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Hiking /
Backpacking Archives |
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From time to time I post information
and articles on my announcement page, sharing news about
accomplishments and/or specific happenings of fellow hiker
friends and acquaintances. Once the article is old news it
gets removed to make room for more current items, however, I
have always felt that some of the information should still
be available. To that end, this section has been created to
archive such articles and news items. |
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST
NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL
has a new website.
If you're interested
in learning more about
the Pacific Northwest
National Scenic Trail (PNNST),
one of our three new
trails, there's a
fantastic website now up
just for you at
www.PNT.org. Click
on Odyssey 2010 PNNST in
the Site Menu to the
left for Nimblewill's
take. According to
Nimblewill, "It is
one of the most scenic
footpaths in America!
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ODYSSEY
2014 ONHT: Is now
completed!
Nimblewill
had long pondered
concluding his
long-distance hiking
“career” with this
past-year’s journey,
Odyssey 2013. However,
after much encouragement
from family, friends,
and fellow intrepid--and
considering the Lord’s
continued blessings of
good health, stamina,
and resolve, he’s
decided to keep trekking
on.
And so for 2014,
Odyssey 2014, his plans
were to take another
journey back through
time, by thru-hiking one
of the greatest trails
in all of American
history, the
Oregon National Historic
Trail.
The Nimblewill
created his route maps
and completed his
itinerary and, on April
28 he set out for
Independence, Missouri
where the journey began
for Odyssey 2014.
Sunday morning, August
24th, Nimblewill
arrived End of the
Oregon Trail
Interpretive Center,
Oregon City, Oregon,
successfully concluding
his thru-hike o'er the
Oregon National Historic
Trail -- 117 days, 2,109
miles.
"This proved a long and
very difficult journey.
Thanks to all for your
encouragement and
support; the success of
this hike I owe to you!"
Nimblewill Nomad
NOTE: The journal
entries are complete,
however the photo albums
and video do not take
you all the way to the
end of the ONHT. The
Nomad did continue
to take photos and
videos all the way to
Oregon City but
technology dictated a
sad (and irretrievable)
outcome. It appears the
camera SD card was
demagnetized somewhere
along its line of travel
in the US Postal
Service. With that being
the case, the mfg.
confirmed there was no
way the images/video
could be recovered.
We're very sad about
this loss, and very
sorry we are not able to
share the Nomad's
last days on the ONHT
with you. |
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ODYSSEY 2013:
Great American Loop (GAL) |

Nimblewill Nomad's
Great
American
Loop |
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At 9:30 Friday
morning,
June 28th, the
Nimblewill Nomad reached
the intersection of
FL-87 and US-90 east
of Milton, Florida,
to successfully
complete Odyssey
2013, the Great
American Loop (GAL).
A trek of 1,555.5
miles, entirely a roadwalk,
and a very
difficult go at
times.
Thanks to all who
offered their
support and
encouragement --
true blessings!
Odyssey 2013 was destined to go down as an
extraordinarily grand affair,
perhaps Nimblewill's final
adventure, one he chose to call
the GAL (Great American Loop).
Over the years, having envisioned no grand scheme,
with no predetermined design or
plan, dawned on the old fellow a
year or so back that he was well on
his way to trekking down the outer
fringes of the entire lower 48. Yup,
a path clear around our beautiful US
of A--all four corners, all four
sides.
If you've followed the old intrepid's wanderings even
the least over the years, you'll
know how he likes to connect places,
hook them together, by trail,
roadwalks, bushwhacks, whatever it
takes. His very first long trek
pieced together road and tread, a
trail spanning near the breadth of
the eastern North American
continent. It's since become known
as the ECT (Eastern Continental
Trail).
In 2004-'05, a young, ultra long-distance hiker named
Andy Skurka became the first to hike
an amalgamation of roads and tread
known as the C2C (Sea-to-Sea Route),
a trail crossing the upper reaches
of the United States, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. In 2007,
not content, Andy kicked up a cloud
of dust that hasn't settled to this
day. He hooked the Continental
Divide and Pacific Crest National
Scenic Trails together, then to hike
that amalgamation in one continuous
trek, a trail he's named the GWL
(Great Western Loop). Since, and to
chime in the least, Nimblewill
has cobbled together his own
versions of the GWL and C2C.
