Date: 2008-11-12
From: What I learned

To: What I am grateful for..
Miles today: 0.0

What I am grateful for:My wife Susan¢¦her support and love were never ending. If you ever come up with some hare-brained, mid-life crisis idea like retiring from your job and going hiking for 6-7 months, you better have a spouse like Susan. She was (and is) my greatest supporter. Being gone from her was the toughest part of this adventure.Our sons Vince and Alex; both of these great young men expressed total confidence in me. I¢m sure there may have been times when they questioned my sanity or thinking, but their belief in me was never ending. They know I appreciate their support, but I¢m convinced they will understand how much more it means only when they are my age.Former 3M co-workers, friends, business associates who would call and/or check my web site. They lived vicariously through my adventure and though it took me a while, I did understand the privilege that was for me. Their words of encouragement were the best food for my (sometimes fragile) psyche. I¢ll always be grateful for their friendship.Fellow hikers that were always there with their reminding me which way to turn when I got to the white blazes, for sharing their food, humor, directions, empathy, food, drink, equipment, and company with me: brother-in-law Lenny, (Piper (forever kept me from getting lost and helped me when I was injured), Little Miss Sunshine (her enthusiasm and ¢groundedness¢ gave me much energy) , Night Terror (reminded me of the importance of not taking life too seriously), Root (great at installing air conditioners), Treat, Big Un, Pogue (offered me much needed refreshments), Jake ( shared his corned beef hash with me), M,4 Sisters -Olivia, Grace, Katie, and Beth (they reminded me of what being a proud parent is like), Start, Bunz and Roses, Foy, Pi Child, Squire, Bull, Southside, Chief Daddy (came to my rescue when I fell and cut my hand) , Superman, Apostle, Daisy, Cuda (an Iraqi war vet who showed foreigners the best of America) ,Toots and Burples (so great to celebrate the half-way point with those two), Bad Hummus (tired to fix me up with Megan until I told him I was married), Memphis Tim, Tennessee Twins , Hammer, Dust in the Wind, Cast-iron and 6Iron,Catfish, Burro, et al. I share a pretty unique bond with all of them.Trail volunteers¢¦there are hundreds of volunteers who help maintain the trail all on their own time and without being paid. Good health for a non-athlete I was most fortunate. Even the best prepared hikers were subjected to the ¢luck of the draw¢ when it came to injury and illness. I certainly am much more appreciative of the human body, especially the foot. There are 26 bones, 33 joints, and 100 muscles in the human foot; it is astounding to me that I took over 5 million steps on all kinds of surfaces, carrying a 35lb backpack, and my feet ended up with only a bit of swelling, numbness and tingling . That I escaped giardia, Lyme disease, and bad knees (my knees would get a bit tender toward the end but are fine now);That I finished my hike with all 10 of my toe nails;That my cut hand was my only serious injury;That even though I was close enough to smell it, I was never struck by lightning;That in spite of being cold and wet numerous times, I never experienced hypothermia;That while hiking in temps of 95° plus I never had heat exhaustion;That this 58 year body had the energy to hike the 2,000+ miles.Trail magicCharlotte of the Ardmore B&B; She and husband Cary came to my (and 3 other hikers) rescue during one of many cold and rain filled days.Trail Angel Mary of Duncannon: Mary is one of the best Angels, trusting me with her car (to run errands) and her computer (to update my blog). Ron, Chrissie, and Ken for sharing their food, company, and prayers during the early days of my hike. High school classmate Keith Adams for his hospitality, food, and coming to my rescue for much needed food. Keith also arranged for me to attend art show where the snacks were awesome and the beer was cold and plentiful. That humongous, scrumptious apple pie his wife (Steph) and kids (Alex,Sydney, and Jordon) made for me was just the perfect dessert and most excellent snack for that 3:00 am calorie call that happens to many thru hikers.All the cold sodas and snacks left by various folks on the trail.All those drivers that picked me up when I was hitchhiking.Former Glen Ellyn teacher John Herrity for driving 3 hours to visit with me and buy me lunch in Harpers Ferry.Chris Connelly for providing shelter when I was in DC on my way home.Bill and Amy Reinke of Carrol Valley, PA for their hospitality, food and friendship.Mayor Dick Ludwig of Unionville,NY for his hospitality and (free) hostel; he and his fellow Unionville citizens so exemplify the generoursity of the many communities I visited while on my hike.For being a citizen of America.., it was almost a ¢you have to see it to believe¢ kind of experience. To see so many incredible people and beautiful sights of this great country..it is an extraordinary place to live and experience.To anybody I may have missed¢¦my gratitude is endless and eternal.