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View Full Version : Game Over: Completed My Thru



Texaco
07-31-2014, 08:37
Hey all,

Just wanted to reach out and thank you all for your input and support as I planned, organized, and departed for my hike. I began on April 4th and summited Katahdin on July 26th, 114 days, 5 zeros, totaling 109 days of hiking - just over 20 mile per day average. I'm going to spend the next few days going over the data of mileage, money spent, etc, and draw up some stats on my hike.

I met a lot of great people and had some phenomenal times as I hiked up, spending a bit of time crushing miles on my own and a good month towards the end slowing down & hiking with a large group of people I now consider exceptionally close friends. Highlights included a 62 mile day in 20 hours 32 minutes, hiking the entire 100 Mile Wilderness in 3 days, and finishing 36 days ahead of my intended finish date. Quite the experience.

Here's my summit photo: cotton Superman shirt (I hiked up in my poly New Balance shirt), Red Sox hat, and a cold Sam Adams Lager served in my commemorative Katahdin Mtn pilsner glass that I've had for a few years. I was able to summit with one of my friends, Santa, and my dad who is an avid hiker of the NH 48s... a phenomenal way to end on a gorgeously sunny day.

Happy trails, y'all! Stats to come, but be sure to check out the blog I wrote daily at www.2180miles.com

Texaco

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e308/djflyy/djflyy015/IMG_9931-2.jpg

12trysomething
07-31-2014, 08:41
Very very cool! What a great way to finish, sounds about perfect!

Gambit McCrae
07-31-2014, 08:56
Congrats!!!

drifter
07-31-2014, 09:21
Great job ! Congrats - the memories are priceless.

Siarl
07-31-2014, 09:26
Congratulations and very inspiring!

Another Kevin
07-31-2014, 09:46
Applause from a clueless weekender!

Blog bookmarked.

dangerdave
07-31-2014, 10:29
Awesome! And fast! I wish I was 22 again...just for my thru.

Damn Yankee
07-31-2014, 10:38
From one Yankee to another, congratulations on a job well done.

rocketsocks
07-31-2014, 10:57
Very Nice, good for you dude...you had a beauty day to summit, Awesome!

centerfieldr162
07-31-2014, 11:43
Congratulations! Great way to end

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Bob55
07-31-2014, 12:57
Congratulations.

RED-DOG
07-31-2014, 13:00
Great, welcome to the 2000 miler club.

Sly
07-31-2014, 13:17
Kludos!

Since you're practically local you may want to attend the Gathering in Williamstown in October.

http://www.aldha.org/newsletter/gatheringspread2014.pdf

Deacon
07-31-2014, 14:04
20+ miles per day. That is awesome.

Damn Yankee
07-31-2014, 15:02
Seeing your Avatar reminded me of when I was a kid and Texaco used to give out paper kites with their emblem on it. Tear up some rags into strips, tie together and make a tail. I loved that kite. One day the string broke while it was way up and I never saw it again. Thanks for bringing up this painful memory, going to go take some valium now and bury the memory for another 45 years

rocketsocks
07-31-2014, 16:18
Seeing your Avatar reminded me of when I was a kid and Texaco used to give out paper kites with their emblem on it. Tear up some rags into strips, tie together and make a tail. I loved that kite. One day the string broke while it was way up and I never saw it again. Thanks for bringing up this painful memory, going to go take some valium now and bury the memory for another 45 years
that so sad....27939

WILLIAM HAYES
07-31-2014, 16:38
congrats you were cruising

Leanthree
07-31-2014, 21:25
Congrats and thanks for sharing the blog. I am to TN so far reading it and enjoying it greatly!

JumpMaster Blaster
07-31-2014, 21:51
Holy crap man I just found and started reading your blog last week! Well, I guess I know how the story ends, right? You were definitely rollin rollin rollin. A big congrats to you and excellent blog to boot!

Dogwood
07-31-2014, 22:15
Ahh, stats are only stats. What was phenomenal about your hike from this persons's perspective is that you finished and in style with one of your friends, Santa, and your dad on a gorgeous sunny day. Like the Sammie Lager style too! ;)

Sportin dat red sox cap disawows the completion though. Go back do it again rockin a Yankees brim. ;)

gunner76
07-31-2014, 22:49
Big congrats on doing what many of wish we could.

