I just heard from Kristin while I was uploading the previous photos. She FROZE last night.....literally...at least her water did! REALLY!! She was at a shelter, but like I said they are only 3-sided buildings. The wind still howled in......so did the snow!! She said she slept backward in her sleeping bag with the drawstring drawn, but it didn't help and she got claustrophobic! She also got something in her eye last night (I think it's called "cold") and it's still bothering her......her lips are dry and cracked from the wind and ice. :(
For a few days now, she has been hiking with a father/son team that is on the trail. The dad was just going to hike with his son for a week or so and then head home. (She's been with others, but they were staying behind and she wanted to move on.) The son was a bio major and is now going on to Med School. He graduated coming up to 2 years ago, but has been taking prep classes and entry exams to continue on in Med School. For a few months now, Kristin has been thinking she'll go on to Med School, too, and has been enjoying her conversations with this young man.
Last night I guess they all froze even after they shared some of their gear with Kristin. Kristin said that she'd never had a time before where she had sustained such a long period of being cold! I would've had a cold sore by this morning! :) (Now, I'll probably get one for such writing the word!)
Today, a group of them headed to town and are staying in a bunkhouse while the snow accumulates. A few others were heading on, but Kristin isn't sure how they'll survive tonight; it's supposed to be 20 degrees again.
PS- The other name I couldn't come up with from the Log Book that Kristin read was "bum-knee". I mention these names, because I know they are following the Blog, too and would like honorable mention!
Monday, April 23, 2012
A Picture is Worth 1000 Words!
This was the stone that was at the Trail Head in Georgia.
It is a tradition for hikers to carry a stone (pebble) from Georgia all the way to Maine and visa versa.
How does that fit with "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footsteps"?
Does this mean this was the stone someone brought down from Maine?!?!
Here she is at the trail head. The stone is just behind her at the bend in the trail.
Many people begin the hike thinking that the walk will be smooth and nicely paved the whole way........ha! This paved walkways provides those photographic moments for the family, and false assurance for the mother who is just supposed to let her "baby" walk away!!
Those crazy blue things she's wearing are Long Johns.
All her articles of clothing are bold/bright this year....it's to fit with her Rainbow Dash persona!
I told her it's why the Rangers were worried she was alone and why they all thought she was 15!!
(hee, hee)
This was a very difficult moment for Kelly and me. She was excited and nervous at the same time.
She can do it, and she's got a great support crew cheering for her. That pack on her back is all she'll have for survival for the next 5 months! It has her lodging, her bed, her clothing, and her food!
No extra room for frills!
This water fall was close to the trail head. We drove up the mountain for several miles to get to it. This is only the top 1/4, and definitely is not displaying the depth. Kristin walked past it on her approach trail and up the 604 steps to get to the mountain top. The sound was beautiful; its power awesome. She is blessed to have a country that has such beauty and allows its citizens the freedom of exploration.
It's "snoooooooow" cold!!
We've continue to hear from Kristin these past few days, but live with "dial-up", and have not been able to post! Ah, the woes of rural Kentucky.
She's doing great....but extremely cold. The mountain tops are bald so there is nothing to break the wind. They had expected a storm (snow and ice), but made it to Blueberry Farm Hostel and bunked there. She says the Farm reminds her a lot of our farm. (Maybe I should send them a few llamas!!) Hikers from the AT bunk there during several weeks of the year, but their main purpose is a U-Pick Blueberry Farm. Kristin was unhappy that she was there too early for the blueberry picking!!
The couple who run/own the hostel were gracious hosts and treated everyone to a warm place, cozy beds, and great food. I'm sending them some of my jams (peach & pear) to say thank you for treating Kristin so nicely.They even chauffeured them into town for the others to hit the grocery store and restock.
It got down to 20 degrees......a bit "nippy" to be sleeping out-of-doors. :) She crossed into Tennessee yesterday and at the border saw a mom and her two cubs. She said they were larger than she'd expected.....made yearlings.....?
