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From the Irish Bar to the Continental Divide
I’ve been off trail for nearly 5 months now. That is the longest time that I’ve gone without thru hiking in the past 2 years. Back in January I finished off a 5,530 mile trek along the Eastern Continental Trail, which spans from Newfoundland, Canada all the way to Key West Florida. I may not have set out in 2023 with the intention to hike the entire ECT, but my plans changed and grew along my hike of the Appalachian Trail.
When I was finishing up the ECT in southern Florida I came to the realization that over 10 months of hiking across the country I hadn’t made a single plan for after I finished. I’m the type of person to let things happen naturally and when its their time. So I figured that at some point along my hike across the whole eastern continent I would realize what I wanted to do next. I never wound up having any big realization for next steps or plans. But instead, a good friend of mine who was also a thru hiker reached out to me to let me know that they had a spare room open in their apartment. I wound up signing onto the lease before I finished my hike along the ECT and without even knowing that hikers real name, only their trail name.
Smiling ear to ear on my last night in Philly.
Finishing the Eastern Continental Trail was something like a dream. It was a whirlwind and was over in a flash. I was surprised that rather than feeling happy or sad at the end I actually felt nothing at all for a long time. The whole thing was a bit too much to process right away. It took me a few weeks to truly come to terms with the fact that my 322 day journey had come to an end. But I got to celebrate my finish with amazing friends that I’d met along other trails over the years. Then I went home to visit family for the first time in a year. It was wonderful to see everyone, but I still felt pretty numb from the end of my long hike. I only wound up being home for 2 weeks before I packed up my things and drove to Philadelphia to move in. A new chapter was about to begin.
Some of my amazing friends and coworkers from Philly.
Thru hiking for 10.5 months straight had definitely put a dent in my savings, so I had a new mission to accomplish. My goal for living in Philly was to save up enough money to hike the Continental Divide Trail later this same year. It felt a bit ambitious but I figured that if I put my head down then I could pull it off. And like always, I got incredibly lucky and wound up getting a job at the best bar in Philly. The number one rated Irish bar in the entire country. On trail or off trail I live by the slogan “the trail provides”. It always has and it always will. I got settled in quickly and was working constantly, picking up as many shifts as I could. When I started working I was having so much fun and saving tons of money. What I didn’t realize though was just how much I was going to fall in love with that bar and Philly.
When it came time to make the decision to end my lease and embark on the CDT I wasn’t sure what to do. Part of me wanted to live that new life for a little bit longer. I loved the energy and the people that I got to surround myself with. I was saving more money than I could have imagined and making so many fun new friends. But all it took was one phone call to a fellow hiker to make me realize that I had to get back on trail and hike the CDT. It’s shaping up to be a perfect year weather wise and I know of more than a dozen hikers who I’ve met on other trails that are going to be out there. I thought that I could take a year off of thru hiking and live this new life in Philly for a little while, but it wasn’t in the cards for me this time around. Thru hiking has its hooks in me and I’m not ready to be done yet.
Everything that I’m going to be taking on the Continental Divide Trail!
So I gave my notice at the bar in Philly and worked another few lovely weeks with my work family. I enjoyed every last minute with those beautiful people but by the end of May I was ready to move on to the next chapter. My lease ended, I enjoyed a final night out with friends from work, then the next morning I moved out of my apartment. I rented a car and drove all of my things back to MA. Then I began packing and preparing for the Continental Divide Trail. In the coming weeks I will be setting out to begin a southbound hike of the CDT, walking from Canada to Mexico! It will be my fourth time starting a thru hike and my third time walking across the entire country. But for the first time ever I am going to be starting with a group of thru hiking friends. I’m so excited for this new adventure and everything that it will entail.
My whole gear set up for the CDT.
