Allow not nature more than nature needs...

6/17/08 - Breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts (chocolate donut!).

• Creepy guy with the Mystery Machine showed up to shuttle them back to the trail... it reeked! I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it smelled so badly because he admitted to habitually relieving himself... in jugs... in the van. That, and his dog smelled like it was slowly decaying from the inside out.
• Climbed up Wawayanda Mtn. and hiked along a ridge with views of the NYC skyline and conspicuously expensive homes nestled along picturesque lakes in the valley.
• Crossed NJ/NY state line which was very fancy in-and-of itself - spray-painted on a rock.
• Stopped for a tasty homemade ice cream treat at the Bellvale Creamery along NY 17A.
• Final break at Wildcat Shelter followed by 2 mi hike to Fitzgerald Falls - where they decided to spend the night and where they eventually found nearly every mosquito in the northeast to have converged for the evening...
• 19 total mi.

6/18/08 - Tupperware joined back up with the group. Mom dropped him off & he initially set-off the wrong way down the trail and had to turn around and hike back!! Eventually caught back up with the group & shared a box of donuts for breakfast!

• Came across the much talked about, highly anticipated East Mombasha Rd. (the end of Half-brew's hike) - turned out to be your everyday, ordinary roadway. I don't think it quite lived up to the hype.
• Water sources have been harder & harder to come-by. Most trail angels have been leaving jugs of water as trail magic.
• Climbed up Arden Mtn.
• Climbed down Arden Mtn. - described as 'horrible' - steep & rocky.
• Blue blazed along Arden Valley Rd. (in the rain) - Twiggy's 1st blue blaze! (Spock hiked the trail.)
• Hiked the last 4 mi to William Brien Memorial Shelter in the rain.
• Found a really nice father & son duo already set-up in the shelter. The young boy turned out to have terrible night terrors though & broke out into bloodcurdling screams throughout the night. Hearts was lucky enough to have the bunk directly above him but slept surprisingly well in spite of it!
• 18 mi day.

6/19/08 - Rain stopped. Hiked down to Palisades Parkway where a sign said 30 mi to NYC!

• Climbed up Bear Mtn. which was a bit of a let-down because the observation tower was locked - but they did come across an operating soda machine!
• Hearts left early to hit up the post office in Bear Mtn... also closed - really weird hours.
• Hung out at the entrance to the Bear Mtn Museum/Zoo (the lowest pt. on the entire AT @ 124 ft!). Eventually the group took a walk thru the zoo (free to thru hikers). Said it was really sad & full native animals in small cages... it's a shame bolt & chain cutters add too much pack-weight otherwise those critters could have been free!
• Crossed Bear Mtn Bridge which spans the Hudson River. Bridge must have a bad track record as it was lined with suicide hotline phones.
• Arrived at US 9 and hitched a ride into Peekskill from a self-proclaimed 'Shakespeare nut' with tons of Shakespeare website decals all over her van.
• Ate at local diner & realized there was nowhere to stay... so they headed to the library where they met a police officer who GAVE THEM HIS CAR so they could drive to Fishkill!! Yeah, a police officer GAVE THEM HIS CAR to borrow for the night! You've got to be kidding me - some people are unbelievable! I want to be that trusting & generous someday!
• Taco Bell for dinner #2, resupplied at Walmart (bought my birthday present - a new iPod), and then shacked up in a sweet Holiday Inn Express with a big HD plasma TV for Twiggy's birthday!
• 14.5 mi.

6/20/08 - Down to the lobby for a continental breakfast and then back to the room to pack-up.
Stopped at a gas station on the way out of town to load up on food & beer.

