May 26

It felt funny to be hiking down the mountain back into Erwin.  Spivey Gap, where I had resumed my hike the day before, is south of town so I needed to pass through once again on my way north to VA.  I had a phone signal for a part of the morning and was able to call home.  Susan was headed for a family picnic at her brother's home in Morristown. It suddenly was clear that this was our only chance to see each other before July.  The plan was settled. At the close of the family picnic she would head to Erwin and stay the night.

That opened a few options for me.  I was able to get a ride into town and surprise Andy and Kim by showing up for their worship service.  It gave me some more time to play with my two new friends, Hannah and Noah; as well as taking the family to lunch.  Best of all, I was able to share the evening with Susan and show her around.

Tomorrow morning it is time to get back on the trail and get serious about the miles.  It is still 120 miles until I enter Damascus, VA. Over the next days I will pass through some beautiful country. I will also pass the area of the trail where Highlander ended his earthly hike.

In many ways it marks the beginning of a new level of travel for me. I have developed the basic skills needed to complete this journey.  It is now just a matter of using them to press forward and do it.  Susan's visit has helped me with some of the grief processes. I still wish I could be able to respond and interact with each of you about the many kind words, thoughts, and prayers you have sent my way.  Please know I have read them all, but often they cannot be answered on my phone.  I miss being out of touch with everyone, but am so moved by your many expression of love and encouragement.

Thanks to all of you who read and follow my blog. Thanks for those who pray for me and care about my cause.  It truly helps me in the day to day hike.

I'll see you on the trail.

May 25, 2013

Another great breakfast! Randy and Laura Matney picked me up and treated me to a great meal and even greater conversation.  Their daughter through hiked the trail several years ago and with that background they dumped a full load of encouragement on me. It was just the right time.

I was back to Andy and Kim's place in time to finish packing, play a little with Noah and Hannah (their children) and Bella (their dog), take some pictures, and head back to the trail. (The baby slept through it all!)

Andy dropped me off at Spivey Gap about 12:15 and I resumed my journey.  The day was perfect, I was feeling wonderful, and the trail felt good. I stopped for the night in a little gap just a few miles from Erwin. Tomorrow morning I will hike past the outer edge of Erwin, then head back into the mountains toward the Virginia line.

I have phone service tonight, something rare to me.  I was able to call and offer congratulations to my son Nathan, who just passed his final set of license exams for civil  engineering.  I could also call home to my mother and Susan before the battery gave way.  Such luxury!

The weather ahead promises to be really good. I am hoping for good miles and great views as I climb through the last 100 miles or so of TN/NC.

May 24, 2013

If ever I was in the right place at the right time with the right people, it was today. I have spent the day and will spend the night at the home and in the company of Andy and Kim Frazier. Andy is the Youth Minister at First Christian Church in Erwin, TN. Their family includes three really special children; Hannah, Noah, and baby Elijah. The church is a supporter of CCDM, but Andy and Kim put my visit on a much higher level. They have been following my journey step by step and planned a visit that would encourage, relax, and refresh me body and soul. The body part includeded great food and a relaxing afternoon boating around a quiet lake in the area. The soul food was a planned evening of singing and sharing and breaking bread. It was a perfect package! I love being with them both, playing and interacting with their children, and soaking in the loving atmosphere of their home. They will never really know the timing and importance of this visit.

Tomorrow I go back on the trail refreshed, but also better able to handle the challenges out there and in my mind.

May 23

The rain pounded my little tent all night long. At one point the thunder and lightening rolled about right above me as I lay there in the night. It was like having my head down under a timpani drum while a wild monkey beat on it. It was too awesome to be frightening, but too frightening to ever be forgotten.

Morning found the rain on pause, with the cloud settled down right on top of the mountain. I began hiking early, with the plan of getting very close to Erwin before the day was finished. As I hiked through the morning the rain turned itself on and off again, never being able to make up it's mind. Finally it cut loose, dumping giant waterfalls of liquid down onto the countryside. At the gap I was offered a ride to a diner to wait out the heavy rain. That is where my day came apart.

Out of the rain and in the shelter of the diner, I began to interact and talk with the two ladies who ran the place. Suddenly it came out. Highlander had been in there as he passed through in much the same conditions. He had stopped for coffee while waiting on some passing weather and had struck up a conversation with the owners, who remembered him well.

It was too much for me to process. I was finished for the day. I left the gap and took an offered ride to Erwin to regroup.

