Date: 2013-08-16
From: I-93 North of Lincoln, NH

To: Lincoln Lodge
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Okay, so we have to admit to a zero day. We just needed it. We were just so exhausted. We had so many errands we were still in town by 5pm. Walking everywhere slows down our progress. We picked up our resupply package which included new boots for Cubbie and me and also some winter gear. We had to supplement the gear with a few more items like waterproof gloves, long johns and fleece lined beanies...in AUGUST for Pete's sake! Geezy peezy this is crazy. Nothing like making the packs even heavier though, admittedly the 2 1/2 lbs of candy we bought might have something to do with the increase. Just a theory. Of course that will all be gone in a day. We gotta survive The Whites somehow. We had a big lunch at an Italian restaurant, later again at McDonalds and then all evening at the hotel we pigged out. We baked cc cookies, cooked kosher hot dogs and canned beans(a real treat as we never carry canned food). We ate fruit, chips, carrots, pretzels, hummus and popcorn. We never stopped from 5 pm until just now at midnight! It was like a slumber party. We watched movies and repaired equipment. We cut tags from our new stuff in an attempt to lighten our packs. We splurged on new ziplock bags and rebagged everything. Yes, we are ready for the Whites! I felt bad about taking a zero though its been a long time since we took a total day off. I have been feeling really off this week. My foot pain has increased and I've been really tired. I've actually been behind Badonkadonk. The girls were worried. I think I'm low on my calorie intake. Blueberry hi mess need meat. The girls are fine health and energy wise. I've lost more weight than them, probably too much. I weigh 7 lbs less than when I was married. I think I last weighed this weight was in the 10th grade. At least my muffin top has disappeared! I am eating such vast quantities of food I am tired of chewing! I'm increasing the protein muscle milk. This diet is the best. We eat as much as we can shove in, all of it the highest fat content we can get and as high of number of calories as we can find. We feel like we've scored when we get a 600 calorie bun at the gas station. (Best place to find excessively fat and calorie packed food). Badonkadonk was sporting a poochy belly so she's quite happy that its gone. She looks ripped and strong. Cub was rubbing her arm today, saying, "I love this bump". I was alarmed and said,"what bump?" as I rubbed her arm she meant her pronounced muscle definition from her poling. She pointed out her calf bumps too. Today, for the first time in my life, I couldn't get two pairs of long underwear over my calves. At first I didn't even know what the problem was. I thought resting our feet and just blobbing around will help us with the climbs ahead. I got several Dr. Scholls foot pads and am trying those out. Hopefully they don't push my foot too high and give me blisters. Thanks to a hiker named Mongoose for the foot tip. Hope it works. The numbness and pain are increasing. My inherited lack of fat on the bottom of my feet and the overlapping bones don't bode well for hiking. Oh well, not going to let a silly thing like bad foot structure hold me back!The girls particularly love running into several hikers, all of them we know. It feels good as we all check in with each other and share info, food and mostly laughs. Hunger, a unique and funny guy and a fellow member of The Tribe, told us he and Crash, a sweet California kid, were going to do the hut to hut challenge. Quite simply, these two overly energetic - probably insane - wild and crazy guys, are going to leave at midnight tonight and hike all of the Whites in the next 24 hours. I think they said 50+miles in this freezing weather AND most of it is not the actual AT! So while their hiking buddies take a zero day they will do this and then rejoin their friends to continue the AT. They are adding 50+ miles for the challenge of it. Good to be young and fit but as I lay in this warm bed with SHEETS I wish them luck and say my prayers of gratitude that I'm not with them!I also woke up with my first migraine since the beginning of the adventure. I took it as a sign to take a rest. I have suffered since childhood with the most painful migraines. I almost always have a headache....always. I didn't think I'd recognize a clear head. I always say my head feels heavy. Since this hike I've felt better in my head than ever in my whole life. I have a clear head. It is wonderfully freeing. My clearness and energy to think feels so freeing. It's weird that I got one a day after being without a heavy pack for two days and sleeping on a soft, level, rock and root free surface. Watch out blueberry, when I get home we might be sleeping in the backyard! So to cure weight problems, migraines, the need to feel your toes, and fear of heights just hike the AT!!! Good night. Gotta enjoy these sheets. Love to all and again thanks for the journal entries they mean so much to us. I wish I could answer them all personally! Know your words are cherished!