And so, as for the GAL, of the near-countless miles
around and across the lower 48
Nimblewill has hiked over the
years (the byways and trails),
connecting 18,257 of them now track
the entire GAL--now including the 1,555.5 miles
from the Continental Divide Trail in
New Mexico to the Florida Trail in
the Western Panhandle. So, as to
this last segment of this last and
final leg, as to the completing of
it to close the loop that is the
GAL? Well, that's what Odyssey 2013
was all about!
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“Two roads diverged in a
wood, and I—
I took the one less
traveled by...”
[Robert Frost] |
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Check out this all new
Guidebook for the
Florida Trail
Winter’s coming, but
hey--we don’t have to
put our packs away till
next spring. Let’s head
for Florida! There’s a
really great trail down
there called the Florida
National Scenic Trail.
Believe me, folks,
the Florida Trail is a
remarkably fun hike (the
old Nimblewill
has trekked it twice),
whether we choose to
hike it all the way, or
perhaps do just a
section.
And to support and
help us along? What
better than the all new
guidebook by Sandra
Friend and John Keatley,
The Florida Trail Guide
– Logistics for hiking
and backpacking the
Florida Trail.
So, load up; let’s
go--Florida here we
come! |
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ODYSSEY 2012 NET
COMPLETED |
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Noon Sunday,
September 9, 2012,
Nimblewill Nomad
reached the
summit of Grand
Monadnock Mountain,
New Hampshire, thus
completing his trek
o’er the
New England National
Scenic Trail.
And as to the
significance of that
day? Well, it marks
the successful
conclusion of
Nimblewill’s
quest to hike all
eleven of
America's National
Scenic Trails. He
now becomes the
second person,
behind
Bart Smith, to
have documented this
accomplishment.
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From left to right:
Chickety, Honey,
Neighbor Dave, Nimblewill Nomad, Slider.
Mt. Monadnock, New
Hampshire |
“Not all those who
wander are lost.”
[J.R.R. Tolkien] |
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ODYSSEY
2012 IAT COMPLETED |
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The Nimblewill
Nomad successfully
completed his trek along
the
Ice Age Trail on
August 12th, a little
before 6:00 p.m., 45
days, 1100 miles. In his
own words the Nomad
says, "Through His
Grace, I was granted
wide, safe passage --
angels resting both my
shoulders." The
a;; journal
entries, photos, and
videos have been published
to the Odyssey
2012 IAT section.
During the Devil's Lake
segment, and on the
final day to St. Croix
Falls, the Nomad
had a trail companion.
His name is Dave Caliebe
(another IAT thru-hiker
2010). Please visit
Dave's blog pages for
his account of time
spent with the
Nimblewill Nomad in
the Devil's Lake area
and on
the Nomad's final day
on the IAT. |
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The Nomad
has completed the Triple-O
(Ozark Trial - Ozark
Highlands Trail - Ouachita
Trail) |
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September 9, the final day of this
journey, Odyssey 2011. You may recall this Triple-O
hike was supposed to be a warm-up, purpose being to
whip me into shape for trekking the final two
National Scenic Trail(s), the Ice Age and the New
England. But rather than whipping me into shape,
this Triple-O has just plain whipped me, pure and
simple. I should have been in Little Rock no later
than mid-June. It’s now going on mid-September!
I’ve been humbled before, but it’s been awhile
since I’ve been as firmly slammed in place—like the
whipping these three trails have laid on me. And as
to the virtue of patience? Oh my, daily do I pray
for patience in all ways. Sitting around 18 days,
waiting while my knees came back, then sitting again
for nearly two months, waiting for my broken leg to
heal—all those days spent just sitting (and
waiting)—thank you, Lord, for a new appreciation and
understanding of patience—and for granting me the
strength (and patience) to endure.
