[at-l] Hike ended short after 13 miles

[gbenkert at fuse.net (Greg Benkert)]

>>Nightwalker wrote:
>>Big Red had never spent a night on *any* trail before he went on a
>>successful thru-hike. That's rare, but it occasionally happens.


While Nightwalker is correct, it wasn't my intent and it's not something I
would recommend.  

I had decided to do a thru about a year before I left.  I was severely
overweight and embarked on an exercise plan.  I had a nasty case of plantar
fasciitis before I knew what plantar fasciitis was.  It was still bothering
me up to about a week before I left for Springer, so I didn't get out on any
shakedown hikes.  Oddly though, I was never bothered by it while hiking.  I
think that was just because so many other things hurt worse. :-)

Even though I hadn't hiked and still weighed 345 pounds when I left
Springer, I was not unprepared.  I had done my homework and started with
about an 18 pound pack.  I think that's what gave me a fighting chance.

I struggled, made mistakes and learned a lot.  I set new world records for
slackpacking, zero days and nights spent in motels.  But I walked past EVERY
white blaze and seven months later made it to Katahdin.

Big Red
www.trailjournals.com/bigred