Date: 2013-08-17
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, I¢ve been home almost three weeks already... where has the time gone? I have to admit that my initial time at home presented its challenges. For almost 5 months I had done nothing but followed those often vexing white blazes over the rivers and through the woods. My focus was singleminded and I carried everything I needed on my back. My concerns were primarily about my health, the terrain, the weather, and the people in my hiking bubble. Very simple lifestyle... not always easy but simple.Once home the ¢juggling¢ (metaphorically speaking) began. Most pressing was Easy¢s hip replacement surgery, followed by a visit to my dad. And then there was a two week visit from Hannah, reconnecting with friends, going through 5 months of mail, taking our long suffering dog Zorro on walks, housecleaning stuff, sorting through clothes (not much fits anymore), gearing up to go back to school with a new work schedule, etc., etc. I¢ve always prided myself on multitasking, but I learned that after being out of that ¢game¢ for so long my skills were rusty. All in all it was rather overwhelming. Although I was so glad to NOT BE HIKING (caps intended), part of me longed for the simplicity of the woods.Anyway, life goes on and the perceived chaos seems to be settling down. Easy¢s surgery went really well and he gets stronger every day. It has been less than three weeks since he had his hip replaced and he¢s already progressed from using a walker to using one crutch, and soon he¢ll be using a cane. We had a great visit with Hannah and she was able to make the trip with me to see my dad. My dad has a long road to recovery but he¢s at home, which is where I¢m sure he wants to be. The mail has been dispensed with (mostly to recycling), the lawn has been mowed, and Zorro¢s happy to have someone to take him on walks once again. I¢ve made a visit to school and my colleague Alan and I have sorted out our jobsharing schedule. Life is starting to feel as though it¢s getting back to some level of normalcy, whatever that is.Physically, I feel amazingly good. I lost about 20 pounds over the course of my hike, eating anything and everything I wanted. What a weight loss regimen! Of course there is the whole walking a crazy amount of miles over difficult terrain piece, but still, not a bad way to drop the pounds. I don¢t think I¢ve weighed this little since high school, so that¢s a good feeling. I¢m sure some of the weight will return, but I¢ve made a goal for myself to try and stick within a five pound margin. We¢ll see, no guarantees there.My feet were swollen a bit for the first few days home, but they¢ve returned to their normal size. I¢m back to walking my five mile favorite route around here with Zorro that involves ups and downs through the woods and past a lovely pond... a bit reminiscent of the AT in a way. Earlier this week Zorro and I went with my friends Alan and Ann on a Long Trail hike, walking a bit under 11 miles. I was sceptical to be back out on a trail, but walking as a dayhiker felt really good! It¢s a whole new world when you hike without that heavy pack, can return home and have a good meal, take a shower, and sleep in a real bed.   I¢ve enjoyed following other hikers in my bubble and it has been a joy to see their pictures and hear their stories about summiting Katahdin. Tommyhawk, Goat, Flip, Walker, Wild Blue, and Oz have all successfully finished their treks and many others are closing in on the trail¢s end. Again, what a stellar group of people that I had the privilege of getting to know.Okay, enough ramblings for now. I fully intended to make this post a gear review, but that will have to wait. Time to head out to our town¢s recycling drop-off and make a trip to the local Farmer¢s Market... yes, life is slowly returning to normal!