Lonely Thoughts

   Morning broke quietly in the halfway house on the slopes of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. The old abandoned building was boarded up. It kept the wind out but also blocked most of the light! I remember cooking breakfast by the light of my little flashlight (a first for me, since I have never been an early riser). Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers wolfed down their breakfast too. We loaded up our gear and squeezed out of the window by pushing on the lose piece of plywood. I half expected to see the park rangers waiting to arrest us, but the coast was clear.
   In the light of day we were able to look back at the summit of Mt. Washington and see how far we had walked the night before. The mountain towered above us and was very impressive. It was the last gigantic mountain I would see before reaching Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Yes, there were lots of other mountains to climb, but not like that one!
   We started walking down the road and made good time. Before lunchtime we reached the base of the mountain and civilization. There was a hostel near the road and we went in to take a break. I need to clarify this statement. "Take a break" for me meant a half hour or maybe an hour. But "Take a break" for Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers meant that they checked in for the night! Their next thought was where they could find a beer. I was invited to stay, but I politely declined. We were past the most dangerous part of the White Mountains. I appreciated their companionship, but my goal was Katahdin in Maine, not a party.
   The climb up the next mountain was not terribly difficult, but it was different. For one thing, I was now hiking through forests (a welcome change after all that hiking above tree line). But the biggest difference I felt was solitude. The constant banter of Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers was suddenly gone. I stopped and listened to the silence. It was peaceful, but a bit lonely.
  After a brisk climb, the trail came to a rock outcropping. It was a great place to take a break and soak in some sun. The temperature wasn't very cold, but still a bit cool because of the elevation. Sitting on that rock I began to think about being alone. It had been months since I left home. I had less than 400 miles to go before reaching the final mountain in Maine. I knew that I would make it. I also knew that I would see other hikers soon, even if I never saw Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers again.
   I sat with my lonely thoughts, soaking up the sun and resting my tired muscles. But then there was something....a tiny noise. The trail has lots of sounds if you pay attention. But this noise was a bit unusual. It sounded a bit like scurrying. I looked around to see the source of this unusual disturbance. Much to my delight I spotted a small chipmunk. I was scurrying across the rock, oblivious to my presence. At that moment I laughed inside, realizing that I was not really alone!
   My new friend was busy going to and fro. I pulled out my camera and tried to get some photos. Have you ever tried to take pictures of a chipmunk in a hurry? Well, if you have then you know what I went through. If the light was right for a shot, the chipmunk ran too fast. When he was still, the light was too dim to capture the moment. By the time I got close enough to get a really good shot, he saw me and dashed away.
   Isn't that just like God to send me a tiny friend when I needed him most? My dark mood was gone. With a smile on my face, I hoisted my backpack and continued walking on the trail. I had miles to go before I would sleep.

I Did It!

   I did it! On April 12, 2011 I started out to reduce my weight to 165.0 pounds. I started out at 186.8 pounds. Now after 157 days I finally reached my goal. As of today I have lost 21.8 pounds. That is about 2.2 ounces per day or about one pound per week.
   It wasn't easy. Sometimes I lost weight and sometimes I put weight back on. But through it all I kept focused and continued to persevere. I changed a lot of my eating habits, but I refused to starve myself. I started jogging, then running. I had to deal with severe cramps in my calves which were major setbacks. But after my body healed, I kept on going. My daughter gave me the nickname "sweaty man" because I would come home from runs soaked in sweat.
   My clothes aren't tight anymore. And I was able to take some clothes down from the top of my closet and actually fit in them! My blood pressure is normal (and I don't take any medicine). I have a lot more energy now and I haven't been sick since I started exercising (probably a stronger immune system).
   And of course I have written many blog posts about the Appalachian Trail. As a matter of fact, this blog post is number 100! It is also the first that doesn't have a trail story in it. I haven't quite finished telling all of the stories about the trail, not yet! So, from this point forward I will just write about the trail until I finish the stories. I appreciate you, the reader, and your encouragement. You are welcome to leave comments if you want. I'd love to know your thoughts about this journey.
   Moving forward I intend to keep on exercising and trying to eat right. If I ever get above 170.0 pounds in the future, then I will immediately go into diet/exercise mode until I get below 170.0. I have other goals in life that I hope to pursue. One is to run one mile in under 5:00. My best time when I was a student at Georgia Tech was 5:12 (then I had mid-terms and lots of homework followed by finals!) I may start working on that project next.
   As for the trail stories, it has been good to write them down. Some folks have encouraged me to put them in book form. I am considering that, although it would need to be edited some. Don't worry, I won't leave you at the "halfway house" just below Mount Washington in New Hampshire. I will make sure that you get the stories all the way to the final mountain, Mount Katahdin in Maine. Onward and upward!

We knew that it would be very risky to keep going down the trail since nightfall was not far away

   We continued our climb up Mt. Washington. Before long we passed the tree line. The wind began to kick up. We passed giant boulders and some small pools of water. The trail kept going up and up. When we reached one of the huts it was getting late in the afternoon. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers tried to talk the hut keepers into letting us stay the night, but they insisted that they were full. We tried to get permission to sleep on the floor of the common room but were also turned down. The only solution was to keep on going.
   We kept on climbing. It was August, but we were cold even though the sun was out on this summer day. After a long climb we finally reached the 6,288 foot summit, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States! At the peak is a giant observation tower and weather observatory. At this location, the highest windspeeds in America were recorded (231 mph on April 12, 1934, exactly 46 years to the day before I began my hike of the Appalachian Trail).
   We also saw lots of tourists at the summit. There is a road that leads to the top and many vacationers drive up to the top. It was interesting to suddenly enter a place that looked like Disney! Now it was REALLY getting late in the day. We still had a lot of miles above tree line before the trail dropped in elevation. There was no way that we could get below treeline for the night. We tried to get the rangers to let us camp inside the weather station (it is very large and has lots of room). Again, we were flatly refused.
   Now we were stuck. The light would fade soon and we had to camp somewhere. Were weren't about to go back, there was no place to camp in that direction anyway. We knew that it would be very risky to keep going down the trail since nightfall was not far away. The chance of missing the trail in the dark could be disasterous! There was only one solution. We began to walk down the road. Almost all of the tourists had already headed down the road so we had it to ourselves.
   On a rare occasion every thru hiker takes a different route, sometimes a road. The point is that we walked the entire way. Yes, we missed a few miles of rugged trail, but that was minor in comparison to the over 2,100 miles that we walked. And safety is always important. I kept remembering the sign we saw before we climbed Mt. Washington warning of extreme conditions that could lead to injury or death. They weren't kidding!
   We kept walking down the road. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers kept up a constant banter as we walked. Night fell and we were still above treeline but we were making progress. After a while we saw an old ramshackled house on the side of the road. This was called the "halfway house", not because it was a place for ex-convicts to live! It was about halfway from the base of the mountain to the summit.
   Ted had a "great idea". We could camp inside this old, abandoned house. I was quite skeptical. It was locked and boarded up. It looked like a stiff wind would knock it down. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers began looking for a way to get into the house. I imagined that they had practice in this art when they had locked their keys in their own house! Suddenly I heard a shout. A way in had been found. One of the sheets of plywood over a window was loose. We were able to squeeze in!
   Or flashlights cut beams through the dusty interior of the old house. We were amazed at how much warmer it was inside. It wasn't actually warm, but we didn't realize how cold the wind was outside! Before long our campstoves were cooking hot supper and hot tea. We snuggled down into our sleeping bags, glad to be in a warm, dry place, and slowly drifted off to sleep. Mt. Washington was tough, but we had made it. There would be many more challenges ahead, but none that compared to the extremes of this giant mountain. We dreamed of good food, home, and standing on Mt. Katahdin in Maine. The final mountain was getting closer and closer.

   2011 update:  Today I weighed in at 166.8 pounds. That is (drum roll please) 20.0 pounds that I have lost! It's been a long journey, but worth it! I'm so close to my goal of 165.0 pounds. So, I'm getting radical. I'm going to hit that number tomorrow. All I had to eat today was my regular bowl of oatmeal, two almonds, a big bowl of salad (with one carrot and almost no fat free dressing). I went running this morning. Then I went running again tonight. After I run tomorrow, I will have run over 10 miles in 24 hours (a lot for me). So, tomorrow is the big day. Say a prayer for me that I make it!

I Meet Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers

As I continued to hike through the rugged White Mountains I started to get concerned. Hiking by yourself is ok in lower elevations, but in the Whites it's not a good idea. I stopped for a rest and was pondering what to do when I heard the familar "clomp, clomp, clomp" of hiking boots on the trail behind me. I was not an Indian tracker, but I could tell that it was more than one person, so I waited. 

   There are notebooks in almost every trail shelter where people can sign in and write notes. I signed in to almost every one that I saw. I also read what other hikers wrote too. For a long time in the South I had read entries by "Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers". But in Virginia I had apparently passed them while they were off the trail. But here, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I finally met Ted the Head and the two Strohs Brothers. 

   You can tell by their trail names that they were known for "partying". But they were very friendly to me and greeted me enthusiastically. When they realized that I was alone, they insisted that I hike with them for a while. I was glad to have the company. These guys were quite a sight! One of them yelled, "piss break" and immediately all three of them turned in unison, pulled down their zippers and peed on the side of the trail. I found out how I had passed them in Virginia. They had gotten "some good stuff" and spent several days getting high. That was when I passed them and they were just now catching up to me.

