answers

Hi everybody. Thanks for the support and encouragement sent along the way, To recap we started our hike in southwest Virginia. My goal was to get to Maine and possibly go back south to do whatever could of the southern section and to be gone not much longer than 5 months. As it turned out I got to New York, came home a couple of weeks then went back to try and get to Maine. Only lasted a few days though on the second attempt and came home for good on July 23. Total time away from home was 4 months. For pictures and more information as to the preparation and actual hike itself read some or all of the previous 12 posts on this blog site. 

There are several links to other blogs have done with links in the narrative part of this blog. Listing them here also for easy reference.

windwarddavemusings.blogspot.com - recent travels and opinions
sierrawindwarddave.blogspot.com - backpacking photographs highlighting Sierra treks
nycwindwarddave.blogspot.com - running blog
northwesthikingwindwarddave.blogspot.com - northwest photos
thefriendsofhoopono.blogspot.com - a consumer's effort to "give back"
windwarddavehikeshome.blogspot.com - about 100 pictures of hikes done in Hawai'i

I visited Ho`opono, the agency I used to work for the other week and a lot of interesting questions were asked about the hike. So decided to write up answers to those and more and place them in one easy location. Here they are. 

What was the toughest thing you did on the Appalachian Trail?

Day three, March 18 climbing up Whitetop Mountain through the Roan Highlands. The mountains in Southern Virginia are often over 5000 feet high. To get to a summit or high ridge line you climb many more feet than the final high point as the trail often drops in and out of ravines. When not in and out of ravines your are often circumnavigating via switchbacks. So as a result to get up to a 5000 foot mark if starting from 1000 you are probably gaining over 7000 in elevation. The large mountains of Appalachia are extremely old and there is just no going straight up them. Our third day it was probably 15 degrees or less when we started hiking and for sure it was too cold for snow. It took forever to reach what is known as Buzzards peak. By time got there had lost sight of my brother. After a half hour of worrying he came trudging along. The winds were howling. On the hike down it just got colder and colder. Icicles were everywhere and we were the only ones around for what appeared to be miles and miles. My gloves got wet and hands were freezing on the descent. Finally we reached a county road and spotted a forest information billboard nearby an enclosed privy. We went inside and after our hands warmed up ate some energy bars. The wind and cold got worse as we discussed the pros and cons of staying in the outhouse that night. After a half hour or so decided to go out and try and get a ride somewhere. Stood around several minutes and were about to give up on spotting any traffic when a pickup drove by.The drivers passed us but a few hundred yards later turned their vehicle around and asked if we wanted a ride. Sure do was the answer and when they said where you headed we said anywhere there is a town. We hoisted our gear and selves into the open cab and chattered our teeth till got to a resupply spot. There we picked up some food and then our good samaritans took us to a baptist hiker hostel a few miles away, that was basically in the middle of nowhere. No one was around the hostel as we were the first hikers of the season. The next day we tried to hitchhike back to the food store but no luck and then tried to hitchhike to the trail head again with no luck so ended up walking back to the hostel to stay a second night. That evening we went down to the church for the advertised bible study hoping we could talk to someone about a ride out the next morning. There were only 5 people at the study and we thought the preacher was gong to offer us a ride but his son who had been living in Europe popped in to surprise his Dad during the service and that ended all hopes for a lift. The next morning on our long walk back to the trail a driver pulled over and got us there. So all worked out. That hike up white top, although not as high as other mountains that climbed, and there were future days with at least double if not triple the mileage was nonetheless the toughest indeed. Mainly due to getting adjusted to the cold and the fact that our hiking legs and minds were not yet broken in.

What was the hardest thing you had to do?

