Happy 2015!

A very happy New Year to all! My apologies for the radio silence since mid-November but I’ve been busy having fun with family, catching up with friends and celebrating the holidays. This is just a quick note to confirm that I’ve firmed up my plan to return to the trail during the last week of February, contingent on my heel being ready and on the weather being at or above zero. I’m optimistic on both counts.

One of the things I am asked about often is whether I have any before and after pictures from when I started the trail, to now. I didn’t take any specifically for that purpose, but I’ve fished out the below two pictures which are pretty representative of the transformation so far.

About two weeks before beginning the trail.

Before: About two weeks prior to starting the AT (6/13/14)

12/20/14: Merry Christmas!

Current: Anxious for the final 670 miles (12/20/14)

Since I know that some of you are interested, I’m happy to report that the other hikers I walked with have all completed their treks, the last of whom was Mav on New Year’s eve! Birdie finished her flipflop in Dalevillle, Virginia just after Thanksgiving and then Swish and SlimJim wrapped up mid December, followed by Herc, Hydro, Dirtybird, Stringbean, Toastface, Ducky, as well as Captain Morgan, Forest Moistener, TenaciousD, Rodeo, Sagacious and Blueberry. I hadn’t seen some of them since New York so it was great to know they finished, making me antsy to get back for my remaining miles. The following is from another site but its about some of the above folks I was closest to on the trail. Its inside-jokey (and therefore annoying) but feel free to read if interested.

Prologue
In the Year of our Lord- two thousand fourteen,
 my weary mind did ponder.
 A journey through mountains and fields of green,
 a quiet, structured wander.
Along that way I met dear souls,
 uncommonly kind and gracious.
 And funny and wise and quick on their toes,
 sturdy, resilient, tenacious.
This is my tribute to the best of the best,
 of the hikers I met and befriended.
 Whose tired feet will soon be at rest,
 their southbound quests nearly ended.
So accept these few verses as the tip of a cap,
 my thanks for the friendship you've shown.
 May we hike yet again with a back country map,
 and in each others' company, roam.

Tribute
With curly black hair, Dirty Girls and pink socks,
 Cascadias and Dapper Dan wax.
 Hero brought style to the woods and our walks,
 and for leisure, kicked hacky sacks.
He frequently stops to change footware,
 is brilliant and occasionally rants.
 But when SlimJim finally takes Springer,
 even harsh Nobo Baggins will dance.
Mav is rock solid, he sleeps with no mattress,
 and hikes for a noble cause.
 When he 'slathers the baby' it causes distress,
 but his 'bazingas!' are met with guffaws.
With kisses and hugs in her shelter-book entries,
 Birdie's as sweet as they come.
 She sang lots on trail, was stung by some bees,
 and hiked with a patch on her bum.
She hosted thanksgiving for the hikers we met,
 and showed up with stitches and bruising.
 But Swish gets what she gets without getting upset,
 and sleeps rolled in a tarp when she's boozing.
Herc is a guy you can't help but like,
 who took to the woods like a pro.
 He dove off a bridge and played chess on his hike,
 and smiled through the rain and the snow.
In a confederate hat Hydro walks with no shirt,
 his Connecticut challenge completed.
 Mason-Dixon ain't just some old line in the dirt,
 but the place Rebel Yell is depleted.
Her hugs are the best and go well with her smile,
 genuine, friendly and true.
 Hikers who walk with Toastface a mile,
 end up hoping its not one, but two.
DirtyBird hikes fast and sleeps deeply,
 though one night he stirred with a groan.
 And spoke in his sleep to inform me,
 that the pebble is- surely- the stone.
Picking blueberries on mountains throughout central Maine,
 and trek poles in Shenandoah.
 Ducky's purple shorts sure did entertain,
 with his trademark beard like Noah.
With long stride and stick and remarkably chill,
 he's crossing the country again.
 By bike or on foot, through sheer force of will,
 StringBean has proven he can.

Epilogue
Hats off to my heros and idols,
 beloved companions and friends.
 Take care and God's speed in your travels,
 let's plan more as soon as it ends.

My next post will probably be mid-February, just before I push off for Pearisburg, Virginia. I’m including a few pictures, some older ones too that I hadn’t seen until recently. I hope you enjoy and I’m looking forward to wrapping up the journey with you!

At the Grand Canyon a month before hitting the trail

At the Grand Canyon a month before hitting the trail

Beautiful Rainier

Beautiful Rainier

Taken an instant after I jumped off a bridge in Vermont. Weird floating effect...

An instant after jumping a bridge in Vermont. Hero and Swish watching from up top.

Mopping up in

Storm clean up in Harper’s Ferry at The Country Cafe

Me and DB

On the trail with DB somewhere in Virginia

Shenandoah ranger's group

Shenandoah hiking group. The Ranger stopped us to have DirtyBird, Hydro and me do Q&A on hiking the AT. Fun!

The pebble is the stone...

The pebble is the stone…(McAfee Knob)

Hero's last supper on the trail: nailed it.

Hero’s last supper on the trail…and Hydro declaring that we nailed it!

Hotel bound due to plantar fasciitis. MacArthur Inn, Narrows Virginia

Hotel bound due to plantar fasciitis. (MacArthur Inn, Narrows Virginia)

My last day on the trail in 2014...unfinished business awaits.

My last day on the trail in 2014. Unfinished business awaits in early 2015.

