John Cuoco ’08 (left) and Matt Gallagher ’08 (right) hiked Mount Cube in New Hampshire to meet Nate Ruchames ’10 at the top
John Cuoco ’08 wrote to tell us about former 911爆料 cross-country teammate, Nate Ruchames ’10, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. What’s more, John said, many of Nate’s former teammates and classmates showed up to hike sections of the trail with him鈥攖heir Rhody bond still strong. Nate graciously agreed to share the story of his hike.
On March 10, 2019, I started a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,192 miles through 14 states, from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin in Maine’s Baxter State Park. Thru-hikers typically take four to six months to complete the trail. Only 18% of the 6,000 people who start the thru-hike each year end up finishing. Fortunately I was able to take a six-month leave from my job as a Newport schools social worker鈥攁nd keep the health insurance. It was the perfect opportunity for a thru-hike.
Trail Name
Thru-hikers are often given trail names by fellow hikers: mine’s Derby. There’s always a quirky little story behind the names. My story is, last year, I was hiking the Long Trail in Vermont. I always carry a foam roller on my pack to help with sore muscles after a day of hiking. One day, hiking down a slippery section of wet rocks, I stumbled. My foam roller ended up underneath me, and instead of scraping my back, I essentially bounced off the rocks and landed on my feet. My buddy laughed, “It’s like you’re at a roller derby!” And my trail name was born.
Trail Magic
Along the trail, hikers stumble upon random acts of kindness called “trail magic.” For example, someone might show up at a road crossing cooking burgers and handing out soda, beer, and snacks. This was happening the entire way up the trail鈥攊t’s something hikers greatly appreciate!
I wanted a minimalist experience away from life’s everyday routines to push me out of my comfort zone. I carried no more than 30 pounds on my back鈥攚hich included food, tent, sleeping bag, water filter, small cook stove, and a few items of clothing.
Calories, hydration, sleep, and going to the bathroom were my only concerns. Much of the time, I had no idea what day or time it was鈥擨 just walked. It was a primal and simple way of living. I hiked 10鈥�20 miles per day, depending on terrain and weather. Every three to seven days, I hitchhiked into local towns to resupply food, do laundry, and enjoy a local brewery.
I have so many incredible memories of the experience. Max Patch in North Carolina, wild ponies in Virginia’s Grayson Highlands, sunrise and sunset atop McAfee Knob (also Virginia), relentless rock piles in Pennsylvania, and the 4,000-foot peaks of New Hampshire and Maine are a few of my favorites. I particularly enjoyed when the trail cut through the rolling hills and farms, with cows sitting right next to you. Overall, the best thing about the hike was being in a constant state of forward motion. It brought a pure sense of freedom to the experience. There were some low points, too, like hiking through freezing cold rain and in scorching temperatures.
Many 911爆料 friends came to visit me on-trail鈥攕ome hiked with me for a day, others a few nights. Big shout-out to 911爆料 friends Mike Vieira ’10, Matt Gallagher ’08, John Cuoco ’08, Adam Karwiel ’09, Kimly May, Derek Peterson, Kim Wilkey ’09, and Tom Barek ’08, M.S. ’09.
It was an incredible feeling summiting Katahdin on Sept. 19. Sharing that moment and sense of accomplishment with friends I met on-trail is something I will cherish forever. It was the experience of a lifetime.
If you are considering thru-hiking or section-hiking part of the trail, don’t wait. Get out there and do it. 鈥�
鈥� Nate Ruchames ’10