Douglas Douma

I don’t have many pictures from the last stretch as it seems I almost always had my camera safely tucked away in multiple layers of dry bags in the frequent rains. It has rained almost every day since I left Harper’s Ferry WV. I’ve still managed to make miles as I hike between rainstorms or

Alright, a new state. Virginia was something over 500 miles. I’m not sure the correct mileage and am too tired to look it up. West Virginia has a total of like 4 miles. And Maryland coming up has only 40. I hiked the last section from Luray to Harper’s Ferry with Jeremiah. I just heard

Along the trail the music best keeping me company has been that of traditional Irish songs. I was just learning the lyrics to “The Irish Rover” – a fictitious story about a massive Irish boat and its absurd crew and journey – when the lyrics of song came to real life: Then the ship struck

I’ve decided to go Aquablazing. This means I’m renting a canoe to travel down the Shenendoah River parallel to the AT for a while. I’m headed out tomorrow with Shaman and Jeremiah and expect to go for maybe 5-7 days to Front Royal VA or thereabouts. Aquablazing is apparently approved by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy

Down the track came a hobo hikin’ and he said “boys I’m not turning.” I’m headed for a land that’s far away beyond the crystal foundations. So come with me we’ll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains. I’ve been learning the lyrics to “Big Rock Candy Mountain” as it seems to fit well

There’s a commericial for Planet Fitness where a massive weightlifter at a competitor’s gym say’s “I pick things up and put them down.” (I suppose they are saying that their own gyms have a normal person clientele, not just dumb brutes). Sometimes hiking the AT makes one feel like a dumb brute (or a pack

I hiked 0 trail miles today at a blistering pace of 0 mph. Even on zero days we still manage to get in some walking as we have no car and must walk everywhere in town. In a day and a half in Daleville VA (just outside of Roanoke) I’ve put away some 10-15k calories.

I see why they call this the Virginia Blues. The initial excitement of the trail has waned for many thru-hikers. Some have gone home willingly, others injured. The crowds on the trail have disappeared and now I camp with only a few others each night instead of the 20+ as earlier on the trail. Despite

I hiked 11 miles today from the Woods Hole hostel into Pearisburg VA. It was not a pleasant hike as I was still sore from the record 32 miles yesterday. The 32 miles took me from sunrise till about 6 PM, but I felt it was necessary to get a place inside the hostel rather

Looks like it has been 10 days since I last posted. I hoped to post earlier but did not find a computer to do so. The trail has smoothed out a bit compared to the Georgia and North Carolina sections. Either that, or I’m just far improved on my hiking abilities. After Hampton TN I