Day 52 - Home in Midlothian, VA - 700 miles

To everyone who has followed me or shown me support throughout my journey,

I cannot express in words how much all of your love and support has meant to me. There were several times since starting the Appalachian Trail when my body was quite literally on the verge of giving out, and the thought of all the people back home who were praying for me to have a safe and wonderful journey was enough to keep me putting one foot in front of the other.

That being said, I went out on the trail knowing there would likely be some point at which I would realize the goals I had set for myself on this trip. That point for me was April 26^th. On this day I realized my heart was not into hiking the rest of the trail and spending another 3 and ½ months out in the wilderness.

I set out on the Appalachian Trail with a specific set of goals in mind:

·   Recharge my batteries

I had become tired of constant school work for almost 17 years. While I am forward thinking enough to realize that all my hard work in school will (and in some respects already has) payoff in the end, I just needed some time to reassess my goals in academia and “recharge my batteries”.

·    Prove to myself I could survive on my own

This is a goal of most students; Although, I would say I put a slight twist on this typical goal considering my “survival” was a lot more literal than most! But I think it is pretty much the same idea.

·    Decide on a specific career path

There are several big questions that every student is asked. The first typically comes in the form of “So where do you want to go to college?”  This is such an intimidating question for most students because usually we have not thought about it by the time we are asked. Then even, when we are ready to answer that question, almost immediately we are bombarded with another…”What do you want to major in?” And so this cycle of big life-changing questions goes.  Each time we think we’ve figured things out, we are reminded that there is still much to be decided.  I felt that having a lot of time to think on the trail would be exactly what I needed to get away from the stress of everyday life and contemplate where I see my life in 10 years.

·    Think about the possibility of Graduate School

Self-explanatory.

·    Reflect on various relationships in my life

I am not perfect, and I know that there are many relationships in my life I would like to improve upon. Having the time and solitude of the trail to reflect on these relationships and how I have handled them in the past helped me understand how I can improve who I am and strengthen my friendships with others.

Although these goals were not the only things on my mind as I hiked nearly 700 miles of the Appalachian Trail over the better part of 2 months, I believe posting them here gives everyone an insight into my true reasons for doing this hike. While reaching Katahdin was definitely a goal of mine, it was largely secondary compared to these more life-changing goals I have listed.

For a few days before April 26^th, I was starting to feel far less motivated to keep my feet moving along the trail because I realized deep down inside that I had achieved what I set out to do. I do not consider myself a quitter, so it was very hard for me to finally admit to myself that I had enough and it was my time to stop. While physically I could have stayed out on the trail for another 3 ½ months, mentally and emotionally I was ready to come off and begin my real life again, refreshed and with answers.   

It is true that I will not actually thru-hike the Appalachian Trail this year, but I have no regrets. I hiked 1/3 of the trail at once (700 miles). I achieved all my primary goals I set out to achieve.  I am beginning my normal life again with a renewed drive, and I am in the best shape of my life (to quote Chuck Norris). While reaching Katahdin is ultimately still a goal of mine (and you better believe I will section hike the trail till completion someday), I got what I set out to get, and I truly believe I am a better person for it.

Once again, thank you for all the support you all have given me throughout my journey. Also, while I did not complete the trail, I still love talking about all my adventures over the past two months, and I would be more than happy to share any stories, experiences, or just general hiking advice with anyone who cares to ask!

One last weight update:

Beginning weight: 195+ lbs
Ending weight: 175 lbs

While I did see some people doing the trail to lose weight (most of them had really lost massive amounts of weight), I would hesitate to endorse hiking the trail as a “healthy” way to lose weight quickly.

                                  -- Hellion

                                          Trevor Helderman

Day 49 - Zero in Blacksburg

We spent a great weekend with Trevor and Daniel.  It was Virginia Tech’s spring game, a day when fans come out to tailgate and watch the football team scrimmage.  We set up a small tailgate near Hillcrest dorm and had a chance to visit with some of Trevor’s friends that we first met nearly 4 years ago.  Many of them are getting ready to graduate so this was our last chance to see some of them and hear about their future plans.  Mike snapped the following group photo of some of the kids.

Going from the left to right, Tory is graduating and will be moving to California to attend Berkeley for engineering graduate school; Alex is graduating and will attend medical school at Temple; John is graduating and will also be moving to California to attend graduate school at UCLA for physics; Cody (sitting behind Trevor), is taking a mission trip for the first half of summer break and then he’ll return to VT next year with Trevor; Chris will be working in Annapolis this summer doing what he does so well, cooking and catering; and Doug, Trevor’s freshman year roommate, is graduating and taking a year to do mission work with the Campus Crusade for Christ.  We will really miss the ones that are moving on and are so happy for each of them.

After the spring game we traveled into Craig County to meet two of Trevor’s hiking friends, Stretch and Zippers, on the trail.  Stretch and Zippers both worked at Yellowstone Park and are in the process of moving to Bozeman, Montana, after they complete this hike.  While waiting for them we met several other hikers, one of them named Raleigh, and were able to give them some trail magic since we had plenty of leftover drinks in our cooler.  Raleigh is a section hiker who plans to hike from Pearisburg, VA to Harpers Ferry, WV over the next 30 days.

After finding Stretch and Zippers we drove them to the Home Place to eat dinner with Trevor, Finn, Finn’s girlfriend, and other Hillcresters.  We had a delicious family style meal of ham, roast beef, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, coleslaw, pinto beans, biscuits, and peach cobbler!  After dinner Mike snapped a photo of Stretch, Zippers, Trevor, and Finn before we dropped Stretch and Zippers back off on the trail.  They are now a few days ahead of Trevor and Finn but they are planning to zero in a few days so Trevor and Finn may catch up to them.

I was able to download more photos and videos from Trevor’s camera and have added them to www.trailingtrevor.shutterfly.com  Here are a few that I found particularly interesting.