Please enjoy trekking along with the Nomad in
this journey along the Triple-O, an amalgam of three
National Recreation Trails, spanning Missouri,
Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Of the 500 miles of
proposed trail in
Missouri, some 350 miles
of the
Ozark
Trail have been
completed. Isolated
sections are
interconnected (for now)
by somewhat lengthy roadwalks. It’s a
scenic-but-rugged trail,
as it traverses the
highest land between the
Appalachians and the
Rockies, the
Ozark Mountains, as
they’ve come to be
known. And these Ozark
Mountains? Well, they
could be more correctly
categorized as
highlands, since they
sprawl across an
elevated, deeply
dissected plateau. And
for sure, the region is
unique, certainly as to
its culture, in both
folklore and folksong.
The descriptive term
Hillbilly, or Ozark
Hillbilly; they’re
pretty much synonymous
(Yup, that’s
Nimblewill!). It’s
a remarkably diverse
region. Here can be
found mountainous
terrain marked by deep
valleys through which
clear, meandering
streams flow. Caves are
numerous. Hillsides
throughout are heavily
forested in oak,
hickory, and pine.
Minerals abound.
Agriculture, forestry,
mining, tourism, they’re
the mainstay.
As the Nomad
left Missouri, he
continued his trek along
the
Ozark Highlands Trail.
This cross-country route
in northwest Arkansas
stretches 165 miles from
Lake Fort Smith State
Park, across the
Ozark National Forest,
to the
Buffalo National
River. The trail passes
through some of the most
remote and scenic
portions of the Ozark
Mountains, like the
Hurricane Creek
Wilderness Area. It also
visits White Rock
Mountain, Hare Mountain,
the Marinoni Scenic
Area, and countless
other breathtaking
spots, and crosses more
than 60 named creeks,
streams and rivers,
passing hundreds of
seasonal waterfalls,
lots of sandstone
bluffs, giant boulders
and scenic vistas.
The Nomad
completed his
Triple-O
odyssey on the
Ouachita Trail,
which stretches 223
miles through the
beautiful
Ouachita
Mountains of Arkansas
and Oklahoma. The first
192 miles lie within the
Ouachita National Forest;
the remaining 31 miles,
maintained by
Pinnacle
Mountain State Park,
traverse lands owned by
timber companies and
Central Arkansas Water.
However, to make his
Amtrak connect in Little Rock
(to head home at journey's end)
the Nomad hiked this
trail in reverse, picking it up
at
Talimena State Park, in
Oklahoma, crossing into
Arkansas, traveling through
Queen Wilhelmina State Park, and
ending the odyssey at
Pinnacle
Mountain State Park, near Little
Rock. From there to the Amtrak
and home.
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Nomad's
Second Transcontinental Trek
Sea-To-Sea
Route (C2C) |
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Nimblewill Nomad
and Webmaster, CyWiz,
have been working
diligently the past
number of weeks creating
an entirely new page for
your enjoyment. It’s
about a fascinating
long-distance trail
known as the Sea-to-Sea
Route. Perhaps you’ve
heard of it, perhaps
not. If, not, it could
be because, to date,
only two people have
hiked it.
You see, it isn’t
your ordinary, everyday
trail. Being
transcontinental in
magnitude, it stretches
clear across our
great nation (from sea
to sea), some 8,000
miles--give or take a
few hundred one way or
the other.
We’ve had fun putting
the page together for
you. There, you’ll
find informative
narrative, some neat
maps. To access
this latest feature,
just click on C2C
2000-2010 in
the Site Menu to your
left--and enjoy! |
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Odyssey
2010 Journals, Photos, and
Videos |
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The past year was a most
rewarding year for
Nimblewill Nomad.
Early on, he’d set as
his hiking goal for 2010
to thru-hike both the
Arizona and the Pacific
Northwest National
Scenic Trail(s). Ah,
and did those plans work
out so very well! On
June 8th, after 38 days
trekking north through
Arizona, he reached the
Grand Canyon, and three
days later, on June
11th, he completed his
trek o’er the Arizona
National Scenic Trail.
Then, on September 21st,
after 65 days enduring
rugged mountainous
terrain through northern
Montana, Idaho, and
Washington, he reached
the Pacific Ocean,
successfully concluding
his thru-hike o’er the
Pacific Northwest
National Scenic Trail.