Teacher & Snacktime
07-31-2014, 22:50
Congratulations! You look like it was a breeze!

We bumped into Pneumo in NY crossing 17A heading toward Wildcat Shelter. You look very familiar, and I suspect we encountered you around then too, but not quite sure.

Anyway, glad you had fun....and that you enjoyed RI!



http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/4/6/3/3/8/rainman_ny_slackpack_6-2014_2011-12-31_025.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59901&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=46338)

2015 Lady Thru-Hiker
07-31-2014, 23:07
Congrats Texaco! What an accomplishment.

double d
07-31-2014, 23:09
Congrats, I'm glad you got to hike the AT and enjoyed the challenges of a thru hike!

Big Dawg
08-01-2014, 03:01
Congrats!!! That's awesome!!

I just bought a pair of New Balance Leadville MT1210 for an upcoming section,, Waynesboro to Harpers Ferry. It looks like you're wearing the same. How'd they hold up on the trail?

rocketsocks
08-01-2014, 03:05
Congratulations! You look like it was a breeze!

We bumped into Pneumo in NY crossing 17A heading toward Wildcat Shelter. You look very familiar, and I suspect we encountered you around then too, but not quite sure.

Anyway, glad you had fun....and that you enjoyed RI!



http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/4/6/3/3/8/rainman_ny_slackpack_6-2014_2011-12-31_025.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59901&original=1&catid=member&imageuser=46338)
I see one of Teacher and Snacktimes goodybags...or as I like to call em, "Medicine bags" as they have in them many good things for "what ails ya"

lemon b
08-01-2014, 10:35
WOW, that is so cool that your father was able to experience the climax of your hike. He must still be walking on air with pride.

hikernutcasey
08-01-2014, 16:27
Congrats man! I just wanted to let you know that I have been following about 5 or 6 blogs this year and yours was by far my favorite.

Are Legs, Dorothy and Rocket girl finished yet?

Texaco
08-02-2014, 08:07
Congrats!!! That's awesome!!

I just bought a pair of New Balance Leadville MT1210 for an upcoming section,, Waynesboro to Harpers Ferry. It looks like you're wearing the same. How'd they hold up on the trail?

amazing shoes. Never let me down. I went through 3 pairs, which was really pushing it at +900 miles on two of the pairs. You'll see in one of my most recent blog posts, the soles split off. But that was after 900 miles of the Delaware Water Gap to Katahdin... Not the easiest bit for sneakers. According to my reps at NB, 500 miles is about the max you'll want to run them, but they're phenomenal shoes.

Texaco
08-02-2014, 08:12
Congrats man! I just wanted to let you know that I have been following about 5 or 6 blogs this year and yours was by far my favorite.

Are Legs, Dorothy and Rocket girl finished yet?

thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog. I've still got a few more posts to get up from the Wilderness, but it should be all wrapped up soon.

I drove back to Baxter State Park with Santa on Thursday and re-summited Katahdin with Legs, Dorothy, & Rocket yesterday on yet another gorgeously sunny day. Great group shots at the sign, I'll be sure to post up.

kolokolo
08-02-2014, 10:13
It sounds like you had a fantastic hike. I like the way that you slowed down to experience and enjoy your hike with others toward the end. Impressive all around.

Congratulations!

Del Q
08-02-2014, 10:55
ON 5 zero's - impressive walk, good one!!!

Offshore
08-02-2014, 13:21
thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog. I've still got a few more posts to get up from the Wilderness, but it should be all wrapped up soon.

I followed and really enjoyed your blog. I thought it was one of the best because it was so well written and had more depth to it that the typical "day 23 - went from here to there" content.

It would be interesting to hear some of your thoughts looking retrospectively at your thru. The obvious question is if would you do anything differently in terms of preparation, equipment, or the hike itself. It was interesting in that you started with a very fast pace with the goal of getting to RI to see your grandparents and then took it more slowly thereafter. Did you enjoy one pace more than the other? Do you think the initial fast pace prevented you from experiencing the hike for the hike's sake, including the chance to build relationships with other hikers? It would also be interesting to read about your transition from the trail life back to the everyday life. (I'm afraid I'd pull a Col. Kurtz and stay upriver...)

