“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Day 74

Just a few miles into the hike this morning, I saw the first of what would be many views and crossings of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Given the beauty and popularity of that road, I was surprised not to hear or see any traffic on it. I would learn later that they occasionally shut down sections of it to trim branches or do maintenance on it.

The Virginia rains that I had become accustomed to had been replaced by high humidity and oppressive heat. Sweat was pouring off of me at an alarming rate. I decided to take my shirt off, which didn’t cool me off much, but did provide a scary sight for southbound hikers. The hotter it got, the more motivated I became to reach today’s big goal…Jennings Creek! Two words in my AT guidebook drew me like a magnet to the creek: “swimming hole.”

I crossed over the VA 614 bridge and arrived at Jennings Creek by 4:15 p.m. As two male hikers eating lunch on a large creekside boulder watched in amusement, I stripped down to my synthetic, quick drying underwear and waded out into the frigid waters. Once I got over the initial shock of the cold water and caught my breath, it was a wonderfully refreshing moment. I swam out to the whirlpool and fobbed up and down like a manatee playing in a tidal pool. I eventually waded over to a large boulder and stretched out across it to nap and dry out. Later, as I waded back to shore, I caught a large crawfish, named him Cajun, and looked for another in order to have a crawfish duel. I couldn’t find another so he remained the Jennings Creek champ, uncontested and undefeated. As you might suspect, the next item on the agenda was fishing. Unfortunately, I was shut out, moving my record versus AT fish to 2-1. I think they might have been spooked by my earlier frolicking in synthetic, quick drying underwear. As I walked a few yards from the creek, I spotted and got a picture of a bird’s nest, a final gift from this excellent AT watering hole.

Refreshed, I felt like hiking a while longer, so I did. Five minutes into my ascent up Fork Mountain, I saw a 6′ long black snake (#8) right on the trail. Knowing they can bite but are non-venomous, I reached out and grabbed his tail and he spun around. I chose to show him mercy and not make a belt out of him.

After a 20.8 mile day, I stopped at a deep ravine and stayed in the large, 20-person Bryant Ridge Shelter, along with Tree, Big Stick, and several others. One hiker about my age, while going down 15 or so steps to the water source, lost his balance and wiped out. All the other hikers, myself included, started laughing out loud at his misfortune. Then we went over to the bushes to check on him and confirm that he wasn’t injured. We probably should have checked on him before laughing.

Day 75

Today was a really tough day of hiking. First of all, it was unbelievably hot and humid, and there were no swimming holes to provide relief. Second, the morning featured a 3000-foot climb and the afternoon featured a 2000-foot descent. All day there was almost no flat terrain to catch a breather. Third, I awoke with a small outbreak of poison ivy on my right forearm, which served me right for laughing at the hiker who fell yesterday. I’m very susceptible to getting poison ivy, so I’m surprised my first bout on the trail didn’t happen until 75 days in. Fortunately I have my trail legs and there were plenty of water sources, so I just drank a lot, powered through the climbs and descents, and tried to ignore the poison ivy.

Today’s top man-made sight was a large Federal Aviation Administration tower/facility at the top of Apple Orchard Mountain. Less than half a mile later, I hiked under The Guillotine, a large boulder hanging right over the trail between two even larger boulders. After passing the Thunder Hill Shelter, which was closed indefinitely due to bear activity, I saw snake #9, a harmless fellow about a foot long.

After a hot, exhausting 17.1 mile day, I tent camped at Marble Spring along with Big Stick, Smiley (epic snorer), and David and Sarah from DC. I also met Tree Beard (who has a long beard in a pony tail) and Waterfall (who fell earlier on his journey while trying to position himself higher up on a waterfall).

The story being told around the campfire that evening was that an aggressive bear had been harassing hikers at the Thunder Hill Shelter. The bear also knew how to knock most bear bags down and one evening helped himself to several bags of hiker food. Then the bear followed/stalked a group of hikers from the shelter down to the Harrison Ground Spring camping area. Once that was reported to authorities, the bear had to be put down near Petites Gap. I can’t confirm whether all the details of that story are actually true, but it was certainly the talk around the campfire that night.  There was also a rumor that a male model was posing in his underwear for a GQ photo shoot at Jennings Creek. I don’t know where all these crazy rumors come from.

Fob

“There is something almost primal about standing atop a tall mountain, as if you have satisfied some deep and ancient part of human nature which drives us to explore our world and to reach new heights.” – Wash

Day 71

I was one of the first hikers out of the gate, but five or six slack packers passed me during the first two hours of the day. Without backpacks, they were rushing to do 27 miles to Troutville where the shuttle driver would pick them up, return them to the hostel, and then return them to Troutville the following morning. As previously discussed, I don’t slack pack as a matter of principle. The AT is meant to be enjoyed, not rushed, and that was especially true of this section of trail.

