“It might be a good idea to find someone to hike with when you get to Pennsylvania.” The words of my friend kept ringing in my head as I steadied myself on top of a slippery and wet boulder in an attempt to avoid a fall. And as I struggled to stay on my feet, I reminded myself of how grateful I was for the fact that I wasn’t by myself.

At the time of my friend’s advice, I was convinced that I wouldn’t take it. I had hiked both the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail with other hiking partners, but this trail was supposed to be my own. The one I’d master all by myself.

Much like the rules of Fight Club, my first rule of hiking the AT was: “You do not hike with anyone.”
My second rule of hiking the AT was: “You do not hike with anyone”.

And I had no intention of breaking the rules.

But as we all know, things rarely work out the way you plan.

And sometimes that’s a good thing.

Along came Tang

I first met Tang when she walked into a stealth campsite at mile 600 where I had already pitched my tent.

“Are you Terminator?”

Before making it to camp she had run into T-Dubz, another hiker that I had leapedfrogged with on and off, who had told her about me.

As soon as I saw her, I instantly suspected who she was. Having a common hiking friend, I knew that a woman named Tang would be out here.

“I’m Tang.”

As soon as she said her name, I couldn’t help myself.

“You’re Darwin’s friend!”

I was immediately impressed by her. A badass hiker and ultra-runner who was up at 4 am in the morning (at the time I refused to get up earlier than 5 am) to do crazy miles.

Apart from T-Dubz, who’d hiked the CDT the year before, she was also the only other hiker that I’d met on the AT who had done any of the other trails.

A badass with a calm demeanor who was also working on her Triple Crown. And one who seemed like she would be a great hiking partner given my own hiking style.

Yet we had different plans.

And I was still set on doing this on my own.

A change of heart

Taking on things solo has never been foreign to me. Whether it’s been traveling around the world in different shapes or forms or taking on new projects as a freelance writer.

But even though I’d already hiked two long-distance trails in the past, I still felt a need to claim my own independence as a thru-hiker. I still needed to prove myself to myself. And I figured the only way to do it, was to hike solo.

Luckily at mile 730, I had a change of heart.

After checking in to a Super 8 Motel in Daleville, Virginia, I headed out for breakfast at a local diner. But after a quick look on Google Maps, I soon realized that the diner that I was headed towards was a 15-minute walk.

And when one is off trail and in town, one does not walk 15 minutes unless it’s an absolute necessity.

I quickly turned around to head for the grocery store instead.

As I walked to the store I realized I hadn’t seen Tang again, which surprised me. After going our separate ways, we met briefly at a shelter the same day I hiked out of Pearisburg. When not seeing her the next day, I figured she had gone up (crazy) early and – being a fast hiker – had passed me and was way ahead.

As I kept hiking down the busy road, a hiker in yellow shorts with avocados on them appeared in the corner of my eye. There was no mistake as to who it was.

It was no other than Tang.

And from that point onwards, I was no longer hiking the AT solo.