Lexinopholis

I read Where the Red Fern grows when I was young and was convinced that I wanted a dog in my life... a friend that would go on adventures with me and keep me company on the lonely nights. Lexi was that friend, and I bid her a very fond farewell as she embarks on her next adventure!

Lexi left this physical world in much the way she participated in life here... with dignity and grace. She died peacefully asleep on Tuesday morning, November 16, 2010 at eight and one-half years of age. She was in the care of a local veterinarian who was trying to help her with her failing liver. I am grateful that Lexi left on her own and did not need help. I have no regrets nor do I feel Lexi does... we are both peacefully missing each other.

We did get one last amazing day... which I have re-named Lexi Day... this year it fell on Sunday November 14th. As we attempted to wheel Lexi to the beach in a wagon, she jumped out of the wagon and walked with her head held high under the freeway to the sand, an amazing show of strength and pride which only fortified her greatness. We played in the sand, and Lexi followed me into the surf... we all had great fun in the company of good friends. The sun set that night to dolphins playing in the waves... and Lexi was the guest of honor!

Lexi DID, she left nothing on the beach, grass or trail... she had a lust for life that will serve as a model for how I will continue living my life.

Lexi's body is now laid to rest on a beautiful mesa in Carpinteria, overlooking the Brown's Cherimoya Ranch and the Carpinteria Valley, just at the foot of the rainbow bridge to Santa Cruz Island. Lexi's spirit is in everyone she met and every place she visited... I will always have very fond memories of my time spent with her here on Spaceship Earth.

Amidst the fog
no birthday song
Came to the creek
and stopped to eat
First day without a dog

800 miles of goofy smiles
in cold and warm and HOT
with head held high you did not cry
when difficult to trot

You kept a guard
at camp each night
birds to ascending flight
And bumble bees had met their match
when challenged to a fight

So rest your paws
a better cause
will sleeping be to you
My trusted friend
we'll meet again
and a walkin' we will do

Run like the wind and don't look back puppers... I'm gonna miss you!

G in SpAcE

Lexi update

In the spirit of Lexi, she is giving this 110% and taking on another round in the fight. The more level headed veterinarian who doesn't charge a fortune thinks she may have just gotten into something nasty, or drank or ate something that didn't agree with her.

Fluids on board for the next few days.

Thanks for all the good vibes, it's making a huge difference!

G in SpAcE

Lexi los Peros

A year has gone by since I last sat in front of this screen thinking of what to write. This time, I write just to give my mind something to do.

Lexi, Safety Patrol, is lying in a cage in an emergency room in Santa Barbara... she hasn't been able to stomach food for over 4 days. Her eyes are the saddest dark moons I have ever seen, she is uncomfortable and I don't know what to do for her. I am sad.

Helpless and human... stuck in an ethical debate between the strength to hold on, and the strength to let go. Lexi is a great friend. I'm certain she made more friends than I did on the trail. She is a lover of beaches, watering holes, and adventure. She is a true companion... the best.

She has driven across this country 3 times, been sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, surfing, swimming in rivers, lakes, and oceans. She once went rock-climbing to soak with us in a hot tub on the Colorado River. She went to college for two years, lived with Pete and I... survived an encounter with a car bumper when she was a puppy, and been on more private beaches than David Hasselhoff. She braved a trip to Mexico in a van with the three amigos. Got to live at Casa Kababik as guest of honor, and has eaten some of the tastiest fair man has seen.

She has always kept me true and active, and I hope she has enjoyed each and every moment of her life so far.

The hardest part is putting a price tag on a life, but tomorrow will be as long as I can keep her hospitalized and it just kills me to think of how sad she is in that cage. Against the judgment of the doctors, I'm taking her home so we can go to the beach.

Put the good vibes out for Lexi... and hope this story has a happy ending!

G in SpAcE

Re-tired

One year later, this blog is re-tired

If you have found this through a random web search and are looking for AT advice... the best advice I can give you is...
"Don't take anyone's advice, just do it and want it."

I have continued the dialogue at the new blogspot:
http://myatafterlife.blogspot.com/

SpAcE CLEAR

Book Deal?

Two most common questions I field as a post-AT hiker:
"So are you going to write a book about your experience?"
"Have you read Bill Bryson's book"

The later is the most common question proceeding the following two words; Appalachian Trail. It appears that most people who can read, have read the Bill Bryson book "Walk in the Woods". I read this book 10 years prior to my thru-hike, and in parts the days following my hike. I recall enjoying the book and the banter 10 years ago, but in the second read I was unamused with Bryson's whimsical charm. Perhaps motivated by spite, the Bryson story was dull and predictable after doing what he only briefly attempted. And so I am going to one-up the man and write a better story about a thru-hike told by a thru-hiker.

It is a love story, but not a romantic comedy. It is a fish story about hikers. It is a tall tale told by a midget. It will come with a side of ranch or blue cheese and celery at request.

I have already begun writing this conglomeration of stories. Anyone know a publisher?
805-896-2291 or mokigk@gmail

Journey's End

September 13, 2009... 6 months 7 days after departing from Amicalola Falls in Northern Georgia, we (a group of 7 thru-hikers and Papa D) left the Birches camping area in Baxter State Park and began the final 5.2 mile stretch of the Appalachian Footpath to Katahdin's Baxter Peak. The weather was beautiful, the sun rose gently over the valley mixed with some puffy cloud cover coming in from the NE... it was a class 2 day... rain expected in the afternoon... perfect!

Along with Brown Chicken Brown Cow, Capt Ahab, Suzy Creamcheese, K-bar, Cloud and Papa D we reached the summit at 5260 feet sometime around 10am amidst slight fog, the view to the South was glorious, incredible views of the lakes and rivers we had been enjoying close up encounters with over the past few days. With Creamcheese sporting an elephant thong and the brown team in their respective outfits, our arrival was obscene... and thanks to K-bar... not so homoerotic! We passed around Allens Coffee Flavored Brandy (the Champagne of Maine) and lit cigars... we laughed, yelled, hooted and hollered, sang patriotic anthems, and lit up the top of the mountain where other day hikers looked on in utter shock and grotesque elation... it was the end of our journey, and the beginning of the rest of our lives. I did not see any tears nor did I shed any of my own, this was not our style... our approach was glazed with happy and hopeful spirits, sarcastic optimism and the everlasting fart joke! I can't think of a better group of people to have ended the journey with, we all were missing Capt America (Sawman) and his enthusiastic approach to... well just about everything.

On the way down the mountain it began to rain, a fitting nightcap on the evening of our last official hiking day, I embraced this liquid sunshine as I had for the past 6 months... "are you fucking kidding me... AGAIN??" But all is well that ends well, and it ended with a big meal at the Trails End diner and Papa D (Casey D) and I heading up to his new home in Fort Kent, ME to spend some time with Vic and the Dax man (who is the coolest little dude I know).

