Date: 2003-02-21
To: Survival 
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m going to share with you a letter my husband Jack sent out to his co-workers yesterday:As most of you know by now, I couldn't even spell "Appalachian Trail" thistime last year. But one year later I know enough details about preparing tothrough-hike all 2,000 plus miles, through 14 states, eight national forestsand two national parks, ... to crash the internet. Starting from the accesstrail at Springer Mountain, Georgia on northward to its conclusion at MountKatahdin, Maine, Diane plans to depart March 15 and conclude sometime inlate August or early September. The first question I get upon informing folks of Diane's intention is, "Areyou going with her?¢ the short answer is that glare I shoot you backwithout saying a word. The longer answer is obvious by taking a look at meand understanding my idea of "roughing it" is having to stay at a HolidayInn Express for the night. Therefore, I am better known around the houseand with Diane's Trail Buddies as "the financier". That said, I am unbelievably excited for Diane and tremendously proud beyondwords. I have every confidence in her mental tenacity to succeed (afterall, we'll be married 29 years in October... think about what it takes tospend that much time with me!), and no one could possibly be better preparedphysically nor have done more research on equipment, clothing, weather, maildrops, food preparation, inventory lists, etc., etc., etc., than Diane hasdone. Our cottage looks like a cross between a ski lodge reading room forthose who don't really ski or sit around with broken bones looking throughbooks and magazines, and the storage area for Admiral Byrd's firstexpedition to Antarctica. If there's a book or magazine on the AT (as weAppalachian Trail aficionados call The Trail), we've got it lying aroundsomewhere. And when Diane's hiking companions show up on weekends, its justwall-to-wall stuff. Trust me.You can follow along with Diane by logging into her website. She hasalready made 20 some entries that talk her about her inspiration andpreparation. She will keep this trail journal by having entries transcribedand updated every week or so during her adventure. For those of you wishingto keep track, the site is http://www.trailjournals.com/Journey03For those of you not all that interested in following Diane but growingincreasingly concerned about my disheveled appearance and impendingmalnutrition, I welcome all offers of a hot meal and laundry services.Until then, please enjoy Diane's website and sign her guest book. She's hadover 8000 "hits" and it's pretty awesome dude (I think that another trailterm)... Also feel free to share with others you think have an interest.Jack ManningOk, so he got a few things wrong; he plans on hiking up to Springer with us on the 15th, and if we take the access trail it will be 8 miles each way for him, which means that you would probably never see him again. We¢re actually going up FS42 to the .9-mile trail to Springer.My hiking buddies call him the financier, but they also call him one of the most generous people they have ever met. He shares his home, food and good will whenever they¢re around.Lisa, Nikki, Cara and Erin I¢m counting on you to tell him if his tie matches, if the oil needs changing in his car, and that it¢s the 15th and 30th of the month and he MUST pay the bills. Please remind him to give the dogs their arthritis medications and Teddy boy his steroids and thyroid meds. Tell him that when the heat doesn¢t come on it means that there is no oil in the tanks. The tanks are in the basement, but they¢re accessed from the garage, he¢ll need to know that too. Remind him to be kind to the birds; they love him. Gently suggest (he doesn¢t like to be told) that he check the special calendar I made for him with all the information he needs to run the Cottage for 5.5 months. Automatic withdraws, heart worm medications, recycle day---oh my God, he¢s going to have to take out the trash too; tell him it¢s behind the house. Ladies, buy stock in paper plates and fast food restaurants.I know that everything won¢t get done the way that I¢ve done it all these years, but I know that with the help of our son, Jeff, it will all get done somehow. I also think that we¢ll be better people for it in the end. I think the guys will be fine while I¢m away because they¢ve already started to refer to the cottage as their Bachelor Pad!