Date: 2016-05-03
From: Springfield, VA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

What's up everybody! Mufasa in the house! I haven't journaled in a while, which worries me that I won't do it as often as I planned on the trail. Though I hope I do. The good news is that I have been keeping up with my blog (snog, I call it) through Snapchat. Feel free to add me if you like, username: saylind.vettloI will try to update my stories through snapchat whenever I get service.Since I last wrote, I have left my job and road tripped to VA from Florida. My AMAZING family and friends got together to throw me a surprise going away party before I left FL, complete with a hiking theme, camping gifts, great food, and booze. It was such a special event in my life; I have never felt so much love and support. It is truly helping me prepare for the journey that is up ahead of me. This experience has been incredible and I haven't even fully immersed myself yet. I can't wait for what's next to come.After I left home, I have spent tons of quality time with family and friends - new and old. I went to Macon, GA, then to Atlanta. In Atlanta I did my first and only trail prep that I will be able to get in. I hiked a mile to the top of Stone Mountain. I got to wear my boots for the first time, my clothes, and I brought my (school) backpack with my camelbak bladder and some other items which made my bag weigh about 10 lbs. Hiking to the top of the mountain was surprisingly difficult. It wasn't excruciating, but it was much harder than I expected and it was really hot. Once I got to the top, I drank my gatorade and ate a Clif Bar, by the time I made my way down, I felt great and like my normal self. So, I'm not sure if the hike up was tough because I needed that bar and the electrolytes, or if I am just super out of shape and that was a moderately difficult ascent (or a combo of the two!). So once I descended, I hiked around for about 4 or 5 more miles. My under armour shirt is amazing. My shorts were terrible though. I have a hard time finding shorts that my thunder thighs don't like to eat! lol I thought they were loose enough to not matter, but they still rode up.. and it sucked. So, hopefully my other pair of shorts will be better.. I plan to test them out tomorrow. My darn tough Vermont socks worked well, and I used my camelbak with ease. I really love having the water tube to drink from, I even used it in the car for the rest of my road trip to Va! Sadly, my shoes rubbed on my pinky toes. I will have to wear blister guards on them. Im used to this happening with all my shoes. It wasn't so brutal that I couldn't handle it, but I'd prefer that my feet don't hurt when I hike. Maybe once I break in my shoes on the trail, they will widen and not hurt my toes as badly..?. All in all, the hike was a great experience. I can't wait to get started in the next few days in WVA.After Atlanta, I road tripped to Va Beach with my 90 year old grandma! It wasn't apart of my original plan, and I ended up skipping my hike at Roanoke to see McAfee's knob, but I know I will be able to go there some day.So now I am out in DC putting together the final preparation for my hike. I am reunited with my backpack that I left here in December and I am a little worried to see what it's like when I actually put it on! I still have my food to put in their separate gallon sized bags and USPS boxes. Tomorrow my brother and I will go to REI to pick up my remaining essential items which will include my jet boil, gas canisters, and trekking poles. I can not even believe that I am supposed to start the trail in 3 days. It is crazy! My life is about to change so much. Like I said, I've gotten tons of love in the past month, it is going to make starting the trail even harder! I'm used to goodbyes and being alone.. I value my alone time very much.. but everyone is definitely going to make it tough my first couple weeks out there. So thanks a lot people! haha jk love you all and thank you for all that you have done for me. Linny out.PS: Remember who you are!!