Maybe this wasn't such a good idea!

   Have you ever bought a brand new pair of leather shoes? Maybe you noticed that they fit a bit tight and need to be "broken in". After the first time wearing them, maybe your feet were sore. Imagine what happened to me in 1980 with a BRAND NEW PAIR OF HIKING BOOTS! It didn't take long on the trail for me to realize, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Yes, the boots were lighter, but they were stiff and certainly not "broken in". I worked hard to make sure I didn't get any blisters. Fortunately I had something called "moleskin" that helped to keep the blisters away. It has adhesive on one side (to stick to your skin) and a cushion on the other side. I put the moleskin on my heels and other "hot spots" until the boots were broken in. That took a while! Believe me, you can't hike very far if you rub blisters on your feet! Some hikers had to stop and heal before they could continue their trip. I wanted to be careful that I didn't get sidelined, even if it meant going a little slower and being extra careful.
   On my current project, today I weighed in at 182.2 pounds (no change from yesterday). When losing weight in the long term, it's easy to say "maybe this wasn't such a good idea". Some days there is little or no progress, some days are spectacular, other days I actually gain weight. Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, I have to remember those brand new boots. I can have just as much patience now as I had in 1980. I can take extra care of my body now, the same way I did back in 1980. I simply have to persevere and keep the "big picture" in mind. Today my niece graduated from college. The feast afterward was good, but I cheated a little. That dessert sure did taste good though! Maybe that wasn't such a good idea either.......!

Can God speak through a movie?

   In 1980 my mom's sister lived in Asheville, North Carolina. I was able to catch a ride to her house and stayed overnight. We found an outdoors shop and I bought a brand new pair of hiking boots (much lighter than my original pair!) I remember the contrast between hiking on the trail and sitting on the couch in my aunt's living room. It was air conditioned. It was clean. The food was wonderful. We started watching a movie on TV called "O God". John Denver was the star of the show and he met God face to face. Having grown up attending church, but not connecting with the message, I had a lot to learn about God. As of right now I wouldn't necessarily recommend the movie. But at that time, I got one main message: God is real, and He is personal. It had a big impact on me. I was new in my faith, and this revelation (even through a movie that had some questionable theology) was just what I needed to understand God more. Hiking through God's creation every day combined with the knowledge that God is real & personal moved me.
   Today I weighed in at 182.2 pounds.

Who carries a can of mace on the Appalachian Trail?!!

   It's been a long time since I hiked the trail in 1980, so don't blame me if I get some details mixed up. I'm basing this blog on my memory, not on notes or journals. After the Smokies I remember getting to Hot Springs. The trail went right by a hostel run by a group of Catholics. A hostel is not a hotel, but it is a place where hikers can get a bunk and a shower and take a break from being outdoors. The fee per night was low, and some of the guys actually did work to pay for their lodging. I just paid the fee. I was just glad to have a brief rest to recover from some hard hiking.
   The actual town of Hot Springs was about a mile farther. I left my pack at the hostel and went into town for a little while. Later I was back, resting at the hostel when a female hiker showed up fresh off the trail. When I say "fresh" that also means she carried with her the odor of a hiker who really needed a bath! She also did not shave, and she wore hiking shorts. Let's just say that she wouldn't have won any beauty competitions.  She also carried a can of mace with her to keep away any attackers! I really don't think she was in any danger of being attacked by anyone anytime in that condition! She asked about town and decided to go, but refused to leave her pack (afraid that someone would steal it). One mile into town she did some shopping, then trudged one mile back with her heavy pack.
   This morning I weighed in at 182.0 pounds which means I am still making progress. Eating a salad yesterday helped, but I did eat a small piece of cake last night too. You don't have to starve to lose weight!

The first big problem

   I finally made it out of the Smokies without any problems....except one. One of the most important pieces of backpacking equipment are boots. A few years before starting my thru-hike I bought some heavy duty boots from R.E.I. The were mountain climbing boots, the kind built to last, the kind people strap crampons on so they can climb Mount Everest. The were also heavy, but I thought they would be just the thing for the Appalachian Trail. In the Smokies the sole of one boot began to peel away from the front tip of the boot. I could still walk, but the loose part would flap around and sometimes get caught on rocks or tree roots. It wasn't just annoying, it was getting to be dangerous! I had some small screws for emergency fixes on my backpack, so I screwed one into the sole and upper to try to hold it together. It didn't work. Duct tape did work for a little while. I knew that I needed to do something fast for footwear, and since these boots were heavy (too heavy!) I decided that I needed to get another pair. That would have to wait until I reached civilization. In the mean time, I flapped along down the trail, trying to be careful not to trip and fall.
   In trying to lose weight, not everything works. The original plan sometimes has to be modified until success is reached. I first stared trying to lose weight in the summer of 2005. After returning from a trip to the Holy Land I saw some photos and said, "who is that fat guy?!" I was 185 then. Several times since then I have gotten to 175, and a few times all the way down to 170. But I have always put the weight right back on. Just like examining my boots and realizing I needed to change, I decided to lose weight in a different way. It's slow, it's gradual, sometimes I lose ground, but I continue to make progress. Yesterday I ate a big salad for lunch and had tacos for supper (and popcorn for a snack). This morning I weighed in at 182.4 pounds. That means I have almost completely recovered from the pounds I put on over the weekend with the big wedding. I've already had a big salad for lunch today (and I am not hungry). I kept a few crackers for snacks later (only 12 calories per cracker!) Hopefully I will keep making progress!