Around noon I stopped at Catawba Mountain Shelter to get water. While there, I met and got information on the trail ahead from Matt, a friendly and helpful ridge runner. An hour later, I was standing on McAfee Knob, the most famous ledge and among the top two most photographed spots on the AT. I have been reading about this ledge and looking at hiker photos on it for more than two decades. This is the ledge Robert Redford and Nick Nolte are standing on in the movie poster for A Walk in the Woods (a photo-shopped picture as neither actor has been to this spot). It all felt a little surreal. I waited my turn for a photo and then a young man named Terrence took several pictures of me on the ledge. It was cloudy out so there was limited visibility, but even the clouds provided a neat backdrop for this iconic spot. The final few pictures involved me sitting on the edge of the ledge, the scariest thing I’ve done since climbing the Shuckstack fire tower in the Smokies. It was another medium sized step in overcoming my fear of heights.

At Campbell Shelter, I stopped for water and met some young Tennessee Volunteer fans out on a section hike. Towards the end of the day, as storms once again threatened, I made a final climb to the stunningly beautiful views from Tinker Cliffs, passing ETA, Training Wheels, and their tents. (She earned that name after falling down several times during the first two weeks of her hike, including once just walking by a campfire.) Apparently Revolutionary War deserters hid out at Tinker Cliffs repairing pots and pans for money and acquired the name “tinkers.” The trail follows right along the edge with drops of 150 feet. It was a perfect spot for tenting with a view, so I called it a day after 14.9 miles. I cooked some Ramen Bomb on a large, flat rock on the edge of the cliffs.  As I dozed off to sleep, I wondered what it must have been like to live up there as a war deserter, repairing pots and pans, while others were down below  fighting for independence and the creation of a new nation.

Day 72

I began the day with another great section of trail. In fact, the hike from McAfee Knob (yesterday, mile 711.4) to today’s Hay Rock (mile 723.5) comes in at 4th place, so far, on my favorite sections of the trail. There were at least five scenic overlooks with views stretching for miles. Having exhausted most of my water supply up on the cliffs, I stopped at Lamberts Meadow Shelter to get more. This was yet another shelter that had been closed indefinitely due to bear activity. As I filtered my water a little faster than normal, I had my head on a swivel in anticipation of a bear arriving and going all Revenant on me.

Of the 10.8 miles hiked today, the final few into Daleville/Roanoke were scenic and relatively flat. I was looking forward to getting there because the plan was for Debbie Freeman, a longtime family friend, to pick me up and treat me to some southern hospitality. Long ago, my family got to know the Smyth family (Debbie’s maiden name) through the school friendship between Debbie and my oldest sister, Ellen. My mom and Debbie’s mom also became close friends and kept in contact for over forty years. My first memory of the Smyth family was as an 8-year-old, in 1974, when my family returned from our military assignment to Germany. Before moving into our home in Dover, Delaware, we stayed with their family in a big home out in the country. My main memories are of a house full of cute girls of various ages, a bumper pool table that I was allowed to play, and a rope swing. I love this country! Their dad was a newspaper editor and I remember him constantly sitting in his big chair with a newspaper and pen to mark it up. Their family was very kind to us, and it’s interesting that 42 years later, Debbie and her husband Bill would once again show hospitality to a tired long distance hiker like me.

The first treat was seeing and learning about her latest hobby, beekeeping. I learned the ins and outs of starting and maintaining a hive and the role of each type of bee. The magnificence of their design, roles, and coordinated effort to survive once again pointed to a Grand Designer. It was all fascinating and now I’m thinking about getting Lil Jan a beehive starter kit for her birthday. If I ask for her permission, I bet she’d say, “No honey.”

After starting my laundry, I headed straight for a shower and bath. Debbie provided me with muscle-soothing Epsom salt and lavender bath oil. I had never had a bath with an essential oil before (or even a nonessential oil) and it was luxurious! I laid back, took a deep breath and closed my eyes, and all was right in the universe. I imagined snapping my fingers and having two eunuchs in togas enter, one holding a platter with grapes and cheeses and the other a cold Mountain Dew. I snapped back to reality, put on Bill’s bathrobe, and headed down to supper feeling like a million dollars. Debbie prepared a scrumptious meal featuring chicken, asparagus, bread, and more! It was so, so good. It was great catching up on what our respective family members have been up to.

Day 73

The next morning, Debbie filled up my tank with a wonderful breakfast and then took me to Wal-Mart to resupply. She then returned me to Daleville and the trailhead. She and Bill were excellent hosts and I truly appreciate their kindness to me. After eating some pasta and salad from Pizza Hut, I got back on the trail at 2:15 p.m.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I hiked 11.2 miles and then tented near the Wilson Creek Shelter along with several other hikers. It was good to see and chat with Gamel again, and also to meet Tree from Indiana. He received that name from fellow hikers after knowing and sharing too much information about AT trees while under the influence of something.

As I dozed off to sleep about 9:00 p.m., I caught a final faint whiff of lavender and then it was gone forever.

