No. 16 Vol. 5
O
www.mypaperonline.com
May 2018
Local Man Shares Hike Adventure Along Appalachian
n May 3, Robert Wagner of Florham Park left Springer Mountain in Georgia to begin his long trek northward. His goal: to hike more than 1,300 miles from the start of the Appalachian Trail (AT) all the way to his hometown in Mt. Olive. “Hiking on the AT has been a dream of mine for over a decade,” Wagner shared. “Ever since I read “A Walk In the Woods,” by Bill Bryson, for a summer reading project in high school, I’ve wanted to do it.” Walking more than 1,300 miles may sound like a relatively simple goal in theory (just keep following the white blazes) but the reality has been anything but. “I had no idea how much planning was needed for a successful hike, food, water, taking care of your feet, and so many things you didn’t even think to think about,” he said. When asked about the challenges he’s
faced on the trail so far, Wagner laughed and shrugged. “I was hit with some trail magic the first few hours that I set foot on the trail!” he said. “On my very first day, I showed up at Springer Mountain and immediately started hiking in the opposite direction,” Wagner laughed. “If it hadn’t been for these three girls from Florida, “The Ladies of the Land” who knows how far I would have walked the wrong way.” By the time Wagner and the Ladies of the Land parted ways, Wagner was christened with the aptly titled trail name “Compass,” in honor of getting lost on the trail within the first few hours of arriving. Despite the setback, Wagner claims that so far, the experience has exceeded all expectations. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I know that not everything is going to be perfect,” Wagner explained, “but that’s the point, to challenge my mind and body while experiencing something that few people have the time or the resources to experience.” So far, Wagner and his small band of thru-hikers, “Goochi” and “Warrior,” have beaten the odds and have made it all the way through Georiga. If they are able to make it all the way to Hot Springs, N.C., their odds of completing the hike increase dramatically.
“Over 1/3 of the thru-hikers who start, quit by the time they reach Neels Gap, one of the first re-supply points in Georgia,” he said. “The next big quitting point will be in the Smokey Mountains.” In addition to fulfilling his dream, Wagner is also working to raise money for charity along the way to honor his best friend’s mother, Janet Drury, who passed away from pancreatic cancer after a short and brutal diagnosis. “To be able to raise money for a cause like this makes this hike even more important to me,” Wagner shared, “so far we have raised over $1,000 dollars in charitable donations.” By the time this article will be posted, Wagner and his merry band of hikers will have reached the Smokies and will be climbing over a mile into the sky. “Wish us luck!”
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