We are so very thankful to have had such an amazing opportunity, but are even more thankful to be home with our family.
We have been asked about our experience and had trouble summarizing it the first few days...so have come up with a catch phrase that explains it:
Most people state that thru-hiking the AT is 100 times more physically difficult than they thought and 1,000 times more rewarding than expected. We say thru-hiking the AT is 1,000,000 times more physically difficult than we thought and 1,000,000,000,000 times more rewarding than expected!
Check out my lists of lists below that conclude our experiences of the journey.
A list of animals that we encountered:
Moose: 10
Deer: 44
Squirrel: infinity
Loon: 3
Hummingbird: 1
Woodpecker: 2
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly: 1+
Monarch Butterfly: 1
Turtle (slider): 5
Snapping Turtle laying eggs: 1
Box Turtle: 2
Frogs and Toads: 58
Snake (non-venomous): 18
Snake eating a frog: 1
Vulters: 1+
Chipmunk: infinity
Beaver: 1
Baby Fox: 1
Rabbit: 5
Tick: 2
Bear: 3
Newt (Red Eft): 175...105 in one day!
Salamander: 1
Centi and Milli: 10
Barred Owl: 10
Cow: 70
Mole: 2
Porcupine: 2
Great Blue Heron: 9
Geese: 1+
Wild Turkey: 20
Blue Lined Skink: 1
Bald Eagle: 1
Stray Dog: 4
Coyote: 4
Pony: 10
Steer: 5
Hawk: 5
Rooster: 2
Goat: 1
Pig: 1
Piglets: 40
Chicken: 10
Sheep: 10
Wild Hog: 1
Rattlesnakes: 0
Bigfoot: 0
FINAL ADVIL COUNT: 670!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A list of what to expect to not expect on a thru-hike:
I never thought I would...
Pay over $5 for showers, towels, and laundry
Wash clothes in a bathtub
Dry clothes with a hairdryer
Wear Crocs with socks and purple on purple in public
Wash body with conditioner and wash hair with soap
Eat gross food because of pure hunger
Get in car with strangers and leave best of friends
Sweat so much
Get so wet from constant rain
Eat cold oatmeal every day
Cut my nails with Swiss Army knife
Pay to sleep in places that I would pay to NOT sleep in
Own such smelly socks
Walk past a view because the side trail was more than 0.5 mile
Share a headband with my husband
Go to Walmart
Be sore every single night
Enjoy doing chores
Wake up before I did to go to work
Walk more hours than I was a work
Not have weekends and not sleep in
Not have cell phone service and love it
See people every day
Miss mascara and perfume so much
Drive 10 mph under the speed limit
Analogies:
Mentally:
Thru-hiking is like taking a final exam...every day.
Reading map = studying notes
Hiking = taking test
Setting up camp and feeling safe = A+
Both hiking and test taking demonstrate how one can overcome a challenge to accomplish goal if put forth time and effort to do so.
Physically:
Thru-hiking is like going to the gym...every day...
for 8-10 hours...on the stairmaster...on an incline...with rocks glued to it...wearing 30 pounds on your back...without AC or TV...no bathroom...no clean water...can't go home and shower or do laundry...and have to come back the next day wearing same smelly/sweaty clothes...without taking a real rest day in over 5 months!!!
Spiritually: On Earth As It Is In Heaven
Psalm 32:6-10
THANKS DAD!
BABY L AND MAMA L
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
KEITH LOOKING GOOD AFTER SHAVE AND HAIRCUT!
LOVING THE FLATNESS OF THE BEACH IN FLORIDA!
We are thrilled to have moved back into our house and are busy unpacking boxes and hanging out with friends!
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