Ronen Schatsky

Hey, I'm Ronen--known on the trail as Mogely. I graduated high school in NYC in May 2015; instead of going straight to college, I decided first to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail! I started March 9th at Amicalola Falls, and finished on August 17th on Katahdin. I'll miss cruising down the trail, whistling in time with my steps. I enjoyed the freedom that comes with a task so basic--to walk from Georgia to Maine, somehow or other. I felt myself growing stronger every day in body and mind. I hope that this winding path will largely define the way I approach the challenges of my future. Onwards with the journey, over the hills and more!

Posts

Up and…Over

Up and…Over

As I expected, when the sign appeared out of the mist, something clicked that hadn't before. Though we'd been able to see Katahdin from the trail for

Aug 28, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
The Last Movement

The Last Movement

Sometimes, in the Whites, I'd close my eyes at night and still see a rock wall directly in front of me that I'm supposed to climb. Each day was

Aug 5, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
Big Mountains Ahead

Big Mountains Ahead

I've arrived in Hanover, NH, and I feel like I'm staring at a massively ominous storm cloud heading my way: the notorious White Mountains are just

Jul 16, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
The Best Part So Far

The Best Part So Far

I'll be hiking, my mind deep in that hibernation it enters when I'm alone for a while, when suddenly I see movement up ahead. Moving on two legs,

Jul 5, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
Walking into the Northeast

Walking into the Northeast

Today as I pulled myself up the rocky crest of the ridge dividing New Jersey and New York, I could see a faint yet vast stretch of skyscrapers in the

Jun 22, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
1000

1000

I passed that marker yesterday. Now I'm 'that guy,' so to speak--I'm someone I would have wondered at just 3 months ago. For 1000 is a large,

Jun 2, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
300 Miles Later…

300 Miles Later…

Why do I always see bears on days I'm coming into town? Because I just saw a bear, again, yesterday, when I was walking to the Waynesboro road

May 25, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
Pizza in the Woods!

Pizza in the Woods!

I'm 62 miles from where I did my last post, about 4 days later. That's the longest I've gone in 4 days so far, and my legs are definitely feeling it.

May 2, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
Through Fire, Through Water–and Now in Virginia

Through Fire, Through Water–and Now in Virginia

We've had beautiful hiking since the last post. Unaka Mountain was serene with its gentle dark spruce forests, the Roan Highlands were open with

Apr 26, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky
Hitting a Rhythm in Tennessee

Hitting a Rhythm in Tennessee

It's been a while since I've posted, mainly because it's hard to find a computer out here. But I'm well over the 300 mile marker now, and going

Apr 15, 2016 : Ronen Schatsky