Guest Blog - A Change of Plans? Focus on the Positive

I had an abrupt change of plans to my section hike this week when sidelined by unexpected sickness. Thought this was good to repost -

A Change of Plans? Focus on the Positive

By Dallas Gallmann

After 4 long weeks I finally got my cast off and have gone into a walking boot for another 3 weeks before I start physical therapy.

I set off on the trail last month in order to do some soul searching but God had a different plan for me. My trip ended early after a fall and it may sound cliche but I went to the trail to learn about myself, to test myself physically and mentally and I came out of this experience with doing just that. (Just not in the way I thought I would)

As soon as I fell I knew something was seriously wrong but without cell phone signal I had to continue hiking up to Hawk Mountain shelter. The next few hours were hard. Mentally and physically I knew what I had to do but my mind immediately deemed everything up to that point as a failure. I was beating myself up for something I could no longer control. I was a failure because I wasn't going to be able to finish what I had set out to do. As I continued up the mountain I realized I was so focused on my pain and the idea of failing that everything had become a blur. I stopped to collect my thoughts. I told myself from here on out nothing negative, you have to pick yourself up, you are doing this, worry about everything else tomorrow. You see it is so easy for my mind to immediately think of the negative and I was no longer going to feed into what others would say or view my trip. I made it up that damn mountain and as I passed the sign for Hawk Mountain shelter I stopped for a moment to cry and reflect. I accomplished that mountain, that hurdle. I could be proud of that!

The next morning trail angels hiked up to the shelter and hiked me out. Later I learned that I had fractured my ankle, torn multiple ligaments and strained my calf muscle as a result of my fall. But as I told my story to everyone who asked what had happened, I didn't get the reaction my head told me I would get! They didn't see my story as a failure! They congratulated me on being brave enough to solo hike. They were inspired by my resilience and most of all they were curious if I was going to let my injury keep me from going back to the trail. I told them I only got 24 hrs on the trail and 22 of them were spent in pain but I have dreamed of being back out there ever since!

I encourage / challenge each one of you when things go wrong in life or on the trail to focus on the positive! Don't beat yourself up when things don't work out the way you want! The trail will still be there, life will continue and when I am healed up and my ankle is strong again I will finish my hike! I hope to see some of you on the trail!

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What are You Thankful For?

As hikers we often overlook some of the reasons to be thankful. And this season of Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect and give thanks for things trail-wise maybe you hadn’t thought of in a while -

Here are some that come to mind for me –

1.       Those that Volunteer on the Trail – I’m talking trail club volunteers, maintainers, overseers, those who worked tirelessly to maintain the trails, shelters, etc. so we as hikers can enjoy it. Here is a listing of ones that maintain the Appalachian Trail. And in honor of them, feel free to read the blog I did on these great angels of the physical trail.
belong to a trail club, consider it. Here is a

2.       Trail Angels of Hikers – those that give tirelessly to trail efforts by helping hikers in their time of need. In December I plan to have a few of those trail gems as guests here to explain why they do what they do (so check back). I think of the people that took me into their homes, gave me food, took care of my stinky laundry, drove me back to trail at the crack of dawn, the list goes on.

3.       Organizations that oversee the trail. Like the trail clubs, consider joining them. The funds from memberships, stores, etc help oversee the trail, protect fragile environments, and assist in many other ways. Here's a listing of a few. 

4.       The many Hostels out there – I had the opportunity to interview a few hostel owners for a blog recently. While hikers do pay a modest fee for lodging, it no way begins to cover the amount of time, effort, long days and nights, these folks put in. And the way they support the trail community. It truly
is a labor of love providing a place of rest and recuperation for weary hikers.

5.       Our families and friends – I’m sure you can think of many who have gone out of their way to support you in your sometimes wild adventures. I know I give a BIG thanks to my husband who has stood by my side, even on the home front, while I went off exploring many trails. A big thanks for that!

So what are you thankful for? Feel free to comment. And from us here at Blissful Hiking, Happy Thanksgiving!

Why Read This Appalachian Trail Book?

I’ve been on some amazing journeys in my life. Journeys of living as a wife and mom as well as a writer and hiker. Journeys of the heart. Journeys of a physical kind, like hiking the Appalachian Trail both north and south, one of the few women to have done it (and maybe the only one in my age group).

But the journey of having one’s adventure retold in a book for others to enjoy is one that goes beyond description. For me it is the new release of my book Mountains, Madness, & Miracles – 4000 Miles along the Appalachian Trail.

Yes, there are many, many books on the AT out there. But this one is different. 

And here are the differences-  

First off, it’s a double journey. North and South. You will see the Appalachian Trail from both viewpoints as I trek it. No other single book gives this perspective.     

Second, I did it northbound with my teenage son. Besides my viewpoint, you also get HIS viewpoint in the book as a couch potato and a young man who hiked little, and when he did so, begrudgingly. On day one he believed we'd just turn around and go home. Yet he accomplished the entire trail and with his mother, no less. Find out how he did it from his perspective. (Great for teens)

Third, this book is not a retelling of journal entries. We take the challenges we faced, the people we met, the events that transpired and through them, discover lessons about life, love, and the spiritual connection. For us the journey was a spiritual awakening. Now you may not be one into spiritual things, but there is so much more the book offers that we believe it can help make your hiking dreams come true.

Fourth, I have published over twenty fiction books, but this is my first nonfiction work. And I believe it is the most powerful book I have ever written. Why? It is not a fictional account. All this really did happen. And the madness and miracles happened, too.

Fifth, I pay tribute to humanity. I had people in my family as well as complete strangers do things that goes beyond the mere written word. I wanted to pay tribute to human kindness, which we need in this day in age where selfishness seems to reign supreme sometimes.

Lastly, I talk about God in it. God is important to me. Just as other things of a spiritual nature may be important to others, this book points to a Creator who cares about the small things. Who is not just looking at wars, tragedies, illnesses, the big stuff. But who also cared about a journey a mother and son undertook to hike some 2,000 miles. This book tells of those events. No matter what we are doing, what we face, what we endure, what we suffer, what makes us happy, the big or the small, He cares.

But don't take my word for it. After all, I like telling about my adventures. What others are saying:

Jennifer Pharr Davis who holds the record for the fastest supported AT hike and author of Called Again:  "Mountains, Madness, and Miracles proves that every journey is filled with providence and grace if we know where to look for it."

Bill Irwin, the first blind hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail with his guide dog and author of Blind Courage: "You must read this great and inspiring book. It will literally change your life!"

Paul Stutzman, thru hiker and author of Hiking Through: "This book explains in vivid detail what it takes to accomplish such a life-changing adventure. The pain, the emotions, and the spiritual applications will keep you turning the pages."



I hope you enjoy Madness, Mountains, and Miracles – 4000 Miles along the Appalachian Trail. And feel free to drop me a line about it.

Available now on Paperback and Amazon Kindle.  

From WhiteFire Publishing