Date: 2004-06-11
From: US220, Daleville, VA

To: Note from Sue
Miles today: 0.0

I volunteer one day a week in a first grade and I'd been talking to the kids about Art's hikes..pictures, trail magic, trail names, and they all made their own chocolate pudding like Art does on the trail. They also tried some of Regan's dried fruit. They are also following the hike on a map I picked up in Damascus. They all wrote letters to Art and I wanted to share his letter back to them. SueThank you students at Gilmanton School for your great letters and pictures. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is very tough. So a hiker needs all the encouragement he or she can get from friends back home. Your letters have helped inspire me to finish my hike. It is going to take me several more months. All summer and into September and maybe some time in October. You will be back in school by the time I finish.I want to answer some of your questions. The answers are in no particular order. 1. I usually take a shower once every 4 or 5 days at a hostel or motel. I have washed in a mountain stream and in an outdoor shower at a hostel. We all get very stinky because we are not able to wash often.2. Some animals are night animals like owls and bats and mice. Bears usually hunt during the day and are afraid of people. I have only seen one bear. It was a recently born cub that happened on the trail just as I came around a corner. The cub scampered off into the woods before I could get out my camera. Some other hikers have seen cubs with their mothers.3. Yes, I do wear underwear. If it is really hot and I am sweating a lot I sometimes wear only my underwear.4. We have gotten some trail magic but quite often we come across a cooler on the side of the trail with ice water in it but no drinks because there were so many hikers ahead of us that got the trail magic first. But I have had my share. The best was from a man named Dave who met us at a trail crossing with sodas and brownies. Then he drove us to town to pick up mail drops and then to a store for food and snacks and then he drove us back to the trail.5. I will be hiking the AT for 180 days or maybe a little longer. That is like a entire school year if there were no weekends.6. I like my hammock and use it often. It is really great during hot weather because air gets under the hammock to help cool you off. But it can be uncomfortable in cold weather for the same reason.7. I do wear a hat. It is a baseball style. If you see a picture of me you will realize why. I am bald. The sun would burn my head if I did not wear a hat most of the time.8. I do carry a extra pair of shoes. But they are camp shoes called Waldies. You can probably find what they look like on the internet. They would not work well for hiking but they are very light weight.9. Bears don't come near my hammock.10. I survive by carrying all my food, shelter, and clothing in my backpack.11. There are tons of wild flowers along the trail I see new ones every day. Today there were beautiful pink roses right beside the trail.12. Some days I am home sick but most of the time I am so busy I don't have time to think.13. We have hiked over 680 miles so far. After tomorrow I will be 1/3 rd of the way to Maine.14. We have seen some chameleons and lizards and salamanders.15. It is hard to hike so long. Hiking with friends helps pass the miles but some days I like to hike alone.16. The food is not great but I can get plenty of calories.17. I have not been attacked by any animals. One lady was bitten by a scorpion. A man was brought to the hospital after a rattlesnake bite. And another man was stung by a centipede.I hope you all have a great summer. Maybe you will have the opportunity to visit my online journal during the summer to check on my progress.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman