Monday 3/29/10

I guess no day really ends like you totally expect it to, but some
days are particularly surprising. Yes, I know, this is not the first
blog entry to begin this way...
My plan was to hike from the Carters Gap shelter, where I spent a long
rainy night packed in like sardines with 6 other wet smelly hikers, up
and over the notorious Albert mountain, about 12 miles to Rock Gap. I
had arranged to meet Drew and take a zero day in Franklin to resupply,
get cleaned up, and to wash clothes. As soon as I got to the top of
Albert Mtn, within sight of the tower no less, I was taking a step up
the last rocky outcropping looking for a handhold, when my pole
slipped catching my finger on the way down and badly dislocating it.
However grim the situation seemed, the universe provided a miracle
when I took out my cell phone and even though I had NO SERVICE it
connected the call and I was able to call Drew to arrange a new and
improved meeting spot. I had crossed a forest service road at Bear Pen
gap earlier and another hiker, Freeman, volunteered to drop his pack
and carry mine back down the mountain a half of a mile or so. (Thank
you Freeman!) "Fishing Fred" (kindly making french toast for thru-
hikers back up the road a bit... in the rain of course! Thank you
Fishing Freds' "trailgate party"!) arranged for "Uncle Wally" to drive
me up the forest service road closer to the intersection with the main
road so Drew could find me faster.
So long story, longer...after some very entertaining x-rays, and a fun-
filled afternoon of manual falange manipulation and traction...a.k.a.
Finger torture, my finger is still pointing only slightly in the
wrong direction. We are still working diligently to correct this
affliction (more torture, but at least this time with some kindly
donated pain pills - thank you local drug dealers-names withheld!!!)
and get thee back on course. Unfortunately, this might take a few days
to heal, so I look forward to reporting some positive news soon.

Today 3/28/10

Hiked over Standing Indian mountain and down to Carters Gap shelter.
It has been raining buckets, blowing wind, hail....AGAIN. That's like
three times this week I've experienced hiking in hail. Other than
safely arriving at my intended destination, I do not have anything
positive to say about today.

Friday, 3/26/10

Today I hiked 12.2 miles and I am camped at the Standing Indian
shelter. Crossing the NC border was exciting and let's see how many
more states to go? Like 13. Wow. One day at a time. Actually, it's
more like one step at a time.

Last night was the first time I actually slept inside the shelter, one
of these two story jobs complete with a rickety ladder. Other than the
neverending mice noise it was pretty eventless. They all smell like a
combination of feet and campfires. Good laughs with other hikers and
on to another mountain.

Just another day in the life

This thru-hiker lifestyle is incredibly interesting. Until I actually
left Springer as one, I really had no clue. Just for an example, I
had the realization that pretty much everything I drink comes from
this dirty little tube from behind my back consisting of a combination
of various creek water, complete with dirt and leaves, accidental
remains of Gatorade (that orangy flavor just never goes away), and
chemicals I would not have even considered putting in my body only a
few weeks ago. The level of grunge that becomes an everyday occurance
is pretty amazing as well. "Am I really going to put THOSE socks on
again?" Well the answer is, no matter how smelly they are, "Of course
I am...they are the only DRY ones!" Not to mention the food, which
seems to become less of a delicacy (I used to love peanut butter) but
simply calories and fuel to get you up the next mountain. It is
certainly an adjustment, but make no mistake about it, it is all worth
it. The people you meet are fascinating (and thankfully just as
grungy). It is lot easier to be nonjudgemental when everyone you see
is getting their butt kicked by mother nature just like you. But I can
tell you this much; everytime you see someone you met at the last
shelter, or the other day on the trail, it's just like seeing an old
friend. And that my friends, is hard to beat.
-Rabid

The universe provides everything we need exactly when we need it

Today it brought Bill and Jeff. So here I am hiking in the rain and
the wind and even hail (what a hoot) and around the corner is Bill and
Jeff with a big tent. Now I have read about trail magic but, man did I
see some in action today! These guys were out here in the nastiest
weather grilling up CHEESEBURGERS for thru-hikers! I could hardly
believe that anyone would be that giving. What an effort! I was
talking with some other hikers later and we all agreed that it
inspired us all to want to do trail magic for hikers in the future.

