March 7 - 11
"Whoa", I hesitated thinking I heard a voice but dismissed it. "Hey Bucko! I said Whoa"! I stopped realizing it was my body. "When are you gonna give it a break"?
Over the last several years I have learned to listen to my body when it speaks so I decided today was the day to "give it a rest".
Let me recap the events since Hiawassee. On Sunday morning around 9:30 I crossed into North Carolina. From my previous hike I knew what was in store for me shortly after crossing the border, the climb out of Bly's Gap. It is and wasn't a picnic. NC wants to make sure you don't think you're hot stuff for finishing Georgia so it humbles you quickly. What I had forgotten were the next two climbs. NC likes to send you straight up the mountain. Why waste trail with switchbacks when it can send you straight up!
It was early afternoon when I finished the climb up Standing Indian Mtn. and I was thinking that all was good because the climbs were over for the day. Haha jokes on you! What i hadn't thought of was the snow, lots and lots of snow, three to four feet of snow, all along the ridgeline which is where I was going. Normally the ridge walk along Standing Indian is a nice enjoyable hike. That day it was like I was being led to a Siberian labor camp.... Step, step, posthole, posthole, step, three more postholes, some of which were thigh high.
I had thought of going to Carter Gap Shelter but when I hit Beech Gap where there was water and a place to set up the tent I called it quits. It was the longest and hardest day up to this point. Needless to say I slept well that night!
The next day wasn't quite so bad. I ran into Brian and Peter about mid morning and we flip flopped around one another all day. We climbed Albert Mtn. which was the steepest climb up to this point. The three of us ended up staying at Rock Gap Shelter that night. The good thing about this is the weather has been sunny and warm though there was a chance of rain coming in the next couple of days.
The next morning I said my see you laters because they were heading into Franklin and I was pushing past. It was overcast but not cold and the ups and downs continued. Around noon I reached the Siler Bald Shelter split off and that is where I stopped for lunch. Good thing because things went downhill in a hurry after that.
If I thought the ridgeline after Standing Indian was bad I was not expecting the Bataan Death March that I hit on this afternoon. It was, by far, the most grueling and strenous 4.5 hours of hiking (if you can even call it hiking) I have ever done. Postholing ever other step, trying to figure where you can step without postholing then postholing to the thigh and then down to the knees with a double posthole. It did not seem it would ever end!
I finally reached the Wayah Bald Shelter. My feet, ankles, and knees were screaming at me and I was exhausted. I had never sworn at an inanimate object as much as I did that afternoon!. Three others came into the shelter that night and they also expressed the same feeling I had about the day.
So, here it is, the 11th of March. Yesterday there were only a couple of hours worth of postholing and then I could actually "hike". What a unique concept..walking without sinking to your knees.. It's almost enjoyable. At this moment I am at the NOC, Nantahala Outdoor Center, sitting in a bunkroom, out of the rain (and it is raining hard!), listening to my body. I have also made another decision for various reasons. I am going to cut my Smokies hike in half.
I am out here to have fun and hike until I have to go back to the Whites. During those long hours of postholing I kept thinking about how this was what I was going through when I blew out my knee it '08 on the PCT. There are far greater stakes this time, based on future plans, and I would be sorely pissed if something were to happen while I am doing something that really wasn't on the agenda in the first place. If I did tweak a knee it would put a huge cramp on the plans for the PCT/NZ adventure so I am going to get back on at Newfound Gap and do the last half of the Smokies.
That's it for now ... be well all
Friday, March 12, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Low Gap Shelter to Hiawassee, GA
March 4 - 6 ...... It is 9:10 AM on the 6th and I am in Hiawasee, GA. drinking a cup of coffee and writing this post. The goal for today is resupply and head back onto the trail. Last night I stayed at Deep Gap Shelter, 3.7 miles from the road to town. I was up and out early, hit the road, and caught a ride with the third car by. Not to shabby!
The last couple of days have been just wonderful! The sun has been out, it has been warm and the hiking has been good. Like I said in the previous post, walking in the snow is fun but it is starting to melt off quite a bit. In a few days we will be walking in the mud and slush. At night I have been setting my tent up right on the snow and I've been staying pretty warm. I think a lot warmer than if I were in the shelter. In the tent I am fully enclosed which helps retain heat.