• Took FOREVER to hitchhike back to the trail - eventually someone did stop and they turned out to be another Shakespeare nut! In fact, they were friends with the first Shakespeare nut!
• Got back to the trail late.
• Passed Graymoor Spiritual Life Center and were bummed because they realized they had missed out on an opportunity to experience monk hospitality as the monastery allows hikers to stay at their picnic shelter.
• Hiked up to Clarence Fahnestock State Park & campground only to find the free hiker pavilion overrun with 15 other hikers from a Philadelphia hiking club. So they set up their tarps in their own area & did their own thing... listening to Tupp's radio & beer drinking.
• 12.5 mi.

6/21/08 - Hiked back to the trail. Around Canopus Lake. And up Shenandoah Mtn.

• Break at RPH Shelter - which was a little cabin that you could have pizza delivered to - but they didn't know & missed that opportunity.
• Made up for it. At NY 52 they hiked down to Danny's Pizzeria & Mtn. Top Market where they ate their pizza and packed out more beer & munchies.
• Hiked over I-84 & climbed Mt. Egbert.
• Arrived at Morgan Stewart Shelter fairly early so they started a fire & hung out.
• 16 mi.

6/22/08 - Woke up to rain, but it didn't last long.

• Crossed NY 55. Hiked around Nuclear Lake - the site of a former nuclear fuels-processing research facility given a clean bill of health but they didn't take their chances with the water anyway - and there were no blueberries nearby for Hearts nibble on so we lucked out there, too.
• Break at Telephone Pioneers Shelter (odd name).
  Saw the largest oak tree on the AT - the Dover Oak - I believe there is a picture of Amos hugging it...
• Passed the AT train station - which shuttles day hikers from NYC & only runs on the weekends.
• Hiked to NY 22 & stopped at Tony's Deli for lunch - bet you're wondering if they packed out more food & beer...
• ... of course they did.
• Heading back for the trail they came across a landscaping business and found that one of their fellow thru hikers, Root, got a temporary job there to help finance more of his trip!
  Next section of trail included some scenic field walking followed by pointless ups & downs. (Funny, that's how I see the entire AT!)
• Break at Wiley Shelter - worst shelter ever - which says a lot if you remember the ones without roofs & running water back in Virginia. Described as small, dirty, crappy, rundown, with lots of mosquitoes.
• Crossed the NY/CT border with a 'WELCOME TO Connecticut' sign!
• Climbed up Ten Mile Hill and then back down to Ten Mile River where they took baths & swam for a bit. Amos went skinny-dipping while Tupperware preferred to remain in his skivvies.
• Well deserved after a 20.5 mi day! Stayed at Ten Mile Lean-to.

6/23/08 - Trail meandered along the whitewater section of the Housatonic River Gorge (future kayaking trip)!

• At Schaghticoke Rd. they veered off the trail and walked toward Kent to see an Indian Reservation - disappointed to find the residents very poor & living in run-down homes.
• Arrived in Kent - 1st real New England style town. Upon entry they were greeted with rich Cape Cod influenced homes and a huge boarding school that looked fancier than most colleges... yes, even Muskingum!
• Outfitter, laundry, grocery store, post office, Pizza Garden (expensive!), then beer.
• Poured heavily while they were in the laundromat and the attendant shrieked at another thru hiker, Cricket, for being in the bathroom too long... wonder what she thought he was doing in there??
• Left Kent, walked along the road & saw Kent Falls which was gushing from the recent downpour.
• Next stop - Cornwall Bridge. Everything was closed except the liquor store and a gas station. BUT good news is that the owner of the gas station upholds a tradition that all thru hikers who stop by get a free beer! He also clued them in on a covert camping locale in town - a secluded spot behind the church.
• So they snatched up a few snacks from the gas station and camped out behind the church!
• 19.5 mi.

Where boots go to die...

6/7/08 - Woke up to a big 'ol black snake hanging in the trees above camp... oh hello there!

