Questions&Answers: Pt 1- Appalachian Trail Thru Hike Attempt 2024

[@stanthemanhikes2965]

Thanks for those answers ladies. Mama Bear I think you’re correct in saying it probably wasn’t the best season of life for a thru hike attempt for you and Little Bear considering all of the family dynamics. It would be exciting to see you and your husband attempt together when you retire. I hope you do!!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Yeah, most definitely! It would’ve been best to plan a LASH instead of going in with the thru hike mindset, but that of course, is hindsight vision. 😂 It was awesome though and we have no regrets. All good! It’ll be epic if my husband and I have the chance to attempt a thru hike when we both retire!

[@loririchardson3547]

So glad to see that you are enjoying being back at home and not regretting the choice to get off trail. So proud of the 2 of you ladies.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 💙🙏🏼 No regrets. We will never regret choosing family. The trail will be there when the season is better to be gone for 6 months. 😊

[@CindyAltwies1]

Awesome to see you guys and loved the questions and answers. Looking forward to the next video❤❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@michelleb1248]

So happy to see you are both home and acclimating back to your daily life. I look forward to your future videos.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@deborahpratt8311]

Good to see you ladies on video again….😊❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@lynlandham3779]

Thanks for this video. I've wondered how you're doing and hoped you did not regret leaving the trail. It will be fun to see what you all decide to do next!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! Exciting adventures coming soon! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@cindyann5314]

Thanks for the update! When you made the announcement you both looked so relieved and just lighter. That was the only indication that the hike was getting heavier each day away from home. So glad you are back in your happy place with your family. I look forward to seeing your future adventures.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you for watching! In the end, being back with family is the most amazing part of our adventure. It was so awesome on the AT, too, but nothing compares to our sweet family! More adventures coming soon! Thanks again for being here. 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@RickINFJ]

It was so good to see you Bears!! 😀 Great job assisting with the questions, Ava. I feel privileged to have been part of your incredible journey MB and LB. Thank you so much for taking us along. I hope someday you can see the majesty of the Whites and western Maine. I'm not just saying that because it's my stomping grounds. 😂 It truly is glorious. Take care family and I look forward to the next installment. ✌️🌲🏕🌲

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks for your support and encouragement! Sharing our journey was such a fun part of our time on trail. One day, we’ll get to the Whites and the rest of the AT! We’re looking forward to sharing more of our adventures soon! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@RickINFJ]

@@wildflowersadventures Btw, you and LB totally made the right decision. The happiness on your faces was an undeniable testament to that. 😊 See ya on the next! ✌️

[@julietrinchard3699]

My goodness! I miss seeing you all ! Super special to see you today; it was fun having you answer my question about moving to the mountains one day. Thank you for all the inspiration and sharing your love of God while on trail ; all so heartwarming!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you for being here! We’re excited to share upcoming adventures. We look forward the day where we head to the mountains to live! God already has the perfect place for us. 🙏🏼💙☀️😊 God bless!

[@mariannekillin8179]

Thanks for the update! So glad you are doing well. Looking forward to the continuing adventures.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 🙏🏼 💙☀️✨

[@emilymurphy2926]

Thank you for your time to answer questions. Love the tree and the water. Glad your both doing well.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@AmyStoneYT]

I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed seeing your vlogs every morning, until seeing tonight’s Q & A. Thrilled to see you both happy and healthy. Thank you so much for the update! You daily updates were my favourite. ***Have you considered making your own Freeze Dried Meals? A couple who had done the PCT and the CDT, now have an entire book out with many recipes they used while thru hiking. Far better than the store bought meals. Looking forward to your part 2 video ❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! You are so kind! 😊 We’re excited to be back and doing videos again. I have done some of my own dehydrating here and there, but not as a main source of food. I don’t have a freeze dryer (they are sooo expensive! Thousands $$$), and I think that’s probably a better route than a dehydrator. I’d love to buy a freeze dryer in the future.

[@LeaC816]

Good to see y’all!! Thanks for popping in. I hope your girls trip was packed with fun and everyone is doing well!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 🙏🏼 💙☀️

[@suehancock5573]

Hello Bears! It was so good to see you again! Everyone looks happy, refreshed & healthy! Enjoy your time in the Florida Keys! I’m glad you are enjoying your family! 😊 God Bless and looking forward to more adventures! ❤️. Give Ellie a hug for me. 😻😼

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks so much! We had a great time! We’re excited to share our family adventures! God bless! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@tomsquires638]

It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks it was your hike great job god bless

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! We appreciate you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@sarahjordan-vf5fj]

Loved watching you on the trail! Hope you can make it back one day. You were an encouragement to others like me who want to hike. Hiked up Blood Mtn recently and it was hot!!! Blessings to you all.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! I’m so happy to hear we encouraged you. Thanks for being a part of our journey. We’re looking forward to sharing more adventures soon! Love & light to you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@yvonnejones5412]

