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Oct 26, 2026 : Alex Bird DetectiveAppalachian Trail
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Hello! It’s been a while, huh? What has it been, about 8 months since my last post?!
My goal was to publish two blog posts a month, and I really thought I’d be posting more during my thru-hike. After all, I love putting together content from my weekend backpacking trips and hiking adventures, so why would this be any different?
Well, I quickly learned that thru-hiking takes just about every ounce of energy I have. Hiking all day, setting up camp, making dinner, taking care of all the little chores, and getting ready to do it all over again the next day leaves very little energy for anything else.
Most nights, I barely had enough left to write in my journal, let alone put together a blog post or keep up with social media. And honestly, I was okay with that. I wanted to be fully present for the experience, soak in the moments as they happened, and capture my thoughts in writing for myself. Sharing everything in real time just wasn’t as important to me as actually living it.
So, the blog took a backseat. But thankfully, something else took its place.
A Journal I Never Planned to Keep
Funny enough, I hadn’t even planned on journaling during the hike! The group I met and started hiking with all carried journals of their own, and seeing them inspired me to start one, too.
At first, I figured I’d just write on my phone. But then I realized that saving battery life was probably the smarter move. So, naturally, I added a few extra ounces to my base weight. Because what’s a thru-hike without a few more ounces of gear, right?
Sketching whatever caught my eye – from a quick drawing of a porcupine I spotted earlier that day to my hiking partner relaxing in his tent nearby.
Looking back, I’m really glad I made that decision. Even when I was exhausted, I made writing in my journal a priority. It even sparked my creativity in other ways, inspiring me to draw whenever the mood struck. Now, as I start turning some of those entries into blog posts, I have something to look back on that helps jog my memory and bring me right back to those moments.
And after months of hiking, seeing new places, meeting incredible people, and experiencing more than I could ever fit into a single post, I have plenty of memories to revisit.
Setting intentions and reflecting in my journal on my last night in New Hampshire at Gentian Pond Shelter.
So, Where Do I even Begin?
Do I start by announcing that I actually finished my thru-hike? (Probably a pretty big detail to mention!)
Or should I finally share the gear list I planned to post before setting off on the trail? You know, the post I fully intended to write before disappearing into the woods for months.
Or do I just dive right in and tell you all about my incredible thru-hike?
Honestly, I’m still figuring that out. But I’m back; I have a whole lot of stories to tell, and I think it’s about time I started sharing them.
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