Date: 2010-07-06
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 194.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A very big thank you goes to John Norberg and his wonderful letter! Thank you so much I loved it and I wish you could have seen my excitement. Also thanks to all of the people that were going to come out to PA to see me this weekend. I am excited to see you all in NYC. I am just 72 miles away from New Jersey now and am overwhelmed at the prospect of having less than a thousand miles to go. I feel like this trip is almost over. I know it is hard to think that way when I still have 967 miles to go, but 1200 ove them are already over! It has been extremely hot hiking in the 100 degree weather. [WARNING VULGAR CONTENT] The men out here keep telling me that it is hot as balls out. Not having any I did not know what that temperature was. After two days of hiking in 100 degree weather I have learned that hot as balls is the same temperature as a bikram yoga studio. And if you have any desire to feel what it is like to walk 23.7 miles in this kind of weather I suggest you take a 10 hour bikram yoga class. That is the closest comparison I can think of. It was hot and hard. One Life even got dehydrated yesterday and was not feeling well. He did not look pretty either. But I made it through the heat and am sitting in air conditioning now. Anyway, John sent me some questions that I think are pretty good so I will attempt to answer them.Have you done something dangerous? I did jump off the James River Bridge steps. I did not jump off the actual bridge because you had to climb over the railing but I did jump about 30 feet. It definitely hurt and was a bit scary. Yesterday, I also did something dangerous. I walked down 300 meters (I hope that measurement works for you) in less than 500 meters without my trekking poles. It was extremely steep and I thought my toenails were about to fall off. I have been walking without my poles because the weight of my pack caused me to fall backwards the other day and I thought this would be the best way to strengthen my abdominal muscles.Have you discovered any new music?I have discovered that I do not like Sufjan Stephens/Stevens. Maybe it was because his album about Michigan was super depressing and not the kind of music I needed to move me forward on the trail. I also reignited my love for Dolly Parton. A lot of people out here are listening to jam bands such as Phish, Grateful Dead, String Cheese Incident as that goes hand in hand with stoner hikers - which there are a lot of out here. I am not one of them but I do love the Grateful Dead. I have been surprised by the lack of musicians at campsites. I think I have heard people playing the harmonica the most. I love live music.Have you caught anything and eaten it?I have yogied free food from day hikers and weekend hikers but I have not killed anything myself. Hard-boiled became Rabit foot a few weeks ago when he killed a hare with a rock, skinned the hare and grilled it with cajun spices and fed four men. He has the rabbit foot hanging from his pack now. I do not kill the animals because we are not supposed to and I do not think I could stomach it. How many times have you slept under the stars?Too many times to count. I do not sleep in the shelters because I do not want to cuddle with a mouse. They scare me. I know it is an irrational fear but I do scream every time I see them. I guess I need to put up a picture of me in my tent so you can see how I sleep. It is pretty small and cozy. I love my tent because the entire top is mesh and I can see the stars when I camp. Sometimes the moon is so bright it will be hard for me to fall asleep. Do you sleep like a child because you are exhausted or do you read a book to fall asleep?Depending on the mileage and weather I sleep like a baby or lay awake struggling to fall asleep. Sometimes my body aches so badly that I cannot fall asleep. Other times, like last night, I pass out because I am exhausted. I have read Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea about ten times since I've been out here and am still enjoying it. I cannot seem to find a book that is as good and lighter - I did recently acquire a Christian romance novel so we shall see how that goes.Do you sit around bonfires every night with different stories?Bonfires are like television in the woods. I also equate poking it with a stick to video games. Fires are a big part of the experience. I have yet to start one myself but I have enjoyed all of them. They are fun to cook on, provide warmth, dry clothes, and play with. We do sit around them and talk. I think the community out here is hard to explain. I am serious when I say that everytime you see someone you haven't seen for a while it is a huge celebration. I saw Powder yesterday for the first time in a week and it was so exciting. The people that you hike with are the people who will help you finish and provide you with what you need. It is a very refreshing side of humanity. We all look out for one another and that is a beautiful thing.Do you often sleep alone?I have only camped alone once. I was scared because I wasn't too far from the road. I was in Pennsylvania trying to make a world cup match the next day and night hiked for a while alone and ended up finding a campsite around ten o'clock. In the end I really enjoyed it and was able to sleep in until 9 am which never ever happens out here. I did make the match as well. Viva Espana!Finally, I think I should explain the trail. It is maintained by volunteers connected through Appalachian Trail Clubs and takes you near or through a town every 3 to 7 days. Right now I am in the northeast and I could be in a town everyday if I would like to be in one. I walk an average of 18 miles a day now, eat when I am hungry and rest when I am tired. I usually try to end up at a shelter or recognized campsite but it is wonderful to stealth camp too. Being in the woods for three months today has been a ball and I am looking forward to the next part of the trip.