The End

Well, here we are. I feel somewhat obligated in this- my final post to the blog that has chronicled my 2185 mile walk along the Appalachian Trail- to sum up my experience with pithy, poignant commentary. Unfortunately, I don’t do pithy and I suspect the insights I’ve gained apply rather narrowly to me. Nevertheless, I’m happy to share them with anyone interested.

Last stream crossing, final morning

Last stream crossing, final morning

In my case, this hike was less about the AT and the act of long distance walking than it was about taking time away to connect with something meaningful that could carry me smiling into my latter years. During the 10 months that have passed since I started (six months hiking, four months off-trail injured), I learned- in no particular order-

…that I am a more social being than I previously understood.
…to be (much!) less skeptical of human nature.
…that I value simplicity over wealth.
…the difference between southerners and mountain folk (thank you Hydro!)
…that it is liberating to look like a hippie.
…that I feel at home in small town public libraries.
…that God is great, and that freedom from religion is glorious.
…that it is grand to be unimportant, and unimportant to be grand.
…that self-created variety can be an antidote to boredom.
…that Northbound AT thru hikers never believe they are in ‘the bubble.’
…that when a path forks, the toughest looking option is almost always correct.
…that running downhill with a backpack is exhilarating enough to justify risk of injury.
…that taking a ‘gap year’ later in life should be a thing.
…that I am surrounded by magnificent people.
…that music lays bare my soul.
…that watching the news is unhealthy.
…that the profession most suited to me is Wandering.

Before I leave you with a final set of pictures and videos, I mentioned some months back when I was off the trail injured that I am compiling an audio/video scrapbook of my hike with sights and sounds of the trip. I will post an announcement soon when it is uploaded to YouTube, in case anyone is interested. It has been a tremendous pleasure to share these life-changing months with so many. I’m still undecided as to what steps I’ll take next, but hopefully I’ll spot a white blaze now and again that confirms I’m on the right path. My love and best wishes to you all and thanks again for your indulgence.

Michael- and now, forever, Max.

Ducky, Freight Train, Dirty Bird and me, three days before finishing

Ducky, Freight Train, Dirty Bird and me, four days before finishing

Back-to back, comparing packs: Freight Train's giant vs. my mini

Back-to back, comparing packs: Freight Train’s giant vs. my mini

The rain really greened things up during the final two weeks

The rain really greened things up during the final two weeks

My hike plan for the final 10 days, to which I added a day off on 4/25 to summit when Ducky and Dirty Bird could drive me to the Atlanta airport

My hike plan for the final 10 days, to which I added a day off on 4/25 to summit when Ducky and Dirty Bird could drive me to the Atlanta airport

With Mello and his dog Yello at the Top of Georgia hostel

With Mello and his dog Yello at the Top of Georgia hostel

Early morning as I was leaving the last hostel: Mountain Crossing at Neel's Gap

Early morning as I was leaving the last hostel: Mountain Crossing at Neel’s Gap

Neel's gap is the first resupply stop for Nobo hikers, 32 miles from Springer. A tree of shoes and boots above the hostel, purported to be cast offs from hikers who've already thrown in the towel

Neel’s gap, 32 miles from Springer. A tree of shoes and boots purported to be cast offs from early quitters

Blood Mountain shelter from a cliff above

Blood Mountain shelter from a cliff above

Blood Mountain, sweat and tears, feeling emotional on my second-to-last morning

Blood mountain, sweat and tears: feeling emotional on my second-to-last morning

Ice cold trail magic from a couple of former (and current) thru hikers at Unicoi Gap

Ice cold trail magic from a couple of former (and current) thru hikers at Unicoi Gap

Me on a Georgia peak, second-to-last morning

Me on a Georgia peak, second-to-last morning

Same view without me in the way

Same view without me in the way

One of the last of the 80,000+ white blazes on the AT

One of the last of the 80,000+ white blazes on the AT

Saying farewell to the trail and to my hiking buddy shadow

Bidding farewell to the trail and to my shadow companion

PTC badasses Kimchi and Storybook: their first night on the AT was my last. They fed me like a king!

