Date: 2018-08-28
To: New York
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Over the past five months, two weeks, and one day, I have hiked more miles, slept under the stars more nights, saw more amazing things, and pushed my body to the limit more than most people will do in a lifetime. I endured six painful weeks of below freezing temperatures and subzero windchills, blizzards and knee deep snow from Georgia to southern Virginia. Followed closely by 90 degree temperatures and outrunning forest fires in middle to northern Virginia. Then, two straight weeks of rain, flooding, and shin deep mud from northern Virginia to Maryland. Two more weeks of 90 degree weather, with heat indexes over 110 degrees through Vermont. Finally, three weeks of heat, humidity, rain, lightning bolts, and near-vertical rock climbs that had been turned into waterfalls in Maine. These are the unpredictable challenges I faced, that are on top of the predictable challenges that is a 2,190.9 mile hike through 14 states.I am amazed more than ever by the body¢s ability to endure and to heal, as I watch most of my newly purchased equipment be reduced to rubble from the day after day wear and tear. Despite feeling like the tribute on The Hunger Games that the game maker wanted dead for over 5 months, I can honestly say there was not a single day where I entertained the idea of quitting. I finish the trail now mentally and physically stronger than I have ever been, and I glow with the confidence of knowing it will take a hell of a lot to kill me. In the brief time I have had to reflect on the completion of this journey, I remember much more vividly the sunsets, wildlife, waterfalls, stars, and the amazing people I met and relationships that were formed, and remember much less how cold, wet, hot and smelly I was.I would like to share one of the many valuable lessons I on the trail: I realized that throughout our lives, there is always this burning desire to get to the end. To get to the end of a 4 hour drive, to get to the end of the day, to get to the weekend, to get to retirement, to get to the end of the Appalachian Trail. No one would say they want to get to the end of their life, but those things you are trying to get to the end of is all part of your life. You should value each day, and take something memorable from it. If you are just trying to get the day over with, what¢s the point? Drive a different way home and maybe you¢ll see something new. Go out of your way to help someone and see the smile on their face. Get out of your mundane routine of waking up, going to work, eating dinner, watching the news, and going to bed until you get to the weekend. And to those hikers who hiked the trail super fast just to say you did, get out of the routine of waking up with the sunrise, and walking as far and as fast as you can until dark. Take that one tenth of a mile side trail to see the beautiful mountain that is about to destroy your legs. Enjoy a nice view for an hour, or jump in that mountain lake!Throughout my journey, there were countless people that helped me in different ways. My parents, family, and friends who sent me care packages, hiked with me, took me out for a night on the town, and the constant words of encouragement; I cannot thank you enough! As you¢ve seen in my previous posts, it was amazing how many complete strangers also go out of their way to help hikers. I am in your debt! You are all trail angels, and you have not only taught me to give back when you can, but to also pay it forward.It took me so long to put up this final post, because it is still all so overwhelming, and it is hard to put it all into words. I will say, this way of life I lived since March is matched by nothing else. Though it is, without a doubt, not sustainable long term. So I shall return to what society views as how you ¢should¢ live your life, having gained a completely different perspective on what really is important. This all comes with the hope of someday returning to the woods to see what more it has to teach me.¢I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.¢ -Henry David Thoreau