Below are photos taken just as Trevor left Erwin, Tennessee.  If you remember from my earlier posts, Trevor and Finn stayed at Bob and Judy’s and there were torrential rainstorms in the area.  When they resumed their hike the next morning, the trail was like a river at low elevations, but was all snow and ice at higher elevations.

Here is a great picture of Finn taken at Laurel Falls, between Roan Mountain, TN and Watauga Lake, TN.

Here is a picture of Trevor, Finn’s friend Hunter who hiked with them for a few days, and Finn at the Virginia/Tennessee state line.

Here is a picture of Trevor with the wild ponies that tried to eat his pack!

This is a picture showing Trevor’s old and new shoes.  I can only imagine what the old shoes smelled like if they looked this bad!

This is a picture of the Black Rat Snake they came upon after leaving Trent’s Grocery.

Trevor and Finn had planned to continue their hike this morning (Sunday), but Finn was feeling sick and they decided to zero in Blacksburg another day so he can recover.  If things go as plan then they hope to start again Monday morning.  We took this photo of Daniel and Trevor as we said goodbye to the boys.

Day 47 - Near Pearisburg, VA - Mile 649

Trevor and Finn left Trent's Grocery on Wednesday morning and not far into their hike Trevor said Finn jumped back and let out a yell.  Apparently Finn almost stepped on a 4 foot black Rat snake and it caught him off guard!  Trevor said he took a picture and I’ll post it when I can get my hands on it!

They hiked a total of 17 miles Wednesday, to Doc’s Knob Shelter.  On Thursday morning they hiked about 8 miles to Pearisburg, VA where a section hiker they met previously gave them a ride to a nearby Chinese buffet, followed by Dairy Queen, for lunch!  Apparently Hardees is located next to the Chinese buffet and Trevor managed to eat a biscuit and gravy BEFORE hitting the buffet.  Finn said he’s never heard of anyone eating just before a buffet, but those of us who know Trevor know just how much he loves biscuits and gravy! 

After the buffet their friend returned them to the AT where they hiked another 12 miles to tent camp at Symmes Gap Meadow.  This campsite is located on a ridgeline separating Virginia and West Virginia and Trevor said the wind blew real hard all night long.  This morning (Friday) they hiked 10 miles to Rt. 635 near Pearisburg, VA where we met them 11am.  It was raining and they were soaked!  Below is a picture we took within minutes after we arrived.

We were surprised to find that Trevor’s beard had quite a bit of red in it!  Mamaw told me she thought his beard would be red and she was right!  He looks really good and his legs are very muscular and defined.  You can tell he’s lost quite a bit of weight and the beard really hides how much his cheeks have sunken.  Mike and I were surprised when he lifted his shirt to reveal ribs and abs.  He still has 1,500 miles to go and I can only imagine what he will look like by then.

The first thing they wanted to do when we arrived in Blacksburg was to hit Kroger and resupply for the three day hike they’ll be starting on Sunday morning.  Trevor said he’s been forced to mainly resupply at small convenience stores and they don’t have the selection of large grocery stores.  He was pleased with Kroger’s energy bar selection and below is a snapshot Mike took of him picking out his bars for the next three days.

It’s so odd to see him reading nutrition labels trying to find products with the highest, rather than lowest, calories.  Trevor said that pack weight is an issue and it’s impossible for him to carry enough food to meet his daily caloric needs.  He mostly bought cheese, salami, couscous, energy bars, bagels, and honey.  Below is a picture of me and Trevor that Mike took at the checkout while we were waiting on Finn.

After Kroger we drove Finn to his hotel and dropped Trevor off at Hillcrest dorm where he plans to stay for the next two nights.  I hope to get my hands on his camera card tomorrow so I can upload the pictures he’s taken.  Once I get them I’ll be sure to post them on the blog!

Day 44 - Near Pulaski, VA - Mile 603

Trevor called this afternoon from Rt. 606 in Virginia, which is about 12 miles northwest of Pulaski, VA.  He said they left Rural Retreat, VA on Sunday and have enjoyed the great weather.  On Sunday they hiked 24 miles to the Chestnut Knob Shelter, followed by 22 miles on Monday where they crossed under I-77, north of Wytheville, to Helveys Mill Shelter near Bland, VA.  Today they hiked 16 miles to Route 606 where he enjoyed a double cheeseburger at Trent's Grocery!  The grocery also sells pizza and deli sandwiches and is equipped for thru-hikers.  It even has an area for hikers to take showers, do laundry, and camp - all for $6.  Trevor said he and Finn plan to camp there overnight and will also eat dinner and resupply at the grocery store. 

His new shoes are working out great (i.e. no blisters) and he said the terrain has been much easier, allowing them to put in more miles each day.  I inquired again about wildlife and other than a nonpoisonous snake yesterday, he hasn’t seen much.  There was, however, a chicken that stood about a foot away from him and watched him pitch his tent this afternoon.  Trevor said it was the weirdest thing…kind of like the chicken was trying to figure out exactly what he was doing!

Tomorrow they will continue their hike and plan to arrive at Wind Rock (Mile 654) by 11am on Friday morning.  Wind Rock is located very close to Mountain Lake Lodge http://www.mountainlakehotel.com/, where scenes from Dirty Dancing were filmed and as my friend Brenda would say, "where the Fa-Fa's would summer."  Wind Rock is where Trevor and Mike hiked last year and all four truck tires were slashed by a drunk Yahoo.  AHHHH, memories!! 

Trevor will likely ask a VT friend to pick them up from Wind Rock since we don’t plan to arrive in Blacksburg until 3pm.  He is definitely ready to see his Hokie friends and eat some sushi for Daniel’s birthday.  I asked about his beard and he said he hasn’t shaved since he started the trail.  He plans to keep the beard until his girlfriend, Jenn, returns from Switzerland in early May and gets to see it.  J

Day 41 - Rural Retreat, Va - mile 540 (1/4 complete!)

This is Trevor’s Dad checking in. Trevor called today at about 2:00 pm.  He is in Rural Retreat, Va, approximately 75 miles past Damascus, Va.

