AT 2014 prep for, and actual hike of: INTERRUPTED

hey everybody! Maybe the sun has not yet set on this hike! Here is the 11th post and contrary to what said earlier it is not the final wrap.

As you may recall we started our hike on March 16th from Damascus located in the southwest corner of Virginia near the Tennessee border. The original goal was to get to Maine some 1650 + miles away. Our adventure though like the Appalachian Trail itself has not always tracked true north. Often the trail goes all directions in the same day! If one forgets to point their hiking poles in the direction heading when sitting down it is easy to start back up the wrong way.

In fact we have seen many people including ourselves do just that! Right now the trail has led me all the way home some 5000 + miles from the AT. Along the way stopped off in Arizona to visit brother John (and family) friend Les, and hike with Josh in the northwest.

Geez must have made another wrong turn somehow!

Whatever, it has been great to be back home. Got to spend time with family

and good friends.

So back to how ended up here at home. On Memorial Day night woke up with what thought was chiggers and when checked self found a rash all over that must have come from one of the plants shown here.

It has been 50 years since had looked like that. Luckily the only thing in the islands like this is mango rash and when hike out west am usually where the stuff is not around. Whatevers, posion ivy etc has been my kryptonite since young kid time. It stopped my promising football career. The summer of 1965 was hoping to step up from the previous seasons standing as last string jv tailback (hey was only 5'4" and 120 lbs)

to varsity bench warmer. However broke out so bad with the rash stuff that all could do while tryouts were going on was sit in my undies in front of a fan!

Luckily since knew that poison ivy plants are found all along the Appalachian Trail had brought some rx from home. The medicine helped condition clear and was able after a few days off to keep hiking. Got to New York but the dang itch and rash kept coming back. Doctor back home advised to stop taking the meds so decided to hang out at brothers home in Virginia to try and heal up and rejoin later. Was there alone and after a few miserable nights of wanting to scratch my hair out booked a ticket to get on home. During that journey did a short backpack with Josh on the olympic coast line and felt great. Was able to keep up with him for the most part even!

So once home Betty knew that I had regrets about leaving brother Paul. She gave the okay for me to go back and that is the plan. Will get to Boston and meet niece Jennifer and husband Tom to ride with them when they hike with Paul a few days in New Hampshire. If all goes well will stay on to get to Maine and then am going home for good.

Most of the pictures are from the mid atlantic region which includes Maryland, Pennslyvania, New Jersey, and New York. The others are from Olympic National Park's Toleak point.