AT update

This is Kim's mom...got a phone call from Kim this morning. She is in Rutland, VT, about 9 miles off the trail at a hostel, ready to eat some breakfast with the two fellas she has been hiking with lately, Hateras and Woody Crow. She sounded happy and is pumped to tackle the White Mountains of NH, supposedly very tough hiking involving rock climbs up to the peaks which are so high they go above the treeline. With the tougher hiking, she has been making only 20 miles a day or so, but expects to hike only 15 miles a day when she gets into NH because of the elevations and rocks. Kim has less than 500 miles to go and hopes to finish in late June or early July. Thanks for prayers! Here's the next 2 postal drops:

June 9...AMC Visitor Center c/o front desk, N.H.16, Gorham, NH 03581
June 12...General Delivery, Andover, ME 04216

Massachusettes!

I wanted to post this pic of me and Garlic Man. He's definitely been one of my favorite people on the trail so far. He was working at an outfitter in Harper's Ferry and also was staying at the hostel where I spent the night. He has hiked the AT, PCT, and CDT, and just has a thirst for more. His passion is certainly for hiking and hikers. I loved talking with him. The pic is a little fuzzy, but you can still tell he's awesome. ;)

Trying to think of interesting stories to tell, but none come to mind at the moment. Just taking the hiking one day at a time. I will soon be in Vermont, and that will make state 12, with only 13 and 14 to go. There are still quite a few miles, though, since Maine is relatively large, but I know the best hiking is yet to come. Everyone always talks about the VT, NH, and ME section and how amazing it is, so I'm really looking forward to it. I have been pleasantly surprised with CT and Mass as well. Very lusche and and green.

I finally broke down and bought a radio, by the way. Just couldn't be alone with myself much longer. It feels a little like a cop-out, but at the same time, it's helping me tremendously. I don't know if I could keep going and stay sane without some kind of music or something to keep me going. It seems to give me some energy, too.

I finally saw a bear in Jersey. I think Mom put that in another post though maybe. My first bear encounter ever!! And it only took like 1200 miles. ;)

I've had some amazing encounters with trail angels and things of that nature. People really are spectacular along the trail. Cutting me deals, giving me rides, giving me food, etc. I wish I could pay all these people back, but I will most likely never see them again. Like last night, I stayed at a cabin along the trail, run by the ATC I believe, and there were two caretakers there, Pat and Cathy. It was so nice to hang out with them, and in the morning, bright and early at 5:45am, they fixed me pancakes to get me going for the day. They didn't expect anything in return. Just kind and generous people. I love it, and the pancakes were DEEEEELICIOUS.

The weather has been a little less than perfect the last few days, but not too bad really. Just some rain on and off, and it's been slightly chilly. I can't help but think of Glenn when I think about a couple days ago when the sky got so dark from an incoming storm that I almost needed a headlamp. I just kept hiking...what else could I do? And the hail balls hurt a little, but it didn't last too long. Just another adventure. Because of the rain, I've been walking through A LOT of mud and water, too. Mostly mud now. Fun fun. :)

I'm now on 22 falls. But still unhurt, which is good.

Oh, there is always so much to write and so little time. I need to get going so I can buy a few groceries, buy some din din, and hike out of town and set up camp somewhere before it gets dark. Love and miss you all. Can't wait to get back to M-town and O-town to give you all the biggest hugs you've ever had. :)

Love, Do-Rag

Update on Dew Rag

This is Kim's mom blogging again. Kim called this morning around 7:30 and had already hiked 5 miles today. She sounded wonderful! Kim was at a little deli/convenience store using the pay phone and will be in Kent, CN tomorrow. She plans to start hiking extremely early tomorrow to make the 13 mile hike to Kent before the post office there closes at 12:30. Kim was wet already this morning and sounds like she will be hiking through rain all day; she has 20 more miles to hike today to reach a shelter. The rocks in New York were treacherous, and Kim said she was really rock climbing instead of hiking much of the way, which was very difficult with a heavy pack on her back. Kim had her first black bear sighting, but luckily the bear was running away from her! Thanks for your prayers for Kim!

