Nature's Whereabouts as of June

Time flies as you are having fun for sure.  I am currently at home!  I made it to New York with my friends but had to get off the trail as I have a blister that has gone bad and had to have some medical treatment.  I do have pictures that I uploaded on my Smugmug site but if you have a weak stomach don't go there.  Pretty darn gross.  All my pictures are up there so if you are interested in this year's hike to NY you can see them all.  A sample are below for you to enjoy.

Hoping that I can get back on trail this coming week and will have to backtrack in September to finish the 2200 mile trek.  Not ideal but I do want to summit with my friends as they are more important than the miles covered or should I say how the miles are completed as they will be for sure. 

Shout out to Kyle for graduating top of his class and Charlsey for passing her rank test.  I am proud of you both.

What flower is this?

Trail Days 2010

I will take a hitch anytime it is offered

Sailor J comes to visit

We do climb as much as we have fun

Goals Update

Where to begin,  I have sad news to report in that I was not accepted by the MCC to be a trail maintainer.  I do believe that it is an age related thing of course they can't admit that.  All their information talks about their trail teams being composed of 18 to 25 years olds and I am far beyond 25.  Oh well, other opportunites will arise.  So to summarize,  this goal for 2010 will not be realized but at least I tried, right?

I am currently in Daleville, VA and headed tomorrow to Trail Days.  I am looking forward to seeing friends, getting some gear issues resolved and then who knows!  I don't have a job so who knows what will happen next.  This goal will be completed by the end of the week.

Since writing last I have again been through snow and cold, rain, and heat and humidity.  I do not know one day from the next what type of weather to be ready for and have to be flexible as the weather changes.  Have been camping on cliffs with great sunsets and waking to thunder storms in shelters.  I can't upload any pictures from where I am but hope to be able to do so when I get to Damascus. 

I do have a favor to ask of everyone.  At the right is a "survey" it will help me determine where I head next, please complete it.  I will check on Sunday before I leave Trail Days and I would appreciate your input.

Thanks

Updates from the Trail

Wow - Time Flies on the trail.  I have hiked to Fontana Dam with Bronco and Skywatcher as planned. Returned to Franklin, NC for the bash.  We had the most beautiful weather from the NOC to the dam and finally it is supposed to be a beautiful week in the Smokies.  I am very excited about that as last year we had rain, ice and fog for much of them.  Unfortunately, we had to leave our new friends (Mage, Steve, Bonny Boy) as they continued on into the Smokies while we partied.  I am happy to say that I got to visit with a lot of friends that I have not seen in quite some time - Radar, Cool Breeze, Mother Nature to name a few.  I have missed them greatly and it was great to see them.

Bronco and I returned to Fontana Dam on Sunday and spent the night at the "Hilton".  The Hilton is the shelter for hikers at the dam.  I forgot to take a picture of it.  Sorry - it was full of hikers and there were tents pitched places as well.  I thought the hiker numbers were down from last year and the ridgerunner in the Smokies said it was due to the weather.

I tried to contact the MCC for my job interview but after two hours of trying finally left a message that I was going into the Smokies and would call when I had service.  I began my long journey uphill into the Smokies on a beautiful day and enjoyed every step.  I made it to Spence Field which is the third shelter into the Smokies and farther than I thought I could go.  Day 2 was a beautiful clear day as well,  made it to Double Springs shelter and then after supper, Kate, Gumbo and I decided to go to Clingman's Dome for a little cowboy camping in the tower.  We watched the most beautiful sunset and sunrise every and no one else was there to enjoy it.  There is a lot of storm damage from this past winter there and lots of bushwacking to do.  We saw headlights headed our way we thought in the morning and hurried to get our packs packed as you are not supposed to spend the night there.  Later we found that not only the trail has damage but the road to the Dome is closed due to damage and that the public works trucks start early in the morning.  The climb down from Clingman's Dome included post holing in 4 foot of snow in places, lots of places.  Quite the challenge.

Made it to Icewater Shelter that day and found that the forecast for the following day was rain, lots of it.  The weather man for once was right! It downpoured all day a cold rain all day with lightening and thunder added into the mix.  There was lots of ice and snow to navigate and the rain made the traverse much more challenging.  I and my gear got soaked, there was hardly anything dry at the end of the day.  I got to a leaking shelter and decided to continue on the one of my favorite places in the Smokies, Mt. Cammerer firetower.  No one else was there and I could spread everything out to dry.  Nothing was dry by morning so I took my time and hung pants and shirt out to dry in the morning.  Much to my surprise when I went out to check on them, they had frozen solid!  I had to walk out with them on the outside of my pack sticking straight up, I am sure it was quite a sight.  If I had developed the skill to take self portraits I would have but that is beyond my skill level with a camera.  Someday I will figure it out.    This was a 23 mile day for me.