   We kept gaining in elevation as we approached Mount Washington. We passed a sign that warned us of danger. It said that conditions above that point could be hazardous and could result in death in bad weather. All hikers should proceed with caution. We kept on going. It was a nice summer day, but the temperature high in the mountains was a bit cool. At another point we came to a short, shear cliff. A metal ladder was bolted to the rock. Each of us began to climb the ladder. It was harder than you think because we had our backpacks to carry too. One of the rungs was a little damp and I slipped. I didn't fall off the ladder, but I did smack the side of my head against a rock. Boy, did it hurt! Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers gathered around me to make sure I was ok. I was a bit dizzy for a minute but recovered. I joked about the benefits of having a hard head! I also was thankful that I was hiking with some other guys. Things could have gone very bad for me if I had been knocked out by my slip on the ladder. This was a time of safety in numbers.

   We approached the treeline as Mount Washington loomed high ahead. It was going to be a challenge!

   2011update:  This morning I weighed in at 167.4 pounds. That is 19.4 pounds lost since the beginning of this project. It also means that I am 2.4 pounds away from my goal of 165.0 pounds. If I can hit that weight just once then I will be satisfied. Long term, I have decided that I want to always stay below 170.0 If I pass that weight in the future then I have to immediately go back on strict diet and exercise. Today I ran 3.4 miles. It's time for a salad!

Entering the White Mountains

   On August 8, 1980 I was scheduled to pick up my supply box from the post office in Glencliff, New Hampshire. At this point I was back on schedule so I'm sure that I got the box, but I don't really remember much about the town. Probably because my mind was on the mountains that lay ahead. I was getting ready to enter the White Mountains. In a letter to my sister, Sarah Kennedy, dated August 9, 1980 I said this:

"I'm about to head into the White Mountains. That means hiking above treeline in places. In the Presidential Range 12 miles are above treeline. And Mt. Washington has recorded the worst weather in North America. 60 days out of the year are nice. Last May they had 15 degree temperatures with 45mph winds and 3 inches of snow. That ain't whistling Dixie! Of course the A.T. goes right over Mt. Washington (who wants to miss the fun?). I know, 'Be Careful'. "
 
   The White Mountains are big, majestic, and dangerous. The term "treeline" is the elevation where trees no longer grow. If a storm breaks out above treeline, there is nothing to block the wind. I was glad to have my wool shirt, parka, wool knickers, and long wool socks for this part of the trip. When I entered the White Mountains it was a very steep climb up into the mountain range. Periodically I would pass by "huts" where hikers could spend the night. Unfortunately, you had to have a reservation because the huts were so popular. Being a thru hiker, I didn't have a reservation and had to find other places to camp.
   I remember one evening I kept trying to find a place to camp without any luck. The hut I passed earlier was full (I asked, just in case they had some room). I wasn't above treeline, but I was in an area where you aren't supposed to camp. The vegetation in that area is somewhat fragile because of the harsh environment. I kept going, and going but couldn't find a good place to camp. Finally the sun started to go down. I found a flat spot covered with pine needles that was just big enough for me to stretch out my sleeping bag. So, although it was against the rules, I slept there for the night, underneath the stars and the trees.
   In the morning I got up early and threw my stuff into my pack. Then I hiked about a mile until I found a spot on the trail where I could stop and cook breakfast. I was avoiding the park rangers. If one showed up and asked if this is where I camped, I could honestly say "no". Well, no rangers showed up and I continued on down the trail.
   I don't know if it was the same day or not, but about 11am I came up to another hut, high in the mountains. As I went inside, I saw a sign that said "All You Can Eat Pancakes". Either the hut cook was over zealous, or the hut guests weren't hungry that day. There were lots of left over pancakes. I paid a small fee (I think maybe $2) and ate to my heart's content!
   The huts are amazing places. They are like large cabins with bunk rooms for the guests and a large room for eating & socializing. Hut guests are fed supper and breakfast and can usually get sandwiches to take with them for lunch. Because of their location high up in the mountains, everything must be carried in by backpack and all waste must be carried out. During the summer hiking season they employed people to carry large loads up to the huts. When I say "large", I'm talking about 100 pounds of food and/or supplies! The last thing a guy wants to carry back down the mountain is a bunch of leftover pancakes! The only thing that is not carried out by backpack is human waste. Periodically a helicopter would fly in and take out the tank from the outhouse. All of this is done to protect the fragile mountain environment.
   After my pancake feast, I waddled down the trail with a big smile on my face. Nothing makes a backpacker happy like a full belly of food! I was getting deeper into the White Mountains. The elevation was getting higher. I knew that Mount Washington and the Presidential range was ahead. It was going to be a bigger challenge than I could imagine.
   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 168.6 pounds. I went running again in my neighborhood. The 3.4 mile route through my neighborhood is gradually getting easier to run. I just had a big plate of spagetti for lunch. Perhaps it will be a salad for supper! I have 3.6 pounds to trim off. When I look at myself in a mirror I don't see the big gut anymore! Just a little bit of  "love handles" to trim off!

A Campfire by the Lake

   The miles continued to fly by as I walked North toward Maine. One night I met a couple of college age girls who were camping close to a lake. I had planned on hiking farther, but stayed and visited with them for a while. With their permission, I decided to camp with them by the lake. It was beautiful looking across the still water as the sun set through the woods. The girls asked if I could build a campfire and I obliged.

   You would think that I built a lot of campfires while hiking the whole Appalachian Trail, but I didn’t. I had my tiny backpacking stove which was efficient in cooking everything I needed. Besides, cooking over a campfire put soot all over the outside of my cooking pot. That’s not bad for a weekend, but for five months it’s a pain. But for that night I made a campfire. 

   We sat beside the fire as the light slowly faded away. We talked as the stars gradually made their appearance in the sky and the moon slowly rose to greet us. We could still hear the night sounds of the woods and the lake as the fire popped and crackled in front of us. As the fire died down and began to softly glow, the two girls bid me good night and went into their tent. I stayed by the fire lost in thought as the coals slowly died down into grey ashes.

   I realized that I had a lonely walk, but I was not completely alone. I met many friends along the way, like these two girls at the lake. And I was never completely alone because I knew that God was with me always. As I stretched out in my sleeping bag to go to sleep that night, I looked up into the starry sky and marveled at the wonder of creation and the majesty of The Creator!

My Night In A Vermont Homeless Shelter

   If you can remember, way back when I started hiking the trail I made a friend with Nancy Lee Read (whom I gave the trail name “Southern Belle”). Nancy Lee was from Vermont and she sent me a letter telling me about their hike and how it was going. She also told me when I got to Rutland Vermont that I should get off and go to her hometown. She had already talked with the Pastor of her church and let him know that I would be stopping through. He agreed to put me up for the night and share some hospitality.

   Sure enough, the trail crossed a road very near Rutland. So I went into town and found the church. It was a large, stone building. I asked to speak to the Pastor by his name and was ushered into a waiting area. After a little while I was allowed to enter his office. I told him who I was and that I was a friend of Nancy Lee Read. Yes, he recalled that she was on a big hiking trip. I mentioned that her letter said that perhaps I could spend the night somewhere in town. Certainly, he replied. If I would wait for a little while he would take care of me.

   I did wait for a while and the Pastor emerged with another man. We were briefly introduced and the Pastor said this man would take care of me for the evening. I thanked him for his assistance and went with the man. To be honest, I was expecting to perhaps stay at the home of a church member but the man took me to a homeless shelter for the night. I wasn’t really homeless, but it was too late in the day to find any other place to stay for the night. I reluctantly agreed to stay the night.

   Staying in a homeless shelter was quite a different experience. Most of the guys there were regulars and they knew the rules. They had to explain some of the rules to me and were surprised that I didn’t already know what I could do and what I couldn’t do. They served us a simple meal for supper. I got a bunk to sleep for the night. After a light breakfast in the morning I headed out to get back on the trail.

   A couple of weeks later Nancy Lee came into town. She stayed for a few days and saw many friends. She asked her Pastor about me and he told her that I had come through and he had sent me to the homeless shelter. She was shocked and horrified. Apparently the Pastor misunderstood her message about showing hospitality. Later she apologized to me for the mixup. I told her not to worry about it. Every experience on the trail was different. Staying in the homeless shelter was an eye-opening experience. It’s something that I will never forget.

   2011 Update:  Today I weighed in at 168.8 pounds. I’ve put on more than a pound from yesterday, but weight can vary from day to day. Right now I am eating a home made bean burrito. I went running this morning. My route through my entire neighborhood is 3.4 miles. I think I see a salad in my future!

   **P.S. I got an email today from Nancy Lee Read-Zeller. Yes, from the “Southern Belle” herself! We have not been in touch for a number of years. It’s good to hear from an old friend. She and her family are doing well!

The Hairy Legged Woman Is Back!

