Section Eight Hiker

Sitting in the Delta Sky Club after missing our flight to CLT. Now we need a drink.

A beautiful and romantic carriage ride through Central Parkwith Mario, our awesome driver and Lucky, a fantastic retired racing horse.

Me and my sweetheart, Shawnna, are heading to New York at 0600 in the morning. Staying in Times Square. Carriage ride through Central Park. Sunset on the Empire State Building. Dinner in Little Italy and a fun couple days. Can't wait to get there.

Dogé and I drove up Hwy 441, from Gatlinburg, to the NC/TN state line. This is where the Appalachian Trail works through the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. My thru hike starts March 4th and I’ll be back here in a few months. It’s 206 miles from Springer Mountain and I’ll be a few weeks into my trek. This is one of the places I plan to take a day or two off the trail. It was exciting to walk a little of the trail.

Why I’m hiking the AT… For three years, I was sexually molested by a Jr High Teacher. This was my favorite teacher who took me on hiking and camping trips. I quickly learned to hate hiking and gave up the idea of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Now I’m taking it back. I hope to raise awareness regarding childhood sexual abuse.

Even as a survivor, I didn’t realize 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys are abused by age 18. Please follow me and share my story. Help me let people know about this epidemic.

Truth.....take a hike!

Here’s the design for my hiking shirts. I’m open to suggestions or ideas; different fonts, etc. I want to engage others as I’m hiking and hope this shirt encourages questions.

I’ve got just a little over 45 days until my Appalachian Trail hike starts on March 4th. I’ve tested my gear and setup my tent. I’ve slept and pooped in the woods. I’ve dehydrated a few special things my trail boss is going to ship up, when I’m ready. I’ve read books and watched videos. I’ve made online friends and look forward to meeting along the trail. I’m starting with a one-mile back hike to the top of Springer and planning on the first day being fairly short. Some family and friends want to join me for that first mile. I want to thank everyone who’s given advice or shared ideas. I’m prepared as I can be.

In the last year, I’ve shared that I’m a survivor of long-term childhood sexual abuse. I’ve made the decision to continue my recovery by hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. My wife has left me. I’ve had two foot surgeries. I’ve hiked and least a hundred miles. I’ve s**t in the woods. I’ve reacquired my love of hiking and horses, of which I’ve bought two. I’ve made new friends and found old ones. I’ve become a better person. But, I’m terrified to walk that first 31 miles from Springer Mountain to Mountain Crossings. I’m scared I’ll quit. I’m scared I’ll fail. But I’ve decided to start. I’m starting March 4th and I’m not only hiking for myself. I’m hiking to raise awareness for childhood sexual abuse. Even as a survivor, I had no idea it affected 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys, by age 18. I’m carrying the names of other survivors. I’m also carrying the names of some who didn’t survive. I’m asking for your help. There will be days when I’m cold, wet, hungry, tierd and ready to quit. If you see me post anything self pitying or talking about quitting, I ask that you help me with encouraging words. If that doesn’t work, remind me why I’m hiking and tell me to “get off my ass and keep walking.” This is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, including going public about my abuse. I want to succeed and believe I can. I Also know it’s not easy and I’m human. I thank you all for past and future comments. I know I can make it with your help.

I’ll be back to NC next week and ready to start getting ready for my AT thru hike, starting March 4th. I’ve still got to work between now and then but plan on hiking whenever possible, starting this Sunday at Grandfather Mtn.

Dear Dave,

We use nice words like “victimization” and “molestation” to talk about what you did. People don’t want to say “rape” or “sodomy”, when talking about a child victim. It’s easier to say, “That child was abused by a teacher”, that give voice to the truth; “That child was r***d and sodomized.”

You were a horrific man and did awful things to countless children that you were supposed to protect, including me. You were a serial pe*****le and took advantage of my trust.

You taught me so much but took so much more. You instilled in me a love of science and the outdoors; hiking, backpacking, geology and ecology. Then you molested me for three years and stole it all. You destroyed my childhood. You made me a statistic.

I made myself a survivor.

For decades, the shame of what you did haunted me. The humiliation of being molested shamed me. Being a victim of long-term childhood abuse humiliated me. The fear, humiliation and shame followed me more than forty years, until I opened up and shared what you did. You were an evil man, and destroyed the lives of many children. I’m learning to take back what you stole.

I’m hiking the Appalachian Trail next year. I’m walking from Georgia to Maine.

First and foremost, I’m doing this for myself. I’m taking back my love of hiking, something you stole by ra**ng me of school-sponsored camping trips. This is going to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done and I hope to raise awareness that more people like you are out there. Pedophiles are everywhere but the victims don’t have to be ashamed. We can speak out with a unified voice because we did nothing wrong.

Victims can share their stories without being ashamed. Survivors can tell what happened without wondering what others may think of them. We can speak with one voice and say, “We did nothing wrong.”

You have no power over me. You can’t hurt me anymore. You can’t take anything from me. I have the power to heal and will take back everything you stole; trust, love, freedom, hiking and camping.