Visited one of my favorite places, Standing Bear Farm, to dry out and warm up and then two days into Hot Springs where I am today.  I had my phone interview for the MCC job and I am hoping that it goes well.  The only unfortunate thing is that he asked if I would be interested in ChainSaw School which of course I said yes as I think that would be kind of cool but it will mean that I cannot go to Trail Days to see everyone and that will sadden me greatly.  We will see what happens in about a week.

Went to the Doctor's today and I fell and got a great bruise while hiking to Fontana Dam.  It has not healed and it still hurts me to sit.  I was worried about another infection.  They said that it is not infected yet but to keep a close eye on it.  Over all, I am happy to report that I feel great, my body seems to accepted the fact that we are back on the trail and is stepping up to the plate.  A 20 mile day does not sound all that bad.

This afternoon, I am meeting up with Homeless and UnEmployed and I can't wait to see them.  I discovered that my new friends, Doodlebug and Digerydude, know them too!  I love the hiker community.  We may be small but we are mighty.

I expect that I will be in Erwin, TN in another 5 days.  Will write more then.  Oh - and I saw my first snake of the season, not happy about that little slithery thing at all.  Others have seen rattlesnakes, I pray that I do not. 

OH wait I must introduce you to Matilda.  The resident turkey at Double Spring Shelter in the Smokies.  I named her.  Isn't she the cutest thing ever?

Franklin N.C.

I am in Franklin North Carolina this evening and glad to be here as the rain pours down and has all day.  We have been through snow, hail, really strong winds, rain and little sun so far since Springer Mt.  But I am enjoying every day despite the weather.  Having a grand time with old friends and making new ones that I hope I will see again and that they all make it to Katahdin.  Sorry to say that one friend, Gypsy Girl, broke her foot the other day and may not make it this year.  Will add pictures when I can as I have some great ones. 

First goal completed

Well the first goal has been met, went to Norfolk and saw Charlsey graduate.  I had a great four day visit with her.  Ate a lot of GREAT vegetarian food and drank some wine with her.  I am very proud of her accomplishments so far and know that she will get her wings very fast.  I have faith. 

I am now at the Hiker Hostel and will be at Springer Mt. tomorrow and hopefully Gooch shelter for the night.  It is supposed to be nice weather which will be a treat.  Today, Bronco and I had some time to spare and did some trail magic for about 25 hikers.  It was great to give back a little and I know how much it is appreciated.  We then went to Neel's Gap and I got to visit with a lot of friends including Lumpy and Bear Paw.  Hoping Cool Breeze will be there when I hike in as he was a real support when I started last  year. 

Will post more the next time I am in town and near a computer.

Happy Trails

Goals for 2010

I am happy to report that I have lots of goals for the year whether or not they all are attained will be interesting.  They are as follows:

• Start a new blog (done!)
• Go to see my daughter graduate school, go Charlsey!
• Go back to Springer, March 20, and yes start hiking back north at least as far as Fontana Dam.  But I am thinking of going farther as I have no other goal holding me from the trail until mid-May.
• Go to Trail Days, Damascus, VA to see friends
• Begin my Americorps tour (not sure if tour is the right word) in Maine.  If I am accepted, I will be working outside doing trail maintenance, state park projects.  I look forward to the opportunity to give back to the state of Maine and the environment.
• Mid-August - return to Canada to complete the Long Trail.  In case you don't know I attempted this last late September and ran into snow and ice.  I fell 6 times in the course of one day and hurt my knee.  I knew that I had to make a choice to either get off the trail or attempt the highest peak in Vt. (Mansfield) and become someone else's problem when I needed rescueing.  I cried all day but knew in my heart that I had to do as I say and do the right thing.  I called my uncle and asked to be picked up.  I was very sad at the failure but am ready to take on the challenge this year and know that I will succeed.

• If all goes right, everyone keep their fingers crossed please, in October, I will be headed to Antarctica to work.  During a seminar at my last place of employment I was asked once what to you want to do in life?  I immediately replied that I wanted to make a difference in the world and I truly do.  I really want this job to support the science that is going on there to make a difference, to prove things are happening in our environment and we need to be aware of those changes and start changing our ways before it is too late. 
• Get a penguin tattoo if I get to go to Antarctica.

That is enough goals for one year, what do you think?