Making progress

   There were spectacular views in the Smokies from Charlie's Bunion, all along the "knife edge" where the trail drops dramatically on both sides. Since Clingman's Dome is the highest point on the trail, I was finally starting to lose some elevation. Yes, there were some climbs, but mostly downhill. I made good time and after a long day finally ended up at shelter that was below 5,000 feet. Now there was no snow on the ground and it was much warmer. I had survived one of the most difficult stretches of the trail in the South. And after three weeks of hiking, my body was beginning to get used to all the hiking and camping in the wilderness. By this time, many thru hikers drop out and quit. I wasn't going to quit! Yes, it was tough, but it was worth the effort. Finishing the Smokies gave me confidence that I could make it all the way to Maine.
   On my current project, today I weighed in at 183.8 pounds. Is it still more than a few days ago? Yes. But I have to keep the big picture. I have been working on losing weight for about three weeks now. I have lost a total of three pounds. It took me 21 weeks to hike the whole Appalachian Trail. If I lose an average of one pound per week then I can reach my goal of 165 pounds. Right now I am on track. Three weeks down, three pounds lost. The small success gives me confidence that I can continue to make progress. I had pizza last night with my brother's family and my Mom. (Yes, I said pizza!) Now it's time to eat a big salad for lunch and keep making progress.

SKUNK!

   Someone put some heavy plastic over the front of the shelter at Ice Water Springs. It didn't block out all of the air, but it did keep out the wind. The fire in the fireplace was toasty and warm. All the sleeping spaces were taken, so I had to take a spot on the ground just inside the chain link protective fence (still technically in the shelter, but just barely). As I drifted off to sleep I was thankful for the warmth. I slept peacefully, dreaming pleasant dreams until a noise woke me up.
   Was that a knawing sound I heard? It sounded too loud to be a mouse, what was it? The embers of the fire shed enough light for me to see something white, or was it black....wait a minute....it was both white and black. It was too big to be a mouse or even a rat, but too small to be a cat. You probably guessed by now, it was a skunk! He was chewing on something and making a racket. I imagined one of my fellow hikers waking up to find their food consumed by this pesky varmit. So I reached out and grabbed the can away from the skunk. Skunks don't spray all the time, only when they feel threatened and as a last resort. This skunk wasn't happy, but he slipped away into the night.
   I shoved the can underneath my sleeping bag to keep it safe for the night. I just knew that someone's precious food supply had been saved by my heroic actions. All night long I tossed and turned because of that can underneath my sleeping bag. In the morning it was finally light. As the other hikers woke, I remembered my bravery and sacrifice. I reached under my sleeping bag and produced the can, ready to return it to it's rightful owner. In the light of day I discovered my error. Other than a few scraps of food clinging to the inside of the can, this can was EMPTY! I risked being sprayed by a skunk and spent a miserable night protecting an empty can! All I could do then, and all I can do now is laugh!
   I laughed this morning when the scale said 184.0 pounds. Yes, I am still losing ground. It's the after effects of the wedding weekend and eating way too much. But I know it's only for a short season and I will get back on track. It's not worth losing sleep over! Gaining weight instead of losing it stinks, but I'd rather try and fail than never try at all.

Snow in the Smokies!

   May 1st, 1980 I met another hiker in the Smokies and we hiked some together. He was from Florida and I think his name was Mike or Mark (or something like that). As we hiked, I found out that he was an Eagle Scout like me. Then I found out that we were the same age. Then I found out that we were born on the same month, and the same day! We hiked up to the top of Clingman's Dome, the highest place on the entire Appalachian Trail. About two inches of snow covered the ground! Then we hiked down, down, down, to a gap and crossed a road. After talking with some tourists who had stopped to take pictures, we hiked up to Ice Water Springs shelter. There was snow on the ground up there too. The other hiker pulled out two miniature cans of beer that the tourists had given him and shoved them in the snow. He was surprised to find out that I don't drink, but that just left more for him. We crammed into the shelter with a bunch of other hikers. Someone had built a wonderful fire in the fireplace so it was warm and cozy! I settled down for a good night's sleep (or so I thought) but that story will have to wait until tomorrow!
   Today I weighed in at 183.4 pounds. So how much does it cost to go to a wedding? About 0.8 pounds! It sure was a lot of fun and the food was terrific (obviously). Had a great time with all of my extended family. Congratulations to Drew & Ellen on their marriage! Maybe I will eat a salad tomorrow....