Pictures Day 23 - 73

Here is the link to the rest of my pictures...enjoy!!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AatXDdm3btWI0

Day 74: HOME!!!

Yes, you heard right...I am officially off the trail and home in Fort Wayne. I got off a week early after having a really bad couple of days on the trail and deciding I was ready to be done.

It has been a little bit of a culture shock for me being back...had a hard time getting used to driving again...those semi-trucks are scary!!! I think I gained back the 5 pounds that I had lost on the 12-hour drive back to Indiana. The checklist of food consumed on my drive included McDonald's, Friendly's, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, and Krispy Kremes. :)

On my drive back, I had lots of time to think about my experiences on my hike. Here are some things I thought of...

Things I'll Miss About the Trail:
- Meeting really cool people like Gadget, Wicket, Nemo, Moondog, and the Boy Scouts.
- The feeling I get when I finish a huge climb and look out over the mountains from the amazing view at the top.
- Dancing to cheesy songs from my headphones.
- Talking to Patches and Princess.
- Having "getting ready in the morning" only mean to put on the same clothes from the day before and tie my bandana around my head.
- Listening to the silence.
- Spending quality time with just me.

Some Things I WON'T Miss About the Trail:
- Pulling ticks out of my head.
- Stumbling over a rock and falling flat on my face.
- Sweating so much that the bottom of my shorts are dripping.
- Digging a hole to go to the bathroom.
- Running into snakes/bears/skunks/spiders.
- Trail mix, oatmeal, Snickers bars, and freeze-dried dinners.
- Putting on those damn knee braces every single day.
- Constantly walking with the "hiker hobble".

As soon as I get back to Chicago (1st week in October) I will download the rest of my pictures and post them to this blog.

To everyone who reads this blog...thank you so much for following along my journey with me. It was a truly amazing experience and all of you were a part of it. To come into towns and read the comments and e-mails that people sent would raise my spirits every time.

To "The Girls" (Aggie, Toots, Dubs, & Wee)...thank you for supporting me 100% on my trip even if you didn't fully "get" it. Your maildrops would put a smile on my face without failure...the celebrity gossip magazines so I could keep current...the yummy treats...the Kelly Clarkson bandana that the ticks so loved...and even the underwear that Dubs sent because she couldn't stand the thought of me only having 4 pairs. :) It meant a lot to know that you were all so supportive of me.

To Tunde...I have a whole new respect for you now that you lived with Virgil for 3 months. To some, that would be more of a difficult journey than my hike. :) Your patience in dealing with him as well as your entertaining blog of his daily escapades were awesome. Thank you so much for taking care of him and putting up with his antics while I was gone. The treats that you would send me in my maildrops would always put a smile on my face. I'm still floored with how good that Turtle Chex Mix is...

To Ashlie...thank you for being there for me everytime I called just to hear another human voice. You got me through some really tough times out there and I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you also for your never-ending insistence that "it's ok if you want to come home" :)

To Mom...no matter what journey I have ever embarked upon, you have always been there to support me. When I was having hard times at the beginning of my trip, without hesitation you decided to come out for a weekend to be with me. You organized and sent me all my maildrops which is a huge task in itself. You listened to me complain time and time again about both my physical and mental ailments. You encouraged me when I was down and you celebrated with me when I was up. Thank you for all you have done for me on my journey and for being my best friend. I look forward to finishing my A.T. journey with you out there beside me.

Here are some final statistics regarding my A.T. adventures:
Section Hike '00 Duration: 92 days
Section Hike '00 Distance: 714.0 miles
Section Hike '05 Duration: 73 days
Section Hike '05 Distance: 749.1 miles
Total A.T. Miles Completed: 1463.1
Total A.T. Miles Remaining: 711.9
States Completed: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut south of Cornwall Bridge
States Remaining: Connecticut north of Cornwall Bridge, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine

Day 73: Final Journal Excerpts

Here are some excerpts from my journal on the last 10 days of my trip:

Day 65
"I got up and went out to breakfast. Then packed up my stuff and high-tailed it out of the hostel. It took me 10 minutes to get a hitch...the longest wait yet!"
"At 5:15 I made it to 17A where there was an ice cream creamery...yummy. Gadget was there!! I met him in Delaware Water Gap and he was cool."

Day 66
"Well, today is my 27th birthday. I'm officially old. :)"
"Today was pure hell. We had so many ups and downs...it was ridiculous. By far the hardest hiking since Virginia. Constant climbs or descents. We were exhausted by the afternoon (Gadget and I hiked together today). We were going to have to hike to a road, walk 0.3 miles down a hill to fill up water and then get back on the trail and find a place to camp. About 0.1 before the road, we came to a water tower/building that had city treated water just pouring out of it. We could not believe our luck!! We filled everything up and set up camp right there. About 45 minutes after we got there, the water stopped. We were so lucky to get there and fill everything up. It made our day!!"

Day 67
"Lots more climbs today. Our last climb was up Bear Mountain. There were soda machines at the top...so awesome. You could see the New York City skyline in the distance. It was really cool."
"At the bottom of the mountain, the trail goes right through a zoo. They had a bobcat, coyotes, and even a bear...and it was HUGE. It renewed my fear of bears. Would not want to wake up with that thing in my tent."

Day 68
"We didn't finish up with the internet and get back on the trail until 11:30, so we decided to make it a short day. Plus, my pack was well over 50 pounds...the heaviest yet but that warm sleeping bag will be worth it that I got in my maildrop."

Day 69
"It was so warm and toasty last night in my sleeping bag...I love it!! Totally worth the extra weight."
"Right before we were going to stop for lunch, I walk up to Gadget talking to an older hiker. We talked about water sources and such. Then Gadget happens to ask the guy where he was from...the conversation goes...
Hiker: "Michigan"
Me: "Where in Michigan?"
Hiker: "Muskegon"
Me: "My dad lived in Muskegon for a couple of years."
Hiker: "Yeah? What's his name?"
Me: "Randy Straka. He worked for a company called Lorin Industries."
Hiker: "I'm Buzz."
Me: "OH...MY...GOD!"

It was my dad's boss at Lorin!!! I was completely floored. Dad had told me that he heard Buzz was hiking the trail, but who would have guessed I would run into him. So crazy!!"

Day 70
"We took our time hiking the 6 miles to the deli on NY 52. Gadget fell on his face and scraped up his nose. I felt bad for him and yet I couldn't stop laughing. We ate so much food and hung out at the deli for hours."

Day 71
"We were hiking by 8:30...Gadget's last day. We took a break at 7 miles and ended up taking a power nap in the sun. We then had to book it to the train station...yes, there is actually an A.T. stop on a NYC commuter train. We ate lunch there and said goodbye."
"Caught some trail magic at a road crossing...best Yoohoo I ever drank."
"Found a tick in my head tonight...first time on the trail."

