29 September 2012
Hello! Another quick update: I am in Rutland Vermont today staying in a great hostel run by an interesting Christian sect called the 12 Tribes. I decided to come down last night as my right ankle was giving jip and it needs a rest. I spent the night of 27th in a cosy little shelter cabin on my own and it was VERY cold but not as cold as i would have been if I had stayed at the bigger stone shelter higher up, which had no windows and cold, damp stone walls and floor as well as a leaking roof I have since learned. Yesterday morning was raining and windy so I decided to stay put in the warm and dry and stay off my ankle. In the early afternoon the rain had stopped and since I now no longer had enough food to make it to Hanover, New Hampshire - my original plan was to get from Manchester Center, Vermont to Hanover in 6 days and I was carrying just enough food to do this - I came down to town. This also gave me a chance to test the ankle on the 3 miles down to the road, and yes, it was definitely hurt.
I spent 2 days and 3 nights in Rutland and the ankle was fine after that. It was also a chance to re-supply, eat a huge amount at the Chinese all you can eat buffet (I love these), rest and shoot the breeze with folks at the hostel, one of whom was/is a train hobo who has been traveling around the country by jumping on and off trains for 7 years. Interesting people I meet.
Monday, 22 October 2012
18 September 2012
Hello everyone!
I have now made it to Dalton in Massachusetts. I am about a day's walk from the Vermont state line with Mount Greylock right in front of me. I did a 10.5 mile walk yesterday "slackpacking" (you leave your full pack and kit with someone - in this case Tom Levardi in whose house I have stayed while in Dalton - and walk with only a light pack containing things for the day's walk). Wh
at a difference to walk lightly along the trail for a change!
I last checked in in Vernon NJ, but have now walked through New York State, Connecticut and most of Massachusetts.
I now have new boots! My old ones made it as far as Pawling NY, just south of Connecticut, where they finally died after walking 36 miles in one go, through the night and up to 7:45 next day. They made it 1440 miles before the soles finally shredded and fell apart. RIP torture-boxes.
I decided to stay put today as the unseasonable cold weather has been followed by heavy rain and strong winds today. Not a good day to try walking over Mount Greylock. So I have stayed warm and dry and managed to get to the library in Dalton.
I have not been rushing to get to Mnt Katadin as time is now probably too short, it was never a main goal (I'm not hell-bent on "finishing at Katadin"), and I want to enjoy this time and chew the fat - which was the point of this all along anyway.
I spent Fri and Sat at a beautiful place called Upper Goose Pond, in the cabin run by the Appalachian Mountain Club - with caretaker and pancakes and coffee for breakfast! - because it is so beautiful and I wanted to take the time to explore and enjoy it and rest. I swam in the lake, took a canoe and paddled round the lake, to the island, through the channel to the adjoining bigger lake and back, took numerous photos, slept and read. Just what the dactor ordered.
New York was a challenge, with very rough country, unpleasant heat, horrible humidity (up to 100% at times) and little water as they have been having a drought. Happily I / we were able to fill up from taps at various buisnesses and state parks, and from jugs of water left at certain places by "trail angels".
One more bear spotted, which brings my total so far to 23. : )
I spent a day in Salisbury, Conn., "zeroing" in order to rest my ankle which my new boot had been pressing and hurting. FYI: a teahouse there called "Chaiwalla's" serves pots of the best (real) chai I have yet tasted. Yum yum! 2 days later I said goodby to my new chum Cameron in Great Barrington, as he had colitis and had been really suffering. I told him we had to get him checked out and went to the hospital in GB. He will be off trail for a few days but hopefully I'll meet up with him again before too long.
Well, I am about to be chucked off this pc, so best regards to all.
Hello everyone!
I have now made it to Dalton in Massachusetts. I am about a day's walk from the Vermont state line with Mount Greylock right in front of me. I did a 10.5 mile walk yesterday "slackpacking" (you leave your full pack and kit with someone - in this case Tom Levardi in whose house I have stayed while in Dalton - and walk with only a light pack containing things for the day's walk). Wh
at a difference to walk lightly along the trail for a change!
I last checked in in Vernon NJ, but have now walked through New York State, Connecticut and most of Massachusetts.
I now have new boots! My old ones made it as far as Pawling NY, just south of Connecticut, where they finally died after walking 36 miles in one go, through the night and up to 7:45 next day. They made it 1440 miles before the soles finally shredded and fell apart. RIP torture-boxes.
I decided to stay put today as the unseasonable cold weather has been followed by heavy rain and strong winds today. Not a good day to try walking over Mount Greylock. So I have stayed warm and dry and managed to get to the library in Dalton.
