Date: 2008-05-03
From: Apple House Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 65.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hello All, sorry that the updates have been rare these past couple of days. Last update Wade was at Apple House Shelter. Him and Bondi (apologizes for mutilating the spelling here) did a 24 mile day, their longest day yet! and made it into Dennis Cove before too late that night. They stayed at the Kincora Hiker Hostel, which they said was amazing, and the owners are some of the nicest people you will ever come across! *Random side note: Wade has last about 24 pounds, but managed to eat 3 pounds of lasagna, 6 jelly filled dounuts and cake at the hostel and then ice cream and beer and more cake... lots more cake, without struggling at all. ***He looks great and is really really enjoying his experience out on the trail! anyways, they took a day off at Kincora and walked 9 miles and met me at the road crossing in Hampton TN. I was ready to join their hike and totally ill-equipped for what was ahead, which of course i didn't realize till later. They took a long break and we fed a couple of the hikers (cake, icre-cream and beer) and enjoyed some funny stories and catching up. Then we packed up and were ready to head off. Very quickly the other hikers pushed ahead and it was just me and Wade. Wade was doing great.. and I felt like I was going to die. Hiking is one of the hardest things you will ever do. I work out and considered myself to be in relatively good shape, but the trail beat me by a long-shot. There is not any work out i've ever done that compares to hiking. I was huffing and puffing my way up "hills" that were half a centimeter high on the profile map, and can simply not imagine what it would be like to climb those that are four or five times that size. In one of the logs in a shelter Always Bonnie and Sometimes Clyde had said that what is easy for thru-hikers, is not always easy for section hikers. I have never heard a more correct statement. There were many moments on that first day where i felt like I was going to collapse. We got started at about 2:30 that afternoon and made it five miles before I felt like I might die. I had thrown up and my heartbeat had been pounding in my head for about the last hour. We went very slow the four days I was out there.. but it was an experience of a lifetime, and an amazing task to attempt a thru-hike. I have a much greater respect for hikers, and envy the people who can do this. Wade was wonderful the whole time, he went slow and we truely enjoyed it together and enjoyed the time that we had. He ended up carrying my food bag and the tent... needless to say his bag increased in weight very quickly, but he couldn't have been nicer about it and we were overall just happy to be together for awhile. My parents picked me up today at the 91 road crossing (a day earlier and 20 miles before the original plan.... i'm slow) but Wade was planning to head on tonight to the Abingdon Gap Shelter, about 10 miles. He is in excellent shape and is loving the outdoors, and the experience couldn't be any more amazing for him. I had so much fun getting to experience the lifestyle out there, the people (all are amazing), and the beautiful things that so quickly become your home. The memories will last a lifetime, and it was literally an indescrible and beautiful experience. It pushed me to my limit, but i overcame some of my dificulties, and even felt stronger after that first day. I was still slow- but I was better than the first day.I never recieved an official trail name... during the day I was "Pokey" because I was slow and enjoyed breaks ( : and at night I was "Little Green Caterpillar" because my sleeping bag is green and curling up in it was wonderful! Wade should make it into Damascus tomorrow where he plans to get a new pack and lighten the load a little bit, and take part of the day off to shower, eat and do some laundry. Sorry that this update turned out to be a little longer than expected, but I hope it finds you all well ( :Catfish and Carolyn (Pokey/Little Green Caterpillar)