Hike on with warm peet

Our guest blog comes from friend of the fest/sponsor Rick Oxner, founder and owner of Warm Peet, the sock company with a heart. 100% of Warm Peet's profits go to mental health and nature conservation nonprofits (like ours!). Rick and Warm Peet will be joining us at the festival again this year.

Here we are, just days from Tax Day—and I am just getting started! The phrase, "I’d rather be hiking," has never been more relevant.

Speaking of hiking, last September–October, I section hiked on the Appalachian Trail from Great Barrington, MA, to Phillipstown, NY, approximately 110 miles, as part of my “Filling the Gaps” hiking tour. This tour is where I am going back and hiking small sections I skipped on my 2017 SOBO adventure for one reason or another. So, this one hike completed MA, CT and NY for me. Check!

Joining me was a friend from my Air Force days, Mike, and this was his first section of the A.T. It was great catching up with him, sharing my love of the A.T. and the outdoors, and learning more about him and his family. 

​This stretch was more difficult than I imagined, especially Connecticut—roughly one-half of the planned hike. This was probably due to the seven years that had passed, zero training and, well, it was hard…but stunning, none the less. The end of Massachusetts, southbound, seemed to lull me into thinking: OK, this is going to be an easy ten days out, then Connecticut, WHAM! Right in the forehead!

Some parts of this short section challenged me and would have seven years ago, as well. It was rugged with some climbs seeming to be vertical; many required all four extremities, and a few caused some expletives to make their way into nature's silence. Still, the views this time of year were stunning as the leaves were changing from their lush green summer hues to the kaleidoscope of a northeast fall. Stunning!
 
Part of my difficulties, I learned and acknowledged eventually, were my boots. I have worn the same make and model for many years and knew this pair were on their last leg. I had worn them extensively prior to this—both hiking and volunteering at a farm. But I told myself for that last 100 miles, eh, they would be fine.

By the time we made Pawling, NY, (our shower day and overnight), I knew they had to go, because my brain was focused on being finished and taking my boots off, spoiling any chance to really enjoy the hike. At Pawling, I got my Brooks Adrenaline 23s back and immediately felt like a new hiker!

We finished on October 2. It all seemed too short, a mere 10 days. This was an incredible stretch of the A.T. and I would highly recommend it, especially in the fall. Afterwards, I remained a little secluded at home trying to immerse myself back into the world that we were never far away from physically, but millions of miles away from mentally and emotionally. I can't wait for the next one. Maybe Mike will join me again, and we will continue the journey.

Oh, and if anyone was wondering, I wore one pair of Warm Peet OG Hiker Crew socks the entire time! Hope to see you out there someday—or at the festival on June 7th!

--Rick Oxner, Warm Peet

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