I received my copy of the 2018 Appalachian Trail Hikers Yearbook (https://hikeryearbook.com/) this weekend but haven't had time to look at it in detail. However, the photos that I submitted are on pages 38 (Happy Hermit, bottom left corner, summit of Mt Washington on 04 July) and 151 (lower right, summit of Mt Katahdin on 05 September). I meant to submit an "end of hike" photo when I reached Harpers Ferry in December to replace the Katahdin photo, but I forgot and missed the editorial deadline.
Which reminds me - I must scan the print photos that I received at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters when I started and ended my hike, and add these to my online photo album. I am organizing my trail photos and working on the captions now.
I found a few folks listed in the yearbook whom I know from the trail. Production, Camo, Wildfire, Glider and 50/50 are there, as are both Peppermints (who summited Katahdin the same time that I did). There is a Penguin, but not the Penguin whom I know. The Woods Hole Hostel and owner Neville has a nice two page spread, and venerable trail maintainer Bob Peoples of Kincora Hostel is also listed. I need to spend more time to see if there are others that I recognize, though several folks that I hiked with are not listed, including Rockdawg, Seabiscuit, OldNSlow, Shirtless, Cinnamon Girl and Wilderness Hawk.
In other news, two Best Buy delivery men removed my very big, heavy and long-dead 2003-vintage 38" widescreen CRT TV on Friday and left a new 55" 4K Smart TV, which I installed that evening. I spent part of last week clearing years of clutter from my living room to make a path to carry out the old set, but I still have a lot of cleaning left to do. At least now I can watch TV while doing so.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019
Welcome to my new blog! Every post prior to this is an import from my Google+ profile. I just posted what I believe is my last entry to my Google+ profile as I migrate over to Blogger. If you followed me over from Google+, thank you!
This blog is very much a work in progress. The theme and layout may change several times as I get settled in, but I expect to keep a dark background with light text.
I have several months of Appalachian Trail thru-hike updates left to edit.
You'll note that most of the photos in posts imported at original size, really too big for the blog. I resized and fixed layout of photos in the 21 December 2018 post and may continue to do so in previous posts, or just delete the photos and provide a link for each day to the appropriate album in Google Photos. I did not lose my photos in the Google+ transition, but I do need to weed out duplicates and accidents (thumb, ground, etc) and add captions.
I've been enjoying my time as a new retiree since I finished the trail. It's very nice being able to eat and sleep regularly again! I'm dividing my time between catching up on 2018 TV and movies (On Demand, DVR, RedBox), and walking two miles each way to the movie theater a few times per week (I joined AMC Stubs A-List, https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist).
I am also spending at least an hour every weekday in the fitness room and lap pool of the local recreation center to keep some of my hard-earned muscle and avoid gaining too much weight. I started my AT thru-hike at 175 lbs (near maximum healthy weight for a 5' 11" man), ended at 130 lbs (underweight), and am trying to stay at 145 lbs (lower end of healthy weight). It's tough not eating every snack in sight like I did on trail!
I'm also procrastinating on my house clean-up and renovating my master bathroom. Speaking of which, I need to clean up my living room to make room for a new TV being delivered this week.
Thanks for following!
This blog is very much a work in progress. The theme and layout may change several times as I get settled in, but I expect to keep a dark background with light text.
I have several months of Appalachian Trail thru-hike updates left to edit.
You'll note that most of the photos in posts imported at original size, really too big for the blog. I resized and fixed layout of photos in the 21 December 2018 post and may continue to do so in previous posts, or just delete the photos and provide a link for each day to the appropriate album in Google Photos. I did not lose my photos in the Google+ transition, but I do need to weed out duplicates and accidents (thumb, ground, etc) and add captions.
I've been enjoying my time as a new retiree since I finished the trail. It's very nice being able to eat and sleep regularly again! I'm dividing my time between catching up on 2018 TV and movies (On Demand, DVR, RedBox), and walking two miles each way to the movie theater a few times per week (I joined AMC Stubs A-List, https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist).
I am also spending at least an hour every weekday in the fitness room and lap pool of the local recreation center to keep some of my hard-earned muscle and avoid gaining too much weight. I started my AT thru-hike at 175 lbs (near maximum healthy weight for a 5' 11" man), ended at 130 lbs (underweight), and am trying to stay at 145 lbs (lower end of healthy weight). It's tough not eating every snack in sight like I did on trail!
