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What 2,200 Miles Did to My Body | Appalachian Trail Recovery

Laura Evelyn Ashley

4,972 views

My body definitely needs some TLC! In this video, I’m sharing everything I’m doing to recover, from rest and recovery tools to getting my body moving and feeling like myself again.

✨ Thank you Bob and Brad for sponsoring this video.

Be sure to Check out the C2 Massage Tool from Bob and Brad here: https://amzn.to/46AsF6y

Use code BOBNBRADC2 for 10% off!

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I hiked 2,197.9 miles from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail — and this is the story of what happened along the way.

I'm Laura, a solo female hiker documenting the real, raw experience of long-distance backpacking, from the incredible views and trail towns to the hard days, unexpected challenges, and personal growth that come with spending months on the trail.

After attempting the Appalachian Trail in 2023 and leaving the trail before reaching Maine, I returned in 2026 to finish what I started.

Now that I'm home, I'm sharing everything I learned from my AT thru-hike — favorite sections, trail towns, hostels, gear, food, resupply, the hardest parts of the trail, what I'd do differently, and what the Appalachian Trail taught me about myself.

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🥾 MY APPALACHIAN TRAIL JOURNEY

📺 Appalachian Trail 2026 Daily Vlogs:
Appalachian Trail 2026 Thru-hike Daily Vlogs

🎒 My FULL 2026 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List:
Before: https://lighterpack.com/r/9w2q0n
After: https://lighterpack.com/r/fqyqp1

⭐️ Complete weights, links, and costs for every piece of gear I carried on the AT.

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🔥 WANT TO TRY SOME OF MY FAVORITE BACKPACKING MEALS?

PackIt Gourmet makes delicious backpacking meals. Check them out:
https://packitgourmet.com/?ref=LAURAE...

Use code LauraEvansAT for 10% off your order!

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💛 SUPPORT MY CHANNEL

🎥 Join Channel Members:
@lauraevelynashley

💸 Donate via PayPal:
https://www.paypal.me/lauraevelynashley

💵 Donate via Venmo:
https://venmo.com/u/Laura-Evans-17

Even liking, commenting, or sharing helps support my adventures more than you know. 🧡

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🌲 MORE HIKING CONTENT

🍁 AT 2026 Prep Series:
Appalachian Trail 2026 Prep

⛰️ Foothills Trail – 2025:
Foothills Trail 2025

❤️ Falling Back in Love with Hiking:
Falling in love with Hiking Again

🥾 Appalachian Trail Vlogs – 2023:
Appalachian Trail Vlogs 2023

🌲 AT Section Hike – July 2023:
AT Section Hike 2023 | July

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📧 BUSINESS INQUIRIES / CONTACT
lauraevans3214@gmail.com

🎶 Music from Epidemic Sound:
https://share.epidemicsound.com/6bb7d5

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If you're interested in hiking, backpacking, thru-hiking, solo adventures, or the personal growth that happens when you push yourself outside your comfort zone, you're in the right place.

Thanks for following along!

– Laura
aka Swift 🥾

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DISCLAIMER: Some links may be affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my hiking adventures!

20 Comments

@heatherlambert8660 1 day ago

“Bob and Brad the two most famous physical therapists on the internet”, so educational. I use to watch them regularly. Bob and Brad have helped so many people.

@carolleslie4313 23 hours ago

Great video. Like the honesty with they return to off trail life and taking care of the body that just took you through 2000+ miles !!

@grootsadventures24 1 day ago (edited)

Long Distance hiking can be tough on the body but it sounds like you're on the right track, especially about hydration. Good hydration definitely help the muscle recovery. Your videos are so great! Thanks for sharing!🏕🥾🌄✌️❤️

@RickINFJ 17 hours ago

Sounds like you have a very healthy aftercare plan in place. 😊 You look and sound fantastic! What an incredible transformation you've undergone since February. Keep up the amazing work! 👏👏👏

@jboren5552 23 hours ago

Great video. Thank you for showing what it’s like!

@cozytrails17 1 day ago

It's tough. You want to stay active, but your body is not there yet. You'll get there. You've got this.

@paulalee9324 23 hours ago

So glad to see you have a sponsor! I have used the Bob&Brad YT for years. I have not been able to like Javvy protein coffee. I am a Galloway run/walker, have used the method for many marathons. You look so happy , I hope you'll do something on AT mental recovery as well.