2013 PTC thru-hiker badasses Kimchi and Storybook: their first night on the AT was my last. They fed me like a king!

Smiling like a man with less than a mile remaining of a 2200 mile hike

Smiling like a man with less than a mile remaining from a 2200 mile hike

Speechless, at Springer

Overwhelmed and speechless at Springer, Yello in the background

Me and Yello, photo by Mello. Best hiking dog I encountered on the trail

Me and Yello, photo by Mello. Best hiking dog I encountered on the trail

Enjoying my last trail magic apple on Springer Mountain

Enjoying my last trail magic apple on Springer Mountain

Savoring the conclusion of the hike in relax mode, shirt courtesy of Mellow

Savoring the conclusion of the hike in relax mode, shirt courtesy of Mellow

My entry in the final trail log at Springer Mountain. The cut-off quote from the bottom left: "And yet sometimes at night I dream, he's still that hairy man, shodowboxing the apocalypse, and wandering the land."

My entry in the final trail log at Springer Mountain. The cut-off quote from the bottom left: “And yet sometimes at night I dream, he’s still that hairy man, shodowboxing the apocalypse, and wandering the land.”

Back in Minnesota enjoying a Sunday waterfight: two of our brood (Jerry and Art) with me holding grandson Jack

Back in Minnesota enjoying a Sunday afternoon waterfight with two of our brood (Jerry and Art) and grandson Jack

Penultimate!

At the Georgia border. Photo by Dirty Bird who- with Ducky-  came to cross into the 14th and final state with me!

At the Georgia border. Photo by Dirty Bird who- with Ducky- came to cross into the 14th and final state with me!

…as in, the post before my final post. I’m writing from the ‘Top of Georgia’ hostel near Hiawasee, Georgia where I’m enjoying my final ‘zero’ on the trail. Today is Saturday 4/25 and I’ve got 69 miles left of my hike, 2116 miles behind me. I’m in the 14th and final state on the trail and assuming all goes well, will summit the AT’s southern terminus (Springer Mountain, Georgia) Wednesday morning, have dinner with a couple of trail brothers (Dirty Bird and Ducky) that evening and then hitch a ride with them to the Atlanta airport where Wendy has already booked me a flight home early Thursday morning. I should be sleeping in my own bed again in a few short days!

With the end now so close, I’m very emotional about the experience. I was asked this morning to sum it up for Cappy, a great young north bound hiker at the opposite end of her journey. I could hardly get out a sentence without choking up. So, rather than wax melodramatic, I’ll leave this post brief and save any pontificating for my final remarks in my upcoming last post, probably about a week from now.

Before I leave you with a bunch of new photos, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude. I’m struggling to express how sincerely I’ve appreciated the support, encouragement and interest from so many along the way. And at the very top of that list of people to thank is Wendy. There is simply no way this journey of a lifetime would have happened without you. Though I’ve said it privately a bunch of times, I want to say it publicly too, so that everyone else knows how amazing you’ve been throughout the trip. Thanks again Wend!

Ok, so ends my second-to-last installment and once again, your comments are very welcome. Enjoy the pix and happy trails, wherever your feet find you. Max

