Hello dear reader. I apologize for the lack of blog updates on my part. You see, I wanted to see what the first month would be like and what a journey it has been. I have completed three states so far; Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee and now about to start my fourth state… Virginia.
The Appalachian Trail is not cruel. In fact, it prepares you for the following sections. Develop your stretches of trail all the way to Virginia and you’ll be able to move much faster. The approach trail was a very long 8 miles and on the first day I met a guy named Push where he clearly stated you are at -8 at this point«Excuse me? Negative 8? Who starts a hike on negatives? Then I thought about it and realized that the real miles don’t start until you get to the top of Springer MT. Which I have to say, my girlfriend and I were greeted at the top of the mountain by an unexpected storm. Everything got wet and I almost said, «That’s all… I’m done, I’ll leave it.”. However, my girlfriend kindly reminded me that that was No an option and that I has to continue. The next morning we said goodbye and the adventure continued.
The ever-increasing elevation gain from Georgia to Virginia (over 100,000 meters gained) is nothing short of easy. There were days when my traveling companions and I would go straight up the side of a big hill. If I remember correctly, part of it had to do with The trail of tears. I think the part we did was Jacob’s Ladder. Unfortunately, the pain your body goes through is part of the process. No pain, no rain, no Maine is the motto of the OT. The sunny days are a welcome blessing due to the onslaught of rain that my companions and I experienced one day. The Trail Magic that appears when you least expect it thanks to the generosity of complete strangers who will take you to the beginning of the trail. It’s all part of this. and it’s all worth it.
From the majestic valleys to the hills. From the highest point in Tennessee to immerse yourself in a forest so dense that the warm sunrise has to fight to reach you. To places where you feel like you’re in an enchanted forest where Snow White could appear out of nowhere and sing to the forest creatures and you, the viewer, be carried away by her lullaby. Also the towns of Hot Springs and Erwin are returning after the devastation of Helene. You would think that these towns would not return, but you can see the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the people there. I highly recommend a weekend getaway to these towns to escape the urban lifestyle you live in.
How could I forget about the hostel lifestyle? Places where The Homeless Wanderer requests, for a fee, accommodation and hopes and prays that breakfast will be served. Some do, some don’t. The only place that made me realize that this journey is a lot like Lord of the Rings is a Hostile called The Green Dragon. Highly recommended. Even the Bed and breakfast in the mountain pass It has a breakfast that would make any hobbit proud. It is truly the best breakfast on the AT and I have to be honest when I heard those words come out of the host’s mouth and I was extremely critical. However, the next morning I woke up with an oath fulfilled and I was left with my mind, heart and soul, fed. Hazzah!
Food-wise, I was making freeze-dried food, but it got expensive, so I’m turning to pastas, yeast, and peanut butter. I have reduced the cost from around 200 to around 80 dollars per meal for 5 days. With this new diet I have dropped from 186 to 175. I will pray to hold this weight until the end. However, I think the blisters cannot be escaped. It’s all part of the process, right?
The people, oh the people you will meet! The company I have received on this path is difficult to describe. You really build strong bonds with people. I left my first travel companion, Chaka (shah-kah), and realized I was moving a little faster than him, which is totally fine. do your own hike. However, what I want to convey to you is how close he and I became and by the end of week 1 we were more brothers than anything else. Since then I have met several really fantastic people who are on this journey with me. If you need help, all you have to do is ask for it and it will be given, and usually the help will be bigger and better than you imagine. I also had the privilege of meeting @Jackson Storm, who is an avid blogger on this platform. Make sure you go see it.
The chosen name: I forgot to mention that the name of my route is Home Bound. I am not the first nor the last with that name but in this time and in this adventure, it is my name. The name was given to me by the one and only Chaka. At first it was HoBo but that didn’t sit well with me and I told him so. Try again. How about «Coming Home»? You’re like coming home and you know what, I like the name, it’s a strong name.
So where am I now? I’m in Damascus Virginia. Holy Mecca for all through the trekkers (Past and Present) where they descend into this small town that is quiet and the people genuinely greet you. There’s an upcoming festival here called Trail Days where every Outfitter you can imagine will be there handing out free gear and did I mention the endless amounts of food? I’m not doing this festival justice by trying to describe it to you because I honestly plan on not attending. I want to keep moving forward. My hope is to finish no later than September 5th, but as of now I’ve been doing over 20 miles and according to Almighty Meta, it looks like I’ll finish sooner. Let’s see how it goes. One day at a time and most importantly, one step at a time. Ending this great adventure is a future problem for Home Bound.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope and pray that some of your questions are answered in the reading. If not, feel free to keep asking and I’ll get back to them when I can. See you at Harpers Ferry!
Yours on the Journey.
Homebound
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