   Some memories of the Appalachian Trail from 1980 are very clear. Others are somewhat clear. I don't remember the exact date or location, but the events of that evening were permanently burned into my memory banks.
   At the end of a long day I crossed a road and walked a couple of miles to a shelter. No one else was there, so I began to settle in for the night. I cooked a huge pot of supper and had just finished eating when I heard a sound. In the woods, you get used to many different sounds. Some sounds are from the wind, some from the insects and animals, but some are made by humans. The distinct "clomp, clomp, clomp" noise was unmistakably the sound of a hiker coming down the trail. Since the light was beginning to fade, I was sure that the hiker was headed toward the shelter.
   Sure enough, a hiker arrived. It was a woman and she looked vaguely familiar. She wore clothing that was soiled from many miles on the trail. When she arrived at the shelter I also noticed the smell. Now, I'm not complaining about the smell. We all sweat while hiking on the trail. And we all had a smell that was ok for the outdoors but would get us kicked out of some places in civilization! Yes, she had the look and the smell of a thru hiker.
   Then I noticed two other things. First it was the hair on her stubby legs. It was obvious that this woman had not had a razor on her legs for a long, long time. The hair on her legs was only surpassed by the hair sprouting out from under her arms, revealed by her dirty tank top shirt. The second thing I noticed was a small can attached the the strap of her pack. Somehow that small can looked familiar too. Most hikers didn't carry things clipped to the shoulder straps of their packs. Why were these things familiar? Who was this woman?
   And then it hit me. I knew exactly who this was! I remembered Hot Springs, North Carolina. I remembered the woman who arrived at the hostel with the can of mace hanging from the shoulder strap of her backpack. I wrote about it in the blog entitled "Who carries a can of mace on the Appalachian Trail?!!" on May 5, 2011. That was over two and a half months ago. She was ahead of me on the trail (or so I thought). How did she end up at this place and at this time?
   We fell into conversation as hikers usually do at shelters. Yes, she did remember me from Hot Springs, N.C. Yes, she had been ahead of me and had been making very good time. But something happened. Her boyfriend in Arizona broke up with her and quit mailing her packages with all of her supplies. She had to get off of the trail and go home for two weeks in order to get things set up for a family member to mail her the rest of her supply packages.
   "Two weeks," I thought to myself. "don't they have razors in Arizona? Why didn't she shave off all that nasty hair while she was home? It's one thing for a woman to get all hairy while hiking on the trail, but good grief!" That's not what I said, but it's what I thought. Then I realized that I was probably being too harsh. Perhaps she had to get off the trail and go home a couple of months ago. Perhaps she had been behind me and was only just now catching up to me on the trail. Her odor and dirty clothes were certainly evidence that she had been on the trail for a while. Perhaps I was being too hard on her after all....
   Then I made the mistake of asking the question. I wish now that I had not asked. I wish that I didn't know the truth. I wish that I had gone on giving her the benefit of the doubt. Instead, I asked the question, "how long have you been back on the trail?"
   "Oh," she replied, "I just got back on the trail today. As a matter of fact I just got a ride to the road a couple of miles south of here."
   Again, my thoughts began to race, "What?!!! How can you smell so bad if you just got back on the trail? Why are your clothes filthy dirty? Why didn't you at least shave? And why on earth are you carrying a can of mace? Believe me, I have seen bears that are more attractive." Well, that's what I thought. It's not what I said. Fortunately it got dark quickly. In the morning the woman was up and off early. She hiked faster than me and that's the last time I saw her. But the smell lingered for a while......

Finished? Not Yet!

  Today is September 4, 2011. Thirty-one years ago today I climbed the last mountain of the Appalachian Trail. The official mileage that year was 2,106 miles from Springer Mountain in North Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. It took me 146 days to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. This year I set out on a journey to accomplish two objectives. First, I wanted to reduce my weight to 165 pounds. Second, I wanted to tell stories about the Appalachian Trail along the way.
   Up until about three weeks ago I was making good progress on both objectives. I wrote stories about events from Georgia all the way to Vermont. But I have not finished....not yet! As far a weight goes, I have made significant progress. As of today I weigh 167.4 pounds. That means that I have lost a whopping 19.4 pounds! But I also have 2.4 more pounds to trim off of my body. No, I'm not finished with this objective....not yet!
   What happened? Well, life happened. It's hard to do anything consistently for 146 days in a row. And, to be honest with you, I got a bit discouraged. I hit a period of time where I had a difficult time losing weight. In athletics it is called "hitting a plateau." No matter what I tried, I had difficulty getting below 170 pounds and staying there. For some reason 170 pounds has been my plateau point every time I have tried to lose weight.
June 25, 2005 I weighed 185.            July 20, 2006 I weighed 170.
December 11, 2008 I weighed 180.   February 25, 2009 I weighed 170.
February 15, 2010 I weighed 182.     May 28, 2010 I weighed 178.
   So, this time when I hit 170 pounds and stayed there I just kept trying to do the right things. I kept on running. I kept on watching what I ate (without starving myself). Finally, after a few weeks I finally started to trim my weight down again. 167.4 pounds is the least I have weighed in over eleven years! I know if I keep on trying, I will be able to get all the way down to 165 pounds. A friend of mine just had a heart attack (he is only a few years older than me). Fortunately it was relatively mild and they caught it in time to treat it. I want to do everything I can to keep from having the same problem! I turn 50 years old at the end of this month. I want to be as healthy as possible and getting rid of extra weight is one of the best ways to stay healthy!
   The thirty-first anniversary of hiking the Appalachian Trail has been a tremendous motivation to finally lose weight and get healthy. Just because it is taking me a bit longer to finish my "journey" doesn't mean I am giving up. A lot of people who hiked the trail would take off a week or two in order to go home or have a side trip. They would return and finish the trail. I think I will treat the last three weeks like a side trip.
   After all, some great things have already happened. My blood pressure is normal. I can wear clothes that have been sitting in the top of my closet for many years. I ran in a 5K road race on August 20, 2011 and had a time of 28:33 (which is 3:20 faster than my time on June 4th). This project is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm not finished, not yet! I will keep on trying to lose weight until I hit 165 pounds. And I still have at least three more weeks of stories to tell about the Appalachian Trail. So...if you will stay with me, we can still finish this journey together!

The Long, Long Trail!

   As I walked through the Green Mountains of Vermont I spent a lot of time in reflection. I had not finished the entire trail, but the end was less than a month away. I was back on schedule and making good time. My foot rarely hurt any more. I had picked up my red rain parka at my last mail drop (several weeks without carrying that extra two pounds made a difference).
   One morning I woke up in a shelter and looked out to see thick fog. It rained very often in the Green Mountains (that's why they are green!) After a good breakfast, I packed up my stuff and started down the trail. the fog lay like a thick blanket over everything. Sounds were muffled and absorbed by the fog. The silence was only broken by the sound of my boots on the trail, the clatter of my hiking staff on the rocks, and some tiny rattles from items inside my pack.
    I approached a place where the trail bent sharply to the right. As I walked forward, I saw something in the distance. What was that thing? The closer I got, the more I realized that it was a deer. His head was framed by some tree branches and his body was hidden by the fog. I walked slowly forward, watching the deer. He didn't see me, and the fog kept him from hearing me. Eventually I got so close that he turned and sniffed...he smelled me. He gave a snort and bounded off into the woods and the fog.
   Before long the sun began to melt away the fog. Within a couple of hours I was walking in wonderful sunshine. The birds had been silent in the fog, but now they burst forth with their songs. It was amazing! I sang many songs while hiking the trail. I even wrote one (very cheesy) song when I was in North Carolina, but it wasn't anything to write home about. But on this day in Vermont I was overcome with my memories of the trail, the deer I had seen, the singing of the birds, and the absolute beauty of the mountains.
   Suddenly words began to come to me. I found myself singing a few phrases. Before long I had to stop and write them down. As I walked, more words came, and more, and more. Within a couple of hours I was singing a new song. I originally called it "And Of The Sky", but later changed the name to "The Long, Long Trail". The name fit, since the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail were actually together at this point (the Long Trail extends the length of Vermont from South to North). I later changed some of the words to past tense when I finished hiking. Here is what I wrote:

I was leaving it all behind me
To go out and see the world
To see the peaceful mountains
And learn their mysteries of old
Now I left the city behind me
I left my friends and my home
I left my school and my family
To head for points unknown.

(Chorus)
And I was walking that long, long trail from Georgia
Headed on that path that leads ever northward
And inbetween the lines I saw the goodness and the beauty
Of the earth, and of the sky!

Now the people of the mountains
They know how to live
They know what calmness and patience means
They live their lives to give
They know what it means to stand alone
On a peaceful mountain top
To see the wind chase the clouds away
Or feel the sun at dawn!

(Chorus)

Now when my walk met it's lonesome end
And I stood on Katahdin's top
I could see all the miles and the people I'd met
And I knew that I'd learned a lot.
I learned how to smile when the sun breaks through
On a cloudy, misty day
Where the deer run wild and the birds sing free
It's a happy day!

(Chorus Twice)

   It's a song that I have been singing ever since. The hike in 1980 changed me. It gave me memories that will last a lifetime. It gave me confidence in God and in myself. I'll never forget that long, long trail!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 169.0 pounds. Over the last several days I have weighed in sometimes more and sometimes less than 169. My goal is 165 pounds by September 4th. That means I need to lose four more pounds in a little more than three weeks. I have continued to jog (almost every day). Today I had a big salad for lunch. Right now I am eating a bowl of beans and cornbread for supper. A week from tomorrow I am running in another 5K road race. This time I am in much better shape and hope to do well!

I Find Out Who Is Really In Charge!

