This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Appalachia Journal. My first impulse was to flee to the mountains. “The Appalachian Trail, here I come!” The Quarantine My first impulse was to flee to the mountains. “The Appalachian Trail, here I come!” That compulsion was quickly dashed to pieces. The AT was…

The following is an excerpt from the 2019 book, THE UNLIKELY THRU HIKER: An Appalachian Trail Journey, by Derick Lugo. Chapter 9: You’re a Mr. Fabulous! It’s just past 9 a.m., and after a restful night’s sleep at Blood Mountain Cabins in Neels Gap, Big Foot, Downhill, Chris, and I head out for an 8.5-mile…