The
Long Way Home
text and photos BY Koty SappEach year, thousands of hikers set out to find their own path along the Appalachian Trail. Some seek adventure, some aim to complete a lifelong goal, and some walk with another pursuit in mind. Whether we know it or not, many of us go into those woods in search of something deeper. Purpose, healing, peace, passion, fulfillment, direction, or a combination of various needs drive us in our desire to hike the A.T. I was no different.
The idea of thru-hiking came to me while taking a Backpacking 101 course for a quick and easy college credit. Throughout my life, I had heard of the A.T. I knew what it was, but what I didn’t know was that people attempt to hike the entire Trail from Georgia to Maine every year. The revelation that someone could undertake such an adventure simply blew my mind and ignited the aspirations for what would become my future passions. Over the next eighteen months, I prepared for my A.T. trek by taking in every bit of information I could find, going on shakedown hikes, and purchasing my first camera to capture the journey.
Danya on the Trail in the Smokies.
DANYA “LOINS OF ARABIA” SAADAWI
A.T. START DATE: MARCH 19, 2017
A.T. START DATE: MARCH 19, 2017
After spending the first sixteen years of her life growing up in Saudi Arabia, with summer visits to the U.S., Danya moved to the states full time. She spent the next twelve years living in Cincinnati, where through family and friends she found a love for backpacking. Her big plan was to hike the Trail with her aunt, who shared her passion. However, after 200 miles, her aunt was needed at home. At this point, Danya was unsure if she should keep hiking and found herself contemplating if she should return home as well. Ultimately, she made the decision to continue on with someone she had only known for seventeen days.
KOTY “TRASH PANDA” SAPP
A.T. START DATE: MARCH 17, 2017
A.T. START DATE: MARCH 17, 2017
Above from top left: Danya at mile 100 in North Carolina; Koty at mile 200 just past Clingmans Dome; Koty and Danya near Jane Bald soon after they met.
While our journey was filled with overwhelming joy, we also experienced setbacks in the form of injuries, fatigue, and the “Virginia blues.”In the interest of time and a change of scenery, we decided to “flip” up to Maine with a new sense of purpose.
Above clockwise from top left: Koty on McAfee Knob, Virginia; Danya in New York City after she and Koty “flipped” their hike from Virginia to Maine; View from Barren Ledges, Maine.
Danya at Mahoosuc Notch, Maine.
Goose Eye North Peak, Maine.
Above clockwise from top: Moose at the summit of Mount Moosilauke, New Hampshire; A.T. near Mount Madison, New Hampshire; Danya on Mount Race Ledges, Massachusetts.
The beauty of the Trail seemed to be never-ending and it is this natural beauty that fueled my passion for photography.
Above from top to bottom: Danya and Koty on Mount Washington, New Hampshire; Koty at Smarts Mountain fire tower, New Hampshire.
Above clockwise from top: Danya on Moosilauke’s south peak, New Hampshire; Danya on the New Jersey/Pennsylvania line; Koty on the New York/New Jersey line.
They say home is where the heart is. Well, my heart is with the famed dirt footpath along the Appalachian Mountains, the community that embraces it, and the partner I found while taking a long walk in the woods.
Above clockwise from top: The couple at the Trailside Museum and Zoo in New York; At the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Visitor Center in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; A.T. Mason-Dixon line, Pennsylvania/Maryland.
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