Fob

“We never repent of having eaten too little.”     – Thomas Jefferson, 1825

Day 70

I hit the trail, crossed several footbridges, and began the climb up Brush Mountain. At the summit was a wooden bench, which is uncommon and highly appreciated on the AT. Along the Brush Mountain ridge line, at mile 690.1, I took a short side trail to the Audie Murphy monument. Murphy was the most decorated American soldier of World War II. After the war, he acted in movies for over twenty years and eventually got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On May 28, 1971, Murphy died when the private plane he was in crashed near the monument in his honor on Brush Mountain. He was 45 years old. I stopped to pay my respects to this hero, a great soldier from what has been called the greatest generation.

As morning turned to afternoon, I set my sights on the famous Dragons Tooth. Like Albert Mountain, Jacobs Ladder, and other notable trail challenges, it has a reputation for being a very tough climb with rewarding views. The climb to it wasn’t steep, but was long and extremely rocky. I eventually arrived and was impressed with it and the views from it. I also thought it was a bit over-rated in terms of level of difficulty. It was tough, but not super tough. And then came the descent, and I realized what other hikers were talking about and where Dragons Tooth’s reputation comes from. It was very tricky, especially as light rain began to fall. I had to scramble down and around rocks using both hands, at one point passing the 700 mile marker on my journey.  In a few spots I had to slide down rocks on my rear. In other places, metal rungs were inserted in rocks to provide a foothold. It reminded me, on a smaller scale, of some of the rock scrambles I’ve heard about in New Hampshire and Maine.

At the bottom of the mountain, at Newport Road, after a 16.8-mile day, I decided to hike .3 miles east and stay at the Four Pines Hostel. The lodging is a 3-bay garage with shower (no towels), along with a separate barn with sleeping platforms. There’s no fee but they accept donations. The place was packed when I arrived, with people on cots, couches, and the floor…playing cards, drinking beer, eating, checking each other for ticks, sharing stories, napping, picking at their feet, and airing out tents and clothes. It reminded me of the kind of place where Charles Manson would have recruited. I managed to find a recliner that wasn’t yet taken, next to a couch occupied by a sweet lady hiker in her mid-60s with the trail named Gamel. That’s a combination of “Georgia (GA) to Maine (ME)” and her nickname, Mel, which is short for Melanie. She is from East Tennessee and filled me in on the towns and things to do there, as it is a region where Lil Jan and I have discussed putting down roots someday. I also met the owner, Joe Mitchell, and his wife handed me some sort of brownie/cookie dessert that was delicious.

The highlight of the evening, though, was set in motion moments later when the shuttle driver asked if anyone wanted to go to the all-you-can-eat, family style Homeplace Restaurant. Uhhh…yeah!!! Certain words and phrases excite hikers, and can even cause frenzies when we’re in groups. The list includes…
– All You Can Eat
– Trail Magic
– REI Sale
– Hot Shower
– Reliable Spring
– Free WiFi
– Free {fill in the blank}
– Easy Hitch
– Flat Terrain
– Milkshake
– Ramen Bomb
– Summit
– Campfire
– Hot Tub or Hot Bath
– Trail Legs
– Outfitter
– Buffet
– Zero Day
– Katahdin

My personal list would also include…
– Lil Jan
– Yellow, springy dress
– Outback
– Mountain Dew
– Darn Good Chili
– Gold Bond

A gaggle of hikers piled in the large van and a truck and headed to the Homeplace. One hiker was on the floorboard and two were in the trunk. It felt like a prison work crew, only smellier. Upon arrival, eleven of us were seated at one table, including three other Air Force veterans (sponsored by a program called Warrior Hike) and four Marines. It was probably the most heavily defended restaurant table in Catawba that evening. We were a scraggly, hairy bunch, and most of us had not yet showered or eaten.

What happened next will go down as one of the most prolific displays of eating in American history. The sweet country waitress brought out the initial round of roast beef, chicken, ham, mac n cheese, pinto beans, green beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and cole slaw. She told us to let her know when we wanted seconds on anything.  I pulled her aside and said, “Ma’am, we haven’t eaten in like three hours.  You’ll want to go ahead and get started on seconds and thirds now.” We were like vultures at a fresh highway roadkill. The large bowl of pinto beans was passed around, and was empty by the third person. As the ranking military guy at the table, I didn’t pass the mac n cheese at all. Instead, I selfishly made the family-style bowl my personal bowl. What good is it to make rank if you can’t leverage it for a private bowl of mac n cheese on the AT?

The Marines were sucking on chicken bones and then piling them up in a mass grave at the center of the table, as grease ran down their chins and hands. The former Air Force TACP (Tactical Air Control Party specialist, aka a special ops guy) sitting next to me had nine helpings of roast beef, six pieces of chicken, and four large pieces of ham. I started to ask him if this was his first time eating. I also looked under the table by his feet to see if it was coming out the other end. Each time the waitress came by, we were out of something and ready for more. Each time, I would point at TAC-P and tell her, “And he’ll need some more roast beef.” He would then grunt and nod his head, too busy eating to speak. It was the least I could do for a special ops guy with the most epic trail beard to date.

