(I am including with this blog photos of what I have been up to since I finished my paddle. These are people I consider amazing.)

This is just a short blog to let people know I am getting ready to embark on my next adventure. There are eleven National Scenic Trails and the idea of trying to hike all 24, 600 miles of them is stating to grow in me. I can’t say I will attempt to do them all, but the idea of it no longer feels totally out of the question. To date I have three of these trails, (Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail) completed. These account for just under 8000 miles of the national scenic trails total. There are very few people who have hiked all of them and the first woman to do so just finished this year.

Besides the three I’ve completed, which comprise the “triple crown of hiking,” there are the Florida National Scenic Trail, Arizona National Scenic Trail, North Country National Scenic Trail, Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail and New England National Scenic Trail. I leave on Wed., Aug 17 to begin the New England Trail (NET). https://newenglandtrail.org/interactive-map/

The NET is the shortest of the National Scenic Trails, coming it at somewhere between 207 and 236 miles. There is a spur trail off of the NET that dead ends close to thirty miles out. Some people say if you want to do the whole trail you also have to complete the spur, which is what accounts for the extra miles. This trail is close to where I live and so seemed like a good one to do while I have a small chunk of time. It has over 30,000 feet of altitude gain. This doesn’t sound like a lot when comparing it to the CDT, which has 400,000 feet of gain and loss. However, when you do the math mile per mile, the New England Trail has more altitude change than either the CDT or the PCT, so it will not be an easy stroll in the park. I expect it may be similar to the AT which has more altitude change than either of the other two triple crown trails even though it is the shortest by far. While the western trails go to much higher elevations, they use a multitude of switchbacks and seldom climb or descend 1000 feet in a mile. Eastern trails seldom use switch backs and often have an elevation change of more than 1000 feet in a mile. There are places out east in which steps have been cut into rocks, iron hand-and-foot holds drilled into cliffs and ladders placed against really steep sections. I have heard there are some very steep sections on the NET.

This trail presents some logistical challenges. Besides figuring out how to get back to my car after I finish the hike, I have to figure out how to get from the end of the spur trail back to the main trail. In addition, the NET has two major river crossings, the Westfield and the Connecticut. This time of year and in this drought the Westfield should be fordable though could be up to my crotch. I am making arrangements to get across the Connecticut River. which is too deep to ford. This last seems ironic to me since I have just paddled the entire river! I never thought I would be returning to Long Island Sound and the CT River so soon.

There are a limited number of sites where people are allowed to camp on the NET. I have been told that many of the water sources are dried up or very murky. Thanks to my friend Karen Deets I have learned how to go to social media and ask for information. And just like on my other adventures, I am finding angels offering to help.

One person has offered to shuttle my car for me. A few others will drop water caches for me and text me pictures to show me where to look. One woman has offered to have me camp at her place, shower and swim in her pool! She will also slack pack me for a few days while I pass through an area that has no overnight spots. This means I can leave my full pack at her house and she will drive me back and forth to the trail each day. She has offered this in a 70 mile section of trail!

I made some commitments months ago to help out with a fundraiser for the Catamount Trail. I skied this lovely 300 mile cross country ski trail last winter and was blessed to have so many people help me. There is no way I would back out on this commitment now. Therefore, after nine days of hiking I will return home for the two day CT event. Then I will resupply and head back out again.

I have spent the last few days dehydrating and packing food and getting my hiking gear in order. This has not taken too much time as I am pretty familiar with what I need and have it all easily accessible. On the other hand I have spent a lot of hours figuring out the details. At first I was going to ride my bike about 100 miles as a shuttle, but since people have been offering to help me it looks like that will not be necessary. I am still working out some details, but luckily the experiences I have had over these past two years of adventuring have solidified for me the uselessness of worrying. Something will work out and I will find a way to manage.

That’s it for now. I hope many of you will join me on my hike by continuing to follow my blogs. I am not sure what kind of internet service I will have on the trail so it may be a while before the posts come through. At the very least I will be able to post them when I stop home for the Catamount Trail Event on August 26th and 27th.