Trillium
08-03-2014, 07:11
Congratulations Texaco! You are one lean mean hiking machine. Looking forward to reading your blog.

Lemko
08-05-2014, 21:56
congratulations! a sense of self mastery you will always take pleasure in for the rest of your life

Leanthree
08-06-2014, 00:29
I followed and really enjoyed your blog. I thought it was one of the best because it was so well written and had more depth to it that the typical "day 23 - went from here to there" content.

It would be interesting to hear some of your thoughts looking retrospectively at your thru. The obvious question is if would you do anything differently in terms of preparation, equipment, or the hike itself. It was interesting in that you started with a very fast pace with the goal of getting to RI to see your grandparents and then took it more slowly thereafter. Did you enjoy one pace more than the other? Do you think the initial fast pace prevented you from experiencing the hike for the hike's sake, including the chance to build relationships with other hikers? It would also be interesting to read about your transition from the trail life back to the everyday life. (I'm afraid I'd pull a Col. Kurtz and stay upriver...)

Agreed, as a semi-pro armchair hiker who reads way too many books, blogs, and journals about the trail yours is one of the best I have ever come across. Go hike the PCT or something next year so I have something good to read. The real world will be there when you get back.

rocketsocks
08-06-2014, 00:35
Agreed, as a semi-pro armchair hiker who reads way too many books, blogs, and journals about the trail yours is one of the best I have ever come across. Go hike the PCT or something next year so I have something good to read. The real world will be there when you get back.

I like the way you think ;)

thanks for the heads up Leenthree and Offshore, always lookin' for a goodn' been layin' off for a while now...Book marked!

Siarl
08-06-2014, 01:21
I am at the point where I will be purchasing or exploring at least, shoe choices and ya'll have given me the perfect pair start off with. I already sent you an email from your blog but I'll ask it from here as well. I am taking a Canon T2i and I know your camera came down with a case of "the wet" but I was wondering what your method was of keeping it dry while in your pack as well as how you kept it dry when you had it out taking photos while it was raining? I'm also looking for a separate small pack to keep it in that I can take along with me when I don't have the pack on my back. Any suggestions or choice of equipment?

Big Dawg
08-06-2014, 02:24
I am at the point where I will be purchasing or exploring at least, shoe choices and ya'll have given me the perfect pair start off with.

The New Balance Leadville MT1210 is an older model shoe,, 2012 or 2013. Places are starting to run out of them because they're no longer in production, I guess. If you find your size, snap em up. Not sure when the newest Leadville model comes out,, maybe next spring.

Siarl
08-06-2014, 03:00
The New Balance Leadville MT1210 is an older model shoe,, 2012 or 2013. Places are starting to run out of them because they're no longer in production, I guess. If you find your size, snap em up. Not sure when the newest Leadville model comes out,, maybe next spring.

Well, I guess I don't mess around...lol...I did notice that they were not in my size no matter where I looked so I settled for the next best thing and that was the MT910 model with Goretex. I live in the desert and will probably not get to test out just how waterproof they are but I want to test them out and see if they can stand up to the hiking that I do here in the Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park. They should be here this Friday. I also like NB because they have plenty choices in a wide size.

blue blaze cafe
08-06-2014, 08:30
Hmmmmm, think we saw you in Damascus :) Congratulations on your epic achievement!:banana

HeartWalker
08-06-2014, 09:00
Congratulations. Something you'll have forever.

BuckeyeBill
08-06-2014, 12:25
You can trust your car to the man that wears the star, the big bright Texaco star. OK now that I have shown my age, congrats on your hike.

shakey_snake
08-10-2014, 17:46
You wore that chain the whole way it looks like. :)

IndyMike
08-12-2014, 06:01
Congrats Texaco!

