Day 144: And So It Ends / CDT Thru-hike 2024
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- I intend to hike the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) in 2024 and will vlog my experience. Follow me under "Old Man and the CDT."
I am Mike Current, 61-years-old, and retired military. I served for over 30 years in the US Army.
After retirement, I opened two small businesses. But after a few years, I sold both businesses because they were taking time away from pursuing personal goals, like hiking and sailing.
I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in 2020 and Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2022. I vlogged (video journaled) my experiences under "Old Man and the PCT" and "Old Man and the AT", respectively.
I sailed around the Chesapeake Bay in my Tayana 37 sailboat over the summer of 2023 and vlogged the experience under the UA-cam channel "Old Man and the Sea."
I do not monetize my videos in any manner. However, if you would like to contribute to helping veterans thru-hike as a form of therapy for PTSD, please consider donating to Warrior Expeditions at warriorexpedit...
Mike,
Firstly huge congratulations on your triple crown
Significantly, I believe you may even fall into the even rarer subset of triple crowners who also walked every mile end-to-end completing a continuous footpath on each trail (Determination + Luck there)
On top of that (OMG!)… vlogging the Triple as well … a labour of pure love & pain I’m sure, but much appreciated by loyal fans like me. I hope you also derive personal pleasure revisiting those visual documentaries in years to come.
This CDT series was a perfect blend of so many aspects: anticipation & recap; trail life, people, landscapes & wildlife (i think we met every grouse you encountered-haha). Perfect video length; impressive quality & impeccable regularity.
Like so many others i will sincerely miss following your journey after today.
I’m sure you have some post-trail vids that we can look forward to …
Your AT series really inspired me to reconsider it for the future… this CDT series confirms my intention to walk it, but i don’t expect either to match the PCT and i still hold it as the Crown Jewel of long distance trails for multiple reasons - hope to hear your take …
For the next few months i wish you rest & recovery - certainly looks like your body held up ok (great prepping!)- which limbs or organs protested the most?
Your ‘Old Man’ moniker is not a lie, or even a tease … you quietly show we can All be capable of achieving something similar in later life. Your example & Energy is the perfect inspiration for what is possible.
Mate, thanks again.
Clint🇦🇺
Knee Deep here. Energizer, I can’t tell you enough how much these videos have meant to Mash and I’s families, getting to see us hiking every day. And it’s a huge gift for us, too, having such a tangible way to look back over all the little moments of the hike. But of course the greatest gift was getting to hike most of the trail with you 💜
(I haven’t actually watched this video yet, my mom made me promise to watch it with her this evening, but I’m prepared to be teary).
To everyone who has watched and commented in this community, thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown! It’s been so much fun to go back and relive everything through the videos and comments.
Hi Knee Deep. Congrats to you and Mash on this hike as well. I can only imagine how fun and enjoyable this was for all of you. Hopefully we'll see you in the future on more hikes with Energizer, I think he found a tramily he really clicks with!
@@MeganLuce-g4j your ever present smile made it look easy but I know it wasn’t. Congrats!!
🎉🎉🎉congratulations to you and Mash. So fun and enjoyable to watch you all. I wish you all a beautiful and healthy life journey 😊
@@MeganLuce-g4j you are a very powerful, dynamic, strong & kind young woman! I really enjoyed seeing you w Energizer on y’all’s journey!
I’m in my late (Very late) 60’s & am an avid hiker here in my beautiful Land of Enchantment (aka New Mexico).. I loved seeing y’all summit Mount Taylor, and hiking through my wonderful San Pedro Parks near Cuba!
Congrats for a huge accomplishment! 🎉🍾🎉🍾🎉
I wish you all many, many blessings for very happy trails! Love you! 💕❤️💕❤️💕🎉🎉
Words do not adequately express my appreciation for this manifold accomplishment by you, Knee Deep, Mash, Logman, and your combined extended families who also paid a price in your absence. I have a better understanding of the CDT through your added effort in vlogging fsithfully your experiences on the trail. I thought that Mashes morphing into you when he took over your vlog for a day when your camera was broken was the funniest until your Bob Newhart ending in bed with your trail family in this video topped it all! Very well done. Mac
For sheer class, grace and beauty, this series on the CDT will be be hard to beat. Watching you from Day 1 from the other side of the world - from India. Your videos have been outstanding, but what made it very very unique has been seeing you do this with such elegance and with such a human touch. Posting a video every day is hard work, when tackling a thru hike of such difficulty. We are all very grateful to you for doing this. Many of us have learnt much from being part of your journey, if I can take the liberty of saying that. Congratulations Energizer, and the trail family - Knee Deep, Mash, Logman, Early Bird and yes, Larry. Wishing you all, the very best in life and thank you for allowing us to share your wonderful experience.
