearned to be back on the Trail.  I was depressed and I wanted my simple purpose back -- even with the mosquitoes, mud, rocks, hunger, thirst, and pain.  I missed our stinky tent, eating unhealthy amounts of Little Debbies, going to bed dirty, growing a beastly beard, bathing in creeks, and living out of our car.

I can honestly say that I am finally getting back to a sense of normalcy.  It's been a slow process, but I've been thrusted back into the responsibilities of daily life -- ready or not, life as I knew it beckons.  "Normal" is not what I am seeking though as I cannot and will not forget all those priceless lessons I learned on the Appalachian Trail this summer.  I don't know that I will ever be able to completely impart what I did actually learn, but here is somewhat of a list:

1. You can get by with much less than you think you need.
2. You can ALWAYS do much more than you think you can.
3. You can live on Little Debbies, pizza, and maltodextrin (I consumed 48 lbs. of the stuff) . . . but you had better be doing some serious miles.  I did not lose ANY weight after running 2,181 miles -- I think I had the fueling pretty dialed-in!
4. Hygiene is over-rated . . . but boy does a shower feel great when you've not had one for 4/5 days!
5. Being alone in your own thoughts for 10-14 hours a day is good for your soul.
6. I can't believe how much my wife loves me.
7. I can't believe how much I love my wife.
8. People are important.  As much as I love being in nature, people and relationships are our most important natural resource.
9. We need the Lord in our lives.  I know where my strength comes from and it is not from me.  I praise God for His protection and guidance on this adventure.
10. A sense of purpose in life is important.  I am glad to have a job and life (along with a bed, microwave, and air-conditioning) to come back to.

So what is next?  I'm not sure for a while.  Right now I'm simply focused on surviving daily life and preparing for the 4th Cheat Mtn Moonshine Madness.  I forgot how time consuming directing a race is.

Many folks have asked if I would do it again.  The answer even surprises me a bit.  It is an emphatic, YES! . . . but I'm not sure if I'll ever have the opportunity.  I would love to do the AT again, but even more I would love to do the PCT.  It's good to have dreams, but for now I'm comfortable where I am.

AT Data

*click on the linked day number in the left column for the corresponding post.

