Two years have passed since we started the Appalachian Trail, but the thru-hiking fever has yet to subside.
It was an absolute pleasure to hike the Pinhoti Trail.
The mood was bittersweet as we trudged through the final ford before the Northern Terminus.
It reminded me of the day we summited Katahdin.
We were excited to take a shower and dry our clothes, but we felt sad at the fact that we would have to say goodbye to the trail again.
For Lizzy and I, the trail has become our refuge. Our happy place. It is where we can let go of all our anxieties and worldly worries and live in the present moment.
We get to unplug from the chaos of culture and news and commune with the natural world. The first day on trail is always a homecoming, the last is always a difficult farewell.
I will always remember the Pinhoti for some of the greatest sunrises and sunsets I have ever witnessed.
The colorful sky painted over a bare and lonesome ridgeline. Where it was just us and the trail.
The vision of the Alabama plains reaching far off into the unseen distance. The warmth of the trail towns. And, of course, sharing all these memories with each other.
CONFESSION: We skipped the road walks on the Pinhoti Trail
Specifically, we skipped the two (rather long) road walks in the Georgia section of the Pinhoti.
From Cave Springs to High Point Trailhead and the section from Dalton to Chatsworth.
We can list reasons for skipping these road walks all day, but that won’t do us any good.
We want to be honest with the hiking community about our adventures and to be honest, we don’t feel much remorse about skipping ahead.
For us, backpacking is about spending time in nature and being together in the wilderness. And we sure did this and had a wonderful time.
Grateful for all those that work to make the Pinhoti the amazing trail it is.
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from the other side 