Day 72
"I struggled really bad all day today. It was really hot and humid...in the 90's again. Plus, the terrain sucked. It took me until 5:00 to make it to the shelter and it was only 12 miles!!! Not sure what my deal was, but I struggled."
"I plucked a tick out of my head for the 2nd night in a row. I'm going to go back to wearing the orange bandana rather than the black Kelly Clarkson one because you are supposed to wear light colors to avoid ticks...didn't ever get one before I started wearing the Kelly Clarkson bandana. Ticks are gross!!"
"I think I'm ready to be done with this hike...starting to get burnt out."

Day 73
"Well, today was an interesting day. I dreamed about ticks all night. Had another really hot and humid day. I struggled all day and just thought of home. With the end of my trip only being a week away, I allowed myself to get excited about it. Then I was just done...ready to go home...I'm renting a car and driving home tomorrow. I am so excited to see the family!!"
"Wow, so my second A.T. journey has come to a close. It was a great experience and I had a lot of both ups and downs. I look forward to additional journeys as I hike the final 1/3 of the trail."

Day 68: Maildrop Update

Hello everyone. I only have a few minutes on the internet, so I won't be doing a full posting today but I promise to do one the next chance I get. Wanted to pass along that I will not be doing another maildrop before I get off the trail. It has been so awesome to get the maildrops with goodies in them from everyone. It brightened my experience out here more than anyone can imagine. So, thank you all for that.

A special thanks to "The Girls" for sending me a Kelly Clarkson bandana in my last maildrop that I will now wear with pride for the rest of my trip.

Only 16 more days on the trail before I head back to the real world. I will make sure to do a full posting at the next internet location. Miss you all very much and can't wait to see everyone!!!

Day 64: Deep Fried S'mores

Yes folks...I just got done eating deep fried s'mores and they were YUM-MY. I didn't hike today because of my knee...not the most intelligent decision to hike 40 miles in 2 days. So, I've been hanging out at the hostel and eating lots of food.

Anyways, just wanted to spread the word about the deep fried s'mores...

Day 63: Vernon, NJ

I made it into Vernon, NJ today. I ended up taking 2 zero days in Delaware Water Gap hanging out with some southbounders and watching the footage of the hurricane. It was supposed to head up this way but we only ended up getting hit by the edge of it...thank goodness.

My mom had work stuff come up so she was unable to make it out here this weekend, so I'm just hiking. The weather has been wonderful but pretty cold at night. Much better than the excrutiating heat.

Here are some excerpts from my journal:

Day 57
"A bunch of southbounders have come in all night. Three of them were really cool...Wickett, Nemo, and Moon Dog. There were some really shady characters too. One guy had a huge knife strapped to his back. Wickett stated it best when he said 'You don't use that knife to open cans...you use it to KILL people!!!'"

Day 58
"We got up and went to the diner for breakfast. Then I got sucked into the town vortex and decided not to hike. We got a shuttle into town and the boys did laundry. We ate lunch at Friendly's!!! I had a 5-scoop Reese's Pieces sundae with extra Reese's Pieces. It was so yummy. When we got back to the laundry, we were in the middle of a Cops episode. Some domestic fight that had so many cops in that place...'bad boys, bad boys...watcha' gonna do?'"

Day 59
"At about 11:00 we decided to take another zero day...go figure. Wickett was able to talk the hotel down to $45 rather than $50. Negotiating skills at their finest..."
"I made all the boys watch Real World tonight. They weren't too happy about it, but oh well."

Day 60
"We finally packed up our stuff and hung out until the noon check-out time. We were actually hiking today. We hiked back over to the trail and said good-bye. I'm going to miss those three...they were a lot of fun to hang out with."

Day 61
"I'm liking New Jersey. There are lots of great views. I have been pleasantly surprised. The rocks haven't stopped which is disappointing."
"I fell again today...I'm just a walking disaster. This time I at least fell into some bushes so I didn't hurt anything."

Day 62
"I felt unusually strong this morning. Both my knees felt great. I decided to try to step it up a notch and shoot for a 20-miler. At about 3:30, I really started dragging. I made it though...finally at 6:30 I got into camp. I was really tired but not in pain. Going to do a 20 again tomorrow into Vernon."

Well, the above were my famous last words...did another big mileage day into town and I'm in lots of pain again. I don't think we'll be doing any more 20-milers. Going to try to keep it between 15 and 17 for the rest of my trip. I only have 3 weeks left!!! I will be coming off the trail the weekend of September 24th. Will spend a week in Indiana with family and then a week in Chicago trying to acclimate back to the real world. Set to return to work on October 10th.

All of the sudden its becoming real that my time out here is almost over. I obviously won't make my goal of 1000 miles, but I've had a blast out here and that is all I really care about. We'll see how many miles I can knock out in the next three weeks. I miss you all and can't wait to see everyone!!!

Here are some facts about my hike so far:
Section Hike '05 Total: 628.7 miles
Section Hike '00 Total at Day 63: 478.5 miles
AT Total: 1,342.7 miles

Day 57: Finally Done with PA!!!

Well, I finally made it into Delaware Water Gap this morning and finished Pennsylvania...it kicked my butt. I'll be hiking into New Jersey tomorrow and then onto New York. I apologize for slacking on the postings, but its getting harder to find internet access for some reason. I'd also like to apologize for some boring journal entries, but really all I do now is think about food and I'm sure most of you are pretty tired of hearing me talk about food.

So, here are some excerpts from my journal over the past couple of weeks:

Day 46
"It feels good to hike out of Duncannon and be back on the trail. My knee is still screwed up, but I'm trying to make the best of it. I think Stumbles was the last person to hike this part because the spider webs are so thick. I had to wear my headnet all day because they were so thick. Plus I ran into a huge black snake. It had to be close to 6 feet long. I had to wait for it to mosey off the trail before I could pass."
"I can't get over how good it feels to be out here. On my first hike in 2000, I can remember never wanting to leave town...now I can't wait to get out of town and into the woods. Makes such a difference on this hike."

Day 47
"The second half of my hike was beside a military reservation with machine guns going off and helicopters flying around really close to the ground. It felt like I was in a battlefield."

Day 48
"Well, it started raining at 4:00am. I had to jump out of my tent and get everything off the clothes line. I'd like to mention that I heard 3 different weather forecasts before I went to bed and none of them called for rain...it rained for 5 hours!!!! It was the first significant rain for Princess and she did wonderfully."

Day 49
"Well, it rained all night and was raining when I got up again. Second day in a row to pack up wet gear."
"Ran into a couple who was out for the weekend and they gave me an apple. I dropped my pack right there and closed my eyes and savored the apple. I don't think people realize how awesome it is when someone does that. It totally made my day."
"Met several southbounders today. I must say, I'm really happy to not be in the mix of a bunch of other hikers. I really enjoy hiking by myself. Had a rough start, but I've really grown to like it better."

Day 50
"Since I had been having a rough couple of days with the rocks, I decided to listen to my headphones whole I hiked today hoping to keep my mind off the rocks. It actually helped a lot. If there was a good song on when I was struggling over the rocks, it would keep me in a good mood anyways. At one point, Will Smith's 'Switch' came on...let me tell you, that song has a great beat. I was cutting a rug out there with my 40 pound pack...knee braces and all. If someone would have seen me..."
"On a good note, my boots are awesome. I thought for sure that the bottoms of my feet would kill on these rocks, but they actually don't hurt at all. That's so awesome considering the saying for PA is 'where boots go to die.'"