I was born in Georgia on March 6, 2009 when Lex and I began the walk, and I metaphorically died on Sunday afternoon when I tapped the sign on the summit of Baxter Peak. I thought about this trip as a microcosm of life throughout the entire walk, and it began to make the most sense at the end, as odd as that may seem. In retrospect I had done everything I wanted to do, seized every opportunity, took the long road and taken the shortcut... slept on the grass, jumped off the cliff... small miles and big miles... full moon naked hiking...drank the beer and drank the water... danced the night away... cold nights and warm nights... good walks and bad walks... I had no regrets and I am happy with the time it took to get to the end... and once at the end... I was ready for it to be over. I wasn't eager for the end, but the end comes no matter how you play the game... no sense in trying to fight or ignore that reality... but it was a good game... jolly good!

But in the "circle of life" philosophy the end is only an illusion... so now as the scene fades to black and the horse trots off into the sunset I'm sure those of you reading this are wondering... "Now what SpAcE?" well... I'm not going to pack up my life every morning and strap it on my back and walk for 8 hours... I'm going to eat some foods that are healthy and nutritious... going to the beach and playing "stick" with Lex... gonna sleep with a pillow... but will miss the fresh mountain breeze and the song of the morning birds as the dew drips from the leaves... I'm gonna give back to anyone who looks like they need a hand... I'm gonna paddle the channel... I'm gonna get up early and stay up late... savor ice and cold drinks... safety, safety safety... read something other than the process of composting poop while taking a poop... hang out with girls and not talk about poop... I'm gonna live one decision at a time for as long as I can remember to do that...

it's gonna be great!

(And if I still have time... maybe I'll go to work )

Thanks to everyone who supported this adventure... I think it's great that I got to play in the woods for 6 months and everyone thought this was a good idea and that I should keep going!!! Thanks to Mom and Dad for the boxes of supplies and the many needed respites along the way... Lexi is also very happy you welcomed her into the Casa Kababik for the summer, thanks to you she still likes me! And thanks to the Constitution of the United States of America... I may appear to be among the elite few (white, middle-class, college graduate, lost in society), a small sub-group of Americans who have been enabled (or disabled) with a unique opportunity to walk freely in the woods and contemplate the existence of our being... yet the trail is for everyone... for the meek and the bold, the weak and the strong, the lost and the found, the beaten, the retired, the young, the rich and the poor... it is an opportunity... "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"... take it or leave it.

Over and Out -

SpAcE

Da Tunk

I fell in Love with Maine... it has been a rough and tumble relationship, but this place fucking rocks! Big mountains... fast rivers... Allens... great people... rafts and beer... hot tubs and pick-up lines... it's been a wild ride and now I write from the Lakeshore House in Monson, ME. This is the last stop before the final stretch... 1o0 miles of "wilderness" NE towards the big "K"... it's been great... swims in lakes and trampolines... cliff jumps... addicted to the experience and dreaming big.

Plenty of stories once again that just can't make it into type... but I have lots of pictures and movies and I can't wait to see everyone again... thanks for all the support!

SpAcE

Maine.. so far

Holy Maine... Tornadoes and Volcanoes! I've just moved on from the hardest physical and mental challenge of this trip... amidst massive rain and lightning storms.. the closest I came to giving up... well not exactly... but really terrible spirits...

The Mahoosic Notch is notoriously fabled as the hardest mile of the trail.. this is due to the large (think SUV size boulders) rocks that litter a gap between two steep cliffs... and we go right through this... and of course I timed it perfectly with a Tornado and thunderstorm that held me up under a rock ledge for 1 hour. When I left the trail turned into a class III rapid with waist deep water and waterfalls cascading 100 feet down steep and sheer cliff faces.

The rain continued for the next 4 days... hard at times... wet feet... damp morale.

And then Andover and the High Five hostel where I got to stay in an RV!!! Big booster of morale and now I'm back on the move heading for a Summit on Katahdin for mid Sept.. a bit later than earlier anticipated.

Cheddar Brauts in tow we head out for the last 200 miles. My brother is throwing a party in CT on the 19th and I will be back for this... If anyone is in the area is around and can swing by to say hi email me and I'll get you some details.

"The Trail Provides and so the Dude Abides"

SpAcE

Epic

Suddenly, the fog lifted and the summit of Mt Washington came into view, clear and desolate... a barren landscape littered with rock boulders, fragile alpine vegetation, and steel towers broadcasting and receiving... then just as quickly as it cleared, the fog returns and the trail is lost in a white mist. The rocks are slippery, during out ascent of Webster Mnt a massive thunderstorm rocked the ridge line and dropped over 2 inches of rain. While crossing open cliff areas I ducked and ran while thunder rumbled overhead... the wind pushed the rain sideways across the summit, but the forecast promised sunshine in only a few days, so we moved slowly and stalled trying to make nice weather for the Wash summit and Madison Ridge. But the air was humid and warm and the sun only made brief cameos while fog was most certainly the star of the show. A walk through the White Mountains in typical form.

I'm in Conway right now partying with the folks, L-train, Sawman, and the Ekerts. Lexi is chilaxin on the floor, tuckerd from watching tennis balls float down river... vacation from vacation!

I'm trying to recall what has happened over the past few weeks, and it's too much... alot has happened. Rob shaved me a mohawk, I got lost on the summit of Killington and had to bushwack... all for some beer...half and halfs... extravaganza 09... wakeboarding on Winepasaki... dancing with hippies... fishing with beer cans... jumping into waterfalls... working for stay... frat parties and moonshine... live free or die on the Ct river bridge... mountains finally... and in a few days we cross the Maine border!

It's been an incredible journey, more than I ever expected, and expectations can be a tricky situation. I expect this last 300 miles to take 1 month... stay tuned for the final chapter.

Check out the new pics...

Space

Massholes

Made it to Mass! Lexi is now on vacation from her vacation, back home with Mom and Dad, probably sleeping on the grass and enjoying a stationary life!

Aqua blazed last week on the Housatonic River, flipping only 20 seconds after launching from the beach... ate a 12 egg omlet in 25 minutes last night... couldn't finish the spinach and brocoli.. so i get no t-shirt... staying at a place called the birdcage, this guy named Rob's house... watching movies and drinking beer... a perfect day off from walking!

Climbing to the top of Castel Greyskull tomorrow and crossing the VT border by this weekend... hopefully in NH by August. Kinda crazy to think we walked from Georgia, deep South redneck hillbilly country and now we're in the North East getting honked at by crazy drunk drivers and getting harrassed by the mosquito mob... very cool.

Gotta go, time's up on the interwebs for today... hope everyone is getting crazy and enjoying the long days... if you're not having fun... you're missing the point!

C-ya
TT

Hello New England.. nice to see you again!

Rain... coming down in sheets, during the night, sometimes in the late afternoon, with and without warning has defined the last week of June and the preceding weeks since departing Harper's Ferry. I could spit some info like "Did you know that it rained 26 out of 30 days in June?" or I could move on from the rain story in hopes that the next few weeks (read until Northern Maine) will grace us with more of the red ball in the sky.