She hadn't been hungry the first few days out on the trail, but is ravenous now. We have begun dehydrating at home again in preparation for her next boxes. We have some great meals ready to send.
While checking out the Log Book at the Hostel, she saw the signatures of "Giggles", "Booksmarts", and someone else I can't remember the name of who had stayed there last year. She had hiked with them from Harper's Ferry on. So, she's enjoying a brush with the past.
I know there's more that I need to be updating, but I can't remember everything at the particular moment. I'll check back in later. We are posting pictures later today....I finally got around to giving that my attention.
~Pat
She's doing great....but extremely cold. The mountain tops are bald so there is nothing to break the wind. They had expected a storm (snow and ice), but made it to Blueberry Farm Hostel and bunked there. She says the Farm reminds her a lot of our farm. (Maybe I should send them a few llamas!!) Hikers from the AT bunk there during several weeks of the year, but their main purpose is a U-Pick Blueberry Farm. Kristin was unhappy that she was there too early for the blueberry picking!!
The couple who run/own the hostel were gracious hosts and treated everyone to a warm place, cozy beds, and great food. I'm sending them some of my jams (peach & pear) to say thank you for treating Kristin so nicely.They even chauffeured them into town for the others to hit the grocery store and restock.
It got down to 20 degrees......a bit "nippy" to be sleeping out-of-doors. :) She crossed into Tennessee yesterday and at the border saw a mom and her two cubs. She said they were larger than she'd expected.....made yearlings.....?
She hadn't been hungry the first few days out on the trail, but is ravenous now. We have begun dehydrating at home again in preparation for her next boxes. We have some great meals ready to send.
While checking out the Log Book at the Hostel, she saw the signatures of "Giggles", "Booksmarts", and someone else I can't remember the name of who had stayed there last year. She had hiked with them from Harper's Ferry on. So, she's enjoying a brush with the past.
I know there's more that I need to be updating, but I can't remember everything at the particular moment. I'll check back in later. We are posting pictures later today....I finally got around to giving that my attention.
~Pat
Thursday, April 19, 2012
And the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down, so Kristin started bailing
Well, we heard from Kristin around 2pm this afternoon. She's clocking up 15 mile days now, and the group she was with decided to get the lead out and join her pace. She'd wanted to be doing 22 mile days, but is compromising for the company. :)
It was not her laces that broke, but the loop on the boot that holds the laces and it weaves back and forth. I guess someone at the Outfitter's store tried to fix it, but I think she'll contact Merrill directly and see if they'll help her out. Her other boots were by them, but they had 600 miles already on them- hence the new pair!
Nothing much to say other than she's wet and a bit chilled. She said her sleeping bag is dry, though. She's at a shelter tonight and she said she may actually sleep in the shelter and not her tent tonight just to let the tent dry. More storms are headed her way, so she's trying to make the best of everything.
She's having a great time and enjoying the group that she's with. A couple who had been celebrating their anniversary was coming off the trail yesterday and drove a group of them out for pizza....... she was quite pleased about the opportunity.
I'll have more to post later, and hopefully she'll be able to add her stories this weekend. She'll be at a hostel in a few more days, and that'll provide her with Wi-Fi, laundry, toilets, showers, and real beds! (not necessarily placed in order of importance) ---- Luxury at its finest!! :) What more could a girl ask for!??
~Pat
It was not her laces that broke, but the loop on the boot that holds the laces and it weaves back and forth. I guess someone at the Outfitter's store tried to fix it, but I think she'll contact Merrill directly and see if they'll help her out. Her other boots were by them, but they had 600 miles already on them- hence the new pair!
Nothing much to say other than she's wet and a bit chilled. She said her sleeping bag is dry, though. She's at a shelter tonight and she said she may actually sleep in the shelter and not her tent tonight just to let the tent dry. More storms are headed her way, so she's trying to make the best of everything.