Trevor said he, Finn and two very experienced hikers named Stretch and Zippers hiked 18 miles out of Damascus, Va on Wednesday.  Trev said Stretch and Zippers are very fast and hiked ahead of him and Finn each day.  Trev said they tent camped near Beech Mountain Road about 2.5 miles past Lost Mountain shelter Wednesday night and grilled steaks they carried out of Damascus!

On Thursday, they hiked 21 miles to Old Orchard shelter.  Along the way, they hiked over Mt. Rogers.  At 5,729 feet, Mt. Rogers is the tallest peak in Virginia.  Trevor said they stopped to eat on Mt. Rogers and were molested by wild ponies!  Trevor said the ponies wanted their food and one tried to chew into his pack.  Below is a picture Trev took with his cell phone. 

Trev said that the hike off Mt. Rogers was extremely rocky and he had to watch every step on the way down.  At Old Orchard shelter Trevor said he met a nice hiker named Super Dave.

On Friday, he and Finn left Old Orchard shelter and hiked 25 miles over what Trevor described as easier, flatter terrain, to Partnership shelter.  Trev said there were a lot of hikers at Partnership shelter and they saw Stretch and Zippers again.  Apparently Partnership shelter is close to a pizza delivery place because they ordered pizza’s for dinner.  Trev said he would have eaten a whole pizza but fell a couple of slices short because he was snacking while he was waiting for the pizza to arrive J  Trev said he cannot eat enough to keep up with the calories he is burning.  He now takes candy and honey as well as protein bars on the trail in an attempt to take in more calories.

This morning, Trevor said he and Finn left Partnership shelter and hiked 11 miles into Rural Retreat, Va.  Trev said that about half an hour into the hike the bottom fell out of the sky and they hit very heavy rain for the rest of the hike.  Trev said they were hiking across fields that were completely flooded and looked more like lakes.  Ironically, the rain stopped when they got to Rural Retreat.

Trevor and Finn will stay at the Relax Inn tonight in Rural Retreat, Va and start hiking toward Bland, Va (about 45 miles) tomorrow.  Trev said they hope to be there in about in about two days to resupply.

The plan is for Karen and I to meet Trevor in Blacksburg, Va this weekend for the Virginia Tech spring football game.  Trevor’s brother Daniel’s birthday is Thursday and we will probably be taking the boys out for sushi to celebrate on Friday after we pick Trevor up off the trail.  Trevor intends to zero in Blacksburg, Saturday and visit with friends at Virginia Tech.

Day 37 - Damascus, VA - Mile 464

Wow, so much to cover!

Trevor crossed into his 4^th state yesterday (Monday) around 5pm.  Bye, bye Tennessee…HELLO VIRGINIA!  Virginia accounts for 550 of the 2180 miles that make up the AT, the longest stretch of any state, so he will be here a while.

When I last spoke to Trevor he and Finn were overnighting at Bob and Judy’s house.  On Tuesday morning Bob drove him back to Erwin, TN where Trevor picked up his SPOT GPS from the post office and hit the trail.  For those of you that are interested, you can now see Trevor’s progress and location by hitting the TREVOR’S PROGRESS AND LOCATION at the top of the page.  Trevor can’t keep the SPOT on all the time due to battery constraints, but when he does have it on it will update every 10 minutes.

Trevor said it was a decent climb out of Erwin and they traveled 16.5 miles on that day to the Cherry Gap shelter.  For the first five miles the trail was flooded due to torrential storms from the previous night.  He said the trail looked like a river and he had no choice but to just walk through the ankle deep water.

Along the way he met two other hikers, Inchworm and Sprocket and enjoyed their company and conversation.  He said conversations can get interesting when you’re hiking.  For example, Inchworm and Sprocket advised that he preheat all his food (including energy bars) to reduce the calories his body loses from having to heat the food during digestion.  I’m sure Trevor’s mind was busy calculating the amount of calories he would use just unpacking and setting up his cooker versus the savings he would really achieve.  Let’s just say Trevor hasn’t decided to heat his energy bars.

As they worked their way into higher elevations of the hike, the flooded trail gave way to about 3 inches of snow.  As fate would have it, the Cherry Gap shelter was full when they arrived so again he and Finn had to pitch their tents in the cold, with soaked feet nonetheless.

On Wednesday morning they began their ascent onto Roan Mountain.  He said it was a good weather day but the hike was hard.  The snow had packed down to ice which made the rocks very slick so he had to hike carefully.  That night he stayed at the Roan High Knob Shelter which Trevor said was very nice by shelter standards.  Apparently this shelter has two stories and is actually completely enclosed versus the typical lean-to style.  He was also delighted that a group of day hikers had left a decent supply of ham sandwiches for the thru hikers to devour…ah, Trail Magic!

On Thursday morning they hiked about 16 miles off the Roan to Elk Park.  The hike was mostly downhill so Trevor said it was pretty easy, plus the weather was nice and warm.  At Elk Park he and Finn met up with Finn’s friend Hunter who planned to hike a few days with them.  They hoped to stay at the Mountain Harbor Hostel in Elk Park that night but it only had 1 bed available.  Trevor called his Trail Angels, Bob and Judy, who again gave them shelter in their home.

On Friday morning Bob drove them back to Elk Park and from there they hiked 17 miles to a camping site near the Moreland Gap Shelter.  Along the way they stopped briefly to admire the Jones Waterfall and also rested briefly at the Mountaineer Shelter in honor of their friend and fellow hiker Mountaineer.

On Saturday Trevor said the day started out as very pleasant.  Much of the hike followed the Doe River near Laurel Falls and there was a section where the trail was a stone sidewalk that followed along a cliff.  As the afternoon rolled on Trevor said he had one final mountain to crest before arriving at Watauga Lake for the evening.  As he crested the mountain he saw dark clouds and terrible lighting in the distance and decided it was time to “haul ass” for the Watauga shelter.  He only made it about halfway down the mountain before the sky opened up and completely drenched him in seconds.  The only saving grace was that it was warm outside and he kind of saw it as a free shower…that was until the hail started.  He said he got pelted with dime sized hail for a while and that it stung pretty badly.  As fate would have it, it stopped raining once he arrived at the shelter!  Finn and Hunter made it there a little after him and since the rain stopped they were able to begin the clothes drying process.