I write today from a comfortable couch in the shady living room of the Moore Ranch in Northwestern CT. Upon arriving in Kent on Sunday morning, Debbie (my aunt) swooped us up and brought us back to Dave (uncle) and their summer home for a late 4th of July celebration... Mom and Dad arrived shortly thereafter and we began the BBQ. My brother Justin and his wife Lindsay showed up a few hours later with their puppy Ozzy and then later my cousin Grace... we all sat around and talked about the trail, and our future as post-thru-hikers while drinking Mohitos and shooting off consumer grade fireworks. A late-afternoon, sunset Croquet game ensued, teams of 2, celebretory victors... Debbie and I! Croquet is a game played on a nice flat grassy surface where each player tries to knock their ball through a wicket using a wooden mallet. It is often full of arguements regarding rules, unlucky mis-hits, and some kind of booze drink in the hand not weilding the mallet...good times!

And now back to the woods. I realize that most of these little interweb posts desrcibe the trail experience with an emphasis on what happens in town... off the trail. And for the past 2 months, the life off the trail was pretty damn fun... meeting cool/crazy people, enjoying cold beer, taking rides on boats with people from random bars, and such. In the woods, life is slow, sounds are subtle, smells are genuine, and walking is what we do.

Walking for 10 hours a day requires quite a bit of motivation, stemming from a deepseeded desire to complete this walk to Maine in time for Thanksgiving dinner, or a sweet end of summer labor day party. Wake up in a tent around 8am, pack all of the gear up that you set up only 10 hours earlier, fill up your water, eat a pop-tart... and begin walking North. It is easiest not to think about how far the day's walk will take you... but that is easier said than done. Having a wrist watch can make your day very long... I recomend not looking at it at all while walking, but this is also much easier said than done. Nothing will kill your motivation to walk more than thinking you've gone 6 miles in two hours and finding out you've only gone 4 miles... it is like getting sucker punched in the gut... this has been known to make me say things like, "If there was a way to cheat right now... I probably would!"

Coming up on the walking end of the trail is the section I have been looking forward to since Georgia... Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. These three states pose more elevation gain and probably less beer in frequency, and in less then 350 miles... we will be standing ontop of Mt Washington, and looking down towards Maine and Kathadin. We will have 3 more weeks to go, and this is going to be the climax of our trip.

Lexi is coming with for 4 more days... she is very tired, her paws are soar, and she will be completely done hiking after this week of walking. It is selfish of me to keep her on the trail, although she does enjoy the first few hours of the walk each day, her level of pleasure drops significantly into the afternoon or when we need to walk on pavement. Dogs would not subject themselves to this type of regiment... I sometimes wonder why we humans embark on such journeys... and i'm sure it's entirely due to the self-satisfaction we will feel upon accomplishing it. This is purely a human emotion, because Lexi has no idea to look foward to this reward, nor will it make any difference in her life to experiences the emotion of accomplishment. We humans are strange creatures with very little in common with the natural world surrounding us, other than our innate dependency on what it provides us with... sustenance, joy, sorrow, companionship, and the strangest of our human emotions... fear.

Tiptoeing accross the pointy rocks forward and Northward... counting down the last 700 miles to this journey... come visit and bring beer!

TT

"Wouldn't it be nice...?"

New Jersey= beautiful hiking. Lexi is back on the move, reluctant at first, but she managed a big smile when we came across a lake and she was able to go swimming and chase sticks. Walked through the mud (yea we've gotten rain everyday for the past month) and into Unionville, NY to pick up a package for Lexi at the local PO. That package wasn't in, so we inquired about a place to stay in town, and after talking with a Brit name Tony Peanuts we learned about a place called the "Outhouse" or the old Unionville Mayor's house.

But first we had to visit the local watering hole and inquire about cold frosty beverages. Conversations at the bar included international politics... very deep for 3pm on a Thursday in Unionville, NY, but at least we could engage in loose vocabulary... love being back in the North!

We cut ourselves off early and headed up the hill to the Mayor's house... when we arrived, we were greeted warmly and all invited into the house, Lexi included. A man named Butch leads us to the basement which is AC'ed and gives us the rules:

1. Make yourself at home and treat it like your home.
2. Jiggle the handle on the toilet after use, no shitting in the Downstairs toilet.
3. First beer is free, the next 3 are $0.25 each... 4 beer limit
4. There will be a $0.25 charge for every word over 3 cylables... so don't be a fuckin smarty pants!
5. Don't call Butch "sir" or he'll hit your friend (i've been hit twice!)
6. Breakfast is at 6:30am, all must attend...
7. There will be mandatory viewing in the evening...
8. Make yourself at home!

What a place! Dick is the man in charge, and he is the retired mayor of Unionville. Bill is an old Jewish man (80 yrs old) with a charmingly mean disposition. Butch is a middle aged guy who helps out and gives hikers rides around town. The three of them make you feel welcome instantly and it is clear that this is not your southern bible belt hostel... cold beer is in the fridge and the f-bomb is prefered, not shunned. I can feel more comfortable in this enviornment and lexi is also very relaxed!

After a delicous dinner of ham and potatoes with fresh corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake, a summer thunderstorm roles in and we retreat for a quick safety break, just before the show was set to start.then we settle into folding chairs and couches in the living room where the evening entertainment is cued up and ready for viewing.

Dick stands in front of the TV, the DVD menu of Peter Pott is paused, and the lighting warmly displays the framed artwork on the wall behind the TV stage. The artwork is amazing, photos, paintings, and what appears to be a dart gun with eagle feathers and a tennis ball on one end. This may also be a hiking stick, it is the centerpiece of the stage enjoying a dedicated light just to display its grandeur. Dick addresses the 6 hikers waiting curiously amidst the bangs of proximal thunder strikes:

"Now you pay the price for staying here," Dick starts.
"Bill, Butch and I admire each of you and what you are doing.. even though we think you are all fucking crazy. Whatever your goal is we hope that you will accomplish it."

The first piece we watch is about a British Opera singer who stunned the world on a TV show called "Britain's Got Talent". The guy, Peter Pott has an incredible voice and the Italian piece he is singing is full of emotion. Dick tells us that what he is singing is " I will win".. . he sings this with intense emotion... very intense emotion. I get choked up watching this guy sing... and for the first time I realized how significant accomplishing this trail is for me... the personal victory... setting a goal and realizing it. I am moved, and unexpectedly so.

The second video is slideshow that a past thru hiker's son put together for his dad, Serene, who finished the trail on his 60th birthday. The significance of this video piggybacked the emotions stirred by Dick's speech and the previous opera moment. After the video was over, Dick began to tell us a story about why he is doing this... offering his home to hikers selflessly. Dick's late wife lived with MS for 15 years and passed in 2003. Just before her passing, Dick began to take interest in hikers that would visit town for the Post Office and the general store. Even though he was the acting town mayor, Dick knew very little about these smelly ragged looking people, but he was aware of the town's feeling towards hikers, which was not overwhelmingly welcome, in fact he says "They (the town people) just want you to spend your money and leave"

He would talk with the hikers and learned that the people he thought were homeless were people from all over the world, some were doctors, students, lawyers, soldiers, etc. These people were educated and very interesting and he told this to his wife, but he followed this by saying, "You don't want to end up downwind of these folks, cuz they smell like shit!" His wife would giggle and then one day she asked him a questions he says "You just had to say yes to."

