Written by: Emily “Lightning” Ginger It was Monday evening and it had been raining all day. We had just arrived at the shelter (three walls and a roof made of logs) where we were planning to stop for the night. At most shelters there is a notebook we call a “register” where hikers write a [...]

Written by: Emily “Lightning” Ginger First, I want to do a shout out to my Grandparents who have backpacked and hiked various sections of the AT- Thank you for exposing me to nature throughout my life, for your support in my adventures, and for following my blog! I am proud to be partaking in something [...]

Written By: Emily “Lightning” Ginger This morning I am sitting in the lobby of a Holiday Inn Express in Erwin, TN. As I sip my coffee and check my email on the computer there is a t.v. running next to me showing the Today show. The noise of the show and especially the commercials is [...]

Written by: Emily “Lightning” Ginger Prior to this I only had a small taste of what it’s like to be removed from civilization when I did a five day canoe trip with my family in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. That experience opened my eyes and stirred my interest in being an outdoors woman. After [...]

Written by: Emily “Lightning” Ginger The Appalachian Trail is a different experience for each person who hikes it. For the hikers who have held and hold the record for the fastest hike, it’s a race. For those seeking enlightenment or a new life, it’s a spiritual journey. For those who are looking to escape the [...]

Written By: Emily Ginger After day one on the trail my ankle gave me intolerable pain with every step. How could this be happening??? I spent $200 on a pair of hiking boots and they did nothing but injure me! When we finally rolled up to Neels Gap, 30.7 miles into the trail, we found [...]

Written by: Emily Ginger Wow! I had just about the craziest departure I could have ever imagined. I left Chicago on a pretty bad foot. Although I have been anticipating and planning for my departure, there’s always something that comes up for which I am unprepared. The day before I left I was standing up [...]

Written by: Emily Ginger   I have lived in a city my entire life and I’m about to spend the next five months living in the woods. I have many thoughts and emotions about my approaching adventure.   I feel grateful for this opportunity to change the pace of the life I’ve led so far [...]