Updates from the Trail II...
[Per a phone conversation, I received permission to post Kim's letters today. They are edited only so as to remove recipient-specific commentary (e.g., I miss you's & so on). Some ellipses, thus, are that sort of thing, and some appear in the original, and no, I don't remember which is which. Sorry!]
3-16-2006
Well, right at this moment, life could not get much better.... I am at the NOC, eating..., lounging in the sun after taking the most wonderful hot shower. Once you spend a few days in the wilderness, showers are worth gold.:)
Let's see. Interesting adventures. hmm. I saw my first snake. It's a little early for snakes yet, so that was kind of exciting. It was just a little one, hanging out right in the middle of the trail. hmmm. What else. Well, there was this amazing climb up to the top of Albert Mountain a couple days ago. I actually had to strap my poles to my arm and use my hands to climb up the rocks. I didn't really expect anything like that until PA, so that was fun. And the view from the top was incredible, of course.
Other exciting things: Trail Magic! This is a term that hikers learn very quickly on the trail. Just to be nice, sometimes people will set up little tables or booths and things and give free food & drinks to hikers, often at a gap where there is road access. Crutch was giving out stuff at Rock Gap a couple days ago, and Apple was at a gap yesterday. You have no idea how amazing it is to run into Trail Magic. I took an apple & an orange from Crutch, since I don't really get fresh fruit out here, and it tasted sooooo delicious! Dave had a bread, mustard, mayo, cheese crackers, and oatmeal pie cookie sandwich. Yep. His hiker hunger has kicked in. It's amzing... hikers will eat just about anything with calories.
Overall, the hike has been about what I expected. Sometimes I wonder what the heck I am doing..... Monday things really started to hit me, and I cried for the first time since the bus ride.
Oh, there was another term I wanted to tell you that Nomad said to me. I don't think I worte it in the last letter (sorry if I did). Nomad looked at me and said "did you do a lot of PUDs today?" Of course, I had no idea what that was, so he said, "you know, Pointless Ups and Downs." I thought that was funny... describes a lot of the trail. hehe
Bravefoot just showed up. Cool.
I just sent home my guitar because it seems it's either too cold or I'm too tired or bashful to play. I did play a couple nights, & that was fun, but it's not worth the 3+ lbs of extra weight right now. I might have my mom send it back later in the summer. I also sent back my cell phone, since I can't get reception anywhere it seems. I can still check messages from pay phones, though...
My ankle is doing pretty well. It's just a little swollen, but now my knee on the same leg is giving me trouble. A guy I met gave me his knee brace, and that in combination with Aleve has been working good enough. So, I'm 133 miles into the trail, headed for the Smokies soon. I'm about 2 days ahead of schedule so far, but it will be hard to get ahead in the Smokies bgecause they require you to camp or stay at the shelters to help preserve the wildlife.
I want to write more, but I am starving for some fresh fruits & veggies, so I'm going to pack up & check out the restaurant down the hill a bit, & then back up into trees & mountains for a few days.
From the mountains of NC,
Kim
3-16-2006
Well, right at this moment, life could not get much better.... I am at the NOC, eating..., lounging in the sun after taking the most wonderful hot shower. Once you spend a few days in the wilderness, showers are worth gold.:)
Let's see. Interesting adventures. hmm. I saw my first snake. It's a little early for snakes yet, so that was kind of exciting. It was just a little one, hanging out right in the middle of the trail. hmmm. What else. Well, there was this amazing climb up to the top of Albert Mountain a couple days ago. I actually had to strap my poles to my arm and use my hands to climb up the rocks. I didn't really expect anything like that until PA, so that was fun. And the view from the top was incredible, of course.
Other exciting things: Trail Magic! This is a term that hikers learn very quickly on the trail. Just to be nice, sometimes people will set up little tables or booths and things and give free food & drinks to hikers, often at a gap where there is road access. Crutch was giving out stuff at Rock Gap a couple days ago, and Apple was at a gap yesterday. You have no idea how amazing it is to run into Trail Magic. I took an apple & an orange from Crutch, since I don't really get fresh fruit out here, and it tasted sooooo delicious! Dave had a bread, mustard, mayo, cheese crackers, and oatmeal pie cookie sandwich. Yep. His hiker hunger has kicked in. It's amzing... hikers will eat just about anything with calories.
Overall, the hike has been about what I expected. Sometimes I wonder what the heck I am doing..... Monday things really started to hit me, and I cried for the first time since the bus ride.
Oh, there was another term I wanted to tell you that Nomad said to me. I don't think I worte it in the last letter (sorry if I did). Nomad looked at me and said "did you do a lot of PUDs today?" Of course, I had no idea what that was, so he said, "you know, Pointless Ups and Downs." I thought that was funny... describes a lot of the trail. hehe
Bravefoot just showed up. Cool.
I just sent home my guitar because it seems it's either too cold or I'm too tired or bashful to play. I did play a couple nights, & that was fun, but it's not worth the 3+ lbs of extra weight right now. I might have my mom send it back later in the summer. I also sent back my cell phone, since I can't get reception anywhere it seems. I can still check messages from pay phones, though...
My ankle is doing pretty well. It's just a little swollen, but now my knee on the same leg is giving me trouble. A guy I met gave me his knee brace, and that in combination with Aleve has been working good enough. So, I'm 133 miles into the trail, headed for the Smokies soon. I'm about 2 days ahead of schedule so far, but it will be hard to get ahead in the Smokies bgecause they require you to camp or stay at the shelters to help preserve the wildlife.
I want to write more, but I am starving for some fresh fruits & veggies, so I'm going to pack up & check out the restaurant down the hill a bit, & then back up into trees & mountains for a few days.
From the mountains of NC,
Kim
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