Appalachian Trail Part 2

I have 815.7 miles of the Appalachian Trail left to hike! That means I've hiked 1362.6 miles of trail through some of the most beautiful forests I've ever seen (and fields and backyards and highways too). I have 72.4 miles from Harper's Ferry to Elkwallow Wayside in Shenandoah National Park, 580.7 miles from Waynesboro, VA to Hot Springs, NC, and 162.6 miles from Fontana Dam, NC to Springer Mountain in Georgia.

I got to enjoy autumn from New Hampshire all the way to New York. Even though the trees are bare now, I can see a lot more mountains in the distance. Also, the evergreens look like Christmas trees with their dusting of snow. Vermont was especially vibrant (and muddy). The hotels in Vermont were full of what the locals call "Peepers," short for Leaf Peeper, or someone who comes from out of town just to enjoy the fall colors.

There have been a lot more people involved in my hike since I've left the more remote Maine and New Hampshire. My friend from college, Caitlin Clay came from New York City to hike with me for a couple days near Killington Mountain. It was fun to see her even though I had a stomach flu. She bravely tried to start a fire even though it had poured that afternoon just long enough to drench all the potential firewood in the area. We went to Caitlin's home to meet her parents and recuperate for the night. Thank you Caitlin! After hiking with Caitlin I hiked with Cuppa Joe, the caretaker from Liberty Springs that I met in New Hampshire. We got to stay with Arla and Chris in Bennington, VT. Arla shared her artwork, Chris shared his music, and they both shared their home with us. Another friend from college, Liz Gilbert and her boyfriend Peter also came to visit me on the trail. They are both experienced backpackers and, maybe more importantly, backwoods cooks. We fixed the best meal I've had on the trail so far: pulled pork sandwiches with roasted veggies and the tastiest, crispiest cornbread. We hiked from Cheshire, MA to Dalton, MA. In Dalton, MA I stayed at "The Birdcage" with a trail angel (people who are kind to hikers) Rob Bird and his three dogs. Rob is an amazing person and musician. He opens his home to hikers and anyone in trouble. Everything he has he shares with others: from his food to his stories to his guitar.

Rob sent me along to "The Outhouse" in New York to stay with another trail angel and his good friend, The Mayor. The Mayor's is an experience that I would recommend to any hikers passing through Unionville, NY. He first opened his doors in memory of his wife who had the idea to offer refuge to thru-hikers. It was at the Mayor's house that I reconnected with Trail-Leaf (back on the trail from Florida) and Spaz McGee (hiking the International AT from Quebec). I had the fortune of meeting a great friend and hiker LETITBE. I have been hiking with him since the end of October. We were able to use his truck to cover the highest parts of the trail (Shenandoah National Park and The Great Smoky Mountains) before the first major snowstorm of the year. I saw my first black bear on the trail in Shenandoah National Park. It was young enough to still look small and cute but old enough to be without its mother, probably 2 or 3 years old. I was impressed with how silky the coat looked. I guess expected all wild animals to look shaggy and matted like the coyotes of Providence, RI. Bruno and the bear were very curious about one another. The bear would stare at Bruno for a minute or two, then take a few steps, then stare again. Bruno was doing his confused "I'm excited to see you so I'm wagging my tail but I don't know who you are so I'm barking" dance. I hiked my longest day yet in Shenandoah National Park: 27 miles! which left only 7 miles to the park exit. I'm glad I did because that night and the next morning it snowed about 10 inches which made walking fun but a little difficult. The Great Smoky Mountains were beautiful. The Smokies are what I had imagined the AT to be: moss covered trees, gnarled roots occupying the paths, and purple mountains with wispy clouds rising from the valleys with the sun.

The past few weeks I've been taking a break from the trail to visit family and friends over the holidays. I did get to go home for Thanksgiving and took my parents back to the trail for two days, but I missed them anyway. I especially missed my best friend Aaron who I visited in Roseville, CA for the last time. (He's fortunately moving away from the strip mall capital of California.) We got to do all of our favorite things: eat sushi, play games, visit friends, and observe society through wacky grocery store items. Yes, you can inject fake flavors into your hams using a syringe. This product represents the industrialization of food and the susceptibility of Americans to health care lobbyist's advertisements. We need more real and local foods.

My Aunt and Uncle have been generously taking care of Bruno while I'm away. I've also been making much needed preparations for Jamaica and editing my Master's Thesis. If all goes well I'm planning on picking up Bruno and returning to the trail next week! I'm a little nervous that the weather won't be as cooperative as it was the past few months. While I've been gone, friends have written that winter has really started out there. Headstrong was waiting for snowshoes and Thirst left the trail after wind chills of -16 in the Shenandoah Mountains. Spaz seems to be surviving, but then again he is Canadian. Hopefully I'll return in the beginning of March with all my appendages and write another entry then!