One little story that made me laugh. On Thursday afternoon I came upon Peter and Brian. We talked about where we were going for the day. I said I was going to stop at the "cheesburger factory". They looked at me with the "huh" look. I laughed and said I meant the old ceese factory site but you know now what is on my mind. They were going to push on past there.
They left, I broke out the radio and was just be-bopin down the trail when I see someone coming toward me from the north. He gets close and says, "Are you the guy that's craving cheeseburgers"? I laughed and acknowledged the fact. He then proceeds to drop the bombshell. "Well, two guys just pulled in at Tray Gap and they are cooking up burgers for hikers." I just stared at him in disbelief, thanked him and took off.
Now Tray Gap was about a mile past where I was going to stay but I can stay anywhere and the burgers were calling! I reached Tray Gap and Brian started laughing, "I see you got the message", he said. I nodded and headed for the grill. What a treat! There were seven of us there drinking Mountain Dew and eating a couple of burgers. My earlier slip of the tounge turned into reality!
What happened with the burgers is known on the AT as Trail Magic. Trail Magic can come in many forms, from a full blown cook up like this, to a cooler alongside the trail somewhere loaded with drinks and goodies, to several gallons of water near a long waterless stretch. The people that do trail magic are past hikers and people that just appreciate the trail. Whomever it is they provide that little slice of heaven along the trail.
I a making good time. After I leave town today I will head up the trail about 4.5 miles To Plumorchard Gap Shelter and then early tomorrow morning I will cross into North Carolina. The weather looks to be good through Monday and then there is a chance of rain on Tuesday. Oh well, wet is wet and once you are wet you can't get any wetter.
The last couple of days have been just wonderful! The sun has been out, it has been warm and the hiking has been good. Like I said in the previous post, walking in the snow is fun but it is starting to melt off quite a bit. In a few days we will be walking in the mud and slush. At night I have been setting my tent up right on the snow and I've been staying pretty warm. I think a lot warmer than if I were in the shelter. In the tent I am fully enclosed which helps retain heat.
One little story that made me laugh. On Thursday afternoon I came upon Peter and Brian. We talked about where we were going for the day. I said I was going to stop at the "cheesburger factory". They looked at me with the "huh" look. I laughed and said I meant the old ceese factory site but you know now what is on my mind. They were going to push on past there.
They left, I broke out the radio and was just be-bopin down the trail when I see someone coming toward me from the north. He gets close and says, "Are you the guy that's craving cheeseburgers"? I laughed and acknowledged the fact. He then proceeds to drop the bombshell. "Well, two guys just pulled in at Tray Gap and they are cooking up burgers for hikers." I just stared at him in disbelief, thanked him and took off.
Now Tray Gap was about a mile past where I was going to stay but I can stay anywhere and the burgers were calling! I reached Tray Gap and Brian started laughing, "I see you got the message", he said. I nodded and headed for the grill. What a treat! There were seven of us there drinking Mountain Dew and eating a couple of burgers. My earlier slip of the tounge turned into reality!
What happened with the burgers is known on the AT as Trail Magic. Trail Magic can come in many forms, from a full blown cook up like this, to a cooler alongside the trail somewhere loaded with drinks and goodies, to several gallons of water near a long waterless stretch. The people that do trail magic are past hikers and people that just appreciate the trail. Whomever it is they provide that little slice of heaven along the trail.
I a making good time. After I leave town today I will head up the trail about 4.5 miles To Plumorchard Gap Shelter and then early tomorrow morning I will cross into North Carolina. The weather looks to be good through Monday and then there is a chance of rain on Tuesday. Oh well, wet is wet and once you are wet you can't get any wetter.
Neel's Gap to Low Gap Shelter
March 3 - Neel's Gap is the home of the Walasi-yi Hostel and Outfitter. The AT actually goes through an opening in the building, the only place on the trail that does that. Here is where many a hopeful thru-hiker gets off the trail, realizing that it is not for them. It is also a place where many hikers regear, realizing they are packing way too much weight. I have seen several hundred to a thousand spent on new gear here.
Since the snow was coming down pretty heavily and the wind was blowing steadily I decided to call it a day. I got a bunk in the hostel (first time I have stayed here) and went to dry some stuff. Jim made it down and managed to get the shuttle back to his car. It was fun hiking with him the last few. Thanks for everything Jim!
The AT is like an accordion. Lots of folks spread out over many miles but there are certain things that compress the accordion. Things like certain towns, hostels, and weather. Weather is the great compressor because no one wants to be caught in a big storm!