Here is her updated AT schedule:
May 20, Kent, CN 06757
May 24, Dalton, Mass 01226
May 27, Manchester Center, VT 05255
June 1, Hanover, NH 03755
June 3, North Woodstock, NH 03262

Living Sacrifice

Alright, a lot of things going on lately out here on the trail. Thanks, Mom, for updating the site.....she did a great job. Those listings will be my packages drops for the next few weeks, for anyone who was wanting to know where approximately I will be for the next while.

First of all, matters of business unrelated (mostly) to the trail......Jared and I have broken up. I don't want to go on and on and make a big saga out of it. I mean, relationships always seem to be dramatic for me I guess, and since I've never been in one longer than 4 months, I obviously have no clue, but I'm trying to just kind of move on. I haven't decided if it's easier or harder since I am far away. I guess a little of both. I tried to be mature about it, you know.....like crying myself to sleep and waking up and crying some more.....you know, the things that adult females should be doing. *laugh* But really, after the next day, I got better. I just had to do a lot of sorting out of my thoughts and how I went about things out here. I don't think I realized how much energy and time I was putting into thinking about my relationship, and so now that it's over, it's kind of like I've entered a whole new realm of thinking in a way. Hard, but good I think. I mean, I still miss Jared a ton, but I have to work through that. And what better place to be than out here where all I do is think about things. So......in the long run, I guess this is a good thing. Just hard to see it sometimes.

So, the trail. It's been AWESOME the last few days. I've conquered Maryland and am on into PA, and it's pretty flat compared to the rest of the trail, which is a nice break. But now I am approaching the infamous PA rocks, which is supposedly "where boots go to die" as people say out here. lol The rocks, apparently, are very sharp, and there are many......so, people complain that this section destroys their feet. We'll see how I handle it. I have a new pair of shoes coming in the mail in a few days, too, so that may help (thanks, Princess employees!!!!).

I finally caught up to a guy I've been reading about in the registers named Taco.....he's been great fun, very uplifting. We hiked together for probably 5 days, and we both stayed in the Doyle last night. I think now, though, I am moving on....since I want to go a bit further today than he does. This is life on the trail........haven't seen Bleach for over a week, either. But, you get used to seeing people and then not seeing them. It's hard to build community when everyone is going at their own pace. But....I have emails and stuff, and I would imagine that when friends start hiking with me, I will slow down and bit and some of the people I've met will catch up. In the meantime, I am going to try to catch some people in front of me. Like Hatteras Jack. And some others whom I haven't met yet. Looks like they are only a day ahead, but that's a lot of miles to make up.....it'll take me a while probably.

After a couple days, I will have less than 1000 miles to go. That'll be a good feeling. Into the triple digits. :)

Alright, these people at this church are nice in letting me use the computer, but I don't want to abuse my privelage. I should be in Port Clinton, PA, Monday morning to pick up my package. After that, not sure how fast I'll move with all the rocks and things.

Wish I could write more. So many stories and great things over the past few days.......I'll just have to tell them when I get home in a couple months. I'll have a party and have story-telling time. :) hehe

Love you all and miss you much. Next time I write, I may get to write about Joe Foster getting to hike with me!!!! We are trying to work things out for him to come out here within the next few days. I'm excited. :)

OK, I'm off to hike the PA rocks!!!

Kim's new AT schedule

Hi, this is Teri Birchfield, Kim's mom. Kim called this evening from Doyle Hotel, a landmark on the AT, although I don't know why it is called a hotel since there are no phones or TV's in the rooms, mostly just a bed. Kim asked me to post her latest schedule. If you would like to write to her or send something, send it a few days in advance by priority mail to Kim Birchfield, General Delivery, whatever town, state & zip. Kim said it also might be helpful to post her expected date of arrival on the outside of the mail. Here are Kim's expected dates of arrival:

May 6...Port Clinton, PA 19549
May 9...Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327
May 13...Ft. Montgomery, NY 10922
May 16...Kent, CT 06757
May 20...Dalton, MA 01226
May 23...Manchester Center, VT 05255
May 27...Hanover, NH 03755
May 29...North Woodstock, NH 03262

Kim has been having "incredible weather" this week, and the hiking has been a breeze since the land is flat in Maryland. She has been hiking with someone named Taco since Harper's Ferry. Some nights they have slept out under the stars on his tarp, although she says they get a little dewey by morning. The area she is approaching is known for lots of rattle snakes. Oh boy. Kim sounded happy and really appreciates the phone messages and any communication from you all!