There was very little table conversation as we were too busy stuffing our faces and asking for more, as if our very survival depended on it. The whole spectacle was fun to watch and more than a little embarrassing. Later, the waitress, in perhaps the most unnecessary question of the evening, asked if we’d like some peach cobbler with ice cream. I said, “We would, please, with coffee, and my friend TAC-P here would like his cobbler with just a couple more slices of roast beef.”  TAC-P looked up, nodded, and grunted…and for just a moment, all was right in our hiker universe.

Sir Fob

“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.” – Thomas Paine

Day 67

With more rain in the forecast, I decided to start the day wearing my new Salomon XA Pro 3D trail shoes without any socks. They worked like a champ right out of the gate, easily handling the climbs, mud puddles, and rocks. As I climbed the first hill out of Pearisburg, I passed a hiker who asked for my trail name. I told him the whole 3-minute story of how Sir Fob W. Pot came to be. I asked him about his trail name, Stan. He said his parents gave him that name when he was born and it stuck. I wasn’t sure if that was a joke or not so I half-laughed to cover my bases.

As I approached the Rice Field Shelter at noon, the Virginia skies opened up and the rain began to fall. I ducked into the shelter along with Cambria, Two Souls, Blade, a German Shepherd, and several others. I started eating a Slim Jim which caused the dog to jump up into the shelter, get all in my face, and start drooling. I gave her half a Slim Jim, overly generous by hiker standards, and she licked me on the mouth. That seemed like a fair exchange. Once the rain lightened up, I headed back out and continued along fairly level terrain. While climbing Dickinson Gap, I saw and spoke briefly with Princess Grit and she asked me to tell the story of my trail name to a hiker she was with. I’ve told the story so many times that I think it’s time to start changing it up. I may have B.W. Pot be on different trails and amusement parks around the world, defiling them at various times of day, even with people watching. Sorry in advance, Kyle.

A short time later, after a 15.9 mile day, I stopped for the night and stealth camped among some tall trees at mile 650.1. My new trail shoes had passed their first test, even without socks. Still, I plan to wear socks on most non-super rainy, non-stream fording days as that makes the shoes a tad more comfortable. Despite the mud splashes from my knees to ankles, it had been a good, mostly rainy day on the AT.

Day 68

Today was dark and cloudy the first half of the day. I spoke briefly with Sasquatch, a southbounder, at Stony Creek Valley. I thought he’d be taller and hairier. In the early afternoon, the rain started falling again, and would continue off and on the rest of the day. About a mile after Bailey Gap Shelter, I hit a several mile long section of really rocky terrain. I had to concentrate on each step to keep from rolling an ankle. The rocks and mud slowed my pace considerably.

After a 16.7 mile day, I camped with Two Souls, Grit, and others near the War Spur Shelter. The talk around camp centered on the tremendous amount of rain we’d experienced in Virginia so far. Someone said they talked to an elderly local man who said it was the rainiest month of May he could remember in the past 80 years. I was once again asked about my trail name and told a story about the time Kyle, a third grader at the time, pooped himself on the Runaway Mine Train at Six Flags over Georgia. I felt a bit regretful later over this fabrication, but that should subside with each false re-telling of the story.

Day 69

The climb up to Kelly Knob was brutal this morning. I climbed nearly 2000 feet over a little more than 2 miles. It wasn’t raining, but the terrain was muddy from all the previous rain, and the vegetation I frequently brush up against was wet. All that plus the humidity and my profuse sweating led to one soaked, muddy hiker by 9 a.m. As I guzzled a full liter of water and caught my breath at the summit, two deer darted by off to my right, a small reward for a tough start to the day.

At mile 676.3 I passed Keffer Oak, an 18′ around, 300-year-old oak tree. It’s the largest AT oak tree in the South, with Dover Oak along the AT in New York being slightly larger. I thought to myself, if that 300-year-old tree could talk…well, that’d be really weird.

A little while later, on a rock scramble near Sarver Hollow Shelter, I met a hiker named Crisco. Before starting the AT, most hikers are aware that it’s not possible to replenish the 5000-6000 calories you burn on a typical day. It’s simply tough to carry that much food because food is heavy. Well, Crisco took that as a challenge and began the trail carrying and consuming pure Crisco vegetable shortening which provides 110 calories of pure fat per tablespoon eaten. Thus, the trail name. So if he carries and consumes three cups of Crisco, he’s getting…well, I really don’t want to do that math.

At mile 682.3, the north end of the ridge crest on Sinking Creek Mountain, I arrived at a sign marking the Eastern Continental Divide. Curious, I decided to conduct an experiment by relieving myself on a large boulder near the sign. Sure enough, the flow went evenly in each direction down the sides of the boulder. I plan to contact a scientific journal in order to publish my findings. If they like my work, I may replicate the experiment on the Runaway Mine Train at Six Flags.