@stanthemanhikes2965 1 day ago

Sitting on the couch, sipping something tasty while watching TV sounds good to me Lol!!

@ZachOnTheAT 1 day ago (edited)

Ashley, take this for what it's worth concerning muscle cramps.
Two scenarios-
Back in the days of horse-drawn carraiges, there was a fairly common maladay that carriage horses routinely experienced called 'Monday Morning Sickness', which was a severe form of cramps (called Tying Up).
It happened because they worked all day, 6 days a week, but were given Sunday off. As it happens, they also received the same daily portions of grain on Sunday as usual and rested, mostly just staying in their stall all day.
Tying up in their back and hindquarters (basically translates to our gluts) came shortly after beginning work again Monday morning, hence the name.
The gist of it is that the extra carbs, after a hard days work on Saturday, coupled with basically no movement on Sunday, created an excessive glucose build up in the muscles, which totally incapacitated the horse.
Remedy - muscle relaxant meds and warm/ hot blankets on affected areas, and hydration to clear out excess. After pain subsides, slow light walking to heal.

The second form of Tying Up is in racehorses that have an extreme adrenaline spike, which causes a glitch of calcium to be rapidly deposited in muscle fiber.
Remedy - reduce stress and this usually clears rapidly. However, it can become a chronic condition.

Elite athletes experience the same kind of things. Many have tried drinking a sugar drink with simple sugar after a workout to give the muscles the quick energy to clear out the lactic acid.
I have found success with it.
The best instant solution - pickle juice.

@jamesadams2334 1 day ago

Your body is a highly trained long-distance machine and the effects from it will last quite a while BUT when you introduce something new as far as workouts are concerned, it is not ready for radical changes. You are in great conditioning, and it will adapt quicker than most people in a lower level of conditioning but, you are still introducing something new to your fitness training, and it will change but not rapidly like you asked it to do on the trail. You look great and I'm sure that it feels great, but you have to continually maintain it. Your hike was amazing and it will change your life; in fact, it already has but it is changed forever. Goals will not look so distant from this point on and what others feel is too much, too long, too far, you will easily accept them. Enjoy and thanks to taking us along.
Hike safe, Hike strong, Have fun!
geek

@moralcompass 1 day ago

Good morning 🌞 sunshine... Your awesome and loved just so you know in case you get down.
God bless you so much Laura 🙏....the beach or salt water floating is excellent for muscles...

@Eeee-p8k3v 1 day ago

Great job on finishing the Hike. I followed you from day one of your videos. I was a runner before I did the A.T. I took about a week totally off (other than golfing) and started running again. I was tight and felt heavy for the first month back to running and then it started to feel more natural. I would suggest following the run/walk/run method to get into running. Jeff Galloway has a website that explain the run/walk/run method.

@pattyteb3669 18 hours ago

Great tips. Great reminder to be slow but steady. Have you gained any weight back?

@AlaHermit 1 day ago

In The Next One ??💪😘

@jeevjagostudios 1 day ago

Believe it or not, right before I clicked on your video, I fired up my Bob and Brad hand massager, which really helps with my arthritis. I do have a question: Are you now a full-time YouTuber, or will you be going back to working a "regular" job (aren't you a teacher)?🤔

@davidbazen 1 day ago (edited)

Go easy on yourself Laura. Eat healthily, which you seem to be doing. And if you're not working out regularly you won't need the protein as it's a supplement. You will get enough protein from eating your normal meals. Looking forward to your journey and what the future has to offer for you. Ps some people use protein shakes as a way of gaining weight but if you're getting the right amount of calories you shouldn't really need it unless you are working on a daily basis.

@SherryHawkinsMartin 1 day ago

Get a good magnesium. I use Science Based Nutrition brand, their Mag Malic. My chiropractor sells it.

@libbyduo1419 1 day ago

takes 3 months, watch the calories but keep walking but not the high miles. Eat healthy and the next yr will be good to you

@kathyroberts9703 1 day ago

Plus you lost 70+ lbs, so even though you were walking 2200 miles, Im sure your muscle capacity diminished some! So will have to build the muscles back up! You’ve got this!

@maureenmukhlis2934 1 day ago

I take a good magnesium glycinate supplement every night and it really helps with my muscle cramps. I’m sure that you are going to get your body back stronger and better than ever really soon!!! You accomplished such an amazing goal!!! SO INSPIRED BY YOU 🥰🥰🥰🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