Waterfall near Georgia border

Waterfall near Georgia border

Me on the observation tower

Me on the observation tower

From an observation tower- my pack and poles on the wall

From an observation tower- my pack and poles on the wall

Observation tower just before Georgia border

Observation tower just before Georgia border

No sir, officer, I didn't carve it

No sir, officer, I didn’t carve it

Rolling hills, North Carolina style

Rolling hills, North Carolina style

Stone cistern near Georgia border

Stone cistern near Georgia border

Moth on a bathroom stall, NOC

Moth on a bathroom stall, NOC

Reunion with Campfire (middle) and Young Guns, who I met on day 1 of the hike

Reunion with Campfire (middle) and Young Guns, who I met on day 1 of the hike

Misty water

Misty water

Fontana dam from above

Fontana dam from above

Peaks awash in fog south of the Smokies

Peaks awash in fog south of the Smokies

Muddy trail 1

Muddy trail 1

Turkey or small ostrich

Turkey or small ostrich

Muddy trail 2

Muddy trail 2

Klingman's dome in the rain

Klingman’s dome in the rain

Gatlinburg street 3

Gatlinburg street 1

Gatlinburg street 2

Gatlinburg street 2

Gatlinburg street 1

Gatlinburg street 3

Newfound Gap, Smoky Mountains

Newfound Gap, Smoky Mountains

More Smoky Mountains

More Smoky Mountains

Mist again

Mist again

The trail on a clearer morning

The trail on a clearer morning

20 plus people hiding from cold rain in a shelter

20 plus people hiding from cold rain in a shelter

I love misty mornings on the trail

I love misty mornings on the trail

Debris from airplane crash in Smokies

Debris from airplane crash in Smokies

Muddy trail 3

Muddy trail 3

Ridgerunner Andrew, Animal and Chip Monk

Ridgerunner Andrew, Animal and Chip Monk

4th pair of shoes-wounded

4th pair of shoes-wounded

Always, the mountains

Always, the mountains

Max Heap enjoying sdunrise at Max Patch

Max Heap enjoying sunrise at Max Patch

Moon just before dawn

Moon just before dawn

Trail angel Greg and his dad George...last time I saw them was on Moosilauke in New Hampshire!

Trail angel Greg and his dad George…last time I saw them was on Moosilauke in New Hampshire!

Mav's love note to Birdie in a shelter log...awwww!

Mav’s love note to Birdie in a shelter log…awwww!

Yukon Cornelius, the 100th Nobo hiker I met on the day I left hot springs

Yukon Cornelius, the 100th Nobo hiker I met on the day I left hot springs

Just a nice view

Just a nice view

4th pair of shoes- healthy

4th pair of shoes- still healthy

Nice plaque

Nice plaque

Clearly God wants me to wash my hands

Clearly God wants me to wash my hands

Hot Springs- a great trail town

Hot Springs- a great trail town

Maxheap on the move

Maxheap on the move

Goin’ where the climate suits my clothes!

Some of you may recognize the above subject line as a lyric from the traditional folk number “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad.” It has seemed particularly suitable lately as I gradually move south away from colder weather. While I have seen some more snow and plenty of rain, yesterday I hiked in sunny 70 degrees with a t-shirt and shorts…glorious!

So long, Virginia

Adieu, Virginia!

Last big snowfall I had to hike through, south of Hampton, TN

Last big snowfall I hiked through about a week ago, south of Hampton, TN

Snow on rhododendrons always looks heavy

Snow on rhododendrons always looks heavy

Hiking the next day was easier- most snow had melted

Hiking the next day was easier- most snow had melted

The approach to Watauga Dam- heavy bear country

The misty approach to Watauga Dam- heavy bear country

The Watauga Lake shelter is closed after two hikers were apparently mauled in the shelter in June, 2014

The Watauga Lake shelter is closed for a year after two hikers were mauled there in June, 2014

The lake from around the other side

Watauga lake from the other side, surrounded by Appalachian peaks

I could not see into these woods...like an enchanted forest

I could not see into these woods, though “lovely, dark and deep

Less menacing shot from inside the woods

Less menacing view from inside the same woods, with two visible blazes

Me looking very grey

Paradox: every day I’m looking grayer yet feeling younger

Amazing view from the cliff behind the Vandeventer shelter

Amazing view from the cliff behind the Vandeventer shelter

Same view, no zoom

Same view minus the zoom

This bit of trail makes the AT look like a cake walk

This non-representative bit of trail makes the AT look like a cake walk

Emergency-only shelter: sleeps two, thus the sign above the door "Love Shack"

