Time’s Up

This is my last entry before the adventure begins. I hope to be able to keep this going every week or 10 days to show what I’ve done and where I’ve been. I really didn’t think I would get this excited about going. I can hardly contain myself. I have 212 days to walk from Springer Mountain to Mount Katadin (they close Baxter State Park October 15th). That figures out to be 10.4 miles a day….. every day, so it’s not so bad actually. I bet I walk that much or more in my kitchen at Loon everyday.

Katie arranged a surprise going away party for me a couple of days ago. My daughter, Brenda and her new husband Mike, my daughter Bette with my grandson Jerran as well as my mother and about 35 friends and co-workers all to wish me well. It was a fantastic party filled with food, drinks and lots of laughs.

Today was my last day of work and it was a day filled with good byes and well wishes for my grand adventure. I’m blessed with all the friends and family that have supported me on my quest. Tomorrow at 4:30 a.m.; I will leave with Mom and Katie to Boston and then on the train to Georgia. Working up to the last day has been good for me as I haven’t had spare time to sit around and rethink everything over and over again. Wait a minute, I have been rethinking everything over and over again.

It seems I’m suppose to maintain a blister score/count. Keeping everyone informed as to the number of blisters I have should be fairly easy. If you wish to have a betting pool on the number, you have my permission. My pain could be worth big bucks if you guess well. There is also the mileage count and the state count. The AT is in 14 states and the mileage is 2186 or so. I probably will have time for a bear count and a snake count. Some have suggested I limit the snake count to just poisonous snakes, but as far as I’m concerned all snakes have teeth and bite so all should be counted.

If things go as planned I should be back in the White Mountains by the end of August, but with no planning other than to get up every day and walk northward, there is no way of knowing.

I’ve read a lot of inspiring quotes that can pertain to the trail and my walk, but this one seems to fit. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” -Henry David Thoreau

Getting in the Good Byes

Things are coming together fast and it looks like it’s actually going to happen. Only 11 days before my start and one of the biggest fears has been that someone will step in and say “Oh, by the way, something’s come up and you can’t go.” I’m not afraid of the bears, the snakes (eeeks), the crazy mountain folk, or even the pain from blisters. I guess there is a bit of a concern about being cold and if I’m bringing the right clothing. I wonder how many thru-hikers have the fear of being cold more than anything else. The decisions made in planning and preparation has been good and sound; I hope. This coming week will be filled with work and saying good bye to friends and family. The biggest event will be Saturday; Brenda (my oldest daughter) is getting married. I’m so happy for her and it will be a good thing to take with me knowing she is happy. Mike is a good man and they will make a good life together. I’m so glad I will be there and share the day with her. Bette (my youngest daughter) will be the matron of honor and so they both will be dressed to the nines. I’m very proud of both of them. I will miss them and the rest my family, but this trip is something I have to do for myself.
If there is anything that you, my blog followers, want to know about me, the trip or want me to look into along the trail, please let me know in here and I’ll try to make it part of my blog and my grand adventure.

When, What and Who

Everyone seems to think I should be getting nervous about going on my adventure, as if I’m going to have a second thought and change my mind about going. I’m committed, maybe certifiably, but committed none the less. As a matter of fact my departure date has changed and therefore my hike date has changed as well. The train ride south to Georgia will be on Sunday March 17th (St. Patties Day) and arrive on the 18th. Sometime on Monday afternoon I will give Mom and Katie a kiss and hug; turn towards the trail then fade into the mist. Now that has the making of a great movie beginning doesn’t it? The best part is I get to leave three days earlier and will be missing the rush of weekend thru hiker starts. In March close to 1,500 hopeful thru-hikers will start their adventure. The total that start the trip is somewhere around 3,000 with between 15 and 20 percent finishing.
I’ve given it a lot of thought as to what I’ll write about along the way. I’m sure I will see some amazing sights, beautiful vista, breathtaking waterfalls, and nature at its best….and worst. The recording of these sights will be good, however I’m feeling my story will have a lot to do with meeting the wide variety of people (hikers and town folk) along the way and give ear to their stories and maybe repeat a few here.
Oh, a bit of a correction or maybe and expansion on my last post that referred to Katie as my boss, which she is, however, she is by far a lot more that that. Most people gain family through either blood or marriage, they being a brother, sister, daughter, mother, wife and so forth, but every once in a while someone enters your life and heart and becomes family in other ways. Katie along with husband, Brian and son, Grant have done just that. So yes, Katie is my boss, but also a very dear friend and someone I consider very much part of my family. Thanks Katie…. Oh, and thanks Brian and Grant for letting her go to see me off on my grand adventure.