I'm also procrastinating on my house clean-up and renovating my master bathroom. Speaking of which, I need to clean up my living room to make room for a new TV being delivered this week.
Thanks for following!
Friday, December 21, 2018
Quick update:
Quick update:
Done! I completed my thruhike on the #AppalachianTrail yesterday at 1:21pm ET when I reached the access trail for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at Harpers Ferry WV. I also beat the rain getting there!Roughly speaking, eight months on the calendar since my 16 April start with six and a half months on trail.
I spent yesterday afternoon at the ATC headquarters, where the staff joined me to celebrate with Christmas cookies and sparkling cider. I also had my photo taken and added to the 2018 Hiker Book. Had fun talking with the ATC staffers and renewed my annual membership.
I also offered to help out and participate on the hiker Q&A panel at the 2019 Flip Flop Festival (details to be posted at http://www.flipflopfestival.org/).I had dinner and spent the night at The Town's Inn (http://www.thetownsinn.com) on High Street, close to the train station. I'll be taking Amtrak home to DC this afternoon.
Once Christmas activities settle down, I'll get back to posting my backlog of daily trail updates and photos. I haven't forgotten.
Thanks for following! Have a wonderful Holiday season!
Friday, December 14, 2018
Quick(?) update:
Quick(?) update:
I'm at the beautiful Mountain Home "Cabbin" hostel outside of Front Royal after hiking through Shenandoah National Park for most of the week. Saturday was pretty easy, then Sunday began and ended with snow (only 5" total) and many time-consuming blowdowns near Loft Mountain campground. Skyline Drive was closed, so I spent most of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday hiking 20+ mile days on the drive with forays onto the trail near the huts (shelters) at the start and end of the day (both the park rangers and Appalachian Trail Conservancy recommended hikers use the drive over the trail).
Thursday was all on the trail as most snow had thinned out, where I joined 50/50, another northbound flip-flop thruhiker I last saw in Daleville VA before Thanksgiving. He had only 10 miles left to complete his hike when I stopped at the Tom Floyd shelter just outside Front Royal.
I did the last four miles to the hostel this morning, and will zero here tomorrow to let my feet rest, eat, and wait out the flood watch for the rain tonight and tomorrow.
Only 60 miles to go! I expect to complete at Harpers Ferry on the 20th.
I'm at the beautiful Mountain Home "Cabbin" hostel outside of Front Royal after hiking through Shenandoah National Park for most of the week. Saturday was pretty easy, then Sunday began and ended with snow (only 5" total) and many time-consuming blowdowns near Loft Mountain campground. Skyline Drive was closed, so I spent most of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday hiking 20+ mile days on the drive with forays onto the trail near the huts (shelters) at the start and end of the day (both the park rangers and Appalachian Trail Conservancy recommended hikers use the drive over the trail).
Thursday was all on the trail as most snow had thinned out, where I joined 50/50, another northbound flip-flop thruhiker I last saw in Daleville VA before Thanksgiving. He had only 10 miles left to complete his hike when I stopped at the Tom Floyd shelter just outside Front Royal.
I did the last four miles to the hostel this morning, and will zero here tomorrow to let my feet rest, eat, and wait out the flood watch for the rain tonight and tomorrow.
Only 60 miles to go! I expect to complete at Harpers Ferry on the 20th.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Quick update:
Quick update:
After crossing the James River footbridge last Saturday, I stopped at Stanimal's 328 hostel in Glasgow where I had a shower, did laundry, resupplied at Dollar General, and ate a large veggie pizza (the essentials) before moving on early Sunday.
Blowdowns are still a problem on the trail. Some sections are relatively easy, then there are miles of complex and difficult to bypass blowdowns (reports at https://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/trail-updates#VA are relatively accurate for Central Virginia where I passed through the thick of it, but clearing is happening after I passed).
I got into Stanimal's other hostel in Waynesboro this morning after nearly 4 miles of extensive, difficult blowdowns. I heard from the caretaker that Shenandoah ahead has about 100 trees down across each mile of trail, which corresponds to what I saw today and yesterday between Humpback Rocks and Rockfish Gap (pictures). Still, I want to press on early Saturday hoping trail crews make progress clearing the trail and terrain makes bypassing the damage easier. Oh, and up to 4" of additional snow is in the forecast for Sunday-Monday, plus temperatures in the low 20s overnight (my socks and boots were frozen this morning).
