Latest news with #JoedyVanVelzen
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Iowa veteran more than halfway done hiking Appalachian Trail
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. Jefferson dives deep on recreation with parks, pickleball, historic pool 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. Dozens of dogs rescued from 'neglectful conditions' at eastern Iowa breeder nearly 2 years after first rescue Satanic Temple accuses Iowa officials of religious discrimination 1 critically injured in Madison County jobsite accident Iowa veteran more than halfway done hiking Appalachian Trail WHO 13 Farm Report: Tuesday, June 10th Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Iowa veteran back on Appalachian Trail, surpasses 900 miles after battling Norovirus
WHO 13 NEWS – Iowa veteran Joedy VanVelzen surpassed 900 miles hiking the Appalachian Trail: an expedition that extends nearly 2,200 miles between Georgia and Maine and passes through 14 states. After taking a few days to rest and recover from Norovirus, he made it into Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The illness appears to be spreading among hikers. Norovirus alerts are posted along the trail, warning hikers to treat all water, wash their hands, report illness, and seek medical treatment. VanVelzen said fellow veterans a part of the Warrior Expeditions group have been hit hard with the illness, with one requiring evacuation from the trail to the ER. He said it's difficult to determine the source of the sickness, but they are taking precautions. Thankfully, VanVelzen is healthy, feeling good, and back to hiking. He's grateful for all the support he's received on the trail, including a 'Quilt of Valor' from the North Carolina Quilters Guild. The group made and delivered a quilt to each veteran in the two Warrior Expedition groups. A warm blanket could come in handy with all the rain VanVelzen continues to see on the journey. 'Meanwhile, got this beautiful waterfall behind me,' VanVelzen said in a video update posted to his Facebook page. 'Purely a product of all of the rain that we had. So all the streams and brooks and creeks and rivers, they're all flowing incredibly well just because of the three to four days of rain.' VanVelzen still has less than 1,300 miles to go until the end of the trail in Maine. He hopes to get there by the last week of August. If you'd like to follow along, follow his Facebook page: On the Appalachian Trail with Joedy Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Iowa veteran battles through illness on Appalachian Trail journey
WHO 13 NEWS – Iowa veteran Joedy VanVelzen surpassed 800 miles, meaning he is one-third of the way done hiking the Appalachian Trail: an expedition that extends nearly 2,200 miles between Georgia and Maine and passes through 14 states. Over the weekend, VanVelzen was at a veteran support stay in Glasgow, Virginia, recovering from Norovirus. He called it a 'minor setback' and is already back on the trail. Earning his trail name 'Unicorn,' this mythical creature has covered a lot of ground even through a couple of health challenges, proving his physical strength and mental toughness. The Caitlin Clark Effect: About 3 in 10 US adults follow women's sports, new poll finds Last week, VanVelzen posted on his Facebook page that he had to make a stop at the VA Hospital in the Salem/Roanoke area of Virginia so doctors could check out a spider bite. After that was taken care of, he was back to hiking and taking lots of photos of the nature and beautiful scenery. VanVelzen has less than 1,400 miles to go until the end of the trail in Maine. He hopes to get there by the last week of August. If you'd like to follow along, follow his Facebook page: On the Appalachian Trail with Joedy Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Iowa veteran one-quarter of the way done hiking Appalachian Trail
WHO 13 NEWS – Iowa veteran Joedy VanVelzen surpassed 500 miles, meaning he is one-quarter of the way done hiking the Appalachian Trail: an expedition that extends nearly 2,200 miles between Georgia and Maine and passes through 14 states. He's currently making his way through Virginia, meeting new people and still taking in breathtaking views. Iowa State Fair reveals free entertainment lineup In this update, Joedy shows us the food he carries and consumes daily on the trail. He estimates he's eating 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day and still losing weight, 17.5 pounds down in a little over a month. Joedy has less than 1,700 miles to go until the end of the trail in Maine. He hopes to get there by the last week of August. If you'd like to follow along, follow his Facebook page: On the Appalachian Trail with Joedy. How the Iowa State Fair books its grandstand acts Iowa veteran one-quarter of the way done hiking Appalachian Trail Beautiful sunset as atmosphere stays capped: Monday storm recap Iowa State Fair reveals free entertainment lineup PHOTOS: Anticrepuscular rays at sunset Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
One month in: Iowa veteran logs nearly 500 miles on the Appalachian Trail
WHO 13 NEWS – Iowa veteran Joedy VanVelzen has been hiking the Appalachian Trail for one month. He is making his way to Virginia with the veteran group he's a part of called Warrior Expeditions. The veterans met in Georgia back on March 17. They've accomplished a lot in the first month with three states in the rearview mirror, including Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. 'Before They Were Soldiers' profiles Iowans who did not return from Vietnam VanVelzen said he's averaging more than 100 miles a week and coming across countless views and people along the way. While the weather has been a challenge at times, he said the vet supporters along the way have been amazing in their rest and recovery. One tradition on the Appalachian Trail is that fellow hikers give you a trail name. A fellow veteran gave VanVelzen the trail name 'Unicorn' because it is a rare person to have forty years of military service, the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Five, and be a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. He tells us he should be over 500 miles by Friday, April 25, meaning they have nearly 1,700 miles to go until the end of the trail in Maine. He hopes to get there by the last week of August. If you'd like to follow along, follow his Facebook page: On the Appalachian Trail with Joedy Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
