What is a flip flop hiker?

So really, what is a flip-flop? It's simple. Instead of starting in Georgia or Maine and hiking north or south, you start, well, wherever you want and hike in whichever direction you'd like. Once you've reached the end you go back to where you originated from and walk in the opposite direction.

thetrek.co - Why I Am Doing a Flip-Flop Thru-Hike - The Trek

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What the heck is a flip-flop?

No one who has learned that I’m thru-hiking the AT has been shocked; not in the least bit. In fact, most have wondered what has taken so long. The first and obvious question consistently has been, “You’re thru-hiking with Winnie, right?” The second question, however, is where everyone seems to get confused. Me: ”So next year’s our year, the money’s right, the timing’s right, we’re thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail” Them: “OMG! This is so exciting! You’re hiking with Winnie, right?! Where are you starting? Georgia? Maine?”

Me: “Virginia.”

“But I thought you were hiking the whole thing?” “I am.” “But you said you’re starting in Virginia?” “I am. I’m hiking a flip-flop.” “You’re hiking in flip-flops?” “No, I’m starting in VA, hiking north, then flipping back down to VA and hiking south.” “But I thought you were hiking the whole thing?” “😑”

So really, what is a flip-flop?

It’s simple. Instead of starting in Georgia or Maine and hiking north or south, you start, well, wherever you want and hike in whichever direction you’d like. Once you’ve reached the end you go back to where you originated from and walk in the opposite direction.

Get it? Got it? Good. But why in the world would anyone want to thru-hike in such an unconventional manner?

Why in the world am I flip-flopping?

“But don’t you wanna finish on Katahdin?”

There are a whole host of reasons why individuals choose a flip-flop thru-hike. A larger weather window, beating the crowds, logistical aspects; for me, it can be summed up with two words that hold my entire heart: my dog. I am a distance hiker through and through. I love walking all day, I love sleeping in the dirt, and I love carrying everything I need on my back. The caveat is so does my dog, possibly even more than me. Do I want to finish on “The Greatest Mountain?” Absolutely! But can I picture finishing without Winnie? Absolutely not.

“Why not go SOBO, then?”

This is always an interesting question because in theory it makes sense; however, I can’t imagine summiting Katahdin without walking there first and I also can’t imagine asking Winnie to hike the hardest parts of the trail right from the start. So how do I walk to Katahdin and also finish the Appalachian Trail with Winnie by my side? We flip-flop.

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So what’s our itinerary and why?

We have registered with the ATC to begin our thru-hike at Rockfish Gap on May 15. This puts us on the easiest sections of the trail (the Shenandoahs, Northern VA, Maryland, and Southern PA) as we build our trail legs back up before the rocks of Pennsylvania. This also puts us in our “backyard” for roughly 200 miles as we hike an area we are intimately acquainted with. This will allow us to not worry about logistics and be focused solely on hiking and getting back in shape for a really long walk. Setting Winnie up for success is key and starting at this point is paramount. Starting at mile 863 during that time puts us ahead of the largest NOBO bubble with plenty of time to reach Maine before flipping back to Virginia to hiking south with a small group of SOBOs, SOBOs we will most likely meet in New England as we are still hiking north. In essence we will be chasing spring before pursuing fall and the farther north we hike the farther south we will be. Never ones to be conventional hikers, we will find ourselves on a most unconventional thru-hike. A journey three years in the making, which every other long-distance hike we’ve endured has led to.

So what now?

Now we do what every AT hopeful does: we continue to save money and wait. Although we have our gear dialed in, I have been making some changes in our setup, like switching from a tarp to a tent, so we’ll be going out for 12 days next month to ensure some of the changes I’ve made are the changes I want for our hike. It’s debatable whether I should call it a shakedown or not. It’s also debatable if I’m calling it a shakedown as an excuse for a 12-day hike. I hope you all will follow along with our journey as it slowly unfolds over the next few months and as we embark on a walk spanning all four seasons.

The farther north we get, the farther south we’ll be. ❤️

thetrek.co - Why I Am Doing a Flip-Flop Thru-Hike - The Trek

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