Our Unconventional Life

I'm starting to get concerned I need to keep a closer eye on my weight. I took a shower the other day and saw myself in the mirror for the first time in a while. I think I look a little emaciated. I need to be eating around 3000-3500 calories a day while I'm hiking, which is about twice what I usually eat. I want these to be high quality calories, not just calories for calories sake. I need to get more clinical in the coming weeks about my hiker diet in order to maintain good body composition to be able to finish. Of course, the next challenge will be going back to my old diet when I'm not hiking 15 or more miles a day. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. 4/16 VA 42 to Davis Farm Campsite - 18.2 miles Today I start out again with my full pack planning to spend the next night on the trail. I'll be hiking with the big pack for a number of days, although Angelika will be still able to meet me along the way sometimes so I can still spend a few nights in a real b...

We're now walking through Southwest Virginia. The AT will go over some of the highest summits on the trail traversing the Virginia Highlands.  4/9 Damascus, VA to Summit Cut - 15.8 miles Today I had to retire the boots I've been wearing on the trip so far. I've been hiking in them much longer than that, of course. We've seen a lot of miles together. They're like an old friend. It's a little sad to have to put them out to pasture. On the upside, I bought two new identical pairs last year before starting this trip at a shoe store in Keene, NH that specializes in boots for people with wide feet (that's me). I'll be continuing on with my boot's younger brothers. Temperatures got down into the 20's overnight, but we were warm and comfortable in the van and ready to get an early start. Steve heads home today and we're moving our campsite further up the trail, so Angelika drops me off in Damascus to resume from where we left off. I'm slackpackin...