Enjoying my break now, though. Lots of food, and Internet to work on holiday shopping, as well as catching up on 2018 movie releases at the hostel. FWIW, I haven't encountered another thruhiker on the trail since a few days before Glasgow. Nice to have hostels and shelters to myself, though I did share Maupin Field shelter with a skunk Tuesday night and almost got sprayed, so it could be worse!
I'm really looking forward to getting home before Christmas. The long nights are giving me plenty of time to plan out a bathroom remodel, household cleanup, and other post retirement activities (develop a budget) when I return.
After crossing the James River footbridge last Saturday, I stopped at Stanimal's 328 hostel in Glasgow where I had a shower, did laundry, resupplied at Dollar General, and ate a large veggie pizza (the essentials) before moving on early Sunday.
Blowdowns are still a problem on the trail. Some sections are relatively easy, then there are miles of complex and difficult to bypass blowdowns (reports at https://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/trail-updates#VA are relatively accurate for Central Virginia where I passed through the thick of it, but clearing is happening after I passed).
I got into Stanimal's other hostel in Waynesboro this morning after nearly 4 miles of extensive, difficult blowdowns. I heard from the caretaker that Shenandoah ahead has about 100 trees down across each mile of trail, which corresponds to what I saw today and yesterday between Humpback Rocks and Rockfish Gap (pictures). Still, I want to press on early Saturday hoping trail crews make progress clearing the trail and terrain makes bypassing the damage easier. Oh, and up to 4" of additional snow is in the forecast for Sunday-Monday, plus temperatures in the low 20s overnight (my socks and boots were frozen this morning).
Enjoying my break now, though. Lots of food, and Internet to work on holiday shopping, as well as catching up on 2018 movie releases at the hostel. FWIW, I haven't encountered another thruhiker on the trail since a few days before Glasgow. Nice to have hostels and shelters to myself, though I did share Maupin Field shelter with a skunk Tuesday night and almost got sprayed, so it could be worse!
I'm really looking forward to getting home before Christmas. The long nights are giving me plenty of time to plan out a bathroom remodel, household cleanup, and other post retirement activities (develop a budget) when I return.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Quick update:
Quick update:
After two brutally cold, windy days on the #AppalachianTrail north of Daleville, I made an unscheduled stop at the Wattstull Inn in Buchanan VA. I was seriously concerned about frostbite with below freezing temperatures (as attested by my lemonade slush) and 40mph winds along the ridges. My fingers were numb from the start, despite my "windproof" gloves.
Thankfully, a trail angel gave me a ride 5 miles from the VA 614 trailhead (though in the back of a pickup, so still cold) to the Wattstull Inn, a very nice place with Foot of the Mountain restaurant onsite.
My fingers are still recovering (tingling, but I can tie boot laces again). Weather looks much warmer for the rest of the week, though a chance of rain.
There are also a lot of blowdowns (downed trees) across the trail from the recent ice storm, and I hear this continues north of Waynesboro and into Shenandoah National Park. This is slowing me down, but I've run into two volunteer trail crews hard at work removing them so I hope my delay improves the situation.
My next planned stop is at a hostel in Glasgow VA on Saturday.
After two brutally cold, windy days on the #AppalachianTrail north of Daleville, I made an unscheduled stop at the Wattstull Inn in Buchanan VA. I was seriously concerned about frostbite with below freezing temperatures (as attested by my lemonade slush) and 40mph winds along the ridges. My fingers were numb from the start, despite my "windproof" gloves.
Thankfully, a trail angel gave me a ride 5 miles from the VA 614 trailhead (though in the back of a pickup, so still cold) to the Wattstull Inn, a very nice place with Foot of the Mountain restaurant onsite.
My fingers are still recovering (tingling, but I can tie boot laces again). Weather looks much warmer for the rest of the week, though a chance of rain.
There are also a lot of blowdowns (downed trees) across the trail from the recent ice storm, and I hear this continues north of Waynesboro and into Shenandoah National Park. This is slowing me down, but I've run into two volunteer trail crews hard at work removing them so I hope my delay improves the situation.
My next planned stop is at a hostel in Glasgow VA on Saturday.
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Quick update:
Quick update:
Left the trail at Catawba VA on Tuesday after hiking Dragons Tooth and returned to northern Virginia on Wednesday for Thanksgiving with family.
My sister and brother-in-law are giving me a ride back to Daleville this afternoon so I will be back on the trail Sunday morning to see McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)