With that said 23 hikers ended up at Neel's Gap on the night of the 1st. Over the next few days it will be bunched up and the accordion will expand again. My plan was to get out early, 7:00 AM which meant I would most likely be breaking trail. This plan lasted until I woke up. It was 21 degrees and the wind was howling bringing the wind chill to single digits if not lower. I may crazy but i am not that crazy!
Time moved along and 7 people headed out before I made my move. At least I didn't have to break trail (or so I thought). I trekked up the hill and into the wind.
Walking in fresh fallen snow is actually a lot of fun. Everything is so pristine white and when you get past the ridgelines the wind dies and the silent beauty is too hard to describe. I have never hiked for many miles in snow like this and I do like it. As long as you are warm you are good to go although, in the back of your mind you realize you are going to be hiking in wet socks and shoes for days to come.
I don't know how it happened but I started passing those in front of me. Soon I was number 3 which meant I was breaking trail with Peter and Brian, the 2 guys we had met early on. Breaking trail is not a lot of fun especially when you're going through thigh high drifts. Thank goodness most of the trail was under 6 inches of snow. All in all though it was a great day! 16 of us ended up at Low Gap Shelter, 11 miles up the trail.
Since the snow was coming down pretty heavily and the wind was blowing steadily I decided to call it a day. I got a bunk in the hostel (first time I have stayed here) and went to dry some stuff. Jim made it down and managed to get the shuttle back to his car. It was fun hiking with him the last few. Thanks for everything Jim!
The AT is like an accordion. Lots of folks spread out over many miles but there are certain things that compress the accordion. Things like certain towns, hostels, and weather. Weather is the great compressor because no one wants to be caught in a big storm!
With that said 23 hikers ended up at Neel's Gap on the night of the 1st. Over the next few days it will be bunched up and the accordion will expand again. My plan was to get out early, 7:00 AM which meant I would most likely be breaking trail. This plan lasted until I woke up. It was 21 degrees and the wind was howling bringing the wind chill to single digits if not lower. I may crazy but i am not that crazy!
Time moved along and 7 people headed out before I made my move. At least I didn't have to break trail (or so I thought). I trekked up the hill and into the wind.
Walking in fresh fallen snow is actually a lot of fun. Everything is so pristine white and when you get past the ridgelines the wind dies and the silent beauty is too hard to describe. I have never hiked for many miles in snow like this and I do like it. As long as you are warm you are good to go although, in the back of your mind you realize you are going to be hiking in wet socks and shoes for days to come.
I don't know how it happened but I started passing those in front of me. Soon I was number 3 which meant I was breaking trail with Peter and Brian, the 2 guys we had met early on. Breaking trail is not a lot of fun especially when you're going through thigh high drifts. Thank goodness most of the trail was under 6 inches of snow. All in all though it was a great day! 16 of us ended up at Low Gap Shelter, 11 miles up the trail.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Amicalola to Neel's Gap
We started hiking out of Amicalola around 2:00. My pack weighed in at 37 pounds. I am carrying a lot of clothes and I will be trying different combinations at night to see what keeps me warm. The rest I will send back with Jim when he leaves on Tuesday.
After about an hour it hit me. This isn't that bad. I wasn't looking for the giant oxygen in the sky and screaming for someone to bring a crash cart!. It really is amazing what 5 years and 5000 hiking miles will do to get you in shape and you don't realize it. All and all it was an easy childbirth. I didn't need the epidural at all!
Because of the late start we decided to stay at Black Gap Shelter, 1.5 miles from Springer. It was a good call because I have always hated rolling into camp and having to set up when it is dark. I like to enjoy some of the evening before darkness falls.
One real good thing is there is no snow on the ground. From all reports I expected a lot of snow. There are a ton of blowdowns on the approach trail however There were a lot of day hikers on the trail. I felt as if I were at Liberty Springs.
We made camp, ate, and drank a couple of one of Jim's recipies, The Cocoa Loco and then it was time for bed. Tomorrow we plan on about 15 miles to camp at Justus Creek.
I woke in the morning with a smile. My first thought was, "I am home". I probably had my best nights sleep in a long time last night. It was great!
