I Wish I Was Hiking The Twail ... Uh, Trail
It just gets under your skin.
The fresh air. The sheer physical exertion. The camaraderie with others who walk with packs on their backs.
Okay, and the rain and the mud, the bugs and rocks, the lightning, the snakes and the bears. The sweat and the dirt, the cold and the heat, and the oh-so-lovely eau-de-hiker.
That 2,174-mile footpath, marked with 165,000 painted white blazes as it winds and climbs and descends through 14 states from Georgia to Maine, has this way of grabbing hold of your psyche and not letting go.
Kinda like Twitter.
The Appalachian Trail By State
From South To North -- Springer Mountain To Mt. Katahdin
From Springer Mountain, Georgia,
it's 75 miles to North Carolina
then 88 miles to Tennessee
then 293 miles to Virginia
then 550 miles to West Virginia
then 4 miles to Pennsylvania
then 229 miles to Maryland
then 41 miles to New Jersey
then 72 miles to New York
then 88 miles to Connecticut
then 52 miles to Massachusetts
then 90 miles to Vermont
then 150 miles to New Hampshire
then 161 miles to Maine
then 281 miles to
Mount Katahdin
They're Talkin' Appalachian Trail On Twitter
These are some of my favorite "tweets" about the A.T.
Best of:
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- retweet | reply walkerrezeke
- I am sick of city life, of the pollution, crowding and crime. I need a little wilderness. I need 6 mo. off to hike the Appalachian Trail...
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- retweet | reply livebeautiful
- New Post from Dad's blog: "Bear Sh** on the Appalachian Trail (includes pictures!) http://tinyurl.com/no8mxv
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- retweet | reply dustinabel
- i want to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail before I die.
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- retweet | reply carson_walker
- I'm about to head out on the appalachian trail for a couple of weeks. I will be wearing pants.
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- retweet | reply scottymakeart
- in that cool mountain air on an appalachian trail... life is better here.
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- retweet | reply InprintInc
- @vatourismpr for outdoor recreation enthusiasts, The Appalachian Trail tweets at: followthetrail
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- retweet | reply digitalpretzel
- the Appalachian trail hikers are some nice dudes. but boy do they smell
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- retweet | reply 4seasons777
- Learn more about the Appalachian National Scenic Trail that passes through 14 US States! Volunteers welcome! http://www.appalachiantrail.org
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- retweet | reply RodneyRamsey
- The Appalachian Trail has been hiked in fewer days than are in the NBA post-season . #neverendingplayoffs
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- retweet | reply andrewdeci
- RT @BRCeditor: Asheville Citizen-Times reports reports 25% increase in Appalachian Trail hikers http://ow.ly/9Hal
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- retweet | reply thomascaudill
- My girlfriend agreed to hike the Appalachian Trail through NY (90+ miles) in a week with me this summer. I had no idea she was this cool.
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- retweet | reply allwebemail
- @gregoryng Congrats! Tomorrow is my 10 year wedding anniversary too! Got married in hiking boots on Appalachian Trail.
Community write-ins:
Write a new tweet for this list! If Ramkitten likes it, it could get picked for the best-of list above.
Your message will be automatically sent via Twitter.
The Appalachian Trail Is All Over The Web
And here are just a handful of A.T. sites I like....
- The Appalachian Trail Conservancy
- Their Mission: "The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to the preservation and management of the natural, scenic, historic, and cultural resources associated with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in order to provide primitive outdoor-recreation and educational opportunities for Trail visitors."
- Trailplace--An Appalachian Trail Resource Website
- Hiking information, A.T. guidebooks, forums and Appalachian Trail news
- Appalachian Trail Services
- See what services are available from A.T. road crossings by state.
- White Blaze
- A community of Appalachian Trail enthusiasts
- TrailJournals.com
- Journals by long-distance backpackers, including Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and section-hikers, and hikers on other long trails around the globe
- Backpacker.com's Appalachian Trail Database
- This database is used to find mileage and information about the shelters along the Appalachian Trail. You can also browse by state.
Another Spike In Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers In 2009
Read
More Opt For A Long Walk
from the Citizen Times
The Appalachian Trail Is On Squidoo Too
Check out these A.T. "lenses."
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My Hike On The Appalachian Trail
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I'd dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail for a dozen or so years, but I'd grown up in a family too pragmatic to do much more than dream. All my life I'd followed the rules and worried what others thought of me. I'd always been shy and easily intim...
