Last Friday I finished my section hike of the entire AT at the top of Mt. Katahdin. My hike started in 2005 when I took my then-15 year old son and three of his friends to the Shenandoah National Park to hike a 74 mile section. I hiked at least one section every year except 2008 (due to my employment situation) and 2020 (thanks to COVID), with the biggest years being 2017 with 357 miles (4 trips) and 2021 (the 298 miles from Route 2 to Katahdin). All told I made 25 trips to the trail and hiked a total of 166 days. The shortest section was an orphaned 33 miles from Devil Fork Gap to Uncle Johnny's, and the longest was the 298 miles I just completed. About 70% of the miles were completed northbound, 30% southbound. I did not hike the trail in geographic order but instead bounced around to different sections, although I did largely complete the portion south of the Mason-Dixon Line before heading into the northern states. On my hike I slept in shelters/lean-tos, my tent, under my tarp, hostels, AMC huts, motel rooms, and an RV. Over the years my hiking companions have included my two sons, a son-in-law, a brother, my wife, and several friends of either my sons or my own. I hiked about 26% of the miles by myself.

This has been a great experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Whiteblaze and the posters to its forums have been tremendously helpful, particularly Slow Goin' and Peakbagger when it came to NH and Maine. Thanks to all who, over the years, have shared their thoughts, knowledge, and opinions on various aspects of the trail. I have not posted a lot, but I have learned a lot, and what you taught me has helped me accomplish what I set out to do in 2005.