AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, and Twenty-Nine

Weeks: September 29 - October 19 (21 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 13.51
Miles Hiked (October): 13.51
Miked Hiked (October Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 167.95

Pounds Lost: 1.8
Percentage to Next Milestone: 45.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  19.6
Weekly Goal Met: No
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

Alright, it's been three weeks, I've done a bit of hiking, and one monster of a web site has been released, meaning things return to normal. Or at least as normal as it usually is. Considering the extra hours, and a weekend of being at work and on call, I'm surprised I was able to lose weight during the period at all.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Six

Weeks: September 22 - September 28 (7 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 5.00
Miles Hiked (September): 17.69
Miked Hiked (September Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 154.44

Pounds Gained: 2.2
Percentage to Next Milestone: 36.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  17.8
Weekly Goal Met: No
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

So this past week broke a string going back a ways of logged periods where I made weight progress. There was one major reason for this, which was that I worked long hours several days, and had to work an extra day on the weekend. The result was less hiking, more stress (and more stress eating), and just a lack of attention to the plan. I knew it was probably going to happen, and am not surprised that it did. In fact, I'm a little surprised it turned out as well as it did. The only thing I can do is do better. Things have returned to a certain level of normalcy at work, so I don't have an excuse this week.

Looking Towards the AT: Virgina Blues, Part 2 (Atkins to Daleville)

Section: Virginia, from Atkins to Troutville 
Region: South
Miles of trail: 181.3
Highlights: Dragonstooth, Audie Murphy Monument, Keffer Oak

Some of the sections of this feature almost write themselves. This is because of our familiarity with the section (The Smokies), a particularly interesting stretch of trail (Damascus to Atkins), or the importance of being first or last (Georgia). Other sections, however, are tougher to write about. The second segment of the Virginia portion of the AT, Atkins to Troutville, is one of those sections.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Five

Weeks: September 16 - September 21 (6 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 4.13
Miles Hiked (September): 12.69
Miked Hiked (September Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 149.44

Pounds Lost: 2.4
Percentage to Next Milestone: 47.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  20.0
Weekly Goal Met: No
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

Another week, another steady move in the right direction. I got one good hike in, this time amid the pines and oaks of White Pines Forest State Park near Oregon, Illinois. Best of all, it included three evenings where I pushed past the dinner problem I frequently have. This was despite several days being long work days, and thus more challenging.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Four

Weeks: September 9 - September 15 (7 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 6.86
Miles Hiked (September): 8.56
Miked Hiked (September Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 145.31

Pounds Lost: 3.8
Percentage to Next Milestone: 35.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  17.6
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

After several weeks without more than a mile or two of hiking, I get someone back to form in week twenty-five with over six miles. And unlike some of my recent hikes I hiked the roller coaster of a trail at Indian Lake County Park in Dane County, Wisconsin. Other than a hike up Forest Glen's infamous Hawk Hill in July, it was by far the toughest hike I've done since I got back from the southern Appalachians.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Twenty-Three

Weeks: September 3 - September 8 (6 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 1.7
Miles Hiked (September): 1.7
Miked Hiked (August Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 138.45

Pounds Lost: 2.4
Percentage to Next Milestone: 16.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  13.8
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

Week Twenty-Four was a rather ho-hum week. After a tough week of work, I took the weekend pretty easy, but did get out to hike Sunday afternoon. Although not a difficult hike, it was a pleasant hike at Schaumburg's Spring Valley Nature Preserve. Schaumburg and its residents should be proud of this park, as it is large for a city park, seems to be well kept, and has plenty of woods, prairies, and ponds to explore. My short hike only took me on a portion of the several trails available, and I'll definitely be going back there in the future. My plans for this weekend are still up in the air, but the weather looks like it will be a true fall weekend, with temperatures in the 60s during the day.

AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Weeks Twenty, Twenty-One, and Twenty-Two

Weeks: August 11 - September 2 (23 Days)
Miles Hiked (Total Period): 2.2
Miles Hiked (August): 11.4
Miles Hiked, (August Goal): 40
Miles Hiked (September): 0.0
Miked Hiked (August Goal): 30

Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 134.55

Pounds Lost: 2.2
Percentage to Next Milestone: 4.00%
Pounds Lost (Total):  11.4
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Weeks): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 5
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

In terms of hiking, August was a lost month. After a slow start with 9.2 miles after the first two weekends, I only hiked another 2.2 miles the rest of the month. Part of this was because of being busy with other things, but the biggest reason for my failure to hit the goal was due to a case of poison ivy. This mess robbed me of any desire to go hiking, particularly on trails that weren't paved or wide paths devoid of hazards like poison ivy.