I know what you're all thinking, yes I am a vegetarian...but not
today. (Of course it wasn't until I was snarfing down the second one
that I learned they had veggie burgers. It's not like I was going to
ask to see the menu). I don't think so. It's called being flexible
and grateful and when somebody is out in nasty weather wanting to
grill you a cheesy burger, you eat it! And maybe another! And you
love it! Bill and Jeff, you guys are totally awesome. Thank you.

I hiked 12.6 miles today from the Blue mountain shelter and up and
over Tray mountain. It was so much easier than I had remembered. I had
been dreading that climb all along. Who knows maybe it was the
cheeseburgers. Ha.

Sunshine!

So here's the deal. I would say I "order" you, but I will be a little
less demonstrative and use "suggest"...I will suggest that you get up
and go outside and play. We all need a little more vitamin D. Thats
whats the matter with everyone! There is just nothing better than
being outside on a beautiful sunny spring day. Nothing. Today I am
just going to have to call gratitude. It just doesn't get any better
than this.

Everyone carries burdens. I am fortunate enough to to be able to cast
mine aside for a few months in exchange for a 35lb one. So right now,
I am camped up on this mountain thinking about all the interesting
people I met today...Troll, Castaway, Charlie, Escargot, Snowman, Geo,
Free man, Hoogan Doogan, Dutchess, Not Bad, and Gyp-c from Melbourne.
Trail names are a trip! And you thought Rabid was bad. Ha.

I was thinking the other day as I heard gunshots down in the valley.
Let me get this straight...there is deer season, and bear season, and
turkey season. Well this is definitely thru-hiking season. They have
migrated en masse. Look out.

March 23, 2010

A good friend this morning said, "You know what your doing? You're
thriving!" I liked hearing that and today I felt that way. It was blue
skies, perfect temperatures, and the most wonderful mountain views
around. You just have to love north Georgia! Wow. Other than the
complete paranoia of every sensation going on in my feet and my knees,
what a wonderful hike I had today. I stopped twice to take off my
boots and make sure there were still feet and toes in there. All was
well with them. They enjoyed the leisurely hike with a daypack for 6
1/2 miles. The best part was summiting the last mountain of the day
to spot Drew waiting for me at the bottom. We get to comfortably sleep
in the truck camper before I take off tomorrow...yes, carrying a wee
bit more than today. I am full of gratitude for all the friends,
family, complete strangers, and the best fiancé in the world for
making this such a special journey.

Back to the trail...

So after resting and recuperating for a couple of days, I am headed back to the trail in the morning. I am planning a leisurely 6-7 mile hike at a moderate pace. And because Drew is so sweet to drop me off and then drive to my next destination to wait for me, I get to slackpack tomorrow. This should be a good introduction back into the hiking boots for the angry feet.

The thunderstorms and unexpected snow showers seem to have passed and I am looking forward to some mild weather. I cannot say I am sorry I missed experiencing the crazy weather we have been having on some windy frozen peak but rather enjoyed watching it, sitting in front of the fireplace dry and warm as can be.

I am fortunate to have been able to rethink some of my clothing and gear choices and I was successful in eliminating 2 pounds of I don't really know what. Food? Water? Haha. I did, however, lose my pillow (yes go ahead Gudger, laugh if you will...) and I have put all the filters and the steripen back in the gear box. I am opting for the lightest possible choices for all of it. Wadded up clothing stuff sack and Aqua Mira. (yes, you can laugh some more and even throw in a "I told you so.")

So long for now...see you on the trail mañana!
-Rabid

Ahhh...the aptly named Blood Mountain

Ok. Well. What can I say other than this day did not end quite as I had expected.

After setting up camp next to King Krawler (thanks for sharing the last flat piece of earth for miles!), Jillian, Skyler, and Dan, we all proceeded to do our usual camp chores: getting water, cooking some kind of dried or freeze dried mush that is actually quite palatable after hiking all day, hanging the bear bag, etc.