She's having a great time and enjoying the group that she's with. A couple who had been celebrating their anniversary was coming off the trail yesterday and drove a group of them out for pizza....... she was quite pleased about the opportunity.
I'll have more to post later, and hopefully she'll be able to add her stories this weekend. She'll be at a hostel in a few more days, and that'll provide her with Wi-Fi, laundry, toilets, showers, and real beds! (not necessarily placed in order of importance) ---- Luxury at its finest!! :) What more could a girl ask for!??
~Pat
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
.....and a snake on top!
I was hoping that Kristin would be able to blog today, but I'm not sure the place where she's staying has that capability enough to share. :)
She made it to her food drop by about 11 this morning. She also needed new laces for her boots; surprisingly they had snapped the first day out. She had an soaking wet hike today. The rain that she'd hoped wouldn't come, apparently came and never left!
It dropped like bucket fulls during the night and everything, EVERYTHING got wet. It hit the ground with such force that it splattered up and got underneath the tent fly, through the screen, and onto the floor. She said everything was soaked when she packed up this morning.
I guess there were other critters who apparently didn't like the deluge either........she awoke to find a SNAKE on top of her tent!! In case anyone is wondering......these are the types of stories which do not a happy mother make! :( I guess she's with a group of hikers that is predominantly males.... which, like everything, can have its pros and cons. I guess they are eager to help out when needed......but, I'll let her tell more about that.
Well that's all I'll post for now. I'll see what she has to say later, and still leave room for her to get the info to you.
Ha! Before I sent this, she called........now for some clarification. There was no SNAKE on her tent, there was a bank (mud slide) on top of her tent. She said it was an awful mess! I have NO idea how that was translated so poorly, but we just had a good laugh of that one.....sort of like the childhood game called "gossip" or "telephone" where the original message is totally warped as it's relayed from person to person.
There is a father/daughter pair out there with her. The daughter is 12 years old and is hiking with her dad over Spring Break. They are heading home today. He was very worried leaving Kristin.......he brought a snack and a warm drink to her during all the awful rain last evening. That sounded nice. She had found out from them, that they have hiked various sections of the trail in many different states every chance they can......awesome! :)
She didn't think she'd be able to post from her location, so I'll let this post stand. Hopefully we'll hear from her SOON!!
~P
She made it to her food drop by about 11 this morning. She also needed new laces for her boots; surprisingly they had snapped the first day out. She had an soaking wet hike today. The rain that she'd hoped wouldn't come, apparently came and never left!
It dropped like bucket fulls during the night and everything, EVERYTHING got wet. It hit the ground with such force that it splattered up and got underneath the tent fly, through the screen, and onto the floor. She said everything was soaked when she packed up this morning.
I guess there were other critters who apparently didn't like the deluge either........she awoke to find a SNAKE on top of her tent!! In case anyone is wondering......these are the types of stories which do not a happy mother make! :( I guess she's with a group of hikers that is predominantly males.... which, like everything, can have its pros and cons. I guess they are eager to help out when needed......but, I'll let her tell more about that.
Well that's all I'll post for now. I'll see what she has to say later, and still leave room for her to get the info to you.
Ha! Before I sent this, she called........now for some clarification. There was no SNAKE on her tent, there was a bank (mud slide) on top of her tent. She said it was an awful mess! I have NO idea how that was translated so poorly, but we just had a good laugh of that one.....sort of like the childhood game called "gossip" or "telephone" where the original message is totally warped as it's relayed from person to person.
There is a father/daughter pair out there with her. The daughter is 12 years old and is hiking with her dad over Spring Break. They are heading home today. He was very worried leaving Kristin.......he brought a snack and a warm drink to her during all the awful rain last evening. That sounded nice. She had found out from them, that they have hiked various sections of the trail in many different states every chance they can......awesome! :)
She didn't think she'd be able to post from her location, so I'll let this post stand. Hopefully we'll hear from her SOON!!
