Book Release Party Day 2 - Hiking the Appalachian Trail as a Teenager

Day 2 of the Book Release Party features an interview with the companion on a trip of 2,000 plus miles, Joshua Bliss, who hiked the trail with his mom the author. Don't forget to enter the great contest afterward as part of the all week celebration!

Mom and son reunite on the Appalachian Trail this past summer

Tell us a bit about yourself.

"Well, I'm 23, I'm the lead assistant manager of a local gas station. I play games online and I read in my spare time."

How was it hiking the Appalachian Trail as a teenager? Thinking back on it, what were the highlights for you? 

“It was hard, but fun. Anyone who has spent more than a week or two on the trail can tell you, it ain't easy. The people I met were the biggest highlights. As you go along, you find groups of people that are going on the same adventure as you, and you can't help but feel a camaraderie with these strangers. It's like a second family.”

Taking it easy

How about the one thing that didn’t go so well on the hike?

“I know that there are several difficult moments mentioned in the book, Overmountain Shelter for example, but the one moment that stands out the most was having a tough night in Connecticut outside a close-to-trail town, and waking up to slugs in my boots and all over my tent. Talk about gross.”

What was your favorite state to hike in and why?

Sunset in Glastenbury fire tower, Vermont

Vermont, no questions asked. The woods were beautiful, the people extremely friendly, and some of the best weather the entire trip.

How about your favorite food on the trail?

“We had this strange concoction of mashed potato mix and dressing mix. It was very filling, and very good. Looked kind of like plaster, though.”

(Side note: Stayed tuned for the recipe on Wednesday’s Refreshment Day! Thanksgiving Dinner on the trail)

Ok, we know you spent six months hiking with your mom. How was it, really? And would you recommend it for a teen and parent?

“Honestly, it was fun. Not many kids that age get to have experiences like that, and the bonding time we had, I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

Would I recommend it? If you have the chance, definitely. It's a life-changing journey, something you can share for years to come.”

What is some future dream you’d like to see fulfilled in your life?

“I would love to hike the trail again, but solo. I loved doing it with my mother, but i know doing it on my own, at my own pace, would be an adventure all its own.”

  

Describe yourself in one word

“Stubborn. Sad but true.”

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Quitting a Hike - Valuable Insights

Why doesn't one finish the hike they had planned? Following up on an earlier blog I wrote on a similar topic, I wanted to share this very insightful post from a fellow hiker on White Blaze. There are some good insights to consider. 




"This spring I set out to do a 6 week section, and didn't make it as far as I wanted to. So I guess I'll talk about why I quit. I actually quit twice, went home for a week and then hit the trail again with some gear readjustments.

Gear Issues:
Started with a 40lb pack the first time. Brought "7 days" of food that I didn't eat more then 1/4 of in the first week. All that extra weight put a lot of strain on my knees, ankles, and muscles. Fixed second time out, carried 25 lbs. Still brought too much food, but much more reasonable load.

Physical Issues:
Did not have enough physical preparation for the hike. Ramped up my mileage too quickly, went from doing 7s to 17s and didn't let myself rest at all, just kept trying to do more mileage than I had the day before. This from a basically sedentary lifestyle. My body just didn't have time to heal day after day.

Dietary/Nutritional Issues:
I brought "too much food" but I also wasn't eating enough, or necessarily the right things. Crashed really hard the first week because I hadn't eaten more than 300 calories in 24 hours. That was a really rough day, but taught me to make myself eat something even if I'm not hungry. But my diet on the trail was very low in protein and iron, which are needed to build all that muscle. By the time I quit for the second time blood tests showed my iron levels were very low. I basically made myself anemic by building too much muscle too quickly without proper nutrition.

Mental Issues:
I hiked alone, and being a normally pretty solitary person I had no idea that the loneliness would get to me so much. Some people on WB complain about "overcrowding" on the trail, but hiking in New England in the early season it was very empty. Went entire days only seeing 1-2 other people and spending the night alone, I couldn't handle it. I probably wouldn't have quit if I had a partner with me to keep me from overstretching myself and skipping meals, and keep me from getting so bored/lonely.

Things I'll Change: Plan to try a section again next year, with a few differences. My gear list the second time out, being about 25 pounds with food and water, worked out well. I plan to be more physically prepared by doing more warm up hikes, and make myself eat properly and take resting days. Going to bring nutritional supplements, especially iron, but being more in shape to start will help with those deficits, too. Going to hike with a partner, or if I cannot find one look for a more populated part of the trail, probably by starting further south that early in the season."                
- courtesy of "Amanita"  



What are some reasons you haven't finished what you started out to do? Feel free to post a comment below (where it says Post a Comment.)