After the hike up New Hampshire's Mt. Washington making the decision to leave the trail for good. After all had made a second trip out there to make a month long or so push to Maine's Mt.Katahdin. I wanted that feeling of satisfaction which just knew would bring waves of joy when unfurling the Eveland brothers banner on Katahdin's summit. But I also knew that my rash which stared on Memorial day was really bad after the climb up 6288 foot Mt.Washington and that there was just no way could go out and sleep in a bag at night or even slack pack as would still seat day after day and the sweat make it worse. Clothing and equipment gets contaminated easily. You just cannot keep changing clothes constantly or buying new ones for that matter. With the problem I had that is pretty much what would have had to do to keep going. It is not just that the rash itched, but rather it was that at times my scalp would seem as if someone or something was drilling holes on my head. Usually at night would be the worse and that is how it was when went back out east. I had pills, itch spray, you name it. That stuff brought relief for awhile but was not long lasting enough. The first time left had experienced numerous bad nights prior but the truth is that going back the second time resulted in a big setback health wise. Returned home for good July 23 and it was late August before could spend any significant amount of time outdoors. Had some sort of rash till late October that may have been caused by ongoing poison ivy out breaks or maybe recurring rash from trail spiders. Met a hiker who said he had recurring rash for months on end and suspected the cause was a wolf spider bite.

How could you leave your brother?

Well that is explained for the most part by the answer above. In addition, my brother by end of April was a hiking machine. At the start I would usually get ahead but after a few days he got very strong. He hiked 27 miles on one of the days I took it easy. My brother also has excellent camping skills. He can get a bear bag up in the trees as quick as anybody. The same goes for setting up and breaking down camps, building fire, and cooking food. When young he led multi week canoe trips and the skills learned then have stayed with him. Most importantly he possessed the will to walk miles and miles day after day with a heavy pack. I knew my big brother would be just fine without me and I knew that when he suggested I go home for good after the hike up Washington that it was done out of live and concern for his little brother.

Speaking of brothers we met one who did leave his brother sick in a shelter. The man was bout our age and we were having lunch at a campsite near Daleville. We were headed north and he was headed south. A couple days earlier he and brother made a plan for him to hike on and the one who was sick to rest another day or so and then hitchhike to Troutville/Daleville. The brother we met kept checking his phone fora message to no avail. He finally said no worries as his little brother always showed up somehow. Two days later we were in a town and saw an article with a picture of the brother we talked to. His little brother's body had been found in the shelter he stayed behind in the day after we had our conversation.

The hike was Brother Paul's idea to begin with. He wanted me to join him for as long or as little as I could. We had a pact before we started that neither one would ever leave the other while on the trail. Also that if either of us got sick or hurt that it would be okay for the other one to continue on as long the one injured or sick was off the trail with adequate help available. That is what happened of course and I am very proud of my brother Paul who on October 22 completed hiking 2000+ miles which resulted in raising around $20,000 for a great cause near his Virginia home. He is one awesome dude!

Were you ever worried about your safety or if you would be okay?

Just one night really. There were several nights as noted when the itch made me very uncomfortable but those never seemed like life threatening incidents. The night talking about occurred at Jenkins shelter the tenth day of our hike. The night before we had been at Chestnut Knob which sits on top of a mountain bald. It snowed several inches that night. The next day we were hoping to make 20 or so miles to get to a town but due to a late start and getting a little lost it was almost dart by the time we hit Jenkins Shelter. It was another day when we saw and heard on one but ourselves. Another day that got colder and colder as it wore on. We got our tents up quickly, ate dinner in a hurry and settled in for the night around 6:15 pm. I figured it would be a long evening and maybe no sleep. I warned my brother that if got to shivering would be jumping in his tent. Despite the worries about hypothermia though I fell into a deep sleep right away for two hours and that pattern continued till dawn. Each time that woke up would hear the wind howling and could tell my tent kept getting more and more iced up. I worried that the inside and bag would get wet and that the tent might collapse. So would think about the bad stuff that could happen for maybe 3 minutes then fall right back to sleep. Thankfully I had a really good bag that although was wet on the outside kept me dry on the inside. Also thank goodness was so tired that did sleep as it would have been on really horrible night if had stayed awake the whole time. When morning came my boots and socks were completely frozen. We headed out hiking the wrong direction but after a few minutes got straightened out and hit a county road a few hours later. After resting alongside the road awhile a pick up came by and asked if wanted a ride to town which we said on yeah that would be great. They took us to a small hotel near a dairy queen and we bought the angels lunch. Their names were Mountain Mike and True Britt. True Britt was an ex British special forces commando whom had saved some navy seals whom gave him his name. Mountain Mike was a rodeo or motorcycle dude or maybe both. TB said he had rescued hundreds of people off the mountain over the years and more than likely they added us to the count! We found out later that the night we were in our tents at Jenkins it was single digits plus wind chill and that a dozen or more hikers up and down the Appalachian trail had put our distress signals and gotten rescued. At least no official Search and Rescue (SAR) had to get us!