~P
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Hiking Buddies!
Information from April 17
Well, today (Tuesday) was a great day for Kristin. She made friends last night and hiked out with them this morning. I guess they went at a fairly slow pace and made camp early because they'd been warned about severe storms in the area that would hit just after lunch.
Someone had been hiking with a dog, which of course took to Kristing and followed her all day. She said she loved it. They shared Frosted Flakes and Animal Crackers for a snack mid-morning. :)
They made camp early afternoon and while the storm was still being kept at bay, she allowed articles of clothing to dry in the wind. She had put everything safely away just before the storms let loose again. So, she headed to her tent and read one of the books Ms. Kinney had given her (thank you), and wrote letters to a few hiking friends.....oh, all right, I'll spoil the surprise and let Ben and Jenna know that a letter to each of them is on its way! :) ---well actually tomorrow when she arrives at the outfitters depot. :)
She is rationing her food because she was supposed to be at the outfitters today picking up her next box of supplies; however, the climb was supposed to be steep and the footing treacherous. She didn't want to do it in wind, rain, and lightning; however, if it's still bad weather tomorrow, she'll go anyhow, and take it slowly. She'll be at elevation 4,450.
She is enjoying the company of other hikers. She said it was certainly a sight to behold with everyone lounging around near the creek, resting their feet, and drying their clothing in the wind. Her sleeping bag is still dry and her tent is serving her well. She'd also sealed the seams to ensure even more rain-proofing! :)
As of 5:30 p.m., the rain was letting up a bit and she was getting ready to head out of the tent, make supper, and visit with the other hikers. There is a 30 year old in the group who had graduated from Fletcher High School, in Jax Beach. He knew Ms. Fine (gifted history teacher-Kristin also had her). That meant he was graduating the year Kristin had Mr. J at Neptune Beach Elementary School and was graduating from there. She was going to talk with him tonight and find out if he knew Mr. Holden, Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey, Brenda Brown, Mr. Antone, etc. What a SMALL world it is.
Anyhow, Rainbow Dash is safe, dry, fed, and with friends. I'll sleep better tonight!
Well, today (Tuesday) was a great day for Kristin. She made friends last night and hiked out with them this morning. I guess they went at a fairly slow pace and made camp early because they'd been warned about severe storms in the area that would hit just after lunch.
Someone had been hiking with a dog, which of course took to Kristing and followed her all day. She said she loved it. They shared Frosted Flakes and Animal Crackers for a snack mid-morning. :)
They made camp early afternoon and while the storm was still being kept at bay, she allowed articles of clothing to dry in the wind. She had put everything safely away just before the storms let loose again. So, she headed to her tent and read one of the books Ms. Kinney had given her (thank you), and wrote letters to a few hiking friends.....oh, all right, I'll spoil the surprise and let Ben and Jenna know that a letter to each of them is on its way! :) ---well actually tomorrow when she arrives at the outfitters depot. :)
She is rationing her food because she was supposed to be at the outfitters today picking up her next box of supplies; however, the climb was supposed to be steep and the footing treacherous. She didn't want to do it in wind, rain, and lightning; however, if it's still bad weather tomorrow, she'll go anyhow, and take it slowly. She'll be at elevation 4,450.
She is enjoying the company of other hikers. She said it was certainly a sight to behold with everyone lounging around near the creek, resting their feet, and drying their clothing in the wind. Her sleeping bag is still dry and her tent is serving her well. She'd also sealed the seams to ensure even more rain-proofing! :)
As of 5:30 p.m., the rain was letting up a bit and she was getting ready to head out of the tent, make supper, and visit with the other hikers. There is a 30 year old in the group who had graduated from Fletcher High School, in Jax Beach. He knew Ms. Fine (gifted history teacher-Kristin also had her). That meant he was graduating the year Kristin had Mr. J at Neptune Beach Elementary School and was graduating from there. She was going to talk with him tonight and find out if he knew Mr. Holden, Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey, Brenda Brown, Mr. Antone, etc. What a SMALL world it is.
