Cutter posted an account of his hike up Mount Kephart, one of 40 peaks in the South Beyond 6000 (that is, peaks in the Southern U.S. taller than 6,000 feet).

I slowed and moved aside to let the hiker pass. He said, “hello,” and “thank you,” in an accent that sounded British to me. Then he hit it in high gear, and flew down the trail.

A couple days later, I learned who that guy was. It was Mat “Squeaky” Hazley.

In a few days, Squeaky would reach Springer Mountain, Ga., completing not just a thru-hike of the AT, but also consecutive thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trails, all in one calendar year.

It’s no wonder he rushed by me in a blur. He was averaging 40 miles a day.

Typical guy thing: You’re up there on top of the mountain and some guy comes along who’s just climbed 50 of them.