Southbound vs Northbound Part II - The Social Aspects

Day One on the Approach Trail to Springer Mtn, GA March 5, 2007

Yes, there is nothing like the solitude of a wilderness experience. The flora. The fauna. The views. The fresh air. The ability to leave homes and cities, and smog and Internet and live free with just a backpack and a few bare essentials.

But there are people.

Yes, the trail is still filled with people. People of all walks of life. People on the trail, at the shelters, in the hostels, in towns, on the roads. Thru hikers, sectioners, day hikers, weeekenders, townsfolk, trail angels, hostel providers, shuttlers. The variety is endless. And so are the contacts one makes.

Tents abound in thru hiking season come late March.

I believe the social aspects is what sets the Appalachian Trail apart from more remote regions where trails wander without a soul in sight for days on end. Not to say you won't ever be alone on the AT. You will be, whether going north or south. But there is definitely a difference in social living in a NOBO vs SOBO hiking experience. And things one might consider if you are pondering NOBO vs SOBO. If you lean toward being a social bird and like social things OR if you are one of solitude and want to experience trail life with just yourself as company. I have done both and came away with different experiences.

SOBO Hikers that Began July 1 or late June gather at Antlers Campground in the 100 Mile Wilderness, July, 2010

Going Southbound (SOBO)

Hikers heading southbound have a narrow window of opportunity if they plan to hike the whole trail. Depending on weather on Katahdin in Maine, the northern terminus, hikers can start anywhere from late May to mid July with most heading out between June 15th and July 1 for optimal season conditions and to avoid snow down south. Southbounders are also faced with difficult challenges right off the bat - the most difficult parts of the trail in the first six weeks of hiking and little in the way of resupply, refreshing or even changing out gear. Hikers come in as newbies without trail legs and must hike the toughest parts of the trail where most say 90% of the work remain. And this is bound to cut down on the social aspects of the trail as hikers start to fall behind, drop out, etc. We happened to leave on a popular start date - July 1 and were in with a bunch of SOBOers all throughout the 100 mile wilderness. Some of the NOBOS we ran into in southern Maine were blown away by our contingent. But the group quickly dissipated soon afterwards as the toughness of terrain seeped in. People's mileage varies as does their desire to stay in the few towns that exist in Maine. When I began in July, by the time I reached NH (and having to get off a week myself for family issues) I was alone going Southbound by August. There were a few ahead of me. Some behind. The ones that began in June were way ahead. But I was on my own. And I remained that way throughout my hike with only occasional sightings of fellow SOBOers in my travels. I did run into Northbounders up until Vermont. But they were all giddy with their miles behind them, and I was in the beginning of my task, so to speak. They were of a different mindset, and I could not relate to them per say.

Trail services were also different for the SOBOer. Everything is geared toward the Northbound hiker. The stores, the hostels. Many were closing up by the time I got there or were closed, including shuttle services. And very little in the way of Trail Magic (where thoughtful folks leave food and fluid at times for hikers at road crossings). People were wondering why I was out there when no one else was. It was a one on one experience for sure. Especially after September when most hikers were back at jobs and schools and sectioners began to drop off (there were a lot of sectioners in September and early October, but again, all were going north. It was my observation that no one hikes south.). I was alone many times at shelter areas or campsites. It was just part of the Southbound experience.

I would definitely say if solitude and independence without support is your key, then Southbound is the way to go.

Going Northbound (NOBO)

If social activities, friends, etc is the rule for you on a long distance hike, then you must go north. Everything is geared toward the NOBO thru hiker. All the stores, the hostels, the shuttles, the trail magic is out there to enjoy. You really have no excuse in the over and abundance of support to keep this hike going, because support is everywhere. And so too are crowded shelters and hostels, and sometimes even services. Though when I did the trail starting in early March, I came through many of the towns before the main onslaught of hikers (which is usually March 15 to April 1st).

If you want a friend to hike with, going North it's easy to find one. And many times the first day or two. See the initial picture at the beginning of this blog and the two hikers we met up with on day one of the Approach Trail on March 5th (without even setting foot on the AT itself). Though a few times my son and I did eventually find ourselves alone on the hike north (mainly in PA). We spent very few nights alone in a shelter (I think three maybe?). And even if there aren't thru hikers, sectioners are out in full force in summer. We had sectioners with us throughout NJ and NY into CT and beyond. And made some great friends. For some reason everyone hikes the trail north. And so there is little trouble with having an active social life, if you want one.

