Off the Grid

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 I must look like an old man hobbling down the trail at times. It seems to be getting easier though despite the fact that today I dropped from 5000 to1700 to cross a river.

Fortunately, said river has a plethora of outdoor activities to distract me while I rest up. Leisure activity #1 was whitewater kayaking. Today's activity is a zip line canopy tour through what I now know is a temperate forest.