Caleb Adcock

Momma K Baby!!! - We did the damn thing. Mount Katahdin - the final climb + end of this long walk north. To walk 2,197.5 miles over almost 5 months couldn’t be better described than as a labor of love. The rain storm on Springer Mountain in Georgia that kicked off this trip + set the tone for what was to be expected out here. The beauty of the Smokies and rolling hills of southern VA, exactly how I remembered it from backpacking those sections as a kid. The mid Atlantic heat, bugs and Lyme that made that daily decision to walk north a drudge. The magic of the New England towns in Massachusetts and the difficulty and ruggedness of Vermont and New Hampshire. All of those building to the final state, the final 100 miles and the final climb. I often joked that “hanging on by a thread” was the only thing you needed to do to finish this trail. And the simplicity of that thought alone was often times the thread to keep me moving towards this goal. And here I sit - at the northern most part of this journey - with the evidence of that labor of love in a tired body and an exceedingly full heart. Friends and family - I love you dearly and I can’t wait to give ya a hug + sit in a coffee shop together. The trail angles + trail magic - you know who you are and I can’t thank you enough. And to the internet friends that joined over this journey - your kind messages and words of encouragement made me feel like we’ve been friends long before this. A bitter-sweet see ya later to the trail I grew up on, however I will not be missing the humidity or rattlesnakes anytime soon. Time to see my cat (Papa loves you Bookie) and I guess figure out which trail to hike next!! Keep on rollin’ XOXO, Meatball - #appalachiantrail #thruhike #TrektheAT #backpacking

The trusty ponies (Pearl + my $50 marketplace bike who are sometimes very unreliable lol). S/O to Whole Foods for being my main restaurant to afford being in Jackson for a few weeks. Summer film rollin’ innnn 🫶🏼

Live, laugh, jump scare @j_denhalter took these photos and proceeded to slandered me across social media over the last 24 hours. If you see James around - give him a Dr. Pepper, a nice lil side hug and tell him you love him. Because I can’t anymore. He’s dead to me. Also shoutout to @_jamielambert_ for giving me her jacket and making me look boojee

Thumbs rule the world - #backpacking #thruhike #continentaldividetrail #cdt

Week 5 Theme: The Snow From Hell - When I tell you this week almost killed me just know I was FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE. Some of the most exhausting hiking I’ve done - and that means something after Lyme + the Whites last year. The last 4 days have been hours of post-holing that feels like quick sand + wet concrete all at the same time!! But let’s recap!! - Oatmeal out of an empty Velveeta cup because then I don’t have to clean my pot!! A win is a win. - One of the most beautiful road walks yet to wrap up New Mexico and send me into Colorado. One things for sure - I’m gonna miss the cruisy miles! - Entering CO with a snowstorm seems only fitting - however mixing that with the altitude has left me wiped! It’s been perfect with days in the 50’s and nights in the 20’s, however that’s left the snow on an awful freeze/ thaw that even with a 4:30am start - you’ll still end up post-holing. I can best describe it like you’re in quick sand up to your knees, while doing squats, while someone is also sitting on your chest lol. - This weeks campsites might be my all time favorite campsites and thank GOD it wasn’t windy every night. The night before however I did manage to put another hole in my tent so that total is up to 5 now. Tea time hitting different these days though. - Colorado is beautiful and difficult and I’ve got some planning to do to figure out how to make it work!! - 700 miles this week (which doesn’t feel real)!! - Taking a shower, eating a meal. Reset and let’s get it!! - #thruhike #cdt #continentaldividetrail #backpacking

ONE MONTH ON TRAIL!! - New Mexico, you were challenging and lonely and fun and full of a lot of pokey objects. Hiking in the sand one day and in snow the next - a challenge worth taking on! Happy to be moving north and grateful for the south. Happy one month!!! - #thruhike #backpacking #cdt #continentaldividetrail

COLORADO! LET’S DANCE!! - If you could live up to your “Sunny Colorado” name that would be most helpful!! - #thruhike #backpacking #continentaldividetrail #cdt #colorado

Week 4 Theme: Crispy Cold + Perfect Views - This week has been a much needed break from the desert. There’s been a day or two I’ve been walking through sand (which drives me crazy) but I’ve consistently been up higher in elevation which typically allows for easy miles along the ridges through meadows and budding trees. It also means I get to wash my feet and legs off in a creek and after living in the desert for weeks - it’s incredible. It kinda feels like a movie or painting sometimes - and I love when it feels like I’m living in the middle. - 500 + 600 miles are TOAST which means I’m days away from checking off my first state. EKKKK. - The campsites on this trail are really unbeatable. And when I say campsite - I really just mean wherever I can fit my tent - because the CDT doesn’t have any rules and while that felt chaotic at first - I’m loving it more each day! - I’m waking up with the sun and going to bed with the sun - no alarm needed. It’s wonderful and having coffee in bed each morning watching the sunrise is magic (I’m doing this right now while writing this lol) - My body’s adjusting and it’s nice to get to the end of the day and not feel completely beat up. The transition of the first few weeks on trail is brutal on your body - but after you get through that - you start feeling strong (unless you get Lyme lol don’t do that). - Mountains are getting bigger + climbs are getting longer!! Further north we gooo! Love ya - #thruhike #backpacking #continentaldividetrail #cdt

