Date: 2007-10-25
To: Many Thanks: Part 1
Miles today: 0.0

It's been a whirlwind since I've been home. A flurry of wedding planning, visiting family and friends, searching for jobs, and SLOWLY cleaning out my pack. My aches and pains are slowly going away although I haven't stretched since we climbed Katahdin. Anyway, one day soon I hope to get around to uploading the rest of my photos. For now, I want to just thank the folks that made my hike the great experience that it was. These are in chronological order and there are plenty more to come...Certain, thank you for making the drive to Georgia and starting the trail with me. It obviously made things easier to have a friend around for all of the firsts. Thanks for listening to me, caring, and looking out for me. I wouldn¢t have made it to Katahdin without you. Ann, thank you for hosting Certain and I for hours to talk about gear all day. It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope you and Mark are well. Jamie and Paul from the AT Lodge and Caf©, thank you for picking me up at the Atlanta MARTA station and driving me to the trail the next dayLeigh and Josh from the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, thank you for keeping such a nice hostel, a place I could feel safe before this big adventure began.Sailor, for making us laugh in the beginning.Greg from Dahlonega, thank you for safely driving us from Dahlonega back to Woody Gap in the back of your pick-up truck ¢ without us even asking. HollyTrout and SlickB, thank you for the wonderful trail magic at the Cheese Factory. You guys were the best trail magick-ers along the trail (I mean that). I had a great time that night ¢ one of the first nights I actually had fun on the trail. Much needed.Not Guilty, thank you for all of the tips you provided along the way, for showing up in the most unexpected places, and for showing the newbies to take the AT in stride. It was such a pleasure meeting you. Hangman, thank you for all of your stories. Missed you after Damascus.Ron Haven, thank you for understanding hikers, for sharing stories about the area, and for taking the time out of your busy days to actually talk to hikers personally.Harold and Jim, our Tellico Gap trail angels, thank you for getting us all to our respective locations safely. Thank you for the chair and the snacks. All were so needed that day. Thank you for being so kind. KTR, thank you for all of the rides around Franklin. You saved us from walking through the rain in town ¢ a big no-no! Bare Bear and Jellybean from Stecoah Gap, thank you for the amazing trail magic! What a show you were running. United States Postal Service, thank you for never letting me down.The ranger in the Smokies, thank you for driving us out of there! Hand Warmer Makers, thank you for keeping me warm. And providing a constant extra 1.5 pounds in my pack. Rachel, thank you for buying me NyQuil and cough drops in Hot Springs when I was sick. You ended my desperation. FAL and Hercules, thank you for the unbelievable trail magic. It¢s amazing that you welcome dirty hikers right into your clean and beautiful home. Your story is amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.Pyro and DuckSoup, thank you for hanging out with us during the stretch to Erwin. It was great to meet you both. I wish you great trail for the rest of your sections ¢ you guys do it the smart way! DuckSoup, hope you are still enjoying your daily bowl of Cap¢n Crunch!BearKiller and Scout, thank you for keeping us company on the trail around Erwin. You guys were great. Thank you for making me laugh during a really trying week. Tim and Miss Janet, thank you for all of the rides, for getting us to an outfitter, and for getting me to my first Red Lobster on the trail! What fun you both are!Baltimore Jack, for all of the advice and the breakfast burrito at Miss Janet¢s house.Dana at Mahoney¢s in Johnson City, thank you for taking the time to fit me into 73 pairs of shoes and finding a good fit. Made each of the following days easier.Chardonnay, thank you for your excellent and honest advice. It was so nice to hear from someone who had been through some of the same things before.Mary from the Mountain Harbor B&B, thanks for the best breakfast I ate on the trail. Sanford and ParkBench, for sharing your ice cream, making me breakfast at Kincora, and helping us get pizza at Partnership Shelter.Leonard and Betty from Ball Ground, GA, thank you for the ride into Damascus. You helped Certain and I during a really trying day and it was much appreciated. Yellow Jacket and Take It Easy, thank you for taking the time to ask me how I was coping when Certain and I split. Your kindness really made a difference, really. I will never forget how much you cared. Or how funny it was to kid about Soot.Jerry from Jerry¢s Kitchen and Goods in Troutdale, thank you for taking such good care of hikers!Wes B., for the amazing trail magic of a Red Lobster gift card. I was in total awe that a stranger would do such a thing. You treated Eric and I to a wonderful birthday dinner of crab legs when he came out in Virginia. Thank you. JB, thank you for entertaining us all with your quips. You are a hiking machine and a pleasure to be with. We missed you after Pearisburg! Jim and Brenda from Michigan, thank you for the ride back to the trail in Bland, VA. It was so nice to meet some Michiganders and so kind of you to help us. Brenda from the Rendezvous Motel in Pearisburg, thank you for the rides and the endless supply of joke material.More to come...