After a 15+ mile day I thought I would sleep really well. Unfortunately the throbbing in my feet only grew worse and awake I lay for what seemed like hours. After an overnight rainstorm, we all awoke to a fairly nice sunny day. The burning that I felt on the bottoms of my feet had turned into bloody horrible blisters overnight. After completely raiding my first aid kit and using anything and everything in it (not to mention Drew's safety pin), I was ready to stumble on over the mountain.

The climb up Blood Mountain was nothing compared to the knee jarring scramble back down the other side to Neels Gap. Favoring the less blistered foot, I seem to have tweaked my right knee a bit. I have to say, I was humbled by the days journey. With all the experience I have not only hiking, but with blisters and pain, I did not listen to my own body's screams for help. I did not stop and apply anything to my hotspots AND I hiked way too many miles at an incredible pace only two days into my journey.

Yes, I will admit it, I acted like a compete over-zealous novice and now I am paying the price. I am off the trail until my wounds heal (or I can walk, whichever comes first).  Thank you Chris Hall, the most awesome Leki rep ever, for hooking me up with those great "Orthosoles" inserts and helping Drew to convince me into taking a couple of zero days to recuperate. Thank you Doug & Irene for traveling all the way to Blairsville to rescue me (from myself)!

It goes without saying, I am learning patience, and I am anxious to return to the trail....of course at a more moderate, less psycho-hiker pace.

Day Two 3/17/10

Happy St Patricks day! I just happen to be wearing a green shirt,
green jacket, and a green backpack so I think I am sufficiently green
enough to avoid getting pinched.
Great hike today. After 12 miles I met Drew at Woody gap and we hiked
another 3.3 miles to a lovely spot by a gurgling creek. It wasn't
sunny and it drizzled several times but the scenery was spectacular.
At one point today I was climbing an arduous mountain and I heard the
most lovely sound. There was "Joe" on top of the mountain playing the
flute. I thanked him for helping me get up the mountain.

Day one 3/16/10

So here I am. First day on the trail. 8.8 miles down and only 2,170 to
go. Roger the ridgerunner on Springer said I was #11 today and #100
and something since he has been up there. All the trail log books
spoke of deep snow just a few days ago, so I think I picked the
perfect day to start because it's gorgeous!
Met a lot of nice people on the trail. Most of which have a MUCH
heavier pack than me. Poor them.
Got to my destination really early and thought about continuing but
the next place with water was 6 miles away. I am trying not to overdo
it these first few days, so here I stay. I go to sleep now.
-Rabid

The night before...

Well, everything is packed and sitting by the door.  I have unpacked, repacked...taken everything out, weighed it, re-evaluated....put it back in the pack.....several times.  I am officially waving the white flag.  If its not in my pack, I don't need it.  If I have it and I don't need it (oh, that NEVER happens, right?) I will be mailing it home soon. 
Although I have hiked up Springer Mountain 5 dozen times, this day will be host to a most memorable trip up this rocky section of trail. The weather is forcasted to be mostly sunny with light winds, and temps in the 50's.  Perfect!   
So this is my last post from the comfort of my favorite chair, in front of the fireplace, cold drink in hand (not being drunk from a TUBE), just around the corner from the flush toilet...
The trail is calling...

Thank you everyone for a wonderful send-off party!

I had a wonderful time at the party last night!  A bunch of friends gathered at the local mexican restaurant for a fun-filled evening of good food and laughter.  Thank you to everyone who came to wish me goodbye...I will miss you all.  Please keep in touch.  Emails from good friends and family will be a welcome site when I stumble into some cell service! 
Thank you Drew for showing me how to make this thingamabob work.  I love you!

Gear decisions just never seem to end...

So I have pretty much decided what I am taking, but there is all this other little stuff. THAT is what adds up. "Oh, maybe I should take some multivitamins!?? And what about sunscreen? How many ibuprofen should I pack? I hear people gobbling down handfuls on the trail"...extra battery for my headlamp??? THESE are some of the little decisions that are driving me crazy. I am sure I will know the answers to all of the many questions circling around my head soon enough. I just hope I can still lift my pack by the time I figure it all out. Ha Ha.
And... thank you Joseph for your advice, and I will probably take it...ok, some of it...but I am NOT...I repeat NOT getting rid of my pillow! I NEEEEEEEED it. A gal needs her beauty rest you know. haha.

