Murphy's Appalachian Trail Journal - 2009 Thruhike
Jan 01, 2019Photo: Murphy admiring the view from McAfee Knob in Virginia.
In 2009, I set off to fulfill a dream: a complete thruhike of the 2,177 miles of the Appalachian Trail, starting in Georgia and ending in Maine. Along the way, I wrote handwritten letters about my journey to my friend Paul, who posted them online for my friends and family to see. I also took a lot of pictures (a tiny tripod and self-timed camera enabled me to capture my experience wonderfully). I've recreated my trail journal here for you to read. I hope it inspires you to go on bold adventures of your own!
Shameless self-promotion: If you need a speaker for your event, I have a fantastic presentation on my thruhike that always gets rave reviews. Drop me a note if you want to book my AT presentation :-)
A Note about Names:
In 2009 my legal name was Mary Murphy, so if you're wondering who "Mary" is, that's me!
On the AT my trail name was Penny Whistle the Dueller
As of 2016 my legal name is Murphy Robinson
The Appalachian Trail Letters:
Murphy summiting Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the trail, and playing their trademark penny whistle at the top.
Murphy being very excited about crossing the border into Maine: the last state on their Appalachian Trail journey.
