Hit by a Car and Starting New Job Search

Thought this warrants an update. I got hit by a car while riding my bike and hurt my knee really badly. Currently on crutches and need to see an orthopedic doctor to see what will happen. I decided that it's in my best interest to get another job as soon as possible. After 9 hours of waiting and switching emergency rooms and urgent care center, I'm finally home. I could be dead right now. I'm grateful to be alive. I hope to walk soon and pray that I walk soon. I believe everything is going to be okay and I will get through this. I can't do much right now, but I can do my best to get better and get a job that doesn't risk my life. I'm likely never riding a bike on a road ever again. I hope it all works out. ✌🏻

Postponing my Start Date to Next Year

Hey future self. You'll be glad that you decided to wait another year to leave on this journey. You'll have a lot more money and will be more prepared than if you were to leave in a few months. Don't worry, this is still the #1 priority!! But this will give you time to get a job with your actual degree and make even more money from a comfortable place. You'll also be able to build your credit and have an emergency credit card if something goes wrong!! You'll be 100 times more prepared. Let's do this. December 2023, here we come!

Starting my Name Change Petition & Other Life Updates

What's up! I guess it's time to give an update. I'm still working towards my trekking poles, and I'll hopefully have them by the end of the week. In other news, I've started the process to legally change my name and gender marker!!! It's something that has become extremely important in planning my journey for several reasons. I think it's really important that my ID and passport match my visible gender, and as I'm preparing to leave for this journey and am hoping to sign up for races too, it's even more important to be able to have an accurate ID. One of my main concerns is reaching and crossing the Canadian border, because it would be so uncomfortable for my ID to look like someone else's! There was also so much stress about signing up for my first 5K, and I hope to have everything updated by then, fingers crossed. Not only this, but I worried about the trail association membership and my name, and I've also just been stressing over feeling like I'm lying when I tell someone my chosen name. I'm so grateful and thankful that there are people helping me with this, and the process will be hopefully completely free for me. I'm currently filing the papers and getting everything ready. I don't want to get too excited until it's finally completed. But, anyways, I can't wait!! Also, this morning I ran my fastest 5K again, and I got to under 8 minutes per mile pace!! I realized how important it is to stay rested and have enough sleep. I'm also focusing on drinking less because I know it affects my health and fitness. To avoid stress, I've been working in the late afternoon, avoiding the extreme UV levels. It has been working out for me. I'm napping and researching during the day when it's too hot to go outside. As an unfortunate side note, I might have to postpone my journey to next year, because I fear that I won't have enough money to do it. Maybe I'll start making money some other way, but it's looking like I might have to wait. In the long term, it won't matter. Unless I suddenly die before I get to leave, but let's not get that macabre. It's to be decided for now. I still have to try to sell a painting, maybe I can do some tutoring. Anyways.. that was my little update. 

Climbing Along the Route

Something I'm really looking forward to is climbing near the Appalachian trail. I've been checking out some locations on Mountain Project and I found several that are near the Appalachian trail. I need to be careful, sometimes I get cocky while climbing and I can feel myself losing control over my motions. It's important that I stay completely focused when I'm climbing free solo. I take deep breaths before and mentally prepare myself for what I'm going to do. It's important that there's nothing in my mind but the situation ahead of me. I can't get too excited either. The first rule of climbing, I feel, is to NEVER get cocky and never underestimate what you're about to do. I feel that with every climb my tolerance for danger increases and it's scary because this means I'm undertaking more and more risk. It's important to always make sure you're focused and prepared for what's ahead. With that said, I do want to experience climbs along the AT, and I'm excited for them, but I must also remain controlled and aware of the dangers I face by climbing without a rope. Anyways.. those are some thoughts. As a side point, never climb under the influence of alcohol or weed. And never climb when you lack sleep or are underfed. Pay attention to your body and how recovered you are from any prior exercise. Anyways.. that was my little lecture.. for myself and for anyone who is taking on these things. Stay safe and enjoy your life while you can. I'm looking forward to the future. 

Beating my 5K Personal Best Again!!!

 Just had to document how happy I am to have beat some of my records today. I'm so glad to be back to running after spraining my hamstring. I'm so happy. I could go for another 5K right now!

