Cdt Quotes

The ideal Lexivist should be a polymath or at least interested in many different areas and fields. When it comes to creativity, whether it is in CDT or art, the transformative effect which stems from our creations can have a liberating and inspirational effect on our very selves. What we excel at, whether that is business or politics, should carry a radiant and positive effect not just on the development and progression of the self but also to lead by example for those who surround us. To inspire them to do the same if they so choose.

hiking the Appalachian Trail is 100% about the journey and experience, and not just saying that you did it.

The snail goes up Mount Fuji, slowly… slowly.

I had come to realize that this whole place and experience is what you make of it. Your attitude and frame of mind determined everything.

Dreading and complaining wasn’t going to make the mountains disappear.

In later days, I would always tell south bound hikers not to miss out on the Holy Cow Burger at Bob’s Dairyland in Roan Mountain, Tennessee.

Misery only added to the cumulative experience of the adventure that would ultimately sculpt me into a stronger, more resilient human being.

If only I would’ve known that Virginia was going to chew me up and spit me out onto the rocks of Pennsylvania, I might not have been so excited.

We stuck out like turds in a punchbowl, and everybody let us know (with

In the early days, avoiding immediate misery usually trumped proper judgment, which almost always resulted in prolonged misery. 

We don’t give our animal friends enough credit for the lives they lead until we try to imagine ourselves in their position. Only then will you find the respect for these creatures they undoubtedly deserve.

I periodically scanned the sides of the trail with my headlamp looking for eye shine. As a loose rule, the eyes of non-threatening animals reflect green in false light, while predator’s eyes reflect yellow.

I went out there to live on a whim and have the freedom to stop whenever I got tired, or whenever I reached a place that was so beautiful that I couldn’t possibly pass it up. You don’t have that freedom when slack packing.

A good rule to follow is to keep the price of your current resupply at or under the number of miles you’ve hiked since your last resupply. I’d hiked more than thirty miles of the trail up until this point and my resupply cost me $28.

I even found a Marijuana joint that was taped to the inside of a shelter log that had “Cheers” written underneath it. I left it where it was, but that’s the sort of crazy random things you could find in one of these journals… not just signatures. 

I wanted nothing more than to yell at these people, “SHUT UP! I’ve been traversing cliffs, creeks, mud, jagged rocks, drop offs, bug hoards, and hellish inclines all morning and all I had to eat before all of it were skittles wrapped in a tortilla!” This

I think “adaptability” is one of the most important qualities an individual can possess, especially when it comes to hiking the trail. If you don’t know how to adapt, then you better learn to adapt! Bend and flow with your circumstances, don’t let them break you.

I will say that the experience would lose something if you spent all of your time out in the woods and not in towns having some fun, as well as a reprieve from the elements. The small towns that reside along the trail are as much a part of the experience as the mountains and forests.

Try to imagine the helplessness you might feel if it were you that was stuck in that spot, completely exhausted and in pain with steep 1,000 foot climbs on either side of you. Imagine how defeated you might feel if you knew that you had to climb one of them in order to reach any kind of decent cover for camping.

Few things in nature can compare to the long, mournful wail of a loon echoing across water and through the forest. It’s an evocative sound that will stick with you for the rest of your life and make you nostalgic for things that never even happened to you. Eerie, yet beautiful, the sound will conjure up images of solitude near mountain lakes and ponds, shrouded in fog during the early morning or late dusk, surrounded by the silhouettes of pine trees. It’s a sound that relaxes and submerges you into the tranquility of nature. I don’t think there is another sound in the world that reminds me of the wilderness more so than the wail of a loon.

The unwritten rule for hikers is to take one of whatever is provided. If there is a large selection or quantity, then you might take one of each or one of a couple things, then move on. You have to be considerate of the people hiking behind you that haven’t arrived yet and give them a chance to get in on the magic whenever they get there. 

I knew that the feelings they got from providing the kindness was stronger than the gratitude I got from receiving it. It was on this day that I realized I wanted to experience that feeling as much and as often as I possibly could. I wanted to do good things for people I didn’t know and watch the surprise and appreciation wash over their faces.

This day and age, so many people over-complicate their lives to the point of ludicrousness.  I couldn’t see myself ever going back to my life of over consumption and over indulgence with the ambition to acquire “more.” When you simplify, you learn to be happier with less. It’s a happiness that trumps every other happiness I’ve ever experienced thus far in life.

Any question or piece of advice you needed about the trail, he had an answer that was spot on. Probably the greatest advice he gave was that it wasn’t a “one size fits all” answer. He encouraged and gave you the confidence to trust in yourself to figure things out on your own and find out what works for you, while simultaneously dropping little hints to help you along.

