100 Miles Down

I am officially a backpacker at this point.  We successfully hiked through Georgia and into North Carolina and finished over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail!

Coming from two feet of snow and freezing temperatures meant that hiking in sunny, 70 degree weather was fantastic!  On day two I was given the trail name of Ukalady.  As you can probably guess, my debate about whether or not to bring a ukulele resulted in me bringing one.  I have thoroughly enjoyed singing around camp fires at night and in a shelter on a rainy afternoon.

Here are a few highlights from the trail so far.

 

Day 2- Gooch Mountain Shelter- hikers, tent, and bear cables in use.

Day 4- Sunrise at Lance Creek

Lunch on the top of Blood Mountain

Day 5- getting out of the rain at Low Gap Shelter

Hiking buddies

Reorganizing and getting things done

Our first zero day and gear and supplies are everywhere!  Thank for putting us up and putting up with us!  It was great to shower, restock, and of course eat lots of food.  Off on the trail again tomorrow!

Blast Off!

We all met up in Chattanooga and were reunited with another fellow Peace Corps Volunteer.  We had the pleasure of seeing the St. Chatty's Day Parade in Chattanooga while decked out in St. Patrick's Day gear.  Of course Chattanooga Choo Choo was running through my head and then we saw this in one of the parks!

We got our groceries and fuel for the stoves before loading up our packs.  I was disappointed to learn that my pack was the heaviest of the three of us.  Despite the advice of multiple thru-hikers assuring me that a 45 liter pack would be plenty big, my first packing attempt resulted in hysterical laughter from my fellow hikers.  It was stuffed to the max and towering over me. We had a great at our friend's parents house before heading off to bed.

In the morning we were driven to Springer Mountain accompanied to the top by a fellow PCV and her dad. The weather was beautiful! We took pictures, said goodbye in the parking lot, and were on our way to hike the Appalachian Trail.

 

Lots of Locks Lopped Off

Yesterday I got my hair cut for the trail!  I honestly cannot decide  how much I like it yet, but I am so excited that I am thrilled anyway.  It will certainly be a lot easier to care for when I’m hiking.  

My hair had been so long that tucking it behind my ears all day made my ears hurt.  I could no longer put it up, only braid it, because the weight of a ponytail gave me a headache.  I thought my head would feel weightless after the haircut.  Oddly enough, my head feels like it going to fall forward because there is no weight in the back.  I also have a slight headache and my scalp feels odd.  Who knew there would be so many adjustments?

Last night I went salsa dancing and noticed my hair did not move or spin when I turned.  That was very strange!  I was no longer trying to prevent whipping people with a braid.  Instead I needed to hold my hand higher during turns because I am an inch taller due to the curls on top.  It is nice not to have hair in my eyes or in my mouth not to mention that is doesn’t get Velcroed to men’s facial hair! 

My ponytail will be donated to Locks of Love to make wigs for children suffering long-term medical hair loss.  This is the third time I have donated my hair to them.  Donating my hair is another reason why cutting my hair short is so exciting.  I know I have given it to a good cause and mine will grow back.  It is fun for me to imagine someone else with a head of my hair!

Two Weeks Until Day One!

I can hardly believe the first day of March is here already!  Most of my gear has been purchased, but the list of little things seems to be getting longer and longer.  Hopefully I will be able to sleep outside in my tent a few more times before I leave if the temperature goes above zero and the skunk I saw last night doesn’t come back for a visit.  Next week I will be putting together my food boxes for those few towns where purchasing sustenance reportedly doesn’t go so well.

My physical training has slowed down a bit.  Snowshoeing with my pack on has been extremely satisfying, shoveling snow from roofs and driveways, not so much.  I am planning to go 7 miles today with 25-30 pounds on my back!

