| 194 |
That’s how many days the total surge lasted – longer than expected. |
| 136 |
The number of hiking days. That’s zero days on and off trail. |
| 86 |
The number of times I stayed in my tent. |
| 66 |
Number of nights I camped near other hikers I knew and didn’t know. |
| 50 |
These were zero days off-piste. This included a week-long family vacation, a tick bite, and abandoning the trail in Gorham, New Hampshire, for several weeks to wait out severe flooding. I didn’t want to skip sections of Maine. |
| 45 |
The number of days spent in towns and hostels. |
| 42 |
That’s how many times I camped with hikers I’d met multiple times. In most cases, they had become friends on the trail. |
| 34 |
The number of days it rained. |
| 32 |
Number of nights I camped alone. |
| 27 |
Number of cities where I have restocked |
| 25.8 |
Highest mileage day in Virginia. It was a rainy and stormy day, so I kept moving! |
| 22 |
I met a lot of hikers, but I hiked with about 22 different hikers more than once. I never really had a tramily. I mostly floated between groups or other hikers, which I preferred. |
| 17 |
The number of exceptionally cold days that required additional winter clothing. |
| 15.9 |
The number of miles I walked on average each day after removing my zero days. |
| 14 |
The number of days spent in hostels. I usually had a private room, but I stayed on bunk beds three times. |
| 14 |
This is the most days I have hiked with another hiker. Pigpen was an 18-year-old hiker from Missouri. |
10
| The total number of zero days on the city track. About half were captured in the first and last four cities. |
|
| 9 |
The number of days spent in a trail shelter. I did it if it was raining, friends were staying there and it was clean. |
| 3 |
The number of days it snowed. |
| 2 |
Lake of the Clouds gave me a free reservation when a couple offered it to me as they were leaving. I paid for my reservation at Zealand Falls Hut. |
| 5 |
That’s how many pairs of HOKA Speedgoats I’ve worn on the trail. |
| 1 |
The number one breakfast on the trail was at the Mountain Harbor Hostel/B&B. No other breakfast comes close! |
| 1 |
It was a tough decision, but my favorite motel stay was the Stratton Motel in Stratton, ME. The Jens renovated the motel and did a wonderful job! It’s also right in the center of the city, which is a huge plus! Thanks also to the close finalists – The Hike Inn in Fontana and The Holiday House in Bethel, ME. |
| 1 |
My favorite trail town was Bethel, ME. It was not only a difficult choice for me, but a surprise. There are amazing restaurants and everything is within walking distance. The close runners-up were Front Royal, VA and Damascus, VA. |
| 1 |
My favorite restaurant was the original Le Mu restaurant for lunch in Bethel, ME. It was a little gem! There were few things I didn’t like and in two days I ate there three times! The Coplin Dinner House in Stratton, ME was also a hidden gem that the Jens recommended to me, and Thunderbird Lodge, right on the trail, was a pleasant surprise and SO hiker friendly! |
| 1 |
My favorite campsite was on the ridge overlooking Frankly, North Carolina, about 2 or 3 miles from Winding Stair Gap. The sunrise and sunset were incredible! |
| 1 |
I know it shouldn’t be my favorite trail name, but “Holy Shit” was my favorite name. The name fits this older hiker perfectly! 🙂 |
| 1 |
There are now many hostels on the trail and I have stayed in 14 of them. The one I liked the most was the Stumble Inn in Front Royal, Virginia. The owners were friendly and the hostel was clean and pleasant and had everything I needed. Chica and Sunsets in Franklin, North Carolina, followed closely behind. |
