August 11, 2017
 / 

Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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No showers, running water, or toilets BUT loads of memories, new friends, moments of peace, and a newfound appreciation for modern day conveniences.

Some of my besties offered to take my wife and me on a 7-day hike along the Appalachian Trail through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We would traverse 70+ miles of up and down gorgeousness. Here’s our route:

My wife and I enjoy hiking but are not avid climbers, nor do we have… what’s the word? Gear. We have nothing. No tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, etc. or a knowledge of how to survive in the wild. My forefathers would have been wildly disappointed. Hopefully, that’s changed a bit. Our friends, Jacob and Mel, came through like trail wizards with their gear and hiking wisom. We survived. And at moments, I like to think we thrived.

I purchased a Peak Design Capture Pro clip which proved to drastically improve my camera carrying experience. I forgot the camera was even on me until I needed it most. Highly recommend it if you’re going to hike for a long time and want a camera ready at a moment’s notice.

Anywho, on to the images. Here’s a dirty secret about the AT: a lot of it is very similar and when you hike there’s a lot of looking at your feet so you don’t trip. Perhaps these are excuses, but I didn’t end up shooting a ton of images. I also wanted this trip to be focused more on the experience and less on the photo taking. So… Here’s what I got:

One final thought: can we please preserve all the beautiful countryside we have left? Let’s enjoy it responsibly.


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  1. Spectacular pictures. This is Jacob and Melody’s aunt Kathy. Thank you for sharing your pictures. Hope to see more of your adventures. Just wow

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  2. My oh my! Beautiful photos! They really drew me into your experience, minus the discomfort. I guess I could feel a little of the discomfort from the photo of Kim carrying that mega pack…..So glad that you all had this adventure! Thanks for sharing!

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August 11, 2017
 / 

Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Featured image for “Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park”

No showers, running water, or toilets BUT loads of memories, new friends, moments of peace, and a newfound appreciation for modern day conveniences.

Some of my besties offered to take my wife and me on a 7-day hike along the Appalachian Trail through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We would traverse 70+ miles of up and down gorgeousness. Here’s our route:

My wife and I enjoy hiking but are not avid climbers, nor do we have… what’s the word? Gear. We have nothing. No tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, etc. or a knowledge of how to survive in the wild. My forefathers would have been wildly disappointed. Hopefully, that’s changed a bit. Our friends, Jacob and Mel, came through like trail wizards with their gear and hiking wisom. We survived. And at moments, I like to think we thrived.

I purchased a Peak Design Capture Pro clip which proved to drastically improve my camera carrying experience. I forgot the camera was even on me until I needed it most. Highly recommend it if you’re going to hike for a long time and want a camera ready at a moment’s notice.

Anywho, on to the images. Here’s a dirty secret about the AT: a lot of it is very similar and when you hike there’s a lot of looking at your feet so you don’t trip. Perhaps these are excuses, but I didn’t end up shooting a ton of images. I also wanted this trip to be focused more on the experience and less on the photo taking. So… Here’s what I got:

One final thought: can we please preserve all the beautiful countryside we have left? Let’s enjoy it responsibly.



Dig This? Share It:



  1. Spectacular pictures. This is Jacob and Melody’s aunt Kathy. Thank you for sharing your pictures. Hope to see more of your adventures. Just wow

    1. Post
      Author
    1. Post
      Author
  2. My oh my! Beautiful photos! They really drew me into your experience, minus the discomfort. I guess I could feel a little of the discomfort from the photo of Kim carrying that mega pack…..So glad that you all had this adventure! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Post
      Author

LEAVE A REPLY



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