When most people say: “I’m going to hike the Appalachian Trail,” they are likely setting out to conquer a few miles of the 2,175-mile long foot path, which runs from Maine to Georgia. However, there are those who mean what they say. More than 500 people hike the entire Appalachian Trail, each year. But not one of them has tried to accomplish the feat barefoot—until now.
Ron Zaleski says he would like to be the first, but he’s not doing it to get his name inscribed in history books. His goal is to bring attention to the need for combat veterans to receive counseling.
Zaleski recently told news reporters following his hike: “In the beginning I thought, ‘I gotta do this to show how tough I am. I want to be famous.’” But he said he soon realized that his journey wasn’t about his accomplishments.
So, how do you get in shape for a nearly 2,200 mile hike? Zaleski, a retired health-club owner from Flanders, New York said he didn’t train for the walk, rather he is simply relying on a well-planned schedule, which includes several rest stops a day. He also said he gets a lot of energy from the encouraging words of fellow hikers. In fact, he told a local newspaper: “Other hikers tend to stop complaining about the weight of their equipment or sore feet when they see me.”
If hiking on a footpath that winds through more than a dozen states wasn’t enough, as I mentioned before, Zaleski is doing it barefoot. He said his aversion to wearing shoes began after he left the Marine Corps following a two-year stint in the early 1970s. “Going barefoot started as a protest against the Vietnam War, although for 33 years he didn’t make his explanation public,” Zaleski said.
Zaleski told reporters, if he maintains his current pace he will be in Georgia just before Christmas. That’ll be a heck of a gift.
Related Article:
“Take A Hike” On The Appalachian Trail