Planning on Pause

 Just thought I should give an update since it's been a while since my last post. I've been really struggling to save up for this journey and have lost momentum because my job requires physical energy and my body just needs some rest. I'm currently trying to find more ways to make money, and I'm thinking of getting a "real" job, but I'm not sure if I can do it.. Anyway.. that's what's been happening lately. I went to check out two more buildering sites but they weren't working out. I'll keep an eye out for more. It keeps work interesting. In other news, I found out that Frank Iero's music is vastly different from MCR's, and I discovered his old band, Leathermouth, and instantly fell in love with it. Not necessarily the lyrics, but the feeling and sound of the music is just incredible. I forgot how music can be an outlet for me. I'm glad I remembered this, and I feel it's definitely helping me. 

Climbing the Side of a Drawbridge?!?!

Today was a day like no other. I finally got to climb the side of a bridge I'd been eyeing for weeks. I wasn't sure I could do it because the holds were too small for feet, but I put on my climbing shoes and tried anyways, and I did it! I actually did it. I had to try different locations because some holds were too difficult to get my hands in. I found a way to the top, but not really! I didn't get over the bridge edge, I just reached a point near it. I think there could be a solution that takes me to the top of the bridge. I'd have to go back and try. There was a tricky section when I was descending, and I had to adjust my feet and move quickly to avoid falling on that area. My heart was racing and I felt like I was balancing on a rope. My mind was simultaneously full of energy and calm focus. I feel much more capable of climbing than ever before, but I also know that I could've been seriously injured. Anyways, it was amazing. I did take a risk.. I guess I couldn't just let it go.. I needed to keep trying, and I'm glad I did. 

 

Thermarest's Morbidly Hilarious Sleeping Bag Video

So I'm watching a video by Thermarest on their zero degree Parsec sleeping bag, and at the end of the video the lady says "rest peacefully under the stars." I screech, "WHAT?!" and I start laughing. Rest in peace?! I'm trying to stay alive here! Hahaha! 

First of all.. the sleeping bag is mummy shaped.. mummies are dead! Secondly, the bag is named Parsec, as if you're ready for space travel! What!? Space is freezing! You'll die in space without protection! Thirdly, rest peacefully?! Gosh, Thermarest, you guys really didn't think this through.. hahahaha. Or maybe they did and it's just a morbid inside joke. It's kind of scary if you think about it.. what if I use the bag and I freeze to death overnight?! 

Anyways.. I thought it'd be nice to have a good laugh. 

Going Slow, But Making Progress

I sprained my hamstring yesterday while running. Although I'm really happy to have beat my personal record for a 5K, I'm really upset because I can't run. My desire to run has never been more obvious to me. Now that I can't, I want to 100 times more than I did before. Unfortunately I must care for my hamstring and avoid running. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes I'm too caught up in my mind that I can pretend it doesn't. I've been working towards my first trail runners, and surprisingly, riding a bike hurts less than walking! I guess it's because my leg isn't fully extended. 

So, my first trail runners... Honestly, I have no idea which ones I'm going to buy. I might go for my first road running shoes first because I feel they would be more useful. I've been eyeing the Saucony Kinvara 13. I've been wondering if I should try to transition to zero drop shoes. The reality is I think my hamstring pull was caused by the cushion on my shoes. It just doesn't feel as secure as I want it to feel. I'm currently wearing hand-me-down Sketchers and they aren't great. Apart from being too short, as you need extra space for toe bangs, they also move around too much and slip off my heel. Anyways.... That's my next goal.. shoes.

Besides that... Today I got a compliment on my oil pastel painting of Nimblewill Nomad! I am planning on getting some paper so that I can try to sell my first painting. I'm very excited about it. 

Anyways.. time to eat some food and relax.. I've been stressing out over this journey and if I'll be able to afford it. My therapist says it sounds like something you'll see on a documentary or book. Maybe it will be! Who knows.. It doesn't matter in the end. I'm doing this because it's my dream and it's my destiny. Even if I have to postpone my journey to next year, I KNOW I'm going, no matter what. 

Talk to you soon..

-Alex

Connecting the Appalachian Trail and the North Country Trail through the Long Trail

 Connecting trails has become a key point in planning my journey. Today I began to research the gap between the Appalachian trail and the North Country trail. To my surprise, it wasn't as difficult as I expected. Here's what I found:

• The NCT has been extended into Vermont and intersects the Long Trail (the map includes planned portions of the trail which might not be completed).
• The Long Trail runs south and intersects the Appalachian Trail near route 4.
  
  

The NCT ends here.
NST Map Provided by NPS at https://nps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d89951079a374f28ab4a3b9fc41025dd

The LT intersects the NCT. 
https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/the-long-trail-vermont-map-thru-hike-planning

The LT intersects at Route 4. 
https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/the-long-trail-vermont-map-thru-hike-planning

The AT intersects Route 4.
NST Map Provided by NPS at https://nps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d89951079a374f28ab4a3b9fc41025dd

Now I feel much more confident knowing that I can connect these trails!

