AT Shakeout 2021 (NC/TN)
 In June 2021, I needed to decide whether or not I still loved backpacking.  On the verge of my 50th year, I decided to walk through my Motherland on the Appalachian Trail. It was ~200 miles from Hot Springs, NC, to Damascus, VA, that took me 13 days.  I met some awesome people, learned a lot about my gear, and fell in love again with long-distance hiking.  Whether or not it actually prepared me for my first LASH on the CDT, it did help.  Some pictures from this Walk in the Motherland are below.
In June 2021, I needed to decide whether or not I still loved backpacking.  On the verge of my 50th year, I decided to walk through my Motherland on the Appalachian Trail. It was ~200 miles from Hot Springs, NC, to Damascus, VA, that took me 13 days.  I met some awesome people, learned a lot about my gear, and fell in love again with long-distance hiking.  Whether or not it actually prepared me for my first LASH on the CDT, it did help.  Some pictures from this Walk in the Motherland are below.

