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North Carolina man completes 1,175-mile, 5-month hike

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May 13 (UPI) -- A man from North Carolina has completed his 5-month trek along the 1,175-mile North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Carrying trekking poles and with his signature full beard, "Trail" Marshall finished the home stretch on May 6, arriving at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, N.C.

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Marshall began using the moniker Trail rather than his given name when he started hiking about two years ago, starting with a brisk 406-day trek along the Appalachian Trail in June 2020.

The North Carolina resident has documented his journey on social media, posting pictures and videos along the way.

His number of followers has grown since he first started the trek in early January in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

"I get messages from people who are sick or dying," he told the Outer Banks Voice.

"They just need an encouraging word from me to tell them to keep fighting. A guy sent me a message last night. He's having major surgery tomorrow. They're taking out his pancreas and a few other things. I've been telling him to keep fighting. I got a message last night, 'Congratulations on finishing your hike. I'm going to beat this just like you. I'm going to keep fighting.'"

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Marshall was congratulated by Kitty Hawk, N.C., Mayor Craig Garriss after completing the hike. Gariss began following Marshall's latest adventure early on using Facebook.

"I made the most of it with a beautiful 25-miles hike up the beach and around the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge and then over the terrifying, electrifying, stupefying, high-flying excitement of walking over the Marc Basnight Bridge," Marshall wrote during his last full day of the trip.

"A three-mile-long masterpiece of art and function that traverses over the Oregon Inlet. Sheer terror for the first mile and then the terror subsided, and awe set in. What a lovely view! For miles...But can I expect anything less from the Outer Banks? The last 70 miles has been nothing short of spectacular!"

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