Bit by the Hiking Bug

So I've rediscovered hiking and how much I enjoy it.  When I was a kid, we went camping a lot for vacation.  I think as I got older (in addition to my parents getting older) we stopped going camping and spent our vacations at the beach.  I remember camping at Shenandoah National Park where the deer walk through out the tents and hiking to see great views.  It was also the only time I remember owning actual hiking boots before.  I also remember a few years ago in Lake George when we hiked Buck Mountain and it was crazy hard but fun.

Well the rediscover comes while training for a half marathon.  I've been running (or rather run/walking) for the past 3 years.  As of today, I've run 171 miles this year; more than the previous two years combine.  In attempt to run a farther distance, a friend and I went to Letchworth State Park to run.  Well, it turned out it was more of a hike than a run but we easily did 10+ miles.

Me at the bridge over Wolf Creek

Even though our main objective was running, I really enjoyed the parts we walked and hiked.  After that, every time I went for a long run in a park setting I just wanted to hike it and enjoy the scenery.  This happened when I tried to run at Genesee County Park.  Another influence was the preview for the movie A Walk in the Woods.  I read the book by the same title in high school and I have always thought it would awesome to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT).

So with the AT back in my brain, I wanted to reread A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.  Apparently, so does everyone else and I was unable to get a digital copy from the library.  The only other ebook that the Pioneer Library System and the New York Public Library had available was a book about this Grandma who hiked the AT.  So I borrowed Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery.  It was a wonderful story and now I needed another book to fuel my trail hunger.  Luckily, someone mentioned that they were debating buying Bryson's book or Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  It was available to borrow from the library and I couldn't wait for bedtime to keep reading it.  I finished it last night and started looking for another "long-trail" book.  Now I'm reading The Appalachian Trail Girl's Guide: Part Memoir, Part Manifesto by Megan Maxwell.

In addition to reading novels about different trails, I've been doing some research of my own.  Being a school librarian, I have summers off and it would be the perfect opportunity to hike a complete trail.  However, I think the AT might be a bit much.  In looking for trails around home, I found the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT).  The FLT Main Trail is 575 miles long and starts in Pennsylvania near the Pennsylvania-New York Border in Allegany State Park.  It ends in the Catskill Mountains.  There are also various branch trails that connect to the main trail.  After looking at all the maps, I think that this would be a doable trail to through-hike in the summer.  While I'd love to through-hike the trail next summer, I don't think it would be completely doable nor would I get the support.  So I might try to section-hike the trail and try short backpacking excursions.

Finger Lakes Trail Sign at Swift Hill

So, this journal will be the documentation of my hiking adventures.  Right now, my focus will be on different parts of the FLT, but there are other adventures and challenges I'd like to do.  I bought myself a daypack and some hiking boots and I'm ready for adventure!

My Daypack