I was able to catch up twice with Bruce this week. He's made solid progress and is, not surprisingly for this "man with a plan," precisely where he’d planned to be at this stage. He had anticipated that his second night on the trail would establish his mindset that he was really in the woods for an extended period of time. For that evening, he found himself stealth camping, with a gorgeous view, along with several other hikers. The journey was really on and this was his view that evening.

 

There then followed a period of rather worrying (for me) radio silence. I needn't have worried and Bruce eventually reached out. Our second conversation (which was interrupted when Bruce had to find a better, less windy spot) showed him to be happy with his progress and his hike. These are early days and there is still plenty of tough climbing to follow, so we'll be checking his progress in the coming weeks as he settles into the rhythm of his hike.

Don't forget to check in on Bruce’s blog, which is going to be regularly updated. You can find it at rtkchallenge.com, where you will also be able to hear our podcast and contribute to his fundraising for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. While you’re online, we’d also be delighted if you’d check out Trailtopia.com and consider the wonderful food choices that they have for your next hike.