Out there in the woods, there’s no one to impress and no one to judge you. The only people you’ll see are your fellow hikers, and they don’t care what you look like, or what you wear. It’s when you get past this attitude of judging people by their surface appearance that you’re able to genuinely get to know someone on a deeper, more personal level. This is why relationships formed on the trail are so strong. In

I believe the ability to view the agony and discomfort of a miserable and painful situation as a character building and physically strengthening experience. It is what separates the mentally tough from the mentally not so tough. The ability to recognize that in the long run, one’s suffering can be nothing but beneficial in the future when confronted with similar situations. Where many might crumble and quit, others see the bigger picture, persevere, and ultimately become stronger. That’s

On this road I found two large coolers and a short note explaining that it was “Trail Magic” left by a thru-hiker who completed the trail in 2012. I opened the first cooler to find that it was full of Gatorade.  It must have been left the day before, because the ice had turned to slush and those babies were as cold as Antarctica! I can say with complete honesty, that the blue Gatorade I consumed at that spot was the single greatest drink of liquid that I’ve ever had in my entire life. Never had a cold drink tasted so good to me before. The positive psychological affect this had on me was unbelievable.

You don’t often find trusting and kindness like this in the world anymore. Strangers inviting strangers into their homes to have dinner with them is practically unheard of in this day and age. It felt amazing to be on the receiving end of such kindness, but somehow I knew that the feelings they got from providing the kindness was stronger than the gratitude I got from receiving it. It was on this day that I realized I wanted to experience that feeling as much and as often as I possibly could. I wanted to do good things for people I didn’t know and watch the surprise and appreciation wash over their faces.

A word to the wise, NEVER try and push bigger miles when you begin a long distance hike without any prior experience or conditioning. Listen to your body, and unless you absolutely have to go further due to water or an emergency, stop when it tells you to stop. It will save you a tremendous amount of pain and heartache. I can’t tell you how many people I saw quit the trail due to overdoing it in the beginning and hurting themselves or causing themselves more pain than they could tolerate. There is no harm in going slow and building yourself up gradually. You have plenty of time and distance to grow stronger, and believe me, you will! I

At around 8 pm we heard the sound of sirens. As the sound drew nearer and nearer, we caught sight of a fire truck. As it reached the hotel, the truck pulled into the parking lot with emergency lights shining and horns blasting. It came to a stop in front of our congregation. We didn’t see a fire or any other emergency in the immediate vicinity, so this was quite unexpected. Perhaps our smell had been reported as some kind of toxic leak or spill? Firemen began to pour out of the truck carrying different trays covered in foil. I could hardly believe my eyes. The local Franklin Fire Department had brought us all a spaghetti and meatball dinner! They also brought salad and pudding for desert. This was an example of trail magic at its finest.

I finally began loving every last bit of the experience; the good, the bad, and the ugly. The indifference, acceptance, disdain, and hate for all the obstacles and challenges I encountered out there had all but vanished. Now, all that was left was this crazy maniacal love for all of it… the mud, the rocks, the cold, and the terrible weather. I was done trying to ignore or curse them, and instead embraced all of it. I finally realized that it was an attitude such as this that set thru-hikers apart from every other person that couldn’t or wouldn’t complete this adventure. Aristotle said, “Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility, but through greatness of mind.” That quote pretty much sums up the state of mind that you have to adopt in order to overcome the challenges of the Appalachian Trail.

It was moments like finding coolers full of drinks and snacks left out in the middle of nowhere that made me appreciate the little things in life. Allow me to try and put this into perspective. When I ran into trail magic like this, or when I was in town for the first time in nearly a week and about to have a sweet tea, a slice of pizza, or any one of the small things that we would normally not think twice about in daily life; a special feeling would wash over me. I can only describe that feeling as being exactly like the feelings you would experience as a child on Christmas morning or waking up on your birthday, except stronger. Out here you don’t get that feeling only twice a year. You get it every time someone performs a simple act of kindness, or when you get a dose of something that you otherwise could’ve had at any time back in the “real world.” It’s addicting, humbling, and eye opening. It makes you appreciate what you had before the trail and makes you want to never take such simple things for granted ever again. 

You only have one life, and its ending one minute at a time. Don’t let all of those minutes’ tick by or belong to people that don’t truly appreciate them. If you’re not happy, then what’s the point? Figure out what makes you happy, then do everything in your power to make it your reality.

Yellow blazing is also referred to as “Bill Brysoning” amongst thru-hikers. If you’ve ever read the book “A Walk in the Woods,” then you’ll know what I mean.

