Welcome to my blog. I started this blog to share my experiences with my family and close friends while attempting a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2020. Ever since I was a young Boy Scout in Maryland in the 1970s, I dreamed of hiking the AT from Georgia to Maine. Although I don't think of myself as an "outdoorsman," I have always been captivated by the idea of the "great outdoors." One of my favorite books as a boy was My Side of the Mountain. Something about Sam Gribley's fictional adventure of living alone in the woods really captured my imagination. Over the years, I have hiked many miles on the AT - all of Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina to the Smokies and small parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Eventually, the idea of doing a thru-hike was overtaken by real life, family, work, etc. and the dream sort of faded into the back of my mind. Until a little over a year ago! After retiring from the FBI at the end of 2015, I spent several years working in the private sector. Other than being grateful for the opportunity for us to move back to Georgia, I can't say I enjoyed those working experiences. Finally, sometime around December of 2018, Marci and I were driving somewhere in the car and I turned to her and said, "How about this - I'll work until March of 2020, and then I'm going to retire for good and hike the Appalachian Trail." I think I was expecting to hear a big laugh and a "You're crazy!" Instead, my wonderful wife just looked at me and said, "OK, if that's what you want to do." Well, I didn't last until March of 2020 with the job, but the plan of hiking the AT has been front and center since that moment.
I'll be starting my thru-hike attempt in mid-March. You can follow me here at this blog which I plan to update regularly once I set out. I'll also post pics on instagram at ladd2956 or occasionally on Facebook.
Eventually, the idea of doing a thru-hike was overtaken by real life, family, work, etc. and the dream sort of faded into the back of my mind. Until a little over a year ago! After retiring from the FBI at the end of 2015, I spent several years working in the private sector. Other than being grateful for the opportunity for us to move back to Georgia, I can't say I enjoyed those working experiences. Finally, sometime around December of 2018, Marci and I were driving somewhere in the car and I turned to her and said, "How about this - I'll work until March of 2020, and then I'm going to retire for good and hike the Appalachian Trail." I think I was expecting to hear a big laugh and a "You're crazy!" Instead, my wonderful wife just looked at me and said, "OK, if that's what you want to do." Well, I didn't last until March of 2020 with the job, but the plan of hiking the AT has been front and center since that moment.
I'll be starting my thru-hike attempt in mid-March. You can follow me here at this blog which I plan to update regularly once I set out. I'll also post pics on instagram at ladd2956 or occasionally on Facebook.
Naturally, we will be following your adventure and at the same time looking out for our daughter (your wife) and our grandchildren! Not sure we will follow the adventures of Huck, the one you left behind in the care of your wife! Be wise and be safe! We appreciate your blog! The stay-at-home in laws!
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