Living a blessed life

Before setting out on this adventure we heard about the Virginia Blues. This is when hikers get to Virginia and feel like the state is lasting forever and they get depressed about it. We have decided that those people must be pretty dumb because this state has been so incredible. If you get too caught up in the big picture there's no doubt that it will be depressing. It is the little things that are important. It is getting excited about small accomplishments and sites. Like we passed the biggest oak tree in the southeast the other day. How cool is that? It is called the Keffer Oak. Or passing 700 miles. We keep ourselves happy by appreciating everything and knowing how much we are achieving everyday. 

One cool thing that happened to us is seeing our first bear! We were quietly walking along this 14 mile ridge top when Marly calls from behind me "what's that?". Well it was a baby bear running across the trail about 200 yards in front of us. We stood there and watched it run from the right side of the trail to the left and then back where it came from. It was actually really adorable, but just as you are probably wondering we wanted to know where mama bear was. In trying to figure out what to do Marly says we should make noise and walk quickly by and that I should start singing. The first thing that came to mind was "the sun will come out tomorrow." So there we were nervously walking by singing "tomorrow" at the top of our lungs. Some of the lyrics might have changed to "the bear won't eat us tomorrow!" It was pretty funny we thought at least. Our first bear encounter was perfect!

Whenever a moment comes when we don't know what we are going to do next exactly or how we are going to get somewhere it always works out. The most recent of these times being that we heard great things about this restaurant called The Home Place Restaurant. It was 1.5 off the trail so we needed a ride there. We walk into the parking lot set our packs down and not 1 minuet a lady pulls up to us and asks if we need a ride. Turns out she is a former thru hiker and loves helping out in any ways she can. She also didn't mind that we were soaking wet from it raining all day. 

The people out here are so amazing and the kindness we have received has been magical. Sitting eating a bunch of amazing southern food, dirty and wet in this nice restaurant a woman and her daughter come up to our table. She lays a bill slip on our table and says "your meal has been paid for because you are thru hikers". We were in such shock we didn't know what to do but say thank you over and over. We took a picture with her and gave her our blog info. When she walked away we just sat there staring at each other and might have teared up a bit because we couldn't believe it. This woman just paid for our meal for no reason. Her son thru hiked the year before and they just enjoyed helping out hikers. How could you ever get the Virginia Blues when people in this state our so generous? Not to mention how beautiful it is out here. 

We feel so blessed to be out here. A few days ago we decided to wake up at 3:30 am to hike 2.5 miles up to McAfee's Knob to watch the sunrise. It was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen or experienced. A true once in a lifetime experience that I feel so honored to have done. When was the last time you watched the sunrise? Get outside and see one because they are worth the little sleep the night before. 

Love to all :) 

Kickin butt!

After 2 zero days with my parents and my dog in Damascus (well technically Abingdon) we were feeling well fed and rested. The first day back on the trail was rough though. It's so much harder to get moving after sitting around for 2 days. But we have been making up for it. In the past 8 days we have done about 155 miles. We did our first 20 mile day in the rain, sleet, and snow mix, but the day before we got to see the wild ponies in the Grayson Higlands. We did out biggest day of 23.8 which we arereally psyched about. When we reached the side trail to the shelter we might have started running and screaming down the hill to get there! So we are really proud of ourselves and our feeling pretty awesome. Our feet and backs feel the damage at night when we are trying to sleep, but somehow we still want to get up and hike another 20 miles the next day. 

One thing that I have been thinking about with this blog is how disconnected I feel with whoever is reading it. It is not so much that I care how many people are reading it, it is more knowing who is out there. We talk to our families all the time and I know they read it, but I would love to hear from everyone else. We got our first letter from my friend Dan and I could not tell you how awesome that was. So please write us back on this blog little messages or send my parents something in the mail so they can get it to us wherever that may be. 

Now for something else I have been working on. If you are thinking about hiking or have been wondering what benefits trekking poles give you I have some answers!

1. What they are intended to be used for, to help propell you up hills and keep you from slipping down them

2. Poking things like squishy moss 

3. Getting leaves stuck on them and making a game out of trying to step on the leaves to get them off

4. Flinging sticks on the trail out of your way

5. To pick up trash, which would probably be easier to bend down and pick up but it is more fun to see if you can do it with your poles

6. To get frozen bear bags out of trees

7. Using one pole to pick up the other or to pick up a friends poles

8. Hitting them together makes great drums for the songs you sing while walking

9. To get spider webs out of the way on the trail

10. When walking on the road it is fun to pretend that they are batons! 

We are having a great time out here and loving life. We our so greatful that we get to have this opportunity. 

Settling in

It has been over a month now on the trail and things are becoming routine. Marly came to her comfort place on the trail before I did and shared her realization. It took me another week before I understood what she meant. 

When people ask where we are from, often they will ask after where do we live now. Marly always answer "I live on the trail now". We know that's not what they are really asking, but the truth is that these woods are our home. 

Life is simple out here and it took a month to relax into the trail to really enjoy and appreciate that simplicity. When I go to bed at night I don't have to think about homework or chores or stress at work. I know that tomorrow all I have to do is walk. Yes, maybe there will be a big incline or a rocky cliff, but I will get past it like I do everyday. Maybe to some people the idea of having nothing to do but walk sounds boring and repetitive. To us it is wonderful. I have time to think, really think and remember stuff I haven't thought of in forever. For instance today I'm pretty sure a bug flew into my mouth while I was walking uphill and it reminded me of that children's song we used to sing that went "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don't know why she swallowed a fly". I spent the next hour trying to remember all the animals that went down her throat.

The point is that I love it out here, we love it out here. We have met some pretty incredible people and have made some great friends already. I have heard about all sorts of peoples lives before the trail and it's thrilling learning the reasons why people are out here. One guy just retired from being a minister, one guy quit his corporate job, one guy just got out of the army for the past 9 years, one guy is about to go to med school, one guy has been a trail angel for years and wanted to know what life was like as a thru hiker, one girl took time off from her outdoor therapy job for some time in the woods, and one guy is hiking to Katadhin where he his spreading his wife's ashes. But whatever the reason for being out here we all have one goal one purpose. We are connected to each other by our chosen lifestyle. We decided to be out here in extreme weather conditions, busting our butts up and down mountains all day, and hurting all over. It is not our job to complain about the situation we are in. It is our job to accept the difficulty, work through the pain, and love everything the trail brings. 

There is so much to be thankful for in life, but right now I am thankful that I have a opportunity to be out here walking my way to Maine. I am thankful I have enough money to do such a crazy thing. I am thankful for two strong legs and feet. I am thankful for supportive loving family and friends. And I feel blessed to be carrying my Granddad's ashes on this adventure. 

So all in all we are doing great out here. Spring is arriving, we have hiked over 350 miles, we have almost completed our first 3 states, we are seeing and hearing all sorts of birds, and we look forward to what the next day brings.