Day 51
"I hike the 1.5 miles into the campground and was able to shower and do laundry. I bought 2 things of blueberry Shake 'n Pour pancake mixes...one for dinner and one for breakfast. They turned out to be quite the hassle since I only had a spoon to flip them with. But, I gorged anyways."

Day 52
"I made it into Eckville Shelter at 3:00. This is one of the shelters that has a caretaker. There are cold drinks and ice cream sandwiches...I ate 6."

Day 53
"Ate 2 more ice cream sandwiches before hiking out."
"The first half of my hike was really rocky and frustrating...by far the worst so far."

Day 54
"There was a lot of challenging parts this morning. Knife's Edge was fun...really tough hiking though. I fell really hard today too. Fell forward onto my knees and slammed my shins on a rock. It sucked."

Day 55
"I woke up at 1:00am with something messing in the leaves right outside my tent. I got up to look with my flashlight. I couldn't really tell what it was because half of its body was in the leaves, but once it pulled out, I could see it was a skunk...not one to try and scare away. I shut my tent and just let it be."
"The hike out of LeHigh Gap was something else. The 3/4 mile of rock climbing took me hours to do. It was really challenging but fun. I got stuck for 20 minutes at one point...stupid knees couldn't get me past this one section. When I finally got to the top I felt awesome...only to realize that I still had 15 more miles to go. :("

Day 56
"I was hiking this afternoon over the never-ending rocks and fell again. Except this time I fell really hard. Knocked my head on the ground. Landed on the container of pepper spray in my pocket. The whole thing really scared me. As I was falling, I though 'I'm really gonna be hurt.' I laid there stunned for a second and then the side of my head felt wet. I thought there was blood gushing out of my head. I lifted my head up to realize I had landed on the mouthpiece of my Platypus and it was spraying on me. I unbuckled my pack and took inventory of my injuries...serious pain and bruise on my leg from landing on the pepper spray, a sore shoulder, and a knot on my temple. I sat there and cried for a bit...it really scared me."
"I don't need anymore ailments. Gonna go eat a butterfinger now."

Day 57 brings me into Delaware Water Gap and finally finished with PA. My mom is heading out here on Friday and I am going to take 3 full days off and car camp with my mom. I'm very excited about her coming out for the weekend. Looking forward to a vacation from my vacation.

Hope all is well with everyone. Not sure how long it will be until I get internet access again. But I promise to post as soon as I do.

On a side note...does anyone know how to get rid of those comments that are spam? You can run but you can never hide from spam...

Here are some facts about my hike so far:
Section Hike #2 Total: 565.6 miles
AT Total: 1,279.6 miles

Day 44: Duncannon, PA

Wow, its been 10 days since I was last online...feels like forever. I am now in Duncannon, PA on a day of rest. I decided to take 2 days off in this town because I am having lots of problems with my right knee and I need to give it some rest. About 3 weeks ago, I didn't wear my left knee brace for one day because they are tearing up the backs of my knees. So, I overcompensated and made my right knee do all the work that day ultimately really screwing it up. So, it has gotten progressively worse since then...good stuff. Nothing that lots of vitamin-I can't fix, but I'm trying to not get back into taking 12 a day like my last trip.

Well, delay no further...here are some excerpts from my journal over the past 10 days:

Day 33
"I only hiked 8.5 miles today because of my new boots...need to take it easy until they are broken in. Overall, the boots worked well today. I had a few hotspots but not too bad."

Day 34
"By 9:00, my heals were killing me. I stopped and took my boots off to discover blisters, :( I taped up my feet and kept hiking. Because of the heat, I just sweat off the duct tape and my feet were killing again."
"At noon, I reached the backpack campground and decided to just stop here. This place actually has flush toilets and hot showers. It felt great to shower and clean up."
"At 5:00, I walked the 0.2 miles to Turner Gap and ate dinner at the restaurant there. It was SOOOO good. It was a high-end place, but they welcome hikers as long as we are showered. The french onion soup had an inch of cheese on top...no joke. There was more cheese than broth and I ate every bit of it. I had a pasta dish with shrimp and the cheesecake with strawberries for dessert...so yummy."
"Oh yeah, a bird pooped on me today...like I'm not dirty enough without the poop."

Day 35
"And so it begins...the rocks. Ugh!!"
"I ran into a rattlesnake on the trail today. Those things just give me the willies. I just didn't feel right after I saw it."

Day 36
"I got into Pen Mar County Park at 1:45. The snack stand was open and there were all sorts of people there. I ended up getting bombarded by people like in SNP. But, they were feeding me so I can't complain."
"I have now officially completed the AT in 6 states...Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. It feels pretty good."

Day 37
"Uneventful day of hiking...so, I decided to come up with the Top 10 Foods I Miss the Most. I thought of this list long and hard while I was eating my freeze dried dinner. So here goes...
#10 - Twice baked potato with a volcano of colby cheese on top
#9 - Russian pancakes cooked in so much butter that the outside edges are fried crispy
#8 - Chicken enchiladas with 1.5 pounds of colby cheese on top with a carton of grape tomatoes on the side
#7 - Fruit pizza with 2 packages of cream cheese instead of 1 on the almost raw sugar cookie crust
#6 - Benihana soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, lobster and shrimp combo dinner and green tea ice cream
#5 - Tunde's apple pie heated up with 3 scoops of ice cream AND cool whip on top
#4 - Red Lobster crab stuffed mushrooms, all-u-can-eat crab legs with a caesar salad and cheddar mashed potatoes
#3 - Outback bloomin' onion, potato soup, house salad with ranch, filet mignon with a baked potato rolled in bacon lard and rock salt, and a Sydney's Sinful Sundae
#2 - Cold Stone Creamery "Gotta Have It" size of cake batter ice cream with cookie dough
#1 - P.F. Chang's chicken lettuce wraps, Kung Pao shrimp, and banana spring rolls
At this point, I would give my right arm for any of the above. Gotta go eat a granola bar now..."

Day 38
"I slept in the shelter last night because there weren't any flat spots for tents and it was supposed to rain. I'm not a fan of shelter sleeping, but I did it anyways. I got jolted out of sleep at 3:30am by an animal pulling on my feet. I jerked my feet back and grabbed my flashlight but didn't see what it was. I'm going to assume it was a raccoon because I would rather not think about the other options. I could feel its claws though the sleeping bag and it was pulling on the sleeping bag. I HATE SHELTERS!!!"
"I hiked 3.5 miles to Caledonia State Park and waited until 11:00am for the snack bar to open and then wolfed down a funnel cake, large root beer, and a Reese's ice cream bar...just enough to make me sufficiently ill and then I hiked out."

