2016 IN REVIEW - PART 1

2016, I could write about you forever. You were the best even with a few little blips. You were a year of adventure and change. You challenged me in ways I didn't expect to be challenged and helped me grow so much. I'm excited for 2017, but I'd gladly play you on repeat for the next five years too.

Here's you are 2016, in all your glory...

JANUARY 

After New Year's with college friends, Joe stayed in town and we saw The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and double dated with Laura and her boyfriend David. Joe returned to Chicago, but two weeks later, I went to visit him for MLK weekend. We headed to Wisconsin (my first time there!) and went skiing. Back in NYC, Dori and I saw Fun Home, Snowstorm Jonas hit NYC, Dori and I visited the Met, I celebrated my last few days living in the city, and then moved home.

FEBRUARY

February involved lots of work... I resumed the daily commute into NYC, skied twice, visited Joe in Chicago and went to his med school formal, and had a nice, quiet Valentine's Day (we made ramen!). When I returned to NYC, I went out for dinner with friends a few times, helped my brother move into his first NYC apartment, put in my two weeks at work, and started to tie up a bunch of loose ends before my big adventure.

MARCH

March snuck in quickly. Work was crazy, but my time was up and I left. I celebrated my NYC departure with friends and family, and then visited Joe in Chicago for a few days before flying to Atlanta. 

And so my Appalachian Trail journey began... 

I made the decision to hike the Approach Trail (Mile -8.8) and that's when the first of many first began. My first trail friends, my first freezing night, my first on-trail hostel, my new state line crossed (GA/NC), my first 100 miles hiked, my first hitchhike into my first trail town (Franklin, NC) with two friends, etc. Then on a stormy day at the end of the month, I headed into the Smoky Mountains by myself with a 40 pound backpack. 

APRIL 

At the beginning of April, I summitted Clingmans Dome (the highest point on trail), hurt my ankle, and rested up at a hostel for two days, where I was given the trail name, "Olive Oil". Once back on trail, I hiked over Max Patch and my dad came to hike and spent the weekend in Hot Springs, NC with me. I made it into beautiful Tennessee (its grassy balds were my favorite part of the trail) and then soon after, I was in Virginia. I discovered Dr. Pepper for the first time and spent two days in Damascus, VA (aka: Trail Town, USA) before heading off into the Grayson Highlands where I met ponies and walked through one of the most beautiful landscapes in America.

MAY

May came and spring was in full bloom on the trail! I hiked my first marathon, saw my first pink rhododendrons, saw two hikers cook a raccoon (whoa!), and took a relaxing day at a hostel with friends. I joined my first trail family, "Patches and Friends" and we headed off to Trail Days together. Trail Days was such a fun hiker festival with bonfire dancing, lots of good food, and so many old and new friends. After Trail Days, Dan came out to hike for a week and we had so much fun with Patches and Friends. We hiked past the iconic Dragon's Tooth and McAfee Knob, celebrated a few trail family birthdays, and I temporarily parted ways with Patches and Friends and caught up to two other friends before my mom came out on the trail over Memorial Day weekend.

JUNE

June started out in the Shenandoah's. My trail family "Patches and Friends" caught up and the hiking was so fun and easy. We also saw our first bears! Dori, Daphne and David joined me on the trail, I hit the 1000 mile mark, and made it to Harper's Ferry, WV. Patches and Friends and I went into DC, but we ended up parting ways when they decided to stay a few extra days. That's when I started hiking bigger miles. I made it into Maryland and soon crossed the Mason Dixon line into Pennsylvania. I also made it to the halfway point, ate an entire half gallon of ice cream, had a few fun town stops with new friends, did my first solo-night hiking, hiked my first 30+ mile day, picked my first blueberries, made it into New Jersey, and went to a trail friend's house with a bunch of other friends!

And that was the crazy, wonderful, surreal first half of 2016. 

Part 2 coming soon!