You two are to be commended! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed your videos. So happy we got to meet you at Newfound Gap. Will never forget the moment you two came out of the woods. It was a moment we won't forget! ❤ Glad you are happy and back with precious family. Looking forward to more video updates in the future. Blessings!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! It was a pleasure meeting you both! We’re looking forward to sharing more adventures! Stay tuned! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@Pamela_Army_Chick]

Hi beautiful ladies - MB, LB & Ava. I am so happy to see your smiling faces, Nice to see Ava helping you guys. I hope MB & LB that you are planning some cool things on KZbin, because rest assured that I will be glued to your channel. Be safe and God Bless you and your family.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! 😊 We’re excited to shift to new adventures and can’t wait to share them with you! Thank you for your support and encouragement. 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@dustinandsawyer7498]

At 27:37 an iguana comes creeping over the seawall. Ha ha love it.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hahaha, they were everywhere and quite demanding. 😂

[@pauliedavis49]

So great to catch up! Thank you!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you for watching! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@cathyparker6980]

So glad to see you Bears and Ava also. ❤🐻 ❤🐻❤️🐻❤️ I’ve thought about you a lot. I know you have been having a wonderful time being back home with family and of course Ellie. Will look forward to following you along on some other adventures. God Bless You!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you for being here! We’ve missed you all! Sharing our adventure was one of the greatest parts of the trail. We look forward to sharing more adventures soon! God bless! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@jujudavis65]

I miss you both so so much!😊 I know you have peace and happiness now that you are home ❤ Can’t wait for more videos!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you 😊 We’re so happy to be home and look forward to sharing more adventures soon! Love and light to you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@jacquikostige4001]

Omgosh it was great to see you two and Ava too.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! So happy to have you here! We’re looking forward to sharing our family adventures! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@russellely1021]

good to see you again! glad to hear that you only put a comma in the hike. glad to hear you have plans for the future to try and section hike.. you are doing a great time answering question as to the reasons you decided to come off the trail. it's good for those watching to think about .

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! We’re happy to share our experience. It’s been nice being able to be back home and take some time to process. It was one amazing adventure that we will cherish forever. We’re excited for our family adventures! 😊

[@russellely1021]

@@wildflowersadventures glad you both are safe and have had a wonderful trip

[@tresannrn8454]

It’s so great seeing you two! Ava looks so much like you Momma Bear! How are you Guys? You are missed but never above the happiness I saw when you two beautiful ladies were heading home! That was enough for me! I’m still enjoying my shirt and I get compliments so often. Please know that my heart and prayers are with you both. You made my day…daily! Only good vibes for you Ladies going forward as well as your entire family! Look forward to seeing more Wildflower Adventures in the future!!✌️🙂💚

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much!! 💙 We can’t tell you how much we appreciate your support and kindness! We are both doing well! We’re adjusting to being back home and getting back into our normal routines. It’s so great to be back with our family. We’re grateful! We’re looking forward to sharing more adventures soon! Thanks for being here with us! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@tresannrn8454]

@@wildflowersadventures That makes me smile!! It’s the way it’s meant to be!✌️🙂💚

[@WildCloudberry]

I am 100% not disappointed ❤ Although I looked forward to watching your videos each morning and loved watching your progress, I am so happy that you made the decision to follow what felt right in your hearts.💕 It's about the journey, not the destination. And the journey continues! Looking forward to more videos ❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! You’re so right. We had an amazing journey and we’re proud that we hiked our own hike, every step of the way. It served us well. We’re glad that you’re here and look forward to sharing more adventures soon! 😊

[@maureenmukhlis2934]

So AWESOME to see you both!! I am so happy for you!! I completely understand how you feel! Family is everything to me too and it would be so difficult to be away from my family for so long too! Can’t wait to be able to see your adventures you go on with your loved ones in the future. THE KEYS ARE SO INCREDIBLY AMAZING 🙌🙌 camping in The Dry Tortugas is on the top of my bucket list!! I always love to spend my birthday in the Keys on my kayak 🥰🥰 Sending a big hug and lots of good wishes to you all🙏🙏💗💗

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 🙏🏼 💙 Yes, family is everything! We have no regrets and are so happy to be back home. The Keys are beautiful. Camping in the Dry Tortugas is high on our list and we’re looking forward to planning that adventure one day. It’s quite expensive, especially for the 6 of us, but I think it’ll be worth it. Love and light to you! ((Hugs)) 😊

[@elle366]

Thanks for the update! Good to see you all! Is that the Sunshine Skyway bridge behind you?! If so, I finally got brave enough to drive over it a couple of years ago , on my way to Sarasota from Tampa Intl airport.