Day 39
"I got into the state park at noon and decided to take on the 1/2 gallon challenge. This state park is the half-way point between Springer and Katahdin. So, I have officially hiked 1/2 of the whole AT. So, you can join the 1/2 gallon club and get a wooden spoon if you can eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in one sitting. I picked up cookies 'n cream and dug in. Two hours later, I finally finished it...I was delirious at that point. Everything had a haze around it. I was a mess, but I did it. So, the woman gives me the "wooden spoon" and I kid you not, it is a popsicle stick. I ate all that for a popsicle stick?!?!"

Day 40
"My feet are really starting to feel good. The boots are now broken in and really comfortable...I'm liking the Vasques."

Day 41
"I changed into clean clothes and went into Boiling Springs. I had 4 maildrops!!! One from mom, Kristin, Tunde, and Gretchen. Gretchen's included stuff from Prugh, Chris and Emeli. I got so much good stuff...they are all the best!! I had to bounce stuff up to Duncannon since that is where I'm taking my zero day."
"I thought I would never eat ice cream again, but I had 2 large chocolate & peanut butter malts in town...yummy."

Day 42
"I had 12 miles of the valley to hike. About 8 of the 12 miles were in the shade which was nice, but when I would hit a stretch in the sun I felt like I was gonna die. Heat index of 105 today...brutal."

Day 43
"I got into Duncannon around 2:30 and I was waiting at the Doyle Hotel for the owners to come let me in, a southbounder named Stumbles showed up...the first southbounder I have met. We checked in...I don't even know how to describe this place. Its 100 years old and the rooms just have a bed in it and each floor shares a bathroom. Its really bad. I have decided to move to a different hotel tomorrow. I need a tv and a/c when I'm in town. I'm such a snob."

So, that brings me to today. I will be taking today off as well as tomorrow trying to recover some. Thanks to everyone for the e-mails and comments and the fun stuff in my mail drops!!

My next mail drop is in Port Clinton, PA but I will NOT be stopping in town so it may be best to not send anything there. Then, my mom will be coming out here for Labor Day weekend so I will not have another mail drop until mid-September and that will be my last one (will post at a later date the location and time). If anyone is interested in sending something sooner, let me know and I can give you my mom's address so she can bring it out with her on Labor Day.

Focker - That's really funny about those men. That was back when I was hiking with the boy scouts. On August 1st, I ran into 2 men who were day hiking that I talked to for a while. One was from Chicago...if I remember correctly, he lived in Evanston and worked on Dearborn. Was that them? So random...

Here are some facts about my hike so far:
Section Hike #2 Total: 419.2 miles
AT Total: 1,133.2 miles

Day 32: Harper's Ferry

I am taking my zero day in Harper's Ferry today. Since they kick you out of the hostel from 9:00am to 6:00pm, I am volunteering at the ATC Headquarters. Its nice to be actually using my brain today and focusing on something.

I had a fun couple of days on the trail recently. I hung out with a group of high school age boy scouts and their troop masters. It was very entertaining to be around all their energy for several days. They were kind enough to adopt me into their group and we had a blast all hanging out and hiking together.

Here are some journal entries over the last several days:

Day 29
"Today was the first 10 miles of the 'Roller Coaster'...13.5 miles of 10 ascents and descents. Let me tell you...it was a rough day. The climbs were very steep. The boy scout troop was struggling a little bit...I felt bad for them."
"I arrived at the Bear's Den Hostel at 2:30. This place is AWESOME. It looks like a castle and it has everything you need."

Day 30
"Four of the boy scouts caught up to me about 1:00. We hiked together for the rest of the afternoon. It was entertaining. A bunch of 16-yes-old high school boys is pretty hilarious."
"The sad thing is that I find myself resorting back to high school humor. I laugh so hard at them. I'm joining in on their one-liners and such. Hey Chris...'Just kidding!!'"
"I hit 1,000 miles today!!!"

Day 31
"We arrived in Harper's Ferry at 11:00am...we hiked way too fast. We ate lunch at this cute little place in the historic area. I got a BLT, fries, a chocolate malt and a hot fudge sundae. It was really yummy."
"After lunch I had to say goodbye to my boy scout friends. I reminded them to stay in school and don't do drugs."
"I had 3 packages at the P.O. My maildrop from my mom, a package from the girls (with the MUST HAVE US Weekly magazines in it), and my boots from Vasque. The boots are really cool. I'm going to wear them all day tomorrow to start to break them in."

I am hoping to be back online in another week or two. Thanks for all the support from everyone!! I miss you all.

Pictures: Day 1 - 21

See link to pictures below:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AatXDdm3btWIl

Day 29: Comment Responses

Since there were so many comments over the past couple of postings, I thought I would take some time to reply to some of them.

Dubs - I finally got my tater skins...I thought of you girls and Bennigan's as I was eating them by myself at the restaurant. :(

Prugh - No, Patches was not purchased at Costco. However, I would like to point out that Patches lasted me approximately 130 uses while Balfy's Costco tent lasted 4 uses before it was thrown in the dumpster...Balfy was so proud of that tent at one point. Maybe it was Rash tripping over one of the wires that ruined it. Please don't hurt me, Rash.

Simmons - Regarding your question about camping alone...on my first hike, I was in the mass group of people starting out on their thru-hike. You couldn't camp alone no matter how hard you tried. Some nights, there were upwards of 20 or 30 people camped in the same area. This hike is MUCH different...lots of nights camping alone.

Tunde's Mom - I think your daughter is an amazing person for putting up with Virgil as long as she has. I owe her and Chris BIG TIME when I get back.

Rash - Regarding a "schedule"...I've decided that the only schedule I'm on is what I feel like doing at that moment. Yes, I would like to make 1,000 miles before I get back, but as long as I have fun on my hike...I don't care if I only make 300 miles.

Pelz - Glad to hear that you are man enough to admit your fear of bears. Does Praff have a fear of anyone in leggings or just him in leggings?

Focker - Ahhh...the memories of Lake McHugh...looking forward to the Aerobed.

The Linda's - Glad to hear things are going well with each of you. Miss you both greatly!!

Curt - I'll try to be careful so you don't have to recruit anymore QA folks. :)

Aggie - You really are a true friend. How are the walks to work going in wet clothes?

Mo - I don't even know where to start...have you seen your therapist lately? Also, thanks for putting that song in my head...its going to be the only thing I hear for the next week or so...Oompa Loompa, doompadee doo...

Dougle - Can't wait for the pulled pork. Is it better than Fat Willy's?

Moesha - No bad hitch-hiking stories yet...Billy-Bob has been very kind to me.

McHugh - hahaha That's cool that you like Tunde's blog so much. hahaha It makes me laugh to. haha Good to keep up on how Virgil is doing. hahaha

Thanks for all the comments!! Very entertaining.

Day 29: Still Truckin'

Well, I'm not in Harper's Ferry yet. I made an unplanned stop at the Bear's Den Hiker Hostel about 19 miles south of Harper's Ferry. I was reading in my guidebook that they had Ben & Jerry's ice cream...I could hear Ben yelling my name 10 miles back.

So, I am now showered and I discovered that this Hiker Hostel has internet access...only if you know how to mess with the computer some. It's a good thing I know a little something about computers or otherwise there would be NO INTERNET ACCESS FOR YOU!! Unfortunately, it crashes when I try to reply to e-mail, so those will have to wait until Harper's Ferry.

