Was everyone driving with their brights on? I covered the sharp beams with a gloved hand and mellowed my walking pace. Funny how easy it is to misstep when the dark of early morning is suddenly illuminated, rushed, accelerated. I’ve lived like that before. Always wanting to be first to the office. To get a good parking spot. To be the guy who turned on … Continue reading 2023 Personal Retreat
This year I wasn’t able to enjoy as many books as usual, and mostly because I spent a solid 3+ months backpacking on either the Appalachian Trail or the Arizona Trail. Sure, lots of folks still manage to devour books while on the trail, but for me, nosing into one after hiking all day only amounts to sleep. Still, the titles I read were, for … Continue reading Review of Books Read in 2022
It’s Sunday, mid-July 2022, and I’m sitting in a wonky chair at a rickety desk at the Seattle airport Doubletree Hilton. Had things gone as planned, I’d be in Spokane, on day 4 of my 7 day training “tour” of the PNW. Instead I’m paying $350 per night for a room with a crusty rug and no fridge. I’ve had better night’s stays at Motel … Continue reading Vector
I don’t have a super large social media following, but the folks who are connected are pretty doggone engaged. For this I am wildly grateful! Thank you! Today I reached out on Instagram and Facebook to see if any of my followers had any lingering questions about my experience on the Appalachian Trail. I received some amazing questions that, along with other recent inquiries, will … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Part 1: Questions Answered
I’ve been an athlete my entire life. Started team sports in 5th grade with my go-to favorite, basketball, and played until graduating from high school. I also participated in soccer, track & field, and even, to my mother’s chagrin, a year of varsity football during my senior year. I think she attended one game, and of course it was the one where I got knocked … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Part 1: Injury Prevention
The base weight of a well-packed backpack can be ruined by carrying too much food. I’m guilty of having lugged heavy, spacehogging items that should have been left at home. A six pack of beer, small champagne bottles, cases of nutrition bars, cans of chili or soup. Weighty things that certainly taste good and add to the good times, but certainly less smart choices for … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Part 1: The Food & Water Plan
In an earlier post I laid out all the gear I planned to carry in my pack as I started my thru-hike of the AT. With 5 days of food and full water bottles, I was all-in at 31 lbs. Thirty one pounds is a lot lighter than the 60 pound Lowe Alpine Contour IV I lugged in 1995 when I attempted to the Oregon … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Part 1: Gear Assessment & Review
Along with everything I’ll be wearing for what looks to be a chilly morning hike this Monday (March 14, 2022), here’s the list of gear I’ll be lugging as I start the Appalachian Trail. I imagine there are many unnecessary and superfluous items, and likely way too many snacks, but this is what I’ve chosen to commit to. As the weather warms and I get … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Gear List
Earlier this year I drove away from Spokane in a newly-purchased Dodge cargo van that was filled with all my personal belongings and household goods. My destination, Carrboro, NC, a place I had previously called home for ten years, was more than 2500 miles away. I had done this drive five times in as many years, but never in the sort of weather projected for … Continue reading Every Hundred Miles
Tom Griffen 