Were you ever worried about people causing trouble on the trail?

No not really, especially when in southern Virginia. Deliverance is a myth. The townspeople were all very nice and pleasant. The two that really did possibly save us on day 3 were just awesome. The passenger was wearing oxygen tubes and the driver had a trachea. WE figured that the trachea guy had maybe taken his friend for a medical appointment and was driving him on the back roads home. Whatever the case they went out of their way to make sure we had enough food and got us to a place where we could get warm. They wanted no money for gas or store items for their efforts that cost them a few hours of their time. Other hikers were all fine. Met a lot of interesting characters with colorful names none of whom seemed too sketchy. Even the hunter we came across with firearm at the ready was cheerful and it was evident he was out shooting turkeys not hikers. I was warned once at a store in Pennsylvania to be careful on the trail as a lot of bad stuff happens out there. Never saw any sign of it myself though.

There was a campsite situated alongside a river at a campground near Ducannon where some folks did make racket. From round 10 pm to midnight as each train came down the nearby tracks they would yell out as loud as the could "train, train train." They had plenty opportunity to do so as Ducannon is like grand central station for freight trains. That is the most irritating thing people did round us the whole hike and those guys were actually sort of entertaining. Paul said he was going to tell them to shut up but he thought he heard my voice yelling with them so he kept quiet

What was the most fun part of the hike?

Scramble up spy rock. It is not a technical climb but it does require some figuring of a safe route up and a little bit of rock climbing. Got to exit down a crack which was kinda neat. The rock is maybe three times higher than the face at crystal canyon, just as steep in parts but there are plenty ledges and safe spots plus no need of ropes to get up and down. As a bonus the rock was full of little bumps like those found in the Sierra which made for a sticky surface so that even on the steep spots footing seemed really secure. At the top got rewarded with a 360 view that reached forever.

Second place was crossing a creek that had become a raging river due to five inches of rain the night before. The water got waist deep, was fast flowing, and had to place the hiking poles in front each stop of the way to keep from falling down. When got across my first thought was sure beats watching football all day!

In third was having a picnic bench almost fall on head when A train stood up from my side the same time as those on the other side and I stayed seated. That was good for laughs for weeks.

Tons of honorable mentions first of which would be all the small towns that stopped in for resupply. Draft been as cheap as $1.50 a pint, full rack of ribs with fixins for $11, dollar stores, and buku pie slices.

Findng my ID/money pouch with contents in tact. Three times thought had lost it for good. In Greenwood lakes even the police were out combing the streets looking for it! All can say is never give up when think something is impossible to find!

Tenting in Unionsville main park next to the bb court. Chimney Rock, McAfee Knob at sunset, walking down Priest Mountain in buckets of rain, camping out in storms, Wal Marts, war Spurs, duck calls, bears, deer, mice, drops and climbs to Woods Hole, getting through and up numerous passes and summits, waterfalls, stony man, the original Washington monument, fire towers, clowning around with other hikers.

