Dispatches from the Popcorn Trail: Wild

Note: Normally this feature would be part of our other blog, Doctor Strangeblog, but due to this Wild being about a long distance hike, it seemed like a good opportunity for a cross-over post. In short, this is a very lazy way of creating two posts for the price of one!

In the film Wild, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) is not an exemplary long distance hiker. She heads off to start her hike on the Pacific Crest Trail with an overstuffed and oversized pack. She isn't the greatest at following "Leave No Trace", letting some of her trash just get carried away in the wind. She clearly did very little research or planning before her hike, buying shoes that were too small and purchasing the wrong kind of fuel for her camp stove. If her story as a hiker is useful, it's only as a cautionary tale to those who are considering a long distance hike.

A record breaking week on the AT and the PCT

At 7:20 PM EDT this past Wednesday, Matt Kirk reached the summit of Springer Mountain, better known as the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. With his final step on that trail, he became the record holder for the fastest self-supported hike on the Appalachian Trail. During his 58.4 day hike, he dealt with the wetter than normal summer along the East Coast, a twisted knee, and a pace that averaged over 37 miles per day. Even if the trail was graded like it is along the B&O Towpath for its entire distance, that would be a tough undertaking. And as anyone who has walked more than a few yards on the AT knows, it is rarely flat.