Backpack from Mt. Katahdin, Maine to Maine Jct. in Killington, VT
(just north of Route 4, where the Appalachian Trail meets the Long Trail).
500 miles or more. June 11-July 30, 2026 EPIC!

Wow!  I did it, and frankly, after “hiking” (it is really rock climbing!) Mt. Katahdin, I knew I could do, or at least survive,  ANYTHING!  Seriously, not only on the trail, but in life.  Physically, emotionally, motivationally, any challenge, bring it on…my answer “I climbed Katahdin, I can _______________fill in the blank.” 

I have grown, evolved emotionally, socially, physiologically (well, actually physically I have shrunk in some ways, and expanded in others).  I put my emotional intelligence skills through a workout everyday. That is what it took to maintain fortitude, tenacity and stamina, safety, community and confidence.  First let’s start with a typical day.  And here is revelation number one, planning is maybe 12 hours out, if that.  There are just too many variables to plan more.  Elemental even. Weather, water availability, fatigue, physical condition, mishaps, side trails, people you meet, their needs, your own needs, how much toilet paper is left, how far is the next resupply? Trail conditions, elevation, where is the next lean-to, is there stealth camping, daylight.  It all impacts a single day.  Some hikers are up and on the trail in 20 minutes.  Not me, I took my time, maintained my routine.  I cold soaked all of my meals, so I did not carry fuel or a stove.  Coffee was high quality instant that dissolved in cold water, with olive oil or little chunks of coconut oil in it.

• Wake up 4:30-5:30 am.
• Deflate air mattress pad, re-stuff the down blanket (Rumpl) and put anything down-filled that I was not wearing in a dry sack.
• Find my food bag that was either hung in a tree, or put in a bear box, and find the water I had filtered the night before.  Mix up Coffee! Drink Coffee.
• Poop in the woods.
• soak oatmeal for breakfast
• do my yoga route- 20 min.  This was sometimes abbreviated if weather was a concern or I had to make it to a certain point in a shorter amount of time.
• eat oatmeal for breakfast.
• go to the water source (usually a stream, sometimes just a spring, sometimes up to .10 of a mile away) replenish and filter water I used for breakfast so I can start my hiking day with 2 liters of water, as well as water to soak lunch.  Also look at Far Out (my map app) to see how far the next water source is, to see if I need to carry extra.
• get dressed in the tent with the cleanest (sometimes going on day 3 of being worn), and “driest” (nothing is ever really dry after sweating in it for a day or so) clothes available.
• pack up the backpack, take down and pack up the tent (I always used my tent, not the shelter…too many rodents, and too many sounds of others sleeping and moving on camping mats in the lean-tos). Organize my food for the day so my snacks are in the pocket of my backpack and my lunch is cold soaking in my shaker.
• Start to hike usually between 6:30- 7:30…90 minutes to 2 hours after I woke up.
• Hike for 8-11 hours a day on average.  Longest day was 12 hours and 40 minutes to go 15 tough miles.  Mileage would depend on elevation gain and loss, trail conditions (wet rocks and roots?), and weather, all which were an unknown for the most part, except for elevation gain.  Anywhere from 7 miles on a short day, to 17-18 miles on a long day.
• throughout the day, usually on peaks, I would text a group of my daughter and 2 friends to let them know my location, my intended destination at the time of the text, and if I thought I might not have service again that day…or the next.  Usually that included a pic, but not if my battery was low.  I had a battery back up that I would charge my phone with in the morning if I needed to.
• Decide where to sleep.  Factors include a water source, a place to set up my tent, weather and temperature, sometimes elevation (at the end the mornings were very cold if I stayed 3000 ft. or above), fatigue, and how much I liked where I got to…and when I got there.  Was I ready to stop hiking?  Or should I go 3 more miles was the usual decision to make.  I hiked southbound, sometimes intel (information) from north bounders had an impact on where I decided to spend the night.
• when I got to my final destination for the day I’d have a post hike protein shake, or set up the tent, if there was rain or was about to rain.  Unpack the pack.  Have major snacks.
• find a place to wash myself, usually the stream.
• get into my sleepwear, journal, check the paper map, check the Far Out App to make a tentative plan for the next day.  Send a check in on the Far Out app to friends that were following me (I have NO IDEA when those things actually sent!)
• lay down to sleep by 8 ish.  Repeat!  Yeah, I know!  It’s a LOT!

So let me get to my revelations/realizations in the three basic categories starting with physiologically, then emotionally and socially:

Physiologically:  Basically, overtraining for 6 weeks! I was always in a caloric deficit.  Probably burning in the 3500-4500 calories, easy, sometimes 5000 a day, maybe more.  I was unable to carry and eat that many calories a day. The result, as determined by pre-hike Dexascan on June 2 and a post-hike one on August 5th, a loss of just over 14 lbs, only 2.6 of which was lean body mass, a 5.9% loss of body fat, and (by my own pre and post measurement) 3.5” from around my waist!  My legs lost the most muscle, but went up slightly in bone mineral density, my arms slightly gained muscle (use of poles) and my torso stayed about the same lean mass.  I was injury free the whole time, which I attribute to my training specifically for the adventure throughout the winter (which came in use starting day 1 on Katahdin!). [My Training Plan for Thru Hikes] My stamina is through the roof!

Conclusion: If you want to lose that post-menopausal belly fat, go on a seven week thru hike!

Emotionally: Fortitude and tenacity. Positivity is a must, nothing is convenient, nothing is easy, only some degree of difficult, AND, everything is beautiful, and a new experience and a learning opportunity. I was joyfully challenged every day.  Intoxicated by feel good brain chemicals like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. True Self was called upon everyday.  When I was tired, I acknowledged that Part, and Curiosity came up to my inner control panel to encourage me to challenge my perceived limits.  And it ALWAYS amazed me what my body and mind are capable of.  I took the time to look at the Universe around me, appreciate it, be in awe of it, and know that I am intertwined with it. Interacting with it even.  It is easy to act with kindness surrounded by nature (although I do have a Part that did NOT like getting woken up after I fell asleep, so I was not ALWAYS kind, which I became aware of, and worked on throughout the hike!)  Self-care is a MUST to survival. [How Emotional Intelligence Enhanced my 500-Mile Backpacking Adventure]

Conclusion: Compassion, both to myself and others, along with Confidence were at my control panel the most.  I will give a shout out to Courage as well!

Socially: Connectedness leads the way! Every person that hikes, helps hikers, provides for hikers or supports hikers are all part of the hiking community.  The demographics for hikers are diverse, from those just out of high school, to 91 year old Grey Beard, who hiked Mahoosic Notch faster than I did!  Diverse incomes, backgrounds, body types, and yet, we ALL share a common humanity.  We were all hiking in nature traveling the same basic route, whether northbound or southbound.  The best way to survive, thrive, enjoy and commiserate was to help each other.  Be kind, considerate, compassionate and caring for each other.  [The Benefit of Incorporating Thru Hiking Societal Norms into Society as a Whole] It was a revelation how hikers become “intimate” (information wise- not sexually speaking) almost instantly because we are all meeting similar challenges, but they affect us all differently.  It was instant closeness in many cases. If someone needs encouragement, it is given by another.  If someone needs support, the offer of support is gladly, without hesitation, guilt or shame, accepted when needed.  It is basic knowledge that we all need something we do not have somewhere along the way, and that is absolutely fine!  Someone else will share happily!

Conclusion:  If we all treated each other the way the hiking community does, the world would be an easier and kinder place to live in.

I am renewed! Want to know more details?  Click here to read my daily journal.