The 11 days since my last post have been fairly well. I finished Shenandoah National Park and I am now in the no-man's-land between there and Harper's Ferry, WV. I will be arriving in Harper's Ferry on Tuesday and taking a zero day on Wednesday.

Here are some excerpts from my journal over the last 11 days:

Day 19
"I went to the P.O. at 8:30 and still no maildrop. I give up...hiking out without it."
"The hike was really nice today. Lots of amazing views and the terrain was easy. I think I'm gonna like hiking the A.T. in Shenandoah National Park."
"Another hiker came and I feel so sorry for him. He just read 'A Walk in the Woods', bought a bunch of gear, and came out for a 7-day backpacking trip by himself. He's in a state of shock right now, but I admire his courage."
"Oh yeah, saw another bear today. He was up in a tree and came barreling down when he heard me."

Day 20
"I got to the meeting place where Mom is going to pick me up at 2:30. Mom had to stop in Waynesboro to get my maildrop...it finally came after 11 days!!! So, I'm sitting there waiting for Mom to come. I hear a car pull up and I jump up when I recognize that its my car...then...ohhhh. :( Behind Mom is a Park Ranger with his lights on pulling her over. What is it with Virginia? He didn't give her a ticket, thank goodness."
"We drove around Loft Campground for forever and finally decided on a site. I love car camping. We aren't going to hike the A.T. tomorrow. Just hike around here instead and relax."

Day 21
"We hiked close to 6 miles, just not loggable A.T. miles."
"We made chicken, baked potatoes and corn for dinner and then s'mores for dessert. It was yummy."

Day 22
"Well, I thought car camping was the greatest until someone's car alarm went off at 3:30am, then again at 6:30am and when it went off again at 7:30am...I was ready to brawl!"
"I've put Patches to rest...may he rest in peace. I now have my Mom's tent. I have to think of a name for her...Mom suggested Princess but we'll have to wait and see how she holds up in the rain first."
"I cut my toenails tonight with the scissors on my pocket knife...so very attractive."

Day 23
"I stopped at Big Meadows Wayside for lunch. I got a chocolate milkshake and a pulled pork sandwich...mmmm, pork. Unfortunately, it made my afternoon hike hellish. I was dragging big time and I lost my lunch on the side of the trail at one point. My body was probably rejecting the sandwich because it wasn't from Fat Willy's."
"I'm listening to my headphones...is it weird that I like the new Backstreet Boys song?"

Day 24
"Had a noisy night with deer stomping around my tent...and of course, you don't know if its deer or bears until you get up and look...good stuff."
"I ran into a retired couple day-hiking. The man had a baby carrier on his back with a dog in it. The dog had on pilot's goggles and a hat. It was hilarious."
"As soon as I got to the picnic area, two kids and their parents approached me. They were so excited to meet an actual hiker. They gave me an apple, banana, a sandwich, and 2 bottles of water. I ate all that and what I was planning on eating for lunch too."
"I saw my 7th bear today. Tried getting some pictures but I don't think they will be very good."

Day 25
"I got into Elkwallow Wayside at 12:15 and got a chocolate milkshake and a BLT for lunch...I know, didn't I learn my lesson from Big Meadows? I decided to eat and then hang out for a while before I hiked to make sure it was digested."
"I was a tourist attraction. I kept getting questioned. It was funny at first, then I just got annoyed. I'm ready to get out of SNP."
"The afternoon hike went much better...until I ran into more tourists who actually took my picture...weirdness. Nothing like not showering for 5 days and have some little girl put her arm around you to pose for a picture...'Oh, honey...I'm really gross and sweaty.' She pulls her hand away and wiped it on her pants...I feel so special."

Day 26
"It's amazing how the prospect of a shower and food will get me moving so quickly. I did 13.5 miles by 2:00pm."
"About 6 cars drove by before one pulled over. It was a nice old man in a pick-up truck. He dropped me off at the motel in Front Royal. I showered and then went to the laundromat in my raincoat and underwear...yeah, I was looking hot."
"I ate dinner at Dean's Steakhouse. I ate a ton of food...a bowl of Seafood Chowder, potato skins, fried mushrooms and a fried chicken salad. When I asked the waitress what they had for dessert, she looked at me weird and then listed off the desserts. I asked for one to go and then the waitress says, 'Gosh! I couldn't figure out how you ate all that food!!' OK, just call me Chunky."

Day 27
"I hitched a ride with an old man in a pick-up (again). He and his wife thru-hiked it in '98. He drops me off at the trailhead and he gets out to look for trash. Then, his truck won't start up. I felt so bad. Neither of us could get a cell signal, so I flagged a truck down and we tried to jump it but that didn't work. I didn't want to leave the poor guy until I knew he was ok. Finally at 12:15 we got it started."

Day 28
"My plan was to do 13ish miles today and stealth camp somewhere between the state park and Ashby Gap. When I got to the state park, there was a sign saying camping was prohibited from there to Ashby Gap. WHAT?!?! Those bastards!!! So, I had to hike an extra 6 miles today totaling 18.9 miles!! Today was just long and tiring...kind of like getting stuck in the office late unexpectedly."

So, Day 29 brings me to the Bear's Den Hostel. I'd like to mention that the comments on the previous postings are hilarious. I'm going to do a posting by itself answering some of the questions in the comments. Just a reminder...if you do not want to post a comment that is public for all to see, you can e-mail me at alstraka@gmail.com.

Mail Drops:
Mail Drop #4 (ETA 08/11/05): Boiling Springs, PA 17007
(please note the changed ETA date...I seem to be making bigger miles so I moved the date up 2 days)
Mail Drop #5 (ETA 08/21/05): Port Clinton, PA 19549

If sending a mail drop, it MUST be sent using the US Postal service...please talk to Lori for information on what happens if you try to send it via another company (e.g. UPS). Also, because of the debacle with the maildrop in Waynesboro, it is best to send it priority.

A reminder on how to address the maildrops:
Allyson Straka
c/o General Delivery
City, State ZIP

In the corner of the package/envelope, write in large letters "Please hold for A.T. Hiker - ETA xx/xx/xx".

I'd like to thank everyone for all the e-mails and comments that I've been getting. It means so much to come into a town and see all the support from my friends and family.

Here are some facts about my hike so far:
Section Hike #2 Total: 274.9 miles
AT Total: 988.9 miles
29-day Average: 9.46 miles per day
29-day Average (not including zero days): 10.57
Longest Day: 18.9 miles
Shortest Day: 0 miles

My next posting will be in a few days from Harper's Ferry. Hope all is well with everyone!!

Day 18: Still in Waynesboro...