On Sunday morning they hiked out of Watauga Lake and crossed the dam.  He said it was pretty foggy due to the warm air and cold water so he never felt like he had a good view of the lake.  He said overall it was a pretty uneventful day and they camped overnight at a stream about 1 mile before the Shady Valley Shelter.

On Monday they began their hike early and were so excited to find Trail Magic that a Shady Valley church had left next to the trail.  He said their magic included soda, water, honey buns and Little Debbie snacks.  Mmmmmm…..Speaking of soda, Trevor said he misses Coke and gets very excited when he comes upon a Coke machine at a trail parking lot.  There’s nothing quite like that burning fizz.

All said they traveled a total of 19.5 miles on Monday and Trevor said he was impressed by Hunter’s ability to put in that type of mileage so soon.  Around 5pm they hit the Tennessee/Virginia border where they tent camped near a spring.

This morning they only hiked about 2 miles to arrive in Damascus, which is a good thing given the storms and rain that have set in.  Their first order of business was to hit Cowboys Restaurant where they dined on eggs, sausage and pancakes.  What a treat after eating mostly energy bars and dehydrated noodles for days on end!  After breakfast they rented a room at the Montgomery Homestead http://www.montgomeryhomestead.com/index.html , a local bed and breakfast where he and Finn will stay for the night.  Trevor said Hunter is leaving them today but he and Finn will continue their hike tomorrow.

Their next resupply will be Atkins, Virginia in about 70-80 miles (4-5 days) so that is when I expect to talk with Trevor again.  They’re hoping to make it to Blacksburg in about 12 days where they plan to zero with Trevor’s friends.

1 Month Down!

I haven’t talked to Trevor since Monday, but it seems fitting that I should post something today.

Trevor started the trail on March 7^th, exactly one month ago today!  Based on his SPOT transmissions it appears he’s around mile 390 with his eyes set on Watauga Lake, Tennessee.  After weeks of teetering between North Carolina and Tennessee, he finally finished with North Carolina (State #2) today, and only has about 70 miles before Tennessee (State #3) is just a memory.  This is such an accomplishment and we are very proud of his determination and success so far.

Yesterday Trevor worked his way up Roan Mountain.  This is the last mountain over 6000 feet that he will cross until he reaches New Hampshire.  It’s also known as the coldest mountain on the trail.  I feel certain he spent last night at a shelter near the top of Roan so I can’t wait to hear how cold it was this morning!

Trevor is now hiking through a region that is very familiar to me and my family.  My mom and dad were born and raised in Elizabethton, Tennessee, which is just a few miles drive from Roan Mountain.  I grew up visiting the area often and hearing about Roan Mountain and its notorious rhododendrons that bloom in the month of June.  Over the years we’ve held family reunions at Roan and it’s ironic that Trevor just hiked over it.  Below is a photo I took of Trevor and Daniel sitting on a rock on the top of Roan during one of these reunions; Trevor was 4 at the time and Daniel was about 15 months.

Over the next several days Trevor will hike near Elizabethton which is where many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins live today.  He will pass next to Watauga Lake, which is a man-made lake built by the TVA during the depression to generate electricity in the region.  As a young girl, my mother used to hike from her home in Elizabethton to the mountains near the lake to pick blackberries for canning!  Also, my dear Uncle Floyd led many boy scouts on hikes through this area and my Mom says he was very involved in building and maintaining the App Trail shelters in this region.  I wish Uncle Floyd was here to witness Trevor’s hike, but I’m sure he and my daddy are in heaven with big grins on their faces. J

Good news!  I received Trevor’s photo card today and below are a couple of the pictures.  Enjoy!

Trevor at the start of the official AT after hiking the 9 mile approach trail

Trevor in Georgia, likely the 2nd or 3rd day of hiking.

 Trevor, Nattie and Cotton.

Mountaineer enjoying breakfast at the Blueberry Patch Hostel in Hiawasee, GA

Trevor crossing from Georgia into NC.

Finn, Firefly and Trevor posing with a llama!

One of the snakes they encountered after meeting Apple, the Trail Angel.

If you want to see all the pictures and videos then go to http://www.trailingtrevor.shutterfly.com/  I will post the link at the bottom of this page in case you forget!

Day 28 - Erwin, TN - Mile 340

Trevor and Finn made it to Erwin, Tennessee this afternoon.  I haven't actually talked to Trevor, but his latest Trail Angels, Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy, are picking him from Erwin around 5pm today and taking he and Finn back to their house in Johnson City for the night. 

Bob and Judy are feeding them famous Ridgewood BBQ and I know Trevor will be super excited!  This restaurant has the best BBQ I've ever tasted and their BBQ Beans are something else!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG7zPxt2DL0

Judy plans to make her killer chocolate chip cookies for dessert!  YUMMO!  Bob and Judy are the best so I know Trevor and Finn are in good hands and are having a wonderful time!

I had a chance to talk with Trevor and these are the events that happened on the trail between Hot Springs and Erwin:

On Thursday morning Trevor and Finn left Hot Springs, NC and made it about 11 miles before stopping for the night at Spring Mountain Shelter.  Trevor said the hike was mostly uphill and it was very cold and rainy that day.  In fact, Trevor said most of his hike through the Smoky’s has been wet and cold!  About halfway through the hike Trevor said the rain really started dumping which made their hike miserable.  With his rain gear on he was sweating when he was moving, but the sweat would start to freeze when he’d stop to rest; therefore, they just kept moving!  When they arrived at the shelter late that afternoon it was already full so they had to pitch their tents which Trevor said was really hard to do since he was wet and cold.  He was too cold to even cook dinner and instead ate snacks while lying in his warm, dry sleeping bag.

