WHO 13 NEWS – Iowa veteran Joedy VanVelzen is more than halfway done hiking the Appalachian Trail: an expedition that extends nearly 2,200 miles between Georgia and Maine and passes through 14 states.

He made it to Duncannon, Pennsylvania, and is planning to reach New Jersey this week. 

He passed the 1,200-mile mark with a fresh haircut, beard trim, new shoes, and his wife’s hiking poles after he snapped his. She brought them when she visited him in Pennsylvania the last week of May.

VanVelzen is hiking with fellow veterans as a part of Warrior Expeditions, and is still receiving lots of community support along the way.

He continues to see interesting wildlife and snapped photos of a white peacock and cicadas, which he notes are really loud on the trail.

He has less than 1,000 miles to go until the finish line in Maine and hopes to get there by August.

If you’d like to follow along, follow his Facebook page: On the Appalachian Trail with Joedy.