Finding My Path

A Week on the AT: April 22-28 Days 77-83

My blog is called April’s Everyday Adventures, and my adventures this year are FAR different from Bill’s adventures.

It is Sunday, and I love Sundays because I always make time to do the things I love. I am thoroughly enjoying curating our AT Journey in photos. But it is time-consuming, and right now, weeknights aren’t affording me the time to post daily, as Bill did. So the format will change to “A Week on the AT,” which I will post on Sundays. Thank you for being so patient as I meander my way down this beautiful path.

I will also give you a brief update on Bill on Sundays. He LOVES hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and he is taking pictures. It is entirely different than the AT. The largest difference is that there are no Shelters and, therefore, finding water has proven to be a giant task. Thankfully, they are finding water every time they need it. So all is well. Do regular rain dances, please. Or those of the praying ilk, pray for rain.

Long-distance relationships are challenging, and we have done this before. So we are carving out our precious time together, no matter how sparse the cellular service is. We ARE newlyweds after all. Yesterday’s share time included the craziest hiking photo I have ever seen. I won’t post it, but Bill was riding a surfboard (and NO, he wasn’t in the water!). As always, Bill IS the party! I miss that joy on the boat, but he sends it to me with every text and phone call. My mantra is still “just keep moving your feet ‘til you get there,” there is now the next time I hear Bill’s voice or see his face!

Day 77: April 22nd

This photo was taken after we had three luxurious zero days with our best friends, and you can see how refreshing that rest was. During our hike, I was celebrating each day with Bill and many friends who supported us along the way, like Dan and Holly. The hiking was painful at times, but I had a team pulling for me.

This year, I am part of Bill’s support team. It is such a strange difference. And I miss the hike: even the painful days. We met an interesting fellow hiking the AT. He spent a few days hiking near us and then one day packed, telling us he had to go “collect acorns.” Bill, being ever inquisitive, asked what he meant. He told us he had to go back to work to save up for more hiking. I am currently collecting acorns too. I can’t wait to get back to full-time adventuring, but the Books of Wisdom are correct: There is a season for everything.

This is a photo of Whitetop Laurel, which is not perfect, but I couldn’t leave it out. Bill had told me many stories of his family’s adventures on that mountain. Bill took it as we hiked away from our three-day respite. Getting to have an adventure with him, that close to Whitetop Laurel, made me feel like a part of this loving, beautiful family. His mom and dad took part of their honeymoon in this area, and I could feel their love as I hiked. It is bringing tears to my eyes even now. “Love is a Many-Splendoured Thing,” it’s not just a gorgeous song sung by Andy Williams. It’s the TRUTH.

I think this was the first time I saw my favorite wild flowers on the trail. But we continued to see them for many miles. They are TINY, but vibrantly red. I wanted to carry them in my bridal bouquet, but no one could get their hands on them. Later, I found them growing out of a rock. It was the most amazing thing. I am grateful Bill carried his magic camera for the whole trail. These pictures are remarkably detailed. I can FEEL the trail again when I look at them.

We left Damascus and hiked back to Bill’s home in Taylors Valley on Day 77. I had been there twice already, but camping on the bank where, as a boy, he had listened to AT thru-hikers tell their tales inspired me to hike all the way to Katahdin. I knew that night that I would go all the way. It was going to be a tough journey, but I knew I would make it. We set up our tent close to dark, and Laurel Creek’s babbling lulled me into a sweet sleep.

Day 78: April 23

The next morning, we surveyed the damage to Taylors Valley. The valley was torn up, and the resilience of Bill’s family was visible. We walked up to the houses that were built to replace those that had washed away. The community was physically different, but the love was still palpable even with the changes in the landmarks.

We hiked out and continued our trek through Virginia. I had a new zest, having just spent time with friends and our family. This is us after hiking out of the valley. You can see it below us in the distance.

The Virginia Creeper Trail, which we had visited on previous visits, crosses the AT. It is an easier section of the trail, and people not only bike on it but also take day hikes. We saw a cute family hiking together that day. It was a hot one.

Bill had been telling me that we would see Trilium in bloom, but I could not have imagined how different and beautiful they would be. They came in many colors, but this color was by far the most prevalent.

Day 79: April 24th

Hiking in the spring is just one beautiful wildflower after another.

Look at the fringes on these beauties.

I just decided to do a full blog post of flowers. I will post that one tomorrow.

Bill’s mom and dad took a honeymoon photo on Lover’s Leap. We tried to get there to recreate the photo, but the weather didn’t cooperate. We got close here, and you can see the Lover’s Leap in our eyes.

Day 80: April 25th

Milestone achieved: 500 miles!

We were heading toward Rocksylvania. You can see the terrain shift.

This is in the Greyson Highlands: land of the horses. We only saw two of them. I think the smart ones were all tucked away out of the rain. This was a wet and muddy day.

I still eat these chicken packets. So convenient. I don’t have to balance my lunch on my knees these days, though.

Day 81: April 26th

It rained for three days pretty much straight. We survived by hiding in shelters during the downpours, drinking coffee and eating candy until the rain got lighter, and we could hike our miles safely. The candies in the photos are freeze-dried Skittles, and we have a whole story to tell regarding them. Again, for another post. But they sustained our life through many rainstorms.

Day 82: April 27th

April showers bring May flowers. And they were in full bloom. And the bees were HAPPY!

Day 83: April 28th

We made it into town to pursue Bill’s medicine. We finally found a logical doctor who prescribed him more than one month, so we could continue our hike without a three-day stop each month. Marion was lovely. And we will be forever grateful to the doctor whose dad was hiking the AT too.

Have a nice day!