• The Treat made a campfire to heat up hot dogs for breakfast... don't worry Hearts didn't have one... but he DID LAST NIGHT! And under the guise of 'trail magic' - for shame! (For those who are keeping track - that's 2 hot dogs thus far on the trail and God only knows how much more mystery meat he's consumed & neglected to mention!)
• Hiked up to Pulpit Rock where they stumbled across more Girl Scouts than there are uneaten Tagalong boxes in my secret cookie cupboard. Just kidding... I don't have a secret cookie cupboard - don't bother coming to look for it... seriously you'll never find it anyway...
• I digress. There were a lot of Girl Scouts. Communication with the tribe was a breeze once the group realized Tupperware spoke their secret language... he was up on the Jonas Brothers & Webkinz and all sorts of things only pre-teen girls should know about - if he weren't hiking with his lovely girlfriend, Jen, I'd say it'd be fair to be a bit worried about old Tupperware... again, I digress.
• Hiked onward & upward to the Pinnacle which was supposed to have the best view in Pennsylvania. When asked if it lived up to the hype, Amos replied, "Eh."
• Sounds uneventful, but they did stumble across a HUGE HUGE HUGE rattlesnake - more specifically Amos stumbled across a HUGE HUGE HUGE rattlesnake - it was right at his feet in a crack between two rocks!!
• Tupperware's dad picked them (Tupperware, Jen, Spock & Twiggy, Buns & Roses, and Hearts) up at Hawk Mtn. Road to shuttle them back to Tupperware's house for a Thanksgiving-style feast (I am to place emphasis on the word 'FEAST')! Amos particularly enjoyed the strawberry shortcake and brownies a la mode that Tupperware's mom served for dessert (I guess he's finally over that whole half-gallon challenge ice cream sickness thing).
• Tryptophan and staggering heat forced the group to turn in early for the night. 9 mi day.

6/8/08 - Good thing they got to bed so early...

• Woke up at 5 am to hike 25 miles in 90 degree temps - this is when it's best to take advantage of the wee morning hours.
• Tupperware's parents made eggs & set out all sorts of goodies for breakfast including fresh fruit - yum! Afterwards, Tupperware's dad drove them back to Eckville Shelter to pick back up where they left off... only he dropped them off sans-pack! Yeah, you heard right! The slack-pack's back! In fact, the next few days are going to be spent slack-packing back & forth between the AT & Tupperware's house! (Super nice of the Tupperware's)
• Took a break at Allentown Shelter & then another at a restaurant they found on Blue Mountain Summit. Stopped to enjoy cold beverages from the diner & noshed on the sandwiches T-ware's mom had packed for them earlier- my gosh she sounds like a dream! They also lucked out by scoring free watermelon as they left the parking lot.
• Rest of the day was EXTREMELY rocky - several blisters, sharp pain in right foot (hopefully not a stress fracture), and considerable chaffing due to excess sweat...
• Dad picked them up at Lehigh Gap and they were back at the house by 8 pm for dinner, a quick shower and then right on to bed.

6/9/08 - Pancakes & waffles for breakfast! Hearts adorned his with fruit & whipped cream.

• 1st climb of the day -a steep boulder crawl- was awesome! Reminded him of the terrain in Wyoming.
• Then to the top of the Palmerton EPA Superfund Site - an old zinc mine that completely destroyed the mountain. Said the scarred landscape resembled a barren, rocky desert. This is where Amos chose to eat wild blueberries - wild zinc blueberries - against the wishes and better judgement of his hiking companions who are all convinced he's going to wind up with three-headed babies someday. I think as long as he steers clear of Three Mile Island tomatoes he'll be alright.
• Hiked up ahead of everyone & took a nap while he was waiting for them to catch up. When he awoke he realized he wasn't alone - there was a swarm of ants in his pants... maybe they like zincberries?
• So many rocks.
• Cheesecake and PB & J sandwich for lunch - again, packed by Tupperware's mom. This Tupperware clan has been unbelievably generous & overwhelmingly hospitable! They rock! (bad pun)
• 20.5 mi. Met Tupperware's dad at Hahns Lookout then hiked back to his car for a night out on the town. And by that, I mean dinner at Johnnies and grocery shopping! Another early to bed... and another early to rise tomorrow!