This rickety, ’emergency-only’ shelter sleeps two, thus the small black lettering above the door: “The Love Shack”

No, not an advertisement for a seedy dating service

Not an advertisement for a tasteless dating service

Memorial flowers on AT bridge

Memorial flowers on AT bridge in Erwin, TN

Abandoned barn

Abandoned barn adjacent to the trail

My hiking companion

My hiking companion

Trail legend Bob Peoples (second from left) pictured with a small part of his volunteer trail maintenance crew. Shelters in this area feature fun Bob Peoples graffiti, such as: "every time Bob Peoples makes a switchback, another angle gets his wings"

Trail legend Bob Peoples (second from left) pictured with a small part of his volunteer trail maintenance crew. Shelters in this area feature fun Bob Peoples graffiti, such as: “Every time Bob Peoples makes a switchback, another angel gets his wings”

The scenic Overmountain Shelter: a converted barn

The scenic OverMountain Shelter: a converted barn

Same shelter in broader context

Same shelter in its broader context, near Roan Mountain, TN

A great example of the endless layers of Blue Ridge one sees on this part of the trail

Great example of the endless layers of Blue Ridge one sees on this part of the trail

Just another bald

From atop an Appalachian bald on a clear, cold day

Appalachian mountain contours

Appalachian mountain contours

I’m updating today from the quaint public library in Hot Springs, North Carolina. Moving southward from Damascus and leaving Virginia, the Appalachian trail zigs and zags between Tennessee and North Carolina so much so that you don’t know which state you’re in much of the time. Hot Springs is at AT mile marker 1912, so I’ve walked another 400 miles since resuming my hike, with about 272 miles until I reach the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia. Within a few more days of hiking I will hit 2000 miles, the milestone I’ve most anticipated throughout my hike. I can feel myself starting to get emotional about the rapidly approaching end of my thru-hike. To say I’m going to miss carrying my life on my back and living by my wits in the woods doesn’t plumb the depths of what I’m feeling, but its a start.

The trail above Hot Springs, NC

The trail high above Hot Springs, NC

Between Damascus (my last update) and now, the trail has gradually changed from the (relatively) smooth-graded, well-switched-back trail in Virginia to a steeper footpath with more climbing again. When I crossed Roan Mountain, TN a few days days back, I reached the highest elevation I’ve seen since New Hampshire. Within a day or two of leaving Hot Springs tomorrow I will enter the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, through which the trail runs for about 70-80 miles. I’ve been looking forward to this part of the trip the whole way, largely due to the great memories of it I have from travelling their with my folks as a kid. Weather-wise, I had a couple more days of snow hiking after Damascus, but most recently the temps are getting warmer. Two days ago I hiked through my worst thunderstorm of the trip and managed to soak both myself and some of the gear in my pack, despite multiple layers of waterproof protection. Sometimes the rain and mist just seem to find their way in.

AM visibility very low just before PM thunderstorm

AM visibility was very low, foretelling the heavy PM thunderstorm that followed

Somber treetops

Somber treetops

Let your soul and spirit fly, Into the mystic (Van Morrison)

“Let your soul and spirit fly, Into the mystic…” (Van Morrison)

Sunny day hike along a river bed

Sunny hike along a river bed

Rock wall towering above the water

This rock wall towering above the water reminded me of the Minnesota side of Taylor’s falls

Stunning view from a memorial bench on the trail

Stunning view from a memorial bench on the trail

First real sign of spring- aside from all my bug bites

First real spring color- not including the pinkish-red from all the bug bites on my legs

One of the true highlights of my entire thru-hike was the two days I recently spent with my trail brother Hydro in Boone, NC. We hiked together on and off for months until I went home injured back in November. The photo below with his girlfriend Ellie was taken at Proper where Ann- the dear proprietor- bought us a wonderful dinner. At Hydro’s suggestion I had Appalachian comfort food: fried chicken, collared greens, mac’n cheese and biscuits. The previous night we saw the amazing ‘King of Mosey,’ Daniel Romano at the Boone Saloon on the last evening of his tour. My favorite lyric: “She’d rather be homeless, than stay at home with me.” Hydro’s friend Jesse owns Happy Mountain Foods, maker of the ‘Boone Barr’, a popular nutritional bar for hikers. Jesse set me up with as many as I could carry and I lived on them for days! This July I get to reunite with Hydro, Ellie, Jesse and his wife for the 50th anniversary Dead shows where we’re all sharing a hotel. More fun to come!