If you’ve not yet read
Nimblewill’s
account, his day-to-day
entries, if you’ve not
viewed the remarkable
photos, watched and
listened to the
interesting videos—all
are available for your
enjoyment. So,
you’re invited; come
along on these
remarkable adventures
with him. In the Site
Menu to the left just
click on Odyssey 2010
AZT or Odyssey 2010 PNT
and enjoy! |
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The event was two-fold:
First, the Fest was
Dahlonega’s way of
expressing their
pride--the honor of
being selected as an
Appalachian Trail
Community. You see,
along the entire length
of the
Appalachian National
Scenic Trail , to
date, Dahlonega makes
only the fifth community
so recognized. A true
honor, indeed.
Congratulations,
Dahlonega!
Second, this
well-deserved
honor/recognition served
to pave the way for a
long-needed kickoff
celebration--a (less
than formal) event
marking that
decades-long grand
beginning. And that
beginning? Well, it
became known as the
hike of a lifetime--the
annual pilgrimage north
for thousands of wayward
intrepid, those who set
out to thru-hike the
Appalachian Trail--that
historic path that winds
its way through the
mountains and valleys of
14 states, from Springer
Mountain, Georgia, to
Mount Katahdin, Maine.
Ah, and don’t-ya-know,
and what a very special
honor; for as it’s
turned, the old
Nimblewill Nomad,
(who takes his trail
name from that very
special place just below
Springer Mountain--Nimblewill
Gap), was invited to be
Keynote Speaker for
this first ever event;
just a great honor! |
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AHTS 2011
Conference
February 25-27, 2011 |
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The Alabama Hiking
Trail Society tenth
annual conference was a
resounding success—huge
turnout/attendance, much
contagious energy and
enthusiasm. Monte Sano
State Park, near
Huntsville, just a
spectacular facility.
Nimblewill
shared a joy-filled time
with many dear
friends—and lots of new
ones, too!His
Keynote Address
Saturday evening was
well-received, as was
the beautiful
from-the-heart music
performed by Jan
Dutch Treat Benschop.
During the evening
activities, John
Mother Natures Son
Calhoun was presented
the coveted “AHTS
Volunteer of the Year”
award, and Joe Cuhaj was
elected incoming
president.
Congratulations, John,
for work well done, and
all the best, Joe, for
AHTS in 2011! |
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Newfoundland Starlight
Trail:
Advancements,
improvements, new trail
(in entirely new
countries for the SIA/IAT)
seem never-ending. The
Eastern Continental
Trail Guide (ECT/AMT,
Site Menu to the left)
is certainly outdated as
to this dynamic
international
segment. Take a moment
and check out
what's currently going
on in Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island,
East Greenland, and
across the ocean
in Ireland, Scotland,
Wales, Norway, France,
Spain, Portugal, and
Morocco. Be sure,
though, and look at this
report (and spectacular
photos) about the
Newfoundland Starlight
Trail by IAT
President Paul Wylezol.
Oh, and isn't
it always neat to follow
fellow intrepid, as they
wend their way along the
ECT, from Key West,
Florida to Belle Isle,
Newfoundland.
lil' buddha
(Says he's
little and looks like
Buddha!) is a great
hiker--and an excellent
writer. Want to indulge
yourself in true
adventure, check this
hike out! |
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IATNL
Attends Boston Travel Show
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February 19-21 IATNL
Chairperson Paul Wylezol,
Communications Director
Greg Wood, and Treasurer
Kevin Noseworthy
attended the Boston
Globe Travel Show. The
IATNL was an exhibitor
with its own booth to
promote the
International
Appalachian Trail.
On February 19 they were
joined by IAT Maine
members Richard
Anderson, Will Richard,
and Walter Anderson.
The
International
Appalachian Trail
runs through Maine, New
Brunswick, Quebec,
Prince Edward Island,
Nova Scotia and
Newfoundland and
Labrador. In Western
Newfoundland this
long-distance hiking
trail extends from
Port-aux-Basques in the
south, through Gros
Morne National Park, to
Crow Head (just east of
L'Anse aux Meadows) at
the tip of the Great
Northern Peninsula. |
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Nomad
Backcountry Adventures
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No, these aren't
adventures led by the
Nimblewill Nomad,
but they are adventures
offered by an
organization founded by
two women, Meg
Letson and Rachel
Pomerantz, in 2004, who
had a chance meeting
with the Nomad,
on the Pinhoti Trail,
back in the year 2000.
