Anxious But Independent

Gerry had always been a strong independent woman, however, her anxiety was one thing she had battled with all her life. Her husband has always been an immense help in getting Gerry’s anxiety under control. But despite that, she decided to go on this trip without him. She believed this was a hurdle that she needed to overcome on her own.

Terrible Sense Of Direction

George was not on board with this plan. He wanted to accompany her on the trip for numerous reasons, like for one, Gerry had a terrible sense of direction and this trail was known to be challenging as it is. Plus it was not a matter of days, it will take her months to finish the trail.

BFF Trip

After endless discussions between the couple, they finally reached a middle ground. Gerry agreed, after much resistance, to bring along her best friend, Jane Lee, on this trip with her. Gerry and Jane have been friends since they were little kids, and she knew George too since they all went to the same high school. She was the perfect person to accompany Gerry on this hike.

No Thru-hiking

George had one more condition, even though Gerry was not going alone anymore, the ladies were in their sixties and they require extra precaution. So it was decided they won’t thru-hike the trail and instead they will keep meeting George along the way, who would check in on them and restock their supplies.

Commencing The Trail

So after countless preparations and discussions, the two women set off on their journey on April 23, 2013. They entered the trail through an opening at Harper’s Ferry in West Virginia. Gerry had a newfound burst of energy, she was not sure if this because of the trip or being on foot again, but she was enjoying every moment of it.

The Forest

Gerry loved to hike deep in the woods. The sky vanishes almost completely leaving only a few blue fragments scattered like a jigsaw puzzle. The air is rich with the smell of flowers and leaves, the sound of running water is hypnotic to her ears. Outside, the summer sun is bright and warm but here in the woods, it only peaks between the dispersed branches of the thick trees.