Raining squirrels...

6/4/08 - Woke up to sopping wet shoes - although they are NEW sopping wet shoes!

• Trail angel bringing trail magic lost track of the trail... so Amos helped set her straight & carry her cooler to the underpass before I-81. Rewarded with 7-Up, mini Oreos, applesauce & bananas.
• And the rain rain rain came down down down: Feet were soaking wet all day which made them especially tired & sore and prompted a few blisters on his right paw to sprout.
• So it was raining cats & dogs... and apparently woodland creatures as well... At one point he heard a loud cracking noise followed by a dull thud & turned to find that a squirrel had fallen from a tree behind him. Soon after, the branch the little bugger was perched on came crashing down, too! Said the squirrel must have survived the fall fairly unscathed because he watched it scamper off... aww a happy ending!
• Parking it a 501 Shelter tonight - another that is well known for pizza deliveries! No fancy toppings this time though - just a large cheesy pie.
• Shelter also equipped with a solar shower but since there was no sun today Hearts had to settle for a cold rinse... brr. Then about a half hour later, a trail angel showed up with hot coffee - man, I cannot believe his luck sometimes. It's like somebody is blatantly looking out for him... and to that I say 'God is good' (can I get an Amen)!!
• So, if you're keeping track... 17 miles down today and...

less than 1000 miles to go!!!

Hike-along Mom...

5/23/08 - Got up... drank coffee... and hiked on out of Harpers Ferry. But first they had to...

• Clean up the raging mess they made in their hotel room.
• Walk a mile into historic downtown Harpers Ferry.
• Hit up the post office (mailed new shoes ahead to Duncannon).
• Use and abuse the ATC's hiker box and free Internet.
• Hike along the C&O Canal bike path (the one that goes from DC to da Burgh & meanders through Ohiopyle and the B&B along the way!).
• Leave Half-brew behind. He was caught up discussing mountain bike features with a local.
• They eventually found their way to the Ed Garvey Shelter for lunch. Amos said it was a really nice shelter - with a loft & porch area.
• Hiked 10.5 mi. Ended up cowboy camping (illegally) in a field in the middle of Gathland State Park. All except Tupperware, who snuck into his tent in the middle of the night to avoid the bugs... and he calls himself an Eagle Scout... (dude, I would have done the same thing).

5/24/08 - Supposed to meet Mom at 3:00 - still 21 miles away! So they hightailed it to I-70.

• Passed a bunch of Boy Scouts.
• Passed a large group of inner city kids.
• Breezed by the Washington Monument.
• Came across another inner city kid who must have strayed from the group because he was 2 miles away & obviously lost. Amos gave him directions back to the monument - hopefully he's not still in the woods somewhere...
• Arrived at the road to meet Mama Ludwig at about a quarter past 3 & had to scout around to find the parking lot (which wasn't on his map).
• Tupperware's parents were meeting him at the same place & they had been there since 10 am!! Hearts said Tupperware's mom was chock-full of energy & a million questions about her son, his stability, and his experiences thus far. She ensured that they had plenty of fruit, veggies & brownies for the road & even gave Amos her cell # in case of a Tupperware emergency!
• Half-brew, Mom, & Hearts drove into Smithsburg for resupply & Subway the back to the trail where Mama Ludwig revealed her stash of pineapple & banana pepper pizza and Butt Monkey Ale - Momma knows best!!
• Hiked 5 mi to Devils Racecourse Shelter only to find it was down another big hill so they decided to show-up Tupperware by cowboy camping at the top. Look, Ma no tarp!

5/25/08 - Morning climb over a lot of rocks.

