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Wordless Wednesday
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What I think about
We got back on the trail on Tuesday afternoon and it is now Saturday and we’re in town. What I’ve thought about most of the time during the past five days has been my family and especially Zoe and Ashleigh. Every day I would think back to what went on a week ago and what we were doing at that moment and well, it was a tough five days to walk. I can’t help it. It’s not just Zoe, but I miss everyone. It was really effing hard the second day back on the trail. Yesterday was the first day I felt “trail normal” again, but I don’t know how…
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Wordless Wednesday
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A Beary Special Post
Turn your volume up to hear the baby bear squealing for mom! Look close on the tree!
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AT Best of: Springer Mountain Mile 0 to Pine Mtn Mile 500
Reviewing the ATC book for all of the “best of’s” was a good review to remember what we’d done for those first few weeks. Time seems to creep by and go so fast at the same time. Items are in no particular order unless I otherwise specify. Best Views: Tray Mountain 4,430 elev MM 56.1 Albert Mtn 5,250 MM98.0 Siler Bald 4,600 MM 112.0 Rocky Top 5,440 MM 181.6 Charlies Bunion 5,905 MM 208.5 Bradley’s View 5,200 MM 213.8 Max Patch Bald 4,629 MM 252 Lovers Leap Rock 1,820 MM 273.2 Big Firescale Knob 4360 MM 295.7 Overmountain Shelter 4550 MM 379.2 Little/Hump Mtns 5439/5587 MM 380.8/383.0 Best Section: Newfound…
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Cypripedium acaule, Pink Lady Slipper Orchid
Climbing out of Pearisburg my dad spotted a flower. Turned out to be a flowering lady slipper orchid! SWEET! We’ve seen lots of foliage but haven’t seen anything in bloom yet. On the way out on Wednesday we found a whole bunch of them! Pretty nice to see! I wondered how many other people walked right on by and didn’t notice? Sometimes you get involved in the one foot in front of the other and forget to look around—rather, if you look around you end up tripping on a rock or stump.
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A Sweet Farewell
The last few days have been difficult and hard on everyone. Today it seemed as if finally some of the strain may have lifted a bit as the funeral for Ashleigh was today. She had many, many people in attendance, so many for her 104 days here on Earth. When I think back at the last time I saw her back in March and then at all the photos I’ve seen of her since then, it is still very hard to imagine that she is gone. Looking at her eyes in the photos, and in the videos with her moving about—-it’s tough. We saw her yesterday in her pink gingham…
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Angel Ashleigh
After writing that Ashleigh was doing so good, I am heartbroken to write that she has passed away. I don’t know if it was fate, luck or divine intervention, but we were hiking yesterday morning on a ridge and Chris has left his phone on by accident after calling his mom that morning and the phone rang. The phone doesn’t just ring out there for us. People know we are hiking. I knew something was up. It was my mom calling with the news. Once we realized we had a road in 7 miles and didn’t have to back track we kept on going while trying to make arrangements to…
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Beautiful Woodshole Hostel
While on our walks through the woods Chris and I will talk about what we want after the hike. We definitely want a place in the ‘country’, quiet somewhere in Texas. Where…who knows? However, after getting to the Woodshole Hostel here outside of Pearisburg, VA I have decided I want a place modeled after this. Smells of lavender and herbs, Pandora radio on the computer in the kitchen, wood floors…oh this place is awesome. Probably the best hostel ever. Yet…at least! We are actually staying in the cabin because my dad is meeting us here in a few hours and not in the hostel, but from what I hear of…
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Section Hikers
Hawk, Jay, Cheap Shot and Crazy Talk, section/day hikers from the VA/DC area. Nice people! Thanks so much for entertaining us and I’m glad you enjoy your new trail name Cheap Shot! It’s always nice to see people who aren’t thru-hikers to get a different perspective on things.