   I woke early the next morning, much earlier than normal. Usually I would be ready to hike at about 8:30am, but this day I was on the trail at 7:15am. It was only six miles to the road crossing. From there I was counting on getting a ride into town and getting my supply box by noon. It was Saturday, and I had been walking hard all week to make it to that post office by noon on Saturday.
   The trail was relatively easy, I was making good time. But I was uptight. I was worried. I was distracted. What if I didn't make it by noon? What if I got to the road and couldn't get a ride? What if I got there at 12:05 and just missed getting my supplies by five minutes? As the miles went by I got more and more anxious. For some reason I had forgotten what happened in Buchannan, Virginia. That story is earlier in my blog and tells about how God answered my prayer and gave me a ride to town and provided for me in a powerful way. But this day in Vermont, I wasn't thinking about Buchannan, Virginia. I was consumed with worry.
   Finally I reached a point where my mind cleared. I realized that I couldn't call myself a Christian if I didn't actually trust in God. If God is supposed to be in charge of everything, then I should trust Him, right? So I did the same thing that Jonah eventually did, I prayed. I asked God to help me make it to the post office on time to pick up my supply box. And, I finally had a peace about it.
   At 10:30am I broke out of the woods and came out to the road crossing. To my left a few miles away was the town with the post office. I smiled very big. I knew that there was no way I would miss the noon deadline at this post office. Even if I had to walk the whole way, I could probably get there just before noon. I had done it. I had made it. I had pushed hard all week and was now back on schedule.
   I began to walk down the road. I heard a car approaching and I stuck out my thumb. A small VW "bug" stopped immediately and gave me a ride. I squeezed myself and my backpack into the back seat of the "bug" and we were on our way. This was great! The first car I saw stopped! I wasn't just going to beat the noon deadline, I was going to kill it! The driver was very nice. He didn't know where the post office was but we drove around until we found it. Truth is, he drove through town twice until we spotted it (the town was that small).
   When the VW "bug" pulled into a parking spot I was working to extract myself and my backpack from the back seat of the tiny car. Then I heard the driver say, "I hope you made it in time...." At first I thought he was joking. Every post office I had ever seen in my life closed at noon on Saturday. Then the driver said, "because it closes at 10:45."
   Immediately I looked at my watch. It said 10:44am. I raced to the front door, yelling my thanks to the kind driver, and entered the post office just before an employee was able to lock the door. Yes, they had my box. Yes, I was able to get the box with all my supplies.
   At 10:50am I was sitting outside of the post office with my supply box and my backpack. I was stunned. For all that time I was focused on noon. I thought I had done it all. I thought I had made things happen. But I realized that the only reason I made it in time was with God's help. There were too many "coincidences" that helped me make it just in time. It was a wake up call for me! I really wasn't in charge. God was (and is) in charge. I will never forget it.
   I never saw the VW "bug" drive away (I was too focused on getting my supply box). I like to imagine that it drove up the road and around the corner and then disappeared as the two angels from the car flew into the air and sat on top of a tall tree, laughing about their assignment. They had taken care of me yet again!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 170.4 pounds. Last night there was a teachers' meeting (I will be teaching one morning per week this year). I didn't realize that they would have lots of FOOD and DESSERTS and SNACKS. My willpower crumbled and I gave in! More running this morning and hopes to keep trimming the weight off!

All I Could Think About Was "Noon on Saturday"

   When I crossed the state line into Vermont I knew that I was making progress. I was now in the "Green Mountains". The mountains are beautiful, and they are green. I found out why they are green. It rains a lot! All the vegetation loves the frequent showers in the Green Mountains. It was summer time and I didn't mind the frequent showers (they cooled things off)!
   At this time I was focused on getting back on schedule. Way back in Virginia I had bruised my foot. By the time I got to Pennsylvania it developed into a stress fracture and I had to go to a hospital. After several days of rest, I was back on the trail with a thick pad inside my boot but I was behind schedule. Now, several hundred miles later I was close to getting back on schedule. I reached my last supply pickup point in the afternoon on a Saturday. The post office was closed and I had to wait until Monday morning before it reopened. I was determined to make it to my next supply pickup point before noon on Saturday.
   Every day I tried to hike just a little bit farther. Every day I looked at my data book and planned how many miles I had to make in order to make it to the North Clarendon, Vermont post office by noon on Saturday. The trail helped me along. There was a lot of ridge walking which is much easier than straight up and down mountains.
   After a week of pushing hard I found myself at a shelter on Friday night just six miles from the road crossing leading into North Clarendon. I knew that I could make it to the road in the morning and catch a ride into the town to pickup my box from the post office by noon on Saturday. All I could think about was noon on Saturday.
   That night I met some "weekend warriors". That's what we called people who came out to hike for a night or two on the trail during the weekend. They were friendly people and quite impressed that I had hiked to Vermont all the way from Georgia. I had learned a long time ago that most weekend warriors carried much more than they ever needed. I always needed Coleman Fuel for my cook stove. So I had the habit of asking weekend warriors if they had any spare Coleman Fuel that I could buy from them. Usually they had a full bottle and gladly gave me whatever I needed to fill my bottle. A full bottle would last me about two weeks, so I almost never ran out. I always offered to pay them, but no one ever took my money.
   As night fell that Friday evening, I snuggled into my sleeping bag with a smile on my face. I had a full fuel bottle. I was only six miles from the road crossing. My alarm was set for early in the morning. There was no way that I was going to miss the Post Office by noon on Saturday. I had done it. I had gotten back on schedule. I was proud of myself. But there was something that I didn't know. Something that would be a complete surprise to me. But it would have to wait until the morning.

   2011 Update:  This morning I weighed in at 169.2 pounds! Diet and exercise DO work if you stick with it! I am so excited to finally be under 170 pounds. My goal is to reach 165 pounds by September 4th (the day I climbed the last mountain on the Appalachian Trail back in 1980). For a few days I was wondering if I could make it, but I redoubled me efforts and now I am back on track. I see a big salad in my future.... :)

Things Aren't Always What They Appear To Be

  In 1980 I saw a notice at a trail register about a guy who owned a cabin next to the trail in Massachusetts. He offered to let hikers stay the night for free. I signed up on his list and many days later I arrived at the cabin. It was actually just off of the trail, a little cabin nestled in the woods. A couple of other hikers were there and the four of us had good conversation. The guy who owned the cabin was nice.....but there was something weird about him too. Nothing specific happened, but I later realized what was going on. This guy was trying to find other guys to "date". That's why he opened his place to hikers.
   I'm glad I didn't figure this out until later, because it would have been awkward for me to pack up and leave after dark. I spent the night "camping" on a couch in the sun room. I remember accidentally bumping a table that had a temperature recording device. The owner was upset for a moment. He was trying to record the temperatures and I had messed it up. But, he decided that it was a "short term spike" and would not really affect his data.
   In the morning we had blueberry pancakes and I headed on my way. One of the other hikers was staying on to go water skiing and to "hang out". I appreciated the hospitality, but I didn't appreciate the underhanded way this guy was trying to find homosexual boyfriends. Things aren't always what they appear to be. I am a very open, an honest person and I hope that other people are open and honest with me. I continued to hike down the trail, making progress toward the next state which was Vermont. Some big things were getting ready to happen!

   2011 Update:  This morning I weighed in at 170.6 pounds. How could I lose 3.2 pounds in one day? Well, I ate a LOT of salt over the weekend. So, yesterday I drank tons and tons of water. Your body retains water in order to bind with the salt and remove it from your body. By drinking all of that water, all of the salt and extra fluid left my body. Yes, I had many trips to the bathroom, but my weight is almost back on track. I went jogging again this morning (the entire neighborhood). I had a big salad for lunch and ate a grilled Chick-fil-a sandwich for supper. I'm trying to be strict on my diet and exercises so I can trim these last few pounds. I have 5.6 pounds left and 33 days!

Silence. Try it!

   One of the unusual events while hiking the Appalachian Trail in 1980 was an overnight visit at a monastery. Yes, that's right, a monastery! I read a note in a trail register inviting hikers to come and spend a night. It was a free bunk for the night and a couple of free meals. I enjoyed a hot shower and clean sheets. There was no tv or any other electronics. It was very quiet. I was able to simply sit and think and pray.
   Silence is not something that we have enough of now. We tend to fill our lives with all kinds of noises. The tv is blaring, the phone is ringing, people are talking, music is playing in the other room. All of these distractions makes it hard to really focus on anything for any length of time. Staying in the monastery reminded me of the need for silence and reflection. I had already hiked a large portion of the trail. I only had about one month left to reach the end of my journey. I had a lot to think about.
   I thought about life. I thought about what I would do in the future. I thought about God and my life as a Christian. I thought about many different things. And, in the silence, God spoke to me too. Not in an audible voice, but He spoke peace into my heart. I had guidance and direction. I had purpose and a plan. I had hope for the future.
   Silence. Try it!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 173.8 pounds (*sigh!*). I ate a lot over the weekend and put on weight. I hope that a lot of it is water weight and that it will come off fast. It's another setback, but I press on. This morning I jogged and added more distance. Now I am jogging every road and culdesac in my neighborhood. That ought to burn some calories! Time for another salad!

I'm Surprised She Didn't Have Me Arrested!