The day's hike was good. The only problem was the weatherman. He lied. There was no sun, no 50 degrees, lots of wind and cool. You sure didn't stop long when you stopped for a break or lunch.. Since I usually leave camp first I set up place to meet for lunch and I motored on out. It wasn't too far past Springer that I ran into my first character out here. He was on the side of the trail, stuff from his pack strewn everywhere. He looks at me and asks if I want anything. He was doing a pack shakedown right then and there because he was too heavy. He had me laughing in no time. He reminded of the guy in Bryson's book. I almost completely lost it when he said his name was Overload. Funny guy and I did relieve him of some peanut butter!
At Hawk Mtn. Shelter we added 2 to our little group and the 4 of us ended up at Justus Creek. There was my first, "Wait, what just happened", moment. I looked around for the footbridge and then realized I had walked into a major newly opened relocation of the trail. It was pretty cool and I do look at trails differently since I have been working on them. This work looked like it was very well done. The only sad part is the trail now takes you away from the water.
Another day down and 15 miles from Springer. Good stuff!
March 1 -- Once again I was the first one out but we had made plans to meet up at Woody Gap. It was a beautiful day! The sun was out and there was no wind. I freely admit that I am a child of the sun. Sunny days just make me happy.
I moseyed along and hit Woody Gap about a half hour before the others rolled in. While waiting I ran into a "good 'ol boy" coming out of the woods. I was a little taken aback when I saw he had a bow slung on his pack! We got to talking and he said he had been in the woods since November. He was heading to town to get a new sleeping bag. Interesting fellow to say the least.
The four of us pushed on to Woods Hole Shelter, 3 miles from Neel's Gap. We wanted to be close because the weather is supposed to turn tonight. It was early to bed. I'm a little sore but into the trail (from the approach) about 36 miles. Feeling good.
March 2 - Woke up in my igloo this AM. It snowed and is snowing but I was toasty warm. I quickly packed, talked to a few of the hikers in the shelter, and realized I was going to be the one breaking trail today. I guess it is a good thing because going over and down Blood Mountain can get you lost on a good day. At least I had an idea of how the trail angled.
Being the first on the trail after fresh snow is a trip. Depth perception sucks and I kept jarring my legs and knees hitting holes where I thought it was flat. I reached the top of Blood Mtn. and started down. Honestly, I am glad I was first because I did spend 15 to 20 minutes searching for the trail. The snow covered everything and I knew the trail was not to far down the rock face. I finund it and then went back up to make a trail through the snow for those coming behind. Hopefully it doesn't gewed over before they hit there.
I made it down to Neel's Gap where I have decided to stay for the night. They have a hostel here and the weather is pretty crappy. For those of you that know them... Ramblin' Man and Baltimore Jack are here. Miss Janet is supposed to be here later today. She'll be running the hostel this season!
After about an hour it hit me. This isn't that bad. I wasn't looking for the giant oxygen in the sky and screaming for someone to bring a crash cart!. It really is amazing what 5 years and 5000 hiking miles will do to get you in shape and you don't realize it. All and all it was an easy childbirth. I didn't need the epidural at all!
Because of the late start we decided to stay at Black Gap Shelter, 1.5 miles from Springer. It was a good call because I have always hated rolling into camp and having to set up when it is dark. I like to enjoy some of the evening before darkness falls.
One real good thing is there is no snow on the ground. From all reports I expected a lot of snow. There are a ton of blowdowns on the approach trail however There were a lot of day hikers on the trail. I felt as if I were at Liberty Springs.
We made camp, ate, and drank a couple of one of Jim's recipies, The Cocoa Loco and then it was time for bed. Tomorrow we plan on about 15 miles to camp at Justus Creek.
I woke in the morning with a smile. My first thought was, "I am home". I probably had my best nights sleep in a long time last night. It was great!
The day's hike was good. The only problem was the weatherman. He lied. There was no sun, no 50 degrees, lots of wind and cool. You sure didn't stop long when you stopped for a break or lunch.. Since I usually leave camp first I set up place to meet for lunch and I motored on out. It wasn't too far past Springer that I ran into my first character out here. He was on the side of the trail, stuff from his pack strewn everywhere. He looks at me and asks if I want anything. He was doing a pack shakedown right then and there because he was too heavy. He had me laughing in no time. He reminded of the guy in Bryson's book. I almost completely lost it when he said his name was Overload. Funny guy and I did relieve him of some peanut butter!
