Gail Barrett

Hi, everyone! I’m a 63-year old romance novelist whose thru-hike was derailed by injuries last year. Now I'm back, inching my way along the remainder of the trail because, apparently, I'm too stubborn (or foolhardy) to give up. I hope you’ll join me on my trek.

Posts

Keto on the Trail: Hiking Through High-Carb Territory

Keto on the Trail: Hiking Through High-Carb Territory

I never expected our hike to turn into an endless search for avocados. I thought that resupplying would be a breeze, that local diners and grocery

Jul 10, 2018 : Gail Barrett
Fiddling and the ER: Our Trek Through Southern Virginia

Fiddling and the ER: Our Trek Through Southern Virginia

As anyone who has hiked any distance on the AT knows, it’s not all butterflies and chipmunks. Most days are fairly predictable, if not downright

Jul 7, 2018 : Gail Barrett
To Err is Human. To Err Again Is… Slackpacking?

To Err is Human. To Err Again Is… Slackpacking?

When a hiker we met recently claimed she’d mastered the art of slackpacking, I inwardly scoffed. How hard can slackpacking be? You pack up some water and food, grab your gear for the day, and go. And I was already an experienced hiker, so I doubted I had much else to learn. I was wrong.

May 31, 2018 : Gail Barrett
Perseverance or Insanity? Why This Failed Thru-Hiker Refuses to Abandon the Trail

Perseverance or Insanity? Why This Failed Thru-Hiker Refuses to Abandon the Trail

Consider the case of Trail Dog: Three-and-a-half years, one knee and two ankle surgeries after beginning his thru-hike, he's back on the AT,

May 2, 2018 : Gail Barrett
Back in the Saddle…or Not?

Back in the Saddle…or Not?

The verdict about my knees came in.  The good news is that I don't have any stress fractures.  The bad news is...I don't have any stress fractures.

Jul 8, 2017 : Gail Barrett
Languishing in Hiker Limbo

Languishing in Hiker Limbo

For the past two weeks I’ve been languishing in hiker limbo, one part of me back on the Appalachian Trail, the other part here at home.  It’s a

Jul 1, 2017 : Gail Barrett
I Came, I Saw, I Didn’t Conquer

I Came, I Saw, I Didn’t Conquer

I've got to hand it to the White Mountains. In the battle of the mountains v. my knees, the score is White Mountains: one; my knees: zero. At least

Jun 19, 2017 : Gail Barrett
All in a Day’s Hike

All in a Day’s Hike

Imagine that you've been hiking since dawn. It's now mid afternoon, and your feet hurt. Your clothes are dripping with sweat. Your legs, which

Jun 16, 2017 : Gail Barrett
Skinny Legs and Uncombed Hair — the Life of an AT Thru-hiker

Skinny Legs and Uncombed Hair — the Life of an AT Thru-hiker

So we were sitting in a cafe in Hanover, NH, eating breakfast this morning when I suddenly realized that not only had I not showered or washed my

Jun 9, 2017 : Gail Barrett
The Joy of a Sunny Day (or Three)

The Joy of a Sunny Day (or Three)

If I ever questioned the ability of a sunny day to lift my mood, that doubt is gone -- because the rain finally stopped this week. The sun came out

Jun 4, 2017 : Gail Barrett