Going into this hike I definitely have some fears and nervousness. Last year the Eastern Continental Trail tested me mentally and physically. After hiking about 3,000 miles in total I tore a muscle in my right calf. It wasn’t a complete tear so it didn’t require surgery, but the whole area bruised and was excruciating. What would have normally taken 4-6 weeks to heal while resting took 12 weeks to heal while I continued hiking across Canada. I had never experienced pain like that while hiking before. Every day from morning to night I had to compression wrap my calf and suffer through some of the worst pain I’d ever felt. I learned a lot about myself during this time. As a hiker, but also as an individual. Never before had I needed to push past an obstacle like that. And after months of hiking in daily pain the injury finally healed. I could walk without compression again. But within the next two weeks I began experiencing unbelievable burning pain in the top of my right foot, likely a stress fracture. I hiked for the entire Florida Trail with that pain. Fortunately, it was worse in the first couple of weeks and got progressively better over time. Both injuries healed all on their own and I have been able to work without any issues. But I have fears about those issues flaring up again and impacting my hike.
My only goal for this upcoming thru hike is to enjoy my time on trail and embrace all aspects of it. I would love to be able to hike without injury and truly be able to enjoy the day to day. When all you have to do is walk all day it isn’t so bad! Walking all day in pain is a whole other thing. I’m optimistic about this year though and excited to get back out there. It’s been 5 months now since I last thru hiked. But in only a couple weeks I will be back to it once more.
As always, I will be blogging the entire way from beginning to end! Follow along if you want to see my attempt my triple crown trail, the continental divide trail.
Click the link below to check out my lighterpack, where I list every single item that I will be carrying on the CDT! My pack weighed in at about 10.5 lbs.
https://lighterpack.com/r/yjqf34
My gear for the CDT.
My gear for the CDT.
My gear for the CDT.
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Comments 19
Pegleg, SO excited you are back on the trail. I followed you all the way on the ECT to gain experience for my own AT section hike in Sept. I look forward to once again learning about your experiences. I also had an opportunity to meet Blaze (Morgan), who is simply amazing, and will be using Aaron at Backcountry Foodie to get me thru the miles. Wishing you lots of luck.
So happy to have you back. Followed you on the ECT last year and I think that you are the best blogger on the Trek. I hope you have enough time to visit Banff and Waterton before you start.
Look forward to your blogs again. Good luck and best wishes.
I have enjoyed your blogs the most of any I’ve read
I look forward to reading about your next adventure .
Dear Peg
It was great to hear from you. I am glad you have fully recovered from your monumental achievement of being only the second woman in history to hike the entire ECT.
I am looking forward to following you on your on CDT adventure.
Alex
Good luck on your CDT hike and completing your Triple Crown. David Odell AT71 PCT72 CDT77
Dear Peg
I am looking forward to following you on your on CDT adventure.
Alex
I took years to recover between my thru hikes…I usually did a bike or kayak trip on off years. Of course I can only claim to have done the RMT having shortcutted the Bitterroots with a bypass thru a non-town called Mammoth….then the San Juans skipped as well thinking I could always go back & pick those insane detours up later. If you can average 20 mpd or so you’ll do the whole CDT. I must bow before the new breed of hikers! Made of tougher stuff than we were!
Just like others, I enjoyed your ECT posts. It was part of my morning routine, look for a new post from you and read it. Can’t wait to follow along!
Please write a book!!!!!
Go for the gusto!
Hammer Time! 💪
Be safe and God Bless as Always.
I am looking forward to following your journey. I enjoyed all your posts last year. I hope it’s a great trip.
Good luck on your CDT hike and completing your Triple Crown. David Odell AT71 PCT72 CDT77
Wishing you all the best as you embark on the CDT. I’ll be along online for the hike!
Fun times ahead for you and all of us who have enjoyed your hiking experiences! Like others, I’m looking forward to reading about all your adventures! Best of everything to you. Peace…
Wow! On the trail again.
I grew up in PHL area, I bet I know which bar.
But I digress, inspired by you I walked two Camino in Spain, only 19 more to go, and I’m 70.
Listen to the body and take the rest time to heal.
Buen Camino! Ultreia et susia!
My girls are going to be thrilled to know you are back on the trail 🤩 All the Best!
Glad your back on the trsil
Pegleg, I will be following you on this walk. I am wanting to do a long hike and am training now. Looking forward to your blogs,