Date: 2004-03-02
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter, NC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Sassafras Gap Shelter, NCIt's been a few days since my last journal entry, so much has happened, but I'll try my best to recall everything as much for myself as everyone else.Siles Bald Shelter (Saturday 2/28/04)I woke up very early (2-3 am) and decided I was going to hike to NOC no matter what....25 miles!!! So I went ahead a fixed breakfast, Enoch woke up and I told him my idea. He agreed to go, so we ate BIG, packed up and left. We hiked a few hours with our head lamps , and just missed by about 15 minutes the sunrise from Wyah Bald. What an incredible sight!!! I guess that's when I made my decision from thru-hiker to section hiker. This experience so far has been unbelievable with Enoch, but it would mean so much more to me to share it with Rachel. We continued hiking, taking breaks when we felt we needed it, but the views and the knowledge we were doing 25 miles was great. About 8 miles from NOC, we ran into 2 guys.......Mike and Anderson with 2 mini schnauzers. I had to stop them and play with the dogs, so beautiful, 2 gals and all heart each one. One thin and hyper, the other just a little lover. We talked to the guys for a while, and when they found out that we were thru-hiking (and hadn't seen civilization for a week) Anderson pulled out a cell phone and asked if we wanted to call anyone.   TRAIL MAGIC!!!!! I called Rachel, just to say I loved her and tell her not to go anywhere, I was going to call back that evening. Enoch left a message at his parents house. We thanked the guys and continued hiking. It was a very long day. We got to NOC finally, we met Cooper, the only staff left. He put us in base camp and told us to check-in in the morning. Dan and Shush were at base camp and couldn't beleive that we just hiked 25 miles in that terrain!!! We got pops from Dan made it all worth while!!!I got my maildrop in the morning and read all of Rae's letters immediately after opening it. Talked to my parents and told them I was coming home at Hot Springs. My dad was disappointed and so am I alittle. My mom thought physically I couldn't do it, but that really isn't the case at all. We took a Zero day, hitched in that night to Amaco convience Store to get junk food, walked in to it in the AM to get breakfast (at lunch time) and proceeded to eat all day!!! Looked forward to a good dinner but all 4 restaraunts were closed...BUMMER!!! We packed the next morning and hiked 7 miles straight up!!! Had a not very motivating day, ate a good dinner, went to bed and I woke up early to rain. Not very nice.Anyways, it's early just about sunrise. I;m drinking coffee and writing this, trying to gather my thoughts during the rain. We'll leave later in hopes the rain starts to burn off later (fat chance but, hey its not like we have to be anywhere today). My thoughts, well it's been an unbelievable experience so far, and 2 weeks left to go. I've opened up emotionally more in the past 2 weeks that in the past 6 years. I am disappointed in myself for not doing a thru-hike, but I am SO looking forward to sharing with Rachel all that I have learned and seen. Life is so unpredictable. I never thought I'd find the love of my life, right before I left for this adventure. But I did, and now I want her to share in the AT experience with me. For the time being we're planning section hikes, until the kids are grown and on their own. We'll then do "our" thru-hike. I know that's a ways in the future, but we will do it, no question about it. We have a 2 week window this summer where we'll be back on the trail starting our adventures together. I haven't done a thru-hike not even close, when I leave I'll have done about 10% of the trail, but what I've learned so far about myself, life and the trail is invaluable. For me, you have to do in life what your heart tells you, and my heart wants Rachel to share in this with me. I want my family and friends to see the sights I've seen for themselves, the way I have. So although my adventure is not over yet, my dreams for a thru-hike are tabled for now, but not over with. Rae and I will be section hiking the AT starting this summer. We'll keep this journal going for those interested, but for those who think I've failed, you definiately do not understand the AT. It's been here for 66 years, and will be here in 20 more years when we will thru-hike it together. It teaches everyone something different. It taught me patience and self-reliance, care and concern for others, and most of all that you have to include in your life those you love in everything you do. Life is precious and short, so we should live it to its fullest, savoring the beauty, learning from the pain, and flourishing in the love.   Later! GradyLEsson For The Week:If you keep feeding you ego, it just gets hungrier, if you feed your heart, you just get happier!!!