Date: 2005-12-21
To: Article about my hike in a Cleveland newspaper
Miles today: 0.0

By Dale Meggas, The Lakewood Sun December 15, 2005 www.cleveland.com/sun/lakewoodsunpost/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/113466845446031.xml&coll=3There are hikers. And then there is David Jessop. One day he just started hiking and it just never seemed to stop. The recent Oberlin College graduate was in search of a challenge. So there was none better than to just hike and hike and hike. For Jessop, a New York City native, it was going just about 180 degrees from his upbringing in taking up his challenge. There are two trails along the eastern coast of the United States that bring out the best in those who love to hike. One is the Florida Trail, taking up most of the Sunshine State. The other is the Appalachian Trail, which covers 13 eastern states and runs from Maine to Georgia and everywhere in between. To walk the entire length of either is way beyond the ambitions of even those who love to hike. To complete both is something that usually takes the experienced hiker a couple of years. And as the clich© goes, every trip starts with a first step. So with an 18-pound backpack that included three days of provisions, Jessop was on his way. Starting in the southern end of the Florida Trail, the recent college grad took those first steps. I was not an athlete in high school, admitted Jessop. I just needed a challenge and I thought hiking in the Florida Trail presented a very good challenge for me. Taking on one of the eight National Scenic Trails in the United States was one that was one day at a time beginning Jan. 9 of last year. Over nearly the next three months, Jessop's self-esteem grew. And at the same time, his size began to shrink. Over the entire journey over the two trails, I lost 75 pounds, said Jessop. The Florida Trail has a 1-mile section that can be very dangerous and you have to be very careful and be aware of your surroundings, he said. But what Jessop took from that was the chance to be alone. You have total freedom, he said. You can hike with a group, but I went by myself. You do meet people along the way, but for the most part, you are by yourself and with your own thoughts. Jessop continued his journey in the warmth of what Florida calls winter. But winter ends and so did Jessop's 1,100 mile challenge of the Florida Trail. What started in early January ended near the Alabama border on March 29. That would have been more than enough for even the most devout hikers, but Jessop found that the Appalachian Trail was right there for the taking. Going back to back on the Florida Trail and Appalachian Trail is something undertaken by very few. And that goal was just 2,174.9 miles away! So, just days later, on April 3, the march north to Katahdin, Maine became the next goal. While the trails are off the beaten path, Jessop and others who take up part or all of the trails, are just a bit out of touch with the rest of the world. To get back in touch, hikers only need to reach a point where they can renew their provisions. And while doing that, Jessop chose to find a way to keep up and interact with other hikers and friends by way of the Internet. Those communications while hiking the Appalachian Trail allowed Jessop to meet up with Lakewood resident Mark Schroeder and his sons, Spencer and Trevor. We know each other through a fraternal organization called ManKind Project, said Schroeder. In March, I was sitting at home with the flu when I read an e-mail about a fellow Warrior who was hiking the Florida Trail, he said. I checked the Web site (www.trailjournals.com/djessop) and started reading David's online journals. I was amazed that he traveled something like 75 miles through swamps and other areas and I was lying on my back in bed. His writing style as well as his journey, both physical and mental, intrigued me so I kept reading. Schroeder then found that he was able to hook up with Jessop when he learned that the hike would continue into the Appalachian Trail. My boys and I had long planned a trip to the Shenandoah to back pack with my brother-in-law over the Memorial Day weekend, said Schroeder. As that date approached, I saw from David's progress that he would be near where we were staying in Virginia. I contacted him by e-mail and offered to provide some trail magic, which is what hikers call it when a non-hiker supplies them with an unforeseen boon _ a free meal, a car ride or a bed for the night. Through the magic of the Internet, the Schroeders and Jessop met at Powell's Gap in the Shenandoah. We talked for a bit and then he accepted our invitation for a shower and clean bed for the night, said Schroeder. The rest is history, as they say. David is a true role model for my boys. For Jessop, the road continued until reaching the end of the trail on July 27. A job interview brought Jessop back to northeast Ohio. And with that, another chance to spend time with Schroeder and his sons. Jessop had concluded his adventure. And the interview found Jessop joining a nonprofit organization right back where he started near Oberlin College. Only he was a lot richer for the experience and 75 pounds lighter than the 255-pound frame he started with back in January when the Florida Trail caught his full attention.