The Appalachian Trail- (D.78, 11.5 mi)

(Blackburn Trail Center --> Harper's Ferry, WV) (1016.3 mi total)

Abby Normal (06/24/12 --> 09/10/12) (Springer Mtn, Ga --> Harpers Ferry, Wv) (1016.3 logged miles)

Hey Hey! So, today I finished my hike!!!  Honestly, their was a good portion of the trip where it felt like I was walking no where.  It's hard to make a goal so far away seem realistic (especially when you don't really know what you got yourself into ha) but just going through it day by day and trying to keep a positive head (very hard for me sometimes) above all else helped me to achieve it.  Throughout the last 2.5 months I have received so much help and motivation from so many different people even if they didn't realize it at the time.  The people I met and the experiences I had have left me with such a sense of appreciation and gratitude.  I look back now and realize that I will most likely never be able to do something like this again, and I feel so fortunate to have a family and girlfriend and friends that have done nothing but show support and love for my adventure.  Enough with the sentimental statements though.  Today was an amazing day... the weather was perfect and the breeze was cooling.  We had so much excitement that our walk almost seemed too short and the terrain too perfect.  We had originally planned to stop about .5 mile away from Harpers Ferry to avoid any hotel/hostel costs but another option revealed itself.  John Brown (Choo Choo) is a friend and fraternity brother who is Sobo'n the AT currently.  As fortune would have it he was already in Harpers Ferry and had just purchased a 2nd room for the expanse of Sobo hikers in town and was nice enough to offer Josh and I a spot on the floor!!!  So, we headed in to town and said our goodbye's to the trail for the time being.  We spent the night sharing stories of the trail (reminiscing for us) and having celebratory cocktails.  Finally, around midnight (extremely late for me ha) we hit the hay and had dreams of walking.    

Blackburn Trail Center shelter.  Great place for us in a time of need.  Hiking in soaking wet clothes on our last day would have been miserable.

Hey, Josh is smiling....and why not.  It is officially the last day of being a professional walker.  For now ha

Cool bit of trail......

Your damn right.... ha walked here.

Couldn't let us get there without having to earn it.  Had a solid mile or so of just jagged rocks for trail!   The anger I would have had if I rolled an ankle this close ha.

I, I, I made it!  Rafters in the distance.