More Statistics, Corrected Statistics

This picture was taken by the M-Live reporter who has done the two stories about me. He said I could use it on my blog. I think this is about the best picture of me that's been taken in recent years. The one of me at the north end of the Superior Hiking Trail is also good, but I may try to get permission to use this one on my promotional materials. I think it says, happy, adventurous, and maybe looking into the future.

I'm starting with the huge news. I made a bad error in my spreadsheet. After a block of a couple of days off, I incorrectly entered the number of the next hiking day to something that made no sense. I don't even know where that number came from. This is great news! And you aren't going to believe this... but I have now double-checked it. The total number of actual hiking days is 365. Exactly a year of days.

I know this isn't how you count how long it takes to do a hike. That stands at 18 months and 18 days. But this makes me feel SO much better. In fact, when you divide 4815 miles by 365 days, you get an average of 13.2 miles per hiking day. This is much closer to the goal of 15 I was hoping for. You have no idea how happy this makes me!

I just had the feeling there was something wrong with the numbers. I had taken so many more days off than I expected that it just didn't seem that out of a total of 439 days attributed to the hike (I didn't count the ones at home in my bigger breaks) that with 408 hiking days (the previously reported, but wrong, number) only 31 days were zero days. There were a lot of days for moving around, logistics, the flu, and weather, etc.

YIPPIE!

Now for some other info. If I did this right, and I don't think I missed anyone on this part, 51 people or families hosted me and/or my trailer and helper. I believe I featured all of them on the blog with one exception. People really went out of their way to provide for my needs.

The other numbers I've tried to tally are of who hiked with me. This gets trickier. Bill Courtois hiked with me the most. He thinks his total is about 1100 miles. I'm not up for tracking all that. I'll take his word for it. We've gone from being the barest of acquaintences to fast friends. If I counted right, he was with me for 94 hiking days plus some days off. Picture below with David.

As far as number of miles hiked together, Denali is next up. She and I were mutually supporting each other for a total of 46 days, about 40 actual hiking days. She has since completed the NCT.

David Snoek is next in days and miles. If I counted it right, he hiked 19 days and about 180 miles. Bill left and David right, if you don't know, on the Border Route Trail last September. All of David's miles were backpacking except for the final 6 miles on the completion day! I also want to say that although we ultimately decided it was foolish to backpack the Trap Hills in the dead of winter, he was willing to do it with me.



Bill's brother Bob hiked a few complete days, and portions of other days with me. He's had a serious health concern this past year, and was originally planning to backpack the Border Route with Bill, David and me. He did manage to join in on parts or all of 8 days. And, I can now tell the twins apart!



And my friend Cathy hiked 7 days with me. She's pictured in the link below under support crew.

As I said in the earlier post, the lines of the categories get blurry. Marie hiked out with me almost every morning that she was doing support crew. She probably averaged 3 to 4 miles out (and then 3 to 4 miles back), but sometimes went as many as 5 miles with me. Sue and the puppies often hiked in to meet me in the afternoon which was a huge encouragement on nasty winter days. Sometimes Marie also did this. Other support people often hiked small portions with me as well.

Monica Hatch hiked with me for 7 days, and Keira hiked with me for 5. All but one of these days was backpacking.



Again, if I've counted right and not missed anyone, a total of 44 other people hiked one or two partial/full days with me.

In addition to this, I participated in a chapter hike by Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore, and one by Spirit of the Woods. I also joined another independent hike group one day. Most of these people are in addition to the 44. I also didn't list the people who hiked on the final day. There were about 25 people at the celebration, and I think about 10 of those hiked parts with me. There were also chapter meetings, meals we were treated to, and quite a few encounters with hikers who had walked out to find me, but didn't stay with me very long. Perhaps the trail people I interacted with (counting hosts) was about 150.

17 other people helped to spot me who did not host or hike with me. Then there were the people who mowed trail right in front of me! So many supporters!

It's been grand having people want to be a part of this adventure. I'm SO not a people person, but there's no one I can't hike with for a day. The people who were there for multiple days were all fine companions.

Hopefully, I've left all of these folks with a good impression of the trail.

Things are getting a little crazy. WZZM-13 TV interviewed me today (to be aired maybe on Saturday). Tomorrow I'm meeting with Chris Loudenslager of the NPS for "debriefing." I'll be on a podcast next week. A Girl Scout troop near Washington, DC wants me to speak to their group. Other speaking engagements are getting lined up. I have two or three articles to write. This is all very nice, but I have to get busy and put a program together. I still need to clean my house, and I want to play in my garden. And I need to sell and write books. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. But I think it's all good.

See Some Statistics from the Hike See Support Crew Thanks