Day	Date	Start	Finish	Mileage
1	4-May	Springer Mtn.	Neels Gap US 19/129	30.7
2	5-May	Neels Gap	Dicks Creek US 76	36.8
3	6-May	Dicks Creek	Rock Gap	36.5
4	7-May	Rock Gap	US 19 Nantahala River	31
5	8-May	US 19 Nantahala River	Fontana (Smokies southern boundary)	29.4
6	9-May	Fontana Dam	Newfound Gap US 441	40.3
7	10-May	Newfound Gap	Davenport Gap TN 32/ NC 284	31.3
8	11-May	Davenport Gap	Hot Springs	35.8
9	12-May	Hot Springs	Devil Fork Gap NC 212	35
10	13-May	Devil Fork	Erwin, TN	33.1
11	14-May	Erwin	Carvers Gap, TN 143/ NC261	34.1
12	15-May	Carvers Gap	Walnut Mtn Rd.	25.4
13	16-May	Walnut Mtn. Rd.	Wilbur Dam Rd.	26.8
14	17-May	Wilbur Dam Rd.	Damascus, VA	37.6
15	18-May	Damascus	Elk Garden (VA 600)	23.8
16	19-May	Elk Garden	VA 670	32.1
17	20-May	VA 670	VA 42	31.2
18	21-May	VA 42	VA 612 Kimberling Creek	33.6
19	22-May	VA 612	Pearisburg, VA	42.1
20	23-May	Pearisburg	Rocky Gap (VA 601)	34.8
21	24-May	Rocky Gap	VA 624/ North Mountain Trail	32.2
22	25-May	VA 624/ North Mountain Trail	Salt Pond Rd. (USFS 191)	33.5
23	26-May	Salt Pond Rd. (USFS 191)	Thunder Ridge Overlook	35.7
24	27-May	Thunder Ridge	Pedler Lake Rd. (USFS 38)	31.2
25	28-May	Pedler Lake Rd. (USFS 38)	Tye River (VA 56)	29.5
26	29-May	Tye River (VA 56)	Rockfish Gap (US 250/I-64)	29.7
27	30-May	Rockfish Gap	Simmons Gap	35.3
28	31-May	Simmons Gap	Skyland	34.6
29	1-Jun	Skyland	Front Royal: US 522	37.2
30	2-Jun	Front Royal: US 522	Bears Den Hostel	33.5
31	3-Jun	Bears Den Hostel	U.S. Alt 40	37.8
32	4-Jun	U.S. Alt 40	PA 233	36.7
33	5-Jun	PA 233	PA 94	35
34	6-Jun	PA 94	Duncannon, PA	34.5
35	7-Jun	Duncannon, PA	PA 225	8.4
36	8-Jun			0
37	9-Jun	PA 225	PA 645	36.4
38	10-Jun	PA 645	Port Clinton/PA 61	26.3
39	11-Jun	Port Clinton/PA 61	PA 309	26
40	12-Jun	PA 309	Smith Gap Rd.	25.9
41	13-Jun	Smith Gap Rd.	Delaware Water Gap	24.9
42	14-Jun	Delaware Water Gap	Crigger Rd.	33.4
43	15-Jun	Crigger Rd.	Barrett Rd.	31.8
44	16-Jun	Barrett Rd.	Seven Lakes Drive	31.6
45	17-Jun	Seven Lakes Drive	NY 301 Fahnestock State Park	29.9
46	18-Jun	NY 301 Fahnestock State Park	Schaghticoke Rd.	38.4
47	19-Jun	Schaghticoke Rd.	US 7 Housatonic River	30.3
48	20-Jun	US 7 Housatonic River	Rt. 7  (Sheffield, Mass.)	31.6
49	21-Jun	Rt. 7  (Sheffield, Mass.)	Tyne Rd.	29.9
50	22-Jun	Tyne Rd.	Cheshire, MA	26.9
51	23-Jun	Cheshire, MA	Bennington, VT; City Stream, VT 9	33.2
52	24-Jun	Bennington, VT; City Stream, VT 9	Manchester City, VT	40.1
53	25-Jun	Manchester City, VT	North Clarendon, VT	32.4
54	26-Jun	North Clarendon, VT	Stony Brook Rd.	28.9
55	27-Jun	Stony Brook Rd.	Hanover, NH	35.3
56	28-Jun	Hanover, NH	NH 25A	32.9
57	29-Jun	NH 25A	Franconia Notch, US 3	35.5
58	30-Jun			0
59	1-Jul	Franconia Notch, US 3	Crawford Notch, US 302	27.7
60	2-Jul	Crawford Notch, US 302	Pinkham Notch, NH 16	26
61	3-Jul	Pinkham Notch, NH 16	Androscoggin River	21.4
62	4-Jul	Androscoggin River	Grafton Notch, Maine 26	30.8
63	5-Jul	Grafton Notch, Maine 26	South Arm Rd.	20.4
64	6-Jul	South Arm Rd.	Maine 4; Rangely, ME	26.4
65	7-Jul	Maine 4; Rangely, ME	Caribou Valley Rd.	23.9
66	8-Jul	Caribou Valley Rd.	Long Falls Dam Road	27.4
67	9-Jul	Long Falls Dam Road	Moxie Pond	29.4
68	10-Jul	Moxie Pond	Maine 15	24.8
69	11-Jul	Maine 15	Katahdin Ironworks Logging Road	29.9
70	12-Jul	Katahdin Ironworks Logging Road	Jo-Mary Road	28.6
71	13-Jul	Jo-Mary Road	Abol Bridge	40.9
72	14-Jul	Abol Bridge	Katahdin	15.1

Wrap-Up and Photos



What running the AT will make you look like (Lehmann found these glasses along the road)

Katahdin in the background

Jill and Dan nearing the summit

The End of the Journey

71 Days 4 Hours 35 Minutes . . . more to come!

The wife here updating for Adam in Rangeley, ME: He is doing well today and, although we like camping four nights in a row, we are staying in a little motel since it may be the last chance for one for a good bit (and it has a kitchenette - can't beat a "real stove" meal like at home).

Regardless, we're looking forward to Dan and Lara Lehmann joining us tonight and possibly Frances Mongold and Bradley's girlfriend, Jill. Wahoo! This will be a huge boost and help for our tired selves. The "home stretch" is quite the stretch - good thing it is beautiful!

-Kadra

Day 61

Pinkham Notch to Androscoggin River - 22 miles

22 miles in 10 hours (no stopping and solid hiking). . . yeah it's that tough.  Very tough climb out of Pinkham to Wildcat Mtn first thing, then lots of gnarly wet rocks and a solid day of cold drizzle.  The descent into Pinkham off of Mt. Madison may be the most difficult descent on the Trail, and the ascent across Rt.16 may be the toughest climb thus far.  Glad to have this one in the books.  Only about 16 more miles and we'll be in Maine!  Tackling the notorious Mahoosucs tomorrow in what will most likely be another very long day to cover 50K.  Will I have a new "toughest mile" to talk about? . . . probably so.

Days 59 and 60

Day 59: Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch - 28 miles
Day 60: Crawford to Pinkham Notch - 26 miles