Huge congrats Energizer! I truly enjoyed following your journey. As a person who has completed just one of the trails I know how difficult it is not only to complete one of these trails in one year but to also vlog as you go. You were truly blessed to stay healthy during all three but also have great weather years where fire closures didn’t get you. You completed what I consider to be the most difficult accomplishment which is to only attempt each trail once and make it all the way through. I have big respect for you my friend. I’m in Carlsbad so let me know if you ever want to grab a beer and talk sometime? Now I think your next goal should be to hike all 3 sobo! Haha cheers Marmalade
I'm 70, with back and knee problems. Vicarious will do for me. Thanks for taking me along with you.
Congratulations Energizer!! What a sweet conclusion to an incredible journey. I know it was a lot of extra work to share, but I appreciate it so much! Thank you!
Your quest had lots of adventures. Thanks for taking us along!
Thank you so much for including us on your CDT hike. Excellent culminating video. I think your inclusion of your trail family at a personal level really added to viewer's personal experience. Difficult to say too much about how much I appreciated your videos. Early Bird was such a big part of your trail family through most of the hike, I was sorry she wasn't with you at the end. I was very glad that you included the info on her finishing the trail. As an added piece of information, I"ve been sharing your videos with a couple women who are both over 80 and are getting to experience the CDT through your efforts. I hate to suggest more since your videos were so good but an added cherry on top of th experience would be to revisit the trail family in a year and share with us what everyone is doing one year after the CDT.
Again thank you so very much.
Awesome journey. Awesome video! Congratulations.
Congratulations to all! So happy you said that Early Bird finished too! This was a heartfelt video. I was moved to tears a couple times feeling the love, compassion, and friendship that you folks shared! Thank you again Mike for sharing your videos with us! They all were very good and for 144 days I got inspired by your “make it a great day”!!!
What a privilege to follow along with you and your trail family. Thanks for the update about Early Bird, too. Thank you, Mike. Congratulations!
I have very much enjoyed watching your daily videos of your hike of the CDT this year, and loved this last video. Thank you for all the time and effort you took to share your journey with those of us watching. It was beautiful to watch the incredible scenery, and to witness the challenges you faced, and the forming and bonding of your trail family. Such a rich experience! You have inspired me to plan my own hike of the CDT. I wish much happiness and health to each of you and a heart congratulations on finishing the CDT and completing the triple crown!
Thanks for taking me along your journey. Congratulations on your triple crown.
So good! Enjoyed the reflections.
I've watched this video three times now, and I think I will watch it again, many more times. I've never been pulled into a UA-cam channel like I have been this one. As delighted as I am for you all, I'm sad to think of not being able to tune into your lives anymore. PLEASE!! go do something else so we can connect to you!!
BRAVO! BRAVO!BRAVO! I applauded, cried and cheered at the video Finale! Absolutely the best possible closure. I followed each of 144 days with anticipation, appreciation and awe of your perseverance and alway positive personal comments. You and your Trail Family have been a tremendous inspiration during these past 5 months , just what I needed through "these times! I will miss you!! Thank you, Energizer, Mash, Knee Deep, Woodman/Larry, Early Bird and all! Your joy, smiles, humor, gutsy-ness and Hearts touch me still...deeply! Energizer's video story is a masterpiece! Thank you for taking me along!
Congratulations!! So incredibly happy for you and your trail family! I’ll really miss these breakfast videos. Can’t wait to follow along whatever the next adventure will be!!
