Date: 2017-12-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hey everybody! Hope everyone had a good time over the holidays and enjoy the New Year. 82 days to go and it feels like time has slowed down. I¢m sure we are like most of you, finalizing gear and looking at mileages. I updated our gear list with some of my gear if you are interested in what¢s in my pack. We¢ve also been looking at new and interesting meal choices for the hike. I¢m not a huge fan of mail drops but I may look at preplanning some of my meals in the beginning. Pro-tip, you will not like what you think you will 3 months into your hike. In 2005 Butch put a large bag of beef jerky in every food drop, he still does not eat jerky to this day. In 2007 I put the same bag of store brand gorp as a snack for every day all the way to Delaware Water Gap. I get sick thinking of it. In 2011 I took more of a laissez faire approach and resupplied in town the whole way. I enjoyed the ability to vary my meals and shop for what I was craving at the time. Just a bit of friendly advice if you feel like taking it.Like I said I have been finalizing the pack and still eyeing lightweight changes. For the most part I could have picked up my 2011 pack and disappeared into the mountains again but I¢ve enjoyed looking for upgrades. It also helps to pass the time before our hike starts. One humorous development during this stage of planning is Butch¢s response to Zpacks gear. I purchased a few smaller items from Zpacks and am pleased with the products. Butch on the other hand has dug his heels in and is determined to show the rest of us that you can still hike to Katahdin without their gear (I may sneak a piece in his pack on Katahdin). I run around 26 or 27 pounds (including water) leaving springer every time but Butch has always been lighter and this year is trying to start around 20 pounds. He obviously doesn¢t need the ultralight gear. Before I go I want to share an interaction that occurred at work the other day. A few of us were sitting around the office and a co-worker asked me about the trail. I began to regale them with stories of climbing mountains in the snow, rain, and blistering heat. I described the bugs, aches, and pains associated with the trail. About this time one of the guys said ¢Why in the hell are you doing it again then¢? My mind immediately went to a statement made by Nimblewill Nomad in Flagler¢s film Appalachian Impressions (great documentary on thru hiking, go watch it). Nimblewill is asked the same question and basically he explains how people who reside in the ¢real world¢ will never understand the draw of the sub culture and experience that is thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. I thought of all the times on the trail where random acts of kindness reinforced my faith in humanity. How no matter what your political affiliation you will make lifelong friends that rabidly disagree with your political views and that won¢t matter. I recalled with great fondness that night at Ms. Janet¢s hostel when Baltimore Jack (Cya up the trail buddy) woke me up because someone told him I was a vet and we drank with little Debbie all night long while blaring The Boss in the kitchen. Ultimately I realized that I could not explain in words the draw of the trail and I went with the standby ¢I just like the woods¢.  We are the lucky ones who get to step away from the rat race and live simply. ¢Who has not felt the urge to throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." -John MuirCya up the trail!The Sundance Kid