Date: 2015-09-08
To: More Post-Hike Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0

Plan was to make a few notes now and then about the hike in case it might help out future thru-hikers. Time to type out what I've got. As with the previous post, it's not in any particular order.We met Mike, a.k.a. Drifter, in Andover. Saw you signed guest book, Mike. We almost held up for a day so we could summit when you did on the 31st. That's Bobby's birthday, but he was okay with getting the hike wrapped up a day sooner. Sorry we missed you but so glad you were able to finish.We ran into Not Yet a few more times near the end. So glad everything worked out for your finish! Really enjoyed visiting with you out on the trail.Thanks to everyone who encouraged us along the way. Guest book posts and blog comments from friends, family, fellow hikers, and complete strangers were a nice morale-booster.Bought both popular guide books. Ended up using only the AWOL electronic version. Bobby had it on his phone and I had it on the Kindle. Worked out very well - provided we were careful with our battery usage. When we knew we'd be unable to charge for a long stretch, we made sure our backup batteries were fully charged. Also made extra sure to keep phones on airplane mode to save batteries.Our T-Mobile service was pretty lousy most of the time. We bought a TracFone so we could make some calls when our regular phones didn't work.Planning to drive the AT next summer so Clare can catch the highlights. Also hope to provide a little trail magic for the Class of '16 now and then.Regret is that I didn't see the Northern Lights. Just never got the timing right. Clouds kept us from seeing meteor shower, too. Maybe next year!?!?We didn't filter our water. Instead, we'd put two (2) drops of bleach in each liter of water. If we were concerned about the source, we'd go with an extra drop or two. Carried the bleach in an old Visine bottle. We never had trouble finding bleach and we never got sick. Not sure why more folks don't use that "old school" method.We would buy spray bottles of 25% Deet and add some 100% Deet to those. Worked pretty well. When the bugs got really bad and our sweat made that Deet solution less effective, I'd smoke cheap little cigars to keep pests away from my head. That worked fine except on the really long steep climbs when I was huffin' and puffin' for what seemed like an eternity.Folks are impressed with the weight loss (sixty pounds). Been telling them it was cheaper than liposuction, just not nearly as quick.Had read that we should take sunscreen but not bother with sunglasses. Guess the sun is supposed to know to shine only on your skin, but not in your eyes? I did the reverse. Never used sunscreen but often wore sunglasses.On the subject of sun...sort of...after eating that Sunbutter the Chewonki Adventure Girls left us in the 100 Mile Wilderness, I'm hooked. Been buying it ever since we got back.Been off the trail for almost six weeks and foot pain is only now starting to ease. Wearing Crocs around the house for cushioning. They are just as ugly as ever.Bobby and I are both working. He's in Austin doing something with technology and advertising I wouldn't understand. I'm back to coaching and teaching. Our new athletic director runs a tight ship. It's great! He requires coaches to be clean-shaven. Going from the 25-week trail beard to nothing was quite a shocker.We did a good job of leaving no trace, even when camping near the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Shenandoah National Park. It was disappointing to see how much trash was on the trail, in fire pits, and around shelters. It doesn't take all that much effort to pack out trash and dump it when you go into town to resupply. Still, there are a few jackasses that insist on leaving a trail of litter behind them.We saw the Redford/Nolte movie last Wednesday. Entertaining. Thru-hikers will complain that it left out way too much, and they're correct. Since Bryson and Katz didn't finish their thru-hike, it may have been just about right for what John Q. Public expects.Enjoyed hanging out with Terry Adams on our first day in the HMW. Watching his hummingbirds made me want a feeder for here at the house. New one just arrived today!In the Whites, I did that one night work-for-stay at Lonesome Lake Hut. After that, we spent the eight bucks and camped at designated sites. Not bad except for the timing. It was around the 4th of July and campsites filled up. Caretakers squeezed as many of us on the same platform as possible. Crowded!Back when I had a touch of frostbite, Leon had an idea I'd lost a toe. Since returning, I've felt a need to take off shoes and socks to show folks they're all still there. Pretty danged ugly, but all still attached.Bobby's Italian Greyhound, AJ, passed (natural causes) while we were out on the trail. AJ had lived a long and full life. That little guy could run and jump like you wouldn't believe - impossible to keep in the back yard!Another of our dogs, Snowball, wasn't doing well when we got back (cancer) and had to be put down shortly after we returned. Like AJ, she'd lived a long and full life. So glad she was able to hang on until we got back. It was nice to get back and spoil her in the time she had left.We miss them both.When I was suffering on climbs, in bad weather, while hungry/thirsty - pretty much all the time - I thought I'd never miss the trail.Once in a while, though, I wish I were out there sitting on a rock...looking out into the wilderness...smoking a cheap cigar...drinking my bleached yeller-ish/brown-ish water...wondering if I had enough Snickers bars and peanut butter to make it to the next Dollar General...