[@wildflowersadventures]

We’re in Key West! 😊

[@judithpearson3968]

Good morning, Bears. Didn't know what else to call you. Good morning, Ava. Great to see how happy you seem, very relaxed. Little Bear and Ava, I hope that you both and the other 2 appreciate how blessed you are to have the mom and family you have. Today, I can understand that, because even tho it is small, I now have the love and support I had never experienced. Ava has a very soft voice. It was difficult to hear the questions. Could she speak louder on the next video? Thanks. It was interesting to hear you both share after the fact. Take care. Stay safe. See you next video.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! We are a blessed family and so grateful. We’ll see what we can do with the volume. Thanks for watching and your support! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@michaellocke2766]

Thanks for sharing!!!😊 Nice trail hiking.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks for being here! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨

[@laurafitz3868]

Lovely seeing you again ❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏼💙☀️

[@gina5827]

So good to see you. Enjoyed the Q +A. 😊

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! 🙏🏼 💙☀️✨

[@whynotbekind1957]

Did you do it to boost your youtube channel? or start one? I remember you guys handing out stickers with your channel name…i guess i just remember you saying your family has the mentality that “we can do hard things”. So i would think working through the “boredom” and missing family would have been your “hard thing” to overcome…Not criticizing you at all…just trying to wrap my head around all the planning, saying that you could totally finish because you are strong…yet you didn’t complete your goal. Trying to figure out if everything you say is just a positive spin on the fact that you couldn’t finish..I have followed many hikers and never have heard anyone say they quit because it was too easy…seems like if it was that easy, you wijld have finished dlfast enough that you would have been done before you got bored or. missed your family. Still good that you had a good time with your daughter and that you got to make it past 700.

[@wildflowersadventures]

-No, we didn’t plan a thru hike of the AT for a KZbin channel. We decided to vlog long after we started planning. We handed out stickers because it was fun. We like to have fun and connecting with our viewers was an enjoyable part of our journey. -Indeed, we, and our family do hard things. I don’t recall ever saying the trail was too easy. It was not easy. And I know we never said we quit because it was too easy. Not sure where you’re getting that idea. -We do hard things, yes…but being away from our family for 6 months and missing them proved to be TOO hard for us. The physical challenge wasn’t. I hope this makes sense. At this point, I’m not sure how much more I can explain.

[@hazeover100]

You choose a nice background for this. Like the large Iguana wanting to join the group at 27.39

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks! The Keys are beautiful! The iguanas are everywhere. 😂

[@aliciastraub3477]

That was an Iguana?! It scared me! I am reading the comments solely to find out what that creature was! 😂

[@jimmyjohnstone5878]

​@@aliciastraub3477invasive species which causes damage to indigenous animal numbers by predation. They are culled in many areas of Florida but not in sufficient numbers to reduce the population.

[@Lovesracing19]

I wish you could have gotten to Harper's Ferry.

[@wildflowersadventures]

We could have…but we were just ready to be home. 😊

[@rwp722]

So many KZbinrs are dishonest about the hike. It's hard, it's tough. They never show themselves leaning over their poles, trying to catch their breath while sweat drips off both elbows only to reach the top for no view. Nothing is easy, and it becomes a grind. I had to stop watching your videos because it appeared I was hiking the wrong Appalachian trail. I struggled every day, and having some KZbinr say it's not that hard and beautiful and that all the other cliches insulted me. Due to a hernia, I had to get off trail on day 91, mile 972. The trail is challenging, but if it's important enough, you'll figure out a way to finish; if it's not, you'll find excuses - it was too hard to finish for me. I will try again.

[@wildflowersadventures]

So sorry to hear about your injury. That has to be terribly painful, and then to add it to living on trail! Wow! Praying for complete and expedient healing. Sorry to hear that you took offense to our interpretation of the trail and took it as a personal reflection on you. If you watched every video, we talk about it being hard…very, very hard some days. Every day was painful in some way or another. But, outside of injury, it all comes down to mindset. That you CAN control. If you focus on the struggle, the struggle feels overwhelming and everything feels that much harder. We acknowledged our struggles each day, but chose to focus on the positives. We had hard days. We talk about those, we just didn’t make them bigger than they were. Anyway, yes, if you want it bad enough, nothing can truly stop you. For us, we didn’t want to finish more than we wanted to be with our family…we hiked our hike from day one til the very last day and we have no regrets. Good luck on your future attempts! My husband still wants to thru hike, so we will likely attempt together once we both retire. Very excited for that time to come, but I’ll have to wait about 6 years.

[@Hope8x28]

I'm sorry you're injured. I'm so tired of people labeling choices as excuse. Choosing to be done and go home isn't a failure. It's so bizarre to me that people can choose to not play baseball anymore or they really aren't into fishing anymore and people don't think twice about it. However, realizing a thru hike isn't your jam and everyone feels entitled to judge your choice.

[@rwp722]

@@Hope8x28 Quitting or continuing is not the point. Glossing over the hike is. It is hard-everything about it is hard - it's not all campfires and watering holes.

