Following the Blue Blaze

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I'm creating this travel blog to share my progress, stories and photos for my hiking trip on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) during the fall of 2015. My hike will be interrupted by a four day canoe trip to the BWCA. I will be starting on the northern end of the SHT near the Canadian border where it connects with the Border Route Hiking Trail and hiking to my house in Duluth. After about six days of hiking, I will meet up with my son and some friends for a yearly canoe trip that I didn't want to miss. After the canoe trip, they will drop me off where they picked me up.

I will be starting this trip on September 19, three days after retiring from my second career and it will serve as a transition to my third career, whatever that may be. I've always wanted to attempt a longer hike but usually lack of time has been the biggest barrier. This fall provided a window of opportunity for a longer hike during my favorite peak leaf color season.

I will be getting some assistance with food resupplies and possibly be spending a night or two in off trail lodging. Given the canoe trip and possible time off trail, this will not be an official through hike but for my purposes will allow me to see parts of the SHT I've not experienced. I will be hiking about 265 miles of the total SHT trail length of 305 miles. I will most likely not be hiking the 40 miles of SHT in Duluth as I've hiked that portion a few times and some segments many times, including training for this trip. I will end the trip by walking home which is about a mile from the SHT.

Its three weeks from the start of the trip and I am in the planning, buying and gear weighing process. I have most of the gear I need which I have purchased over the past few years for other hiking and canoe trips. I've been transitioning to lighter gear over the years as I've done a little more hiking from what was mostly canoe tripping in the past. I am experimenting with meals that are more healthy and provide the necessary calories. I found some great recipes on www.theyummylife.com. I will follow up with some blog entries before the start of the trip that includes some photos and descriptions of the gear and food I will be carrying. For now, its time to prime the local economy with more purchases and experimenting with a few more recipes.

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