This number becomes absolutely staggering when you break it down: including the two weeks off to heal her leg, Peg Leg has maintained an overall average of 26.6 miles a day since January 1st, over a marathon every day.
Apple Health says my average is 7,185 steps/day over the last 6 months, and according to google there are 2-2.5k steps in a mile. So I'm actually at ~86-107 miles walked per month. Nowhere...
Apple Health says my average is 7,185 steps/day over the last 6 months, and according to google there are 2-2.5k steps in a mile. So I'm actually at ~86-107 miles walked per month. Nowhere remotely close to 26.6 miles per day, but I'm genuinely surprised to see that my walk distance is so high considering I spend A LOT of time sitting in front of the computer ever day. :P
Here's a map for anyone else unfamiliar with the calendar-year triple crown and having trouble visualizing the route (like me). It sounds like she got rides in between trails since they don't...
Here's a map for anyone else unfamiliar with the calendar-year triple crown and having trouble visualizing the route (like me).
It sounds like she got rides in between trails since they don't connect? Also note that she added several hundred miles to the ends of the Appalachian Trail that is shown on that map (in order to make it border-to-border). The article says her average was about 26.6mi/day, but it also mentions there were many stretches of 30-40+ mile days.
One complaint I often see on hikers’ blogs is the perception that those hiking long miles must be trust-fund kids who are able to hike instead of working. “Must be nice to spend daddy’s money”, “imagine being this rich”, and “get a job”, are three comments pulled directly from Peg Leg’s blogs and comments, and these commenters couldn’t be further from the truth.
Since 2022, Peg Leg has been hiking consistently. She jokes that it took her three years to finish the Triple Crown of thru-hiking (the AT, PCT, and CDT), but only took her the fourth year to Triple Crown again. For her first long hike, the PCT, Peg Leg gathered her savings from years of work, sold her vehicle and all of her belongings, and used the money for both the PCT and ECT the following year. Leading up to her 2024 thru-hike of the CDT, she worked 60-70 hours a week bartending in Philadelphia.
Now, she credits gear sponsorships and social media with allowing a full year of hiking. The “Tip the Author” button at the bottom of Trek blogs and articles, she calls out specifically, has been “significant in an immensely meaningful way.”
Most of the trail hippies I've known in my life are dirt poor. Usually the story is something like seasonal gig worker ends their apartment lease, sells all their stuff, and then lives out of...
Most of the trail hippies I've known in my life are dirt poor. Usually the story is something like seasonal gig worker ends their apartment lease, sells all their stuff, and then lives out of their car while hiking the AT or something similar. They usually survive off meager savings and the kindness of others. The backpacking community is really really friendly and generous most of the time so its pretty easy to get food, old gear, and even accommodations while out roaming about. Generally speaking these kinds of people don't think about their long term career much, they live in the moment and experience life. (I'm a little jealous of that mindset)
There are definitely a portion of them that are trust fund kids with no financial worries just living their best life though, but the article does say this:
Leading up to her 2024 thru-hike of the CDT, she worked 60-70 hours a week bartending in Philadelphia.
O_o
I'm not sure if I've walked 26 miles this month
Apple Health says my average is 7,185 steps/day over the last 6 months, and according to google there are 2-2.5k steps in a mile. So I'm actually at ~86-107 miles walked per month. Nowhere remotely close to 26.6 miles per day, but I'm genuinely surprised to see that my walk distance is so high considering I spend A LOT of time sitting in front of the computer ever day. :P
Here's a map for anyone else unfamiliar with the calendar-year triple crown and having trouble visualizing the route (like me).
It sounds like she got rides in between trails since they don't connect? Also note that she added several hundred miles to the ends of the Appalachian Trail that is shown on that map (in order to make it border-to-border). The article says her average was about 26.6mi/day, but it also mentions there were many stretches of 30-40+ mile days.
Fucking incredible.
I love stories of adventure and exploration like this. I also wonder how on earth people actually finance their lives while doing it.
Most of the trail hippies I've known in my life are dirt poor. Usually the story is something like seasonal gig worker ends their apartment lease, sells all their stuff, and then lives out of their car while hiking the AT or something similar. They usually survive off meager savings and the kindness of others. The backpacking community is really really friendly and generous most of the time so its pretty easy to get food, old gear, and even accommodations while out roaming about. Generally speaking these kinds of people don't think about their long term career much, they live in the moment and experience life. (I'm a little jealous of that mindset)
There are definitely a portion of them that are trust fund kids with no financial worries just living their best life though, but the article does say this:
So I imagine she isn't one of those.
That's always something I think about. I wonder how many other people (not me) could accomplish this with the financial freedom to do so.
crazy badass