• Down to Pen Mar County Park where there should have been a bunch of old people dancing around and a snack bar... but apparently that's not till next weekend... which left them a little bummed out. Despite their disappointment, they stuck around for about 2 hours and enjoyed lunch anyway.
• Hiked another 0.2 mile and crossed the Mason-Dixon Line!! Which was memorialized with a small wooden post. Just the post. Someone had stolen the sign off of & someone else had scribbled its importance on with a magic marker... Welcome to the North!
• Then on to a climb Amos said Mom simply loved...
• 2nd lunch/1st dinner at Deer Lick Shelter which was overrun with mosquitoes.
• Almost camped at the next shelter - Antietam - but it was also very buggy so they decided to move uphill to Tumbling Run Shelter to try & get away.
• Another night of cowboy camping and so concluded a 13.2 mile day with Mom!!

5/26/08 - Woke up, drank coffee & climbed to the top of Chimney Rocks - which had a terrific view but was a rather rough start to the day.

• Stopped just after Pa 233 for lunch - Mom was amazed at how much food she packed in these past few days - Amos said she could have put a small defensive end to shame!
• Came across a coiled rattlesnake as they were coming off of a rocky ridge. It didn't move or shake for them but they found out later that it was a little more active when Half-brew and Trinity strolled by.
• Dropped down to US-30 and attempted to hitchhike into Fayetteville. Amos snagged one from a lady he boldly went up to at a convenience store just down the road. She flat out turned him down until she noticed he was with his muja.
• 10 mi day. Capped off by sitting on the porch of the Scottish Inn, sharing a pint of ice cream with Mom. Did I also mention the case of PBR?? Yeah, that too... like I said before... Momma knows best!

Cowboy camping just past the sugar shack, eh...

5/4/08 - Long snooze indeed... went to bed at 8:30 & slept all the way through till 7:15 in the morning! You're gonna need it...

• Hiked in a big train all day - Tupperware, Snoopy, Hearts, Half-brew, Spock & Twiggy - marched single-file down to 900 ft & then all the way back up to 4200 ft!! Big climb!
• By breaking it up into 5 mile intervals & peppering the climb with plenty of water breaks - they managed to make it much more palatable.
• Picture taken at the top of Apple Orchard Mtn. highlighting an oddly shaped FAA tower.
• Just before Thunder Hill Shelter they came across strange sight - a man unpacking his car...
• Turns out he was unpacking a ton of gear to cook the hikers pancakes & eggs at the shelter!! You KNOW Amos ate like 4 of them - and in true Amos fashion - made certain they were smothered in peanut butter, applesauce & real grade A maple syrup!
• Slept under the stars about 2 miles beyond the shelter with Half-brew. (Should I be jealous...? I think we all are.)
• Total 19.5 mi. (but not of that!)

5/5/08 - Woke-up & hiked over High Cock Knob and then meandered all the way down to the James River.

• Crossed over the James River Footbridge - the largest foot-only bridge on the trail.
• Chris (of Chris & Davey from GA) was waiting for them at the end of the bridge (Rt. 501) with Gatorade & a ride into Lynchburg!
• Lynchburg provided a quick resupply at Food Lion, case of PBR, Subway, AND I DISTINCTLY HEARD AMOS ORDER 3 WHOPPER JUNIORS over the phone - that's right - 3 Whopper Juniors - you know they're made of meat don't you!! He claimed they were for Half-brew, but I know for a FACT that Half-brew only ordered 2! Who do you think's going to shovel down the 3rd...!?! I know who.
• Chris took them back to the AT where they set off for Johns Hollow Shelter (about 2 miles down the trail... what... did anyone really think they were going to make it much farther than that with case of beer?? I'm surprised they didn't... and in fact I'd be willing to bet they cracked more than a few open well before the walk began).
• Not too shabby for a 14.5 mi day.

Not wading any longer...

4/28/08 - 8 hikers racing for a spot in Niday Shelter tonight - only holds 6... and it's supposed to rain all night...