There you have it. The trail is a slice of the good life. As is the great people you meet along the way. And whether north or south, it's a great place to be.


Other Related Blog:

Part Three of the Series - Outfitters and Resupply
Observations of a Two Week Appalachian Trail Start

Out with the Old but Amazing 2010 Hiking Journey

Wow. 2010 saw me on a wild adventure AT-wise I did not plan to do. I had begun section hiking the AT in my home state of Virgina, as you can see from previous posts here on this blog and on trail journals. But some writing projects fell through and the time opened up for me to tackle a major portion of trail southbound this past summer and fall. So by May I quickly had to put things in gear for a long distance hike, literally. Thankfully I had most of the gear itself that I needed. But I did need to plan out food and also gear up for my husband Steve who planned to hike Maine with me.

Here we are atop Saddleback Mountain in Maine just before he left the trail and I continued on solo. For the next few months I doggedly hiked southbound through the states of NH, VT, MA, CT, NY and NJ. At Delaware Water Gap at the PA border, with it getting late in the season and time running short, I made the decision to skip down to where I left off with my spring hikes and finish the trail all the way to Springer Mountain, GA. Then I would return in 2011 to hike PA and MD southbound, with a completion at Harper's Ferry.

Along my journey I met so many wonderful people - hikers, townsfolk and trail angels alike. I enjoyed nights alone and nights with others. I saw beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and endured near hypothermic conditions. I learned a lot

about the trail and what it means to hike it both north and south. I hope in 2011 to share more about what I learned on this blog, as well as sharing my excitement of completing the trail from Maine to Georgia. And we are also planning this year to hike the John Muir Trail in July.

So stay tuned for an awesome year 2011 of Blissful Hiking Thoughts. And may the new year see you on a hiking adventure of your own!

Two Year Anniversary of a Trail

Putting a pebble from Springer Mountain, Georgia on the sign atop Mt. Katahdin, Maine

This Friday, September 18th, marks the two year completion of the entire Appalachian Trail for both my son and myself. To mark the occasion, we got together before my computer and finished writing the book that chronicles the journey. I need only spell check and revise it, but I hope to have it out for eager readers by the third anniversary of our start in Georgia (March 5, 2010). As we shared about the journey, tears came into "Paul Bunyan's" eyes, recalling the monumental feat, but tears as well of good memories and challenges and the simplicity that was the trail life.

We don't know what lies ahead for our hiking pursuits. I would like to try again in 2011, but work and other things might prevent a full SOBO hike. But I will keep my options open. Until then, we will rejoice and remember our hike.

Paul Bunyan with THE hiker food - a Snickers bar

Two Years Ago....

I was getting ready to head out on my own "adventure of a lifetime" (to quote the title of one of my favorite hiking books - Ed Garvey's original). March 5th is the actual date, but since tomorrow I will be gone most of the day, I thought I would pause and reflect on that monumental time when I forsook all to venture along some wilderness path marked by white blazes. If you ever have the chance to do something like this, do it. It's tough, make no mistake, but it is life changing and it is a time you will never forget.

I saw wonderful things, met wonderful people, experienced wonderful miracles and returned with a better appreciation of life and God. I still have plans to finish the book I have started (it's about 3/4th done) which will be the written account of this fascinating journey.

Here is an excerpt I wrote in my book for this day -

"On March 4th, I look around my home, taking it all in. I won’t be back in this place until at least May when I would have walked 900 miles to get here. Now I am abandoning my castle, my call as keeper of the abode for a new abode in the woods. It’s strange to leave a place of security for some vast unknown. I could understand a bit what missionaries felt like. All security and comfort is thrown to the wind for some unknown situation. It really is stepping off some cliff and allowing oneself to be caught up in God’s wind of grace and mercy. When I finally close and lock the front door, I say good-bye for six months and hello to a new life I know so little about. God, help me!"

And God surely did as I reflect on that six month journey.

And one of many journeys yet to come.

God on the Trail

Being Easter weekend - Happy Easter! - I wanted to share this photo I took just off the Appalachian Trail in northern Pennsylvania during our hike. A gentle reminder of the great love God has shown by way of the cross and now the miracle of the resurrection. And a powerful reminder even in far away places that God is there.

One Year Ago...

Hard to believe that a year ago to this day, we were heading to Georgia to begin a six month adventure on the Applachian Trail. Then the start on March 5, 2007 - on a clear crisp Georgia day. The stories are many as are the memories, and ones we will very much cherish.