Grooving with Doc Watson in the amazing Boone, NC

Grooving with Doc Watson in the amazing Boone, NC

Hydro (Matt) and his girlfriend Ellie put me up for a couple of days in Boone- great fun!

Hydro (Matt) and Ellie hosted me for a couple of fabulous days in Boone, NC, my new favorite place!

On the southern end of the AT, one noticeable contrast with the northern part of the hike is the amount and extent of ‘Trail Magic.’ In New England, for example, you’ll occasionally find a cooler in the woods with cold drinks or a bag of treats hanging in a tree, etc. But here in the south, some of the ‘Trail Angels’ follow the waves of Northbound hikers for weeks or more, setting up elaborate outdoor cooking facilities to welcome hikers in for full-blown meals with camp chairs, roaring fires and the occasional mason jar of moonshine! As the only Southbound hiker right now (and- I am fairly certain- the last remaining 2014 Sobo thru-hiker on the trail) I am given celebrity treatment in such situations as I’ve come 1900 miles compared to less than 300 that Nobos have under their belts. I’m not going to lie- it feels great. In my last update I commented how few people I had seen on the trail. That has now completely reversed- I’ve encountered 150-200 northbound hikers so far and the number grows by double digits daily. Yesterday on my descent into Hot Springs I met 30 or more people on the trail and according to most of them , the biggest Nobo ‘bubble’ of hikers is still south of here.

Quiet Paul's trail magic: fresh scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, muffins and oranges right on the trail!

Quiet Paul’s trail magic: fresh scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, muffins and oranges right on the trail!

What is that at the base of this blue blaze?

What is that at the base of this blue blaze?

Easter morning trail magic! Inside?

Easter morning trail magic! And what was inside?

Starburst jelly beans!!

Starburst jelly beans- my favorite!

Smokes Too Much (left), Roxy (dog) and another hiker (forgot his name) who thru-hiked in 1996 and has been living on the AT ever since

Smokes Too Much (left), Roxy (dog) and another hiker (forgot his name) who thru-hiked in 1996 and has been living on the AT ever since

More Nobos on a very cold night

More Nobos on a cold night

This is the 4th time Finn and I have met on the AT: Maine, Connecticut, New York and now Tennessee. he's been hiking non-stop for 18 months, yoyoing up and down the AT

This is the 4th time Finn and I have met on the AT: Maine, Connecticut, New York and now Tennessee. he’s been hiking non-stop for 18 months, yoyoing up and down the AT

Eddy (left), Jingles and I shared a shelter on a very cold night

Eddy (left), Jingles and I shared a shelter on a very cold night

Fairway: a dead ringer for my dear Swedish friend MagnusMagnus

Fairway: a ringer for my Swedish pal Magnus

My ‘trail legs’ have gradually returned and I’m back to doing 20 mile days with (relative) ease. With all of the extra winter gear I’ve been carrying, my pack has been noticeably heavier than the first 1500 miles, so I’m looking forward to sending most of that cold weather stuff home today and getting back to a lighter weight pack!

Yesterday, about 6 miles north of Hot Springs I sat by a roadside for lunch when a truck pulled up and a camera man from a local TV station jumped out with camera, mic and chords and asked if he could interview me for a documentary he’s putting together on the trail. He had a twelve pack, so naturally I obliged. Well, that’s about all for now! Thanks again for tuning in and I will try to squeeze in at least one more update prior to reaching the end of the hike.

Hope you enjoy! Max.