Date: 2010-07-13
From: Rhode Island

To: Rhode Island
Miles today: 0.0

It's another sunny day here in Narragansett Rhode Island. I have been enjoying my time off the trail with friends and family. It's been a combination of laying on the beach and playing in the waves by day and getting together for dinner and drinks by night. The sun and the waves have made everyday perfect beach days. The fresh fruit, veggies and seafood have become a tasty addition to my diet. I've put on about 10 lbs so far. It was necessary as the ocean breeze was tossing my paper thin body all about. My feet has seen a doctor and what is going on is called (faciitis). It's basically a condition caused the pounding my feet have taken over the last 1500 miles and the the continued practice that has not allowed for healing. I have not noticed any improvement and even if it does it will be for not when I return to the trail. Oh well 700 more miles and then I'll work on fixing the feet.The future lies before you like the paths of pure white snow be careful how you tread it for every step will show.( unknown) From the first step on March 7th to where I am today (Dalton Mass) the trail has taken me far. There was that nervy feeling inside as I began my attempt of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. I ascended Springer Mountain with 52lbs on my back. The first days efforts produced a total of 7.5 miles. The first night was spent in a tent behind the Hawk Mountain Shelter. There were about 30 people scattered about as they all looked for a level and snowless spot for thier tent. It had the uneasy feel of 1st day at summer camp when you find yourself amoung many but still feel alone. I remember lying in my tent on that cold first night thinking about what was ahead. The reality of this hike all of a sudden became here and now. The two most common comments about the hike was either it was a great thing I was doing or it was a real crazy idea. I would find that those two opposing trains of thought would follow me throughout the trail. It did seem on the crazy side after crawling out of my tent at dawn with the temperature below freezing and then hiking on icy, snowy, muddy and rocky trails. At first the difficulties outweighed the pleasures as the many hikers moved north. Over time both the body and mind began to become better conditioned to the routine of hiking all day. My hiking miles did increase as did my confidence. Thru Georgia then North Carolina and Tennassee the crowds at the shelters began to decrease and the remaining hikers faces became more familiar. Each day presented a new challenge to all still on the trail. We all endure the same opsticales to make it this far. We are not bound by anything other than that at first. The 500 miles through the State of Virginia would take over 1 month to complete and we would see the snowy and icy end to winter as we went into the full blossom of the Southern spring. West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania brought us tough rocky terrain and beyond the 1/2 way point. New Jersey, New York, Connetticut and Massachsetts brought us into the beginning of the hot sticky summer days. Some hikers are ahead and others are behind. Everyone who is still on the trail at this point is well known by some and familiar to many. We often inquire about how so and so is doing and where they were seen last. The best part of the trail is sharing it with others especially those who fully understand what it has taken to get this far. Individually we travel and experience the trail but there is an element that ties us all together. We are bound by those hardships from the last 1500 miles and there is a sense that we are all in this together. We began in Springer and will end in Katahdin all at differant times. I wish them all well. Here is a list of those I met on the trail so far.   Nature Boy, Red Hawk, Switchback, WaitnSee, Soulsearcher, Android, Hyway, Moonshine, Terrapin, Qtip, Trinket, Tennessee Tom, Patch, Gravy Crocket, Mellow Yellow, Tup, Upgrade, Ghost, Lil Buddah, Catman, Redman, Walleye, Nopoint, Wanderer, Last Gentleman, Naptime, Bud, Gator, 12%, Hotlips, Yukon, Liter Box, Frost, Picker, Flow Easy, Bulldog, Hitchcock, Grandma, Butter, Dream Catcher, Pine, Lowgear, Pacemaker Man, Yukon Vos Buton, Lucky, Robo Jesus, Maggelin, Buzz, Flying Turtle, Dr John, Sweeper, Ethos, Eunich, Bluefoot, CoolTool, Shlep, Bluesteel, Black & Tan, Rockstar, Groupie, Utah, Ken, DethMarch, Sugarbush, Cole, Fossil, Oogle, General Lee, Specks, Twigs, Second Stage, Grizwolds, Slapshot, Sockburn, Snowman, Dirty Harry, BonnyBoy, Nature, Bass, Wildman, Diamondback, Grizzley D, Shadow, Veggie, Abolishonist, PoundHound, Susan, 1st Man, Go Fish, Gumby, Lil Dipper, Redwing, P'Nut, Cobb, Bandito, Caveman, Hobbs, Harley HogPit, Rcketboy, PopPop, Rafi, Circle Walker, Merf, Spark, Kaboose,Maketime and Hit&Miss. All of these hikers I got to meet atleast long enough to put a face to the name. They are as present in my mind as is the trail itself. The views from mountain tops on a clear day. The sight, sound and taste of flowing creeks, rivers and streams. The ponds, lakes and valleys. The trail thru woods, meadows, fields, along roads and into trail towns. The trailtown people and the generosity with the trail magic from perfect strangers are the elements that make that thin line that extends from Georgia to Maine the Appalachian Trail.