Thru-Hiker Terry Bliss Hits Halfway Mark on Appalachian Trail
My friend, Mr. Terry Bliss from Cooperstown, NY, is halfway to accomplishing a major life goal of hiking 2181 miles on 
the Appalachian Trail (AT) from Springer, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine in one hiking season.
On Saturday, May 11, Mr. Terry had his photo taken as thru-hiker #63 at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, the unofficial halfway mark on the AT. Mr. Terry started his hike on March 1 and now hopes to finish in late July or early August, 2013.
Mr. Terry’s wife, also named Terry Bliss, writes up blog posts about hiking progress after Mr. Terry reports in by cell phone. Son Scott Bliss posts photos that Mr. Terry sends via media disk.
Check Mr. Terry’s progress through some terrible weather conditions in these sample post links.
Rejection…Fetal…”Bubble” 2013/05/21
Sparks…Tears…Protein 2013/5/08
Ice…Prankster…Manure 2013/05/08
Police…Blizzard…Brutal 2013/04/01
I think you’ll agree that this type of hike takes commitment, perseverance, stamina, flexibility, adaptability, and a whole host of other qualities.
Way to go, Terry, you are an inspiration to all of us.
Read another post on this hike that I have written using photos from Mr. Terry: Appalachian Trail, 2180 Miles of Bliss
Recently met a gentleman who was in Durham NC for his son’s college graduation. He was hiking the AT and had timed his trip to match the event.
That takes a bit of planning, considering that weather and trail conditions can slow a hiker down. Good for him for working it out though. These hikers do seem to develop a pretty great camaraderie on the AT. Almost makes me want to hike. I repeat, almost.
Almost the operative word! In my younger days maybe. He was 60ish and traveling alone. Admirable.
Yes, I admire people who commit to any kind of sustained physical activity. I go through spurts myself. I stick with it very well for three or four weeks, but then if I miss a day or two, my momentum is gone, and I don’t feel like getting out there. I gotta get back into it though. Health demands it.