She put them in the shoes of hikers and asked "Wouldn't it be nice if someone helped us, gave us a shower, laundry, a meal?" Dick says, "Of course!" And 4 years after her passing, he first opened his doors to hikers. Having his door open to hikers, the world comes to his doorstep as he puts it. It genuinely makes him very happy to help. It has saved Bill's life to help hikers, as Dick is sure he would have died by now having no purpose... but the three of them help us and in so doing, help themselves.

This is the beauty of this trail... a win-win situation, hikers motivated by a deep desire to walk the entirety of the white-blazed trail.. the longest continuous footpath in the world.... and the people who find happiness and beautiful satisfaction in helping us on our journey.

Dick says "After meeting all you hikers, you crazy fucking people, I feel there is hope for the world" And it's crazy to think that just by walking this walk, our goal brings satisfaction to others. Ordinary people with a crazy idea, a dream, and the ability to bring hope and happiness to everyone we meet.

So in th spirit of Independence Day, all of us as Americans should be thankful to have something like this trail in our backyards... for this trail is way more than a footpath connecting two locations, it is the backbone of our nation connecting us all in a common thread of Love, the real kind of love, the love that consumes you, the kind of love that makes you do something nice for a stranger, and then pay the kindness forward... the kind of love this world needs right now.

And so we're gonna stay one more night and head out tomorrow AM, for CT by next weekend.

TT

2.5 million steps

Welcome back to WATC, broadcasting live from the AT... this time in Delaware Water Gap, a place I have an old connection with... old being relative, 1o years ago was the last time I was here... and at that time I was working with the Pack Shack crew on the Delaware River... but that was then... and this is now:

Let's dive right into this... it all started with beer and angles... not the typical duo, but why would typical have anything to do with this story?

In my attempt to leave Harpers Ferry, I became sidetracked by writing some correspondence and a feeling of loneliness in the absence of Safety Patrol. So I began to wander around the town and was corralled by a nice couple for a glass of ice tea... I felt like an impostor... I hadn't hiked in almost 7 days and these people wanted to know about life on the trail. We chatted for a few minutes and they mentioned that they were both Christians and wanted to spread the word of the Gospel. I had encountered this before, but this was the first time that I felt uneasy in the presence of missionaries trying to share the word of God with me. I thanked them for the ice tea and went on my way, not really in the mood to think about God and such. After I dropped off a package at the PO, I grabbed a 40 oz of Mickeys and walked down to the river and sat on a tall wall next to the bridge that crossed the Shenandoah River... after all, nothing displays gross heresy like afternoon booze drinking in public!

And so began the walk into Maryland and PA. The terrain was flat and easy, no mountains. I walked with InTents and Sawman with short cameos from other thru-hikers but nothing long lasting. We began to miss our friends L-Train, Andy, and SnakeEyes... good companions in debauchery... as we continuously found ourselves amidst beer drinking opportunities; pubs, inns, biker bars, and liquor stores. We spent a night in Waynesboro, PA where we met an old thru-hiker, MacGyver, who shared stories and gave us rides around town and back to the trail. Miles were easy, but our will to complete them was weak. Perhaps the trail experience was getting in the way of our hiking?!

A few days later we crossed the Mason-Dixon line, officially in the North! It felt good to know we walked all the way from Georgia to that point, and our pace picked up a bit. They say we walk about 5 million steps over the 2185 miles (by no means an exact science) and so when we crossed the official halfway point, our feet had made contact with the ground about 2.5 million times, left-foot right-foot... all the way to the "half-way half-gallon challenge" which takes place at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Some hikers will buy a 1/2 gallon of ice cream from the camp store and fill themselves full of creamy icey goodness of a flavor of their choosing. I did not choose to participate in this challenge, I don't like ice cream enough, and the cheeseburger sub looked much tastier... but Tents and Sawman did take the challenge and both completed their 1/2 gallon in under and hour... with looks of possible stomach evacuation in the future, but I was unable to work either into projectile ice cream displays.

The first few days in PA were great... Pizza, pools, lakes, flat terrain... and we were sober for all of it. This was my attempt to regain control on the hiking part of the adventure, and it worked great...we wandered into Duncannon earlier than expected, sans InTents due to a "cowshit mission" detour, and got ourselves the corner penthouse room in the Doyle hotel.

The Doyle hotel is the old Budweiser Hotel built almost 1oo years ago with a bar in the lobby. The beer was cheap, but the room was a sad display of clean, in fact it lacked any qualities of clean, new, or sterile... but hey, the beer was cheap and Pitsurg (aka "No Budget") was buying so capturing some snooze time was easy regardless of the ragged conditions of the quarters.

The next morning we engaged in a Lions Club campground search, and after many miles and terrible intel, we found the object of our search, a stove where we could cook some cowboy stew; eggs, bacon, corn, salsa, cheese, potatoes, and toast. We enjoyed breakfast to the entertaining antics of the "Jerry Springer Show"... with no sound, just closed captions. This was a strange TV experience, strange strange experience. But not as strange as what was to happen next.

As we crossed the Junianic River and down an off-ramp on the Clarks Ferry Bridge I spotted a kitten crouched in the gap between two Jersey Barriers. The kitten was 1/4 mile up the ramp and not looking so hot. We dropped our packs and grabbed our cameras and headed over to this odd scene to investigate and possibly offer help. The kitten did not follow us with its eyes as we got closer, and we could see blood on its bottom lip... it barely moved or seemed disturbed by our presense... until suddenly it jumped off its perch and raced scantily down the ramp. We donned our packs and headed in the same direction of the cat... I was looking off the bridge at the river, scoping a possible jump, when I noticed an animal swimming in the river just below us about 30 yards off the bank. It was the crazy kitten!! It was swimming but not doing so well, and heading for a rapid. We watched it head into the rapid and disappear. We stood there stunned, disbeleif.... had we just witnessed a cat's suicide? Did the cat jump the 30 foot distance from bridge to water? It had to have, in order to be as far off shore as it was directly below us. But why? Do animals kill themselves consciously? What a trip... it looked like the cat saw something so terrible that it didn't want to be a part of the living anymore... what it saw will always be a mystery that I will not think about... too messed up. Maybe it was just rabid and crazy?!

I can't say it didn't affect me, or us for a few days. But we walked it off, as any good hiker would do! 20+ miles each day on some nice flat ridges, knowing that we would soon be at the dreaded PA rocks! Many good things happened along the way and I want to talk write about it... perhaps in the extended version! Right now I'm tired and need to get some sleep before we get back on the trail tomorrow. Mom and Dad have been here acting in kind as "Angels" and with them they brought Lex! It is great to see her and I have to decide if she is up for hiking... if only she could talk!