I finished this 18.2 mile day sleeping in the Niday Shelter at mile 685. Joining me in and around the shelter were several hikers, including Tennessee Troy, Little Bear, Patrice, Crisco, Sprinkle Toes, ETA, Future Dad, and White Owl. We covered a lot of ground in the camp conversation that evening. First, Little Bear, who you may recall is helping Lindsay and Patrice film a movie/documentary about women thru-hikers, informed me that Lindsay had to get off the trail to have surgery. She hopes to return and will continue with film editing and such while she recovers.

As for Sprinkle Toes, she earned that name during a cold, very windy afternoon in the Smokies. As she relieved herself behind a tree, she didn’t realize the wind was blowing her pee all over her left shoe and sock. She ended up with a pee-soaked sock and a trail name.

And that brings us to the fascinating, 70-year-old White Owl from Maine. We immediately hit it off and began trading stories. He has a great sense of humor and looks like my Uncle Phil’s twin brother. He recently saw two crawdads trying to eat a fish that was being digested by a snake. That’s awesome! He shared a picture he snapped after the crawdads scurried away. We also traded vasectomy and colonoscopy stories, much to the delight of the younger hikers around us who are just a few years removed from puberty. I don’t remember all the details from his colonoscopy story (a good thing) but his last sentence was, “And then, after raising my bare butt up in the air, the nurse looked at me and said, ‘That’s where I remember you from!'”

Fob

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”    – When Harry Met Sally

“I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.” – Roy Croft

Day 59

I awoke in a much better mood than the previous two days. In fact, I was giddy. I checked out of the motel and walked downhill about a mile to the rental car place. They put me in a brand new car with under 100 miles on it and I headed west toward Alabama and wedding week. It felt really weird to drive a car again, but I quickly adjusted. I cranked up the radio and sang my heart out for the next 7+ hours.  One song, The Proof of Your Love by for King and Country, hit me especially hard.  It talks about the importance of love, and that without it, it doesn’t really matter what you believe, say, or do.  I decided to add it to my every morning AT playlist so maybe that message will be driven deep inside my brain over the next several months.  At noon I stopped to refuel and grab a quick lunch at a gas station. Oddly, the thing I craved the most was cereal, so I got some sugar pops, a quart of milk, a pint of orange juice, and a banana.

The closer I got to Birmingham, the more excited I became about seeing and surprising Lil Jan. About 10 minutes out, I picked up Starbucks coffee for her, my friend Brad, and myself. Just before entering the driveway, I texted Lil Jan to tell her I missed her and that I hoped she was having a good day. Right after she responded, I came walking through the basement door where she, Brad, and Jenny were working on wedding signs. I asked, “Did someone order coffee?” and she looked up in shock and came running over to hug me. Surprising her with something that makes her happy is one of the greatest joys in my life. It was so great to see her and the Diamond family, who kept my early arrival a surprise. The only downside was that she wasn’t in the yellow, springy, reunion dress, but she still looked amazing!

Days 60-66 – Wedding Week

The entire week, with one exception, could not have gone more perfectly. We had a great, informal pasta dinner with the wedding party at Wes and Melissa Self’s home on Thursday night. It was refreshing to sit among people who were clean, smelled good, and peed indoors. I had to really focus on eating slowly, using utensils, and not doing anything socially inappropriate.  After dinner, against my better foot-resting judgement, I went outside to play knock-out basketball with the fellas. As I went for a rebound, a long distance shot ricocheted off the backboard and smacked me in my face, breaking my glasses and scratching my face. Lately, it seems I’m in the most danger when I’m off the trail, not on it! Fortunately, Wal-Mart was able to repair my glasses the next day.

On the health, hygiene and appearance front, Lil Jan and I, with the help of mediators, agreed that I would get a haircut and “clean up” my beard a bit, but not make it go away. That was a win from my perspective, although the beard mice didn’t like being disturbed. Another win was getting a 50-minute, deep tissue massage from a local spa, with the masseuse focusing on my feet, legs, and shoulders.

The Mexican-themed rehearsal dinner on Friday night went really well. I appreciate all the work put in by Lil Jan and her helpers to make it a fun, festive, and filling evening. It was so great to spend time with so many family and friends. They had plenty of questions and comments about my AT hike so far. The slide show video we put together to honor Kyle and Laci went over well. Jason, my eldest son, gave a terrific Best Man speech that not only roasted Kyle, but offered some on-target marriage advice. Olivia, Kyle’s ex-girlfriend and the Maid of Honor (weird, huh?) also delivered a sweet, heartfelt speech. The amazing Diamond family singers sang a song that I wrote, My Favorite Trail Things, along with a song of blessing for the bride and groom. It was a wonderful evening with love bubbling over between two families, friends, and the wedding party.

A few other highlights of the week included hanging a wedding poem (a series of wooden signs on posts) at the wedding venue with Scott (my brother-in-law), going to a local town festival with family and friends, and playing poker with Brad Diamond, Kyle and Jason, and the other groomsmen until late in the evening.  I was thoroughly enjoying this extended time on the mountaintop!