Daily trail menu which typically consisted of the following: breakfast of apple jacks, dried fruit, biscuit bar, lil debbie pastry; lunch with jerky, granola, energy bar, triscuts; dinners made up of ramen. foil pack of spam or tuna, lil Debbie donut. All that food was awesome!

Not actually part of the AT hike but stops on the way home the first time in Arizona to visit brother John and in Seattle to hike a few days with son Josh were certainly some of the best days of the time away from home.

What did you accomplish?

Spent good times with my brother and sister in law, saw all of their kids along the way, raised some bucks for charity. Check out www.razoo.com/story/Hike-For-Hoopono and/or www.razoo.com/story/Friends-Of-Hoopono. The hike site dissolves at the end of 2014 and the site for the Friends is ongoing with all contributions from both sites going to the non profit Friends of Hoopono. Contributions were also raised for Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek. Thanks much to all whom made and to those whom will make donations to these fine organizations.

Did you ever think of quitting before you did?

Every day, some days every hour and some days even more than that! Didn't quit earlier because hiking is fun. I really enjoyed meeting and talking to people along the way. Met a young female Punahou Grad now based in Texas who has done the 2800 Pacific Coast Trail twice! Talked with people who quit their Job to do the hike and others trying to find answers as to what to do the rest of their lives. The thing is on the trail many people open up about themselves, what their goals are, past accomplishments, disappointments and so on. It is not uncommon to meet someone for a brief period of time and then decide hey lets go hike several hundred miles together! The Appalachian Trail really is a community of hikers whom find themselves in settings prone to produce instant bonding.

That said I was so ready to come home for good when did, and really had to work on the mind to stay with it while out there. I knew would miss home but didn't  realize just how much especially when was struggling. No one takes care of or cares for me like Betty. Serendipity or fate whichever caused us to meet must have been in a good mood that day. She owns my soul.

What's Next?

Another Haleakala trip with youth from Ho`opono slated for June 2015. Short backpack with Josh and maybe another group hike in the Sierra. Am running again and plan to continue as long as knees hold out. Rocky Raccoon got me pumped to do the New York City Marathon so have entered their 2015 lottery. Odds are long so if don't win a ticket will just keep jogging around home block. Otherwise the future and now remains the same, a little travel, hours of blogging, walking the dog. It's all good. 

Update on what's next. Pictures of the Ho`opono Haleakala trek which took place June 2015 at end of this post. NYCM did do and can read about it at www.nycwindwarddave.blogspot.com. The Iowa Department for the Blind has in their library a digital talking book which covers the time I spent at Ho`opono as those were the years that the Iowa Department and Ho`opono forged a partnership. An audio and links to print version can also be found at www.hooponostoryaudio.blogspot.com
Is now fall 2016 and still running. Hamstring healed up well and have not missed a week due to injury since that one right before the NY marathon. In December will be running Honolulu M with an amazing young man from the agency. Can read about his effort at www.thefriendsofhoopono.blogspot.com.

www.windwarddavemusings.blogspot.com written 12/2016 about life in Hawai`i and elsewhere is the most recent addition.

What did you learn?

The Eastern Mountains are beautiful in their own right.

If toes are sprained or broken just tape them together.

Can hike with bone spurs and meniscus tears without worry of long term damage as long as still have adequate fluid under the knee cap. The use of Garlianaise results in pain free knees.

It makes sense to view the years remaining as one long hike with for certain some tough probably painful times to get through but get through it for sure can do. Plan to focus on the good, enjoy the experiences yet to come, and see the beauty that surrounds.

Do not want to be gone form home again for more than a few days or weeks. Have no desire to ever go away on a multi month journey again.

There is a ton of appreciation for Hawai`i. All that met either wanted to go back again or visit for the first time.

There are really good people to be found.

We saw the Royals play the Red Sox at Fenway in the latter part of July. They went to the World Series in October. Will be at University of Phoenix field on 12/7 with brother John to watch the Chiefs. Not long after is the Super Bowl. Some times one just has to follow their superstitions!

