Originally Posted by
QuietStorm
I started hiking the AT in June, 2016 at the age of 57. I've hiked 2,003.8 miles since then, and actually 2, 881.3 miles if you count all my repeats and shakedowns. Most of the hikes have been on weekends since I'm not retired. Let's just say I know I-81 extremely well (and the 'best dang barbeque' at exit 205 is really, really good). I hike mostly solo although I generally camp at or near shelters for the water and for company. I hike all year around--the coldest it's been was -15 degrees at Rice Field shelter in VA. The warmest, 102 degrees at Tumbling Run shelter in PA. I've changed gear I don't know how many times--if something doesn't work, I sell it and try something else. I guess that's the downside (or upside) of being a section hiker. I've pretty much settled on being a full-time hammock camper. I like tents but haven't found one that suits me in terms of weight, space, durability, and ease of setup. I love running into women my age on the trail. There are so many of us out there and many much more experienced than I am.