   Hiking through Massachusetts in 1980 was an interesting experience. The mountains and countryside were beautiful. I passed through several small towns along the way. One day I was passing through a small town when a car pulled over beside me. The man rolled down his window and started up a conversation. He mentioned that the women of his church had a lunch group open to the community and wondered if I would be interested in attending? Just the mention of food to a thru-hiker is like a red flag to a bull. Of course I was interested.
   The man had to run some errands and would be at the church soon. He pointed me in the right direction and I walked less than a mile to an old red brick church. Sure enough, the women had some sandwiches and other lunch items put together. The seemed to be happy that I was there. I waited in line with the other people and got to the serving window. The lady asked me if I wanted a sandwich. "Sure," I said. "How about two?" she said. "Even better," I replied.
   I sat down and ate a good meal. The man who invited me did show up. He said he was a part time actor on some Soap Opera on TV. After lunch, the people began to leave. One of the women came up to me and asked if I would like some of the leftover sandwiches to take with me on the trail. I happily accepted her kind offer. Before long I was walking down the road, headed toward the place where the trail would go back into the woods. I was encouraged by the hospitality that I had received along the way. It reminded me of so many other times that Christian people had helped me on my journey. I knew that God was good and He was looking out for me.
   As I was walking I heard another car approach. It stopped and a woman stepped out. She had a young child with her. She asked me if I was the hiker who had just eaten at the church. I smiled, and said that I was. Suddenly the entire mood changed. Her face became angry, she put her hands on her hips and said, "you didn't pay for what you ate!"
   I was quite shocked on several different levels. First, no one ever mentioned paying for lunch. I didn't see anyone else pay either (although I suppose they must have). And even if there was a nominal charge, I was shocked that the guy who invited me didn't pay it (or at least let me know about it). And wasn't there a place in the Bible about Christians practicing hospitality, especially to strangers?  (see 1Peter 4:8-9) And why did she think it so important to track me down?
   My explanations fell on deaf ears. I had apparently come to a fundraising lunch and had walked out without paying. To make matters worse, I even took extra sandwiches with me (which most likely would have been thrown in the trash if I had not taken them). I dug through my pack and pulled out the ziplock bag that served as my wallet. I was completely out of cash but I had a traveler's check with me. I offered to write it to her, but she refused. Instead, she demanded that I hand over the leftover sandwiches. As I gave them to her, she scowled again, loaded her child into her car and sped away.
   I was left behind in the dust. I'm surprised she didn't have me arrested! If I had not already been a Christian then that would have been the last time I would ever walk into a church in my life. Fortunately, I realized that the selfish actions of a few do not reflect the true nature of God and His love. I had made a mistake without realizing it, but I did not deserve the hateful response from that lady. I hope her dog enjoyed the leftover sandwiches.

   2011 Update:  This morning I weighed in at 171.6 pounds. I spent some time sweating while fixing the cooling system on my old 1973 Mazda yesterday. This morning I am in a hotel (on the way to Kentucky to celebrate my wife's grandmother's 100th birthday). I got up early and went for a jog. So, even though I am out of my normal routine, I'm trying to exercise and I will try to eat right too!

In Porcupine Country!

   I had a scheduled mail pickup on July 26, 1980 in Cheshire, Mass. I was still running behind schedule because of my hurt foot (which was now much better). I remember rolling into the town early afternoon on Saturday and missing my pickup by just a few hours. Post offices always closed at noon on Saturday back in 1980. I was stuck in town until early Monday morning. The delay was irritating to me. I wanted to get some miles under my belt. I wanted to make it to Maine!
   One thing I do remember from hiking the trail was a night experience. I honestly don't remember if I was in Massachusetts at the time or some other place, but I do remember other details. I spent the night at a shelter (I did that probably 70% of the time). This shelter had some sheet metal nailed to the front of the shelter floor. It also had a metal toilet seat in the outhouse. I thought that was very strange until another hiker told me that we were in porcupine country!
   We don't have porcupines in Georgia (we have possoms, and all kinds of other critters!) I asked the other hiker about the metal outhouse seat. It turns out that porcupines love to eat salt. And urine contains a lot of salt. The porcupines would chew up the outhouse seats, that's why they were made of metal. On the front of the shelter most hikers would come and sit down. The sweat from their bodies would soak into the wood and the porcupines would chew that too (the wood, not the hikers!)
   I had a good place to sleep in the shelter, but more and more hikers arrived. The shelter was packed full. One hiker had to sleep right on the edge of the shelter (at our feet). The evening was quiet and I fell asleep. I woke suddenly to a strange noise. The porcupines were attacking! Well.....not really "attacking", but they were trying to get into the food bags. The hiker sleeping at the end of the shelter took a big stick and whacked one of the porcupines. As it fled (taking the others with him). the hiker withdrew the stick and put it into the pool of light coming from a flashlight. There were several porcupine quills protruding from the stick! After this adventure we slept well and had an uneventful day. I will never forget that night in porcupine country!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 172.0 pounds. I went jogging again and added another small piece of the neighborhood to my route. I also worked on the car (lots of sweat!). Now I am eating a big salad for lunch. I've got to get back on track. The deadline for 165 pounds is September 4th!

An Amazing Display of Splendor!

   Back in 1980 I remember climbing a mountain in Massachusetts called "Mt. Everett". One of the reasons I remember the name is because it is so similar to "Everest" (but not anywhere near as difficult). It was actually a reasonable climb. On top of the mountain was a YMCA camp, but I didn't go to it (it was on a side trail). I was up on the mountain toward the end of the day. I realized that hiking down the mountain would take a while. Then I saw a nice spot of level ground right next to the trail. It was maybe five feet wide and covered in grass. It was also perfectly level, a great place to spend the night. If you have ever tried to sleep on ground that is slanted then you know what I mean!
   The weather was clear and I decided to camp right there beside the trail. I literally could reach out with my hand from where I slept and touch the trail. Dinner was good. I settled into my sleeping bag and watched the night sky. There were no trees high up on this mountain. The sky was perfectly clear. The moon and stars were amazing. I gradually drifted off to sleep.
   Early in the morning something stirred me. I was used to camping in shelters where it was dark, or at least under trees where there was lots of shade. But this time I was awakened by light. At first it was a soft glow, muted and subtle. As I sat up and looked across the valley I saw mist curling up at the tops of the trees below. The mountains in front of me were tall and solid. The part facing me, still in deep shadow. But behind those mountains was the Sun, slowly rising in the East.
   I waited patiently as the Sun continued to bring light to the darkness. Finally it happened. The first ray of light peeked over the edge of the mountain. Over the next few minutes that tiny ray of light blossomed into a magnificent display of light! The orange and yellow and purple hues were unbelievable! Oh! Of all the sunrises that I have seen in my life, none compare with the beauty and majesty of that glorious moment! I did take a picture but it does not come close to bringing it justice.
   Slowly the Sun continued to rise, bathing my campsite in pools of light. As I ate breakfast and packed up my gear I was thankful for the amazing display of splendor. It's one of the reasons that I hiked the trail to begin with! I would see many other sunrises in my life, but I would never forget the sunrise on Mt. Everett!

   2011 update: This is the longest break I have taken from this project. I was in a training class for 5 days and did not have the opportunity to blog. I ate a lot of different meals. Now that I have returned, it's time to get back on track. This morning I weighed in at 172.4 pounds. That's about 2 pounds more than when I left for the training class. It also reminds me that my weight will fluctuate and that circumstances will happen where I don't eat as well as I should for a few days. Tomorrow I start back running. I'm still going to make my goal!

What Happens When You Get High!

   Hiking through Connecticut was nice. The trail goes through the western part of the state (away from the suburbs and big cities). It was hot, but not nearly as hot as what I was used to in Georgia. I actually enjoyed hiking with the "Canadian Crawler". But, all good things must come to an end. One day the Canadian Crawler left earlier than I did. I caught up with him when he had his lunch break, but he got ahead of me again when I stopped for lunch.
   In the late afternoon I began climbing up a mountain. The trail snaked back and forth up the side of the mountain (the technical term is "switchbacks"). After a lot of effort and sweat I was rewarded with a nice view from the summit and a breeze. I enjoyed it for a little while and then decided to press on. I knew by the end of the day I would enter Massachusetts!
   I descended the other side of the mountain, following the switchbacks downhill (much easier than uphill!). When I reached the bottom, the trail was level for a while. That's where I saw the Canadian Crawler. He was very upset. His camera was missing! When he was on the top of the mountain he stopped and took some pictures. Then he smoked some "weed". Apparently he left his camera sitting on the top of the mountain. Did I happen to pick it up and bring it? No. Had I seen it?  No.
   The last time I saw the Canadian Crawler he had stashed his backpack near the trailside and was backtracking up the mountain to locate the missing camera. I have heard that smoking "weed" impairs your memory, this was a classic case of not remembering! I'm glad I never tried smoking it. The only "high" I wanted to get was in elevation on the top of mountains! I pressed on and crossed the Massachusetts state line. It was time to carve another notch on my hiking staff! Mt. Katahdin in Maine was getting closer every day!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 170.4 pounds. Jogging, trying to eat right, not starving myself, all of these things have added up. I go to a training seminar today which will last until Tuesday. I have no idea what kind of food they will feed us, but I will try to be sensible in what I eat! I only have 5.4 pounds left in order to reach my goal. It's getting closer every day!

How Can You Drink Out of That?!!!!!