Yes, I am STILL in Waynesboro. My supply mail drop is M.I.A. so I've been in town waiting for it. I did a 17.5 mile slack-pack yesterday, but today I'm just sitting around waiting for the mail drop. If it doesn't come, I am hiking out tomorrow either way. I can resupply with food at the grocery store which is no big deal, but my maps for the next 100 miles of the trail are in the mail drop. So, if it doesn't come, I'll have to hike blind...not knowing what the terrain looks like and such. Would rather not do that, but will if it doesn't come by tomorrow morning. I think the people at the post office are tired of seeing me. :)

So, when I woke up yesterday morning and went to the post office to discover my mail drop still wasn't here, I decided to hire a shuttle to take me up the trail to do a slack-pack. The guy picked me up and took me up the trail 17.5 miles at 11:30. I then hiked all day back into Waynesboro.

I had only hiked about a mile when I stopped to roll the sleeves to my t-shirt up because it was so hot. There was all this commotion to the left of me and I look over and I see several bears just 10 feet from me. I say a choice 4-letter word and start walking away very fast. When I turn back, I see that it is a mother bear and two cubs and they are now on the trail following me...lovely. After a while, they finally gave up. Shenandoah National Park did not disappoint with its guarantee of bear run-ins.

With only 5 miles remaining...guess what happened? It stormed and it stormed and it stormed...go figure. I think rain just likes me. When it finally stopped raining, I literally took off my clothes and wrung them out. I know what you are thinking...Weird Naked Man...but, I at least kept my undergarments on while I was wringing out my shorts and t-shirt.

I finally made it back to Rockfish Gap at 6:15 and called a phone number off the Trail Angel Shuttle List. So, John came and picked me up and drove me the 5 miles back into Waynesboro and to the YMCA where I am now tenting it while I wait for my mail drop. John felt so sorry for me that I was so soaked that he waited for me to change into dry clothes and then drove me to this Italian restaurant where I ate dinner. He insisted on coming back to pick me up to take me back to the YMCA when I was done eating, but I wouldn't let him. He was a VERY nice old man.

At 7:30am this morning, I am sleeping in my tent when I hear someone yelling my name. I open up the tent and its John (the trail angel). He insists on taking me out to breakfast and then to the post office to see if my mail drop has come. After breakfast and an unsuccessful trip to the P.O., John then took me on a tour of Waynesboro and showed me the new Wal-Mart. He said, "Being from Chicago, Wal-Mart probably isn't a big deal...but this was HUGE for Waynesboro." He was funny...

Did I forget to mention that I woke up this morning with poison ivy all over my face? Yeah, so I spent 3 hours at a walk-in clinic today. I figured it was better sitting in that waiting room rather than out in the 100 degree heat. Got some medicine for it, so hopefully it won't spread any further. I tend to be pretty allergic. :(

Well, I will be hiking out tomorrow for sure. When my mom comes this weekend, she will check at the P.O. for my mail drop if its not here tomorrow morning.

Loved all the comments on the last posting. You guys make me chuckle. Miss all of you!!

Day 16: New Boots!!

Just received word from Ron that Vasque is hooking me up with a new pair of boots!!! See previous posting for how dire in need I am of new boots.

Check 'em out... http://www.vasque.com/products/w-wasatchgtx.cfm

Really cool of Vasque to do this for me. I'm really excited to try the new boots out!! Special thanks to Rick from Vasque!!! I'll keep you all posted on how they work out. :)

Day 16: First Day of Rest

Well, I made it into Waynesboro, Virginia yesterday and today I am taking a much needed day of rest...no hiking!! I am spending most of my time in town gorging myself on all sorts of bad foods. :)

The past two weeks have been filled with ups and downs. Overall, things are going well. I struggled a lot the first week with loneliness and being homesick. But, I think I was starting to get into the groove of things the second week. It is taking a lot of getting used to...being by myself so much. I've always been very independent, but its pretty extreme out here when you go a whole day without seeing another human being.

In general, the weather has been up and down as well. I've gotten stormed on many times and none of my stuff ever seems to dry out. The days it's not raining, it's so hot that I am completely drenched in sweat so it might as well be raining. :)

Here are some excerpts from my journal over the past couple of weeks:

Day 3
"...after mom and I said our goodbyes, I started off on the trail. I hiked for about 5 minutes and then I heard mom start up the car and drive off...she was honking the horn the whole way...I was sobbing...I miss her terribly already..."
"...I came across a turtle in the middle of the trail and not 5 steps later, a copperhead snake was in the middle of the trail eating a mouse...or so I assume, only a leg and tail were hanging out of the snake's mouth...gave me the willies!"

Day 4
"I camped by myself for the first time ever last night. I think I was so tired that it didn't matter..plus I'm sure the Tylenol PM helped..."
"Of the 8.7 miles that I did, 7 were uphill. The climb up Floyd Mountain was brutal...about 1/2 mile from the top it started monsooning. It felt good at first, but after 30 minutes of downpour, it sucked."

Day 5
"It rained all day today. If it wasn't for the rain, it would have been a beautiful hike..."
"...my feet are a mess from the blisters and then being wet all day..."

Day 6
"Well, it rained and it rained and it rained last night. The tent started leaking at 9:00pm. There was nothing I could do. I was up most of the night and I finally crawled out of my wet sleeping bag at 8:00am. Thankfully it was no longer raining, but everything was soaked...and I mean EVERYTHING. I didn't start hiking until 9:45 cause it took me so long to wring everything out and pack up."
"I was really nervous to hitch-hike by myself for the first time. The first car to come by was a pick-up truck. I nervously stuck out my thumb and he pulled over!! The first car!! I hopped in the back and he took me to Wildwood Campground. The owners here are so nice. They hooked me up with a tentsite and I got to take a shower and do my laundry...I feel so much better now."

Day 7
"I loaded up my maildrop into my pack and boy was it H-E-A-V-Y. I knew then that it would be a slow day but I had no idea it would be so bad."
"...the first problem was that the water sources were 9 miles apart and most of those 9 miles were uphill. I was severely dehydrated at the end of the day and I kept getting really dizzy..."
"I finish my last climb and I start on the last mile descent into the shelter. I come to a piece of paper in the trail...it says, 'wasp nest 5 ft on left and rattlesnake 20 ft on right'...grrrreat. Didn't have a run in with either but boy did it make me jumpy."
"I think I'm going to slow down to 8 or 9 miles a day until my feet get better...they are a mess with blisters."

Day 8
"I have so many emotions in me right now. I'm homesick, lonely, scared, and yet still happy to be out here...I'm just not enjoying it right now."
"I'm going to target getting into Waynesboro on Sunday and taking Monday as a zero day. That's an average of 7 or 8 miles a day all this week. Hopefully my feet will start to feel better. I think that will help with my mindset too."

Day 9
"When I got up this morning and went to the privy, I met a girl from Ball State who was doing a 3-month section hike as well. She was nice, but she was hiking in a skirt...absolute craziness!!!"
"...I'm starting to worry that I am going to turn into Tom Hanks in Castaway. I need to pick up a volleyball in the next town. I've already started talking to my tent...I've named him Patches."