At Hawk Mtn. Shelter we added 2 to our little group and the 4 of us ended up at Justus Creek. There was my first, "Wait, what just happened", moment. I looked around for the footbridge and then realized I had walked into a major newly opened relocation of the trail. It was pretty cool and I do look at trails differently since I have been working on them. This work looked like it was very well done. The only sad part is the trail now takes you away from the water.
Another day down and 15 miles from Springer. Good stuff!
March 1 -- Once again I was the first one out but we had made plans to meet up at Woody Gap. It was a beautiful day! The sun was out and there was no wind. I freely admit that I am a child of the sun. Sunny days just make me happy.
I moseyed along and hit Woody Gap about a half hour before the others rolled in. While waiting I ran into a "good 'ol boy" coming out of the woods. I was a little taken aback when I saw he had a bow slung on his pack! We got to talking and he said he had been in the woods since November. He was heading to town to get a new sleeping bag. Interesting fellow to say the least.
The four of us pushed on to Woods Hole Shelter, 3 miles from Neel's Gap. We wanted to be close because the weather is supposed to turn tonight. It was early to bed. I'm a little sore but into the trail (from the approach) about 36 miles. Feeling good.
March 2 - Woke up in my igloo this AM. It snowed and is snowing but I was toasty warm. I quickly packed, talked to a few of the hikers in the shelter, and realized I was going to be the one breaking trail today. I guess it is a good thing because going over and down Blood Mountain can get you lost on a good day. At least I had an idea of how the trail angled.
Being the first on the trail after fresh snow is a trip. Depth perception sucks and I kept jarring my legs and knees hitting holes where I thought it was flat. I reached the top of Blood Mtn. and started down. Honestly, I am glad I was first because I did spend 15 to 20 minutes searching for the trail. The snow covered everything and I knew the trail was not to far down the rock face. I finund it and then went back up to make a trail through the snow for those coming behind. Hopefully it doesn't gewed over before they hit there.
I made it down to Neel's Gap where I have decided to stay for the night. They have a hostel here and the weather is pretty crappy. For those of you that know them... Ramblin' Man and Baltimore Jack are here. Miss Janet is supposed to be here later today. She'll be running the hostel this season!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
The approach
The drive is complete. I left town around 8:00 AM with an eight hour drive in front of me. It was pretty uneventful until I hit the Atlanta area when things slowed to a tortoise crawl. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do not know how people can live in an urban environment. Why in the world would you want to spend a good portion of your day in a vehicle! Even the so called HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane was crawling along. It took me almost 2 hours to go the last 34 miles but I did make it.
It is now early Saturday morning and after we do a few things (I'm dropping it in the mail today, Ash) Jim and I will head to Amicalola Falls to start the trail. We had a good time catching up last night and it looks like I have a ride set up from where I decide to end this little hike. I am leaving my car at his place so everything is falling into place. When Jim told me he plan was to do the approach trail I cringed. That trail is a humbler of all aspiring thru hikers and it quickly weeds out the ones that think the Appalachian Trail is a mere jaunt.
It is 8.8 miles long from the start of the approach to the top of Springer Mtn., the "official" start of the Appalachian Trail. I did it in '04 and when I got to the top I wondered what I was doing out here. In '05 I rationalized that since I had already done it I didn't have to do it again! Here I am again but it may , and I use that word loosely, may be better because I am carrying much less pack weigh, body weight and I have hiked. There was one thing I told Jim though. I said the approach trail is kinda like women and childbirth. Very painful and you wonder what the hell but once it is done it recedes from memory and only the good remains.
I think I am going to give birth to a child later today!
I have no agenda or time frame out here this time. I will hike as I please and as fa as I please. Depending on our start time we may stop at the shelter before the top of Springer or push on thru. Either way we are just going to enjoy. I plan on taking it a little slow because I mentioned in m previous post that Moonpie will be in Franklin, NC on the 12th and I want to time my hike so arrive there then.
I do believe there will be a lot of thru hikers starting today and tomorrow. Monday is March 1 and that is one of the heavier star times for those that want to do the long walk to Maine. The weather looks very promising for the next 10 days. The only potentially bad day is supposed to be Tuesday. The temps look yo be in the high 40's to mid 50's during the day and the mid 30's to high 20's at night. I can deal with that! I am packing a LOT of layers. Warmth is my friend and I plan on keeping it a good friend!
