WESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) – 2,193 miles, 14 states, nine months, and two people today who set out to reach anything that lots of never achieve—hiking the entirety of the Appalachian Path.
That’s the reality for Ken and Allie Dravis, who lately moved to Weston.
The notion commenced five months immediately after a getaway to Maryland took them to a piece of the trail.
“I was just form of on a soapbox about ‘I think if persons walked and put in time outdoors for an prolonged time period of time, that we’d all understand how to communicate far better with each other’ and very long story short, I just imagined I need to set my dollars where by my mouth is,” stated Ken.
On March 11, 2021, the couple began out in the center of the trail in Roanoke, Va. and began their journey north to Maine, the place one of the trailheads is found.
The couple celebrated milestones during their time on the trail.
“We celebrated our initial marriage anniversary on the trail,” said Allie.
Ken pointed out that they celebrated a lot of distinctive matters all through their hike.
“For nine months, we celebrated a great deal of matters on the path. Fourth of July, St. Patrick’s Working day, Allie’s birthday. We celebrated a Thanksgiving on the path,” stated Ken.
The pair manufactured several buddies with people and wildlife alike through their hike.
“What I assume impacted us the most have been the persons. We saw and fulfilled a full new wavelength of mates and actually cherish people new friendships. It is a different breed of folk that set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail,” mentioned Allie.
The couple made it to Maine on Sept. 10 following hiking 1,482.6 miles. But, they weren’t carried out there.
They made their way again to Roanoke, the place they hiked the other 700 or so miles south to the other trailhead.
On Dec. 7, Ken and Allie produced it to Georgia—completing their “flip-flop” hike.
“Physically, of class, it’s incredibly demanding. But, there is a mental component to it as effectively. Some persons, that actually influences far more than others. We truly took our time so we did not sense so pressured that way. I feel we did not have as lots of psychological battles,” said Allie.
Oh, and you may perhaps be wanting to know just how young Ken and Allie are Ken just turned 64 years old, although Allie is 47. The pair knows it’s unusual for people their age to complete the trail.
“It’s a lot of the children, 18 to 25. So, there’s 40 and about, the numbers go way down that basically finish it every calendar year. I feel we’re quite happy about that,” said Ken.
The couple has some insight to share about how to get by means of the hike or anything in everyday living that can be difficult.
“When you consider about strolling, 5 million actions, 2,193 miles, it’s all performed a single step at a time. So, regardless of what your objective is or possibly how insurmountable some thing may possibly seem, if you just acquire a person step at a time and be persistent, you are going to get there,” mentioned Ken.
The few, who returned property just a couple months in the past, options to go on mountaineering in the north central West Virginia spot.