Tropical Thunder (formerly known as SpaceShip)

P.S. At the half-way point I decided to change my name to Tropical Thunder, mostly because of a pair of bright orange hiking shorts that I picked up in Waynesboro, PA and also because there is another hiker named Spaceman, and we can't have that kind of confusion.

Harper's Ferry (Part 2)

Captains Log |star-date 874291|:

Hi-ya from Earth. We have encountered a simple life here in the mountains. The work is hard and rewarding. The people are crazy, and you'd have to be to walk for 8 hours a day just to eat crunchy rice and sleep between two smelly old men who snore loud enough to shake the floorboards. Our ship has landed at several docking stations where other earthlings welcome hikers to their sleeping quarters and roofs. These people are some of the nicest people we have met. They give to others in hopes that the good they do will transfer to each person they touch and the "good vibe" (as they call it in the Hippie subculture) will continue spreading and reach far beyound their doorstep. Our energy is difficult to regulate due to the weight we must carry on our backs. Therefore our bodies must pull from fat stores when the fuel tank is empty... sometimes leading to THC highs randomly at odd times of the day.

Our progress is slower than expected at the start, probably because we've been having a blast and enjoying the morning at camp and walking late into the night. So when are we going to finish this mission? At this time our arrival at Baxter State Park is set for September 1 and summitting Katahdin Sept 4th at the mark of our Seventh moon cycle and the full illumination of the moon in the night sky. What happens from now until then is not yet decided. That is the beauty of choose your own adventure hiking... one decision at a time... simple.

Reflection. Amidst an adventure chock full of surprises, challenges, joys, and desire... is it time to consider what the truck has been going on... really going on??

Beyond the play by play a beard has grown rampant, a dog has grown tired of walking, an East Coast Spring has bloomed with exuberance bringing rain, fog, and snow to the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachian Mnts swelling rivers like hassle free moonshine. The trail has ascended the highest peak East of the Mississippi, Clingman's Dome (6643ft), and landed us at the intersection of the Shenandoah River and the Potomac River. Where there was a mountain; we climbed to the top of it... sometimes for an incredible view with hills rolling for as far as the eye could see in every direction glistening in the afternoon sunshine...sometimes lost in a cloud of fog making the brim of your hat hard to see... and sometimes to crest over the rounded and rocky knol just to go right back down. It has been amazing.

So much to learn in this life, we have only scratched the surface. I say "we" because I truely believe each and every one of us is on this spaceship earth and we are all essentially the same energy ... underwater bumble bee farms ... mash potatoes and cheese ... it is all the same in the ends... sorry Jesus we can only be friends, I don't need you to save me, I will take my chances on this journey till the end... but I really like what you said about loving your neighbor... funny how we hear only what we want to hear and we disregard the rest (Paul Simon)

Safety Patrol is taking a siesta at Casa de Kababik for the next 300 miles. She has been a great companion and friend and walked the last 1000 miles with grace. She has made many friends and we will all await her return. I wrote this poem when she was on vaca with Hawk...

Amidst the fog
no birthday song
Came to the creek
and stopped to eat
First day without a dog

800 miles of goofy smiles
in cold and warm and HOT
with head held high you did not cry
when difficult to trot

You kept a guard
at camp each night
birds to ascending flight
And bumble bees had met their match
when challenged to a fight

So rest your paws
a better cause
will sleeping be to you
My trusted friend
we'll meet again
and a walkin' we will do



SS

Haper's Ferry (Part 1)

Here we are... 1017 miles, the mental half-way point of the trail... and finally out of Virginia (don't get me wrong... loved VA, a beautiful state full of very nice people) and into West Virginia/Maryland. The past 2 weeks have been full of surprises and unusual events. We've seen Bears, snakes, deer, and tourists. We've enjoyed beer, burgers, hot dogs, and cowboy stews. We've hiked, canoed, swam, hitchhiked, and bushwacked... we are entering the second half of a journey that only gets better with time... and crossing the Mason Dixon line and the land of Yankees... no more backwoods hillbilly moonshine for a while... sad face!

Departing Waynesburo took longer than expected... a gear delay held us back one day. Johnny and Scott at North Face have been incredibly helpful in getting me a pack that fits and will hold the larger load with dog food. The new pack is 70 liters and much beefier for holding 50 + lbs. The people in Waynesburo were excellent hosts who welcomed us and offered as much help as we could have asked for. We got onto the trail and entered the Shenendoah National Park, just in time for Memorial Day!

Shelters were packed from the start, and oddly placed with regards to mileage... making for short days (12 miles) or really long days (30 miles). Every day we would walk into what was called a Wayside... most of these have beer and food. Beer is sold as singles... we indulged in the adult supplies several afternoons, sometimes avoiding hiking for upwards of 5 hours just to enjoy the intoxicating effects of Bucsh Light! On Saturday Sawman and I stumbled onto an all you can eat buffet with pulled pork and fried chicken... very tastey, but not the best light fare for the long distance hiking that took place afterward. On Sunday after a few hours of beer drinking and a safety meeting with a mountain biker we decided to bushwack back to the trail by heading North, keep the sun to our left. We lost Knees in the woods for almost an hour, I saw a bear on the trail... but no signs of Knees until we started up the trail and incidentaly ran into him as he finally found the trail again. But all of the delays put us ontop of a lookout at sunset and we enjoyed a very beautiful end to the day.


Aqua Blaze plans had been floating around for a week, since we had learned that it was possible to run the Shanendoah River N to Harper's Ferry (as mentioned in the previous post). Joining SpaceShip and Safety Patrol on this adventure was SawMan, L-Train, and Snake Eyes. We rendezvoused at the Terrapin Station Hostel, but Sawman missed the turn-off and Snake Eyes and I slacked down to meet and swoop up Sawman so we could catch L-train at the grocery store and stock up on supplies for our floatilla.

Rain came pooring down as we reached our ride to Front Royal, and three soaked hikers met up with a dry dog and Mike, our driver, and headed into the staging point for our river trip. We stockpiled on burgers, beer, and other perishables that we had been unable to carry in our packs for the past months, and pushed our shopping cart possey to the China Buffet accross the parking lot. Four carts sat fully stocked as we munched down on Orange Chicken and Crab Ragoo (that's what I call it) untill our cab arrived and we pilled our food pile into a mini van and headed to the Budget Inn.

When hitchhiking the hitcher carries the understanding that the driver may and will most likely be an interesting character... a wise hitchhiker will turn down a hitch that doesn't feel right, whatever the reason may be. Sometimes you realize you've missed some obvious warning signs, but it is too late to refuse a ride, unless you want to ditch on the highway at 50 mph and take your chances. Some obvious warning signs for anyone hitching a ride or hailing a cab:

1. The cab is not marked
2. There is no meter in the cab
   
3. the driver walks with a limp, a hard limp
4. the driver talks about selling crack
5. the driver has been shot by a cop
6. the driver got away from said cop
7. the driver then removed the bullet from his own leg
8. the driver talks about doing crack
9. you think the driver did crack before picking you up

Etc. etc. Happily we reached our hotel room before the driver started doing crack while driving!