[@andymytys]

I feel the high expense of your hike was mainly due to choice, and certainly doesn’t need to be seen as the norm by others planning to hike the trail. I also feel that the southern AT is more expensive for NOBO hikers because they’re putting in lower mileage days at the start, plus are not trail hardened yet. There are also a ton of road crossings, shuttle drivers, and hostels temping you to get off trail along the southern AT. After 500 miles, certainly after 1000 miles, you start to see the remaining hikers spending much less if, for no other reason, thet they spent way too much $$$ in GA, NC, and TN and realize, if they keep it up, they’ll run out of money before reaching Maine. Others just acclimate to trail life. You guys never looked like you fell into the “hiker trash” lifestyle. Congrats on that. I understand your choices, especially with a child, but you didn’t just shower at hostels and get back on trail without overnighting in town. You chose to spend multiple days off trail in the same location, and you paid for shuttles rather than hitching. Convenience and comfort come at a cost. I also noticed that you chose to spend nights in your tent when on trail, so I get why you wouldn’t want to be exposed during severe storms. The budget conscious hiker would use the shelters on trail when concerned about storms and safety, bundled in their sleeping bag, waiting out the weather. Hikers planning on staying on trail just need to carry a little extra food in case they need to be on trail longer than anticipated. I think $1000 per month is more than enough. Then you have extreme budget hikers, like Quadzilla, who is currently posting videos on his “Hike the AT for $1000” project. There’s room on the AT for hikers on all sorts of budgets.

[@wildflowersadventures]

You can certainly choose to spend a lot less, for sure. And no doubt, some of my choices may have been different if I were solo or with my husband. Hiking with my daughter influenced every decision I made.

[@suehinze1566]

Hey Bears, good to see you and Ava again. Looks like a beautiful place for a girls' vacation. Thanks for the Q&A, and I'm looking forward to the next one. I was just wondering how hard it was to get back to your normal sleep patterns? I know a lot of times you guys went to bed pretty early, around 7 or so, and Hiker midnight was 9ish? What's been the hardest to get used to after getting back home? Thanks for bringing us along on your journey. ✌️🫶❤️

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hey there! Thank you! Great questions! I’ll add them into the part 2 of Q&A.

[@suehinze1566]

@@wildflowersadventures thanks❤️

[@christycharles4118]

I miss ur video wish u guys do it again good luck for u y'all

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏼💙

[@christycharles4118]

@@wildflowersadventures ur welcome anytime

[@grantjordan4672]

Wow beautiful backdrop ! Is that the keys ?

[@wildflowersadventures]

Yep! Key West at the Ibis Resort. 😊

[@amynapier3551]

Maybe the Virginia Triple Crown was your Katahdin for this adventure. Not a bad way to end it. Hope you and your family have many, happy trails ahead.

[@wildflowersadventures]

That’s a great way to think about it! Maybe! In the end, we feel fulfilled and so grateful. Thank you for your support and kindness. 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@joankline343]

Momma Bear 🐻 and Baby bear I've really enjoyed following you both and thanks for taking the time to include us in on your adventure and journey. I really enjoyed every one of your videos. I apologize for not responding earlier but I have long covid from 2021 and on oxygen. You both encourage and inspire me to always keep trying to overcome. Also I'm watching my grandchildren which is a bit of a trial and time consuming. My grandchildren want to hike someday since we watched several last year on the AT 2023 including Stella Hikes, Audrey on the AT, Chasing blazes, OG Hikes, Life is Superior and several others. It's good for children to learn new life skills and decision making at it best. I hope that all of my grandchildren get outside and enjoy nature and see the many blessings that God has given us. I don't blame you at all for getting off trail. Yes Family is important and no one ever knows what might happen tomorrow. We know that God is in control of the future but we could miss out on a lot of precious memories by chasing a dream. It's great to see that you're a close family. Momma Bear you can be really proud of Baby Bear. She's a born leader. She has an outstanding personality and does really well with the video's. Your other daughter has done really well with the videos as well. Gotta go for now. Hope to see you all again soon! My grandson wants to hang out. 😅🤗 ❤😉

[@jimmyjohnstone5878]

There definitely were hints that you were about to stop. LB kept saying she missed the cat and MB that she missed the family. However the main hint was that you became fully happy looking when in town and a bit bored at the tedium of daily camping life. There was a clear difference in your demeanor in each setting; happy and lively off trail and 'flat' on trail. You did the right thing for yourselves in coming off trail.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks so much. We definitely talked about missing family for the majority of our time on trail. And that’s interesting that it came across that we were happier off trail because we didn’t feel that way. We appreciated the shower, town food and comforts of the hostel or here, but we were always so happy to be back in our tent. But yeah, ultimately, we made the right decision and are so happy to be back together with our family. Home is where the heart is and home is with our family. 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@jimmyjohnstone5878]

@@wildflowersadventures that observation on how you appeared on video only applied to the final two weeks or so. Otherwise, as you say, you looked happy on trail. It's good that you can both be honest with each other and, ultimately, made the correct decision for you two and for the other family members.