Morning, Mike. What an outstanding video. A big CONGRATS on completing the CDT. And an even bigger shout out for becoming a Triple Crowner. That is quite an accomplishment. How neat that all 4 of you were Triple Crowners together. That's special. It was strange and neat to see you embrace and enjoy a trail family on this trail. I enjoyed following you on your journey as I experienced the CDT for the first time. I also enjoyed meeting your trail family as they traveled with you and mostly kept you on the right track, except for your little detour you took one day. Lol. Seriously, this trail is really tough but you persevered and made it your own. Army strong, Col. Looking forward to future adventures. Can't believe you all jumped in that cold water. So glad it didn't rain or snow on your last day. Thanks for the update on Early Bird. Take care, Mike. Stay safe. See you on the next video.
UA-cam needs degrees of 'likes' - there's no way I can like this series enough. These one minute capsules today digging into each individual's experiences are priceless. Thanks, Mike, for taking us along on your journey, and theirs. God bless you.
Congratulations and thanks for filming it all.
WOOT! What an amazing adventure. Thanks for taking us along
Congratulations to you and your trail family on completing the CDT and earning the Triple Crown. Great job!!!!! Thanks for bringing us along.....
One of the best journeys that I’ve watched! Thanks for taking us alone😊
We had a wonderful evening last night celebrating Energizer's CDT completion along with his "Triple Crown" hikes. So here I am on Sunday morning September 29, in tears of joy for Energizer and his trail family. Energizer's fortitude is truly amazing. Old Man in the wheel chair.
Congratulations to you all! What an incredible accomplishment. I have absolutely loved following your journey on the CDT. Thank you for sharing it with all of us!
Wow! So inspiring… Thank you! and congratulations to you and your awesome tramly 🤗
Great trip (s)...wonderful videos....and go..."Larry"!!!
Energizer, the best vlog from ALL the different hikes this year! You will be missed. Thank you and your family (at home) for keeping us entertained this year.
Mike, congratulations on completing the CDT and the triple crown. My hat's off to you and your trail family!
Congratulations!!!!!!🦋❤️
THE THING I LOVED THE MOST WAS WHEN THEY WOULD LEAVE ARROW STICKS SO YOU KNEW WHICH WAY TO GO 😅😅😅
Congratulations to you and your trail family!!
Congratulations, Sir.
What an incredible achievement! Notwithstanding how immensely difficult it must be, I never doubted for a second that you would succeed.
Fantastic privilege to come along for the ride. Thank you so much for the quality of your content and for being an inspiration.
“It’s a great day” isn’t a meaningless cliche, but is a philosophy worth aspiring to.
You live in a truly beautiful country, and it has been wonderful to see it in all its glory on your three thru hikes.
thanks again from Australia.
Hi Mike, What a great ending! I am truly going to miss my morning videos following your adventures. What an accomplishment for you, just is unbelievable. Congratulations completing the trail, and becoming a triple crown member. You have been a great inspiration to me, and I can't thank you enough for sharing this experience with us. And the interviews with your trail family was fantastic. So inspirational. You all should be very proud of your self's. I hope you continue to film your future adventures. Would love to follow them. For your future endeavors, Be Strong, Be Safe, and thanks for taking us on this Journey.
Wow! Amazing accomplishment. Thanks for sharing your journey. I've enjoyed the scenery, your videography and commentary, and the positivity of you and your trail family.
What a beautiful final video. Thank you for a wonderful summer of "hiking" with you all. I release you now back to your families and friends, in hopeful anticipation of another adventure some day. I've watched every minute of your triple crown, Energizer, and thank you for your inspiration of all of us who are dealing with "something" whatever it may be. God bless you all.
Congratulations….i GREATLY admire you! Thanks!!!!!
Mike, I’ve throughly enjoyed your adventure. Congratulations on your accomplishment. From one Vet to another. Job well done. Semper Fi.
Congratulations! I really enjoyed watching your videos. Thank you for sharing your adventure.
Well, what now will I watch for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Energizer, you've done an awesome job vlogging and you had wonderful set of highly skilled actress's & actors in every production. Congratulations to you and everyone in your trail family for completing the CDT and triple crown. I can't wait for your wrap-up video, I know you're thinking about it.
Congrats Mike! Wow what an amazing achievement! I’ve seen every video on each of your three awesome hikes. No dry eyes in this house watching day 144, as you concluded an absolute epic journey. Today’s was the very best video I’ve ever seen. Very poignant. An amazing hike…. About 20.8 mile per day average including town days. You rock!! So, many heartfelt comments from many countries. You can be mighty proud. I hope you and the ‘tramily’ can make it to the ALDHA Gathering in Abingdon Oct 11-14. Hope to see you there! Massive congratulations to you all from Michigan!!
