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There's much to be said for living out your dreams. Wheeling's Ryan Herron did that in splendid fashion late last year, completing the arduous Appalachian Trail -- and making it home just in time for Christmas.
The son of Robert and Dina Herron of Wheeling, Ryan Herron stepped off in August to conquer the 2,198-mile trek. He began at Mount Katahdin in Maine, walking every day for the next four-plus months before finishing at Springer Mountain in Georgia. He passed through 14 states -- including West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle -- and averaged a hiking pace of about 2 mph.
While walking an average of more than 16 miles each day was at times tedious, Herron said his interactions with others -- and the chance to recharge at many of the small towns and stops along the trail -- made the trip interesting. His favorite leg was at the beginning in Maine with its "gorgeous rivers and ponds."
"It was like no place I'd ever hiked before with its vast wilderness at the start," Herron said of Maine. "The southern half is quite mountainous, so I got 360 views there too."
He also had interesting interactions with many he met along the trail. Early on in his trip, he would pass through-hikers heading north to finish in Maine, but that slowed once he hit Pennsylvania, as those heading north risked the changing of the seasons. He joined up with a group headed south for an extended period, with one hiker staying with him for 400 miles.
"It's a pretty social trail," he said. "You immerse yourself in the various towns all through the different regions of Appalachia. I got to hike with and get to know people from all over the country."
But there also were times of loneliness and isolation. That made stops at towns and interactions with others all that more important.
"I would sometimes go days without seeing people or just maybe one other person," Herron recalled. "At town stops, I made sure to get a couple of podcasts downloaded for those days."
His parents said they had complete confidence in Ryan finishing the hike.
"The hike is recognized as a major accomplishment to undertake and complete if you're an outdoors person," Robert Herron said. "He thought it out and then ultimately accomplished it. My wife (Dina) and I are very proud of the fact that he was able to do all that."
According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, only about 750 people of the 3,000 who attempt a through-hike each year actually finish. Ryan Herron now adds his name to the list. Congratulations on such an outstanding accomplishment.