Was it worth it?

The $5000 plus trip cost, the rash issues, health problems upon return-all added up to some serious costs both to the bank account and personal life, and make this a valid question.

Memories to last as long as have a memory, dreams full of mountains, months of days with new adventures, and lots of other good stuff are the basis for answering this question with a gargantuan YES!

Bonus Information and Holiday Greeting 2014! and 2015 Haleakala update! Plus 2016 Sierra hike photos and trip report can be found at www.sierrawindwarddave.blogspot.com
Pictures of trips done in the northwest from 2009 through 2016 are at www.northwesthikingwindwarddave.blogspot.com. 

For pictures and blog entries covering preparation for and details of the time spent on the AT please read some or all of the earlier 12 posts on this blogsite.

Ho`opono means to make things right. It is Hawai`i's agency that provides programs and services that truly make a difference to members of the Hawai`i and Pacific region blind community. Interesting information can easily be found on the agency's Facebook page. Am so glad to report that another outing with the youth of Ho`opono was made to Haleakala from June 8 to 12, 2015. Pictures can be found on the Ho`opono gov facebook page. Here are a few of them.

 The non profit Friends of Ho`opono assists the agency in efforts to make its' vision statement "Blindness in not a barrier to success" reality for as many individuals as possible. 
www.razoo.com/story/Friends-Of-Hoopono

THIRD Redux

2021 - Note to readers: This was written in 2014. Moving it and two other posts from the blog windwarddave.blogspot.com. There are 13 posts there about the Appalachian Trail but plan is to just move this one and the two others.

Hey all, this is it - post #12 the last one! Thanks for your encouragement and support all along the way! Am back home for good. Much thanks to brother Paul and Sister Susie for making the trip possible and to all their children and grandchildren which got to see on this trip. They are awesome people. And of course thanks to Betty. The very first post was titled "Third" and this being the last post tries to bring it back full circle. If interested in figuring out if I ever gleamed the meaning of being third read the narrative below . If not just skip to the pictures! 

"HE's too big," the obstetrician in the summer of 49' told my Mom. So she got to pick the date (Aunt Ruth's bday of course) for labor to be induced which meant I  joined the world a month early. No problems except was blue on arrival and needed oxygen. 

Similar to what happened at the start of our hike on March 16. We began a month early and experienced several days of freezing weather with a few single digit nights. We turned blue a few times and even hitched a ride out of white out blizzard condition to resupply from a man with oxygen tubes!

In such fashion the whole hike mirrored my soon to be past 65 years. It also provided plenty of time to think, reflect, and ponder. Faulkner was right "the past never dies, it's not even past." Lots of the hills, streams, campsites reminded me of my two awesome brothers, former years, Mom and Dad, Mother and Father in law, Jenkins and Evelands.

Dad came from a long line of preachers. Paul and I talked a lot about how he loved to dream of but quite never made it to retirement. He had a heck of a life though with the respect, admiration, and love of hundreds as well as us. Mom almost got to 97 and was a saint of course.

Besides managing us 3 she took in one of her orphaned students as a foster parent for a year. Let us boys turn the house property into a giant jungle gym for the neighborhood with wrestling in the attic, sock bb in the living room, and backyard football/baseball with tons of broken windows. Never raised her voice but her hand, well occasionally that was another matter. Three boys what do you expect!

People came to our southeastern Iowa home all the time. Our parents were basically like trail angels for the Mississippi river hobo gang. No one was ever turned away from a meal. The price was listening to a short sermon while chowing down on the front porch swing. Church people also came unannounced to our home at least 1,2,3, even 4 times a week. Plenty of home weddings as well. At times socks could be seen on or even falling from the chandelier while the couples said I do.