The wedding itself was magnificent in every way possible. In Laci, Kyle has found himself a Christian wife, beautiful on the inside and out.  Her parents have modeled a Christian marriage for her and others, and she has three terrific brothers who have welcomed Kyle in and think she hung the moon. This is an answer to many prayers by Janet and me going back decades. The wedding venue, featuring mature trees, ponds, rolling hills, a lodge and barn, provided a perfect setting. The weather cooperated and even featured a nice breeze. Mark Adams, who hired them both as youth interns years ago (where they developed feelings for each other) officiated and did a wonderful job. This young couple is so in love and you could just feel that in everything said and done. In a society where Biblical purity, saving oneself until marriage, is scoffed at and considered unrealistic, this couple stayed true to their values and pulled it off. I’m proud of them for that, and the commitment they made before God to be faithful to each other and Him for the rest of their lives.

The wedding reception was so much fun!  There was food, dancing, conversation, and lots of celebration.  The venue owner commented that she had never seen such a wildly fun night that didn’t involve alcohol.  Interesting observation.  I opted for more conversation than dancing, as my feet were still tender, yet improving.  I had some really encouraging and motivating conversations about the trail, my blog, and hopefully future book with several people I’d never met before.  It’s just weird to think that something I wrote alone atop an AT mountain can impact someone thousands of miles away.

On Monday, I said my farewells, kissed my wife, and drove back to the trail rested, restored, and rejuvenated. As previously planned, I made the switch from my Oboz Sawtooth hiking boots to Salomon XA Pro 3D trail running shoes. These would be lighter, quicker drying, and more agile, while giving up some stability in return. I was anxious to try them out in AT conditions. That night I also laid out all my clothes and tent and sprayed them with Permethrin, an insecticide that not only repels but kills ticks, mosquitos, chiggers, and other insects. After spraying them inside my motel room, I noticed the instructions said to do the spraying outside. So I went to bed that night on a bit of a Permethrin high, assured that any bugs in my ears, nose, and mouth had been decimated.

I was in a good place mentally and physically, and it was time to get back on the trail and continue my journey to Katahdin.

Fob

“Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

“The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can.” – Sydney Smith

Day 54

I awoke, checked my beard for ticks, threw down a pop tart, and headed out. It didn’t take long for light rain to begin to fall, and it continued for most of the day. Mentally, I played a little game and told myself that every drop of rain that hit me today was going to make me stronger and more determined. That may sound silly, but it beats letting multiple days of rain wear you down mentally and physically. You play whatever mental games you must to stay motivated and hiking.  I know of several hikers now off the trail, essentially because multiple days  of rain took a heavy toll and they were no longer having fun.

By mid-afternoon, the rain let up just a bit, and I passed a series of poster board signs on trees announcing Trail Magic ahead! Signs are not necessary to draw hikers in, but they did build anticipation and made me drool just a bit. After all the rain, it couldn’t have come at a better time. As I approached the tent and chairs, I could tell this was going to be something special. They had a generator going to charge hiker electronics. Anyone who goes to that level of trouble to meet hikers’ needs is about to deliver some magic…and they did!

The Trail Angels were DeAnn and Dave Werner, from Pennsylvania, along with DeAnn’s sister, Deb, and her husband, Vince. Dave informed me that their daughter’s fiancé, trail name J-Bird, thru-hiked the AT in 2010 and had a wonderful experience. He especially appreciated all the Trail Magic and wanted to return to the AT in 2011 and serve as a Trail Angel himself. Unfortunately and sadly, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, died in 2012, and never got the chance to be a Trail Angel. In his honor, DeAnn and Dave have been returning to the trail as Trail Angels every first week of May since he died, giving the magic to hikers that J-Bird himself so badly wanted to give. Their Trail Magic was magnificent and truly honored J-Bird’s memory. There was a lot of food, including fruit, vegetables, hot dogs, and scrumptious meatball sandwiches. They also offered a mini-hiker store, with everything from batteries to wet wipes to hygiene supplies yet it was all free. There were all sorts of drinks and desserts. To top it all off, they had cards and pens so we could write messages to our loved ones, and also took care of putting the postage on and mailing them. Thanks to them, I was able to send a Mother’s Day card to Lil Jan. I thanked them from the bottom of my heart, and told them they truly had honored J-Bird’s memory in a big way. I left with not only a re-charged phone and battery, but a full belly and just an overall better outlook on life. That’s what Trail Magic can do for a tired hiker who has been busting his butt up and down mountains in the rain for several days.

