They Lighten Their Load
Yesterday, Saturday 4/5/08, we received a big box in the mail from Brandon and Roundhouse. The contents surprised us….. in it was their TENT, one of 2 cooking pots, gloves, and towels and a few articles of clothing. We already have been sent Ricky’s big coat, socks and more clothes. After what seemed like a long time of wondering…. we heard from the boys today. They are sleeping in hammocks with mosquito netting or staying in the shelters along the trail. They are cooking in one pot… with a spare dish for the other to eat from and showers are not necessary between hostels and guest housing that pops up along the way. Brandon and Ricky say thanks to Mama Nell and Daddy Bob’s cousins in Damascus who put them up and fed them well while there.
They left Damascus around noon on 4/3 and are hiking an average of 17-18 miles a day, some shorter, some longer. They have had rain 7 of the last 8 days but not downpours so they are hiking through it and sleeping dry. They are in Marion, VA at mile marker 523 today at noon. They were headed into town for food and planned to hike another 7 miles.
Mail Drops: They expect to get mail in Pearisburg and that needs to be mailed by Monday 4/7 if they are to receive it… Brandon McMath, AT Thru-Hiker ETA 4/11 , Pearisburg VA 24134. They are still hoping to meet up with Ricky’s uncle but asked that mail be sent to either to Pearisburg or Harper Ferry, WV 25425 , ETA May 1st.. John is still planning to meet them there but they have figured out it works well to send directly to the PO.
Some of the fun adventures they have enjoyed are Ricky feeding the wild ponies at Grayson Highlands, meeting all the hikers and rendezvousing with them back and forth, meeting AU folks along the way and the trail life in general. And Yes, your imagination of how Rat Sandwich got his name is correct! Both are well and having a great time. They will post again in Pearisburg so keep the comments coming, they enjoy reading them when they get to a computer.
Brandon , ok , je suis rassurée
, j’ai téléphoné chez toi hier et je n’avais rien compris à ton histoire de tente et habits!! j’ai pensé qu’un ours t’avait “bouffé” la tente !! ou quelque chose comme ça!! tu me connais je m’inquiétais!… mais je sais que tu es un vrai homme 
…continue bien de t’amuser en montagne et profites de la vie! ob la di ob la da….fais gaffe aux ours quand même !:)
I would like to send to u something from France but tell me in which way I can do that!! ??maybe Ben could help me ?
Well 2morrow I ‘ll leave France to Wales, with 49 students …it will not be as fun as u imagine!! they decided to work , yes , but also to taste guiness at night..! ahah?
enjoy your trip and have fun” ma puce” , hi to Ricky.
Love , French mom
boys how goes it? not much here is happening back at AU, other than Soulja Boy making an appearance. believe me, i’m SO proud. dunno if ya’ll have heard of the football schedule but it’s pretty amazing. we got LA-Monroe, Southern Miss, LSU, Tenn, Ark, Tenn-Martin (homecoming of cource) and UGA at home, with LSU and Tenn back to back. MSU, Vandy, West Virginia, Ole Miss, and ‘Bama away. it’s gonna be a good year. brandon, it was a good idea to sneak in one extra season. and ricky i’m sure you can still get in the student section some how. on another note, i don’t know if either of ya’ll have read the book or seen the movie “into the wild,” but i’d say that for the atmosphere ya’ll are in, it would be a perfect read. i watched the movie and it really made me want to burn my wallet and just get outside. i’m sure ya’ll are getting tons of awesome views, and keep the pictures coming. good luck.
Brandon,I am Dale Moore aka DaleAmerica AT02.I meet your father last night over at Dave Luttrell’s house. We smoked cigars and I shared my 02 AT hike with him. I just want to let you know that I will be following your hike on the net and reliving my hike along the way.If you need anything let me know. DaleAmerica AT02
Hi guys. I’ve been closely following along and y’all are doing great. Thanks for sharing your adventures. It’s been fun. I’ve tried to pass along to some AT vets to keep a wary eye out for you, espcially as you get further up the trail. I just knew you’d get a chance to meet JoJo Smilely with the ALDH but she’s just started the PCT.
Have a great rest of the AT, have lots of fun, and do things I wouldn’t do. (Brandon…don’t tell your Mom I said that.) BTW, No Plan, you better come up with a trail name soon. “Ma Puce” is looking mighty good. :>)
Beannachd Dia dhuit!
Oh I am so glad you are getting into season where you can carry just the bare essentials. So much easier on your back, not to mention packing and unpacking. Glad you got to see/feed the ponies again. Hope Rat didn’t get any ideas about the ponies. Did you go down into Burkes Garden? And was it as gorgeous as I remember? Has it started to spring up yet? Any little spring flowers and such? Are the hills getting a little lower and so seem like a stroll in the park compared to the Smokies? Do you feel like your legs just want to walk now? Like it is what your body just wants to do now?
Sid says you all are further along than he expected already, and he is going to look at the map to find a good place to meet you somewhere past the original idea of Roanoke.
Ricky, the weedeaters are too heavy for me, so will get a little bitty lightweight one. Which is easier to use, the curved or the straight handle ones?
Brandon, take a close up picture of Ricky. The river picture was great, but his face is too tiny for us old/blind folks to see on our computers!
I sent a package Saturday night at the all night mailbox, so it probably sat there until Monday, but that post office is SLOW, so if it is not there, put your name on a forwarding list for the next spot. Sent y’all some envelopes and stamps. Figured if you are getting back to the transportation mode of yesteryear, you might enjoy some snail mailing. (I know I LOVE a nice letter. Big enough hint?)
Brandon, now tell the truth, do you really have a trail name, but it is so much worse even than Rat Sandwich that you are afraid to tell your poor mother and friends?
Hope every day you see something you will never forget. Love Mom