Day 10
"...I hiked up Cold Mountain which was this beautiful grassy bald. I was hoping that Jude Law would be at the top waiting for me, be he wasn't :( So, I called Ashlie instead."
"...Ashlie read Tunde's blog to me and I guess Virgil isn't doing too well with Mitch...lovely"

Day 11
"I think my feet are happy with me because they are starting to toughen up. It was a good idea to slow it down into Waynesboro. Only a few of the blisters are still causing me problems."
"Today I started a new game of 'What Does the Bug Bite Look Like?' I found one today that looked like a dragon when it was new. Now it looks like a star among all the other bug bites that make up the constellations on my legs and arms."
"OK, I am completely losing get. I'm reading a book and it says, 'there are shenanigans pulled...' and I stop reading and say to Patches...'mmmm, Bennigans'"

Day 12
"Boy did it storm last night. I'm talking some SEVERE storms blew through. I thought that lightning struck right next to my tent at one point. Patches didn't hold up too well. I'm gonna have to give him some TLC in Waynesboro and if that doesn't work, we may have to put him down. Don't really want to buy a new tent out here, but Patches let the flood gates open last night."

Day 13
"It wasn't raining today, but all the weeds were wet and hanging in the trail, so my clothes got soaked in the first mile. Then the toe of my right boot came apart and my right foot turned into a swamp. I had to stop and wring out my socks all day. I'm not on speaking terms with my boots anymore."
"So, I started hiking the 1/2 mile to the parkway and right before I get there, an old man comes hiking towards me with nothing on but a day pack, hiking boots, and a walking stick. He was totally naked!! So I stepped off the trail so he could walk by . As he comes up to me, he says 'Nice day, huh?' and then proceeds to slip on the rocks and fall on the ground...in all his nakedness!!! What do you say to a weird naked guy who just fell right next to you? 'Uhhh, are you ok?' to which he responds 'yeah, be careful of the rocks, they're slippery.' I could not feel more awkward. I think I am scarred for life."

Day 14
"I got to the shelter and read my book the rest of the afternoon. The father & son with another son that I met yesterday showed up around 6:30. I hung out with them all night and played poker. I had a blast. They were so fun and it was great to hang out with actual people for a night. Plus, I beat them all in poker. :)"

Day 15
"I only had 5 miles to hike today into Waynesboro, so I hiked with my weekend friends the whole way out. It was nice to have company on my hike."
"I washed my hair 3 times and I turned the washcloth brown...ewww."
"I gorged myself on a #4 super-sized (or 'Go Large' or whatever) at McDonald's. It was delectable!! I've spent most of the afternoon getting caught up on my MTV reality shows. Its been a perfect afternoon. Just got done shoveling Papa John's down my throat. I now feel sick...shocking."


Here are my next couple of mail drop locations for those of you interested:
Mail Drop #3 (ETA 08/01/05): Harper's Ferry, WV 25425
Mail Drop #4 (ETA 08/13/05): Boiling Springs, PA 17007

Thank you to everyone who sent me e-mails keeping me updated on what's happening back in the real world. I miss you all very much!!

I'm hiking out tomorrow and then my mom is coming out to visit next weekend...very excited about that! I should have internet access within the next two weeks for my next posting. Hope everyone is well and enjoying the summer!!

Here are some facts about my hike so far:
Section Hike #2 Total: 133.7 miles
AT Total: 847.7 miles
15-day Average: 8.91 miles per day
Longest Day: 13.1 miles
Shortest Day: 4.6 miles

Day 2: Can you say pain?

My mom and I made it down to Virginia safe and sound on Saturday. The drive was easy and I even got a personal "Welcome to Virginia!!" by a highway trooper. He was even kind enough to give me a welcome basket with a $131 ticket in it. Just my luck...

We hiked 8.6 miles the first day and setup camp next to a creek. I was a beautiful campsite. We then hiked 5 miles to the car this morning and then I did another 6.3 miles slack-packing (hiking with a day pack rather than a full backpack). Mom drove the car up to where I finished my slack-pack. We then drove back into Troutville and got a hotel again. :) We showered and ate at Outback...mmmm, Sydney's Sinful Sundae...I couldn't think of a better 2nd night on the Trail. Mom will be dropping me back off on the trail tomorrow morning and then she will head back to Fort Wayne. :(

Here are some excerpts from my journal on these first couple of days:

Day 1
"...we only saw 3 day-hikers today and no backpackers. Like I figured, I think this hike is going to be much more alone than my last hike. Doesn't seem to be any thru-hikers in this part..."
"...many thoughts have been going through my head all day. I can't believe I'm out here again and I'm very anxious about it. Am I really ready to do this again for 3 months? I hope so. Will I really be by myself most of the time? I love solitude...but loneliness scares me."

Day 2
"...we ran into our first trail angels. A bunch of kids from some camp were day-hiking and handing out fruit to backpackers. I got an apple and mom got a pear...they were so good..."
"...I think I hiked too fast because I am in serious pain now. I have blisters on my feet and all my muscles hurt..."
"...once again, only say weekend backpackers and day-hikers...no long distance folks..."

I hope everyone is well and had a great 4th of July weekend. I will most likely be posting again around July 15th. Until then...

Section Hike #2 Total: 19.9 miles
AT Total: 742.5 miles

Day -3: Contact Info

Well, I woke up at 2:00am last night and had a panic attack thinking of all the stuff I still need to get done. Way too many logistics to coordinate when leaving town for 3 months. ONLY 3 MORE DAYS!!!!

I wanted to post my contact info for when I'm out there. I will be checking my personal e-mail on occasion (alstraka@gmail.com) as well as checking my voice mail messages on my cell phone. So, I fully expect to be kept up-to-date with all the latest celebrity news, reality-tv happenings, and just general gossip/news. I'm so out of touch out there, so it will be nice to see what's happening in the real world. Also, don't be surprised if some of you get phone calls while I'm on the top of a mountain and can get a signal.

My schedule for the next several days is as follows:

• Friday @ Noon: Leave work and drive to The Fort
• Friday Evening: Get new stereo installed in my car...curse that thief!!!
• Saturday Early AM: My mom & I drive to Troutville, Virginia
• Saturday Evening: Eat last meal at Red Lobster...mmm, crab legs
• Sunday AM: Drop off car 13 miles north of starting point & take shuttle back to starting point & hike
• Monday PM: Arrive at car and say goodbye to mom :(
• Monday PM - October: Hike, hike, and hike some more

If I don't get a chance to post again before I leave, I hope everyone has a great summer!!! Make sure to send me e-mails with all the good gossip. My first post on the trail should be in Waynesboro (ETA 07/15/05).

Day -5: Car Trouble

Well, with only 5 days until I take off I am trying to finish all of my planning and preparation. I got up nice and early on Sunday to make the trek to Munster, Indiana to drop Virgil off at Tunde's. As I was loading up the car with all of Virgil's stuff, I saw that it had been broken into overnight. Someone had taken a crowbar to the passenger-side window bending the window frame and shattering the glass. They then took the crowbar to the locked glove box splitting it and getting the face to my CD player and then ripped the stereo out. Just what I need to deal with this last week before I leave...especially since I am supposed to drive this car to Virginia.