To see my entries marking that day, check out my trail journal.

Sickness BAD

The View from Springer Mountain, Georgia

Okay, I am getting it bad. SPRINGER FEVER. I was out today running (I have been getting into a running program of sorts to try and maintain a little of the conditioning I gained on the trail). The weather is sunny and pleasant. Birds are singing. A waft of smoke from a neighbor's chimney tickles my nostrils. And suddenly I am transported back to the trail on a similar day nearly a year ago when I was enjoying a delightful spring day in Georgia. Oh, it's great to reminisce. And think how I would very much like to do it again, if the Lord wills.

We shall see.

But for now I bask in a fever that I do not need an aspirin for, save the trail alone.

An Author of the Trail

What does a handwritten piece of paper have to do with the love of writing?

It is a simple, homemade sign I made at the completion of my hike atop Mt. Katahdin, giving honor and praise to my husband who stood by me through it all. But it reveals something more as well. Besides walking with my feet, I must also acknowledge the author side of me that thinks and writes. I have written and published over a dozen novels with my latest one due out next month. My main goal of the hike was not simply to do it but also to document my experiences in a trail journal. To accomplish this, I kept in the confines of my backpack a small rustic notebook to handwrite journal entries while on the trail. In a world of computers and phones that allow one to text message and even send computer entries, there is nothing like simpe handwritten notes and journal entries that tell of a particular moment in time. To see those handwritten acknowledgements during difficult and joyous times of life. I was perusing my handwritten journal the other day and marveling how God brought me through this journey. And it is written down for all eternity, pen to paper. And I am using that journal as well as my online journal and blog to recreate the adventure in a non fiction book.

I hike. I write. And I give praise to God for it all, that He may use it for His glory.

Trail Birthday

I just celebrated my birthday back on January 12th and although I did not have a birthday on the trail, my son, Paul Bunyan did. The day before his birthday was an absolutely awful day for us. We were crossing Baldpate Mtn in Maine with the worst weather of wind, rain, and fog. The rocks were so slippery it took us forever to cross them, it seemed. I felt so bad for him as he was scared and so was I. Huddled in a shelter sipping warm drinks, we decided we would try and make it to the hostel a day ahead of time to dry out and get ready for his birthday. Thankfully we were able to get a hold of the hostel operators who picked us up in style in their mini motor home and took us to their wonderful home near Andover, Maine. We were treated to a homestyle family dinner as soon as we walked in. Seeing all the bounty laid out before me, I nearly cried. It was hard to believe we had gone through such an awful day on the trail, only to be rewarded at the end with a feast, surrounded by happy people. The next day Paul Bunyan had his birthday in style. It just reminded me of the faithfulness of God, that there are rainbows to enjoy when the storms of life are through. So do not lose heart.

Contemplation

I write this with a heavy heart. I, among many other hikers, are mouring the loss of one of our own - a young hiker, out for a walk on New Years Day in Georgia near the AT, only to be senselessly killed by a deranged man. It's really hard as we like to think of a trail like the Appalachian Trail, carved among the wonders of God's creation, safe from such horrific evil. But it is not. This is still a fallen world, and evil prowls about. The devil prowls about, seeking to kill, steal, destroy. Even in the serenity of the woods.

But I rest in the knowedge of God's presense, even in a cruel world. That He still rules over this. That evil may take reign for but a moment, but He is forever. And one day that evil will bow the knee.

Maranatha. Come, Lord, come.

The End of an Era... It Seems

Okay, I will admit it. I shed tears when the hour drew to an end.

What a banner year 2007 was for me.

Completing the Appalachian Trail with my son.

A multitude of published books.

Good health. Great friends. Awesome God we serve.

Just to name a few.

Of course, I always wonder what the new year will bring. I hope to sell a few more books this year. Complete a book on my trail journey. We have already reserved a beach house for June and bought season passes for Kings Dominion - a nearby amusement park. We are getting ready to lead our church youth group on more new adventures, and my hubby will help build the set for a new play - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - at a nearby playhouse (of which the wife is always an associate advisor). We will have the party of the year in May when my son officially graduates from high school. And I'm sure we will do hiking as well. Maybe take a weekend excursion or two into the deep woods.

A few things are in the works, but no one really knows what will happen until the year is played out.

So I will wait and see as I plan my way and the Lord guides my steps in the year 2008.

