A Family Adventure of the 2,185 mile hike from Georgia to Maine – 2014
June 7 – Birthday Festivities
Because we were the only guests at our B&B last night, the owners let us upgrade into the suite rather than the single room we had reserved. The adults had their own bedroom while the kids “slept” up in the loft. Birthday excitement had them rustling around by 5 AM. We sent them back to bed until 6:30, which just meant that they did their own private gift exchange and then read their kindles until we let them come down the ladder.
June 6 – an Ode to Being 7
Growing up, I thought seven was the luckiest age around. I woke up on my eight birthday in tears that that lucky age was gone forever (you can read about that in my birthday post here). Today was Cartwheel’s last day of being seven. She wore her characteristic smile all day, but as we cuddled on a covered porch swing in the evening hours each reading our books I found tears streaming down my face at the thought of her passing this milestone.
June 5 – Harpers Ferry
After a great breakfast and a slow morning with the Wheatons, we all hit the trail together. Jonathan and RobinHood flew up the first hill with the girls at their heels. The adults (with Hurricabe riding) struggled to keep up. After the Wheatons turned off to head back home (with hugs all around), the kids pace slowed noticeably! But we still cruised into Harpers Ferry before closing hours for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters.
June 4 – Wiredless
A wise man once said that if you go out for a hike, you become part of the trail; but if you thru-hike, the trail becomes a part of you. Or at least the man who said it likes to think of himself as wise. Once you’re as old as my dad, people just start referring to you as a wise man; when you’re still as young as I am, they just refer to you as a wise guy (the frequent exercise of my old man’s wit has, however, kept him spry and youthful in this particular regard).
June 3 – Hot and Humid
After what seemed like a full day off (and the accomplishment of many needed town chores), we enjoyed one last town breakfast and headed back to the trail. On the way, we passed by a wildlife reserve owned by the Smithsonian and got a glimpse of a few ibex (ibex on the trail!). Then we started out on what would prove to be a hot hot day. Read More
June 2 – A Day in Town
We got into Front Royal, VA on the early side. We even checked into the hotel early enough to enjoy a second breakfast in town. The parents did laundry and resupply while the kids alternated between jumping in the pool and working on their school writing assignments. Cartwheel definitely has the most stylish laundry outfit. While the rest of us just wear our rain coats with a towel around our waist, Cartwheel pulls off a very elegant two buff outfit. Buffs are basically synthetic neck gaiters, so they only work as skirts and tube tops if your torso girth happens to be close to that of an adult’s neck.
June 1 – A Walk In the Park
Walking through the Shenandoahs provides an overabundance of trailside amenities, with restaurants and ice cream every day. The AT through the park parallels Skyline Drive for almost its entire way, and in many ways is actually less interesting (though more travelled) than some of the side trails to more remote spots, which we have had the opportunity to explore on past trips. Another thing walking through the park does is bring thru-hikers together at the shelters (called huts in the park).
May 31 – Two Month Marathon Day
As we tucked the kids in to their hammocks last night, RobinHood was determined to stick with Wired for a big mile day. Before nightfall he declared that he would need to be up by six in order to be ready when she was. It was still dark when we heard, “Mom, what time is it?” A second later, the groaned reply: “two-thirty, go back to bed!”
May 30 – Walking with Wired
After a late night, the kids slept later than usual, but as soon as they awoke, they sprang out of the tent to run down the hill to check if their new friend Wired had left yet. Kickapoo, doing a 28 mile day, was up and out already, but Wired, who is usually on the trail before 7, was planning a short (for her) 21 mile day, which meant that she was still packing up camp at 7:30. The kids wolfed down their bagels and cream cheese, grabbed their packs (which their dad had helpfully packed for them), and were walking out of camp with Wired less than twenty minutes after their eyes first sprung open. Read More
May 29 – Shenandoah National Park
We’ve fallen into a new group of hikers who we’d been walking behind for a while but never met. The kids enjoyed the social attention and had a new audience to whom to retell their whole life story. The park also brings trail side creature comforts not available in most places. The trail winds along parallel to Skyline drive, crossing it repeatedly (the construction of skyline drive actually displaced the original route of the AT, the acceptance of which actually led to a rift between the original founders of the Appalachian Trail Conference-spurring the anti-roadway faction to form The a Wilderness Society). Read More
A Family Adventure of the 2,185 mile hike from Georgia to Maine - 2014 
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