The next morning (Friday) Trevor awoke around 7:30 am and said he thought it looked too dark to really be that time.  When he looked outside his tent there was 1 inch of snow over everything, including his tent.  Given that the next shelter was a 15 mile hike, he and Finn figured everyone would hike to that point causing the shelter to again be overcrowded, forcing them to tent sleep again in the rain and snow.  Instead they devised a strategy to hike 21 miles to the Flint Mountain Shelter, which is 6 miles beyond where they anticipated the crowd would hike.  They arrived there around 6:30 pm and were able to make a fire and dry out their clothes for the next day.  They ended up having the entire shelter to themselves!

On Saturday they hiked 15 miles and Trevor said it was cold and extremely windy.  Around mile 12 they passed a parking lot at Sams Gap where they came upon some Trail Angels who offered them chairs, grilled hotdogs, chips and drinks!  Trevor enjoyed meeting these angels and learned that one of them had thru hiked the trail a few years back and another had done some section hiking.  It’s from this parking lot that Trevor called his Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy to let them know that he and Finn would be in Erwin the next day and asked if they would pick them up for the night.  After saying goodbye to the angels, Trevor and Finn hiked another four miles and set up their tents at a site in Low Gap.  Trevor said the campsite was perfect and was next to a stream where they could refill their water bottles.

Sunday morning it was cold (again), but by the time he hiked 4 miles to Big Bald he said it was the best trail weather thus far.  The temperatures were in the mid 70’s with only a light breeze and he was able to hike in shorts and a tee-shirt.  He and Finn hiked 21 miles that day and Trevor said it seemed so easy, mainly due to the beautiful weather conditions.  They arrived in Erwin about 5pm where Bobby picked Finn and him up and drove them about 15 miles to his house in Johnson City.

Although not initially scheduled to do so, they have decided to zero at Bob and Judy’s on Monday and resume their hike on Tuesday.  Weather forecasters are calling for severe weather late Monday afternoon which will only make the shelters overcrowded so they’d likely be forced to tent camp in the rain.  They figure they can probably get just a far with starting fresh (and dry) on Tuesday morning. 

Trevor said Mountaineer has made it home safely to West Virginia and his feet are starting to heal.  He’s not sure when Mountaineer may re-start the trail, but Trevor thinks he made the right decision to get off the trail for now.  As for Trevor, he said he’s feeling strong and has no physical complaints.  He weighed himself at Bob and Judy’s and has lost about 12 lbs since beginning his hike less than a month ago.

Day 24 - Hot Springs, NC - Mile 272

Trevor called tonight from Hot Springs, NC.  He sounded in great spirits, is doing well, and had a lot of stories to tell meaning I have a lot to write!

He mailed his photo card home today and I will post pictures once it arrives.  Also, we just mailed him a new SPOT GPS and he plans to pick it up at his next stop in Erwin, TN on Monday.  Hopefully by Monday the progress button at the top of this blog will give you a Google map with his current location.

Trevor and Mountaineer decided to zero in Gatlinburg due to the bad weather in that region on Saturday.  With 2 inches of rain predicted, they thought laying low for an extra day was a good idea.  One of Trevor’s hiking companions Rocket Rick, a retired cross country coach who is a marathoner, was having terrible knee swelling and he decided to return home to Ohio to get it looked at.  Rocket Rick’s hiking companion, Firefly, stayed in Gatlinburg and decided to keep hiking.

On Sunday morning Trevor, Mountaineer, Finn, and Firefly all left Gatlinburg and hiked 16 miles to the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter.  About 3 miles into their hike they came upon a kiddie backpack and umbrella sitting on the trail.  They contemplated what to do but since the backpack was full (and they didn’t want to carry the extra weight, they left it there and continued up the trail.  Just a bit further they came upon a guy sitting in the middle of the trail.  When they asked if everything was okay, he just mumbled and never looked them in the eye.  He said something about having no water so Trevor handed him a liter bottle and the guy turned his back to them and drank it down.  Trevor said it was clear this guy didn’t have it all together mentally but they were still worried about him.  Trevor was glad he had Finn and Mountaineer with him because he was worried since guy looked like a serial killer and Trevor kept waiting for him to turn around with a big knife!  Finally the guy stood up and seemed a bit more “with it”.  They pointed him in the direction of his backpack and umbrella and suggested he walk back to the parking lot and return to Gatlinburg.  Trevor said later that night he talked with other hikers who also saw this hiker and he was in the parking lot; I guess he got back to town okay.

On Monday morning they traveled about 8 miles to the Cosby Knob Shelter where Mountaineer decided he needed to stop for the day.  Trevor said Mountaineers feet have been getting progressively worse and were now covered in blisters and his skin was deteriorating badly.  At first Trevor thought Mountaineer might have a skin eating bacteria, but Mountaineer said he was allergic to latex and apparently the latex from the soles and insoles of his hiking shoes were causing his reaction.  Mountaineer told Trevor, Finn, and Firefly to continue on without him and that he planned to hike very short distances each day until he reached Hot Springs where he would zero for a few days to let his feet heal.  He was also having his wife ship him some different shoes in hopes that would fix the problem.  Mountaineer said if his feet improve he will contract Trevor and Finn and get a ride to wherever they are on the trail at the time and rejoin them.  With that, Trevor, Finn, and Firefly left Mountaineer and continued another 10 miles that day to Davenport Gap.  There they overnighted at the Standing Bear Hostel http://www.standingbearfarm.com/ and were able to shower, wash clothes, and resupply.

Trevor said Tuesday was the most eventful and fun day he’s had on the trail so far.  They (Trevor, Finn, and Firefly) hiked another 18 miles on this day.  About 6 miles into the hike he summited Snowbird Mountain and he said the view was spectacular.  This mountain was the largest bald so far and it provided the best unobstructed view.  From there he hiked another 3 miles to Groundhog Creek Shelter where they ate lunch and relaxed a bit.  Just a few miles after Groundhog Creek he crossed Brown Gap where he experienced another bit of Trail Magic!  A Trail Angel named “Apple” had set up a large blue tarp and was giving snacks and drinks to hikers.  They talked to Apple for a while and he said he travels around to four different trails (App Trail, Pacific Trail, etc) during the year and spends several weeks at each handing out food to the hikers.  He sets up each day from 8 to 5 and just enjoys meeting and talking to hikers.  Trevor really enjoyed meeting him too and was very grateful for his care and hospitality.

