Week Two: The Adventures of Flash-Bandit
By MrsJ
@SophiaMorros (5044)
Belews Creek, North Carolina
April 20, 2019 7:02am CST
Today my Appalachian-Trail-hiking eldest son begins week three of his planned trek from Georgia to Maine.
Yesterday, my husband and I took the day to drive deep into the rural North Carolina mountains to meet with him at Fontana Dam. Originally the plan was to take him into town to resupply and then hike a few miles up the trail with him before heading back home but the weather was forecast to be absolutely lousy.
We arrived in a torrential downpour and the overnight forecast was threatening snow and ice for the higher elevations so my son (now known by the trail name Flash-Bandit) decided to take his first zero-day (a zero-day is exactly what it sounds like; a day in which zero progress is made on the trail) to give his injuries a chance to heal and to ensure a night in a dry bed and a Saturday morning start with dry equipment.
So far he has covered 163.7 miles of the trail and his hiked through two states. This morning he will add the state of Tennessee to the list and by Wednesday he hopes to have made it to the other side of Smokey Mountain National Park (the pink splotch on the map).
6 people like this
7 responses
@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
20 Apr 19
The next couple of days are supposed to be chilly with a chance of rain and/or snow. Hopefully, once he gets to the other side of the Smokies the weather and the terrain will be less daunting.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
20 Apr 19
This will be something he will be able to tell people for generations and generations. I am sure he will have a lot of stories to tell once he succeeds. Does he have a satellite phone? Or how is he reaching out when his cellular service is non-existent?
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@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
20 Apr 19
He already has a lot of stories. Unfortunately, he doesn't keep a journal. We're hoping to get small voice recorder to him in a week or so to make it easier for him to keep up with everything.
He and Jack Shepherd (the trail name of his current hiking buddy--in honor of a beloved dog) regaled us with many, many anecdotes just of their first two weeks on the trail.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
20 Apr 19
@SophiaMorros Oh! It's a pity he isn't writing anything down. I hope he will use the recorder once you get it to him. I think he'd come to regret it otherwise.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Apr 19
That's amazing! I am sure there's so much excitement to hear about. =)
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@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
20 Apr 19
It's an epic trip for him.
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@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
20 Apr 19
He's heading up the Appalachian trail, which runs significantly east of Bangor.
@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
24 Apr 19
He's allowed to do whatever he wants (within reason) but he's got a long way to go and a short time to get there so zero days will be few and far between. (His personal trail plan actually calls for no zero days)
@JudyEv (382325)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jul 19
It would be interesting following his trail with the pins. It's a slow process when you're walking.