Thanks Mike! Enjoyed it immensely. Glad you plugged in Early Bird's finish just afterwards.
THANKS for your wonderful documentation of this adventure and for sharing a positive approach to living that can inspire us all!
Congratulations to you, and thanks so much for inviting us into your tramily the last few months. I was misting up all through today's episode.
Your vlog was such a gift to us all. And your prior trail blogs were an important part of our son's decision to do a thru-hike. I'm so grateful to you, and so glad you and Ross got to connect.
I'm so proud of you, Knee Deep, Mash, LogMan, Early Bird, and the CDT Class of 2024. I totally would have jumped into the lake, too😂
Wishing you a gentle transition home!
Peace and pies ❤❤
Congratulations Mike, truly amazing journey!
Thank you for sharing, I have watched every episode of each journey since 2020, and I can only hope for more.
I admire your determination and positivity.
Randy
Mike, congratulations!!! I loved watching you and your tramily complete the CDT. I'm planning and hoping I can do the CDT next year.
Thank you so much for all the time and effort it took to do the vlogs. I have enjoyed every day of your journey. I didn't think I would ever get to see Glacier National Park and now I feel like I have seen it. I also watched your Appalachian Trail Hike. I am going to look for your PCT vlogs next. You do a wonderful job of capturing your experiences. I am so glad you had a chance to have a trail family this trip. It seems like you really enjoyed each other's company .
I thank you for bringing us all along on your journeys. I've watched all three and as an avid hiker/backpacker so have appreciated seeing these trails as you hike them. Extraordinary journey of physical and mental toughness and so much more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤
I can only say 'well done'. To accomplish through hiking all three trails and get your triple crown is truly sensational. Thank you for the effort you made taking us along for the ride. Really appreciated. And, a big thanks to your trail family for making this hike extra special.
Amazing people
Amazing trail
Loved watching you!
Until we see your smiling faces on another adventure 😊
PEACE
🎉congratulations Mike and your trail family ! What a accomplishment for all of you! Your video was beautiful and tearful. The feeling of what you have achieved must have been overwhelming!
Soooo many thoughts and emotions. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of it Mike!!😊
Congratulations Mike. I've been there from the PCT and the Gordon Lightfoot intro. Your preparation has always been your mainstay as well as tackling only the day. I can't wait to see what's next!
So much love, joy and pride in all of your eyes as you completed the CDT and the 👑 👑 👑. Well done. I have enjoyed every minute and thank you for sharing your experiences.
Been with you every day since day one Wanted you to know come this winter when I'm shoveling snow at 8000feet in Colorado where I live I'm going to start over and enjoy your experience all over again. Looking forward to it. Thanks for a great 144 days
Wow, what an incredible journey you have documented for all of us! You are truly an inspiration, especially for us 60+ who still want to tackle some trail challenges. I was able to follow you from nearly the start and your daily vlogs have been a true highlight. I doubt I will want to be gone from home for 5+ months to tackle the full CDT (too many fun things to do here in northern Wisconsin), but as a 68-year old I am committing to pack the Colorado Trail next summer. My heartiest congratulations to you and your exceptional Trail family. Thanks!
Triple Crown congratulations !! Thanks for the ride along !! Glad I found you so I know more about where ' Daybreak ' was hiking SOBO ( he finished ) . Loved your tramily !! Many blessings 😇 !!
Crying while watching you all finish. So proud of all of you! I will miss the morning "Let's do this!" Congratulations to all of you on your Triple Crowns, what an achievement! Until nex time............
Congratulations on finishing the CDT and the Triple Crown. Thanks so much for allowing us (the viewers) to come along for the ride. The video's and dialogue were the best and I have had many hours of enjoyment watching your adventures from the start to the end. I will miss the daily trail updates. Good luck on any upcoming future endeavors that you may plan.
Congratulations!!!!! Thank you so much for taking us in this awesome journey! Rest (I doubt it 😂) recover and…..take us on another epic trail! Lots of health and happiness to you 😊
I loved that you included the voices of your Tramily in the final mile. Congratulations to all of you on an amazing accomplishment!! Your positive attitude and generous nature always shines through, even on days like the 2nd to last, which looked miserable! Best wishes on your transition to home. Can't wait to see what your next adventure brings!
