The Thru Hike

March 24, 2024 a perfect day to start. The day was sunny and the temperatures were perfect. The send off crew gathered in the parking lot of the approach trail to wish the Double Ds a great journey.  The trail was pretty busy with north bounders as well as day hikers. The Double Ds decided to slack pack the approach trail. It was an easy hike to the top. You can tell by the look on their faces that they were ready to go.  A good reminder of what the AT is about. "A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness."  Then it was back to the parking lot to collect their packs. Pockets full of fresh treats and packs full of the gear, food, and other good stuff. It was official on March 24, 2024 at 11:15 am the Double Ds started their AT adventure. Both guys were full of happy anticipation.  Today:  A little over eight miles by 3:45 pm. They stopped at Hawk Mountain for the night. Dale reported that there were 22 tents there...not sure how many hikers. A n...

Thank you for the send off party. Your kind words and well wishes meant a lot.  Dale 

 March 12, 2024...Training      Disclaimer...Terri is writing this update, not Dale or David, so while it may be very factual she may have to interject her observations. Terri will update as she hears from the hikers. The good news is that Dale and David will be able to update the blog and see comments if they have cell service.  Dale has been spending some time training (with a trainer) in the gym, gym time on his own, as well as hiking. He says he is in pretty good shape. Sunday, he logged 8 miles on the trail (no pack), Monday trail maintenance and a shorter hike with the dog, today hiking with a pack and tomorrow with the trainer.  Dale knows that this hike will be very different than the section hikes that he and Ben did. One of the biggest changes is he has to change his mindset from trying to prepare for every contingency to letting things play out. In the past, Dale has spent countless hours preparing food to make sure that all bases were covered. T...