   I had a scheduled food pickup on July 19, 1980 in Cornwall Bridge Connecticut. I was still running behind schedule because of my foot. I was able to walk very well now, but I would have to put on an extra effort at some point to get back on track.
   I continued to hike with the "Canadian Crawler". One of the things I noticed about him was his large water bottle. The inside of it had some ugly black scum. I asked him about it and he said it was permanent and wouldn't come out. I shuddered to think of drinking from that nasty water bottle.
   One day we crossed a road and hit the jackpot. Well...not literally...but we did find a small convenience store with ice cream, snacks, and cold drinks! After munching on some snacks we began to get ready to go. I remembered that my water bottle was a little low so I grabbed it and decided to fill it up. I asked the Canadian Crawler if I could fill his bottle for him. He pulled out the large, nasty bottle and handed it to me. I went up to the store clerk and asked where I could get some water. He directed me to a small area at the back of the store. There was a large sink along with some soap and wash rags. I used hot water to clean out my water bottle, wadding up a wash rag and shoving it inside the wide mouth of the bottle. After some soap was added and some vigorous shaking my bottle was clean as a whistle. I rinsed it thoroughly and filled it with cold water.
   Then came time for me to fill up the water bottle for the Canadian Crawler. I decided to wash it out the same way, with soap and a wash rag and hot water. As I began to vigorously shake the bottle, the wash rag started peeling off all of that black scum! Oh! It was gross! Ten minutes later that water bottle was completely clean. (I had to wash my hands three times after this nasty adventure). The Canadian Crawler was shocked that I was able to get it clean. All he had ever done was rinse it was water. I hate to think of him drinking water from that scummy bottle for all of those weeks on the trail! How could he drink out of that bottle?!!!!

   2011 update: I weighed in at 171.0 pounds this morning. More jogging today and trying to eat right. I had a bowl of fresh strawberries last night (yum!) Time for another salad tonight and a CLEAN glass of water!

Tarps at Night!

   Sleeping out in the open was a wonderful thing while hiking the trail in 1980. The "Canadian Crawler" and I put our sleeping bags side by side and soon fell fast asleep. I woke a few hours later and felt something. What was that?! There it was again....it felt moist....almost wet. Then I realized what was happening. It was beginning to rain! The "Canadian Crawler" couldn't do anything because he didn't have a tarp or a tent. But I swung into action. I jumped up and grabbed for my pack. I reached into my boot and found my flashlight (I would keep it there at night so it wouldn't get lost and I could find it quick.)
   Digging around in my pack I found my tarp, some rope, and the small aluminum stakes that went with it. I started stringing up a line from the tree at the head of my sleeping bag down to the ground a couple of feet below the end of my sleeping bag. I had to put the small flashlight in my mouth because I needed both hands. The small flashlight just fit in my mouth and I held it between clenched teeth. After the center rope was secured, I threw the tarp over it and began putting in the stakes and tying off the corners and sides. All the time the rain got harder and faster! Finally the tarp was up! I put a big trash bag over my pack so it wouldn't get soaked, then I squeezed under the tarp with the Canadian Crawler. He was VERY glad to have a hiking partner with a tarp!
   We slept fairly dry that night. The next night it was clear and beautiful. We camped in the open again and fell fast asleep. In the middle of the night I woke up and felt something. What was that?! There it was again....it felt moist....almost wet. Then I realized what was happening. It was beginning to rain! Here we go again!!

   2011 update: this morning I weighed in at 171.8 pounds! That is 15.0 pounds lost in 100 days! I have less than 7 pounds left in order to reach my goal and 46 more days. That means I need to lose just a fraction over one pound per week for the next almost 7 weeks to get down to 165. I went jogging again this morning. My wife baked some awesome homemade bread (with fresh ground wheat). I'm eating good and trimming the pounds!

I Meet "The Canadian Crawler"

   When I entered the State of Connecticut in 1980 I was glad to continue to make progress. I have said before that I mostly hiked alone, although I saw a lot of other hikers and often camped at shelters and other sites with other hikers. But during the day I got a slower start and I took a longer lunch. That means I made it to whatever camp site or shelter right at the end of the day. Others often got there early and hung out. Something happened different in Connecticut. I met another thru-hiker known as the "Canadian Crawler". I think his real name was Dave (but I'm really not sure). The Canadian Crawler was from (surprise, surprise) Canada! He moved slowly and that's how he got his nickname.
   The Canadian Crawler and I met somewhere in Connecticut and we began to hike together. I mean, we actually were in view of each other all day long. It was quite a different experience for me. I was used to solitude, but enjoyed the company. At night we camped out in the open a couple of nights (we were too far away from shelters). The Canadian Crawler did not have a tent. I didn't either, but I had a tarp that could be setup when necessary. But the Crawler didn't have a tarp either! I asked him what he did when it rained. It was very simple.....he got WET!
  The Canadian Crawler and I hiked together for several days. He was older than me with sandy blonde hair and a beard. Sometimes he would pull out some marajuana and have a smoke. He offered it to me, but I turned it down (that was not the first or last time that someone offered it to me, but I always said "no"). We had some interesting conversations and enjoyed hiking together for those few days. Maine was getting closer and closer for both of us!

   2011 update:  I weighed in at 172.0 pounds this morning. Eating salads and jogging helps a lot!

Battle of the Deer Flies!

   Hiking the trail in 1980 was a wonderful experience. I realize that I have written a lot about the towns I visited and the special events that occurred in those towns. But honestly, most of the trip was putting one foot in front of the other up and down mountains in the woods. I had a "Data Book" that listed the distances between certain landmarks. So many miles to the next road crossing, so many miles to the next shelter, stream, bridge, summit, etc. I would usually plan out my day looking at the Data Book, trying to end the day at a shelter (if possible) or at least near a water source (which happened most of the time). The shelters almost always had a water source, although sometimes it was 1/4 mile straight down a side trail (glad I didn't have to carry my pack down and back on those trips!). I needed lots of water. I used water to cook all my meals. And I drank lots of water because it was summer and it was hot!
   Sweating up the side of a mountain in the summertime is difficult. But one of the things that annoyed me the most were deer flies. Wikipeda says: "Deer flies (also known as yellow flies) are flies in the genus Chrysops of the family Tabanidae" It also says that the female flies feed off of blood!  I believe it! (The males just collect pollen.) When a deer fly would find me it was sure that I would make a good meal. I was determined to keep all my blood for myself! 
   The deer fly would circle round, and round, and round, and round my head looking for an opportunity to strike. Since I was hiking, I was a moving target. I would swat at the fly and try to shoo it away (which almost never worked). I would often have one circling my head for 20 or 30 minutes. I finally developed a strategy for killing them. I would wait until they were circling just over my head, then I would slap my hands together and hope to crush my enemy. I'm sure you would laugh if you saw me sweating and mumbling at the deer flies and slapping my hands together. No, I wasn't ready for the insane asylum (yet)! After a lot of patience and slapping I would either kill the fly or she would give up and look for other prey. Fortunately this didn't happen every day of the hike, only during the hottest part of the summer and in areas where livestock were kept nearby. I survived the deer flies and kept on moving toward my goal of climbing Mt Katahdin in Maine!


   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 173.4 pounds. I did a lot of yard work yesterday (trimmed a bunch of hedges that had gotten WAY out of control!) I'm still trying to eat good food (right now I have a big salad in front of me for supper). I plan on jogging in the morning, there is another 5K run coming up in August and I need to get ready for it! Having goals to shoot for really helps to keep me motivated!

What's for Supper?

   By this time in 1980 I was finishing up the section of trail in New York. I had a mail pickup in Warwick New York which was scheduled for July 11th, but I'm not sure what day I picked up supplies since I was still behind schedule. My foot was doing pretty good and my speed was starting to pick up. The temperatures were still high, but getting up into higher elevations helped ease the heat.
   I have talked before about breakfast and lunch, but not supper. So, what did I eat for supper on the Appalachian Trail? I had two "standard" meals. For one supper I would cook an entire box of macaroni and cheese (yes, the entire box!) Then I would mix other things in. I carried small cans of tuna and boned chicken and would usually mix one can in with the macaroni and cheese. One or two nights out of the week I didn't have a can of meat and mixed in dried soup mix, dehydrated potato flakes, and anything else I could find! The second "standard" meal was exactly the same except I used minute rice instead of macaroni and cheese.
   If you could see the big pot of food I ate every night, you would be shocked. But you have to remember that I was burning up a large amount of calories every day. I didn't lose any weight hiking the trail because I was already thin as a rail! I did put on two or three pounds (mostly muscle). I had some snacks and sometimes candy to top off my supper every night. It was great to eat and relax as the woods grew dark and the night sounds began. Drifting off to sleep to the sound of crickets and owl calls is a wonderful thing!

   2011 update:  Yesterday I weighed in at 173.0, today I weighed in at 174.2. Yesterday and today I helped to install a large playground at the Haven House. I have a lot of sore muscles. A lot of time when that happens my body retains a lot of fluid (which comes off later), so I am not worried about a temporary weight gain. Today is cooler than normal. I have been trimming hedges at my house. Just finished two burittos for lunch, time to get back to work (great exercise!)

A Good Meal, A Hair Cut, & the Republican Convention!

   During the heat wave in 1980 I was glad to be at a friend's house near Bear Mountain. Bev was like a mama to me. She cooked and fussed and pampered me. I wound up staying two nights. I took a nice long shower (ahhhh!!!). All my clothes were washed (in a regular washing machine, not in a creek!) All of my cooking gear was scrubbed. The meal that was promised when we were in Tennessee was cooked (and it was delicious)! Bev's daughter was close to my age. She gave me a real hair cut (I was getting pretty shaggy).
   While I was there I remember sitting on the couch, watching tv. The Republican National Convention was being held. Some guy named Ronald Reagan was nominated as their candidate for President (I think he was an actor and then governor of California. Does that ring a bell with you?!) The guy nominated for Vice President was some other guy from Texas named George Herbert Walker Bush (he must be important, he has an extra name)! I stayed up late watching tv. When you are backpacking you don't get to watch tv. And if you stay up late you either have to build a fire or use your flashlight!
   In the morning I ate a huge breakfast of french toast. Bev drove me back to the Appalachian Trail so I could continue my journey. My foot was doing pretty good. The special foam pad in my boot was helping a lot. As Bev drove away, I waved goodbye. Then I faced North. Mt. Katahdin in Maine was still calling my name. I had had a time of refreshment, now it was time to hike some miles in the woods!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 172.6 pounds! That is 14.2 pounds lost so far! I ate a big salad at "Wings N Things" yesterday for lunch. I ate a big burrito for supper last night (at home). Yesterday I jogged. Today I have tried to take things easy. My wife & I ate at IHOP. I had the "two by two by two" meal which was only 400 calories! Just because you eat out doesn't mean that you have to get fat!