After 16.1 miles, I rolled into Bland, Virginia and hitched a ride with Bubba to the Big Walker Motel. I was initially reluctant to stay at a town called Bland, but after looking at the map, I realized it was a better option than Boring, Iowa or Mediocre, Minnesota. Bubba was quite the character for a Bland guy. As a shuttler of hikers, he has seen his fair share of interesting things. Two of his experiences are particularly noteworthy:

– He once shuttled two female German hikers who rode in the back of his pickup truck with their gear. He noticed a car swerving behind him and looked back and the girls had removed their wet tops to let them air out. (In this context, I’m not entirely sure what “them” refers to.) He told them public highway nudity was not allowed in this country (except maybe in Mississippi) and they acted surprised.  They were probably from Boobvaria.  I told him it’s a good thing he handled the situation, otherwise the town would’ve been renamed Notso Bland. More on Bubba and this story at http://m.swvatoday.com/news/article_d8c02b40-f5eb-11e5-b883-531ab1bda78c.html?mode=jqm

– He also gave a ride, and later received a thank you card, from a hiker with the trail name Bismarck. He found out later that Bismarck had been hiking the AT for six years, to avoid being arrested for embezzling $8.7 million from Pepsi, his employer. The law eventually caught up with Bismarck at Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia, and he ended up in prison. Bubba told me they recovered less than $1 million and there are rumors that Bismarck stashed the money at various spots on the AT. I’ll begin looking immediately. More on Bismarck, the AT fugitive, can be found here… http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/7/1/8861183/james-hammes-appalachian-trail-bismarck

I checked into my room at the Big Walker Motel and checked the forecast. It was supposed to be cold and rainy all day the following day. Thus, I decided to take a zero day. That night, I ordered spaghetti and meatballs, a salad, and a large, family-sized order of cinnamon rolls and had them delivered to my room. After eating a few thousand calories worth of food, I took a hot bath and shower, and then hand-washed my clothes in the tub. I went to bed that night thankful for the Trail Magic I had received, and thankful to be clean, out of the rain, and full of pasta and countless cinnamon rolls.

Day 55

Not wanting to do anything too exciting in a town called Bland, I spent most of the day resting in my motel room, eating more cinnamon rolls, watching a little TV, and blogging. I did venture out for a couple of hours to re-supply at the Dollar Store, have dinner at a gas station Dairy Queen, and pick up a foot-long Spicy Italian sub at Subway for tomorrow’s hike. I also called Lil Jan. As always, it was great to hear her voice and get caught up on family events. She always tells me she loves me and is proud of what I’m doing, and that is even more filling than the 18 cinnamon rolls I’d eaten in the past 24 hours.

Day 56

I awoke, ate the last two cinnamon rolls, checked out of the motel, and took a shuttle back to the trailhead. The hike today was unusually flat, with overcast skies. I was beginning to wonder if the sun ever shines in Virginia. Just before passing the Jenny Knob Shelter, I reached the 600-mile milestone and celebrated with a Pay-Day candy bar.

As the skies darkened, I checked the forecast and saw that yet another thunderstorm was headed my way. After a 16.1 mile day, I stopped at mile 606 and quickly set up camp. As the rain started to fall, I took care of some business while hugging a tree at the recently named 20-Cinnamon-Roll Gap.

Fob

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”     – Roy E. Disney

“One of the most important things that I have learned in my 57 years is that life is all about choices.  On every journey you take, you face choices. At every fork in the road, you make a choice.  And it is those decisions that shape our lives.”     – Mike DeWine

Day 53

Shortly after breaking camp and beginning the long ascent up Chestnut Knob, it began to rain. Once again, my strategy (when it’s not too cold) was to wear as little as possible. It may sound strange, but I rarely wear my rain jacket in the rain. With enough rain, you still end up wet and the rain jacket only adds to the wetness by making you perspire more. I’d rather just have my quick-drying synthetic t-shirt get wet, and have my dry rain jacket available for duty around camp at night.

As I reached Chestnut Knob Shelter, a fully enclosed concrete shelter, a heavy rain began to pour. I quickly stepped in and ended up staying three hours with Hopscotch, a southbound section hiker. He was on his way to Damascus for Trail Days, and we shared notes on the trail ahead. He is a military Intel analyst/cryptologist, so we shared a few war stories. The rain eventually subsided and I headed back out and across a very long, rocky ridge at Garden Mountain. The rocks took a toll on my feet and legs, with the feet alternating between pain and numbness. After an 11.6 mile, rain filled day, I headed 25 yards downhill from the ridge and stealth camped at mile 573.8. Shortly after hunkering down in my tent, the rain began to fall again.

This is as good a time as any discuss the popular and somewhat overused AT expression, “Hike Your Own Hike.” It basically means each person “owns” their AT hike and gets to decide the right way to hike it for them. It also means hikers shouldn’t criticize others who hold different views. Still, you’ll find some friendly banter between hikers as they discuss their respective positions on a host of issues. Here, then, are my personal opinions on some of these issues. This is how I’m “hiking my own hike”. I don’t judge or criticize others for holding different views…at least not to their face.

1. Must one hike the 8.8 mile Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain in Georgia? My view: Absolutely not. Rationale:

– Quite simply, it’s not part of the 2189.1 mile AT. I’m attempting to hike the AT, not trails that feed the AT. I wouldn’t hike the 8.8 miles leading to the start of the AT any more than I would continue north for 8.8 miles after summiting Katahdin.

– I’m told it’s a very difficult, strenuous way to begin the hike, making a raw hiker susceptible to injury. A fellow hiker, Dirty Deed, who did the Approach Trail, in retrospect called it a complete waste of time.