• Rained all Sunday night, too. Hesitant to get out of bed, the group (still Half-brew, Snoopy, Mr. Friendly, and Hearts) slept in till 10 waiting for the downpour to wrap-up... it didn't.
• Finally got going around 11 & came across trail magic as they ascended their 1st climb (Pepsi & Baby Ruths)!
• Stopped raining after lunch (finally!), but the adventure had just begun - all of the creeks in the area were flooded...
• 1st creek they came across - everyone managed to shimmy across a log.
• Next creek they found themselves in a pickle... the most challenging predicament was determining how to get Half-brew's dog (Trinity) across a fairly swift moving current. They ended up wading waist deep into the water & handing her off from Half-brew to Hearts. Needless to say, Trinity was a bit sketched out! Amos also mentioned he was a little weary of the strainers he caught sight of just down stream... now I'm sketched out!
• Another climb.
• Description of the 3rd creek was reminiscent of the scene in Forest Gump where they're walking chest-deep through a swollen rice paddy in Vietnam - but it this case it was a farmers field in southwestern Virginia swimming with horse & donkey poo.
• Took 10 hours to go 5 miles because of all the difficulty they ran into crossing creeks.
• Managed to crank out the remaining 13 miles before dark & found the shelter with no vacancy by the time they arrived - forced to camp.
• Sky remained clear until bed and then the thunder & lightning began to roll just as they tucked themselves in... scattered T-storms became an off & on spectacle all night.

4/29/08 - Woke up in the morning shivering and not at all enthused about slipping into soaking wet gear. Proceeded to peek outside - initially looked like summer (green leaves and all) - further inspection yielded a novel surprise... SNOW! With temperatures becoming more & more frigid as they gained elevation throughout the day.

• ~17 mi. Snoopy described it best as "the most demoralizing day."
• Climbed Dragons Tooth - cragged rocky terrain with zero soil and zero vegetation that went straight up then straight down then up then down then up then down... & so on & so forth for 7 miles!! Good name.
• By the time they arrived at Va 624 they were spent. Stopped by the local convenience store to warm up with pizza and coffee but Half-brew had had enough so he vowed to pay for a hotel room if they could hitch a ride into Salem.
• 5 minutes later they snagged a ride with nice fellow in a company pick-up truck (who also agreed to take them back in the morning)!
• Spending the night at the Days Inn... room 220. Looking forward to a BIG continental breakfast bright & early in the am!!

Be kind to your behind...

4/21/08 - Such a difficult goodbye... so difficult that I backed my car into a ditch. Left around 4:30 so that he could hike 11 mi to Chestnut Knob shelter before dark.

• Arrived around 9ish.
• Shelter was packed with people... even Naked Ron was there!

4/22/08 - Fairly uneventful day...

• 1st half of the day was pretty horrible followed by a nice & easy ridge-line walk to the interstate and then another climb to the shelter.
• Cold & rainy - in the 50's.
• 1st trail magic in a long time - cooler full of Gatorade provided by a local United Methodist church.
• Mid day surprise: someone left 6 rolls of Charmin Ultra at Jenkins shelter - SCORE!
• All in all hiked 24 miles to Helveys Mill Shelter.

I fail to see the humor in that situation, Doctor...

3/31/08 - Climbed 2 mountains - Big Bald & Little Bald (I'm gonna let this one slide... it's too easy) - both had 360 degree views of... fog. But once he descended, he found himself in a land of babbling brooks and chirping birds! How serene.

• So, his hellacious morning was followed by a fairly enjoyable afternoon.
• April Fools! Well almost. Found an empty box labeled "Trail Magic" - which must have been accidentally leftover & forgotten from last year.
• New friends are a couple named Spock & Twiggy - may be hitchhiking in to Erwin with them tomorrow.
• Says he mentally wants to hike more miles but his body seems to be increasingly disagreeable to the notion... his legs have been feeling more & more tired at the end of the day.
• 17.5 mi again - almost caught up to The General but it started to rain so decided to stay at No Business Shelter instead.

Praying for daylight...

3/25/08 - Woke up at 5 am and even Isaac couldn't wait to get out of bed so they could get up and hike. He didn't though... at least not right away... Amos served him up breakfast in bed!! (what a good brother - Brandi don't get any ideas!)