I have not been rushing to get to Mnt Katadin as time is now probably too short, it was never a main goal (I'm not hell-bent on "finishing at Katadin"), and I want to enjoy this time and chew the fat - which was the point of this all along anyway.
I spent Fri and Sat at a beautiful place called Upper Goose Pond, in the cabin run by the Appalachian Mountain Club - with caretaker and pancakes and coffee for breakfast! - because it is so beautiful and I wanted to take the time to explore and enjoy it and rest. I swam in the lake, took a canoe and paddled round the lake, to the island, through the channel to the adjoining bigger lake and back, took numerous photos, slept and read. Just what the dactor ordered.
New York was a challenge, with very rough country, unpleasant heat, horrible humidity (up to 100% at times) and little water as they have been having a drought. Happily I / we were able to fill up from taps at various buisnesses and state parks, and from jugs of water left at certain places by "trail angels".
One more bear spotted, which brings my total so far to 23. : )
I spent a day in Salisbury, Conn., "zeroing" in order to rest my ankle which my new boot had been pressing and hurting. FYI: a teahouse there called "Chaiwalla's" serves pots of the best (real) chai I have yet tasted. Yum yum! 2 days later I said goodby to my new chum Cameron in Great Barrington, as he had colitis and had been really suffering. I told him we had to get him checked out and went to the hospital in GB. He will be off trail for a few days but hopefully I'll meet up with him again before too long.
Well, I am about to be chucked off this pc, so best regards to all.
30 August 2012
Hi Everyone, I'm in Vernon, Nu Joizy (New Jersey)! I made it through Pennsylvania and survived the rocks - though I reckon my boots did not. Sooo glad to be out of the rocks - though I did like PA a lot. Tomorrow I'll be crossing into New York State as it's only a few miles away.
Only saw one bear in PA: at Delaware Water Gap (another town I really liked) as I was eating my supper outside a shop.
It walked up behind me in the street - I didn't realise it was there until the people at the next table (looking over my shoulder) started exclaiming : "Is that a bear? It's a bear! It's a bear!" etc. and started grabbing children and running inside. I looked round and there was the cheeky bruin walking towards me across the road not 10 -15m away.Happily, he took a left and headed for the dumpster at the end of the parking lot. I finished up supper and then got some great pics of his ass waving in the air as he raided the dumpster. Hmmm, perhaps a bear not too long for this world or at least that neighbourhood.
Next day after church (yes, I went to the Church of the Mountain hostel and attended the morning service upstairs next morning) I crossed the Delaware River into NJ. Still with the rocks! Only now hills as well! But then yesterday I came down off the hill at a place called High Point and seem to have left those rocks behind. Oh the rejoicing! Walked a short 13 mile day today to Vernon and had a great supper hosted by the St Thomas Episcopal church's neighbours, the Presbetarian Methodist Church (right next door), enjoyed some great worship at their service afterwards, then did some re-supplying at the grocery store. Ice-cream, and then bed. Oh what it is to suffer on the trail! : )
Only 2 days of anti-biotics to go - at last! No more hassle and no more sunburning. You are supposed to avoid exposure to direct sunlight while on these (and yes, you really DO burn in just a little sunshine) , yeah, like that's going to happen the trail. Got bitten by some kind of e-type mosquitoes just before and in Delaware Water Gap. Nasty! A whole lot of bites on my arms and face that formed big welts which have lasted for days and are still leaking lymph fluid. Greeeat. Still, they are healing up now so it's all good. Heh Heh!
Stunned by the great news of engagements and weddings from the home-front (Memo and Vicky, Toni and Dana)! Great stuff!
Missing you all. Love.
Hi Everyone, I'm in Vernon, Nu Joizy (New Jersey)! I made it through Pennsylvania and survived the rocks - though I reckon my boots did not. Sooo glad to be out of the rocks - though I did like PA a lot. Tomorrow I'll be crossing into New York State as it's only a few miles away.
Only saw one bear in PA: at Delaware Water Gap (another town I really liked) as I was eating my supper outside a shop.
It walked up behind me in the street - I didn't realise it was there until the people at the next table (looking over my shoulder) started exclaiming : "Is that a bear? It's a bear! It's a bear!" etc. and started grabbing children and running inside. I looked round and there was the cheeky bruin walking towards me across the road not 10 -15m away.Happily, he took a left and headed for the dumpster at the end of the parking lot. I finished up supper and then got some great pics of his ass waving in the air as he raided the dumpster. Hmmm, perhaps a bear not too long for this world or at least that neighbourhood.
