Check out the first article in this mini series: The Hike Life: Part One!

In the first article I gave you an overview of the Appalachian Trail (AT). This week, I’m going to share some of Jennifer’s stories and trials from her hike.

Jennifer’s journey began with her constructing a list explaining why she wanted to hike the AT. As she embarked on the most trying journey of her life, Jennifer really hoped to achieve this existential idea of self betterment – she wanted to be comfortable in her own skin, while pushing herself to try new things. Prior to her hike, she - like many others - had this misconception that there would be all this time to be one with nature and have these inward reflections. However, she came to realize when you’re out there, you use this time to think but don’t really come to any conclusions, you’re more focused on setting up your shelter for the night and planning your next resupply.

Some people do have these epiphanies and revelations, but for Jennifer it only made things concrete. During our talk I had asked Jennifer what she hoped to gain from hiking the AT, one of her main responses was learning how to be more self-dependent. “I had these sporadic moments where I told myself ‘I can do this, I have everything that I need on my back. I’ve got this.’ And I did.” We have become a society that is heavily reliant on material items; we collect these things that may not even service a functional purpose, yet we can’t get enough of it. On the trail, you have to carry everything you need, so realistically the less you have the better. In a moment of clarity, Jennifer realized just how liberating it was to live in such a manner.

We become a slave to our possessions and they consume us. Living with less was truly a liberating experience for Jennifer. Your base line shifts for your level of comfort, for everything really, suddenly all those trivial things don’t seem to matter. You’re happier with less, you’re more comfortable being uncomfortable, you learn how truly amazing your body is and all the things you’re capable of doing. You learn to slow down, really experience life, and gain a new appreciation for things we often take for granted. “When you haven’t had a shower for over a week and you’re cold and miserable from being in the rain, you just want to be warm. When you finally get that hot shower, well, it breathes new life into you.”

When asked what her favorite part of the hike was, of course she couldn’t choose. “Every state had something different to offer, every place had something to love.” One story in particular revolved around a very technically difficult section that occurs in Southern Maine – the Mahoosuc Notch. There’s a lot of elevation change and huge bouldering scrambles. Though the section is only a mile long – it took Jennifer three hours. “It had just rained and was super slippery – It took everything to not bust my ass!” Jennifer loved Maine though, “You can camp anywhere, there were so many lakes encircled by mountains. One night we had a fire and camped on a beach.” One of the most surreal and utterly amazing experiences you can have is sitting on a beach next to a warm fire, surrounded by nature and good friends, and falling asleep under the stars.

For Jennifer, she never felt more comfortable, more herself, than when she was on the trail. It’s been a little over a year since Jennifer has completed her thru hike. Currently, she resides with her husband, Zach and her Great Dane, Aberdeen, in Silicon Valley. Most people are unaware of how much an adventure of that magnitude can impact your life. In the final article of the series next week I will address the issues Jennifer has faced with post hike depression.

Stay tuned!

Sleeping under the stars - Flagstaff Lake, Maine