Appalachian trail, First attempt!!!!

Sherry ahead of me in Vermont, a beautiful section of the Trail.

My girl at one of the many 'Shelters' maintained on the Trail.

Me, walking a log that the Beavers had dropped across the Trail. (Mosquito netting over my head)

Now, Today's Excitement!!!!!

We have hiked about 1750 miles of the Appalachian trail. We started On Springer Mountain in Georgia and went to New Hampshire, just past Dartmouth College. The trail goes through Dartmouth. But we did not do it in one hike. Oh, we wanted to, shucks we planned to and we tried to, but we only made it One hundred miles on the first try.

It was a funny thing, we quit at Standing Indian Mountain. That was the very spot where Sherry was inspired to do this hike. Just before reaching the campground, where we were going to pitch the tent, take a bath and call for a shuttle back to Elli Jay, GA where we had stored our car, Sherry fell. We were crossing Kimsey Creek on a small log just a few inches above the water when Sherry let her pack shift back and pull her down. I turned to see her just give in and fall backwards into the creek. It was very hot and the water felt good. She got up before her ‘stuff’ got soaked. And we drug ourselves the last mile to a campsite.

WE registered paid for the site, took a bath, called for a shuttle to come the next day and cooked our supper. We had bought a can of stew beef at the camp store and some other stuff. Sherry did not want to see any more Ramein noodles this trip. That night it rained, the tent leaked we were miserable and Sherry just broke down and bawled.

I asked what was wrong. She said, “I really thought we could hike the entire trail, and we just hiked a hundred miles. What is everybody going to think after I told them we were going to hike the trail?”

I thought for a minute and started laughing and said, “Honey you just hiked 100 miles. You saw a black bear and then slept in a tent not 100 yards from where the bear was. You climbed Blood Mountain in Georgia. Now think, ONE HUNDRED MILES, we just hiked through the mountains ONE HUNDRED MILES. How many people do you personally know who have walked 100 miles?”

“None. But…”

“That is right NONE, I am pretty proud of the fact we walked from Springer to Standing Indian. You should be to. We will be back next year better prepared and go much farther.” And we did.

We learned a lot on that short 100 mile hike and it helped us get through many many more.

Thanks for coming by the LOG.

Nite Shipslog.

PS:

What the Girls have said:

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.

- Caryn Leschen -

If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. -Catherine-

Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened? - Cora Harvey Armstrong-

Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out But I can usually shut her up with cookies. (Unknown)