Samuel H. Gardner's All In Trek - Hike Over
Today I made a very hard decision. I have chosen to leave the trail to seek medical care.
From: http://www.theinitiativesite.com/journal/
Wasn't he hiking with someone else captain? What happened to them on the trail?
My love for life is quit simple .i get uo in the moring and then i go to bed at night. What I do inbween is to occupy my time. Cary Grant
Well, at least he was out there hiking for two months, while I was going to work every day........
Samual had a friend hiking with him until about January 30th. I think we all knew that he bit off more than he could handle, nonetheless, I enjoyed following his trek and was hoping the best for him.
igne et ferrum est potentas
"In the beginning, all America was Virginia." -William Byrd
Good call on his part.
If he chooses another long trek, he will have a much more realistic frame of reference for goals and the means to get there.
If people spent less time being offended and more time actually living, we'd all be a whole lot happier!
He had an interesting journey through difficult weather. The FLT system is under-rated by those who haven't been there. I would say under the circumstances he's stuck it out longer than most folks would with the health and weather circumstances. The over-selling is unfortunate, of course it was true in Biblical times as today that pride comes before the fall.
Yes, too bad for Samuel, I have been e mailing with him and reading his daily entries, not to pass judgement but I would have started on the PCT or CDT down South and got miles under my belt, to start in HEAVY snow, having to walk with snowshoes at the start of a 12,500 mile hike to me did not make sense. The earliest comments on WhiteBlaze turned out to be right, that he will not complete these 4 trails in one year.
Tried to encourage him a month ago to head to Mexico and hike North in the sunshine for a bit, even offered to pay his airfare.
He is one tough guy, has my respect, living & snowshoeing in sub freezing weather for this amount of time must be brutal.
If you read his journal, he also had some very tough mental hits the last few weeks.
Hiking in pain is not fun or smart if there is a serious underlying issue, I came off the trail a few days early in September, every step was really painful, right knee was "shreaded" as per Dr comments and MRI, could have really messed myself up, at 52 years old, healing is not that simple or quick, am JUST NOW ready to get back out there, and it still hurts.
Samuel was sufferring for weeks with right hip pain and made a smart and responsible decision, my bet is that we have not heard the last of Samuel Gardner!!!
Yep, hate to see someones dreams squashed by reality. I do admire him for sticking it out as long as he did.
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He'll Be Back
I do wish Sam Gardner all the luck in the world. Right now he needs time to heal all his physical and emotional wounds. Getting off the trail was probably a VERY difficult decision for him. I had to quit the AT last year because of a back injury and struggled to accept it. I bet after he heals he'll be back on the trail. I'm sure this is just a bit of a set back for him. I'm sure he'll return just as I'm returning to the AT in a few weeks
THE LONGER YOU LIVE THE OLDER YOU GET
Hi Thatguy, getting old has its downside, seems like every section hike leaves me with another ailment to resolve, back, knee, feet, etc.
Guess we get like old cars where something is always a bit broken.
Hey Del QOriginally Posted by Del Q
I agree with you physically. The trail looks a bit different as you age. Not REALLY interested in setting any records just enjoying it more. What's that old saying "Old enough to know better, but young enough not to care."
THE LONGER YOU LIVE THE OLDER YOU GET
I guess he should have spent more time hiking rather than sitting around for 6 months in a snow cave.
He hiked by our summer place a few days ago. I had told him I would get up there to meet him, but forgot about the Florida week we booked in Disneyworld. (Obviously Disney and FL aren't really ever on my mind)
I will say this, I was a critic. a naysayer. Having spent many years hiking/snowshoeing in the ADKs and on the FLT in all seasons, he lasted a lot longer than I thought he would. I also have to give him leeway for mental stability after hearing his friend died in late February in a car crash back home....
Good Luck Samuel - Wherever you land....
.....Someday, like many others who joined WB in the early years, I may dry up and dissapear....
Unfortunate, but Bearpaw makes a good point in that he'll be a lot more prepared for his next attempt as a result of his experiences.
good luck sammy. youll be back. sorry about your friend.
matthewski
I'm pulling for Samuel. I believe he won't let this stop his dream to hike these trails; I don't think the time frame is as important as the completion. But I do believe that we will hear from him again!
With all due respect, I do think that he could have been better prepared. Early equipment issues, pre-hike conditioning, etc.
Tough guy, has all of my respect, the last 60 days has shown us NASTY weather, cold, snow etc in the NE.............I would have chosen the Long Trail + the Big tree, North Country Trail was a stretch best case.
Has anyone done the AT, LT, CDT and PCT in 365 days?
He's got a lot of humble pie to eat. Like so much. He should buy a couple rolls of saran wrap before he starts.
"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do."
-Bob Dylan
This is sad news.
I enjoyed his writings and following his journey.
Although he had a lot of roadwalking, most of his trail time was on snowshoes with heavy tent, sleeping gear and winter clothes.
That pack must've weighed at least 50 lbs and snowshoeing with that weight would break most people.
I agree we haven't heard the last from him.
Good writer too.
Good luck Sam.
Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams
He gave a winter weight including snow shoes and everything of 31.8 lbs. He subtracted a 21.4 oz bivy and added a tent of 2.5 lbs (Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2) and an extra sleeping bag of indeterminate weight (let's say 3 lbs). So before food and water he was under 35 including the snow shoes (4.4 lbs) and hiking poles (1 lb), so he was carrying about 30 on his back before food and water. Actually, his shoes, heavy-duty winter hiking socks, and gators totaled 3.4 lbs so he really had 26.6 on his back before food and water.
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