A Different Christmas

Well, it was a different Christmas for us. The night of December 24th, I developed a horrific stomach flu that lasted until the afternoon of Christmas Day. Needless to say, I spent the holiday in bed. I have never done that in my life. But as I was there, very sick and uncomfortable, a vision came to me, of the picture above. Why this picture in particular? It was taken after a similar occurence, when I suffered a severe stomach flu at Lakes of the Clouds hut in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. But that next morning I had no recourse. It was slated to be fantastic weather for crossing the Presidentials which are above treeline. No one passes up a sunny day to do this part of the trail. So despite being sick all night, I hoisted my pack and climbed Mt Washington, which you see here. I then proceeded to climb the rest of the Presidential range that day.

I reflected on that as I lay in my bed on Christmas Day, wondering how I could have possibly done that. It was truly a miracle. God watching over me, giving me the will and the strenght to carry out His purpose for my life. What I lacked this week He gave me when I needed it. And it made it all the more wondrous having another bout with a stomach flu this week. He truly does provide the strength one needs to overcome any and all obstacles. For me, my obstacle was not enjoying any of Chrstmas Day. But I have a peace about it. Not a loss. But a wonder of it all. He has brought me through and will continue to do so as I walk this path of life with Him.

I Have Seen and Felt God

I just read the blog of a writing friend I had met at a writer's conference a few years back and how she is now suffering with a malignant brain tumor. The news is not good. It made me consider death. Surrounded by family and the things of this world, I found death to be frightening and unable to be understood. Maybe because I lacked a deeper understanding of my Creator who made me. But when I spent six months on the Appalachian Trail and saw wonders, His wonders, the hand of the Creator that made those wonders, I saw that death was not something to be feared. On that journey I felt Him take my hand, grab my foot, help me down slippery slopes, create moss "rocks" for me to step on, and give me the strength to conquer steep mountains when I was weak and helpless. I knew then I could trust Him, even with something as mysterious and uncertain as death That it was okay. Death was okay. Everything is okay, that we can get through anything because God is in it. I am so glad I could experience Him in a profound way on my trail journey. I pray for the strength to be able to write down these things in the book I am currently now working on and hope you will pray for me too.

The News Begins...

I was out for a run today - I've been doing that to keep myself in some kind of shape and sanity, really, when I spied a newspaper in our culvert. Normally we receive The Daily Progress only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so I was somewhat surprised, this being Thursday. I opened it up to see the following sidebar under What's Next.

The Trek That Dreams Are Made Of

For more than 30 years Lauralee Bliss has dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail. She recently completed her goal, accompanied by her 17-year-old son, Joshua. Read about their 2,175 mile trek in this Sunday's Lifestyles.

So there it is - the big story on our hike is coming this Sunday, November 4th. We had a photo shoot last week with all our gear spread out in the backyard. The photographer took pictures of us with our gear, setting up our tent, standing beside a map of the trail. It is exciting, for certain. But I can't get wrapped up in it all. I'm just amazed and teary-eyed that I was even able to complete this journey. And what God can do with a dream, if we let Him. That is where the real story lies.

Into the Limelight

Well, sort of....

I had my first newspaper interview today about the hike. My son Joshua and I sat down with a reporter from the Daily Progress to answer questions and discuss our hike. They are interested in running a special feature on the hike in the Sunday paper, hopefully to appear in the November 4th edition. We talked about many things with the reporter, from the desire to do the hike, to the preparation required, how we got along as a mom and son team, and the after effects (the reporter was amazed at our weight loss, for example. Our combined total loss was 80 lbs!). We also shared picture highlights of the trip as well.

The reporter also brought out something that I did consider as I was enduring the challenge of such a hike with its ups and downs, not only physically but mentally and spiritually. He said this was a great accomplishment to pass down throughout the generations, that we had hiked the Appalachian Trail and did so as a mother / son team. My response to that was, yes, I do want my grandchildren and great grandchildren to remember what we did. But my hope and prayer is that they will carry on the baton and do the trail themselves! That would be the greatest legacy, that the dream of hiking the whole Appalachian Trail need not end here but lives on.

The Trail is Finished!

We did it! After six and a half grueling months, we completed the entire Appalachian Trail, starting March 5th via the Approach Trail to Springer Mountain, Georgia and ending September 18th at Mt. Katahdin in Maine! Words cannot express our awe at God's provision, the true miracles we witnessed, and the wonders of all we had seen and endured. The hike itself is documented on Trail Journals (see the link) but certainly more will be posted as I spend time reflecting on this life-changing journey.