Date: 2019-09-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s hard to believe I summited Kathadin thirteen days ago. My transition off the trail has gone relatively well. Every night I continue to have active dreams about hiking and climbing, I¢m hoping those will end in time, it¢s almost like a reoccurring nightmare. My wife says I talk to trees in my sleep.She also got tickled that I was scolding the slick rocks .I suppose talking to trees & mountains in my sleep could be perceived as humorous. I personally think it is post trail stress disorder .  I still have hiker hunger even though I have only hiked one day since coming home. Don¢t get me wrong, I miss the trail but my body needed to be done . My legs are still sore but are getting better, I¢ve been going to a wellness center and exercising trying to get some of my muscles and mobility back. My biggest lesson learned (the hard way) is lack of proper nutrition on the trail. I believe this is part of the reason I hit such a wall in Southern Maine and why every muscle in my body has shrunk. I¢ve heard we can burn close to 7,000 calories a day on a thru hike and eating Ramen,tuna,spam and protein bars everyday is probably not the best. Some of us loss twenty to thirty pounds and unfortunately for me a lot of that was muscle mass. I¢m not really complaining just letting you know how the re-entry is going and highly suggesting that future thru hikers study their nutrition plan more seriously than I did. I want to also take a moment and thank each and every one of you for following my journal and posting encouraging comments and your prayers. I cannot begin to explain how uplifting your comments were to me especially after a super physical day. I do feel like we summited together.I¢m blown away from the generosity and care I received back home from friends and family. Truly I could not have made it with out you! It¢s hard to explain how something as simple as a cookie on the trail can absolutely turn a hard day into a great one, I¢m being serious!I¢m going to make an attempt to personally list some names below , which is probably a mistake because I¢m sure to leave several out. I¢ll start off with thanking my Father in Law , Dr Jack Zorn . Truly he is an inspiration to me and was my number one supporter. He insisted on taking a few steps with me in the pouring rain to see me off in Georgia. I¢ll never forget his special prayer for my safety and success.Thank you Dad for watching over Rhonda while I was gone. Thank you to my family and friends for an amazing welcome home surprise party last Saturday at the Pizza and Pint Restaurant in Sylacauga. I appreciate the ¢Marble city fan club¢ and was overwhelmed by everyone there , I was humbled to have Nimblewill Nomad a true hiker legend attend as well. Thank you to the team at Mission Hospital Heart group in Asheville NC , you patched me up and I¢m as good as new.Thank you to Dr. Kim,the Florida Heart group and the Celebration Hospital Heart Rehab wing. I appreciate the heart rehab program that got me on the way to recovery.It¢s hard to believe it¢s been a little over two years since my heart attack.Thank you Joe and Mitch at LA Fitness in Orlando, you guys created a hiking machine ( slow and not so steady) but a hiking machine none the less. My hiking friends and I received so many blessings from Trail angels from all over , thank you so very much for your kind generosity !Thank you Gary and Susan Eggers aka ¢The Traveling Eggs¢ for taking me on my initial shake down hike , I appreciate all of your knowledge and your ongoing active trail maintenance. Also thank you for delivering all the free Mountain house meals to Neels Gap , those chili macs are the best.Jimmy and Sherry ¢I Believe ¢ Spillman you two are amazing and helped me all the way to Kathadin. Thank you helping me and countless of other hikers .I appreciate you allowing my bride to ride in your truck with you to keep her from driving to Pennsylvania alone to see me,and thank you Terry for giving me a lift to Knoxville and all of your trail magic. Mike Rich my best friend from the 6th grade, thank you and Tonja for giving me my first official Zero day in your lovely home. I needed that wonderful stay!Herb and Resa Byrd thank you for rescuing Q, Sparky, Finishline and me at Newfound Gap and then spoiling me with a hotel stay and fine meals on that very cold weekend in March. I appreciate you checking on