Off the Grid

I've reached the highest point on the Appalachian Trail (6644'). It's all down hill from here!

When Odysseus made his fateful journey around the Meddeterranean, he came across an area where Sirens called to sailors with such a beautiful song that they were lured to their deaths before they knew what hit them. He wanted to hear their song so badly, that he instructed his men to tie him to the mast and fill their ears with wax so that they [...] Read more

There are certain unspoken rules that apply to people sharing a shelter in the wilderness. They include, but are not limited to, such things as: Clean up after youself, keep your gear tidy, and don't pitch tents inside shelters. More often than they should be, these rules are broken. It's common to believe that things are different in the [...] Read more

With an average elevation gain/loss of 218 feet per mile, the Appalachian Trail is far steeper than both the Pacific Crest and the Continental Divide Trails, both coming in around a mere 120. They just don't believe in switchbacks like West Coasters do. Straight up and straight back down is how it's done here. It's rough. My knee is killing me and [...] Read more

I have finally fulfilled a dream I've had for some time now. I shaved my head. It feels awesome, I'm cooler, I don't have to worry about ticks, it's cleaner, and most of all, it just looks awesome. Now, I still have my ridiculously long beard, so I definitely look pretty scary, but at least I won't get mugged.

I was hiking along just below a ridge when I heard a rustling in the woods ahead and to my right. It was just before dark and I looked up just in time to see a 500 pound black bear run up the ridge and into the brush. This was the first time I've ever encountered a bear in the wild...it was awesome! I suppose it would have been less awesome if the [...] Read more

I've been thinking of the AT as a destination for some time now. However, it's really just the start of my journey...another milestone to be reached. The terrain is much more challenging, but so much more rewarding. My first view was breathtaking. Someone isn't in Florida anymore!

I was riding my bike down a huge hill and pedaling as fast as I could. As I hit 32mph, the hill got steeper. I leaned into the wind and saw my speedometer hit 36mph. At that second, I realized that I'd been missing out. I asked myself why I had never tried street luge. This T.O.D is more of just a reminder to myself that I need to get into street [...] Read more