Week 3 Theme: Dusty Dusty Dusty - Eekkkk we’re way up high now!! I’ve been regularly camping around 8,000ft in elevation and even made an appearance above 11k. It’s made for perfectly cozy nights and also made it harder to get out of bed in the morning lol. And back with the green trees!! Boy did I get worked on the climb up to Mt Taylor and my body’s got some adjusting to do before CO - but it’s slowly but surely happening! - Got into Pie Town and made a mandatory stop at the Toaster House. Pretty cool to see what the trail community has looked like over the years! If you don’t know about it - look it up! Also borrowed some frozen peas to ice some tendonitis so if those were your peas, thank you!! - The winds have really started picking up and with that comes getting caught up in little dust tornados or pelted in the back of the legs with thousands of pieces of sand flying through the air. I think everything has a layer of dust or sand on it at the moment. - Closed out the week with a 31 mile day yesterday!! HUH. The water carries have been long so I decided to turn it into a little game and hit my biggest day on trail yet! It was fun but not trying to regularly pull 30’s lol. A tiny apple pie felt like the perfect tea time treat after a full day. - Haters will say the 400 mile marker is photoshopped!! That also means the 500 mile marker is just around the corner!! A much needed mental milestone. - I’m learning quickly this trail is a mental game. Not having anyone to provide external motivation or share a shitty moment with is what makes the CDT a different ball game. I probably won’t hike this entire trail alone - but I’m learning quickly how much of a challenge it is to find the motivation everyday from within. And that’s also the beauty of it. - Love ya - #thruhike #backpacking #continentaldividetrail #cdt

Week 2 Theme: Papa Needs A Nap - Holy smokes I’m tired. Turns out clocking 150 miles/ week makes you tired lol. Across the 200 + 300 mile marks!! I’m coming for ya 400 (and coming for my first zero - I can’t wait)!!! - Entered the Gila Wilderness with zero idea what I was getting myself into but it was pureeee magic. My feet stayed wet from 30+ river crossing for three days straight but it was nice to be in some natural water again. The canyon walls were massive and I found myself looking up, more than looking down at my feet - a nice change of pace. Also saw my first rattle snake and that was a no-go, 0/10, do not want to see again. - I also found out the CDT is really just a bunch of road walks and after an 18 mile road walk one day - my body almost glitched out when I finally stopped. - The iconic Doc’s lived up to the hype and I loved my trashy dinner + hot springs dip. Will be returning here. - Ive been camping anywhere between 6k and 9k in elevation which brings on a new challenge - not letting my water bottle (or wet shoes from the river crossings) freeze overnight. Or, like I’ve been doing, just use it as a good excuse for a slow morning with “I’ll just wait for the sun to dry everything out”. - Fell in a puddle, ate nerds clusters and had my afternoon coffee with cows - so nothing new to report on this week. And for everyone wondering - yes the AT tent disco ball has settled in nicely to the new home! - Some days are good and some days are bad and that’s how it goes on or off trail. The solitude is going to be a mental game and something this trail is going to challenge me on. Step by step getting a little closer to Canada. - Love ya. - #cdt #thruhiking #backpacking #continentaldividetrail

Week 1 Theme: Look Don’t Touch!! - Well well well doesn’t it feel good to be back with a weekly update. The CDT is promising to be one of the most beautiful trails I’ve done but that sure as hell doesn’t come without sore feet, achy knees and traps that won’t relax until my 2 nightly Tylenol PM’s kick in lol. - Slowly but surely my body is adjusting to the long days again. Last night I just got in my tent and laughed at how sore/ stiff I was. Papaws favorite part of the day is climbing into the tent. - The desert is proving to be challenging, as this mountain boy loves his rushing rivers and big trees - opposite of what this week has been. 13,14 and 15 mile water carries over long road walks are not for the weak. I’ve been drinking around 6L’s a day to try and stay caught up with the heat! - Everything’s pokey in the desert and with that came a nice deflated sleeping pad on day 2 - a good remembrance of my time on the AT where for an entire month I slept on a pool floaty, foam pad and some nights, just straight up on the ground. We got er fixed though and she’s holding like a gem now. - New Mexico green chilies hello where the hell have I been!!! I get them on every burger I can and it’s heaven on earth. Beats a tuna packet every time. - Hit the 100 mile mark on Thursday and clocked one of my biggest weeks I’ve ever hiked! For the most part the terrain has been smooth - a nice ease back into routine. - This trail is wild and out there and there have already been 2 and 3 days stretches where I don’t see a single other person. Crazy. And something to get adjusted to. Sometimes it’s feels lonely and easy to get caught in a circle of thoughts without anyone to pull you out. Other times it’s pure bliss to be able to be so secluded that you’re aware of every single thing around you. I’m sure it’ll come in waves - but I’ll take it in stride like everything else on trail! - Let’s keep this thing rollin’. Love ya. - #thruhike #backpacking #cdt #continentaldividetrail

If y’all see Canada lmk - What this means for you: weekly updates are BACK BABY (when I have service lol) What this means for me: I’ve got a lot of walkin’ to do - #thruhike #cdt #continentaldividetrail