When I arrived at Newfound Gap, it was a bit overwhelming. There was a huge parking lot with many cars and people. I was immediately approached by a woman who gives rides to thru-hikers. Then, a couple whose son hiked the AT before. They had so many questions for me! I wanted to be left alone and find Nat, my friend who works for the park. She kindly offered to be my trail angel when I reached out to her. Since I was busy with people, I totally forgot to use my Garmin device to mark that I was ending my trip for the day. I didn’t drink water, eat, or sit down. Later, I was very upset about all of it and couldn’t shake it off, especially not sending the Garmin message. How could I prove that I hiked to Newfound Gap? Alas, too late! 

I sent a Garmin check-in when Nat and I were at the visitor center. Sure enough, my friend texted me and said, “You’re off trail! Are you doing a resupply? Everything going ok?” 

I’m lucky to have friends who are looking out for me. I complained about being swarmed by people, and she texted me again and said, “Gotta live with the fame, gotta live with the pain … 😂”

I meet people who admire and praise thru-hikers, like celebrities, often. Many of them want to take photos with me. It’s very interesting. I don’t know what to think of it.

Despite the fact that I was dissatisfied with how I handled people and neglected self-care, as soon as Nat helped me run errands and took me to her home, I felt better. The first shower, laundry, and home cooking since I left, and having Nat’s positive presence was very special. One of my favorite things about thru-hiking is that I have a chance to see and reconnect with friends I have not seen for a long time along the way. They motivate me to keep going. 

The next morning, Nat dropped me off at Newfound Gap. I said, “Thanks for everything, and I’ll see you in Japan!” as we said goodbye. Many of my friends are visiting Japan, and Nat is one of them. It will be fun to see her and show her around my home city.

At the trailhead, I saw an exhibit of Daniel White, a black thru-hiker who hiked the Appalachian Trail. I have never seen an exhibit that showcases a single person of color. All the exhibits I saw along the AT so far are about white people’s history. It was wonderful to see the photo of Daniel, affirming that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are here and have stories to share. At the same time, I hoped that it was something he approved. Often, BIPOC feel tokenized and used for the sake of diversity, equity, and inclusion work. 

I left Newfound Gap well rested, fed with clean clothes. When I woke up in the morning, I didn’t feel a very strong hunger that I usually do. It was a good sign. One of my goals on this trail is to avoid a chronic calorie deficit. As a woman who is considered petite and going through menopause, I learned that it is important to keep my bone density as high as possible. Research showed a significant bone density decrease among thru-hikers. Interestingly, their bone density bounced back once they went back to a normal diet and had enough calories. The research was done on males in their 20s and 50s. There are not many women of my age thru-hiking, and I don’t think my bone density will bounce back like these men. I’m more conscious about my overall weight and having enough calories on this trip, especially since my DEXA scan result came back as osteopenia last October after the Great Divide Loop.

I took a detour to a place called Jumping Spot. It was an accident because I went the wrong way, but it was worth the trip. As the name indicates, it ended at a cliff. I took my time eating lunch and relaxed under the warm sun. 

I went back, thinking that I was back on the AT. I was wrong. It took me a good 1/4 mile to realize my mistake! Something was off since I arrived at Newfound Gap. I was out of sync. I don’t like it when it happens, and it is what it is. I was like, how stupid is that? I went the wrong way! I had to remind myself to talk to myself with compassion. Instead, I told myself that I was disappointed that I went the wrong way because I needed to get going, and let’s pause to see the white blaze at every junction for the rest of the trip. When things like this happen, I try to think it’s meant to be. If I kept going, maybe something bad would happen. It usually works out at the end, even though in that moment I’m upset with myself.

After I merged back to the Appalachian Trail, I passed a place called Charlie’s Bunion with a great view of the park, and to the north. It looked like the terrain gets lower and flatter in the north.

Today, I came down to 1,700 feet, going through different vegetation. By the time I came down to 4,600 feet, all the leaves were out, and a lot of birds were singing. Nat mentioned that in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we can see all the biodiversity that exists on the entire Appalachian Trail, except for parts of Maine. It is incredible to see how it has changed. 

For the last one and a half mile, I followed a creek, listening to the sound of flowing water. It was so soothing, surrounded by so much green. The color green calms me down. It is healing. Even though I had some unpleasant interactions with people, listening to the sound of flowing water helped to wash them away. I cannot change things that have already happened, but I can let go of them when they don’t serve me anymore.

I paused at the cascades of water, closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and embraced forest bathing, thinking how incredible it is that I get to experience such beauty!

In that moment, I heard a voice, “Hi! Are you a thru-hiker? Do you have a trail name?” I was like, really? Now? Again? Rolling my eyes under my closed eyelids, I was annoyed. Then, I remembered what my friend said: Gotta live with the fame, gotta live with the pain… My wise friend is right!

I opened my eyes, smiled at them, and said, “Yep, I am a thru-hiker.”