Date: 2016-08-29
To: House
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The response to my trailjournal posts as I shared each day's AT hike has been the biggest surprise of my experience. So many of you sent me words of encouragement throughout the hike, when I struggled with Lyme Disease, and when I returned to the trail. Some of you were with me from the beginning and wrote with a frequency that makes me feel like I know you through your posts. Mark & Aunt Alice wrote so frequently with thoughtful, funny, or such interesting reads that my friends from home are virtually demanding that they get a chance to meet them in person. Mark and Fresh Ground occasionally roughed me up in such funny and humorous ways that those comments took on a life all of their own - those posts often brought vivid memories of our shared past. Some of you read my posts to find out about others - Fresh Ground and Spirit of 76 were of most interest. Stripe's sister, Janet, told me not to weigh down her brother's backpack with rocks - pointing out that there were repercussions if I telegraphed what I was up to, even if it was being done in the name of good natured humor. I was touched by comments from AT hikers who encouraged me or said my writing reminded them of their hiking the AT. And I was absolutely blown away when I met someone who said they were reading my journal. Many of those I hiked with are shown in today's photos in case you wonder what these great characters look like.I wrote such long entries to remind me of the many activities and thoughts that were experienced on this journey. Thanks for bearing with me when I went on too long and when I wrote of off-trail memories. I was surprised by the variety and volume of memories that filled my days. I wrote them down so that Anne and David could become aware of them.I learned so much by reading trailjournals over the last several years. I felt I had a responsibility to write about my hike and hoped to provide something of potential value to future hikers.I was sometimes tired when I wrote so thanks for putting up with all kinds of ramblings. Beth spotted many mistakes, especially my phone's entry of word suggestions that managed to get through, so thanks for putting up with that too.Andy and Mark commented the most about how each day's title consisted of songs on my IPod playlists. I had such a good time hiking and thinking about a song that captured the essence or a particularly special part of that day. Harry Chapin will forever be one of my favorites. Today's song title is Short Stories, one of Harry's songs, and that's what I tried to write each day. Thank you for reading and encouraging me to share my thoughts and photos. My heart was so touched by Steve from Bennington, Vermont who told me how he shared my photos with his young granddaughter and how she waved her hand to ask him to show her more.Today's picture contains one of ten medallions that I carried from my start in Springer, Georgia all the way to Mt. Katahdin in Maine. I carried some stones too. I carried them with the intent to give them to my children and to their children and loved ones. I hope they will remind them of my love for them and that I wish them joy in life.This journal is dedicated to my GrandDad. I loved him when he lived and miss him now. I wish we could talk about this adventure just as we talked about his adventures. My Mom and her sisters created "My Life And Times - Memoirs Of Russell W. MacDonald" which is a collection of his letters to Aunt Alice or letters written to all of them to share memories. I found a memory I wrote about him and am repeating it here so that I'll have it years from now - thanks for again being patient with me. It didn't matter what the story was. It never did. All of us fortunate enough to be sitting around the dining room table or sharing such a moment somewhere else were lucky. However it began, we all knew what was coming. Grandma would remember it differently. GrandDad deferred, to let Grandma take over telling the tale. A special memory of mine remembers GrandDad raising his hand to establish that he'd like to say a word before the conversation moved on. Often there would be banter back and forth about a specific detail. But it wasn't over until Grandma had her say, followed by GrandDad's version, and occasionally with one final quip from Grandma - often said softly - but heard nonetheless. Whether it finished with Grandma's slight smile or with that signature smile GrandDad had - that's my favorite memory. Sharing the moments of their lives, in a flow full of their love and respect for each other. A real blessing.I've thoroughly enjoyed sharing my adventure with you. Thanks for being a huge part of it.