A 5-year-old boy in the U.S. hikes 4,500 km across mountains.
According to a report by the UK's Daily Mail on November 8, a 5-year-old boy has been hiking across the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S. with his parents, and he now only has 600 miles left to become the youngest person to conquer the Appalachian Trail. On April 27 this year, Christian "Thomas (Christian Thomas), a young boy from Long Island, USA, also affectionately known as “Buddy Backpacker,” started this adventure with his parents, aiming to complete the journey before the end of the year. His dad, Dion Pagonis, and mom, Andrea Rego, even took time off work to travel with their child, hoping to give him an adventurous experience. The Appalachian Trail is 2,800 miles long and is one of the longest hiking trails in the world, spanning 14 states from Maine to Georgia. Each year, about 2,000 people attempt to complete the entire trail, but only a quarter make it to the end. Along the way, they stayed in tents or hostels, and even endured Hurricane Irene in their tent. A government shutdown forced them to take a detour, but they didn’t give up on their goal. Christian also listened to educational music while hiking and learned French, counting, spelling, and basic addition and subtraction. The unique experience of the couple and their son inspired them to launch a fundraising project called “Hiking for Kids,” which provides gear and funding for other families who want to follow in their footsteps. As for Christian’s adventure story, it may even be written into a children’s book once he completes the final 600 miles and becomes the youngest person to conquer the Appalachian Mountains.