This encounter inspired
these ladies to envision
offering an affordable,
accessible, and creative
wilderness adventure
experience to others. To
them, Nimblewill
Nomad symbolizes the
inspiration,
perseverance,
commitment, and
possibility that
supported their creation
of Nomad Backcountry
Adventures. |
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Bismarck Tribune Article
- NCT 2009
A Spiritual Journey by Brian Gehring
10/22/2009
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Nimblewill Nomad
North Country Trail |
PICK CITY - It was
closure for two men in the twilight of their
years. For one, it closed a chapter in an
ongoing sage as he hikes his way across America.
For the other it closed a chapter in the book of
his life - a chapter that dates back to 1994.
Last week, M.J. Eberhart of Missouri spent a
leisurely hour walking 1.9 miles of the north
Country Scenic Trail at lake Sakakawea State
Park, North Dakota. It was a walk that
technically began last March. . . . . .Read
the entire article here

Nomad with John
Tunge
Sakakawea State Park Manager |

Nomad with Gordon
Smith
Trail supporter and long time friend |
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National Trails Days 2009
On The North Country National Scenic
Trail
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The Grand Traverse Hiking Club, one of 40
chapters and affiliates of the North Country
Trail Association, celebrated National Trails
Day 2009 with Senator Carl Levin (D-MI)
officially opening a new spur trail linking the
North Country Trail to the cities of Kalkaska
and Traverse City. In a ceremony that also
featured North Country Trail long distance
hikers Joan Young and "Eb" Eberhart, aka
Nimblewill Nomad, the GTHC recognized
partnership efforts by the Kalkaska Area
Recreational Trail and the Traverse Area
Recreational Trail. These organizations along
with GTHC and the NCTA worked together to create
the newly opened spur, which enabled the linking
of all the major trail systems in the area.
Photo: Senator Carl Levin, Joan Young and Eb
Nimblewill Nomad Eberhart cut ribbon on new
NCNST connector trail near Traverse City, MI. |
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Adopt-A-Mile / Paul Duffey's ECT Journey
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Paul Duffey is
planning to begin a thru-hike of the
Eastern Continental Trail (ECT),
from the northern tip of
Newfoundland to the southernmost
point of the Florida Keys, in the
United States. The 13+ months he
will be on the trail, and the cost
involved in undertaking such an
endeavor, has inspired Paul to
create a website where folks can go
to make a donation to sponsor his
efforts. You can read more about it
at
http://adoptamile.webs.com/index.htm
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Bob "Rascal" Behrens Suffers Setback -
Still Fulfills Lifelong Dream
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Bob Rascal
Behrens, hiking with trail partner
Jolene JoJo Smiley Koby-Burley,
set out in 2008 to thru-hike the
Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,663-mile
trek from Campo, CA to the Canadian
Border. Hiking for months and only
days away from completing a lifelong
goal/dream, the unexpected happened.
. . . . .read
Rascal's story here |
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Meet Alvis Paw Paw Kinney
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Most all the
national news we’re fed anymore,
almost all of it is negative. Dear
friends, it doesn’t have to be like
this, especially when there’s so
many great personal triumphs to
cheer about out there, ones that
constantly get swept under. What say
we change this news agenda! For
beginners, why don’t we insist this
article about my longtime
hiking/backpacking friend,
Alvis Paw Paw Kinney
get
national attention through AP and
UPI? Please give a look. God bless
you, Paw Paw. And thanks for
your sacrifice and service to this
great USofA! |
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Sue Hammock Hanger Turner - First
Person To Hike G.E.T.
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On April 3,
2007,
Sue Hammock Hanger Turner
started her adventure to be the
first person to thru-hike the Great
Eastern Trail, which begins at the
Alabama-Florida line. . . . . .
read about this adventure here |
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