Finding my Motivations in Childhood Trips to the Appalachian Mountains

 Although I've never been an outdoors person, and I was only recently introduced to the world of hiking, it's undeniable that experiences in my childhood have influenced my desire for travel, exploration, and the mountains. The mountains were special to me as a kid because my dad would take us on winter road trips to North Carolina, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. These times in my life were vastly different from the time I spent with my mother, they were times of excitement, happiness, and of escape from daily life. I got to see snow for the first time, I went skiing, and I experienced the mountains from the roadside. I can barely remember those experiences, but the ones I do remember left their impression on me and sparked a fire inside of me when I learned about the Appalachian Trail. 

We took several trips over the years, mostly in the winter, but some in the summer. I was really scared of mountain roads, and one time the car broke down. Another time there was a fallen tree blocking the road at Dolly Sods, WV, and my dad decided to drive over it. I was terrified. Sometimes we stayed at hotels, other times we stayed at cabins deep in the mountains. I was scared of sleeping in cabins, I thought there were ghosts in the mountains, and I'd look at pictures and see those circles of light and think they were ghosts! I find it silly now, but it was a truly interesting experience. 

One time, there was a road closure at the Blue Ridge Parkway. It turns out that the entire side of the mountain was covered in ice, and that pieces of the ice were falling to the road. There was a big lack of judgement from my dad, who encouraged us to stand right next to the wall, and I'm very lucky to be alive and to not have been impaled by a giant piece of ice! I'd never do that again. But it was beautiful! I'd never seen something so magnificent in my life. Looking over the valley, I could see a frozen waterfall. It was breathtaking. 

One of my stops along the AT will be Grandfather Mountain. It's one of the places we visited on our trips, and I hope to experience it again and actually remember it this time. When we went to West Virginia, we skied for the first time at Blackwater Falls! I was terrified yet it was exhilarating! I fell in love with skiing, and on our next trip we went to Canaan Valley resort. I must have gone on the Bunny slope like 30 times. I was in love with it. 

One time me and my sister, who was 4 years younger than me, got lost at Timberline mountain. We ended up on a black diamond slope, it was very steep and I was really scared. Park rescue came for us and taught us how to form the skis into a pizza shape, and we slowly made our way off the slope. After that, I became more comfortable with the skis, and I went full out on the Bunny slope at Canaan valley. I think I was 13 at the time. I'm going to try to find pictures!

During one of our trips, we were told that there was a lookout peak, I think this was in West Virginia. Well.. this is what I consider my first hike (technically). The road wasn't passable by car, I think because of the weather, so my dad decided to make us walk about a mile up the road to the lookout. I was really tired and hungry and my dad told us that there was a place that sold french fries at the top. I actually believed him!! When we got to the top there wasn't any food! Just an incredible view of the mountains. I need to find the picture. I was so tired that I actually sat down on the ground. I was a picky kid, because of my autism, so this was a big deal for me, sitting on the ground.

During another trip, we hiked to the top of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern U.S. I can barely remember it, just when we got to the top. It was harder to breathe and my dad was really struggling because he had health issues. I remember going up there was a workout.

We traveled through blizzards a lot, one time we had to stop the car because my dad couldn't see forward. I remember the first time I experienced temperatures below freezing, it was a true sufferfest. And the first time I experienced snow, I can't remember too much, but I remember being very excited. I think I probably ate some off the side of the road. Looking back, it was probably a bad idea! 

I remember going through the Smoky Mountains, visiting caverns in West Virginia, sifting through dirt for gems, eating sloppy joes at this little tiny restaurant in the middle of the mountains in West Virginia, and asking my dad, "what's that smell?" He'd reply, "deer poop." Well, it surely wasn't deer poop!

We explored other places too, once my sisters moved to Nebraska. We went on a road trip to South Dakota and I think this was my first time camping. I remember being very uncomfortable because of the bugs, and I couldn't sleep at night because it was too cold. I remember being miserable, the freezing ground making it impossible to sleep. Now I know it was because I didn't have the right protection. During the South Dakota trip, me and my sister walked through a trail that led to a huge waterfall.

Looking back, I see so many wonderful experiences that changed my life and made it more likely for me to decide to go on this journey. I'm so happy I got to experience all these things, and I'm so eager to go skiing during my trip!!! I can't wait to go to Grandfather Mountain again. I can't wait!