Here in town, I have regrouped. Some phone calls to friends have helped. I have busied myself with laundry, drying out my gear, and re-planning my schedule. My stay with Andy Frazier on Saturday is moved ahead a day to Friday. I will have breakfast with the Matney's on Saturday before I leave town instead of lunch with them as I had planned as I arrived in town. I spent the evening relaxing and watching the stroms roll over the mountaintops all around Erwin, glad I was not up there.

I'm still struggling with the losses in my life more than I care to admit. It's not something I can fight, but is very real nevertheless. It makes me realize how much of a Phoenix journey this summer really is.

May 22, 2013

Last night's peaceful shelter took a serious turn after 10 pm. Three hikers began a night long repetition of vomiting and running to the privy. It was violent and constant throughout the night. This is the area that had an outbreak of the Noro Virus earlier in the spring. Could it be the virus has returned?

I started packing before 6 am, and got away from there as fast as I could. I did a real washing when I came to a source of water. Tonight as I write this I feel fine. I can only hope I am clear of any infection. This afternoon I walked past the next shelter and am camped alone by the trail. I think I will stay away from the shelter crowd until I know things have cleared up.

Today was just a walking day. There was one amazing view this afternoon, but I almost missed it in the heat and humidity. At the last minute I looked up and saw the world spreading out before me. It makes me ponder how many truly beautiful things we miss in life and never even know it.

The day was very warm, thick, and humid. There was not a breath of air stirring. I was struggling with a long, steep uphill climb and was mentally growing discouraged. "What's the point!", I said within. A few moments later I rounded the hill to find myself standing below a beautiful waterfall, cascading down through the gap into the forest below. I found myself laughing out loud at my short-sightedness and the majesty of the view before me.

I ended the day hiking through a thunderstorm. I was up high when it began, but moved quickly down into a gap where I am now camped. My little green tent goes well with the forest and ferns around me. I think I'll be safe and comfortable through the night.

May 21

Today started at 6 am. I was packed and moving down the trail by 6:30. My goal was 11 miles away, but in between was some challenging rock climbing. Rocks, along with downhills, are not my strong points.

The highlight of the day was breakfast on a high overlook combined with a brief moment of phone signal. I was able to talk to Susan and connect with my Mom before the magic signal disappeared. Carnation breakfast never tasted so good!

One thing I have looked forward to is the gravestones of the Sheldon brothers. These two young men fought for the south in the civil war. While visiting with family in this area, they were ambushed and killed by the dominate union supporters in the region. Their graves are located right along the trail. I spent a quiet rest stop there today thinking about the needless pain in the world. A hike like this really shakes up your personal list of what really matters. It anchors your values, but stretches all the assumptions you have carried through the years.

Tonight the shelter is a cheerful place. My singing hikers from last night have arrived. Another young man is nursing his feet that are covered with blisters. Swamp Fox has arrived, an older hiker that I met last week and hadn't seen since. A small fire is going and people are busy preparing for bed. Meanwhile, the thunder is rolling around the mountain and the wind is beginning to kick up. It should be a great night!

May 20

I started my day with fried mush, hot off the griddle and covered with syrup. Add some thick sliced bacon, some fresh strawberries and orange slices and it was a complete hikers treat.

The pack is stuffed with 5 days of food, stove fuel, and some fresh fruit. We are in the car and headed down the twisted back country roads that will take me back to "Mom's Place," a little country store where I stepped off the trail on Saturday. It the closest thing to an old time store you could find, complete with a collection of various chairs gathered in a rough circle where locals smoke, chew, and pass the time of day.

Randy came through and got me there in good time. I can't begin to express my gratitude for all he did to help me recover. After a warm goodbye with Randy, and a good morning greeting at Mom's, I was back on the trail again, picking up where I had left off.

The days hike was all uphill. That suited my ankles, but added to the challenge. I'm now wearing two ankle braces, one of them heavy duty. They seem to help. The thunderstorms never developed today as forecasted. No complaints here about that. I have finished my day still short of the 300 mile mark, but in a great place to roll out some miles tomorrow. My one concern is the trail ahead is marked rocky and strenuous. It is hard to judge the time I will need to move through that area.

It feels good to be moving north. There is still a good chance of thunderstorms all week, but that is what happens in the spring up in the mountains.

I am sharing the campsite with several young hikers who are struggling to build a fire and enjoy singing folk songs in harmony. What a great sound to drift off to sleep with. Goodnight everyone.