Next day after church (yes, I went to the Church of the Mountain hostel and attended the morning service upstairs next morning) I crossed the Delaware River into NJ. Still with the rocks! Only now hills as well! But then yesterday I came down off the hill at a place called High Point and seem to have left those rocks behind. Oh the rejoicing! Walked a short 13 mile day today to Vernon and had a great supper hosted by the St Thomas Episcopal church's neighbours, the Presbetarian Methodist Church (right next door), enjoyed some great worship at their service afterwards, then did some re-supplying at the grocery store. Ice-cream, and then bed. Oh what it is to suffer on the trail! : )
Only 2 days of anti-biotics to go - at last! No more hassle and no more sunburning. You are supposed to avoid exposure to direct sunlight while on these (and yes, you really DO burn in just a little sunshine) , yeah, like that's going to happen the trail. Got bitten by some kind of e-type mosquitoes just before and in Delaware Water Gap. Nasty! A whole lot of bites on my arms and face that formed big welts which have lasted for days and are still leaking lymph fluid. Greeeat. Still, they are healing up now so it's all good. Heh Heh!
Stunned by the great news of engagements and weddings from the home-front (Memo and Vicky, Toni and Dana)! Great stuff!
Missing you all. Love.
9 August 2012
Thanks everyone! I made it out of Harper's Ferry, +- 7 miles to the next shelter. Started at 5pm(eek!) as I had a late lunch with a friend called "Ridiculous" and, completely unplanned (by me), spent a bit of quality time just sharing with him about some of the things The Lord has done for me. I also was able to pray for healing of some injuries he had. Good times, and I hope I see him again. I don't exactly know how, but I reached the shelter at about 7:35-40pm! Really nice shelter. Today I have walked 25 miles and some change, and I'm somewhat nackered. The shelter I was aiming for has no water - I met 2 guys coming the other way - and so I am spending the night - and money(!) - at a hostel just 0.3 miles down the road. Whole place to myself and now I'm going to organise some food to be delivered. Yum!
7 August 2012
Hey Everyone!
I'm in Harper's Ferry at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy! Made it to the (psychological) half way point. I'm going to have to move it to make it to Maine in time, but it's do-able. Not stopping here tonight - too expensive and I want to get on - but now down to the post office, lunch and then onwards and out. Maryland and Pennsylvania are ahead.
Hey Everyone!
I'm in Harper's Ferry at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy! Made it to the (psychological) half way point. I'm going to have to move it to make it to Maine in time, but it's do-able. Not stopping here tonight - too expensive and I want to get on - but now down to the post office, lunch and then onwards and out. Maryland and Pennsylvania are ahead.
2 August 2012
I'm in Leesburg at present, staying with Guy and Tracey de Blank. This weekend we're off to Harrisonburg for a family camp/retreat which I felt The Lord wanted me to go to. On Sunday afternoon or Mon. morning I'll be back on the trail and getting to Harper's Ferry either Mon or Tues depending.
I'm in Leesburg at present, staying with Guy and Tracey de Blank. This weekend we're off to Harrisonburg for a family camp/retreat which I felt The Lord wanted me to go to. On Sunday afternoon or Mon. morning I'll be back on the trail and getting to Harper's Ferry either Mon or Tues depending.
6 July 2012
Hi Everyone! This is just a quick note to all to reassure you that I am alive and well and survived the Derecho storm on Friday 29 June. We were all caught and there is widespread and bad damage from Georgia to Pennsylvania. I was caught in open woodland on a ridge just as it was getting dark and the storm came up without warning. Hurricane force winds and trees breaking and falling all around. There was nowhere to take cover so I just had to run for my life and dodge falling trees and limbs while trying to get down the trail and off the ridge, down to the shelter. A tree actually fell on me and knocked me down. A foot further on and I might be dead or badly injured. But I'm alive and uninjured (praise God!) and managed to get all my bits and pieces back and or repaired the next morning. A very close shave. But I have my life, I'm uninjured and God is GOOD! Just thought I'd check in and let you know. I'm in Daleville/Troutville VA and heading out now. Love to all.
Hi Everyone! This is just a quick note to all to reassure you that I am alive and well and survived the Derecho storm on Friday 29 June. We were all caught and there is widespread and bad damage from Georgia to Pennsylvania. I was caught in open woodland on a ridge just as it was getting dark and the storm came up without warning. Hurricane force winds and trees breaking and falling all around. There was nowhere to take cover so I just had to run for my life and dodge falling trees and limbs while trying to get down the trail and off the ridge, down to the shelter. A tree actually fell on me and knocked me down. A foot further on and I might be dead or badly injured. But I'm alive and uninjured (praise God!) and managed to get all my bits and pieces back and or repaired the next morning. A very close shave. But I have my life, I'm uninjured and God is GOOD! Just thought I'd check in and let you know. I'm in Daleville/Troutville VA and heading out now. Love to all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)