older AT hikers

April 15, 2015

EMOTIONS

I wrote this post last year on day 10 of my hike, so early in April.  I wrote it in pencil on my paper log book.  I never posted it on my blog, not sure why.  I was reading a blog from a hiker this year and thought about this post.  Here it is, it’s short.

This has been an extremely emotional first 10 days on the trail.  There is all of this time to think and reflect about your life.  I have over half a century of memories about Family and Friends, both here with us and ones that aren’t.  Memories of choices and decisions that I have made, both good and bad.  Words I have said that I am proud of and words I have said that I am not proud of.  Things I have done that I am proud of and things I have done that I am ashamed of.  I can be hiking on the trail with tears in my eyes of Joy and of Sorrow.  The toughest time is at the end of the day when I am tired.  Mom always told us to count our blessing, I’ve been doing that too and I have many.  I do wonder what the twenty-year-olds think about out here, I might ask them sometime.  This is only day ten.

hoba

LYMG

April 14, 2014

day 17 4/12/14

Fontana Dam Shelter   165.8 nobo   9.8 miles today

Slept well.  Made oatmeal and strawberry jello for breakfast. Tasted good.  Leisurely packed and headed out at 10:00.  Quite warm today but nice walking in the woods.  Did my poboso’s through out the day.  My feet are fine in the new boots so far.  Stopped at Walkers Gap at 3:00 about 6 miles and thought I should call it a day.  But after sitting there for an hour or so I headed out for Fontana Dam Shelter “Fontana Hilton” 4 more miles.

It was mostly down hill.  The lakes I saw off in the distance yesterday are part of the Fontana Lake.  Nice views of the lake through the trees.There are about 30 hikers here, the shelter holds 20 and there are many tent sites.  I’m in my tent.  A group of 2013 hikers brought trail magic to the shelter tonight.  Hot dogs,  sausages, chips, drinks, candy and fruit. It was nice not having to cook and it wasn’t boiled.

There is a path down to the lake.  The water didn’t feel too cold so I stripped to my BVD’s and jumped in.It felt great.  The 2 sisters from Texas also jumped in, they thought it was cold, felt fine to me.  I spoke to their Dad about swimming in sight of his daughters in my underwear. He laughed and said they had lived in Europe and it probably didn’t bother them at all.

It’s a beautiful night after a good day, what a difference a day makes.

hoba

LYMG

March 8, 2014

Younger Hikers Don’t Do This

A year ago, when I told my cardiologist ( I have heart disease ) that I wanted to hike the AT, he said go for it. Then he said we should schedule a stress test just before I go. A few weeks back I mentioned an ISSUE to my primary care physician and she said I was over do for a colonoscopy.
It is with great relief that I can say the colonoscopy was fine, I don’t need another for ten years. And I passed the stress test.
Younger hikers don’t get permission from their cardiologist to hike the AT.