Trevor said Finn and Firefly are a bit nervous about snakes, so they asked him to lead the trail for much of the day.  After leaving Browns Gap they hit a stretch of stairs and as they were climbing Trevor said something told him to take a step backwards.  As he did he looked down and a 2 and ½ foot long snake that was stretched across the step below him coiled up quickly and was ready to strike.  Trevor said it was an adrenaline rush knowing that he almost stepped on it and it actually struck his pole a couple of times!  YIKES!  Trevor was unsure exactly what type of snake it was because the markings were odd, but felt it was likely not poisonous due to the shape of its head.  He took a picture and I’m sure my snake expert at home (Mike) will be able to identify the type!  After coaxing the snake off the path, they continued on their hike and I’ll be darn, they came upon another snake about 1.5 miles later!  Trevor said again the snake was nearly 3 feet long, blended in well with the leaves covering the path, and was sunning itself across the path.  After also getting a picture of this snake he continued on his way.  News Alert to Hikers:  The snakes are out now!

After all the snake hoopla they summited Max Patch and enjoyed another bald.  Then suddenly, there were llamas!  Yes, a group of hikers were in the bald with 4 pack llamas that were carrying their gear!  Trevor said at first he was apprehensive about the llamas because he thought they’d just spit at him but he found them to be surprisingly affectionate.  I think if I ever hike the trail I’m going to buy a llama to carry all my stuff.  Heck, maybe I’ll get two; one for my stuff and one to carry me!

After enjoying the view and learning a bit about llamas, they continued on their hike to Roaring Fork Shelter.  They arrived there by 3pm and all decided they still felt good and wanted to cover more ground and shorten their next day’s hike into Hot Springs.  They loaded their packs back on and traveled another 3 miles to a tent site at Lemon Gap.  During the night it started to rain.

On Wednesday he, Finn and Firefly woke up early and “hauled ass”, as Trevor put it, for 15 miles to Hot Springs!  Due to the rain they were highly motivated and made it into town by 1:30.  After finding a hotel they did laundry, resupplied, ate real food and relaxed for the night.  Trevor said Firefly stayed at a hostel and will likely zero there for a day.  He and Finn plan to press on.

Tomorrow (Thursday) they (Trevor and Finn) plan to sleep in and then hike either 11 miles to Spring Mountain Shelter or 14 miles to Allen Gap Shelter.  If things go as planned, they hope to arrive in Erwin, Tennessee (Mile 340) on Sunday evening or Monday.

Day 19 - Gatlinburg, TN - Mile 205

Trevor is overnighting in Gatlinburg and plans to hit the trail again tomorrow.  He and Mountaineer found a room at the Grand Prix Inn for $30 (combined)!  I told him to check for bedbugs and he just laughed!

He said they crossed Fontana Dam early on Wednesday and traveled 16 miles to the Spence Field Shelter.  He said within minutes of arriving at the shelter it started to rain and it continued all night.  He said the rain sounded like a jet engine hitting the metal roof and it was terribly cold.  The shelter was designed for 12 but they stuffed 14 people inside and fortunately everyone stayed dry.  By Thursday morning the rain had stopped, but Trevor said it was very cold (never above 34 f).  He regretted sending back his gloves so early, but made dual duty of an extra pair of wool socks by wearing them on his hands!

They traveled 14 miles on Thursday to the Double Spring Shelter.  Trevor said the terrain on Thursday was all up and down and he rarely had a flat run where he could gain good speed.  He saw a few snowflakes that day and when they arrived at the shelter they all ate dinner quickly and went to bed early so they could warm up in their sleeping bags.  When Trevor awoke this morning he said there was ½ inch of snow on the ground and the water in the tube of his camel back had frozen!

Today they summited Clingman’s Dome, which is the highest point on the entire trail at 6643 ft.  He said Clingman’s Dome was awesome and there was about 1 inch of snow at the summit.  He climbed an observation tower there and said he got some great pictures.  Since the mountain is so tall he was above the cloud cover, which was hovering around 4000 ft. and he had blue skies and it seemed like he could see forever.  Only the mountain tops exceeding about 4000 ft. were poking above the cloud cover.  Although I don't have his pictures yet, I've found a few pictures from the internet that show the observation tower and the view when there is cloud cover.

I asked again about bears and he said in talking to locals the bears have come out of hibernation but generally stay at lower elevations this time of the year.  I guess it’s a good time to hike through the Smoky’s and avoid the bears!

After enjoying the views at Clingman’s Dome, he, Mountaineer, and Fin had to hustle to get to Newfound Gap by 1pm to meet Fin’s girlfriend and get a ride into Gatlinburg.  Trevor said it was a slippery decent down to the Gap at 5000 feet because the rainwater had frozen on the rocks.  Fortunately, they all made it down safely.

When they got to Newfound Gap they ran into a bunch of tourist that offered them fried chicken, doughnuts, and soda.  Trevor said the Trail Angels and their trail magic was great!

After resupplying in the morning, he, Fin, and Mountaineer plan to hit the trail by noon and hike 10 miles to Pecks Corner Shelter.  If things go as planned they hope to arrive in Davenport on Monday where they will overnight and resupply at the Standing Bear Hostel.

Day 16 - Fontana Dam, NC Mile 164

Trevor called tonight from Fontana Dam.  He said he, Mountaineer, and another hiker named Fin all arrived there a day sooner than scheduled because they were able to do a 16 mile hike yesterday out of NOC.  Although the hike out of NOC was tough, when they arrived at the 10 mile point he said they felt too good to stop.  At Fontana Dam they ate at the "Mountain View Bistro" where he devoured a French dip, French fries, and fried pickles!  They convinced a maid at a hotel to give them hand towels and they were able to get a quick shower.