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Hiking The Appalachian Trail: What You Really Need To Know
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The picture to your left is me, the A.T. hiker known as Ramkitten (on a really cold April morning in the Georgia mountains), here to share the wisdom gained from six months on the trail, all in one fell swoop! Most of what you'll find on the int...
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Trail Days Festival In Damascus, Virginia
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In 1999, I attended my first Trail Days festival as a wanna-be Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. The following year, I hiked into Damascus, Virginia--considered by some to be the friendliest town on the A.T.--after walking nearly 500 miles from Springer...
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Hiking the Appalachian Trail: A Story in Postcards
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On a recent snowed-in lazy day, I plopped myself on the floor in front of my shelf full of scrapbooks and started flipping through some memories. Three of the scrapbooks contained keepsakes from my six-month Appalachian Trail thru-hike, includi...
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How To Plan For An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
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When I finally made the decision that it was my year to go for it--to hike from Georgia to Maine from the beginning of April to sometime in the Fall--I set out the pens and notebooks and books and calendar. I made lists and more lists and began sched...
The Appalachian Trail In Their Own Words
Books by A.T. Hikers
Read Appalachian Trail stories written by those who've been there, done that, and walked a very long way. It may be the same trail, but each person's experience on that infamous footpath is unique. No two people's hikes will be exactly the same--the weather, the people they meet, the places they stay, the things they see, the way they feel about all of it. So I never get tired of reading A.T. books by A.T. hikers.
Awol on the Appalachian Trail
Amazon Price: (as of 01/07/2010) 
Used Price: $14.88
Remember The Carrot: A Change Of Pace On The Appalachian Trail
Amazon Price: $16.99 (as of 01/07/2010)
Used Price: $16.54
Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 01/07/2010)
Used Price: $12.00
Walking with Spring
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 01/07/2010)
Used Price: $4.00
Appalachian Trail Guides
Sure, you can hike the trail without a guidebook, but it's so much nicer to know where that next water source or shelter or resupply is located. Guidebooks provide information on trail towns and services, significant mileages, elevations, and more. They're helpful in deciding just how much food to buy for the next section, where you'll do your next load of laundry and take a hot shower, and where you'll stop for the night.
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion-2010
Here you'll find information about trail towns, hostels, points of interest, addresses and phone numbers for businesses and services, and other details the Data Book doesn't provide. Most long-distance A.T. hikers use both.
Amazon Price: $10.08 (as of 01/07/2010)
Appalachian Trail Data Book - 2010
For trail information at a glance--water sources, shelters, campsites, road crossings, resupply and more--this is guide you'll want to have within reach on the trail, because you'll probably refer it throughout the day.
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 01/07/2010)
The Appalachian Trail : How to Prepare for & Hike It
This is the guide to help you get ready for the big hike.
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 01/07/2010)
Walking the Appalachian Trail
Another book to read before you hit the trail. Various topics are covered, each written by a different hiker.
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 01/07/2010)
A Walk In The Woods
You've Probably Heard Of This One
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
Amazon Price: $10.87 (as of 01/07/2010)
This is a fun, entertaining and informative read ... even if some of it is fiction. There were quite a few hikers I ran into on the trail who said it was this book that had inspired them to come out and give long-distance A.T. hiking a try.
The Appalachian Trail On DVD
When you can't be out on the trail, you can slip in a disc and watch it on your TV. Just boil up some Ramen or mac-n-cheese and eat it with a spork, and you'll feel like you're really there.
2000 Miles to Maine: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 01/07/2010)
TREK - A Journey on the Appalachian Trail
Amazon Price: $23.95 (as of 01/07/2010)
Appalachian Trail Reflections
Amazon Price: $18.00 (as of 01/07/2010)
Appalachian Impressions
Amazon Price: (as of 01/07/2010)
Southbounders
Amazon Price: $26.99 (as of 01/07/2010)
Have You Done Any A.T. Hiking?
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Reply
- kiwisoutback kiwisoutback Jun 25, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
- Politicians. They ruin everything. I haven't done any AT hiking, but I'd like to someday. I live close enough that I don't have an excuse.