So that's it. The day has come. I am ready to roll. I have not really decided how I am going to chronicle this hike yet. format wise. I guess it all depends on what kind of reception I have in the hills and how cold my fingers get while I am typing away up there. No matter what I will get posts to Ash and she will put them up. Here is a special shout out to you Ash ... Thanks for your help and I will see you in May!
It is now early Saturday morning and after we do a few things (I'm dropping it in the mail today, Ash) Jim and I will head to Amicalola Falls to start the trail. We had a good time catching up last night and it looks like I have a ride set up from where I decide to end this little hike. I am leaving my car at his place so everything is falling into place. When Jim told me he plan was to do the approach trail I cringed. That trail is a humbler of all aspiring thru hikers and it quickly weeds out the ones that think the Appalachian Trail is a mere jaunt.
It is 8.8 miles long from the start of the approach to the top of Springer Mtn., the "official" start of the Appalachian Trail. I did it in '04 and when I got to the top I wondered what I was doing out here. In '05 I rationalized that since I had already done it I didn't have to do it again! Here I am again but it may , and I use that word loosely, may be better because I am carrying much less pack weigh, body weight and I have hiked. There was one thing I told Jim though. I said the approach trail is kinda like women and childbirth. Very painful and you wonder what the hell but once it is done it recedes from memory and only the good remains.
I think I am going to give birth to a child later today!
I have no agenda or time frame out here this time. I will hike as I please and as fa as I please. Depending on our start time we may stop at the shelter before the top of Springer or push on thru. Either way we are just going to enjoy. I plan on taking it a little slow because I mentioned in m previous post that Moonpie will be in Franklin, NC on the 12th and I want to time my hike so arrive there then.
I do believe there will be a lot of thru hikers starting today and tomorrow. Monday is March 1 and that is one of the heavier star times for those that want to do the long walk to Maine. The weather looks very promising for the next 10 days. The only potentially bad day is supposed to be Tuesday. The temps look yo be in the high 40's to mid 50's during the day and the mid 30's to high 20's at night. I can deal with that! I am packing a LOT of layers. Warmth is my friend and I plan on keeping it a good friend!
So that's it. The day has come. I am ready to roll. I have not really decided how I am going to chronicle this hike yet. format wise. I guess it all depends on what kind of reception I have in the hills and how cold my fingers get while I am typing away up there. No matter what I will get posts to Ash and she will put them up. Here is a special shout out to you Ash ... Thanks for your help and I will see you in May!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The time has come. It is hard to believe that I will be stepping onto the AT for an extended hike 5 years after my thru hike. It is a totally unplanned hike, unplanned in the sense that it was never on my radar until a couple of weeks ago. I have been looking at my A.T Guide (kindly provided by David Miller, aka AWOL) and seeing what I will be walking over again brings back memories so thick I just have to pause. Every shelter, every town, every brushy hill, deep gap, low gap will bring back the memories.
“Dreams aren’t perfect, they can come true, but they aren’t free“. I started my 2005 Trailjournal off with that line and that year the dream came true. Since then there have dreams that have come true yet there are those that I still pursue. How that first one changed my life is something I will never, ever, be able to express in words. Many of you that know me know how I feel and what I feel. The people I have met on the initial hike and since then are closer to me than all those people I met while working in the corporate world. Unfortunately, I am not independently wealthy and I do have to return to the corporate world in order to fund my next hike. However, there is a huge difference now, I can walk away when I want to. They no longer own me and I know I can survive without the “stuff”.
As I type this I have the TV tuned to a movie called “The Astronaut Farmer”. I have not seen it before and again, those of you that know me know I am a big movie freak. This one is about a rancher that builds his own rocket to go into space with. The name of the rocket, “The Dreamer” .. How appropriate! If we decide not to follow our dreams what are we? I am not talking about the monster dreams, follow small one and build to the big ones. There are still a couple in my head that may or may not ever happen, like flying in a fighter (and yes, civilians can do that) but I do know that if I had followed the same treadmill I was on 5 years ago things would be so much more different now.
The weather looks good for the first 5 days of the hike which means that a lot of the snow and ice will melt off. The weather this year has been horrible and I feel for the Southbound (SOBO) thru hikers. Again, for my non hiking friends these are folk that started at Mt. Katahdin, in Maine and hike to Springer. After my season in the Whites was over last year I hiked SOBO with GG for about 3 weeks. We went through Vermont and into Mass. together and the weather was none to nice. As a matter of fact it was darn cold, wet and snowy. I do expect a little more of this kind of weather as I head north from Springer. I will be hiking with Jim, “The Backcountry Bartender” for the first few days. I also found out that Moonpie will be in Franklin, NC on the 12th, about the time I will be in that area. It will be good to see her again. We hiked many miles together on the PCT in ‘08. Sheltowee already sent me a message saying he would pick me up when I get close!