The next morning we called the canoe company, Front Royal Canoe, to arrange a ride when we got the unexpected news that we would not be able to run our trip to Harper's Ferry due to high water... sad face
Breakfast... classifieds... impatient chamber maid... phone call... change of plans... moved gear out of room in 10 minutes to get $30 late fee back... moved all of gear into FRC van... arrived at outfitter... packed dry bags and coolers... ride to put in at Lurray... loaded gear into two canoes... launched canoes... cracked a beer... safety meeting... floatilla underway!

Our first day was fantastic, got into camp at 7pm and cooked a cowboy stew of kielbasa, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and other goodies. The next morning we found a rope swing over a deep part of the river and enjoyed the joys of gravity (20 foot jump)... then around lunch time we hit the class III rapid that we had been warned about. Our boat with L-train and the beer decided not to stop at the agreed pre-rapid take-out to tiedown gear and scout out the rapid... instead we stood up and headed right into the wavy watery mess... and proceeded to take on enough water to fully sink our canoe... but we were still in it enough to keep paddling and push through the final wave and fully flip the canoe and disperse all of the contents into the brown river water.

Lexi said "C-ya" as the beer cooler floated past her and into my face, allowing me to grab it and proclaim... "It's ok.. i've got the beer!" But I had to let go of it in order to get the canoe into the upcoming eddy so we could empty the water and re-load our vessel. But not all of our gear was heading into the eddy, so I left the canoe with l-train and began retreiving our gear from the current in hopes of salvaging the important stuff... success! After a bit of hard work and lots of swimming/paddling... all gear had been collected and accounted for... and SawMan and I decided to head back up to the top of the rapid and float it on an inner tube we had found. Floating on the inner tube was near impossible, so we headed down the wave train in shambles, knocking our butts on every rock within reach of the surface... laughing... yelling... and having a damn good time.

At camp that night we found a cabin unlocked and enjoyed the matresses and power outlet free of charge! Our final day was a nice easy float, thundershowers crossed the river in front and behind us, and then finally at the last mile, directly over us... making our final stretch quite exciting! Stumbling up to the outfitter, we accept the invitation to camp down at Bone's site (dudeman who worked at outfitter) for the night.

5am the next morning, after a freight train passed by knocking earplugs out of ears and waking people 5 miles away, Snake eyes and L-train decided to pack up and try and hitch to Baltimore for Andy Days. I pack up as well and join the troop. We catch a ride (3 hikers and 1 dog) in less than 5 minutes and as we rode into front royal, lexi and I in the bed, Snake eyes pokes his head throught the cab window and informs me that they're heading to DC. Not thinking clearly I stay in the truck for the next hour until Dale drops us off at a 7/11 near Dulles Aiport... nowhere near Harper's Ferry.. a bad idea. But Andy agrees to pick us up and drop me and lex off at the ATC HQ in Harper's ferry... and we finally arrive at our resting point for the afternoon.

Mom and Dad make it into town around 5, just as the HQ was closing down, and we all head to Moonridge Cabin, where I sit writing this story on a leather couch on a beautiful cool day.

(to be continued)

Full moons...

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

Choose Your Own Adventure

I post this from the lobby of a HOJO in Daleville, VA... as rain falls lightly outside. After leaving the library at Pearisburg many delightful hiking and camping activities have ensued. Rain, sun, and whiskey!

A flip of a coin resulted in a walk to the dreaded Walmart Super Store and as we crested the hilltop of the parking lot, my little eye spots a Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Center (or booze store!) the first sign of booze other than beer since on the trail. I was mostly thrilled about this because of Lexi's birthday party, but that comes later. After securing purchases at the V-ABC store and Walnuts super center, pizza and a bed... then up and onto walking...

The trail walking sucked at first. It was hot, my pack was really heavy... it's always heavy leaving towns, full of food, water, and this time booze... but we got to shelter and started to enjoy the Scotch that weighed the pack down. When I woke the next AM, everyone was gone early... which was strange, but also welcome sight, walking alone is a nice change up and it makes the trail feel more remote. When I caught up with the gang (Tents, Bones, Bound, and Pheonix) they were fully engulfed in a AT seminar with a group of teachers who hiked into a shelter to meet thru-hikers and ask questions. Also met up with Andy (from Baltimore and L-Train), who I hadn't seen since Fontana Dam, good folk, and they enjoy doing odd and unusual hiking activities such as bushwacking and night hiking.

Our plan quickly becomes a mad dash for an All You Can Eat resturaunt called the Home Place... a must stop for all hikers with large appetites... only snag is... it's 60 miles away and it's got crazy backwoods VA hours of operation, and in two days it won't be serving the tasty meal choices in copious amounts for 5 more days... so with food on the mind.. we start the long 48 hour journey.

Night Hiking can be a great way to travel via foot in the woods. Scenery and vistas being different and undiscernable in the absense of the fireball in the sky, many hikers do not want to embark on this type of adventure... but to us, cool air and mystery only enhance the experience... so we walk on, amidst the dark blanket of night... with Dark Side of the Moon playing from the Speakers in my Pack (yup i have a stereo system)... we discuss alot of "safety" because it's important to be safe, especially when you can't see where you're going... at around 2am we stop the march and lay our sleeeping bags out and catch some quick ZZ's.

At about 5am, the pitter patter starts... slowly becoming a concern for a tired hiker sleeping under the stars. The sound of Andy fumbling through his pack sound the alarm in my head that it's time to make some decisions. Andy pulls his tent over his bag like a bivy sack... I set up my tent with two poles (because I can do that from a sitting position in my sleeping bag) and slide into the makeshift shelter with Lexi also happy to escape the oncoming wetness... Feeling tired mostly and half sure about the decision I made, I fall back asleep. When I wake a few hours later, I am sleeping in a river of water that has formed on my ground cloth, tent, and under the sleeping pad. Lexi is curled up in a ball at the foot of the tent slowly inching herself away from the swelling river in our shelter... first thought... "Poptarts would be tasty" so after comply with desire, the brain systems fed and warm, I finish setting up the tent, climb back inside and go back to sleep. L-train and Andy have both left, L-Train had opted for no shelter, and slept in the rain until she was shivering from cold... Andy pulled his tent off his sleeping bag, packed up and headed down the hill for the wooden shelter. I was woken up by Slowgoin as he walked by the tent at 10am, and then I begin the walk down the hill... cold, wet, and enjoying every second!

The rain didn't stop all day... in fact it rained harder than I've seen yet. Lexi and I both soaked to the bone, dripping from head to toe, laughing, smiling, running in the rain... hey it's warm and there's nothing else to do but live, and that's why we're smiling... we're alive and feel great! At camp that night, with rain downpooring, the kind of down poor that soaks your skin in less than a minute, where rain comes from below and fills all crevices with puddles... my tent was soaked (you could have filtered water from the puddle in the corner), my sleeping pad, drenched, clothing... wet and smelly, sleeping bag... wet and smelly... yup everything that I had in that pack was wet, from being in the rain, or just from getting it out in the rain and moving it to the tent... what a night of sleep! Lexi escaped to the mice infested shelter basement, and we didn't see eachother again until the sun was back in the morning... and with it of course... rain!

