By the numbers: 850 miles, 67 days, 4 states, 200,000 feet of elevation gained, 1 pair of hiking boots, 5 pairs of socks, 38 slices of pizza record holder, 1 johnny law encounter, 2 backpacks (and waiting on the third), 103 degrees (hottest day), 10 degrees (coldest day), 10 inches of snow April 10th, 10 inches of rain in two weeks, 3 full moons, 10 night hikes, 30 miles (longest mileage in one day), 300 pounds of food eaten, 20 pounds of weight lost, 1,500 steps per mile... countless good times!
I have 28 minutes left at the Waynesboro Public Library... and the preceding list is all I could think of in short time... maybe I'll think more when walking and come up with some more numbers! As I sit here, in one of the nicer libraries, my tent is sitting in a grass field under an Oak tree with Lexi tied to the tent pole acting as guard dog. The YMCA is across the street and they allow us to camp for free, shower for free, and use their pool and weight room. Trail Angels, as they are self-proclaimed to be and rightfully so, are everywhere and continually offer us rides to places that are beyond walking distance. My shoulder aches from arm-wrestling the other night... Dad you'd be proud of this left arm... is our bet still on?
22 minutes remain. Lexi finally threw in the proverbial towel... she started to walk very slow and was giving me the look that meant "Dude, it's been fun... but I need to rest". So I took her pack off and carried all of her food... while already having way too much food for myself... sent her pack home and slowed down a bit.. but she was really over all of it... and a section hiker (former thru-hiker) named Hawk recognized the situation and in a very kind gesture offered to take Lex off the trail for a few days. And so she's been on vaca from the trail since Wed afternoon. But I get ahead of myself.
After leaving Daleville, which is where I last posted, we have been amidst much rain and thunder, in fact every day since we left has been wet. The full moon was last Saturday night, so we naturally nite-hiked... full moon over the full moon if you get my drift! which was awsome and hopefully will continue with all future full moons! We woke up on Mother's Day camped on a side trail... OOPS! day hikers had to post-pole around our settlement until we rose, only an hour shy of mid-day... Sunday is for rest after all...
Then accross the James River Foot Bridge. A foot bridge named after William T. Foot... hmmm... and into Glasgow... a nice little town with Hamburgers and Chili fries... and beer! Country Club 6-pack only $2.69... camp... happy times with the gang (Tents, L-Train, Andy from Baltimore, Hawk, Highliner, and some other dude).
11 minutes left... Got Lexi back this afternoon from Hawk at the Outfitter here in town... also got some packages... happy dog, happy me!
From here we may be Aqua-blazing... this is when you run a river that runs parrel to the trail... it disqualifies you from the 2,000 miler patch... and all comments refering to you as a "purist"... so I embrace this aqua blazing opportunity with zeal... after all if I was anticipating a certification at the completion of this trail so that I can display my accomplishment to others... I would feel like a hypocritical moron... I don't need no silly rules... silly silly rules....
To the river!
SS
I have 28 minutes left at the Waynesboro Public Library... and the preceding list is all I could think of in short time... maybe I'll think more when walking and come up with some more numbers! As I sit here, in one of the nicer libraries, my tent is sitting in a grass field under an Oak tree with Lexi tied to the tent pole acting as guard dog. The YMCA is across the street and they allow us to camp for free, shower for free, and use their pool and weight room. Trail Angels, as they are self-proclaimed to be and rightfully so, are everywhere and continually offer us rides to places that are beyond walking distance. My shoulder aches from arm-wrestling the other night... Dad you'd be proud of this left arm... is our bet still on?
22 minutes remain. Lexi finally threw in the proverbial towel... she started to walk very slow and was giving me the look that meant "Dude, it's been fun... but I need to rest". So I took her pack off and carried all of her food... while already having way too much food for myself... sent her pack home and slowed down a bit.. but she was really over all of it... and a section hiker (former thru-hiker) named Hawk recognized the situation and in a very kind gesture offered to take Lex off the trail for a few days. And so she's been on vaca from the trail since Wed afternoon. But I get ahead of myself.
After leaving Daleville, which is where I last posted, we have been amidst much rain and thunder, in fact every day since we left has been wet. The full moon was last Saturday night, so we naturally nite-hiked... full moon over the full moon if you get my drift! which was awsome and hopefully will continue with all future full moons! We woke up on Mother's Day camped on a side trail... OOPS! day hikers had to post-pole around our settlement until we rose, only an hour shy of mid-day... Sunday is for rest after all...
Then accross the James River Foot Bridge. A foot bridge named after William T. Foot... hmmm... and into Glasgow... a nice little town with Hamburgers and Chili fries... and beer! Country Club 6-pack only $2.69... camp... happy times with the gang (Tents, L-Train, Andy from Baltimore, Hawk, Highliner, and some other dude).
11 minutes left... Got Lexi back this afternoon from Hawk at the Outfitter here in town... also got some packages... happy dog, happy me!
From here we may be Aqua-blazing... this is when you run a river that runs parrel to the trail... it disqualifies you from the 2,000 miler patch... and all comments refering to you as a "purist"... so I embrace this aqua blazing opportunity with zeal... after all if I was anticipating a certification at the completion of this trail so that I can display my accomplishment to others... I would feel like a hypocritical moron... I don't need no silly rules... silly silly rules....
To the river!
SS
You are near this freind of mine Tom Brody, Bear Mountain Farm Hightown Virginia call hime now - 540.468.2700 friend of Stan Krome bearmountaun@htcnet.org www.mountain-retreat.com
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