– I had a group of 10 family and friends who wanted to join me and hike the first mile of the AT with me. Thus, it was easier for everyone to meet at the Springer Mountain parking lot and hike to the southern terminus together.

– So I didn’t do and wouldn’t recommend the Approach Trail, although I joined with a few family members and walked up the killer stairs at Amicalola Falls (part of the Approach Trail) on our way to lunch at the lodge.

2. Is it acceptable to take blue blazed shortcuts (to dodge a difficult section or hit a prettier section) or Aqua blaze (canoe parallel to the trail)? My view: Absolutely not. Rationale:

– A successful thru-hike, to me, occurs when one hikes all 2189.1 miles. I would forever regret taking any shortcuts that lessen that mileage by even a foot. In fact, I always exit a shelter on the same path I came in on so as to not miss a single white blaze.

– Also, I’m hiking the AT, not canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, or snowmobiling it. My goal is to be a thru-hiker, not a thru-traveler. Using any method other than my legs (and butt, occasionally) would cause me to have to put an asterisk by my name in the honor roll. To me, hiking it all means HIKING…IT ALL.

3. Northbound or Southbound or Flip-Flop (typically, Harpers Ferry to Maine, then Harpers Ferry to GA)? My view: Northbound. Rationale:

– Most importantly, I want to be standing at Katahdin’s summit, with my hands in the air, at the END of my journey. That’s the iconic photo. In fact, at photo boards at hostels and elsewhere, I’ve not seen one of a hiker concluding a thru-hike by summiting Springer or strolling into Harper’s Ferry on a flip-flop.

– Some say Katahdin is the most difficult of all the climbs on the AT, and I like the idea of saving that final big test for last.

– Most hikers go northbound, and I like interacting with others. While that causes occasional crowding at shelters early on, the herd quickly thins out and there is as much solitude as you want.

– The last hundred miles on the AT in Maine is reportedly difficult and barren wilderness. I’d rather end there as an experienced hiker with trail legs rather than begin there as an inexperienced, overweight rookie.

– All that said, I recognize there are benefits to going southbound or flip-flopping, including weather, family reasons, more solitude, etc. SOBOs who complete the AT are most certainly thru-hikers and I wouldn’t put an asterisk by their name. I just prefer being a NOBO.

4. Is it okay to “slack pack”, which means you have someone else (a friend, family member, hostel owner, etc) carry (drive) your backpack for you for a day or more so you can do an unencumbered, bigger mileage day? My view: Absolutely not. This would earn me the dreaded asterisk by my name. Rationale:

– Part of the AT’s appeal is the high level of difficulty and a big part of that is carrying a 25 to 35 pound backpack. That’s my job…not someone else’s. I wouldn’t go whitewater rafting and have someone else paddle for me, or go on the world’s fastest roller coaster and have them apply a brake throughout to make it easier. If I wanted an easier challenge, I’d have chosen an easier trail…or just gone bowling.

– Almost without exception, slack packers have to rush to hit the big miles and rendezvous with their backpack. Rushing is the last thing I want to do. Big, easy miles isn’t my goal. It’s about enjoying the journey. One female slack packer zoomed by me to reach her 30-mile day, with thunderstorms forecasted. I asked her what her intentions were regarding (not yet blogged about) McAfee Knob, arguably the second most famous landmark on the trail. Out of breath, she said, “Don’t have time to stop there. Gotta hit pickup point. Will have to return some day to get a pic and enjoy.” Seriously? If I were to skip (or rush) McAfee Knob, lookouts, waterfalls, etc., due to a time pressure to have a big mileage day, I’d be missing the main purpose of hiking the AT.  I’m not suggesting all slack packers miss all the cool sights.  I am suggesting you are more likely to miss cool things when you’re rushing.

– Along those same lines, I came across this note in an AT shelter log by a fellow hiker named Arrow:  “How many of us gazed off Black Rock, splashed in the waters of a 200′ falls, relaxed in the sun on Apple Orchard Mountain, and scrambled over the massive boulders of the Devils Marble Yard?  Since when did big mileage become so important that we are willing to skip wonderful side adventures?  Since when did we begin to focus so much on a number that we miss the things that make the AT so beautiful and exciting?  Many of us came here to escape the busy, over-productive, hurry-hurry civilization, but perhaps we have brought it along with us?”  He nailed it!

– There is often a fee for the shuttle service, and possibly also for a second night at the hostel if you hike back to it.

– No flexibility to stop early for the day in real bad weather. You simply have to get to the pickup point.

– Most importantly, for me, is that my mom’s ashes are in a pouch inside my backpack. She will remain in it, and it will not leave my sight. My pack is an extension of me on many levels, and it will remain with me to the end.

So those are my personal views on what it means for me to hike my own hike. Each hiker resolves these issues in a way that works for them. So long as we all can look ourselves in the mirror at the end and feel good about our hike (however we defined it), that’s the main thing. I guess that same principle applies to how you live your life, and how you’ll feel about your life as you reflect on it towards the end of the journey.

Fob