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Magic Blogs

I love to hike, plain and simple as that. When I discovered the world of thru hiking, I felt like I had finally found a group that I belonged to. Between reading books that were trail related, watching thru hiking vlogs, and scrolling through outdoor blogs, I began to piece together what I thought the outdoor community was all about. Since thru hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2021, I have begun to write about my experiences on trail as well as my opinions on things like gear, hiking styles, and relationships. You can find it all below!

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People are curious about the kind of person that would drop everything to live in the woods for months at a time. There are logistical questions, safety concerns, and questions about defying social norms. These are the 10 most frequently asked questions about my thru hiking experience:

It is impossible to do much of anything without a good night’s sleep, and hiking is no different. Willing your body to climb mountains can’t be done with sheer stubbornness alone, you need time to rest and recover so that your body is able to tackle whatever obstacles lie ahead.

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I felt crazy telling my friends and family that I fell in love with this hairy hiker from Mississippi in just a couple of months on trail. No matter how outlandish the backstory or circumstances, love is love and I am thankful to have found it. Here’s to many more years and miles with you, Truffles.

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Humans are not meant to do life alone. We have a herd mentality by nature, and I have been fortunate enough to build a community around people who also love the outdoors. Seeking out women with this shared passion has paved the way for lifelong friendships and adventure partners. 

Most people dream of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail their entire life. They meticulously test gear on shakedown hikes in order to find the perfect equipment to carry them from Georgia to Maine. Some folks spend thousands of dollars on a pack, sleep system, shelter, and other items necessary to backpack, only to completely change their setup before crossing the first state line.

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It is because of the inspiration and insight I gained from those who went before me that I decided to create this blog. Retelling my trail story by sharing my journal entries for the world to see, I hope to take readers along my journey of self-discovery. I climbed mountains, swam in lakes, danced with lightning bugs, forded rivers, and wished on shooting stars during my months on trail.

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In August of 2022, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced that the Park would begin charging parking fees on March 1, 2023. As a hiking and backpacking guide within the Park, this topic has become something of local conversation and controversy. What will this increase in revenue mean for the Park? How will this affect locals who work and play in the Smokies?

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The best way to celebrate an anniversary is by doing something that you love. When that anniversary happens to be for walking from Georgia to Maine, you take a hike. On September 7, 2021, I concluded my 169 day thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. This year on my “trailiversary”, my partner, Cade, and I decided to spend the day doing what we love: hiking.

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On Friday, October 14, 2022, we had the day off and decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather to check off another trail and enjoy the fall colors. We referenced our Hiking Trails of the Smokies book to pick a longer trail that was on the Tennessee side of the park since it’s closer to our home in Gatlinburg. We settled on the Sugarland Mountain trail because its trailhead is off Clingmans Dome Road, a road that we know will close during the winter.

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