I am in that last minute panic mode making sure I have everything wrapped up before I leave which today will be a hectic one. I've been adding little things to my list of "to get dones" before leaving town. My next post will come from Atlanta if I have time.
“Dreams aren’t perfect, they can come true, but they aren’t free“. I started my 2005 Trailjournal off with that line and that year the dream came true. Since then there have dreams that have come true yet there are those that I still pursue. How that first one changed my life is something I will never, ever, be able to express in words. Many of you that know me know how I feel and what I feel. The people I have met on the initial hike and since then are closer to me than all those people I met while working in the corporate world. Unfortunately, I am not independently wealthy and I do have to return to the corporate world in order to fund my next hike. However, there is a huge difference now, I can walk away when I want to. They no longer own me and I know I can survive without the “stuff”.
As I type this I have the TV tuned to a movie called “The Astronaut Farmer”. I have not seen it before and again, those of you that know me know I am a big movie freak. This one is about a rancher that builds his own rocket to go into space with. The name of the rocket, “The Dreamer” .. How appropriate! If we decide not to follow our dreams what are we? I am not talking about the monster dreams, follow small one and build to the big ones. There are still a couple in my head that may or may not ever happen, like flying in a fighter (and yes, civilians can do that) but I do know that if I had followed the same treadmill I was on 5 years ago things would be so much more different now.
The weather looks good for the first 5 days of the hike which means that a lot of the snow and ice will melt off. The weather this year has been horrible and I feel for the Southbound (SOBO) thru hikers. Again, for my non hiking friends these are folk that started at Mt. Katahdin, in Maine and hike to Springer. After my season in the Whites was over last year I hiked SOBO with GG for about 3 weeks. We went through Vermont and into Mass. together and the weather was none to nice. As a matter of fact it was darn cold, wet and snowy. I do expect a little more of this kind of weather as I head north from Springer. I will be hiking with Jim, “The Backcountry Bartender” for the first few days. I also found out that Moonpie will be in Franklin, NC on the 12th, about the time I will be in that area. It will be good to see her again. We hiked many miles together on the PCT in ‘08. Sheltowee already sent me a message saying he would pick me up when I get close!
I am in that last minute panic mode making sure I have everything wrapped up before I leave which today will be a hectic one. I've been adding little things to my list of "to get dones" before leaving town. My next post will come from Atlanta if I have time.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
It begins anew
Since my last update there have a couple of changes in the plans. To make a long story short I quit the job I had. It was an agonizing decision but something I had to do for my mental and physical well being. The agonizing part is that it may put a cramp in the plans for this winter. There is a financial goal I want to reach before I head to New Zealand and I may not reach that goal before December. If I don’t reach it then I will work through the winter and start The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) in late April and then head to New Zealand after that. It will still allow for the endless summer but in reverse. I want to make sure I have enough money saved to do both adventures without having to agonize over every penny spent.
I have discussed this with Ash and if she doesn’t reach her goal then she will do the same. If she does reach it then she may head over to NZ and then meet up for the PCT. Again all of this depends on timing, money, and health. I do know that I will be on the PCT next year no matter what. That trail and I have a little score to settle!
I will be returning to the White Mountains of New Hampshire for another season of caretaking this summer. There isn’t a lot of time before I would have to head up there and I do have a work ethic. I do not want to approach a new employer, get a job, and leave with 6 weeks or so. It isn’t fair to them and goes against my morals. So, what do I do in the meantime. I have enough money to live on till I head up north and some saved for the journey. If I stay in town it costs more to live and I do not want to dip into the trip fund. If I go hike I can live for way cheap so guess what .. I am going to go hike!
On the 26th of February I am going to head to Atlanta where my friend, known as the “Backcountry Bartender” is going to give me a ride to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. From there I am going to hike north for awhile, meaning that I will hike till it is time to head to NH. When I find out my exact start date of work I will head back to Atlanta, grab my car, and head to NH. The normal season for the Whites job starts toward the end of May but I may have some work there before the actual start of the season so my start date may vary. I figure this gives me about at least 2 months on the AT.