We I'm running out of time here on this computer... so I'll summarize that story... we didn't get to the All You Can Eat in time, I did dry out, and on Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo we celebrated Lexi's 7th Birthday with Trail Margaritas (Tequila and Gatorade) and made it to our current local, Daleville.

We depart in a few hours for the trail again... rain in the forecast for the next 5 days. Each day is full of decisions, we get to choose our own adventure... whether we choose to be lazy and not set up our tent and pay for it for 2 nights or choose to walk all night into the wee hours of the morning... it's our adventure for the choosing... free will and no worries... I recomend daydreaming and lolly gagging... clear your mind and go with the flow...

Next place for packages is:
Hold for NB AT-Thru Hiker "SpaceShip"
Rock Fish Outfitter
1461 E Main St
Waynesboro, VA 22980

SS

WoodsHole Hostel/Ranch

Well I am at a library in Parisburg, VA. Lexi is outside relaxing on lush green grass. The library closes promtly at 5pm and it is 4:43... so this is going to be a short post.

Last time I posted we had just walked out of freezing cold wind and snow/rain... the day after the cold... 90 degrees and sunny. It is Spring, so I am naturally sneezing and drooling out of my face. While stopped at a little gas station eating cheesy chili fries and burgers washing it down with AW rootbeer, a young lady gives us a ride to the trailhead and invites us to her hostel, as forementioned in the title... Woodshole... well I almost walked past it in the heat, but my instinct redirected me back on the trail...again... and we arrived to a very nice and welcoming ranch/hostel where we have been working (physical labor) and staying for the past 5 days.

Plans suck... and we can't let hiking get in the way of our trail experience... so the respite was pretty spectacular...more to say about that soon... the time is now 4:50. Michael and Neville, the new caretakers of the hostel are amazing young folk and will be getting married on the ranch Aug 1... The dinners were fresh and tasty...breakfast filling and fresh... and we got a little sun on our backs shoveling dirt, moving fences and building stone paths... what a great spot on earth!

Thunderstorms in the air... we plan to walk out of town this evening full of Dairy Queen freezes, and continue walking for at least 5 more days... hopefully that is when this story can be picked up.

Humpty Dumpty is precariously perched on a bookshelf... hmmm... no one's future is certain, not even our fragile egg friends...

SS

Headgames

I thought about what I was going to write the 7 miles into town today... and now I'm going into a blank stare at a white screen... hmmmm

After leaving Damascus we walked through 3 more days of rain and cold... on the 4th day we got sun and walked to a shelter where they deliver pizza! so we ordered way too much pizza and gorged ourselves.

On the day following pizza overeating we were planning on getting a ride from Cousin George to Roanoake College for p to the arty... but he was unable to aquire a ride... so we were left to our own devices if we want the p to the arty t-rain. We got to a road crossing and there was a gas station so i got a bag of chips and a rootbeer... as we were calling rental car places a dude pulls up and says "ARe you Spaceship?"... of course...but how does a guy in a car in VA know me?? it turns out to be Hightop from NH and i recognized him once he got out and started walking. He was also in a rental car that he was returning... so after dealing with my expired liscense ordeal (PITA) we got a car and were heading to a place where beer flows like water... college!

We got to Roanoake and George was obviously having too much fun for phones, which was understandable... so we asked around... the first dude (and I say dude in the most liberal way to paint the picture clear) gave us dude directions to knowwhere...but hey we like walking right! as we had almost resolved to just get a beer and reevaluate... i asked some girls if they knew where a lacross party was... they had no idea... but one girl asked, "who are you looking for?" ... George Moore of course... to which they instantly replied "917 College" down that way about 10 minute walk (pointing of course)" ha... the godfather comes through... so we get to 917 where a live band is finishing... 20 kegs of beer are flowing like water (ah College!) and girls about... there is also a bull riding thingy... but we have no time for such nonsense...we are sophisticated hikers!

... we sleep in the car after losing the godfather in the guile.

back on the trail... short day and more rain... we have been walking much less this week... 10-15 mile days... nice long breaks... taking it all in...

The physical of the trail is over... the feet, legs, back, lungs, heart, ankels, and knees are all in good shape... now it's the head that needs working in... it's almost impossible to describe this feeling right now. you'd think all is well... just walk, sleep, eat... life is simple right?? well it is but where's the challenge... well the challenge is to get up and walk everyday... walk all day and continue. stop to get food in town, can't spend too much money so no overnights, beer, or bars...this is like therapy for every vice i've had, or have. Didn't expect this mental challenge.. it's like writers block... the physical i expected... blisters and such... but now we're entering the rolling hills of Virginia and finding a reason to keep keepin on. even Lexi looks like she's a bit over the walking at times... and walking is her favorite thing to do! well we'll work through this... as long as we're having fun we'll keep walking... hopefully the weather can stay above 40 for the duration... that'd be a huge help!

On the positive side, it's been really peaceful these past few days... simplicity is peace... all we need to do is stop looking for it and live... so here's a thought for the kids...

"If the meaning of life is to live it... what is the meaning of meaning?" thought i had yesturday...

We're all on a spaceship... it's called earth... but from this Spaceship to you... communication is clear on this channel for now... we'll be on standby on all channels for the time coming... OVER

SS

Blizzards and Buzzkills

It has been one heck of a week! Last post was in Erwin and since then we have walked over 110 miles through blizzards, a 6300 foot mountain , tornados, lightning, and a run in w/ johnny law.

Our walk out of Erwin was nice... we stopped short and made stew, smores, and talked about ridiculous stuff around a campfire. InTents, Hardcore, Little Tree, and Hatchet (w/ Jadis) in the ensamble. We left late the next day and waited for the Kiwi girls to catch up, which they did and we all walked for a few days together. The section called for the steepest climb on the trail, so we decided to walk 22 miles that day, with more than 6000 vertical feet ascended, and temperatures in the 70's... a beautiful day. Roan Mnt was the name of the peak, not much of a view, but a great shelter where we all cooked a well deserved dinner of rice in the attic of the hut. But when the sun goes down, we make our best time and we hiked on...

That night we stayed in a barn converted to shelter and the temp dropped significantly. Tents had a great idea to turn off our headlamps as we arrived at the shelter/barn... only seconds later we walked through a huge mud puddle only feet before the shelter... thanks Tents... good idea!

As we left camp the next day we found ourselves in a blizzard. Now this was expected, everyone had warned us of this as we passed them the day before... but the snow was coming sideways and up from below as we traversed across several balds. Winds were gusting to about 60 mph and the temp before chill was about 20. Quite a difference from the day before! The only way to stay warm while out in the woods is to either build a huge fire and live next to it, bundle up in your down sleeping bag... or walk... without stopping. That day we walked in very cold sideways snow for 10 miles until we got to a road crossing... and a sign promising hot chocolate and hot food at a diner 1 mile down the road. So we walked... and got there to find a CLOSED sign... they don't hold bankers hours at small diners in the hills of Tennessee, but the cook was still there and took pitty on our cold wet bodies and let us in and fed us meatloaf, cornbread, beans, homefries, and pie. I ate two, cleaned both plates.