May 19, 2013

I woke up to the smell of homemade biscuits, sausage, eggs, and grits set out on the table and ready to eat. It is great to be staying in a home with a guy who loves to cook.

After breakfast we went to church where I was asked to share about my hike and the dreams of CCDM. Randy preaches for the Fall Branch Christian Church. It turns out that this was the church that Jim Pierson grew up in. That made my connection and story all the more interesting.

After a great Chinese Buffet (AYCE), and a resupply stop at Wallywood, we came home for the traditional Sunday nap and more homemade soup for dinner. In addition, all my gear is "dry", food packaged, clothes cleaned, and pack ready for an early morning departure.

It's the closest thing to a normal day I have had in a long time!

Heavy rain and storms have certainly left a wet, slippery trail along with flooding in many areas. The forecast calls for continuing storms all week long. I will face them as they come. My plan is to gear my walking to the shelters during next few days of rain. I should arrive back in civilization somewhere around Saturday afternoon.

I am drawing near to the 300 mile mark. That's both a long way traveled and an even longer way to go. This is a critical point for me. Dad's death has put me behind the main flow of thru hikers and reset all my goals for the trip. The next 170 miles are remote for resupply , and mentally challenging for hiking. There is no clear way to know exactly where you are as the trail will be drifting back and forth between TN and NC. This is the part that becomes mental and spiritual.

I want to stay in the game!

May 18, 2013

It started about 4 am this morning. It came softly at first, then began to grow harder and stronger. By the time I was packed and ready to hike, the rain had settled into the pure misery mode and I was already soaked.

I started down the path trying to calculate a good plan for the day. Most hikers were staying put in the shelters. The weather report sounded bad for the next week, but especially for the next several days. Today it was to rain. Tomorrow it was to pour. Flood warnings were sounding and hikers were staying put or getting off the trail. My goal was to move on to the next shelter at least and find a spot or get my tent set up.

The trail turned into a downhill mudslide. My glasses fogged up completely in the humidity. The anti-fogging stuff I bought was worthless under these conditions. I'm not going to report my fall coming down the mountain. I will only say that I hobbled out onto a road intersection soaking wet, exhausted, and in pain from a bad ankle twist.

Thanks to a kind neighbor, I was able to make contact with Randy Matney, a friend I had made from my trip to Romania a few years ago. Randy's daughter had thru hiked the AT and he understands the ways of the trail. We were planning on meeting at Sams Gap on Tuesday so he just came and got me a little earlier than expected. I have spent the rest of the day drying out, pampering my ankle, and enjoying hot, home made soup with cornbread. The weather is calling for heavy rains, thunderstorms, and flooding tomorrow. My plan is to nurse my ankle, dry out, and start up fresh Monday morning.

Thanks, Randy! You are a genuine trail angel.

May 17

It happened this morning for the second time since I have been walking alone. My head was down watching my steps, my mind was occupied, and without knowing it I was off the AT and following a side trail. The first time it happened I walked for close to a half mile before I figured it out. Today didn't take so long. The solution to the problem is to get my head up and keep in focus not only my immediate steps, but also the ultimate path that will get me where I want to be.

Side trails can be nice. Todays wrong trail led to a beautiful overlook. The problem is they take time, energy, and focus that could better be used to reach the real goal. There are tons of life lessons there if I could only learn them!

Today was an outstanding day. It was so hard to get started, but once on the trail things fell into place. I felt stronger than I have in many days, and the day rolled before me. I was right where I needed to be.

I stopped for lunch at a pond created years ago by someone damming up a spring. At one time there must have been a mill there, or something that needed the power of the captured water. Today it was peaceful and beautiful. A pair of bulldogs were trying their best to outdo one another in noise making. I fed the fish and watched a giant turtle slide into the depths.

I did see another snake along the trail. This one was a copperhead hiding in the rocks and leaves beside the path. I would love to see a deer, a wild turkey, a chipmunk, or even a bear. It seems all I get are snakes! I don't think I'm out here to learn to be a snake handler!

My day ended with a thunderstorm. I stopped at 11 miles still feeling good and have enjoyed a fire and the company of several hikers who also came in from out of the storm. Once the rain stopped we pitched our tents and settled in for the evening. After dark, a lone college girl came into camp, tired from a long day of hiking. All is quiet and the fire has died down. It's hiker midnight and all is well.