Bear Mountain & Air Conditioning!

  As I finished hiking the trail in New Jersey, I entered New York. No, I didn't go into the city. New York is a State with a lot of land. The Appalachian Trail crosses a small piece of the lower corner of the State of New York. One of the landmarks is Bear Mountain. You would think that it would be some large, tall mountain, but it's not. The mountain itself is relatively low in height (compared to other mountains on the trail). Because of its proximity to the city and suburbs, it gets a LOT of use by local residents.
   Another interesting thing about Bear Mountain in New York is the fact that the Appalachian Trail started there. When the trail was being put together, this is where they cut the first part of the trail. October 7, 1923 was when the first section of trail was opened between Bear Mountain and Delaware Water Gap! Bear Mountain is also close to the Hudson River.
   When I reached Bear Mountain in 1980 I was HOT! So far I had been walking North and following Spring. But finally the Summer weather had caught up with me and it was miserably hot. Fortunately I had "an Ace in the hole". If you have been reading this blog all the way through then you may recall a post from May 26th called "Limo Ladies!" That's where I talked about meeting two women at a shelter in Tennessee who were finishing a week of hiking. They were from New York and promised to cook me a big supper when I got to Bear Mountain, New York. Food will attract bears and hungry hikers!
   I found a pay phone and made a call. In less than an hour I was riding in a wonderfully clean, air conditioned car headed towards a big feast! Bev L. had picked me up, just as promised. That night I was glad to sleep indoors (with air conditioning). It was wonderful (did I mention the air conditioning?). My journey continued and I was thankful for hospitality along the way!

   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 173.4 pounds. I went jogging yesterday and today. My new running shoes are wonderful! I haven't been very strict on my diet the last couple of days, but I am still working on it!

Lunch in New Jersey

   In 1980 I continued to hike through the great state of New Jersey. One of my favorite things in the day was my lunch break. I read a book called "The New Complete Walker" by Colin Fletcher. I was my guidebook for how to backpack. I carried Plantation Mint tea because of Fletcher's book. I even bought the exact same backpack that Fletcher used! He also advocated a long lunch break. Most hikers would try to get to the shelter or location where they would spend the night as early as possible. Then they would settle in and hang out. I would find a nice spot during the middle of the day and take a long lunch instead.
   I would take out my foam pad and sit on it. Then I would get everything out for lunch. I had a quart canteen with a large mouth. I would pour powdered milk and Nestle's Quick chocolate milk mix in. After a vigorous shaking, I had an entire quart of chocolate milk! I drank the entire quart with lunch! Then I would get out the crackers. I had two variations: peanut butter crackers, and Velvetta cheese crackers. I always consumed a large quantity! Afterwards I would have some "gorp" also known as "trail mix" consisting of nuts, M&Ms, raisins, and a little bit of coconut. I would eat about a pound of the "gorp" every day as a snack and as a supplement to meals.
   After lunch I would often lie down and stare up at the trees. They look amazing with the sunlight filtering through. Sometimes I would doze a little bit. I might take some pictures and write in my journal. After 1 to 2 hours I would pack everything up and continue down the trail. After the rest, I felt better and had a lot more energy! I knew I was going to make it all the way to Katahdin in Maine. My foot was still a little sore, but it was gradually healing. New York was not far away!

   2011 update:  After "pigging out" at the cookout yesterday I weighed in at 174.6 today. It's a temporary setback. Even while losing weight you have to live a little! My new running shoes came in today! I may try to  break them in tomorrow morning.

Bandits At Night!

  By this time in 1980 I was in New Jersey.  A lot of people think that New Jersey is just one giant suburb of New York City. Yes, there are a lot of suburbs near New York, but the western portion of the state (where the Appalachian Trail passes through) is very beautiful. New Jersey's nickname is "the garden state". I was surprised at how nice the trail was and how little suburban sprawl I saw.
   I do remember one night in New Jersey in a shelter. Every night in a shelter I would hang my pack up if possible in order to keep the mice out of my pack. That night I woke to hear something rustling just outside of the shelter. I realized that we were being raided by bandits wearing masks on their faces. But the bandits were small and furry! Yes, raccoons were trying to get to our food! They had climbed down from the trees and were trying to get to our packs. One of the other hikers took a stick and threw it in their general direction. Although he didn't hit them with the stick, it did give them pause. After a while, the raccoons gave up and sauntered out into the woods. They would have to find dinner somewhere else. Our packs were safe and we were wary of the raccoons!

   Here in 2011 I weighed in today at 173.2 pounds. Our new church had a cook out tonight. I ate WAY too much. So......tomorrow I will probably weigh more. That's ok. I will keep working on my project to lose weight. I'm not giving up!

Recovering fom "Mega-Mile Day"

   The morning after "Mega-Mile Day" I woke up in the motel room. I quietly got ready and left the room. The truck driver was still sound asleep when I left. I was extremely hungry, but I didn't have any food or any money. All I could do was start hitch-hiking. By around 10:30am I finally made it back to the town where I had left my pack. I went to the fire station and looked for my pack. It wasn't where I had left it. After a short panic, I found that it had been moved to a storage closet. One of the volunteer firemen begrudgingly opened the door and I retrieved my pack.
   I was just getting to leave when I discovered that I didn't have my hiking staff. Where was it? By this time the fireman was busy in the office. I went to him again and asked for him to open the storage closet so I could look for my hiking staff. He was quite irritated! He tried to tell me "no", but finally realized that I wasn't going to leave. So he trudged down the hall (huffing and puffing the entire way) and opened the storage room. Sure enough, there was my hiking staff!
   When I left the fire station the first order of business was to get some FOOD! I opened my pack and ate everything I could get my hands on! Once my hunger was satisfied, it was time to hitch-hike back to the point where I left the trail. That took most of the afternoon. And by dinner time I was walking into the town called Deleware Water Gap. I had heard about a Presbyterian Church that took in thru-hikers. Sure enough, I found the church and there were several hikers already present. I was welcomed to the crowd. I don't remember exactly where we slept that night, but I think it was in some Sunday School rooms. I had survived "Mega-Mile Day" and now I was back on track. It would be the last time I would try to do something foolish like that again!

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 173.0 pounds. I was able to walk my regular route this morning, followed by some unsuccessful work on my old 1973 Mazda (trying to fix a coolant leak). Right now I am eating a bean buritto. I'm going to try to stay on track!

Mega-Mile Day!

   At some point while walking over all the rocks in Pennsylvania I started to wonder if there was a better way. Having seen another guy "slackpacking", I wondered if there was some way to hike without carrying my heavy pack. That's when I came up with the idea of "Mega-Mile Day". I decided that I would leave my pack in a safe location, then hike about 35 miles, then hitch-hike back to get my pack, then hitch-hike back to where I left off. I came up with 35 miles because that was the distance to the New Jersey border. I know it was a crazy idea, but I was 18 back in 1980, and it made sense to me at the time (even though it was not such a good idea).
   I was in a small town (it may have been Palmerton, PA where I received my food box in the mail). The guys at the local fire station were friendly to hikers. They agreed to let me leave my pack at the fire station and come back later to pick it up. I put together a small stuff sack with my canteen, some food for the day, and a few emergency items. Very early in the morning I set out to conquer "Mega-Mile Day".
   The hiking without a heavy pack went much faster, but I still had to hike over all those sharp rocks. I made pretty good time, but I had to keep moving. I wasn't running, but I was walking fast. As the shadows began to lengthen, and the sun began to set I found myself at a road crossing. It was a few more miles to the New Jersey border (at another town). I could press on, but found myself in a "pickle". I had forgotten to bring my flashlight. I knew that I could get lost in the dark without a flashlight. So, I decided it was time to hitch-hike back to my pack. That wasn't as easy as it sounds.
   Several hours later I found myself in the cab of an 18 wheeler, riding down the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The driver took the exit where I wanted to get off. It was very late, and we stopped for supper. Here was another problem, I had forgotten to bring my money (which was in my pack). I seem to remember that the trucker bought me something small for supper. Then he checked into a motel for the night. He offered to let me stay (there were two beds in the room). I was still many miles away from my pack and it was too late to find a ride, so I stayed.
   In the room he took a hot shower. Then I took a hot shower. When I came out, he was sitting in his bed, smoking some weed. He offered it to me, but I turned him down. Then he asked me something else (seriously, you might be offended by this next sentence, so don't blame me if you read it). He asked me if I wanted to have "intimate relations" with him, he said he sometimes would "get it on with a dude". I was stunned, and turned him down. All night long I slept with one eye open, but I was relatively safe. I realized that "Mega-Mile Day" was a BIG mistake. In the morning I would try to get back to my pack & continue on my journey without any "shortcuts".

