Thru-Hiker Jason "Mouse" Mosakowski Profiled

The 1 January 2007 issue of the Birmingham (AL) News carries an article by staff writer Kelli Hewett Taylor that profiles the thruhike by 28 year old Jason Mosakowski of Pinson, AL.

Let's see if I can summarize:

• hiked NO-BO, April to September;
  
• "near-frostbite at Virginia's Mount Rogers, aching feet from Pennsylvania's boot-destroying rocks along the Susquehanna River [I object! The worst rocks aren't anywhere near the Susquehanna!! They're up closer to Wind Gap.], sleeping in rain-drenched tents and hiking through scorching heat.";
  
• "Much of his trip involved a seven-member "trail family," a tradition among hikers who become friends and comrades along the trek."

• "Pairs of boots worn: 4.

• "Number of nights in a tent: 104.

• "Average miles per hiking day: 15.46.

• "Days to complete the hike: 160.

• "Longest hiking day: 45 miles.

• "Cost: about $4,500, plus $2,500 in equipment and the loss of six months' salary."

What's up with that cost figure?

His online trail journal is at http://www.trailjournals.com/mouse/ and reading it may ferret out why he spent what seems to me to be so much.