Congrats on the great accomplishment and thanks so much for filming and sharing your beautiful trip. Wonderful!
Thank you Mike and tramily for taking us along with you! Congratulations on finishing this thru-hike, and congrats on becoming a Triple Crown-er!!!! And thank you for sharing beauty and grace of the Trail. Namaste
May 1 seems such a long time ago. Congrats to you and your tramily!!! I appreciate your videos because they remind me of what I cannot do now. Through 45 years in the Boy Scouts and several years visiting the NP, I'm more appreciative of Mother Nature. I'm glad Larry made it!!!! Congrats to Early Bird, as well!!! Congrats to the four of you'se on completing the Triple Crown!!!
Love Logman’s socks! And LOVED the ending! You’ve all been great!
Mike, Congratulations on your accomplishment. It was very inspiring.
Wow! What a wonderful video! This video touched my heart so deeply! I am in tears! I know I won’t be able to accomplish what you did,but I do appreciate you taking me along on your journey!!!
I will contribute to the warrior fund.
Oh.. I know you enjoyed every state very much, but I have to wonder what improvements you think need to be done on the CDT. I love my wonderful Land of Enchantment in which I reside & hike regularly but it looks like my state needs to do a good bit of work on the CDT, too much road walking & not enough trails, yes?
I know you will continue hiking..sooo… Happy Trails!!! Love you.. God bless! ❤❤❤❤
OH… BTW, you finished on my birthday!!!! ☺️❤️☺️☺️☺️☺️
Hi Mike. Let me join so many others in expressing my appreciation. Over the part months, Sandra and I started every day off by watching you & the trail family. You did such a magnificent job in not only capturing the spectacular views of the CDT, but equally as important the camaraderie of the group. Such a wonderful adventure .. 144 "great days" Take care my friend. Brian
Huge congratulations Mike/Energizer!! Your grit and determination will inspire aspiring thru hikers for a long time!
Congratulations! I clapped and cried for all of you! I’m going to miss my daily dose of the trail from you. Thanks for taking us along ❤❤
Best. Ending. Ever. Congratulations & God Bless you all.
I'm so happy for you, though I never doubted you would make it. Because you are the man! But seeing you finish makes me kind of sad, because I have lived a portion of my life through you. So thanks for showing me all these things I'll never see in real life. As much as I want to hike a long trail, for a variety of reasons I know it won't happen. So I appreciate you taking all of us along. I'm also curious about whether you'll be turning up on my UA-cam doing something else. I hope so! So one last thank you to you, Mike/Energizer.
Outstanding, sometimes you need to run with the pack. God bless
Thank You for bringing us along. It was the highlight of my summer! Absolutely priceless. You are a true inspiration. I hope you will continue to keep us posted on further adventures! *Now, Enjoy Your Success!
Congratulations to all of you! Enjoy your celebrations with your families. Thanks to Energizer for documenting all of your hikes and sailing over the past several years. I've enjoyed all of your videos, and hope you will do more at some point. Stay well!
Thank you for taking us along, Energizer! The Triple Crown is awesome, congratulations! Yes, you definitely have lots of adventures ahead, too, because you have an adventurous spirit! Keep bringing us along! Thank you!
Hi. Mike. Thank you your military pression that you bring us these videos. I have followed since pct days. I will miss the have a great day even though some of those days were not so great. It is great seeing you connect with the other hikers even thought I know it is not you. HAVE A GREAT DAY. Energizer!!!!
Mike, thanks for sharing your journey with us. And and extra THANK YOU for the additional coverage at the terminous and comments from the Tramly. Too often we follow hikers up and down the trail and we get a photo. I am sure it is very emotional spectrum.
My wife and I are setting up a PCT hike in 2025 and use a lot of mental recommendations to guide us each day.