After eating Trevor went to the post office to pick up the food he mailed ahead from Hiawassee.  Trevor said his food arrived fine but Mountaineer's didn't make it.  Apparently Mountaineer had mailed his food before ever leaving West Virginia for the trail and it never arrived.  Fortunately, they were able to find enough food in hiker boxes that other hikers had left behind, coupled with some of Trevor's extra food, to get Mountaineer by for a couple days before needing to resupply.  Originally they had planned to go straight through the Smokies, but given Mountaineer's food situation those plans have changed.  Trevor said Fin's girlfriend is meeting him near the trail in Gatlinburg on Friday and he has offered to give Trevor and Mountaineer a ride into town so Mountaineer can resupply and they will stay overnight there.

Trevor said he's taken a leap of faith that the nice weather will hold out and has mailed home a few items such as his gaiters, face mask and gloves.  He also mailed home his SPOT GPS so hopefully we can get it replaced and sent back to him quickly.

Tomorrow they will cross Fontana Dam and head into the Smoky Mountains.  They plan to hike 13 miles to Russell Fields Shelter, then 17 miles on Thursday to Double Spring Gap Shelter, and then arrive in Gatlinburg on Friday.  If things go as scheduled, they plan to get out of the Smokies and arrive at Davenport Gap Shelter on Monday where there is a hiker hostel and they can take a zero day, resupply, and do laundry.

Day 14 - Nantahala Outdoor Center Mile 135

Trevor called at lunchtime today from the NOC.  On Saturday he and Mountaineer hiked 18 miles to the Wesser Bald Shelter where they camped with about 30 other hikers last night. I guess he was anxious to get to the NOC because he started hiking at 7am this morning and arrived at the NOC by 9:45.  I think he wanted to maximize his time at the NOC today and recharge for his hike tomorrow. I've read that the hike out of NOC is challenging because he goes from a 1700 foot elevation back up to 5000 feet.

At NOC he enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and eggs at their restaurant, took a shower, and started laundry.   He said the Hokie vs. Witchita State game was playing in the restaurant and as soon was he got off the phone he planned to go watch.

Trevor said the hike on Saturday was interesting and he took pictures but doesn't know if they'll do his experience justice.  He said there were times where he had to stop and think about each step, contemplating how best to execute them so he wouldn't fall off a ledge.  Apparently he had to step from jutting rock to jutting rock and if he messed up then he would have fallen a fairly good distance.  He said it didn't feel life threatening, but it would have hurt alot!

No bears, no ticks, no poison ivy yet!  He's got about 30 miles to Fontana Dam and the start of the Smoky Mountains.  He believes they'll hike 10 miles (mostly uphill) tomorrow, then tent on the trail.  On Tuesday they plan a 14 mile hike to a campsite just outside Fontana Dam where they can pick up the food they mailed ahead and zero for a day before beginning the 5 day hike through the Smokies to Davenport , TN.

Day 12 - Siler Bald Shelter, NC - Mile 112

Trevor called late this afternoon from Siler Bald Shelter in North Carolina.  He is still hiking with Mountaineer but hasn’t heard from or seen Cotton and Nattie since they left the trail to have Cotton’s knee checked out.  Hopefully they’ve made it back on the trail and are healthy.

Before leaving Hiawassee, GA, Trevor purchased enough food to get him through his current hike and also a 5 day hike while in the Smoky Mountains.  He shipped the Smoky food ahead to Fontana Dam which is at mile 164 and at the base of those mountains.  This way he can resupply easily just before undertaking that hike and avoid having to leave the trail to buy food.

He left Hiawassee on Wednesday morning and hiked 17 miles, crossing the GA/NC state line and staying at the Standing Indian Shelter.  Below is a picture he sent me from his cell phone of the actual GA/NC sign which is nailed to a tree on the tail.

On Thursday he hiked 14 miles to the Big Spring Shelter.  Trevor said that hike was very interesting because the last ½ mile to the shelter included a 400 foot climb up a rock face.  He said they had to literally use their hands and feet to climb up these rocks!  When he got to the top there was a tower that gave him a terrific view of the mountains and town of Franklin, NC.

I asked Trevor about the type of terrain he was encountering and he said there are times where the trail really isn’t much of a trail.  He has had to walk down the middle of a stream that was actually the trail and also traverse small ledges with drop offs.  I asked about animals and he said other than normal creatures like birds and squirrels, he hasn’t encountered much.  He did say there were two mice crawling on his tent last night and he had to knock them off.  YUCK!  He said he normally wakes up at 6:15 am, starts hiking by 8 am, and then goes to bed around 7:30 pm. 

Tomorrow he plans to hike 13 miles to the Cold Spring Shelter.  Here is a picture of that shelter from the AT Conservancy website.  Since I don't yet have photo's from Trevor I thought everyone might like to see what a typical AT shelter looks like.

He expects to arrive at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) on Sunday.  The NOC http://www.noc.com/ looks like a great place to relax and he plans to overnight there and eat some real food.  I expect to hear from him sometime Sunday and will post an update at that time.

Regarding his SPOT GPS tracker – he’s tried and tried to get it to track and it’s just not working.  He plans to ship it home from NOC and we will get a replacement sent to him.  Hopefully within a couple weeks we’ll have it up and running!

Day 8 - Hiawassee, GA

Trevor called tonight from the Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel in Hiawassee, GA.  Again, he sounded strong, upbeat, and optimistic!  He said Mountaineer never showed up at the Neels Gap cabin on Thursday night, but Trevor found him there the next day doing laundry.  Apparently the hostel didn’t tell Mountaineer that the guys were expecting him and instead Mountaineer shared a cabin with Moonshine (Sydney from VT who started the trail with Trevor but got separated on the first day).

After doing his laundry and resupplying, Trevor hiked about 6 miles and stayed near the Whitley Gap Shelter.  Rather than hike the extra mile off the trail to the actual shelter, he and Mountaineer decided to pitch their tents and sleep just off the trail.