Rhonda as well. Love you dearly.Ben Hayes ¢Snugs¢ Thank you for coming out to hike with me in NC , I especially appreciate you Kenya and the kiddos for watching over Rhonda back home and helping her many times with anything needed.I want to thank Jacque & Lonnie Jones. thank you for always being there for Rhonda and for the many prayers. You are like true family.Jerry ¢Coach¢and Kay Anderson thank you for letting us stay in your home and hiking with us for several days. Your hospitality and knowledge of the trail was fantastic! Thank you both for your friendship with my wife as well. I wish I could hike like Coach.Gary ¢Stover¢ and Cathy Frechette  you two are amazing , thank you for taking in three strangers and adopting us for life, Southern Maine was tough and I don¢t believe I would have made it without you. We had so much fun and are now connected for life. You¢ve helped many over the years and I¢m proud to be one of them.David Martin ¢Iceman¢ Thank you for the rides and wonderful trail magic meals especially in the Wilderness. You are fantastic.Fresh Grounds, thank you for the best skillet potatoes ever on a wet cold day in GA. You are a legend!The Cookie man and group, thank you for your world famous cookies , they hit the spot.Thank you Various churches, individuals and organizations for the random hiker feeds, cold drinks and snacks along the way.Kirk Jordan and Yalla, thank you for taking us in to your lovely home in Vermont , that will always be a special memory.Quiet John thank you for the support and ride near Lehigh Gap. It¢s great to have friends like you nearby.Millie Hayes, you are such a wonderful trail angel to many , breakfast was amazing on that rainy morning. I appreciate your friendship with my wife and I.BMac thank you for looking out for us and camping with us . We appreciate all of the inside info on the trail your trail maintenance is much appreciated .Tentman thank you for the ¢Darn Tuff ¢ socks. That is an over the top gift for so many of us. FYI darn tuff socks are over twenty dollars a pair and Tent Man gives away hundreds every year. Tom Little , Thank-you for surprising us in Maine and summiting Kathadin with us . We are also appreciate you taking us out to eat and the ride into Millinocket from Baxter . Truly a wonderful surprise. You are a strong climber!Keith and Julie Carter, you two are super amazing flying all the way to Maine to surprise me. My hiking friends were excited to meet the famous bass fisherman I had told so many stories about. Thank you for buying our pre summit celebration dinner  for a hundred or so hikers. I look forward to hitting the lakes with you chasing the elusive bass soon.Beaker thank you for your inspiration, after following you on Trail Journals in 2017 I knew I had to tackle this challenge, your journal kept me positive throughout my hospital stay during my incident in 2017 . I look forward to meeting you and comparing notes one day.Lake Pointe Neighbors- Keith and Carol Jansen, Annette and Stephen Hrncir,  Eric and Elizabeth Semrau, Nelson and Selene Roque, Luis and Jenny Santiago, Jana, Mike and Rebecca Whitworth  Jen & Cliff Hall, Brad Houchen, John & Debra Lucuis, Norm Envall & the Williams family and so many more. You all are super amazing. I cannot thank you enough.I want to thank all of my former co workers and clients you truly are more than that to me , I consider you my family.I want to thank all of my church family at the Concord St Church of Christ in Orlando for all of your prayers and support. I look forward to seeing you soon! My beautiful amazing wife Rhonda, how can I begin to thank you for handling everything for over six months and being so supportive of my dream.You have taken care of your dad in and out of the hospital as well as others in our family handling more than imaginable.I¢m sorry you had to bury our little adopted dog son Reagan by yourself. You truly are the most wonderful wife in the world. Thank you for the most support a wife could give in every way. I Love you more than I can express.Finally and most importantly I thank God for giving me the strength,health and resolve to finish this journey. I spent a lot of time in prayer on my hike and I am so truly thankful and humbled .This country is so beautiful and we are all so very blessed and  just need to take a walk and open our eyes. May God continue to bless America.Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.