Here are a number of things I’m looking forward to on the Appalachian Trail

-       hearing birds sing in the morning

-       witnessing beautiful sunrises and sunsets

-       breathing lots of fresh air

-       watching the seasons change- some trees already have red tips on their branches

-       living by nature’s schedule and not a clock

-       being physically active

-       sharing my experience with two great friends

Raising Money for Rippleffect

I mentioned in my first post that part of the reason I want to hike the trail is to raise money and awareness for a local organization.  I am very excited to announce that as I hike I will be raising money for Rippleffect!

Rippleffect is an organization that promotes youth education and leadership through outdoor experiences.  In high school I was fortunate enough to participate in a youth leadership camp and Cow Island off the coast of Maine.  During the camp I learned kayaking techniques, listened to a man talk of his multiple attempts to hike Mount Everest, practiced yoga in the early morning hours, participated in team building activities, journaled, spent time alone on the island, and developed a greater sense of self.

I am very excited to have the opportunity to give back to an organization that I strongly believe in.  I spent two years in the Peace Corps helping a community half way around the world, now it is time to make a difference closer to home. 

Rippleffect promotes so many things I believe in including

-       educating youth through real life experiences

-       helping youth to develop confidence in themselves and leadership skills

-       promoting the important of spending time outdoors

-       being involved with the local community

Just this past summer Rippleffect expanded their program to include hiking.  There couldn’t be a better time or way to help raise money for scholarships.  As I hike the trail I hope to be raising $3 per mile on the 2,184 miles of the trail.  My dream come true would be to raise $5 per mile.

For more information about Rippleffect, please visit Rippleffect.net.  I hope you click on the link below to donate money!  No donation is too small.  Please help me reach my goal keep me motivated as I hike the trail.  Thank you!

http://www.gofundme.com/GretchenAT

 

Naming a Blog

The name for my blog was not random.  I spent some time trying to come up with something that was both fitting for my personality and for hiking the Appalachian Trail.  Many songs ran through my head as I thought about walking, traveling, mountains, boots, and more.  

I kept coming back to "You're Gonna Miss Me," a song I came across years ago performed by Lulu and the Lampshades.  The song was based on "When I'm Gone," written by A.P. Carter of The Carter Family.  Now it has become more popularly know as "Cups" since Anna Kendrick sang it in the movie "Pitch Perfect." 

This song holds many memories for me and has already traveled with me around the world.  I came across "You're Gonna Miss Me" on a snow day in Maine when I was searching for new songs and activities to teach my students in music class.  Later my students performed the song in their school concert.  Then, as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I taught the song to my senior class to perform at a welcoming ceremony for the incoming freshmen using coconut shells. 

So how did I develop the name for my blog?  One line from the lyrics says, "It's got mountains, it's got rivers, it's got sights that'll give you shivers," and that speaks to me of the Appalachian Trail.  

Here's a video of me singing the song.  The quality isn't the greatest but I hope you enjoy it.

Let the Training Begin

The thought of training for a thru-hike had been a little daunting.  I knew that nothing would truly prepare me for hiking over 2,000 miles other than the hike itself.  That being said, I wanted to make sure I was physically fit before heading out.  I know I will be extremely sore the first few weeks but some preparation should help.

How to get fit?  I went to the library and got books about preparing for running.  True, it's not the same, but both work the muscles and tendons in the legs.  I figured running was closer to hiking than swimming, so running it was.

I read The Beginning Runner's Handbook- the Proven 13-week walk/run Program by Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council.  I am currently in week two and am enjoying myself.  I appreciate having a written plan to guide me because I was never into sports.  The first weeks have felt slow, with a lot of walking, but the reality is that hiking is more walking than running anyway.

I have to say I did not research many training programs and then cross examine them (as I have been doing for gear) but saw this one, thought it sounded good, and started the next day.  One point that really struck home for me was reading that the cardiovascular system will strengthen more quickly than the musculoskeletal system.  I learned that bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles take longer to develop.   My goal is to strengthen my body before I leave for the hike in hopes of reducing injury on the trail. 

This plan was working great until it snowed this weekend.  I refuse to go to a gym... I would much rather be outside.  It looks as though I'll be applying the concepts to cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice skating.  Sounds fun to me!