I hadn't walked with anyone on the Arizona Trail since my second day. Unexpectedly, that changed on Day 29.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-29-fr-422mazatzal-divide-road-to-four-peaks-wilderness

Day 28 was my first brush with Senegalia greggii on the Arizona Trail. It only took a moment to understand why it's called "cat’s claw."

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-28-payson-to-fr-422mazatzal-divide-road

On Day 27 of my Arizona Trail thru-hike, I had to hitchhike 30 miles on a road where most drivers don’t know the difference between a thru-hiker and a vagrant or serial killer.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-27-mcfarland-canyon-to-payson

One morning in 2012, a man camping with his friends for a bachelor party decided it would be fun to shoot at an empty cardboard box. Twelve years later, when I hiked through the area on the Arizona Trail, I saw the results of his horrifyingly stupid decision.

Day 27 of my AZT thru-hike:
https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-26-y-bar-basin-trail-junction-to-mcfarland-canyon

The Mazatzal mountain range is a rugged, inhospitable landscape. Yet the mountains are also incredibly beautiful.

There would be several long climbs to test my endurance on Day 25 of my Arizona Trail thru-hike. Nevertheless, my energy was repeatedly restored. That was the power of these mountains, which were carved by geology, weather, and time.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-25-red-hills-to-y-bar-basin-trail-junction

No matter how many maps, trail guides, blogs, and YouTube videos you study, there's no way to know everything about a trail. There are bound to be a few surprises along the way.

Day 24 of my #ArizonaTrail thru-hike was filled with many.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-24-whiterock-mesa-to-red-hills

Leaving Pine, the #ArizonaTrail was more challenging. There were fewer forests to provide shade, so there were long stretches exposed to the sun. I crossed rugged terrain with steep inclines and many rocks.

As a bonus, there were many more cacti along the trail to rip at my clothing and skin.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-23-pine-to-white-rock-mesa

When I had a change of heart on the Arizona Trail and decided I didn’t want to go home, I told myself I could always quit later. I felt I’d made the right decision to stay on the trail, but I still gave myself an out.

Arriving in Pine was the first opportunity to take the out. Instead of doing that, I strengthened my commitment to stay.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-22-geronimo-spring-to-pine

Day 21 of my #ArizonaTrail thru-hike settled into what I had expected most days on the trail would be like. After several days of turmoil, it couldn't have come at a better time.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-21-battleground-ridge-to-geronimo-spring

On Day 19 of my #ArizonaTrail thru-hike, I made a decision to quit and go home.

The next day, something remarkable happened. I met a hiker named Tree Hugger, the first hiker I’d talked to in days. She helped me see I’d made a rash decision, and I changed my mind about quitting.

Thru-hikers like to say, "The trail provides." Our chance meeting on that day was proof that indeed it does.

https://hikewithgravity.com/hikes/azt-2024/day-20-foot-tree-tank-to-battleground-ridge