Date: 2006-05-12
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 104.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Apologies are in order.It has been more than a week since I updated the Journal and I have only two good excuses. Cell phone and Computer access has been extremely limited. But the truth is that those are not the reasons for failing to update. This has been an extremely personal week and I spent most of it hiking alone reflecting on events past. It was exactly 6 years ago this week that Henry died. Although I miss him and mourn him every day, this past week was very difficult to focus on much else. It was a good time and it was a bad time. There were times I was hiking through tears and then only moments later I hiked for miles of smiles reflecting on all the wonderful times we all shared. There are more smiles than tears and not all tears are bitter. I still miss my son and for the first time in my life was alone for an extended time in my life to reflect on his. It was extremely personal. On May 8th, the anniversary of Henry¢s death I was hiking through a beautiful state park named Grayson Highlands, VA. It is a 4,000 ¢ 5,000¢ foot high meadow that is eireely reminiscent of moors in the highlands of Scotland. The area is populated with wild ponies that are allowed to run free and dislike hikers enough to stay invisible in the cool mists, and complain loudly. Mother nature understood and balanced the day an in fact the entire week with an eclectic mixture of sun, rain, clouds, hail, thunderstorms, high wind and beautiful blue sky. She understood my moods. I suspect you do to. Thanks for that understanding.Now on to a trail journal update.As you already know from my last journal entry, I left Damascus on Saturday May 6th and headed northI did well.Saturday May 6th Lost Mountain Shelter. 17 miles - TentedSunday May 7th Wise Shelter 16 miles - TentedMonday May 8th Trimpi Shelter 20 miles (Fireplace in the Shelter!)Tuesday May 9th I-81 Stealth Camp 22 miles ¢ TentedWednesday May 10th Lick Creek Camp 17 miles ¢ TentedThursday May 11th VA Route 623 12 miles ¢ Rescued by Joan, who drove down from New York for a Zero, it has been raining on and off for 9 days and my feet have been wet essentially since I started the trail. I am looking forward to drying out for more than a few ours and then after Friday May 12th @ the Comfort Inn, Wytheville, VA Zero DaySaturday May 13th it will be back to the trail¢¦¢¦For those of you who have been paying close attention you may have noticed that on Wednesday May 10th I went past the 544 mile mark which of course is the 25% mark on the trail. Only 75% to go!For those of you who doubted¢¦. 25 pounds? In 6 weeks?Well, it is now official. Joan brought down a scale. The official AT Scale. I weighed in at home before I left Cooperstown, New York a svelte, petite, slender, 205 lbs. I weighed in yesterday in Virginia when Joan picked me up (after I showered ¢ thank you!) and sans dirt I weighed in at, are you ready¢¦.179 lbs. That figures out to 26 pounds lost in 6 weeks. At this rate of weight loss I will be a 98 pound weakling when I get to Katahdin in August!Not to worry. If I take a few more Zeros I will balance the scales back quite a bit the other way. I will keep you posted on my 4,000+ calorie a day diet.Finally,(for now) I just got off the phone with my Boy Scout Otschodela Council President and good personal friend Ed Dibble. My Scout Council and Henderson Scout reservation is planning a special program this summer around my hike. Although the details are still pending a patch is being designed for use in this program. Attached is a copy of that patch for your consideration.Thank you, Ed, Tom, Bob, Arnie, Kathy, Scott, and the others who are working on this project. RUN WITH IT. (Although my pace will be a bit more sedate!)I will try to check in again when I can. Thanks for following my journal.