So here it is...EVERYTHING that is in my pack...

I weighed every individual item in my pack.  Here is what I will be hauling to Maine... GoLite Odyssey Women's pack 3lb 5oz Big Agnes Superlight Seedhouse 3lb  *Big Agnes SL footprint 8oz Sierra Designs Solar Flare 15 Degree long bag with Granite Gear Air Compressor 3.5lb Sea to Summit silk liner 3.7oz Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad 24oz *Big Agnes UL Cyclone chair kit 5oz  Thermarest small compressible pillow 6.1oz JetBoil stove w/ insulated cup 14oz *2 JetBoil cannisters 13oz ONE JetBoil cannister 6.5oz Sea to Summit pocket towel 4oz 50' paracord 4oz Small UL AMK first aid/gear repair kit 7oz  3L Camelbak reservoir 7oz...(empty wt unfortunately) Steripen w/ prefilter 7.5oz 46oz Nalgene canteen 2oz Sea to Summit UL folding bucket 3.5oz Princeton Tec Eos headlamp 2.5oz Etowah Gear Syl Nylon pack cover 3.5oz Sierra Designs UL Isotope rain jacket 7oz (listed as 4.6oz)! Sierra Designs rain pants 10oz Montbell down inner jacket 5oz Granite Gear Air Compressor comp sack for clothes 2oz 3 pair of socks 6oz 3 pair underwear 2oz North Face zip-off pants (not sure, I'm wearing them) 2 North Face UL wicking shirts 4oz *Polartec baselayers silk weight & heavyweight 31oz OD Windpro beanie 2oz OD Waterproof breathable gloves 4oz Turtlefur micro fleece balaclava 1oz Glove liners 1oz *Wenger multi-tool 4oz Bandana 1oz Crocs  15oz The A.T. Guide 7.8oz Journal/pen/Iphone/misc items approx 1.5lb Granite Gear UL 20L drysack w/ 4-5 days of food 6lb 0oz Leki Super Makalu poles So this adds up to 453.6oz or 28.35lbs.  Unfortunately, this weight does not include water.  And because we are so fortunate to be drowning in it this season, I will most likely only carry one liter at a time.   The items with asterisks are items I will most likely remove, reduce, or replace with a lighter version....if not now, probably a few days up the trail.

A Little Background Info...

In 2005, my ex-husband and I decided to move up to the
mountains of north Georgia and open a hiking and backpacking shop. The
store was a huge success and I made many friends. This small town
welcomed us with open arms and showed us why people moved from all
over to live here. Little did I know how this would transform my life.
In 2007, we opened a second store, in Copperhill, TN. The store is
still open and run by my former husband and has a great selection of
unique gifts. (Stop by the next time you are near the GA/TN border
headed to the Ocoee river. You cannot miss Copperhill Outfitters
next to the Iron Horse Grill).
Having section hiked parts of the trail, and most other trails in
Georgia as well as North Carolina and South Carolina, I always wanted
to keep going. What would the next section look like? How could it be
more spectacular than the last? Throughout the years, I have spent
most of my time talking with section hikers, weekend warriors, as well
as many thru-hikers. I was thoroughly inspired to make this dream a
reality.
Late 2009 I was able to make it happen. I sold the business to
Travis and Shirley Crouch, along with their daughter Whitney. They have relocated the store to a great new spot in the busiest shopping center
in town....near Wal-mart of course! (Stop by and say hello...they
have all the latest gear and great clothes, and boots!
www.hikenorthgeorgia.com)
So as winter progressed, I began my preparations for the hike of all
hikes. I feel like I have tested every backpack known to man...or
woman. I have some truly awesome gear! I feel very well prepared.

D-13. Wow.

Hello world of bloggers.  So after spending the evening trying to figure out how to "blog", here I am.  I am ready to share my experience of preparing for and hiking the Appalachian Trail.  Of course this has been only a fantasy on a wishlist for many years...it is hard to believe that my departure date is less than two weeks away.  Future posts will include my gear list and other random thoughts.