The ability to recognize that in the long run, one’s suffering can be nothing but beneficial in the future when confronted with similar situations.

The official CDT bypasses Pie Town. If you hike or drive in that part of New Mexico, don't miss Pie Town. It was an iconic stop. Company on El Malpais Now I had company.

an inReach device. It clipped on my chest strap just as my Garmin Oregon had done, and the inReach had an even better GPS map with the CDT already indicated on it. Not just replacing my older GPS, it would record my progress in real time to anyone to whom I gave the connecting information. Every 10 minutes a little dot recorded my location. My children could see what their mother was doing, and where she was. In a macabre sense, they would know how to find the body. In a more hopeful sense, I could press the SOS button, and help would come no matter where I was in the world. I hoped neither of those uses would ever be necessary. But I would carry the device for a GPS, and as a concession to old age and safety. The inReach also had the capability for limited two-way communication, which turned out to be very helpful for RockStar supporting me.

Flower of life: A figure composed of evenly-spaced, overlapping circles creating a flower-like pattern. Images of the Platonic solids and other sacred geometrical figures can be discerned within its pattern. FIGURE 3.14 FLOWER OF LIFE The Platonic solids: Five three-dimensional solid shapes, each containing all congruent angles and sides. If circumscribed with a sphere, all vertices would touch the edge of that sphere. Linked by Plato to the four primary elements and heaven. FIGURE 3.15 PENTACHORON The applications of these shapes to music are important to sound healing theory. The ancients have always professed a belief in the “music of the spheres,” a vibrational ordering to the universe. Pythagorus is famous for interconnecting geometry and math to music. He determined that stopping a string halfway along its length created an octave; a ratio of three to two resulted in a fifth; and a ratio of four to three produced a fourth. These ratios were seen as forming harmonics that could restore a disharmonic body—or heal. Hans Jenny furthered this work through the study of cymatics, discussed later in this chapter, and the contemporary sound healer and author Jonathan Goldman considers the proportions of the body to relate to the golden mean, with ratios in relation to the major sixth (3:5) and the minor sixth (5:8).100 Geometry also seems to serve as an “interdimensional glue,” according to a relatively new theory called causal dynamical triangulation (CDT), which portrays the walls of time—and of the different dimensions—as triangulated. According to CDT, time-space is divided into tiny triangulated pieces, with the building block being a pentachoron. A pentachoron is made of five tetrahedral cells and a triangle combined with a tetrahedron. Each simple, triangulated piece is geometrically flat, but they are “glued together” to create curved time-spaces. This theory allows the transfer of energy from one dimension to another, but unlike many other time-space theories, this one makes certain that a cause precedes an event and also showcases the geometric nature of reality.101 The creation of geometry figures at macro- and microlevels can perhaps be explained by the notion called spin, first introduced in Chapter 1. Everything spins, the term spin describing the rotation of an object or particle around its own axis. Orbital spin references the spinning of an object around another object, such as the moon around the earth. Both types of spin are measured by angular momentum, a combination of mass, the distance from the center of travel, and speed. Spinning particles create forms where they “touch” in space.

Who you are tomorrow has the potential to be much wiser, stronger, better, and more knowledgeable than who you were yesterday. Never let pride get the best of you, because you can always be better than you are, and you’re always learning, even when you’re not trying or even noticing.

A Journey of 2,185.3 miles begins with a single step. Or perhaps 600 consecutive steps straight up the face of an enormous waterfall in the case of the 8.5 mile Appalachian Approach Trail.

As a loose rule, the eyes of non-threatening animals reflect green in false light, while predator’s eyes reflect yellow.

The next morning, I was finally able to have a proper look at the “NOC.” The place looked like some bizarre mountainous Disney Land at first glance. It wasn’t a town and there weren’t any houses to be seen anywhere. It was simply an area that was completely dedicated to having fun in the mountains and on the river. Everything was built on and centered along the large, Nantahala River that flowed swiftly past. There was a restaurant, an amazing outfitting store, gazebos, picnic areas, and places to rent kayaks and rafts to partake in river adventures. It was one of the most unique and fun looking locations I encountered on the journey. DSOH,

Apocalypse was one of those people that didn’t care what others thought. He was going to do his own thing, his own way.  He just had this sureness about him. Like no matter what unexpected thing happened to him, he still had it all figured out. I admire the hell out of people who think like that and are still able to make life work for themselves.

Funny enough, it’s the smallest things that weren’t that exciting or worthy of recounting to other people; even though at the time they seemed like the most important and joyous things in the world to me and those hiking with me. Even in memory-they’re still important, and it is times such as those that I realized what the whole journey was about. Living in the moment, camaraderie with your fellow man, and breaking into song when the moment feels right. The smallest things have the biggest impacts on us, and no one else in the world will understand them as profoundly as we did at those moments.