JohnnySnook
09-09-2014, 05:59
Great hike and quick trip thru the trail while making great milage. You blog keeps the reader wanting more. Could you please tell us about the down side of the trail? I will say I really enjoyed your blog but it sounds so perfect. I can feel your pain during the last months .thru your posts at the end. I think this would be when I would be slowing down to fish this legendary section of the trail. So what about the bad times? Whether it was making a wrong turn and hiking miles in the wrong direction, Getting false info as to what lies ahead, the worst people to share a shelter with, or sitting on the side of the road for an hour, etc.
Please let us know! Once again I really like your blog but one thing that is annoying is you talking about being a 22 year old owner of a audi and also owning a jeep just for fun. Things you point out often in your blog.
My main question would be: Did you hike the trail as a trophy?

Don't get me wrong. Your hike was epic! Just seems too perfect at times.

As I could be your dad mine will be much slower and fishing will be a part of my journey. Please don't take this post in the wrong way. I'd like to contact you for advice in the future.

SOLODARE
09-09-2014, 07:36
+1 jonnysnook

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Texaco
09-09-2014, 07:41
Great hike and quick trip thru the trail while making great milage. You blog keeps the reader wanting more. Could you please tell us about the down side of the trail? I will say I really enjoyed your blog but it sounds so perfect. I can feel your pain during the last months .thru your posts at the end. I think this would be when I would be slowing down to fish this legendary section of the trail. So what about the bad times? Whether it was making a wrong turn and hiking miles in the wrong direction, Getting false info as to what lies ahead, the worst people to share a shelter with, or sitting on the side of the road for an hour, etc.
Please let us know! Once again I really like your blog but one thing that is annoying is you talking about being a 22 year old owner of a audi and also owning a jeep just for fun. Things you point out often in your blog.
My main question would be: Did you hike the trail as a trophy?

Don't get me wrong. Your hike was epic! Just seems too perfect at times.

As I could be your dad mine will be much slower and fishing will be a part of my journey. Please don't take this post in the wrong way. I'd like to contact you for advice in the future.


Your post as a whole is interesting... Thanks for writing in.

I'm not sure there's more to say about the "down side" of the trail. I almost feel like I should apologize for it sounding so perfect... It really was an amazing trip. Perhaps there were less moments of down sides as I didn't spend a lot of time hiking with groups where drama would have become prevalent. In the end I only hiked 1/2 mile the wrong way, at Clingman's dome where I really didn't pay attention to the signage. No hours of hiking in the wrong direction. I took every bit of info about what was ahead with a grain of salt... Virginia is flat... Maine is easy after the Whites... etc. You did mention people sharing shelters with - I spoke frequently towards the end about dealing with SOBOs who were unfamiliar with shelter etiquette of "packing in like sardines" - that got really annoying, especially when night hiking was regular enough in the North that I'd arrive later than people were awake.

I don't really know how to respond to you finding it annoying that I wrote about my life (i.e. my cars...) What I'll say is that I never once in the blog itself mentioned my age... it's actually something I shy away from ever mentioning, as I like to hold myself to higher standards than those of most people my age. It's written in the "bio" so that people knew how old I was. What I did was write about things that are parts of my life... wanting to have my German sports car in the Blue Ridge Parkway is something that any motorhead could appreciate... had I said it was a '99 Civic turbo would that have been better for you? I own two cars... it's not common for someone my age, but I work my ass off owning my own company and I like to reward myself with nice things. Had I written about missing (hypothetical) kids, would that have been better? I wrote candidly about things that I missed, things that are part of my life... something people frequently ask about... I happened to miss my vehicles. Not sure why you have such an issue with something that literally came up maybe a half dozen times in 114 days of writing. I'm sorry it stuck out enough for you to feel the need to mention.

I don't think "hiking as a trophy" is a fair assessment. I hiked it to have hiked it... there was a very long post written about that fact. But I enjoyed the trip along the way, never rushed through to finish sub-100 or anything like that. It was an amazing experience, and something that I enjoy being able to say I completed. The friendships I forged are ones I hope will last forever.

Maybe it was a "perfect" hike. Cold in the south as I got my legs, warm through the middle as I stretched out and flew through my miles, met a group in NY and slowed to enjoy the times, canoeing through lakes and swimming in trail magic pools, shifted gears and sped my way through Maine combating gihardia, lack of food intake, and 30+ mile days. I think it was everything anyone could want from a hike, condensed into 3 1/2 months.

Look forward to your response.