• Put on FROZEN gear (socks were stiff as a board!) & managed to eek out a few jumping jacks to warm-up.
• Beautiful blue skies w/ snowy peaks & green valleys - great views today made up for near zero visibility yesterday.
• Isaac talked to EVERYBODY they came across on the trail - maybe a full hour and a half worth of Isaac being good 'ol lovable Isaac!
• Lunch: (I should preface this by saying that they each have their own personal jar of peanut butter.) Organic dark chocolate and peanut butter sandwiches!
• Took a side trail to Mt. Cammerer - they could see all of Hartford & even Isaac's house!!
• Trail magic just as they came to the end - a cooler full of all that Little Debbie could possibly have to offer: donut sticks, zebra cakes, oatmeal creme pies, etc.
• 17.5 AT miles today & hiked an extra 1.5 mi to the Pigeon & had a friend (Mike) pick them up - they're nice & cozy and at Isaac's house tonight. (Maybe a good 40 degrees warmer in the valley than up at 6000 ft.)
• Isaac quote of the day: "1. Amos is WAY more bad-ass than me... 2. You had the most romantic 1st kiss ever." (he was serious - under a flipped Shredder on the Upper Yough was more idealistic than even I could dream up!)
• Hiking to Max Patch tomorrow - and then back to Isaac's tomorrow night with the promise of La Carreta's Mexican - veggie fajitas I presume. Civilization is sooo tempting... !

Well hot dog...

3/12/08 - Amos, Ron, Riley, Squire, & the General stuck together pretty much all day. Riley left the group once they reached Wesser Bald Shelter to forge on toward the NOC. 18 total mi today.

• Caught 2 amazing views from 2 firetowers. Wayah Bald & Wesser Bald. Wesser Bald's view was "incredible" - could see all the way to Fontana Lake!
• More trail magic in a HUGE tent that took 2 days in and of itself to set up. Hearts helps himself to 1/2 a package of cookies, some hot chocolate, and his 1st HOT DOG IN 3 YEARS!!
• Knee is awful. Going to stop at the NOC to get knee bands & Glucosamine - apparently vitamin I is no longer cutting it...
• The General, Ron, Matthew, Squire & Starbucks at the shelter tonight.

Stuffed & bald...

3/11/08 - Got up early & set out to Siler Bald Shelter. 10 mi into the trip, came across some trail magic...

• Scarfed down the following delicious & nutritious treats (in no particular order): coke, 2 fudge rounds, a rice crispy treat, snack pack pudding cup & a bag of Doritos - which turned out to be the calm before the storm...
• Because... Upon reaching rt. 64 it was decided to tweak the plan slightly so that it now included hitchhiking to Franklin for an ALL YOU CAN EAT MEXICAN BUFFET and beer with Riley...
• It's apparently easier to hitchhike with 2 people.
• Buffet came with all you can eat cheese sauce, too...
• With full bellies, a nice young lass with a fondness for handsome thru-hikers offered to take them back to the trail where they continued on for 3 more mi to Siler Bald.
• Other knee is starting to hurt & 3rd blister formed on his left heel which is proving much more painful than the previous 2 that were on his toes.
• Tonight's shelter is holding our boy Hearts, Ron, Riley, Matthew, and The General- who's entertaining the troops by telling old war stories in his charmingly unique Brit/Aussie accent.

Who knew, too much food...

3/5/08 - Weather was chilly/icy this morning and gear was wet so it was pretty tough to get out of the cozy rented cabin and onto the trail but once out... hiked ~12 mi.

• Weather turned out to be great
• Saw some amazing views
• Came across a cooler stashed with diet soda & beer - no brainer which one he chose
• Set up camp tonight about a mile and a half past Low Gap
• Also realized he may have initially packed too much food - which will bring his pack weight down next time he restocks (in the next 70-100 mi or so!)