A Tri-Trail Completed
The guys checked in this weekend from near Apple Orchard Mountain, VA or 755 miles from Springer. This marks over 1/3 of the hike completed with only 1419 miles left to go!
They are still in great spirits and spent a good bit of the conversation telling me how great their beards look. I mentioned that we need pictures and they should be sending those to Ben to post pretty soon. They also mentioned that the weather was turning warm which meant their body musk has increased and they have been attracting mosquitoes.
They also requested a strange mail-drop be sent to Waynesboro, VA. Only 3 items were requested: mosquito repellant, SOFT toilet paper and naproxen for achy joints. I guess there are some comforts of home we
just take for granted sometimes. Brandon also said that Roundhouse had splurged for some $25 insoles for his shoes and that he would be following suit at the next WalMart. Brandon, the economist (Tightwad!) has decided some things are just worth the money!
I (Brandon’s Dad) will be meeting them May 5th in Harpers Ferry, WV and walk the Maryland section with them. If you want to send them a mail-drop, send it to Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 with their names, “AT Thru-hiker” and an ETA of May 5th. They would love to have any encouraging notes with news and junk food which they eat immediately so please limit those quantities.
Brandon still does not have a trail name and I plan to fix that before I leave them in PA. So, if you have any suggestions, leave them as a comment to this post and I will take them with me.
Hey, guys, sounds like you’re making good progress! Up north, the snow is mostly gone and our volunteers are getting blowdowns removed. Bugs just starting to come out. I’ll be caretaking at Upper Goose Pond from June 2-7, so if you’re in the neighborhood it would be great to see you there. If not, we’ll find somewhere else to hook up.
Hike safe and enjoy, Wanderer
Wadsworth. Brandon is a wonderful writer, and a tightwad, so Wadsworth, like in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I was mowing the lawn today, wondering if all the back and forth paces were straight forward how far along the trail I’d have gone!
Lee Lee, Melissa, Darla and I spent three days on the AT near Watauga Lake, biked the Virginia Creeper and canoed Lake Watauga. We now all feel strong, renewed and ready for whatever.
Melissa is a part time naturalist at Warner now, so she knows most of the wildflowers. On one hike alone we saw over 50 varieties of wildflowers. My favorite was pussytoes. If you close your eyes and touch the flower, it feels exactly like a cat’s paw.
It always amazes me when I am with girlfriends how much more I eat than others! Fun to have a high metabolism! We gorged on pasta, salads, fruit and cheeses, fritatas, and my white chocolate/amaretto/blueberry bread pudding.
I bet you guys are going to just love the Shenandoah section, where you can get off at the great campstores and gorge on ice cream every night!
Glad to hear you are getting cushy soles.
Ricky, I’m working 60 hours a week. Determined to save enough to get a cabin at Acadia National Park in Maine for a few days when you all get to the end. Acadia is the most diverse gorgeous park in America, and have wanted to see it since highschool report years ago. Does that sound like something you all would want to do? Love, Mom
Hey guys, just another thought from someone who has ignored the signs and done some damage–if your muscles are sore, no big deal. If your joints are killing you, the pain is a sign, not to take meds that mask the pain, but to slow down a little. A crooked spine, or worn down hip will bother you forever, so listen to the pain. The woods are not going anywhere! Sorry for the unsolicited advice, (sort of). Love, Donna