When you’ve got over 2,000 miles of rocky trails to hike by yourself, you’re going to need a good playlist to get through it all. Fortunately for Karl Meltzer, that playlist included a lot of Grateful Dead and Phish.
Meltzer recently broke the world record for completing the full Appalachian Trail hike, traversing the range from Maine to Georgia in 45 days, 22 hours and 38 minutes. Yes, you can round that up to “46 Days.” His time was a full nine and a half hours faster than the previous record, and he cites jam music as a huge inspiration.
In an interview with Trail Running Mag, Meltzer said, “There was a lot of Grateful Dead, but not the studio stuff – the stuff where they really get jamming for a long time,” he says. “I had some Strange Folk, a little Phish. I like that jam stuff.”
We like that jam stuff too.
The full article talks about Meltzer’s journey through the 2,190 mile hike, including his in-depth preparation and execution. It’s a fascinating read for the experienced, as it offers a glimpse into one of the world’s most accomplished hikers. We’re just hoping that he played “46 Days” when he reached the end!
Congratulations Karl! #WeAreEverywhere
[Photo via Runners World, story via Garcia’s]