So, it took me about 45 minutes to clean all the glass out of my car after I spent 30 minutes on the phone with the police and the insurance company. I then loaded up Virgil and we made the trek to Indiana. With the window busted out, semi-trucks driving by, the wind blowing through the car, and Virgil crying as loud as he could...it turned out to be a very stressful car ride. But, Virgil is now at Tunde's and appears to be having an interesting time...poor Tunde.

I've decided that it's something about hiking the trail that is bad luck for my car. In 2000, when my mom drove me down to Georgia in my car to start my hike, we parked at the Springer Mountain parking lot. This lot is in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. We had a really hard time even finding it. My mom hiked with me the first day and night and then hiked back to the car the next day only to find that 2 of the tires on the car had been slashed as well as several other cars in the lot too. So, my mom got stuck in Nowhere, Georgia for an extra day getting new tires put onto the car.

So, I'm not surprised that this happened with my car now the week before I leave...it's my destiny.

Day -9: Trail Name

Now would be a good time to explain trail names. There is a thing in the Trail community where no one goes by their real names...instead, they have a trail name. Now, most people find this unusual and weird, but I can honestly say that I don't know a single person's real name that I met and hiked with in 2000.

Some people come up with their own trail name and others get pegged one whether they like it or not. I fell into the latter of the two. I think it was Day 10 of my 2000 hike when I got my official trail name. In the days prior, several people were considering calling me Pipe Legs because by legs looked so skinny. Then one night, I was getting made fun of from some weekend hikers about being from Indiana...and they called me Hoosier Mama. Much to my chagrin, it stuck.

While trail names are fun, it gets a little weird when you try to contact someone that you hiked with after the hike. Pick up the phone and call the number you have for her...only to have some man answer..."uhhh, is uhhh, is Gypsy there?" Only to get a response of..."WHO?!"

Day -11: Protection

Who needs a gun?

Kenyan, 73, kills leopard with bare hands...
A 73-year-old Kenyan grandfather reached into the mouth of an attacking leopard and tore out its tongue to kill it, authorities said Wednesday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8317484/

Day -16: Mail Drops

Several people have asked questions about how I resupply. Every week or two, I will hitchhike into a town and pick up a package from the local Post Office. My mom has been kind enough to volunteer to put together my mail drops and ship them to me. For the long stretches between mail drops, I will resupply at grocery stores in those towns instead.

People have also asked if they will be able to send me stuff at my mail drop locations. The answer is yes. I will make sure to keep this blog updated with my mail drop locations and estimated dates. I currently only have my first two mail drops scheduled.

Mail Drop #1 (ETA 07/08/05): Big Island, VA 24526
Mail Drop #2 (ETA 07/15/05): Waynesboro, VA 22980

All mail needs to be addressed:
Allyson Straka
c/o General Delivery
City, State ZIP

In the corner of the package/envelope, write in large letters "Please hold for A.T. Hiker - ETA xx/xx/xx".

If a package is sent after I've already been at that Post Office, they will hold the package for about 30 days and then return it to the sender.

Prugh - please don't send me a huge stuffed animal and make me carry it. :-)

Several people have asked about my cat Virgil as well. Tunde has been so awesome and volunteered to take him while I'm gone. Yes, she is either an amazing woman or legally insane. For those of you who are familiar with Virgil, he is not a normal cat. Tunde will also be keeping a blog to post crazy Virgil stories...she also has a cat and a dog, so I'm sure it will be pretty entertaining. Her blog is located at http://keslin.blogspot.com.

Day -21: Packing

The good thing about packing my backpack is that this time I know what to take. My first trip hiking the Trail was a lot of trial and error. I started off with different items in my backpack than what I had when I ended. I was able to finish packing my pack today. What exactly do you take on a 3-month hike?

• Tent (North Face 2-person)
• Therma-Rest & Fleece Sleeping Bag (for summer)
• Stove & Fuel (MSR Dragonfly)
• Pot & Spoon (only a spoon is needed...no need for a fork)
• Clothing (1 pair of pants, 1 pair of shorts, 2 shirts, 1 tank-top, 3 pairs of socks, 4 pairs of underwear, rain jacket, & fleece)
• Platypus, Nalgene & Water Filter (PUR Hiker)
• Rope (for hanging food bag in a tree so bears can't get at it)
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, mini-brush, and wetnaps...there is nothing like a wetnap bath when you haven't showered for 5 days to make you feel like a million bucks)
• First Aid Kit (moleskin for blisters, alcohol wipes, & lots of Vitamin I...a.k.a. Ibuprofin)
• Georgia Chrome (a.k.a. Duct Tape...can be used for anything & everything)
• Headlamp & Pocket Knife
• Trail Data Book & Maps
• Pepper Spray & Whistle (in case I run into any shady characters...animals or humans)
• Journal (I keep a journal and write in it every day on the Trail...many of my blog postings will be excerpts from my journal)
• Trekking Poles & Knee Braces (only way my legs will move...along with 12 Vitamin I)
• Digital Camera & Cell Phone (I really hope I don't fall into a river)
• Baggies (everything is in a Ziploc bag and spares...there is nothing worse when your gear gets wet)
• Food (currently 7 days worth)
• Camp Shoes (flip-flops to put on after a long day's hike...very important to get out of your boots)
• Miscellaneous Stuff (bugspray, spices for food, bandanas, hat, pack cover, etc.)

So, after I solved the puzzle and fit all of the above in my pack, I decided to weigh it. I stepped on the scale first and then again with the pack on my back...a difference of 39.4 pounds. With water, I will be carrying around 45 pounds on my back for 3 months.

I may need to reconsider taking that 4th pair of underwear...

Day -28: Planning & Preparation

Only 28 days more until I'm back out on the Appalachian Trail continuing my hike. I thought this was good timing for my first post to this blog. I did not keep a blog the last time I was on the Trail, so this is new to me. I'll try to keep it interesting for everyone.

I thought I would start off with a little history of me and my quest to hike the Appalachian Trail. When I was 10 or so, I was watching some television news magazine (I know...its unheard of me watching television) about a 78-year-old blind man that hiked the entire Trail with no support other than a seeing-eye dog. I decided then and there that I was going to do that someday...without the dog, of course. I set out to do just that on March 18th, 2000. I started on Springer Mountain in Georgia, the southern starting point, and hiked for 92 days and 714 miles. In Troutville, Virginia on June 17th, I ended my first hike on the AT. Now, almost exactly 5 years later, I'm heading back to Troutville, Virginia to continue my hike.

I am starting off exactly where I left off in Troutville on July 3rd, with the goal of hiking an additional 1,000 miles in about 90 days. This should get me somewhere in Vermont. With the whole trail being a total of 2,167 miles, if I complete my goal I will be less than 500 miles from the finish (Mt. Katahdin in Maine).

When talking about this trip with my friends, I get many of the same questions asked. I figured I would end my first post with the answers to the top 5 questions I get asked:

1. Who are you going with? -Myself
2. Are you taking a gun? -No
3. What do you eat? -Freeze dried food and candy bars
4. How often do you shower? -About once a week
5. Are you insane? -Most likely