Fantastic! Sounds like you enjoyed it, and that's the most important thing.
Fantastic! Sounds like you enjoyed it, and that's the most important thing.
Formerly uhfox
Springer to Bear Mountain Inn, NY
N Adams, MA to Clarendon VT
Franconia Notch to Crawford Notch
Glad to hear it, well done to you. What weight was your pack? What footwear did you wear?
Glad you enjoyed yourself. Glad it was a good safe time and that you were able to log some pretty good mileage. My hat is off to you. If I was in your area, I would buy you the beverage of your choice as a form of celebration and congratulations. Way to go! It was not 200 miles in 9 days. (More like 160 miles in 8 days--if I understand you route correctly). However, it was still a fantastic "achievement".
QUESTION: Would you personally want to do that same pace (or even faster and farther each day) AGAIN (at the very start of a long hike) or NEXT TIME would you prefer to do a slightly slower pace in the first weeks of a long distance hike?
"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." - Paul Dudley White
This is nothing new, most of us have dabbled in big miles at one time or another.
On my last hike I did 475 miles of VA in 26 days; mostly 20+ mile days, fairly tough hills, no days off (don't try this at home).
Oh, and at the age of 55!
But it did become wearisome and when I do Tennessee this fall I'm planning 10-12 mile days and ENJOYMENT.
You see a fair number of thru hikers doing big miles, but I would have to say the more interesting people to talk to are doing are more reasonable trip, with plenty of room for sitting down and chatting, etc.
my pack weight was close to 30 with 4 days food and 3 lieters of water. I wore the brooks cascadias and loved them
Hiking consecutive bigger mile days is certainly not a new thing--and plenty of folks hike bigger days than the OP. However, such hiking often comes a little later in someone's hike--after they have their "trail legs". I guess what I found impressive is that he did this right "out of the gate"--at the very start of his hike. He is also "just" 18 years old. Thus, his years of long distance hiking experience are probably relatively limited (unless he started at age 10 or 12!). I think this is a fairly impressive accomplishment--especially for someone age 18 and solo.
"A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." - Paul Dudley White