For any new readers, I did hike the entire AT in 2005. That year I left in mid March and after 2 months I was in Atkins, Virginia, 538 miles into the trail. Things have changed a lot since then. I am more experienced, weigh a lot less and can do double digit miles without thinking about it. In 2005 it took us 3.5 days to get to Neels Gap, Ga. Now, if I wanted to I could probably hit it in 2 days. I was talking with Clearwater the other day, a friend I met in ‘05 and have hiked many miles with. He says, “Cuppa, you could be in Waynesboro before you finish.” Waynesboro is the town just before the start of the Shenandoah’s. 853 miles into the trail. I laughed and said it would be cool because there is some pretty hiking in Virginia. No matter where I end up I plan on having fun.
One thing that hit me just before I start typing this up. Here I am heading back to the AT for a pretty substantial hike albeit not a thru-hike and this year is the 5th anniversary of the complete hike of the AT in ‘05. That kinda slapped me with an “Oh wow!” because I had not even though of that before.
Anyway, I will be keeping a journal of my hike on this blog. Ash has kindly accepted to be my transcriber (Ash, I know how you can write so feel free to add snide and cutting comments anytime you like into the entries J ) and another friend, Caitlin has offered to be backup. I will write daily updates though I may not be able to send them each day. No matter what they will eventually be posted. I have kept my journals from previous years on “Trailjournals.com” but I am posting on the blog for this one. I want to use trail journals for thru-hikes and attempted thru-hikes. That means my attempt of the PCT again next year will be on Trailjournals. I do hope you all follow along and I hope to be able to tell you a good story along the way!
I have discussed this with Ash and if she doesn’t reach her goal then she will do the same. If she does reach it then she may head over to NZ and then meet up for the PCT. Again all of this depends on timing, money, and health. I do know that I will be on the PCT next year no matter what. That trail and I have a little score to settle!
I will be returning to the White Mountains of New Hampshire for another season of caretaking this summer. There isn’t a lot of time before I would have to head up there and I do have a work ethic. I do not want to approach a new employer, get a job, and leave with 6 weeks or so. It isn’t fair to them and goes against my morals. So, what do I do in the meantime. I have enough money to live on till I head up north and some saved for the journey. If I stay in town it costs more to live and I do not want to dip into the trip fund. If I go hike I can live for way cheap so guess what .. I am going to go hike!
On the 26th of February I am going to head to Atlanta where my friend, known as the “Backcountry Bartender” is going to give me a ride to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. From there I am going to hike north for awhile, meaning that I will hike till it is time to head to NH. When I find out my exact start date of work I will head back to Atlanta, grab my car, and head to NH. The normal season for the Whites job starts toward the end of May but I may have some work there before the actual start of the season so my start date may vary. I figure this gives me about at least 2 months on the AT.
For any new readers, I did hike the entire AT in 2005. That year I left in mid March and after 2 months I was in Atkins, Virginia, 538 miles into the trail. Things have changed a lot since then. I am more experienced, weigh a lot less and can do double digit miles without thinking about it. In 2005 it took us 3.5 days to get to Neels Gap, Ga. Now, if I wanted to I could probably hit it in 2 days. I was talking with Clearwater the other day, a friend I met in ‘05 and have hiked many miles with. He says, “Cuppa, you could be in Waynesboro before you finish.” Waynesboro is the town just before the start of the Shenandoah’s. 853 miles into the trail. I laughed and said it would be cool because there is some pretty hiking in Virginia. No matter where I end up I plan on having fun.
One thing that hit me just before I start typing this up. Here I am heading back to the AT for a pretty substantial hike albeit not a thru-hike and this year is the 5th anniversary of the complete hike of the AT in ‘05. That kinda slapped me with an “Oh wow!” because I had not even though of that before.
Anyway, I will be keeping a journal of my hike on this blog. Ash has kindly accepted to be my transcriber (Ash, I know how you can write so feel free to add snide and cutting comments anytime you like into the entries J ) and another friend, Caitlin has offered to be backup. I will write daily updates though I may not be able to send them each day. No matter what they will eventually be posted. I have kept my journals from previous years on “Trailjournals.com” but I am posting on the blog for this one. I want to use trail journals for thru-hikes and attempted thru-hikes. That means my attempt of the PCT again next year will be on Trailjournals. I do hope you all follow along and I hope to be able to tell you a good story along the way!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)