On Saturday, Trevor hiked 12 miles to the Blue Mountain Shelter.  There he met up with Cotton, Nattie, Mountaineer, Moonshine, and Sherpa.  Sherpa (real name Kate) also started the trail with him last Monday; but, if you remember from my earlier post, they got separated.  I asked Trevor how she got the name Sherpa and he said when she weighed her pack in Neels Gap, it topped the scales at 57 pounds (mind you Trevor’s weighed 32).  The people at Neels Gap helped her trim it down to 45 pounds and I guess they decided a good name for her was Sherpa because she liked to lug a bunch of stuff! 

Saturday was Trevor’s birthday and he said it didn’t even cross his mind until everyone got ready to settle into their tents for the night.  He said someone asked what he was thinking about and Trevor replied, “It’s my birthday”.  With that the entire camp started yelling, “Happy Birthday”.  I’m so glad he didn’t celebrate alone!

On Sunday, Trevor hiked 13 miles, briefly stopping at Tray Mountain to enjoy the view from its 4400 foot summit.   He continued on and stayed overnight at Sassafras Gap where he and Mountaineer tent camped since there was no shelter.  At this point Trevor said Cotton and Nattie decided to get off the trail and hitch to the hospital to get Cotton’s knee checked out.  Apparently it was causing him quite a bit of pain and he thought he might need a rest or some medicine.  Trevor hasn’t heard how that went. 

Today, Trevor, Mountaineer and a guy named Homer hiked 6 miles to Dick’s Creek Gap and from there they hitched a ride to the Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel.  Trevor said the three of them took a shower while the hostel owner did their laundry.  This hostel is a donation operated Christian based ministry and the owner actually hiked the trail himself in 1991.  After showering the three of them got a ride into town where they ate at Daniel’s buffet for about an hour and a half!  They then shopped at Ingles grocery store to resupply their food and then hitched back to the hostel.  Trevor has NEVER hitched before so I feel much better that he’s doing it with a professional like Mountaineer.  Mountaineer is a recently retired West Virginia State Police Officer, so I think he's in good hands!

Trevor said he experienced his first Trail Angel this past weekend.  Apparently a former hiker left two huge bins of food on the trail.  They were filled with soda, chips, candy, and beef jerky!  What a nice surprise for tired and hungry hikers!

Trevor and Mountaineer plan to cross into North Carolina soon – 1 state down, 13 more to go!  Their next big town is Nantahala, NC at AT mile 133.9, about 67 miles from Hiawassee.  Nantahala has a huge outdoor center with rafting, restaurants, lodging, resupplies, and they hope to arrive sometime Sunday or Monday and I'll post an update when I get one.

As a side note, Trevor said he's been sending signals from his SPOT but I told him they're not coming through.  We went over how to synch it to the GPS satelites, so hopefully he will get it up and running.  If not, he plans to mail it back to us and we will have a replacement mailed out to him.

Day 4 - Neel's Gap, Georgia

Trevor called this afternoon from Neel’s Gap, GA with an update.  He sounded strong, happy, and pumped about his experience so far.  It’s the end of day 4 and so far he’s hiked a total of 40 miles – 9 miles of the AT approach trail and 31 miles of the actual AT.

Trevor started his hike on Monday morning from Amicolola Falls State Park with a guy named Jim Dog and three girls, Moonshine, Kate, and Lucy.  Trevor and Jim Dog hiked the 9 mile approach trail faster than the girls and when they arrived at the top of Springer Mountain, Jim Dog took a shuttle back to the Hiker Hostel for the night.  Trevor said the approach trail was the most hellish portion of his hike so far. The hike was steep and areas of the trail were littered with gear and supplies that hikers ditched in an effort to lighten their packs.

Trevor waited 2 hours at the top of Springer for the girls to arrive, but then decided it was getting late and began the AT alone.  He hiked 2.8 miles to the Stover Creek Shelter where he met a retired police officer named Mountaineer, who was also hiking alone.  After camping there on Monday night, Trevor and Mountaineer hiked together for 12 miles on Tuesday to Gooch Shelter where they met two guys named Cotton and Nattie. 

On Tuesday night the rain started with a vengeance and fortunately Trevor’s tent kept him and his gear dry.  By Wednesday morning Trevor said it was clear the rain wasn’t going to end so he packed up his tent and moved into the actual Gooch shelter.  Since getting to the next shelter required a 12 mile hike, Trevor, Mountaineer, Cotton, and Nattie decided to take a zero day and stay in the shelter rather than hike in the downpour.  The hiker term “zero day” refers to a no hiking day. Although the day was boring and long, Trevor said they made the most of it and played cards to pass the time.  The torrential rain finally stopped at 7pm.

Trevor left Gooch around 8am on Thursday and hiked 15 miles to Neel’s Gap.  Mountaineer left earlier that morning but Trevor eventually caught him.  They hiked together about 5 miles and then Mountaineer slowed down and Trevor decided to hike ahead.  Trevor said the first 12 miles on Thursday were pretty easy and he made great time.  The last three miles to Neel’s Gap took a bit longer because he had to cross a high elevation at Blood Mountain and it was snowing.  While the ascent wasn’t too bad, Trevor said the descent was crazy; going from 4450 feet to 3125 feet over wet and rocky terrain.  He was very happy he had trekking poles!

When he arrived at Neel’s Gap around 3pm Trevor found out the hostel was full but a cabin that sleeps 4 was available for only $60 a night.  He waited for Cotton and Nattie to arrive and they all agreed it was well worth $15 each to sleep in the cabin and have a shower.  When I talked to Trevor he was waiting for Mountaineer to arrive and was excited about the prospect of a hot shower, real food, the cabin fireplace and satellite TV! 

In the morning (Friday) he plans to do a load of laundry, resupply at the Neel’s Gap hostel, and continue his hike.  His next resupply point will be Hiawassee, GA which is 36 miles and 3 days from Neel’s Gap.  If everything goes as planned I expect to get another update on Monday evening.  After Hiawassee, Trevor will only have 9 miles to the GA-NC state line.