I have read way too many of these kinds of stories. Thru-hikers are akin to long distance runners.(For some of them) Their goal is to brag about how many mile

I have read way too many of these kinds of stories. Thru-hikers are akin to long distance runners.(For some of them) Their goal is to brag about how many miles they walked and how grueling it was, and that's exactly what this author does. I have backpacked for close to 50 years now and there are a few types of hikers I've run across that have sucked up my time or just been obnoxious to meet on the trails and by far thru-hikers are likely to be obnoxious. I've had them hike into my camp at night, tell me this is where they've planned to setup for the night, and then demand I give them water because they ran out, and ask for supplies like bandages, neosporin, aspirin, tylenol, and even food. I have cut trips short because of that. It happened so often I quit using hiking trails and that I can kind of thank them for because I'd been leery of bushwhacking far off trail and getting lost. I had to sharpen my mapping skills and learn how to remember how to get back to my starting point. That was actually pretty easy once I put it in practice and now with a topo map and compass I always know where I am so I can wander aimlessly in our forests for days, which are the same forests the author talks about blistering her feet. I've been hiking here for over 30 years and never blistered my feet. And I wouldn't consider myself to be anything but stupid if I did. Had she taken the time to get off trail and explore the "hills and hollers" here she could have wrote about the stunning beauty everywhere you go no matter what direction you take. Instead she told everyone how miserable it was but she was tough enough to take it and you should learn how to "suffer" too. If you really want to learn how to suffer come here and hike those trails in the summer and don't use any bug repellent. The ticks and chiggers will give you a serious lesson in suffering and it'll last at least a couple weeks after you've left.