Max

1520 miles (for now)

If you’ve followed my hike from the beginning you may recall this comment: “…my only expectation is to enjoy myself, so this particular journey will either end when I stop having fun for a sustained period or when I hit the southern terminus of the trail…”

A few days ago I got a cortisone shot that provided some relief from the plantar fasciitis in my left heel, but combined with the early onset of bitter winter cold (waking up to frozen water bottles, frozen food, numb fingers and toes, etc.) , my “enjoyment” has been fading. Since the AT rules allow for 12 months to complete a thru-hike, I’ve decided to pause at 1520 miles and resume in the spring to complete my remaining 670 miles. Of course there’s a risk that life intervenes and prevents completion before my July deadline, but hopefully that will work out well like so many other details along the trail.

My heartfelt thanks for all of your support thus far and the blog will stay put for when I resume, so stay tuned! For those in Minnesota, I’ll be home for the holidays and look forward to seeing you all soon!

At mile 1520 (so far), Max

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Me on my last trail day until spring

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The view from hiker thanksgiving on Sugar Mountain

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Post feast tryptophan eyes with Slimjim and Mav

Brrrr! More From Virginia

We woke to this scene at the Thunder Hill shelter.

We woke to this scene at the Thunder Hill shelter.

Greetings from Narrows, Virginia, where I’ve decided to stop for a couple of days to rest my sore left heel. I’m staying at the historic MacArthur Inn which was built in the 1940s and so-named on the suggestion from then President Roosevelt in recognition of the general’s efforts in the Pacific during the run-up to WWII. Past clientele have included John Wayne, Audie Murphy (who died nearby in a plane crash and is memorialized with the below monument on the AT) , Mickey Mantle and Michael Landon.

Items left in tribute at the Audie Murphy memorial. My favorite cowboy movie as a kid: No Name on the Bullet

Items left in tribute at the Audie Murphy memorial. My favorite cowboy movie as a kid: “No Name on the Bullet”

Duck pond one block from the library in Narrows, VA

Duck pond one block from the library in Narrows, VA

Virginia
As of yesterday (Wednesday, November 5th) I passed my 1500th mile on the AT and now have less than 690 miles to go to reach the AT’s southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia. As I mentioned earlier, hiking in the great state of Virginia has been magical. With most leaves now off the trees, we are treated daily to spectacular views of the rolling mountain landscape as we gradually traverse south. Virginia is the longest state on the AT with more than 550 miles of trail to walk. I’m about halfway through the state right now. By comparison, Maine is the 2nd longest state on the AT with around 280 miles of trail.

Swish, Sawbones and I spent almost two hours hitching a ride back to the trail from Glasgow, VA

Swish, Sawbones and I spent almost two hours hitching a ride back to the trail from Glasgow, VA

What is not to love about Virginia?

What is not to love about Virginia? A view from the ridge above.

String Bean and Swish apparently hiking without the use of feet...the leaves are calf-deep in many areas

String Bean and Swish apparently hiking without the use of feet…the leaves are calf-deep in many areas

Hydro (Johnny Reb) leading the charge!

Hydro (Johnny Reb) leading the charge!

Dirty Bird (from Atlanta) picking up the hike pace

Dirty Bird (from Atlanta) picking up the hike pace

I love the AT views from Virginia

I love the AT views from Virginia

From a ridge near Daleville, VA

From a ridge near Daleville, VA

Hiker silhouettes on the Virginia Hills

Hiker silhouettes on the Virginia Hills

Sunrise on McAfee Knob
McAfee Knob features a stunning rock outcropping that juts out from the peak in dramatic fashion, making it the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail. Joined by half a dozen hiker pals, we stayed at a shelter less than a mile from the Knob a couple of days ago, woke up at 4:30 in the morning and hiked with headlamps to the summit from where we watched a breathtaking sunrise on a crisp, clear morning. My phone was our music player so I didn’t capture photos myself at sunrise, but I’ll post some later when I get them from others. In the mean time I’ve included several from an hour or so later where you can see us standing, jumping, etc. on the iconic landmark.

Well-known AT photo spot McAfee Knob

Well-known AT photo spot McAfee Knob

Me, freewheeling at the Knob

Me, freewheeling on the edge of the Knob

Swish doing the snoopy jump!

Swish channeling Snoopy

The Priest
Another interesting spot on the AT in Virginia is “The Priest,” a formidable six mile climb that challenges the soul! In the registry/logbook at the shelter near the summit, hikers are encouraged to “confess their sins” for others to read… needless to say it makes for entertaining reading. I opted to write the below poem.

My poem

My poem

Switching to headband mode to reign in all this hair

Switching to headband mode to reign in all this hair

Cold Weather
The biggest story recently has been the cold weather. Per the above photo, we woke to snow at the Thunder Hill shelter the morning after halloween and hiked in it until the elevation dropped below 3000 feet. Daytime temps in the 40s and 50s make for pleasant hiking weather as long as there is little or no wind, but getting out of a toasty sleeping bag to face morning chills in the 20s and 30s is a different story and I’m glad I’ve got ample winter gear. The mountains in northenr Georgia (my ultimate destination) have already reported snowfalls in the range of 6-12 inches, so cold weather will be a big factor the rest of the way.

The trail passes under this boulder called "The Guillotine." See the white blaze on the tree on the other side

The trail passes under this boulder called “The Guillotine.” See the white blaze on the tree on the other side

Missing Home
Finally, I’ve chatted recently with Wendy, our kids, my mom, friends, etc. and I think especially with the holiday season drawing near and a winter chill in the air, I find myself missing home more than ever. I can’t wait to be back in good ‘ole Minnesota for Christmas, where I plan to reserve a spot by a fire somewhere and melt the ice out of my beard. I’m enjoying a couple days off the trail right now trying to get my heel to improve, and will have another day or two break next week with our upcoming hikers’ thanksgiving, so hopefully between the two I’ll summon the energy and motivation needed to complete this hike in time to be home for the holidays. Thank you all again for tuning in and my very best wishes to you and yours this holiday season. Max.