Slice readers may recall some months back when we posted a story about Gabe Blanchet, the MIT student who endeavored to thru-hike all 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trial to raise money for juvenile diabetes research. We've got good news: He made it!
In just 124 days, Blanchet walked from Georgia to Maine and raised more than $11,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. His three main takeaways, originally published on his blog http://gabehikestheat.tumblr.com/, are posted below:1) Materials and money do not equal happinessRead more about Blanchet's hike on his blog, and view additional photos on his Facebook page.So long as you have a certain amount of each, you don’t need more. Give it away. Living out of a 38-liter backpack taught me exactly what I need and what I don’t.
2) Experiences are best shared
Except for certain reflective outings, I want the people in my life who I care about to share future experiences and adventures with me. Enough is enough with time alone, and hiking all of June void of companionship showed me that.
3) Hike your own hike, and enjoy it
That’s what Hot Rock (the shuttler who whisked me to the AT in Georgia) told me. And he was right. Perhaps this is part of any young man’s coming of age, but I started to trust my own judgment while making decisions on the Trail.