[@Mwilke3789]

I had a feeling about a month in that you wouldn’t finish. I mean this in the best way possible but you guys are too emotionally healthy 😂 in my experience it seems that most people I know who accomplish crazy things (like a 6 month thru hike), are either running away from or chasing some sort of personal demon. You guys don’t seem to have any. I know no one is perfect but you guys had an amazing handle on physically and emotionally dealing with what the trail threw at you. And honestly that can be boring 😂 especially when you have a beautiful loving family waiting for you at home and don’t have the ability to eat well in your own kitchen. You hiked, you had fun, you recognized when you weren’t getting anything from it anymore, and you got off. A true healthy decision. Loved watching your journey ❤ you are an inspiration.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you 🙏🏼 I appreciate your kind words and support. That makes sense. We were simply in it for the adventure and the adventure became less appealing as opposed to being back at home with our family. I think when my husband and I both retire, and the kids will all be off doing their own things, that will be a great time to backpack for 6 months. 😊

[@GeraldTurner-rz2pz]

Hay y'all. I have watched all of your videos from the beginning. I have so much respect for you and the family. You are good people. But, I want to comment on your decision to leave the trail, if I may. You had a great, admirable goal of this AT thru-hike. I hope that you are not temporarily misguiding yourselves by stepping away from it at this time. You've spent the first 1/3'd of the trail preparing yourselves for the epic finish that is awaiting you. Sure, it's difficult. But you are tough. Remember this famous Mark Twain quote: "20 years from now it won't be the things you did that you will regret. It will be the things you didn't do. So, hoist the anchor, put up the sails and leave the safe port for open waters and adventure." Your family understands, loves and supports you. Y'all have the mental and physical stamina to complete it, and plenty of time. Remember, "If it was a good goal to begin with, it's still a good goal." I just know in my gut how you two girls and your family will feel when you stand on the summit of Katahdin and reflect what youve gone through to get there. It is a life change adventure and LB will have learned so many of life's lessons that will support her in the future. You will be so proud of yourselves for accomplishing a dream. Thanks for listening. I apologize for interfering in your business. Kanati, AT 2008

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hey there! Thank you for your encouragement and support. I sincerely appreciate you. It feels good people like you truly believe in us! 🙏🏼💙 But, I think you hit the nail on the head: upon further reflection, it wasn’t really a good goal in the beginning. Attainable? Yes, without a doubt…but at what cost? The goal was not good because of the season of life we’re in. Thank you for acknowledging the facts that we both have the physical and mental fortitude and stamina to complete a thru hike. We both feel we proved that to ourselves after 758 miles. No questions whatsoever on our behalf. We know in our hearts that we could have completed it. But again, being away from our family was a price we weren’t willing to pay. It just wasn’t worth it to us anymore. I think some people put much too much emphasis on the destination rather than the journey, and we simply have never and don’t subscribe to that ideology. I will never regret our prepping, planning and walk of 758 miles, but I think we would’ve regretted missing 6 months of being with our family at this stage/season of our lives. Our priorities shifted once we could accurately compare them. The AT isn’t going anywhere. It will still be an amazing accomplishment if we choose to attempt again in a later season of life.

[@GeraldTurner-rz2pz]

@@wildflowersadventures Beautifully said. Your kids have a great Mom. And many women who subscribe to your channel are inspired by your example. Thank you again and may God bless all that you do. Glory be to him. One more thing. I am planning my second AT thru-hike in 2025. God has blessed me with great health and physical abilities. If He approves, I want to make it happen. My wife of 54 years supports me, and my kids and grandkids all support the idea. I was 62 when I hiked it in 08. I'll be 79 if and when I finish the next one. I plan to video and post it on KZbin. My launch date is February 01. I will appreciate any additional support I can conjure up :). Thank y'all.

[@GeraldTurner-rz2pz]

Mental and moral support is the type I am talking about. I've got everything else taken care of.

[@wildflowersadventures]

@GeraldTurner-rz2pz thank you! We’re excited for your journey next year. May God bless you and be with you every single step of the way! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@tomellis3218]

Just checking in are you planning to do an equipment review from your AT Adventure. ❤😊

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hi! Yes! 😊 I’m editing as we speak. It should be out in the next day or two. 😊

[@tomellis3218]

@@wildflowersadventureswonderful. Have felt any After the AT depression from missing the simplicity of trail life, versus all the many decision one makes to live life back in the world? ❤😊

[@wildflowersadventures]

@tomellis3218 Great question. I think maybe a little….i didn’t feel sadness necessarily, but more like a lack of solid direction and motivation to go right back into my normal work routine. And even though I was so glad to be back with our family, I did and still do miss the trail. I felt that way for the first few weeks after arriving back home. From a physiological perspective, I think those feelings had a lot to do with the high physical output we got used to doing on trail to then adapting to regular life again that doesn’t require nearly as much physical exertion. I know it’s common in many athletes, and it makes sense from a biochemical perspective.

