Hi! I am Chuck, also known as Orange Man. Welcome to The Retired Hiker, a blog about my life in retirement focusing on hiking, long-distance backpacking, and the adventures of Dana (a.k.a. Pitcrew) and Chuck in our Travel Trailer.
I retired after my wife died in 2021 and jumped into hiking and long-distance backpacking as a way deal with what I call “Life Part II”. I have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and have a multi-year plan for the Pacific Crest Trail, the Colorado Trail, and numerous other long-distance trails.
As a reward to myself for completing the Appalachian Trail, we purchased a Travel Trailer in late 2024. I base out of the trailer on short multi-day hiking trips. Dana and I take the trailer on long weekends and week-long regional trips. Our plan is to tour the country in the trailer once Dana retires in a few more years.
Until a that time, I plan to do as many long-distance hikes as I can manage while not completely abandoning Dana for the trail! Hence our blog’s tagline “Side Trials of Retirement Bliss”.
Recent Trail Journals
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Thursday, Sep 18, 2025. Up at 8:20. Clear cool morning. We are taking our time to let the sun dry a few things out from yesterday’s rains. Only 10 miles to go today and our ride won’t pick us up till around 4:45pm. Got dried out a tiny bit. We left a gallon of water at the shelter. On trail at 10:15 (mile 1057.8). Uneventful morning. Stopped at a running stream for second breakfast at 11:30 and 3 miles in. Climbed up to Raven Rock for a break and a nice view. Hazy day, but that’s Hagerstown MD way across…
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Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025. Up at 7:30. Rainy day and cool. Slept GREAT. Used the bath house to get dressed and cleaned up this morning. Had breakfast in tent then waited in tent until a break in the rain at 8:40 to strike camp and head out. Rain today until about 6:00pm. And it rained harder at 8:45. Still waiting for that break in the rain at 9:15. So much for the weather forecast! Packed up in the rain. Goal is to keep the inner tent dry. Everything else is wet and dirty. Wearing my rain kilt, umbrella, and neoprene…
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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025. Cloudy, cool, chance of showers. Dana drove Ed and I to Harper’s Ferry (mile 1025.7) at 8:15. Said goodbye and got on trail at 9:10. The first part of the hike includes a very boring 2.5 miles on the C&O Canal Tow Path. Basically a flat road walk. We crossed the active railroad tracks and started the ascent up Weaverton Cliffs at 10:50 and 4.4 miles in. Took a short break on the cliffs before moving g on. Arrived at Gathland State park at 2:00 and 11 miles. Refilled water from the potable water source in the…
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Sunday, August 31, 2025. Cool, clear, no breeze. We are hiking a short section of trail that I missed last year. This will 100% complete my journey of the Appalachian Trail. I tried to hike this once last October just after summiting Katahdin and again early this April before my 1 year anniversary of my start date, but the weather got in my way both times. Third time is a charm! Up at 6:40. Quick breakfast at hotel then off to the trailhead. On trail at 8:00. Summited Mount Race. YouTube video from Mount Race. Reached the Connecticut border and…
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Saturday, August 30, 2025. Up at 6:45. Had coffee and read until 9:30. It rained hard this morning. Glad to not be on trail. The owner, Gail, came by and we paid our bill and headed to Dunkin for food before getting on I-95 to start our 7+ hour drive to Great Barrington, MA. On the road at 10:30. We have 6:40 to Great Barrington. Weather is starting to clear and should be sunny by the time we reach southern Maine. Arrived at the Holliday Inn on the edge of Great Barrington at 6:15. Got unpacked and ran down the…