I remember asking myself a couple of weeks ago, “Can I really do this for six months?” It wasn’t that I was having a bad day, necessarily. I was just having a really hard time picturing the finish line. Completing the trail felt so daunting in that moment. Maine seemed so far away, it felt impossible to get there!
I mentioned this to Alex and he could relate. Walking north every day until we were tired just wasn’t enough. We needed some short term, digestible goals to help keep us motivated. So, we put it to numbers! We decided that we want to finish no later than August 31st. That means we would have to walk an average of 12 miles a day every day with no days off. That sounds like a lot, but that feels very achievable! At this point we are averaging about 15-18 miles a day with a few 20s sprinkled in. So we created a system. Anything we hike over 12 miles in a day we add to our “Miles and More Account.” When we have a surplus of miles in our account, we can “spend” it on a day off (or a shorter day)! It really has helped us wrap our minds around finishing and made it feel so much more attainable.
Since then, we have definitely hit some milestones! We’ve completed the second and third states, North Carolina and Tennessee. We reached the 500 mile marker, and we also completed our first 20+ mile hike!
We have also enjoyed some different scenery recently. We walked across a dam, saw some beautiful waterfalls, crossed some nice bridges, hiked through some wide open balds, and even met some wild ponies in the Grayson Highlands. It seemed like we had spent so much time in a tunnel of trees, it has been so nice to experience some variety!
We have also made it a point to be a bit more choosy with our campsites. While a lot of hikers choose to camp at shelters, we have found that there are often much nicer spots peppered along the trail.
And we continue to be spoiled with trail magic. Alex captured a nice photo of what the vibe is like at these. Hikers hanging out, repairing wounds, and generally just appreciating the food and each other’s company!
We are currently in Virginia, the longest state on the Appalachian Trail, with 550 miles. The further along we get, the more we are pushing miles. Tomorrow’s plan is 21.5! The nights have been chilly, but we have had some beautiful hiking days. Sunny and in the 60s – perfect. Lack of service or total exhaustion has been keeping me from writing more, but I’m going to try to stick to at least once a week!
Wandering Between Meals 
Nothing weird about your Miles and More Account. Very smart! I love reading the accounts of your adventure. Hope to meet you in person, Lauren! Say hello to Alex.