❤😂🙏👍🥾♥️😊, wow, Congratulations all. Thank you Mike for allowing us to tag along with you on this incredible journey. Thank you also for sharing your incredible tramily. It really warms my heart that you got to experience a tramily. Mash summed it up for why, travel and backpack, canoe, kayak, sail... it's the people.... It's also a testament to the healing power of nature. Thank you again for vlogging your adventure. ❤😊
Congratulations!!! Been following you from the start. Watch every morning with my coffee. My wife and I completed the CDT in 2015, so your excellent video log brought back wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing Energizer!!! Mike&Maggie…M&M
Mike, thanks for sharing. One of the best portraits of a loving ❤️ trail family I have ever experienced through your videos. I had tears in my eyes watching this episode. Congrats to all, Mash, Deep Knee, Logman, Early Bird, you, and all the other successful throughs.
Congratulations Mike, 🎉🍾 👑 ✅
Been following from the very beginning.
You’ve got me wondering what’s next??
Congratulations! What an epic journey and great accomplishment. Thanks so much for taking us with. The extra work is greatly appreciated. Is the American discovery trail calling yet? 😄
Bravo!🎉 Congrats on the “Triple Crown” and more so for bringing the CDT to life with the joy and challenges of it. More so, thanks for sharing the human side and trail family. Looking forward to post trail recaps too. Thanks Energizer
It's a great day! Congratulations Mike and thank you for giving all of us who followed along a glimpse into your Triple Crown! The videos were excellent! Regards, Dave (Bullwinkle).
Congratulations on your amazing achievement. I will definitely miss your daily updates. Best of luck in the future.
What an incredible incredible incredible ending to an incredible end of your Triple Crown! I have watched you from the beginning of the PCT. It was an incredible video ending with your Tramily all contributing to make it even more incredible. The love, affection, and general camaraderie between all of you added to the incredible journey. The amount of sweet tears just leaking down my checks added to the incredibleness. What else can I say but you Energizer are Incredible! Congratulations!
Congrats! It was a pleasure watching your videos! Thank you! Darko
Congratulations to all of you❤I enjoyed watching you all, what an accomplishment, brought tears to my eyes this final episode
Thank you tramily for sharing your journey with us. Oh, and congratulations 🎉🎉🎉!
You said thank you to all the viewers for watching, but THANK YOU for documenting your tremendous journey-or journies now! I came in late to your PCT hike, but have watched your AT and CDT hikes every day, except when my wife and I are on an RVing adventure; it has become a morning ritual for me. As you wrote on your AT sign in book on Springer Mountain, “It’s going to be a wild ride.” Thanks for taking me along with you and a huge congratulations to you and your trail family!
What an amazing video!!! I have to admit I’m shedding some tears after that one - I’m just thinking how difficult it must have been to say part ways - but I imagine that are friends for life!!! Congratulations - what an amazing accomplishment - all 4 of you and not just the cdt but triple crowners - how special is that!!! I’m going to miss seeing your daily updates!
Congrats Energizer! I hope to follow your footsteps next year on the CDT. Thanks for your time and effort on your channel. I will be that much more prepared for my Thru Hike.👍🏼
Equal parts Congratulations, Awesome and Thank You!
Thoroughly enjoyed following you and the tramily on the CDT! Looking forward to whatever might come next and wishing all of the hikers on all of the trails a safe experience.
Yard Dart.
Thanx for sharing your life’s experiences with those who will never know that kind of comradity.
“Climbing is defined by a purpose, the summit, but the best moments lurk just before victory, because after that there is only the descent.”, Peter Drucker, mgt consultant.
Hearty congratulations and a sincere best wishes for all. Larry is such a legacy of devotion and commitment 👍🏼.
What a great adventure and accomplishment, especially considering the statistics you mentioned at the end of the video. It puts it perspective. It's been a true pleasure watching you complete the triple crown, achieving your goals and overcoming all the obstacles along the way, even handling the trolls on your UA-cam feed. It must be hard to express all the emotions going through you. Congratulations on a job well done! I look forward to seeing your next hiking adventure, whatever it may be and whenever it may be!
Mike, congratulations!! I've been watching you since day one on the PCT during covid. It's been a blessing seeing all your vids and documentation. I've got to wait a few years until I retire to pursue some of these like you, but you've pointed the way. It's an awesome accomplishment.
I'm so happy for you all! I've absolutely enjoyed watching you every morning. It's been a fantastic year only wish I could have met you in Montana!
Congratulations to all of you! Well done! I’m not a thru-hiker, but if I ever did attempt a long trail like one of the Triple Crown hikes, I would pray for a tramily like this.