US East Coast 2018: Of Resilience & Fortitude

The sun came out in all its glory. We seized the opportunity, and set up a picnic lunch in Shenandoah National Park, a gorgeous natural scenic site overlooking the Shenandoah River and Valley from which it is named. It was surreal to simply enjoy the beauty of the Big Meadows site, a vast area that apparently contains the highest concentration of rare plants in the Park, as well as an abundance of animals not found anywhere else here.

After lunch, we attended one of the ranger programmes, which was a guided walk along the Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only trail in the world. This is a massive trail which spans some 2,200 miles (about 3,500 kilometres), and cuts across 14 states in the Eastern United States. It runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Ranger Ginny, our guide for the hike. Her fascinating stories provided tremendous
insights into why the trail was established and what it would take to embark on such a journey.

It was conceived by Benton MacKaye, a forester whose wife committed suicide shortly after they got married. MacKaye had the support of lawyer Myron Avery, and together they set up what is today the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, comprising 31 clubs across the 14 states, and responsible for maintaining the massive system of trails.

The Appalachian Trail marking on a tree. Hikers seek out the white marking in their
quest to complete the massive 2,200 mile trail.

The walk itself was soulful and reflective, and we learnt much from Ranger Ginny on why some people embark on this massive journey (which often takes about 5-6 months of continuous hiking). She also shared on what preparations needed to be made and what unexpected occurrences could possibly derail one’s plans. Through it all, what impressed upon us was that one needed to be determined and resilient in order to undertake such a journey - people as young as 5 and as old as 82 have attempted and completed this journey!

The Shenandoah Salamander is a rare and endangered creature that is only found in Shenandoah National Park.
It was truly amazing that our boys managed to spot it in the mud where it was living.

Tired and muddy after the hike, we headed back for a simple dinner and an early night - we know that for many of the hikers (we met at least 4 on the trail), they would not have such a comfortable lodging, and we were indeed thankful for the comfortable beds we were sleeping in.

The Previous Page - The American Dream. Read here.
What's Next? O Shenandoah How I Love You. Read here.

From the Beginning - Start reading the record pages of our US East Coast Travel Adventure here.

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