Part of what makes a thru-hike difficult yet greatly rewarding is that things will never go exactly according to plan. Spending extended periods of time in the woods will present unexpected obstacles and challenges, such as; large trees blown down on the trail, gear failure, minor to major injuries, and animal encounters.

My favorite part of the trail was having the opportunity to spend the night at a new campsite each night. The lean-tos are beautifully located and each spot is unique. One night you can fall asleep at a quite lake side and the next near a roaring creek.

I was so busy on the NPT that I didn’t become lonely. I had a lot to do every day when I got to camp. I had to eat, maybe start a fire to dry out my shoes, make sure my shoes didn’t burn, hang my bear bag, brush my teeth, set up my tent, look at the map, and plan for the next day’s adventure.