Well back on the trail and the weather only gets worse. At this point there are 7 of us, well only 6 because Hardcore got lost and didn't catch us until the shelter. The snow started to pile up and the temp kept droppping. We made it to a very nice, but cold, shelter after 16 miles of pretty thrilling hiking, it really was, i enjoyed the snow... that night was really cold... didn't enjoy that night very much... after a safety meeting in the penthouse of the shelter (it acutally had three levels), I got into my sleeping bag, snuggled up next to a shivering dog and waited until the sun came back up! When it did, some of the group left, but Tents and I stayed in for a bit enjoying the warmth of the sun and our down bags.

That day we walked through a foot of snow at times... mind you this is April 9th in Northern TN. The temp was still about 20, but the wind died down. The snow was really soft and fluffy because of the cold temps. Kincora, a hiker hostel, was our light at the end of that tunnel... but when we got there, they were full up... we were greeted with amicable faces as we shook off the cold, they all handed us warm chocolate drinks, chili w/ cheese, and offered to let us share their bunks... I wish this was the truth, but i cannot say our arrival was nearly as glorious, so we left the fairweather hikers and caught a hitch in the back of a very cold pick-up to a place promised to us with little optomism... we just wanted food and a warm building for an hour to get ourselves back together. Our plan was to head back onto the trail and brave one last night in the cold... but a hostel appeared on the horizon and we greatfully embraced the roof and warm solace. One night, a good meal, some beer, homecooked breakfast sandwiches!

Onward to Damascus we embarked. The journey started with a huge climb and then descent to a lake where we met up with the Bangor Boys. The day was warm, and the snow was pretty much gone. The next day was full of safety meetings, as I met up with some friends from Hot Springs and we enjoyed a day in T-shirts. The moon was bright and full, so we hiked into camp under its glow until Tents fell flat on his face, and then we put the headlights on! The next day it was sunny when we woke and I made the mistake of embracing the warm sun, which was followed by a fast scramble to get my rain gear on before my shirt was drenched by the fast approaching thunderstorm... the morning was wet, and 3 in the group yellow blazed (hitch hiked) ahead, and I continued the walk in a thick fog. The sun broke again and then as we made it to camp that night a tornado/thunderstorm blew in over us and graced us with a bit more liquid sunshine, but luckily we were setting up our tents, and we all enjoyed the protection of our thin nylon walls!

Into Damascus the next morning, marking our entrance into state #3, Virginia. Well we had all heard about Damascus and how friendly of a town it was... a clever rouse that we did not find to be the truth... in fact at first quite the contrary...

I beleive in beer and good times... the people here do not. We had trouble finding a place to stay w/ a dog, and eventually settled for a gravel parking lot for $10/night... shower and towel included!! After shaking of my dissapointment with the sleeping arrangements, we headed for the beer store. In this little town... you cannot drink in the Hostels... in fact it isn't wise to bring any such contraband or paraphenilia into this town for reasons that the reader can assume if so inclined. Anyway, we got our beer and snuck down to the river and under the bridge to consume our hoppy beverages... very much not the prefered location for enjoying some afternoon suds, but this was our only option...this and "the" bar. So after our 6ers were complete, we packed out our trash and recruited some hikers to enjoy a pint at the pub.

Well the pub was shack with 3 beers on tap, none worth mentioning. The bar stops and stares when you enter, and since we outnumbered the clientelle already purveying this establishment, our confidence was not shattered by the disdainful glare we all received upon our entrance into Dots Bar. Sitting down and ordering a pitcher of beer goes as well as it should... Hatchet and I split a pitcher and order some food... then to the jukebox to liven the mood... as I was selecting a the musical choice from a jukebox uncontaminated by good music, Hatchet yells down the bar (side-note: the following contains profanity not suitable for church conversation, meeting your girlfriends parents, or in a job interview) "Hey Spaceship... Fuck You!" Being a degenerate from a generation left to fend for ourselves in a world void of morals and worthwhile role models, this came as no shock to me... in fact I found this pretty funny, so I reply "Hatchet... Eat A bowl of Shit" down the bar accross 6 other hikers none of which appeared to be offended by our boyish gesture of affection... however, back in the kitchen where burger flipping was taking place, one person did find this gesture to be offensive, and this person was the bar owner...

I was confronted by the bartender, the owner's daughter, and she informed me that I needed to settle up and leave... the obvious question ensuing, to find that profanity is against the law in bars in Virginia.

Now, if I walk into a library... I hush up... when i walk into a bar I let loose... and since there weren't any signs noting that profanity would not be accepted... I didn't think our conversation was totally out of line... but we had to pay, so I was going to finish my meal and beer... and since the offense wasn't aggressive by any means, it could be assumed that our slow pace came as no suprise to any witnessing this comedy unfurl. But then another hiker got upset and started to raise his voice in disapproval. His loud demeanor and drunk appearance sparked the owner to call the police. We finished our beers and as we were heading out, the fuzz headed in. The owner pointed us out as the two who she wanted to leave, the cop asked us if we understood what she was asking and we acknowledged and appologized... mid appology the large cop decides to grab Hatchet by the arm... and naturally Hatchet pulled away... so the cop grabbed him again and put him in an arm hold and started pushing him out of the bar... pushing me and the other cop over, so I try to stop myself from falling and touch the cop next to me and he puts me in a hold and brings me out... so now we're outside of the bar... and the big fat cop handcuffs Hatchet and stuffs him in the back of the cruiser... I couldn't beleive this... for no reason... and not provoked by any means. Well we don't live in a police state, and this was not nearly called for considering the situation so I voiced this to the fat cop in charge... he was not ammused and said "One more word out of you and you'll be in cuffs" to which I responded "One more Word?" with word emphasized. Cuffs on me... then this guy that was being loud in the bar comes out and starts yelling at the cops to let us go... which sounded like a good idea to me... but we remained in cuffs. Mind you we haven't been arrested, not maranda rights yet... just being detained.... this is when you start to play by their rules... so we did.. and after almost freezing my but off (the cop had to put my hat on for me) the fat cop in charge decides to let us go... and in his friendliest voice asks us if we will be back for Trail Days (a big celebration for AT hikers and why the town is supposedly the friendliest on the trail)... man... the nerve of that cop... clearly we won't be back to a place that disregards common descency (mind you we were cursing in a labeled bar).

So I was about to leave town when we found this really nice cottage called Rubys Rest... a nice family with a fenced in yard... and enjoyed a nice Easter Sunday w/ friends and beer, quickly forgetting about the night before!

We're off for VA... not sure how often I'll get to a computer. No more Spot, weighs too much and isn't much help for me... sorry to all who enjoyed this... it's just not that practical in light weight backpacking... assume from this point on... no news is good news!!

Got to go, computer is about to shut off!

G