Date: 2013-06-28
From: Hamburg

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

Back in Ohio. My dog remembered me and didn't take a chunk out of my hide. Both cats are alive and well. The house, yard and garden looks great - thanks Don! Great job taking care of things while I've been gone. I know it isn't easy and I appreciate your full support of my insanity. Hiker update on the AT Weight Loss program - 27 pounds lost. So easy folks - you just start at Springer and walk North for three months. I feel great and hopefully will look great as I tone. Right now, there's a lot of saggy skin! With all the rain we've had, there is an abundance of weeds in all my flower beds. Just the right thing to ensure my return to the trail - I vow not to pull one weed!Now for a question:You mention Trail Maintainers and Ridgerunners. I can pretty much figure out what a Trail Maintainer would do, but what does a Ridgerunner do?Great question. Both are essential to the function of this awesome trail. Trail Maintainers are totally volunteer organizations. I've found that many are retired, older men. All sections are covered by some club - some more active than others and I think it must be related to membership. For example, the Carolina Mountain Club was a very vibrant, active group. They have so many members that there is a team out everyday during the hiking season. They cover 90 miles of the trail and the section was impeccable - no blow downs to go around and no trash in the shelters (you'd be amazed at the amount of trash in some of the shelters. Something I'd like to do next year to give back - hike to certain shelters and pack out the trash.) Other sections seem to be neglected. They'll be a blow-down (tree that has fallen in a storm and is too big to remove by hand) that could be sawed and removed but instead there is an established trail going around it so you know it's been there a while. I take my hat off to all Trail Maintainers. Thank you for your service!Ridge Runners are paid (albeit not a lot) employees, usually of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. They post the positions on their website. Their job description is to walk their section of the trail and be the eyes and ears of the trail - to keep watch on the hikers, usage of the trail, warn of approaching bad weather, etc. to talk to visitors about the A.T. and its intended primitive experience, its location, regulations, and traditions, as well as ways they can minimize their impact on the Trail.Here's more from the ATC website - Each year, more than 30 Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) supported ridgerunners and caretakers are hired by the ATC, one of A.T maintaining clubs or one of the land managing agency partners. In the course of a year, A.T. ridgerunners interact with tens of thousands of trail visitors. They are assigned to work on specific sections of the Trail, which can be up to 70 miles long. Some ridgerunner or caretaker seasons start as early as late February, as in Georgia or the Smokies, and many locations up and down the trail have ridgerunners and caretakers working into late October, as Trail visitation increases during fall foliage season.All the ridgerunners I have met have been very friendly and helpful individuals - as well as former thru-hikers. They are a wealth of knowledge about the trail.Have a great day everyone!