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Reply
- GrowWear GrowWear Jun 25, 2009 @ 9:26 am
- Very nice TwitterList. Actually made this homebody want to take a hike. :D
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Reply
- Laniann Laniann Jun 9, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
- Very attractively put together. Lots of good information. 5*s
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Reply
- 0ctavias0fferings 0ctavias0fferings Jun 5, 2009 @ 4:45 pm
- Very nicely done 5*
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Reply
- a_willow a_willow Jun 5, 2009 @ 9:01 am
- Excellent twttrlst! You really put up a lot of work inside!
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Tweet To Me And I Tweet Back
I'm just a trail-hikin', fiction-writin', Search & Rescue volunteerin', Squidoo-lens-creatin', New England girl with a Twitter habit, livin' and lovin' life in Flagstaff, Arizona.
I thru-hiked the A.T. northbound in 2000. My trailname was Ramkitten, which comes from RamCat Farm, where my husband and I were living at the time.
- ramkitten
- aka Deb Lauman
- 1,736 followers
- 1,631 following
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- @sherpamountain I'll be in Nepal from May through July. Your trip sounds exciting. Have you been there before?
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- @Jason_OToole Ha! If only I like beer. And I ride them for Search & Rescue, so no "spirits" allowed. I'll have to think of something else :)
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- @jane_mackay Just took a peek at your website. I'll revisit when I'm fully awake. Didn't realize you're a writer/editor as well. AND a hiker
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- @jane_mackay Oh, thanks, Jane, for tweeting that. Visitors are welcome while I'm there, so if you happen to be in Nepal ... :)
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- @Deb_in_NH That's exactly what I ended up having! After I made my "I want chocolate" tweet, I realized I had that. Did the trick!
About The Girl Known As Ramkitten
Lensmaster Ramkitten has been a member since December 7 2008, has rated 2,467 lenses, favorited 198, and has created 111 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Becoming a Search and Rescue Volunteer". See all my lenses
My Bio
I'm glad you've stopped by! So what's with the Ramkitten thing, you ask? Well, that's my trail name in the long-distance backpacking community (and now just about everywhere else), but you can call me Deb if you'd like.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail was the greatest experience of my life, and I have plans for more long-distance treks in the future. That's me in the photo, celebrating at the official end of the A.T., excited about the accomplishment, looking forward to being home again, but a little sad inside, too, because an amazing journey has come to an end. That was in 2000 but feels like yesterday, as I remember everything in such detail. That's often how it is when you're moving through life at no more than 3 miles per hour along the simplicity of a trail.
Anyhow, I'm originally from Rhode Island but now live in Flagstaff, Arizona. I'm a Search & Rescue volunteer (love it!) and a writer of both fiction and non-. In late 2008, I began working on my own internet-based business, selling pre-equipped 24-hour packs for hikers and other outdoorsy folks. And, as a 40th birthday gift to myself, I quit my "real job" in favor of doing things I truly enjoy on a full-time basis.
Check out these great lenses...
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- Becoming a Search and Rescue Volunteer
Are you intrigued by stories about wilderness rescues and searches for missing hikers or mountain climbers? If so, perhaps becoming a Search and Rescue--often referred to as "SAR"--volunteer might just be for you. I've enjoyed and bene... view lens -
- 100 Things I'm Thankful For
Lensmaster LittleIsMore (aka Claudette Mitchell) started a thread in the SquidU forums titled, "What are you thankful for?" She wrote:Although I knew how important it was to be thankful, I only learned a few years ago the significance... view lens -
- Ramkitten's Lensography
Some people laugh at my nickname, but, me, I'm proud of it. And it makes me smile too. Why? Because "Ramkitten" reminds me of special times and adventures. The name originated on RamCat Farm in southwestern Pennsylvania, where Steve and I lived... view lens -
- Hiking My Way to a Novel
On September 25th, 2000, I completed a six-month journey from one end of the Appalachian Trail to the other, a 2,175-mile walk from Georgia to Maine otherwise known as a thru-hike. Along the way, I embarked on another type of journey, a creative adve... view lens -
- A Man Called "Screamer"
Standing thirty feet away or thirty inches, he spoke in the same loud voice. That's why we called him Screamer. "We" were hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Each year, millions of people use those 2,175 miles of footpath extending from Georgia to Main... view lens
by Ramkitten
I'm glad you've stopped by! So what's with the Ramkitten thing, you ask? Well, that's my trail name in the long-distance backpacking community (and... (more)
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