One of the purposes of doing this hike was to try and figure out if there is any special meaning to mine being the third son of a third son of a third son. Well would ask Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, or Moses if they were around. Don't know if they could add much wisdom on the matter though as have no idea if they were third sons. So stuck with what can come up with on my own. One thing I know for sure it means is that I have two fantastic older brothers. The other is it means I was last born and as such you already know a big baby and still am. Older brother John made it somewhat difficult to follow in younger years. He was Muscatine High class president, a scholar, all star wrestler, great musician, and even filled in for Dad. Paul was popular, and liked by the girls whom he liked in return. I was lucky our family moved to Des Moines by the time started High School as my shortcomings compared to those two were not so noticeable in a bigger city. Hey my eye hand coordination is good but have trouble when add the foot so no great athlete. Plus my brain developed (some say never did) sort of late. Well that is pretty much it on the third business. Bottom line it means I am a third generation third son no more no less. Geez it took a thousand miles to figure that out!

To bring up to date on the hike. We started out in southwestern Virginia near the Tennessee border on March 16. At Greenwood Lakes New York June 15th went off the trail to try and get over a severe poison ivy infection which had kicked in on May 27. After a few unsuccessful days of that decided to go home and stopped in Arizona and Washington on the way before arriving in the islands on July 2. The second day home was doing great and Betty gave the okay to go back to try and finish up. Got a ticket but by the time left was having rash problems. So after just a few days back on the mainland decided that needed to get and stay home. The short trip back was awesome though. Got to spend time with niece Jennifer and Tom, red sox game at Fenway park, hiked two of the Boston Harbor National Park islands and climbed up New Hampshire's Mount Washington. Very disappointed will not get to the northern terminus in Maine but on the other hand very happy to have been able to do what did. 

Paul had a special banner made for the two us to unfurl on the top of Mt Katahdin. But since I will not get there we did so in New Hampshire.  

The photo on the banner is of us three brothers a long time ago.  The wording honors Northern Wisconsin's Camp Manito-wish as that is where we first became captivated by wilderness. Paul is going to make it all the way to Maine for sure plus he is going back down south to hike from Georgia to Virginia! He is hairier than Grizzly Adams and stronger than Milk Monster!

The whole trip, every step of the way, the good and the bad (dang poison ivy!) brought to mind the organizations that this hike has attempted to raise funds for- Wisconsin Easter Seal's Camp Wawbeek, and the Friends of Ho`opono which benefits Hawai'i 's Services for the blind program aka Ho`opono. That feeling of pure joy from witnessing kids at Wawbeek having a ball has resonated with me my entire life. It is also thanks to Wawbeek that became an Army medic instead of John Wayne.

Ho`opono, is the program in Hawai`i that provides services to to members of the local and Pacific region blind community. What a place. Actually it is s much more than just a place from where programs are delivered and coordinated. Thanks to the efforts of participants, consumer groups and staff trans formative experiences are provided which often result in life long benefits. At times the work was more than challenging, but just like this hike it was the time of my life. The Friends of Ho`opono enabled the agency to do facility renovation, set up of camps on the north shore, offer youth wilderness trips and lots of other good stuff.

As you know by now bro Paul and I had lots of conversations. Hey I like to talk and he doesn't seem to mind listening too much. Most of what we talked about was sports stuff but at times we got to some other matters such as time-how much we have had and how much we may have left. Paul concluded that conversation with the observation "Its' been a great run hasn't it." I nodded my head while images of our three +1 and Betty came to mind and thought "amen to that brother and then some and then some."

What follows are pictures listed by the state/region they were taken and for the most part are chronological order or anyway as best can recollect! A few but not many are also found in earlier posts. After those shots there are pictures of people met along the way. At the end are pictures of us three at the south rim in 2010, the northern lights, backyard, and circle completion with Grandpa Jenkins.

Virginia and West Virginia

Maryland, Pennslyvania. New Jersey, New York

Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Fenway park

Boston Harbor and two of the Boston Harbor National Park Islands

Climb up Mt. Washington, New Hampshire

Friends along the trail

Journey home