Switching to LighterPack for Main Gear List

Morning! 

I recently learned about LighterPack.com, and although it doesn't provide the specificity and customization that Excel does, I am able to focus on weight more easily and it's easier to set links and organize my stuff. I've decided to use Lighter Pack as my main, sort of big picture gear list, and then when I've figured out my weight, I'll analyze it and figure out seasonal gear switch logistics with the Excel sheet. Since most of my Excel sheet is completed and only needs a few updates, I think I'll switch to this strategy. 

Here's a link to my list: Gear List

The Sea to Sea Route's Montana Roadwalk

I've gotta say.. finding information on the Sea to Sea route has been incredibly difficult. I ransacked Andrew Skurka's website, checked for Backpacker/Outside magazine archives, clicked on links for interviews which gave me page errors, and have done Google searches with no clear answers. This has been frustrating and honestly, a mental workout. Here are some facts I have pieced together:

• Andrew Skurka seemed to have traveled from the Montana border to the Benchmark Campground, located on the Continental Divide Trail. I gather this information from a chart at https://andrewskurka.com/adventures/sea-to-sea-route/overview/.


• The CDT portion of the C2C contains the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Benchmark campground. Strickland quotes: "A Sea-to-Sea Route backpacker would continue south on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) to and beyond the Bob Marshall Wilderness to the Benchmark campground. A gap of approximately 900 miles exists east from the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail to Lake Sakakawea and the North Country National Scenic Trail in North Dakota." (Ron Strickland https://ronstrickland.com/sea-to-sea-route/)"
  
  
• Although there is a Lewis & Clark Historic Trail that passes through Montana, it's not a designated hiking trail. The ArcGIS map has a warning stating that the historic trail is not a designated hiking trail and may pass through private property. The trail has two sections which split off from the Montana border: one parallels a lesser traveled country road, the other parallels an interstate, both of which are used to travel the distance by car or bike. If you zoom into the map, you'll see the trail crossing back and forth along the Yellowstone river and it says "approximate."
  
  
• Looking deeper into the Lewis & Clark historic trail, you'll find they list two ways to traverse: car and bike. They point out Adventure Cycling's route, and after much clicking, you'll see that the bike route goes along the trail by using the same roads as cars do.
  
  
• Given this vague diagram from Strickland's website, and the knowledge that the Southern route involves an interstate, we can assume that Skurka took the Northern roadwalk. If we look closely, we see that the path dips to meet the Continental Divide trail and goes along the top half of Montana. This matches nicely with the following map from Adventure Cycling's route corresponding to Section 4: Dickinson, ND to Great Falls, MT (497.1 mi.).
  
  
  
  
  
• Although there is an option of taking the Southern route to Three Forks and then connecting to Butte, a town that is right next to the CDT, we are aware that this involves walking along the interstate and would meet the CDT at a point further to the south. Here's a map from the CDT coalition (to the right). We can see that Butte is very close to the CDT. However, Skurka meets the CDT at the Benchmark campground, according to his overview. This begs the question, from where did he approach the CDT? There doesn't appear to be a road that goes from Great Falls directly to the CDT through the west (click below to enlarge).
  
  
  
  
• Looking at the Adventure Cycling route, we see that there's another section, Section 5: Great Falls, MT to Missoula, MT (470.1 mi.) This route goes south at Great Falls, and then gets really close to the CDT at Helena. This counterintuitive route will go down I-15, another interstate, with an optional (and likely preferable) alternative route (Silver City Alternative) through an 11 mile gravel road. Once you get to Helena, it is a short roadwalk through U.S. 12, which intersects the CDT.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• However, we can find another route that bypasses the interstate by taking road 200 from Simms, which connects to Great Falls by U.S. 89 and a portion of I-15. This route would intersect the CDT at a higher latitude. This route would result in less walking and less time being exposed to the interstate, but it could also be more remote. Note that there are many towns along the interstate, but there really aren't any along road 200.
  
  

Given this information, we can safely assume that Skurka used one of these two routes. Of course, you could just ask him! Just email him, or Ron Strickland?? I'm a very shy person, but I might be inclined to ask. Regardless, I think it's about personal preference and your abilities. It's important to know specific mileage and what you're capable of carrying, as well as where you will find water. You'll also note that there is plenty of water along the interstate, but it also seems like the water could be polluted due to runoff from the road. There are smaller streams along the northern route, which seem like a safer bet. I think maybe someone should ask them!! Maybe I'll gather the courage. Anyways, it's been a long one! I need to get to bed. Night.