Date: 2005-03-14
From: Home

To: Back to the trail
Miles today: 0.0

   I'm getting on the bus and heading back to the trail today. This post is going to be an update on what I've been doing plus addressing some questions from my guestbook. I've finally got my first batch of photos uploaded if you want to check them out.    I arrived home from the trail on Tuesday,March 1 and started a medical study on March 2. The study paid $1000 for 5 nights plus one followup. If you're not familiar with medical studies they are simply testing of new medicines. When I tell people about this some people think it is very dangerous. I've done several of them and had no adverse effects. I don't beleive it is any more dangerous than hiking the AT.   I'm hoping I now have enough money to finish the trail. I'd prefer to not take any more breaks from the trail. I'd like to finish at the end of July so I have time to get prepared for school which starts in late August. I've already put a pretty big dent in the $1000 though. I spent $200 on short-term health insurance. It is nice to have even though I hope to never use it. Other miscellaneous bills also have been taken out of the $1000. I will be getting some money back on my federal taxes but I have to pay the state. I'll come out ahead a little over a $100. It's not much but it will help. I'm going to try to not use my credit card for the rest of the hike but it will probably be necessary to use it. That's enough talk about money, I don't want to obsess about it but I do require it to hike.   While I was back I received a rejection letter from the University of Kansas. I was wanting to start in their summer program which would have meant ending my hike so I'll take it as a positive that I didn't get in there. So far my only acceptance is the University of Arkansas. I was going to visit the campus while I was home. I had to cancel my scheduled visit though because I had a bad cold. (Better to have the cold at home than on the trail.) I still have three applications pending. I beleive they're being held up because LSAC still hasn't processed my second letter of recommendation. My recommender has sent it in twice and I'm now asking her to send it in a third time. I'm hoping the third time is a charm. One of my applications pending is at Washington and Lee. The schoool is located fairly close to the trail. I'm hoping to get a shuttle to visit the campus when I get up there providing I haven't been rejected by then. It is my first choice of schools so I'm hoping I get in. I have made some small gear changes. It's still too early to go to summer gear but I've ditched some of my winter gear. I'm leaving behind my icewalkers,gloves and handwarmers. The only item I ever used of those was the gloves. I didn't use them much though since I was usually able to keep my hands warm just by sticking them in my pocket. I bought a new water filter bottle. It only cost a $1.97. I'm sure it was mispriced but I wasn't going to point out the error. I use the filter water bottle so I can drink plain water without waiting. I use iodine tablets for my regular water bottles. I don't like the taste of the iodine so I use Kool-aid or a similar product to cover up the taste. I bought a new long sleeve shirt. My old one had three seams running along the shoulder that dug into my skin when I had my pack on. The new shirt has a couple of seams near the shoulder but they're much smaller so I'm hoping this shirt will be more comfortable. I bought a new pair of socks to replace the ones I melted. I usually wear a thin pair of liner socks and a heavy pair of hiking socks over them. This system has worked well for me as I haven't had any foot problems. I'm now going to try wearing just the hiking socks and see if that also works. I'm leaving behind my pot and stove. They worked fine,I'm just too lazy to cook and clean. I've hiked before without a stove and it wasn't a problem. I know some people need hot meals but I'm fine without them. I'm still using my five degree sleeping bag. There were some nights last March that I was cold in my twenty degree sleeping bag. Also my twenty degree sleeping bag actually weighs more than my five degree bag. I might carrry my five degree bag the entire way. I have a liner with it so I can just use them in whatever combination is most comfortable. I'm leaving behind my ridgerest and taking just my Z-rest. It was nice sleeping on two pads but it should be getting warmer soon so two pads aren't needed. I'm takint the Z-rest over the ridgerest because it is more compact. I don't think there is a significant weight difference between them. I'm now taking 2 pairs of shorts and one pair of pants. Previously I had two pairs of pants and one pair of shorts. I'm taking a poncho and leaving behind my rain jacket and pack cover. I haven't tested the poncho yet so I hope it works. That is all the gear changes I can think of. My pack weight is probably a pound or two lighter.Random answers and comments on guestbook entries.I've received a copy of the newspaper I was pictured in. Thanks to everyone who offered to send me a copy.It looks like I chose a good time to get off the trail from what Cookerhiker wrote. Thanks for the info.I'm not sure when I'll be in Harper's Ferry. I'm guessing late April.Next entry will be from the trail.