JohnnySnook
09-10-2014, 03:49
Texaco

I do respect your hike and hope my last post didn't sound to negative. I do agree with some off your comments and I actually started reading your blog after you finished which took days. Yes days. I feel that my comments were thing thats stuck out in my mind after reading all of your blogs and subscribing to your RRS feed. I guess our 20 year difference in age may be part of it.

I do feel the younger crowd on any forum or in life expects things to be given to them and like to point out the items they own. Maybe this was the same when I was your age also. Even though I see this in my goddaughters that are 19 and 16. I do know know when I was your age I was surfing all over central america and spending up to 3 months in a country that I barely knew the language. I've also surfed all of central america and some of south america.

On my first trip to Costa Rica my BF and I were shipped off at the age of 17 by our parents with barely a plan of where to go. We had a plane ticket and a couple days at a hotel and then a trip back to San Jose and plane ticket back. Remember this was way before iPhones and hardly any internet. Also way before the tourist boon in CR. If we could get a phone call out ever other day it was a miracle. Spent three weeks there exploring was something I will never forget. If only we could of talked our parents (they didn't believe us) into buying 10 acres of beach front property in the heart of Jaco for $10,000 we would be beyond rich and I probably wouldn't be righting this post.

These days you kids are given weather reports and trail conditions everyday via the internet. Easy ways to keep up with people you meet on the trail. Kind of like the young surfers these days. You can plan a surf trip around the forecast while we had to just stay in an area as long as possible to catch waves with no idea if the waves would come. I find that those days when the waves did show up and you scored it was extra special and you usually surfed with just your freinds. Nothing like know the wave were coming a week in advance and then flying down to surf them.

I'm not sure if this registers with the young crowd.

I little bit of my past was I did spend a month of every summer at the YMCA Camp Greenville. Look it up and send your kids there. Its a great place! You have "Pretty Place" and "Rainbow falls" for close hikes. Plus rock climbing and many adventures. I still have a 6ft rattlesnake skin that I almost stepped on but we killed and ate it. It was very different back in those days. We had much more freedom to climb up cliffs or do things that that camp would get sued for these days. Hiking for a week and river rafting for a week each summer. Those years I think about all the time. Hiking for a week to the top of Cold Mountain and spending time in the shinning rock area I'll never forget. Canoe or rafting the chattanooga, french, broad, and NOC. Surfing kept me away from the mountains. Maybe the girls also but thats another story.

I'm a big fisherman as you can probably tell from other posts. I really plan on trying to fish the trail. Just need to find more info on this subject. The only member I can seem to find that did was Wasabi in 2010.

I do feel that your comments about your Car(s) were a bit of bragging. I think it was the way you spoke about your Audi starting with your first blog when starting the trail and dropping off at a friends house. I do feel that if you have worked hard to own your own company as long as your parents didn't finance it for you you deserve it
. I'm not sure the exact audio industry your been I think its live events / concerts. I work in the film industry most working on commercials and music videos. This gives me the freedom to hike the trail in 2015 if I work enough. Its funny how those days in the mountains stay with you for the rest of your life. I do remember staying in shelters back then. Do the still have chain link fences to keep the bears out?

I guess thats it for now. Well maybe. Where you hooking up with legs? LOL.

Wiki
10-02-2014, 20:24
Texaco,

I followed your Blog from zero day to the Northern Terminus, commented a couple times. It was an awesome read, on top of already having the desire to hike the AT it really got me inspired to push for my goal, plus being a fellow Masshole I felt I could relate to you and your Sox cap . Hope you keep writing on your blog as I enjoy your writing.

I'm personally shooting for a 2016 NOBO attempt, thanks again.

Wiki

Tipi Walter
10-02-2014, 22:48
I hope you decide to keep Back Packaging---Let the Games continue.

Andy P
10-05-2014, 16:27
Congrats! :)

Texaco
11-12-2014, 17:18
I hope you decide to keep Back Packaging---Let the Games continue.

Yes. I will. Next adventure will be oceanic, it seems. But This game, the A.T. game in 2014, was over :)


Congrats! :)

Thank you!

shelb
11-12-2014, 23:52
Thanks for posting! Congratulations!