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!