Mile 2198. I did it!!

I did it!!!!

After 33 years in biopharmaceutical project management with 11 years at Labcorp, I took a self-funded career sabbatical to pursue my dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT).

On April 10, I embarked on my journey in Springer Mountain, Georgia. And today - September 24 - I finished by summiting Mount Katahdin in Baxter Park, Maine. Woo-hoo!


My epic AT adventure by the numbers:

2198.4 – total miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT)

520,000 - total feet of elevation gain on AT

18 – AT equivalent of # times to climb Mount Everest

15 – AT peaks greater than 4K

6,625 – total feet of the highest peak on AT (Clingman’s Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park)

168 – total days on trail (or 24 weeks; or 5.5 months)

31 - total “zero” mileage days

7 – zero’s due to illness (norovirus, common cold, bronchitis, life-threatening asthma exacerbation)

5 – zero’s to celebrate family & friends

19 - pack weight pounds with summer gear, incl food & water

25 - pack weight pounds with winter gear, incl food & water

6.5 – pairs of shoes devoured by the trail

61 - % of rainy days (per Maine summer 2023 data)

400 – Canadian fires that impacted AT air quality

1 – hurricane

2 – floods

1 – golf-ball-sized-hail storm

2 – snow / sleet storms

9 – # of times slipped & fell in slick, black, smelly mud 😩

20 – bears seen on trail

0 – moose seen on trail

3 – timber rattler snakes seen on trail

0 – # of times concept of “quitting” entered my mind

1,000,000,000 – random acts of kindness & generosity

1,000,000,000 – new friendships with inspiring humans

1,000,000,000 - moments that took my breath away


Dream big. Go boldly. This is life !!!!