Anyhow, Rainbow Dash is safe, dry, fed, and with friends. I'll sleep better tonight!
Tuesday, April 17
We heard from Kristin mid-morning. Last summer when she hiked, everyone moved out just after sunrise. She was surprised that the group she was with from the night before, were all still asleep with no signs of stirring. She got up, had breakfast of rehydrated quinoa with brown sugar, raisins, apples, etc.-- 500 calories with protein, and headed out........alone.
The rain began shortly after 8:00 a.m. and rained all day. She never saw a single soul. She called around 4:00 p.m to see if there had been the "Rapture" and she had missed out. High winds and heavy rains continued until she made camp around 7:00 pm. She had worn her rain gear all day and was dry even though she felt a bit chilled (I think it may have been nerves from never seeing anyone). I take that back, at one point she saw a Ranger and he told her that she needed to make sure she got to the shelter that night because of the bears and the food situation (oh, brother!). If she wasn't carrying a 4lb bear cannister, she wouldn't be allowed to camp on the trail, she HAD to reach a shelter. Now, let me explain that these shelters are just like a "run-in" for the paddock animals....only 3 sides, not 4 sides and a door! :(
She was successfully able to start her stove and had minestrone with TVP (soy protein) for supper. She was weathering the storm when some others came and made camp. Soon, it was very crowded, but she made some friends with a group of thru-hikers and stayed up talking until long after dark! (That probably means they were in bed by 9:00 p.m)! hee, hee.
So, now I'm waiting to hear how this pans out and how she'll adapt her schedule to stick with them for a few days. She is due to hit a package holding station tomorrow (or the next day if she slows to stay with the group) and will pick up her food supplies for the next 5 days.
I'm relieved to hear she's with a group for now. The group had been only hiking 6-8 miles a day (they'd left earlier last week), and she'd done two 15 mile days, but at this point, I think she'll give up distance for conversation. They were going to be camping near a creek tonight and that sounded nice.
~P
We heard from Kristin mid-morning. Last summer when she hiked, everyone moved out just after sunrise. She was surprised that the group she was with from the night before, were all still asleep with no signs of stirring. She got up, had breakfast of rehydrated quinoa with brown sugar, raisins, apples, etc.-- 500 calories with protein, and headed out........alone.
The rain began shortly after 8:00 a.m. and rained all day. She never saw a single soul. She called around 4:00 p.m to see if there had been the "Rapture" and she had missed out. High winds and heavy rains continued until she made camp around 7:00 pm. She had worn her rain gear all day and was dry even though she felt a bit chilled (I think it may have been nerves from never seeing anyone). I take that back, at one point she saw a Ranger and he told her that she needed to make sure she got to the shelter that night because of the bears and the food situation (oh, brother!). If she wasn't carrying a 4lb bear cannister, she wouldn't be allowed to camp on the trail, she HAD to reach a shelter. Now, let me explain that these shelters are just like a "run-in" for the paddock animals....only 3 sides, not 4 sides and a door! :(
She was successfully able to start her stove and had minestrone with TVP (soy protein) for supper. She was weathering the storm when some others came and made camp. Soon, it was very crowded, but she made some friends with a group of thru-hikers and stayed up talking until long after dark! (That probably means they were in bed by 9:00 p.m)! hee, hee.
So, now I'm waiting to hear how this pans out and how she'll adapt her schedule to stick with them for a few days. She is due to hit a package holding station tomorrow (or the next day if she slows to stay with the group) and will pick up her food supplies for the next 5 days.
I'm relieved to hear she's with a group for now. The group had been only hiking 6-8 miles a day (they'd left earlier last week), and she'd done two 15 mile days, but at this point, I think she'll give up distance for conversation. They were going to be camping near a creek tonight and that sounded nice.
~P
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