[@tomellis3218]

@@wildflowersadventures thank you. I so enjoyed your vlogs & miss them. Your editing style was quite impressive and done so well. Your thoughtfulness came through time after time. You did such an impressive of managing your hiking mile progression starting off 6 to 8 miles gradually lengthiness it over time as your body adjusted. And I love your hiking mantra of smiles, not Miles because it’s about the adventure and enjoying it and knowing your limits and knowing when to push and when to pull back and when you’re hiking with somebody else taking them or how they’re doing to make the height the most enjoyable you can and I think you did that beautifully. And I think after your husband retires and you retired, y’all may just go ahead and do that hike. The children will have been grown and probably on their own or college and you can have that time but even if you don’t hike over 500 miles statistically that put you into a relatively small community of people who have accomplished so much like you did. Looking forward to your future post and looking forward to this next post may God continue to bless you and keep you safe and your family.

[@richardharries3164]

I would like to message you privately, but I can’t work out how to do it! Are you still planning to travel north to offer support to the areas affected by the hurricanes?

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hi friend! Yes, we are leaving in just about a week. You can email me at: [e-mail]

[@sheilahenry7279]

I’m glad your are enjoying your time. I think at $1,500. A month (each) that would be a nice shirt vacation each month. And, much better food!😊

[@wildflowersadventures]

Definitely better food! 😂

[@terrynehring855]

Love your videos and look forward to your and your husbands through hike in the future What software do you use for your videos?

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thanks so much! We appreciate you! I use Splice to edit our videos. 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@BeeGeeHikes]

I miss seeing y’all. I seriously think the daily blog, working during your hike, making sure LB was safe (most important task and worry as a mom) was becoming too much, and it can get mentally exhausting and once your heart isn’t in your hiking journey the joy is over. I really hope you and LB get to do another long hike, like the Colorado or Arizona trail.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! We’ve missed interacting with you guys! You all made it so much fun knowing we had such a great online tramily ! 💙 I think those things for sure made the difficulty level much, much higher than if I would’ve rolled solo or if I would’ve hiked with my husband. No doubt caring for a child makes every single decision seem that much more critical. Once I chose to hike with her, it became her hike (and that’s ok! It was awesome ☺️) Hyper vigilance is a stressful thing! We definitely have more backpacking trips upcoming! We’re excited to share them with you all.

[@EddieJoe55]

Oooooh-kkkkaaaa, an AT departure wasn’t on my radar, but it sounds like it wasn’t on your radars either. I suppose that’s why they call these type life-alteration things “surprises”! I am soooo glad this ain’t the last time we all out here in KZbin-Land will be looking at your faces, but now it’s time for the next chapter to see you ALL doing different stuffs!! And whatever “stuffs” might be we must tune in to find out! Keep watch’n folks-could be, “even greater things might we see!”

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement! 🙏🏼💙☀️✨ We are excited to share more adventures soon!

[@stacymcmahon453]

Wow, lol Ava looks so much like LB that before I started watching I thought you photoshopped an extra LB into the thumbnail! As far as missing family, in Scouts when we go to camp, especially summer camp, we try to keep the kids from calling their parents because it always makes homesickness worse, and sometimes brings it on where the kid was fine before. A kid who calls mom and dad almost always ends up going home early. That's not a criticism of you guys, just a thought mostly intended for anyone reading this who might be planning a trip. Looks like you all are having a blast in the Keys -- can't wait to see that video!

[@stacymcmahon453]

Replying to my own comment because I spent so long editing it I figured you may have seen it already. My edit was going to be that I read some of the other comments and I think they more than adequately covered "pointers." Ugh. I think your hike was damn impressive, and even if I was disappointed in the moment when you announced you were getting off trail (I will say I saw the signs a week or more in advance, even if maybe you didn't see some of them yourself) that's about me, not you. I wish some other folks would realize the same before they start typing. You and LB did a lot. You've got me planning my own program to work up to thru-hiking the AT someday, with some aspects based on your experience. For example I wouldn't have really thought about the summer heat, but seeing you out there reminded me that it is an issue, especially when you don't have an air-conditioned place to rest at night. I really do hope you keep making videos of your future adventures, wherever and whatever they are. I'm invested :)

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! We genuinely appreciate your kindness and support. We had an amazing adventure and truly hiked our own hike every step of the way. No regrets! I’m surprised there are a number of people on our channel who are so upset and offended by our journey. It’s very strange to me. But, I’ll share with you that the ugliness you see here in social media/KZbin land does not exist on the actual trail. I think most people who have hike part or all of the trail would wholeheartedly agree. On trail, everyone is so kind, supportive, helpful, and nonjudgmental. Just wanted to share that with you as you prepare for your AT journey. So much awesomeness awaits you! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨ Thanks for being here! We’re happy and excited to share our upcoming adventures!

[@jodigreanead7315]

I wonder if people were so sad and disappointed that they could watch you each day. Your hike videos were the best I’ve ever seen! And , as you know, many have difficulty with emotional awareness and anger and blame may have just been easier than sadness and loss in a sense. You guys are genuine and the real deal. Happy Adventures!