My last foot surgery was yesterday. It was as supposed to take thirty minutes. Instead, it lasted 3 hours. He removed old hardware from a car accident; two screws and one plate. He ground off a bone spur and some extra bone growth from two Metatarsal bones. He said I’ll be hiking again in a few weeks. Then it’s back to training.

It’s time to fix my foot. I’m five months out, after a bunion surgery earlier this year and I’m 35 year from the accident that caused all the problems. But the last bit is being done today; hardware removal and burn spur is being ground off. I lik forward to getting back on the trail and doing some hiking, maybe in about two weeks.

Working on an Appalachian Trail tattoo for my left arm, from wrist to upper arm.

Here are a few photos from the Appalachian Trail a couple weeks ago, with my daughter and grandson. We didn’t walk far but had a great time. I’m looking forward to a longer hike in October, probably 10 days or a little longer.

Hiking with a dog is one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Whatever task you’ve taken, whatever fight you’re facing, you must bring to it nothing less than everything you’ve got or otherwise you’ll fail for sure and always wonder what might have been if only you had given your all.

I’ve begun my planning and preparation. The Post Office gave me 20 large flat rate boxes, not sure I’ll use that many. My PTSD and sleeping meds will have to be shipped once a month. That’s at least five boxes. The boxes will include food I’ve made. I’m getting ready to try dehydrating a few new things; biscuits and gravy, jambalaya and a few other things. If you want to see me try, follow me.

Back up to Grandfather. I’m heading back to the mountains this week, back to Grandfather Mountain. This time we’re hiking up from the Blue Ridge Parkway, instead of the parking lot in Tynecastle. It’s a similar hike; 3.5 miles with 1800 ft elevation gain. Going with my friend, Kat and we’re taking our dogs again. Probably going to be in the low 40s at night and clear during the day. Looking for add to another great hike.

Dogs need boots too. Dogé won’t wear boots all the time. But she can’t walk 2000 miles without wearing out her paws. This will help her keep healthy and strong feet.

This is my space to share my story, my journey, my travels, my trials and tribulations.

The last six months have been a roller coaster.

After thirty years, my wife decided it was time for a break. She quit. She didn’t turn in a two week notice. She rented an apartment, bought furniture, checked out and said, “See ya later.”

I publicly share the story of being sexually molested for three years, by a teacher. I told how this happened on school-sponsored camping and hiking trips.

I decided to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

It would be hard to deal with any of these. I’m taking them all together. I’m standing up. I’m fighting back. I’m refusing to take no for an answer. I’m embracing life and living every day to its fullest.

I hope you will follow me and share my story with others.

Reach out to me with suggestions, support, ideas to make this the best hike of my life.

Section Eight Hiker updated their phone number.

Section Eight Hiker updated their business hours.

What’s in a Name?

Almost every hiker picks or is given a nickname or trail name. Mine used to be “Bear”. For years, my Facebook profile read “Greg Bear Gardner”. It’s a nickname I was given while working as a tour guide many years ago. I had a mohawk and thick beard. I weighed in around 250 and the name fit. I was a tour guide for a company that took young adults on cross-country trips. Some people thought taking that job was a little crazy.

But I’ve always lived a little on the wild side and a little outside the box. Friends and family have said I must be a little crazy to hike the AT at 53. They’re all proud of my goal but still think it’s a little crazy.

Others don’t understand why I publicly shared my status as a surveyor of long-term childhood sexual abuse. A few think it was crazy to share my story on Facebook and in the local newspaper. They can admire my courage but still think it’s a little crazy.

I suffer from PTSD, although my symptoms have lessened since starting counseling six months ago. My sleeping issues have subsided. The anger problems are gone and I feel more mentally heathy than I have in decades. So why hike the AT? To raise awareness for childhood sexual abuse. My shirt will display the statistics; “1:4 Girls / 1:7 Boys” are affected by sexual abuse before age 18. I’m putting it out there for total strangers to ask me about. Anyone that does that must be a little crazy.

There is this recurring theme; “a little crazy”.

Growing up, one of my favorite shows was M.A.S.H. And one of the most memorable characters was Corporal Max Klinger. The character was constantly trying to get a psychiatric discharge from the Army, also known as a “Section Eight” discharge. Through eight seasons, he wore women’s clothes in an attempt to convince people he was crazy. However, it never worked.

One of his superior officers once commented that Klinger must be the only person who was not crazy. Everyone else simply accepted their place and wasn’t trying to get out of the Army and the war. And that, “Bucking for a section eight was the only sane thing to do.”

I’ve decided to leave my given trail name (“Bear”) at home and take one of my own choosing. Because some people think I’m a little crazy, but I feel like I’m the only one with any sanity, I’ve chosen the trail name “Section Eight”. Of course, I realize the trail has a mind of its own and another name may be bestowed upon my. I’m okay with that, but until then, I choose “Section Eight”.