Sitting in a lodge in Damascus, Virginia, I contemplate the journey ahead. Every day is basically the same, I’m just trying to get from point A to point B in a timely manner. At this point, at mile 471, the last week has been an adventure.
Every morning started out cold last week. Approximately between 05:30 and 06:00 I start to wake up. I diligently take stock of the contents of my tent, remembering where I placed things the night before, usually at the head and side of my tent. I pack my electronics, personal items and first aid, colder weather clothing, etc. I change out of my long johns into a pair of pants and a shirt for the day.
I unzip the tent door and breathe in some fresh air. The sun hasn’t risen yet, so the stars have come out and the moon has shone. I can usually feel my way in familiar surroundings, my eyes adjusting to the darkness and the approaching dawn. I have a headlamp on for times when it’s necessary.
Finding my bag of food is usually a hilarious event. Every night before bed, all bags of food should be hung on a nearby tree to protect them from bears and all critters (mainly mice if you are staying in a shelter). Since I have an anatomically inverted shoulder and can no longer throw a ball, my bag is usually the lowest and oddly hanging of anyone in the group. I’m glad to see that my bag survives any interaction with animals and that there will be food for me for another day, a blessing.
After I have collected my belongings from the tent and collected my bag of food, I usually start eating breakfast while I take down my tent. Breakfast usually consists of anything quick and easy, a few tablespoons of chunky peanut butter, pop tarts, and yogurt-covered raisins. Anything I can eat while I do my job.
Walking from camp to camp also usually requires a good amount of time to find water. Using the Far Out app helps achieve this, but it’s not always a reliable source when you get there. Most of the time, depending on the flow, you can use a leaf to help channel the water into the collection bottle. From the collection bottle, through the filter to the bottle, it takes time. There is often a long walk to the source. However, it is absolutely necessary, especially when the days start to warm up. I currently drink between 3 and 4 liters of water a day.
I usually don’t take a lunch break. My right front pocket is for my phone and my left front pocket is full of snacks. I usually eat 3 or 4 snacks during the day while I walk. However, this particular week we came across a beautiful section of Tennessee, the Cherokee National Forest. Around noon we came across Laurel Falls. So far on this trip, it has been the most majestic thing I have ever seen. I sat there and rested for a while, it was a nice change of pace for me.
After a long, cold rainy day, our next destination was a hostel called Estación 19E. My feet needed an extra day off the trail, so I decided to take zero the next day. I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that my tram decided to do the same. It meant a lot to me, the slowest of the group, that they stayed one more day off the trail just for me because my feet were in such bad shape. It also didn’t hurt that there was a pub located in the basement, ha! Thanks guys and girls!
Finally, as we hit 400 miles, I started to get excited about the trail magic my wife Bonnie was going to give me. I must say that she has been amazing throughout my entire adventure. Holding down the fort at home, taking care of the kids, and taking care of the dogs (without your partner) has been very challenging, to say the least. He was even kind enough to drive almost 6 hours to where I was several days ago to set up the magic trail for the team. We ate hot dogs, fries, brownies, cookies, fruit, and ice cold beer! Believe me, I can’t say enough kind things about my wife. She really is an amazing person and I love her.
her with all my heart. And a big special thank you to my best friend Paul for making the long trip and helping me with the magic. Totally unexpected but much appreciated, Paul is great and is a very loyal and understanding friend.
As the sun begins to set, we will most likely settle into camp for the night. The tents are put up, the bags are unpacked and the food bags are kept ready. Dinner time is usually around 5pm and is announced with a friendly «lighter» as we light the stoves. This is when I eat most of my meal for the day, which usually consists of two dinners and a dessert. The crew gathers around the fire (lit or unlit) or at a picnic table, if there is one. This is where we talk about our day, the people we’ve been in contact with, our ups and downs along the way. This is the hour of twilight, when nature begins to fall silent and we prepare to settle into our sleeping bags.
This has been an amazing journey so far, I’m excited to see what comes next….
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