[@spuriouseffect]

I hate the entire idea of thru-hiking. It's the opposite of the freedom of backpacking. The idea that you FAIL if you don't finish a trail in one go seems ridiculous to me. Rushing past beautiful places to meet a deadline is like rushing through life. It's like speed eating and not savoring the food.

[@wildflowersadventures]

I can totally understand that perspective. It makes sense. There are definitely times where speed/making miles becomes a factor. I’m looking forward to getting back out there soon, hopefully in sections, with my family. 😊

[@AztecblondieRN]

Shake down? ❤ Glad you are doing well!!

[@wildflowersadventures]

Hahaha! Yes! Thank you! I was blank! 😂

[@walterlangston4484]

Was wording what happened to you but at least you can say you done the southern hafe.of the trail

[@Stormy-14-]

👍👍❤️❤️

[@wildflowersadventures]

💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@vibelife5133]

Back where y'all belong ✌️❤️

[@wildflowersadventures]

💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@HeyJudeinWV304]

My heart just melted when you said that the trail just didn’t measure up to what you had at home 🥰 That says so much about your family. Also, when you do move north to the mountains, may I suggest almost heaven West Virginia? 😊

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you. We are so blessed with our family. We are immeasurably grateful! We are looking forward to retiring in the mountains! West Virginia would be wonderful! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@andymytys]

I feel that a terrible diet is on the hiker. It takes me an extra 30 minutes or so in camp, but I make my dinners from ingredients I carry and stay away from the highly processed freeze-dried foods. I probably carry an extra 3-4 pounds of weight as a result, but for a 4-5 day hike my pack is still under 25 lbs so it’s worth the trade off as the penalty isn’t horrible overall.

[@wildflowersadventures]

That’s a fair statement, but I feel like that is much more applicable to shorter hikes where you have more control over planning. I found that many times, you are severely limited to what is available to purchase. For instance, convenience stores don’t offer as much as grocery stores do. I’m curious. What are you eating? I’d love to learn better ways. It was a real struggle! Every single hiker I met had the same issues of poor diet. My pack was 26-27lbs, with a 4-5 day food carry and 1L of water. Granted, I was carrying a 3P tent as well, so carrying an extra 3-4 pounds may not be that big of a deal if the nutrition trade off was worth it.

[@andymytys]

@@wildflowersadventures for sure, gas stations will limit the diet. I only cook in the evening unless I need to jump start something cooking by soaking it in boiling water as I hike, to save on fuel. I don’t do coffee or anything like that. For breakfast I will do something sweet like a Lenny and Larry’s Complete Cookie, along with Carnation instant breakfast drink powder with some protein powder mixed in. I’m fine with a pop tart every now and then too. I eat a lot of nuts and dried fruit during the day. I’ll also eat a chip like Freetos. I carry an efficient canister stove (Soto WindMaster) and a larger pot (SnowPeak Trek 900). Then I carry a frying pan (MSR Quick Skillet, 7oz). A lot of my meals use the fry pan. I pack ghee to fry in. I cook and dry my own ground beef and shredded chicken at home, as well as corn, peas, kiwi, etc. I also pack OvaEasy egg crystals and dried shiitake mushrooms. A little goes a long way and it’s so lightweight that I can carry a week to ten days worth if needed so I can ship to post offices consistently. It’s expensive to ship but flat rate boxes and envelopes help and I find it isn’t really more expensive when I take the savings of not buying freeze dried meals into account. Rice, dehydrated refried beans, lentils, and noodles make up the base of my dinners. I’ll also carry tortilla to make wraps. I’ll buy hard cheese and bacon bits along the way. I also carry tomato powder, soy sauce powder, coconut milk powder, and curry cubes for flavor. Then there are spices like red pepper flakes, sugar, tajin, and Italian seasoning. If I get a chance to carry fresh vegetables out of town I’ll take carrots, celery, garlic, cilantro, farm eggs, etc. I know it sounds like a lot but it really isn’t that bad. I still hike 15-20 miles per day, and I’m a slow hiker. I take two one hour breaks during my day and stop for photos. I can make Stromboli in 30 minutes. I always let other hikers sample my food and the consensus seems to be that there’s no comparing my feed to freeze dried food because my food is “real.” Some hikers say they don’t even cook as well as I do on trail for themselves at home, and would even pay for one of my meals at a restaurant. The best compliments. I also find that the time spent cooking helps in digestion. Hikers typically walk all day, get into camp, set up their shelter, cook, eat, hang food, go to sleep. There’s no pause, but they go from one task to another. Cooking slows me down and settles my stomach from the days events. I do have to spend extra time cleaning pots and pans. But that’s ok with me. I typically turn in around 10 pm and wake up at 5 while on trail. I hope the above provides food (no pun intended) for thought.

[@jimmyjohnstone5878]

​@@wildflowersadventuresYou can make your own healthy meals and dehydrate them, then post ahead boxes of these to convenient stopping places along the trail.