This visual of two different worlds and planes of existence converging on a mountain top was actually quite amazing and eye opening to witness. The “haves” and the “have nots.”  It gave me a new perspective. More perspective than I feel I’d gained on the journey so far. People simply don’t know how good they have it, even when things seem terrible or difficult. Although I’d chosen to do this hike and live this way temporarily, I understood there were people out there who lived like this permanently, without any choice, while in much worse conditions and circumstances. Any Dick and Jane can say, “Yeah, I know there are people out there who live like that, and I understand and feel sorry for them.” I’m sure some people reading this are thinking that same thing. I’ll tell you right now, I’ve been to third world countries and you can see it, sympathize with it, and think you understand it; but in reality, you may not. Not until you’ve experienced and lived it for yourself. I thought I understood it simply by seeing it, but it wasn’t until I’d lived parts of that “have not” experience, that I realized just how much I didn’t understand it. Defecating outside and maybe not having toilet paper. Sleeping outside, not having running water or hot water, not having showers, and being miles from the nearest help. Not having whatever you want to eat every day or possibly running out of food, or not finding water. Not having electricity, not having climate control, and having your feet as your only means of transportation. Dealing with any and all elements whenever they should arise, as well as having limited hygiene products and smelling terrible every day. This only scratches the surface. I won’t pretend to know exactly what it’s like for people who are stuck in this lifestyle permanently, but in making this journey I certainly gained a much better understanding. I knew that even though it was the life I’d chosen to live at that time, I still had it better than probably half the people on the planet. I could get a reprieve (for a price) anytime I went into town. I could end any suffering, discomfort, and pain I experienced on any day I chose... but I didn’t.  I was enjoying the experience and perspective I was gaining on an almost daily basis. The time for personal reflection and the thousands of moments I had each day that belonged to me and only me was intoxicating. The whole experience was surreal, yet at the same time more real than anything in the modern world. Everything around you out there “is what it is” and isn’t trying to be anything else. It’s simple and honest, which is more than can be said for the “modern” world, where many things are never as they seem, and most everybody wants something from you. 

Every single obstacle can be seen as either a blessing or a curse. It is completely up to you to decide. The trick is not to let it grind you down; roll with the punches and don’t fight against anything that happens to you - adapt to it. The great irony of the trail is that even though it’s so unforgiving and easy to injure yourself, it is without a doubt a place of healing. You just have to slow down and let it work its magic.

In the material world you miss opportunities to forge friendships and meet people because of appearance, social, and socioeconomic standings. Examine your friends that you have in the real world right now; many of them probably dress similar to you, as well as have similar affiliations, interests, and hobbies. On the trail, stripped of all your comforts and everything you own, everybody you meet is the same yet simultaneously unique. Everyone you come across is just another sweaty, smelly human being that’s having the same rough day as you.

They call it a “Whippoorwill” because the call it makes sounds exactly like it’s saying “WHIPPOOR-WILLL,” but in a whistle. Oh it doesn’t stop there, because they don’t just whistle it once. They whistle it over, and over, and over again in rapid succession for minutes on end. “Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill, Whippoorwill” over and over again, all night long with only a couple minutes in between every bout of its maniacal whistle. I won’t say it’s impossible, but it’s definitely incredibly difficult to drift off to sleep with one of these whistling devils perched nearby. On more than one night I’ve found myself wildly hurling sticks and stones into the darkness screaming “SHUUUUT  UUUUUP!” like some kind of mad man. Oh yes, the soothing sounds of nature. Recounting

HIKER GLOSSERY AT- Appalachian Trail - The most populated and most difficult terrain of the three longest trails in the USA Aqua Blazing- Canoeing instead of hiking a section of the trail in the Shenandoahs. Bear Cables- A system to easily hang up food bags. Bear bagging- Hanging food up high in a tree. Bivy Sack- A lightweight waterproof shelter that has bad condensation Blow Down- A fallen tree or limb blocking the trail Blue Blazer- A hiker that takes short cut trails or more scenic trails that lead back to the main trail Bushwhack- To hike where there is no trail /to clear a trail with a machete. CDT- The Continental Divide Trail - The most secluded and least populated of the three longest US trails. Cowboy Camping- to sleep on the ground with no shelter Cairn- Pile of rocks to depict where the trail is located when above treeline Day Hiker- Usually a novice who is out for the day or several days. DEET- A heavy duty bug spray. Drop Box- Food or gear sent by mail. Five Fingers - Shoes with toes. Flip-Flopper- A thru-hiker who hikes one way, then skips ahead to hike the opposite direction Gators- A piece of gear worn around the ankle to keep dirt from entering shoes Giardia- Parasites that cause diarrhea from drinking unclean water.