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 173.0 pounds this morning. I am so happy to be making such good progress with my weight loss! I went walking again this morning (the same route I jog when I am well). My leg did good, but I'm still being careful. Last night I ordered a new pair of running shoes online. I hope that will help! I ate a big salad for lunch and am getting ready to go to "Seekers" group where we are having dinner. I'll try not to splurge too much! I was able to cut my blood pressure medicine in half. If I keep on losing weight, I may be able to quit taking it all together!

ROCKS!!!

   When I hiked through Pennsylvania in 1980 I encountered the famous rocks! Many, many years ago (during the Ice Age), giant glaciers covered large areas of North America (at least that's what some scientists say). The glaciers moved slowly, pushing rocks and debris forward. When the glaciers finally stopped moving and began to melt, the rocks on the leading edge of the glaciers also stopped. They weren't smooth rocks, they were jagged, sharp rocks. And they were all dumped in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
  Down in the South, I was used to trail that was mostly dirt, some rocks, and lots of tree roots & vegatation. In PA, I was shocked to find how many rocks there were, and how hard it was to hike on them. Remember, I was still nursing my sore foot so I had to be careful not to re-injure it. I remember seeing one particularly difficult stretch of rocky trail. At the shelter following that stretch, another hiker complained about the people who put the trail on the rocks instead of on the nice dirt by the side of the trail. I knew better. I knew that the rocks were everywhere. The trail was well worn and the light topsoil was either compacted or had washed away from the trail. If the trail were relocated, in a very short time it would look just like the rock strewn path we had just labored across.
   I had heard about the rocks in PA for a long time. I assumed that they were just in PA, but actually there were lots of rocks for the rest of the trip, all the way to Maine. PA had the sharpest rocks and the most quantity, but the nice dirt paths were seldom seen from this point forward. I made the best time I could and tried to come up with some way to get through this stretch. I was also behind schedule by a few days & needed to catch up if I could. I started to get an idea....but that story will have to wait until tomorrow.

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 173.8 pounds again this morning. I went for a long walk this morning before the sun was very high in the sky. I followed the exact route that I usually take when jogging, but I simply walked. My leg did pretty good. I think I will buy some new running shoes. That may help give me better cushion when I do return to jogging. A big salad for lunch and bean burritos for supper. I'm stuffed!

The Independence Day Slackpacker

   Back in 1980 I remember celebrating Independence Day (4th of July) on the Appalachian Trail. I was at a shelter with several other hikers. We laughed and joked and had a good time. One of the guys at the shelter was a thru-hiker but he was doing something unusual. He was "slackpacking". Perhaps you remember my writing about a guy called "O.D. Coyote" who I called "the king of slackpacking." O.D. was going extremely slow. The guy I met on July 4th was actually walking a lot of miles per day. BUT, he had his girlfriend drive up and meet him.
   The girlfriend was driving a "recreational vehicle" a.k.a. "RV" or "Camper". It had a small kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living room, and air conditioning! This stretch of the Appalachian Trail was in the woods, but it often crossed roads. This hiker would spend the night in the RV and then hike for the entire day without carrying his backpack (that stayed in the RV with his girlfriend). Every night they would meet at a road crossing and he would spend another night in the RV. They had plans for about two weeks worth of this until she had to go back home.
   The idea of hiking without a heavy backpack was very appealing to me (and all of the other hikers). Certainly he carried a small bag with water, food, rain poncho, and some basic emergency items. But all of the things for sleeping and shelter and cooking were riding comfortably along in the RV. Those were the heavy things. I would gladly trade a 40 pound pack for a 3 pound fanny pack! I guess it brings to mind the whole concept of "independence". While we were celebrating the freedom of our nation, he was also celebrating freedom from his burdensome backpack (even if only temporarily)!

  Here in 2011:  I weighed in at 173.8 pounds this morning, that is a loss of 13 POUNDS! ((*** FIREWORKS***)). That is a cause for celebration! The big salad last night was delicious. The handful of corn chips as a snack before bedtime was great. I had two bean burritos for lunch today. This morning I hoed in the garden for a long time, then cut the grass and did some other yard work. Last night I took the dog for a walk. When she had had enough of walking I dropped her off at the house and kept walking. I covered most of the route that I usually jog on, but I was walking. The good news is that my leg did not hurt. I'm not going to over do it with my leg, but I hope to get back to jogging soon. I'm considering getting some new running shoes (my old ones are almost worn out). That might help keep me from getting injured again. I'm excited about my progress, and I am NOT hungry. I'm celebrating my "independence" from 13 extra pounds!

Speaking in Tongues & Slain in the Spirit

   My next mail drop was in the little town of Duncannon, PA. I arrived at the edge of town at the end of the day.  I think it was on a Wednesday night. As I walked down the trail, the trail began to follow a paved road (a sure sign that the town was very close). To my right a short distance away was the Susquehana River which flowed past the State Capitol of Harrisburg, PA. A short distance south of there was an island called "Three Mile Island", known for the nuclear accident in the 1970's (the problem was contained to the island, I was safe). I didn't know back in 1980 that I would later relocate and live for three years just a few miles south of this area in the year 2000 (but that is another story).
   As I walked down the road in 1980 I noticed a small white framed church. The parking lot had a lot of cars in it. The lights were on. I looked at the church sign and realized that I had never been in a church of that kind. What kind was it? Well,  I don't remember the name of the church or the denomination. But the church was some type of pentacostal/charismatic church. I saw a few people entering the building. After a brief glance at my watch, I realized that I would be just in time for church service. So I dropped my backpack at the front porch and entered the church building.
   The worship service started very shortly after I entered. There was a lot of music, and some preaching. At the end there was more music and praying of a kind I had never experienced before. People began to "speak in tongues". Others were "slain in the spirit" and fell to the ground (they later recovered). It was an organized chaos, on the brink of pandemonium. I sang, I prayed (in English only), and I watched what was going on around me. For an 18 year old who was raised Episcopalian, this was quite a contrast!
   Afterwards I retrieved my pack and headed down the road. I realized that people worship God in a wide variety of ways. I knew that I was not a pentacostal/charismatic, but the people seemed to have genuine faith. I was reminded of the phrase "different strokes for different folks". Whenever I meet someone of that denominational background, I am reminded of that night in Duncannon, PA.

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 174.2 pounds this morning. My wife made some delicious burritos last night. She takes wheat (that she grinds) and makes tortilla bread. Then she added beans, a little bit of cheese, and some chopped tomatoes (from the garden..we have LOTS). They were wonderful! You don't have to starve in order to lose weight. You just have to be sensible in what you eat. Time for supper, I think I will have a salad!

A Surprise Reunion!

   In 1980 I was almost finished crossing the Cumberland Valley in PA. It was starting to get hot and it was time for lunch. The trail was following another paved road. I looked around for a shady spot and saw a huge tree in a field. I had to jump over a fence in order to get to the tree. I pulled out my canteen and food bag and began to enjoy a small feast. After a while I heard a very familiar sound. It was the sound of hiking boots on the road. Since I was a bit out of view, I called out "hello hiker!" I walked over to the fence to see who was coming down the trail. Quite honestly, I didn't recognize him at first. And when I realized who he was, I couldn't believe it!
   If you have been reading this blog from the beginning you may have noticed something a long time ago. Back on April 29th I wrote a post called "Judging Pete". It was about a young guy (about my age) who was struggling to make it through the Smoky Mountains. At the time I thought that Pete would never make it to Maine. I had doubts that he would make it through the Smokies. That day in PA proved how wrong I was. After over two months of hiking past the Smokies (about 1,000 miles) I was suddenly face to face with Pete Montgomery!
   Pete had a grin on his face a mile wide! Since I had always written in the trail registers, Pete had been able to keep up with me. Since I was ahead of him, I couldn't read about Pete, but I did read about other hikers who were ahead of me. Pete knew that he was starting to catch up with me. After I took off a few days in Carlisle, it gave him just enough time to finally catch up.
   We talked about the Smokies and how hard they had been (and had a good laugh about him going the wrong way down a side trail). We talked about all of the things we had seen along the way. Pete had ditched some of his heavy camera equipment. He had also put on some muscle (but he was still skinny like me). He was in his home State of PA where he was a member of the "Blue Eagle Mountain Climbing Club" (something like that). I gathered my gear together and we walked together down the trail. It was a surprise reunion!
   Because of my foot I was going slower than Pete. I think we spent the night together in a shelter that night, but after that Pete was going faster than me. For a while I was able to keep track of him in the trail registers. Then he took off a week to go home and I got ahead of him. I heard from him much later and learned that he had made it all the way to Maine. I learned a lot from Pete. I learned how wrong it is to judge people. I learned that patience and perseverance can allow even the most unlikely of persons to accomplish great things. And I learned something about friendship. Pete was a great guy when I first met him in the Smokies. We only saw each other one night in a shelter (when it was freezing cold & there was snow on the ground). But Pete still considered me a friend, even from that brief encounter. Pete would have done anything to help me if I needed help, and I would have done the same for him. It's good to have friends when you are hiking the trail. Even if you are walking alone, there are others who will come beside you to help and encourage you. That's true on the Appalachian Trail, and it is also true in life. My hat is off to my friend, Pete Montgomery!

   Here in 2011 I weighed in at 174.6 pounds this morning. I'm trying to understand that after I had (homemade) pizza last night and also a piece of Josh's birthday cake (German chocolate, YUM)! My leg has finally quit hurting, but I am still resting it before I try to start jogging again. I think today will be another day to eat a salad!