What inspired you two to thru-hike the A.T.? We both grew up in the Carolinas, and the Appalachian Trail was on each of our bucket lists for a long time. Devin is an Eagle Scout who grew up hiking sections of the A.T. with scouts and friends. While attending school in NY he hiked the PA, NJ and NY sections of the Trail and vowed to thru-hike one-day. Di hiked sections of NC/TN as a student and parts of NY when she was living in the city. The opportunity to thru-hike presented itself in 2022, and we jumped on the adventure! Trail names? Our joint trail name is "Double Ds." It was given to us by a shuttle driver and retired Amicalola ranger, Ron, who saved us from a snow storm the first week of our hike. A trail story to share? We were the beneficiaries of trail magic in the middle of Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness—TWICE! We were really low on food about five days into the wilderness. We weren’t sure how we were going to make it to the other side. As we were walking, really hungry and trying to ration what little food we had left, we crossed paths with a ridge runner who was out for her last hike of the season. We told her about our situation and admitted we should have known better by this point in our hike. She was super understanding and just happened to have her truck parked a mile down the road full of food! She hooked us up with a big lunch and sent us on our way with a couple days' worth of food. The next day we walked into a shelter for a lunch break. Two older couples sitting there immediately perked up and asked if we were thru-hikers. When we said yes, they were overjoyed. They had recently watched an A.T. documentary and wanted to become "trail angels." They’d been waiting at the shelter all day, and we were the first hikers they’d seen! It was early October and they had decked out the shelter with jack-o’-lanterns full of candy. When we pointed out that the critters in the 100-Mile Wildness might be attracted by the candy, they decided we needed to pack it all out with us. So, we walked out of there with about ten pounds of candy, snacks, beer and TP. We forced all the hikers we saw to take all the candy they could carry! In two days we went from almost no food to more than we could eat! Just more evidence that the Trail really does provide. How has your time on the A.T. impacted your life in the two years since you hiked? This experience will change you in ways you cannot prepare for. Post-trail depression is real, and our experience with it was severe. We found we're really over society. All we want to do is spend time outside with other folks who want to spend time outside. It feels great to return to the Trail and the community surrounding it. We’re weaving ourselves into the A.T. tapestry again this year, and it’s an incredible feeling. What inspired you to start up Nomadd Life, your company behind Double Ds DIRT? Nomadd Life actually started a couple years before our thru-hike when we were adventuring across the US and Mexico in our van, Lady. Why is your product called DIRT? Will you be adding new products? When you see it, you’ll get it! It looks a bit like dirt. But, we can guarantee that it’s the best DIRT you’ll find anywhere on Trail! We didn’t officially introduce DIRT until mid-April this year. We hope to add new products next year including dried mushrooms, shrimp and a veggie blend. We're thinking about calling the veggie medley "Wabbit Food." How are you getting DIRT in the hands of this year's hikers? We’ve been doing trail magic up and down the trail, giving hikers “DIRTy” quesadillas. We’re also partnering with trail town restaurants to add a limited-time special on their menu, and we're working on getting into outfitters and hostels so hikers can pick up DIRT in their resupplies. "Dig" some DIRT at the festival, and find more info on their new website: https://eatdddirt.com/. 
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 Frank Solivan & Jillian Lea perform at the 2022 A.T. Festival. Photo by Dan Innamorato. Frank Solivan and Jillian Lea return to the festival this year to perform on The Gap Stage at 3:30 on June 8th.
Frank combines the pure, hard drive of classic bluegrass with contemporary acoustic music sophistication. Along with his band, Dirty Kitchen, Frank has toured the world and racked up a steady stream of accolades, including two Grammy nominations and two awards for IBMA Instrumental Group of the Year. Jillian Lea grew up playing classical, folk, jazz and Celtic music with her twin sister and music-loving parents. She was classically trained on the flute before focusing her attention on the penny whistle. In recent years, she has gravitated to the world of bluegrass and the upright bass. Jillian has toured with regional and national acts for decades. We asked Frank and Jillian about coming back to our festival. What about our A.T. Festival makes you want to return? We are thrilled to be a part of an event that celebrates the A.T. and the Great Outdoors. These places have been such a huge part of our lives and health that we cannot imagine living in a world that did not protect such places. Are you hikers? Hiking is what we do to find peace. It is our solace through hard times or overwhelming times. It is hard to describe the joy and comfort the woods lend. It is as though we know everything will be fine. Our favorite local place is Crow's Nest in Stafford. We also love to go around the reservoir at Mott's Run in Fredericksburg. Our go-to A.T. spot is accessed at Sky Meadows. We love the views and the challenge of the elevation changes. We are planning a multi-day hike from Sky Meadows to Harpers Ferry to take on the notorious "Roller Coaster." Gotta love the feeling of conquering a challenge. What's new/noteworthy with your music recently? We are excited to be taking our music to Martha's Vineyard this summer. We have never been there, and we can't wait to bicycle all over the island and maybe spot a whale! Frank is taking his full band to Bolivia this summer to celebrate distinct American culture and how music can bring people together across language and cultural differences.  One hike for each week of the year. What could committing to that mean to you? Certainly, it would be good for your heart, your muscles and your bones. And then there's the adrenaline and endorphins hiking can stimulate that boost your mood and energy levels. And maybe it's something that can bond your family or cement a friendship. Beyond the personal benefits, I'm betting that a commitment to hiking regularly will make everyone of us care more about the trails we explore and the nature we're inspired by. That's why I've signed up for the 52 Hike Challenge. I want to use it as reminder to get out on the trail every week. Now, during this pandemic, hiking can be a wonderful antidote to all the anxiety in the air. And we're safer outdoors than in indoor spaces. Groups like the American Hiking Society have great advice for responsible hiking. So, take the challenge and get outdoors! Learn more about the challenge—and sign up—at: https://www.52hikechallenge.com.  |
This page features artwork by Mike Wurman, an artist invited to participate in this year's Art of the Trail show.
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