With nowhere to be and all day to have them, conversations out on the trail took on a whole new meaning and depth. In this age of technology where everyone is plugged in, it’s all too apparent that people have never been more disconnected and out of tune, as well as touch with each other. While out on the trail, walking or sitting around campfires, I’d never had so many deep and meaningful conversations with people in my entire life.

Within a short period of time of feeling my frustration rise, another feeling of calm washed over me as the anger turned to something else. I suppose the best word to describe that “something” would be “resolve.” It was another moment like the one I had down at Lance Creek. I once again told myself, “It doesn’t matter what’s wrong with your ankle, you still walked another half mile with a full pack, and even though it hurt like hell, you still did it.” I decided once again that I could hobble the rest of the way to Maine if I absolutely had to. I felt much better once these thoughts were running through my head. They put me at ease and allowed me to relax. There was no sense in continuing to be upset. It was done and over with, and now it was simply another obstacle that had to be worked through and overcome like any other.

May 21st was my 53rd day on the trail, as well as another pivotal and painful one. It was the day that I entered the Grayson Highlands; an area famous on the trail, as well as the United States for their wild ponies. Nobody owns them and no one takes care of them. They all live up there grazing and reproducing, with no natural predators, while droves of people visit the highlands every year to photograph and pet them. Due to all the visitors, the ponies can be overly friendly and nippy at times. They’re quite accustomed to people and could almost be described as tame. However, the second you forgot they were wild; you could end up with a pony bite. Something

It was two packets of powdered “Breakfast Essentials” (strawberry in my case), two packets of “Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal,” and a little less than a liter of water mixed in.

TRAILHEAD/ACCESS POINTS Trailhead access to The Colorado Trail in this area is a bit unusual. Parking is prohibited on the wide shoulders of CO Hwy 91 where Segment 8 begins. Nevertheless, there are convenient parking areas. Copper Far East Lot: This large parking area is adjacent to Segment 7, mile 12.4, a nearly flat, 0.4-mile trail walk from the beginning of Segment 8. Drive west from Denver on I-70 for 80 miles to exit 195 (Copper Mountain/Leadville/CO Hwy 91). Drive beyond the stoplight and entrance to Copper (on the right) and, less than a half mile farther, turn left into the large Copper Far East Parking Lot where there are bathrooms, though at times they are locked. Mid-lot on the east edge, find the CT (and CDT) trailhead with sign. To reach the start of CT Segment 8, beyond the trailhead sign and paved rec path, follow the CT south 0.4 mile to where it crosses CO Hwy 91. Segment 8 begins on the west side of the highway. Use caution when crossing the highway; traffic comes very fast from both directions.

​On August 13th I hiked into one of my favorite places on earth: The Wind River Range. Nothing else I have come across in all my travels thus far has left an impression on me quite like this mountain range. Never have I been moved to tears so many times by a simple landscape, than in Wind River. How a place so beautiful can exist, while still affording seemingly infinite space and solitude to utterly lose yourself (within and without), is beyond me.

It was quite literally in the middle of nowhere and came as quite the surprise to us. We came to find out, the older gentleman who owned the cabin had a son that thru-hiked the trail years ago, but had passed away in the last year. Now the man stayed at the cabin for months on end providing trail magic for passing hikers in memory of his son. It was an incredibly touching gesture and as far as locations for trail magic go, this was by far the most unexpected.

themselves. At this point in the journey I was still susceptible to the “what would people think?” train of thought, when in all actuality it should be: “Who cares what other people think!” You should do your own thing your own way, and as long as it isn’t stepping on someone else, then to hell with other people’s thoughts and opinions of you.

hotter than two goats in a pepper patch,

One of the pastures had actually been home to an overly curious donkey that had attacked several people earlier that day.

I am proud to say that Katana was destroying it. She was bred for this type of terrain; she was eating it up and asking for more. I’d never seen her so enthusiastic about going uphill, as she left me in the dust. Areas that would take me serious time and consideration to navigate were taking her mere seconds. She was literally doing pull ups to get herself up and over some of the rocks. When we encountered a sheer rock face that was taller than me, her plan of attack was to charge it and scramble up as fast as she could. As she lost her momentum near the top, she would dig her front paws in and literally do a pull up to get up and over the top edge of the climb while dragging her back feet behind her (because they had lost traction). It was incredible and I really can’t brag enough about her. I had previously worried about how she was going to handle and survive the Whites, but now I had my answer. She was going to THRIVE!