[@LupeShoes]

The way you present your experience sounds “spun” to only present positive feelings. I’m trying to say this politely-if that’s even possible. Your presentation feels a bit artificial, which creates a barrier between yourselves and this viewer. Perhaps these are simply your boundaries that protect your emotional privacy. Maybe your family culture is to always present positivity, at least in public. I’m seen as a positive person in general, so it surprises me that your positivity feels a bit contrived.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Did you watch our videos? If you did, this explanation would make a lot more sense. There were plenty of days where we shared the difficulties and realness of our experience.

[@LupeShoes]

@@wildflowersadventures I’ve watched them all.

[@wildflowersadventures]

Well, thanks for sharing your opinion and for following our journey. We appreciate you. 🙏🏼 I’m not sure how we could’ve been more honest. We answered some of the questions asked of us to the best of our ability. We certainly had emotional moments, some of them not positive, but overall, it was a very positive experience for us. Do you have any specific questions?

[@LupeShoes]

@@wildflowersadventures do you think the daily videos added difficulty or tediousness to your journey? I know Dixie (my good friend) only does weekly videos, which stills seems like quite a commitment. Also, you continued to work-admirable-but did that lack of downtime and slower pace prevent you from forming deep friendships on the trail? I know because those relationships can take away the tedium. I do understand missing family. There were a couple of times in the UK and Spain when I found myself sobbing on the trail, listing off each attribute I missed in each of my children and my husband, so I understand why you ultimately went home. I took two of my teen kids on my next walk-then it was all about keeping them safe and healthy. Sigh. I was sad when it was over, though, because I know I’ll never have 24/7 time with them again like that. I hope hiking with your husband in the future helps with homesickness and you can make it truly your own hike.

[@wildflowersadventures]

@LupeShoes Great questions! These are ones I’ve pondered quite a bit. Yes, daily videos definitely made my workload more difficult, especially for the first 2-3 weeks as I was adjusting to trail life. In the last month or so, we had gotten into a groove that made the video/edit system work more efficiently and less taxing. It was something I was committed to and now that we’re home, I’m really glad I did them. LB and I have watched some of them and it’s really precious to have so much of our experience captured. It’s allowing us to relive some of the moments we have already forgotten. And knowing that our family and friends at home have experienced some of the trail with us because of the videos, it’s just awesome! Working on trail: If I could do it all over again, one thing I would not do is to try to work whilst on trail. As a working mama of 4, I’m so used to multitasking in my real life that I thought it would be easier. It was not! Between the lack of physical and emotional energy, it was tough and I found myself unable to really rest on our neros or zeroes. Not recommended! Emotional energy is limited. We hiked with many of the same people for weeks on end, and our paces were similar, so I don’t think that me working or our pace affected us in a negative way as far as friendships go. We had the same large bubble for most of the way after we finished GA. We did form and do have friendships from our time on trail that we cherish. We still talk to many of them. What made it difficult to form a solid and consistent tramily is our different styles and hiking with a child. For instance, the younger groups we hung out with liked to party. Now there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and we love them for who they are…but, it’s just not my scene and certainly not one my 11 year old fits in well with (although I didn’t want to tell her that). 😂 The older groups pace tended to be significantly slower than ours, so although we fit in well, we were just faster. We saw them a lot at hostels and when they were slackpacking. Then, there were people we loved, but they were just waaay faster than us and I was careful not to put LB in a position in which she felt the need to keep up. I think, overall, the biggest factor was hiking with a child. There were just quite a few more considerations that were constantly in play that wouldn’t have been if I would’ve been alone or with my husband (or another adult). And as you’ve experienced, the hike becomes all about them and keeping them safe -physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sigh is right. That’s what I was referring to when we were at Olive Garden and I said I was finally able to fully relax and I hadn’t realized how hyper vigilant I had been for 80+ days. Whew!! But, so that LB never feels guilty or bad, I didn’t and won’t harp on it (which might have been what you expected to hear more of, but protecting her in all ways will always be my priority). As a mama, I know you understand fully now that you’ve shared your experience with me. 💙 If my husband and I get the opportunity to attempt another thru hike once we both retire in 6-7 years, I know the experience will be completely different. All 4 kids will be off doing their own things, so although I will miss them, it’ll be different knowing they are not sitting at home missing and needing me, or that I am missing out on important times in their lives (my oldest daughter’s sweet 16 is this month. 💗). They will be off doing their own life adventures! Plus, I’ll have my best friend with me, and sharing the experience with him will be something I’ve longed for for a long time!

[@jamesquinlivan7876]

It was great to see you all again! Miss you but so happy that you made your decision with no regrets! 👍🐱🧸🐻🥾⛰️🌍🎸🥋🙏❤

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you so much! We’re so grateful for our journey! We’re looking forward to sharing our family adventures soon. 💙☀️🙏🏼✨

[@dawnseely1013]

excellent thoughts and excited to carry on with WFA☀️🤍

[@wildflowersadventures]

Thank you! We’re excited to share our family adventures! 💙☀️🙏🏼✨