Intro... February 25,2011

Hello…my name is Jay Bigelow.  I have recently decided to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT), a 2,181-mile path connecting Springer Mountain in northern Georgia to Mount Katahdin in central Maine.  I plan to begin heading north from Springer Mountain on April 7, 2011 and to finish sometime in late September. 


Sarah and Jay Bigelow by the Muir Hut
on the John Muir Trail - July, 2009

My sister-in-law, Helen, has offered to set up and maintain a blog for me.  I plan to keep a journal on the trail, and send portions of it to my wife, Sarah, whenever I can reach a post office.  Sarah will enter the entries into her computer and email them to Helen.  Pictures will follow at longer intervals.

Thousands of people have hiked the AT, and hundreds of published accounts and blogs are available.  The purpose of this blog will be to keep in touch with friends and relatives, and to perhaps inspire them to send me treats.  I imagine everyone who hikes the trail has a unique perspective; maybe mine will help other people who know me, or those of similar age and/or state of mind to decide if such an undertaking would be worthwhile for them.