Meet National Triple Crown Hiker

National Triple Crown hiker Mike Fagan will come off the Appalachian Trail for a meet and greet in Daleville on March 20.

AARP Virginia is sponsoring a “meet and greet” with Fagan from 2 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, at Three Li’l Pigs Barbecue (120 Kingston Dr., Daleville, VA 24083). AARP will provide appetizers for the event, while entrees and beverages will be available for purchase at the restaurant. The 71-year-old hiker will present a talk on “Aging with Purpose” at Three Li’l Pigs BBQ at 2:30 p.m.

Fagan is trying to complete the national Triple Crown of hiking — Appalachian Trail, 2,192 miles; the Pacific Crest Trail, 2,653 miles; and the Continental Divide Trail 3,100 miles – in a single calendar year.

According to a site tracking Fagan: “Since 1994, the ALDHA-West has recognized less than 400 individuals as ‘Triple Crowners,’ for completing each of these trails in their entirety. Of this small group of people, less than a dozen are reported to have completed them all in one year. To put in perspective the significance of this accomplishment, more people have been to the moon than completed the TC within one calendar year. The best-case mileage goals were originally 252 days of hiking an average of 30 miles per day equaling 7,700 miles.”

Fagan is a health food store owner and expert in fitness and nutrition. He’s hiked all over the world and his current path is along the Appalachian Trail.