Two years gone.
I don't care about what music you're listening to.
I don't care about what you just ate.
I don't care about what political movement you're involved in.
I don't care about what lifestyle you live.
Then why am I on Facebook?
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 11, 2009
(Five years ago on the AT, give or take a few months...) 6.7.04
(So, apparently, in spite of the apprehension I felt the day prior concerning the amount of miles we were to do melted away at the thought of having a day of complete rest in the nearby town of Troutdale. As I mention below, Gracie and I pushed on once reaching our scheduled stop for the day in order that we would reach town a day ahead of schedule.
Once we reached the paved road which led to Troutdale, we still had about five miles to walk. Perhaps it was less, perhaps more, but the point is that we didn't feel like walking it. We attempted hitchhiking on this moderately busy road and were, for the most part, unsuccessful. We even had these young punks do the I'll-pull-over-but-speed-away-once-you-reach-the-truck thing. We eventually gave up and began walking. We walked on the hard pavement on already tired feet for about twenty minutes. A white Ford Explorer roared past with a distinctive license plate. Not long after that a truck of latino workers picked us up and shortly took us to the hostel we were going to use for the next two evenings.
This hostel, run by a church in town, had no one around. The small church was locked and the sun was setting. Gracie was doubting his research on the matter. Across the street there was a nice, kept home. And a white Ford Explorer, the very same that had passed us, with a cooling engine popping and slightly hissing in the driveway. We walked over to inquire about the church's hostel and were met by a man who let us know that yes, the church there did have a free shelter for hikers but we'd have to wait around for someone else to show up, that he didn't have anything to do with it.
Anyway, by the time we crossed the street again, someone pulled up in the church's driveway. Two of the hikers we'd met the day prior, the cockney fellow and someone who went by the trail name 'Blue Jay LeFay', were being let out by the church's young pastor and his wife, who had just treated the hikers to a home grilled steak dinner. You see, this pastor saw the nearby AT as a source of ministry to hikers and began the hostel ministry in order to show Christ's love to those passing through. During the conversation he also pointed out that the fellow across the road was one of the head deacons. This annoyed me as it was obvious that we had needed a ride to town but this head deacon had simply flown past.
We were set up in the small hostel, a new two room building in a corner of the church's lot, suitable for about a dozen men to use (the women were housed in the old sanctuary, adjacent to their newly constructed church). We were shown the shower and laundry facilities in the rear of the newer sanctuary and were shown were we could use a complimentary phone.
Gracie and I stayed up late, having laundry and phone calls to make. The showers were a blessing, to be sure, being the first I'd had since I'd begun the trail a few days prior. I had horrible rashes were the pack and its belt had been chafing me.
The following day, during which I wrote the entry below, gave us a much needed rest. We ate at a local cafe twice that day. I believe that's also the day that Ronald Reagan died. We spent the afternoon relaxing indoors in the old sanctuary (we had been invited to spend the afternoon in the more comfortable female quarters by its only inhabitant, 'Inchworm'. She took that trail name because she would only do about ten miles a day, still respectable to someone who had just started, like me, but far shy of experienced hiker's standards.)
Yesterday... wait.
Today I feel- rested.
Yesterday Graceful and I did our scheduled 11.4 mile day, our biggest yet. Initially I was intimidated by it, and continued to be so until we climbed to the top of our last peak- Then I began thinking about Troutdale and the telephone there. I mentioned to Graceful the idea of increasing our mileage for the day by about another seven miles. He mulled it over and also liked the idea of having a "zero" day (no miles walked) so we kept going.
So, there I was, flip-flopping from being afraid of eleven miles to being eager to do nearly twenty just because of the prospect of talking to you.
We got off the trail at one point, inadvertently, and wound up adding about a mile to our walk and had to spend a lot of time, a couple of miles, at least, walking along a gravel road with paralleled the AT but down in a valley... that gave me three new blisters which I am hoping will heal enough for me to tackle the 14+ day planned for tomorrow.
I still wonder what I'm doing out here and truly hope this experience will draw me closer to a closer relationship with God.
I had hoped that getting away from pretty much everything would clear my mind so that I could focus on God. The fact of the matter is, though, that my mind is still cluttered, just with other things.
I hope this changes-
I really would like some vision, some purpose, some direction.
I feel lost.
I have for a long time.
I don't know if this will ever change.
Do we create our own paths?
Have I been set apart?
Is this part of a plan?
Why do I constantly fight the feeling of isolation?
What is God teaching me through this?
I just want so much to be on the path the Sovereign Lord has for me and I want to KNOW I'm on it.
He told Jeremiah that he had plans for him- plans to give him a Hope and a Future. I hope that applies to all of us.
One thing I had asked is that things bubble up on this walk, things I need to deal with. Every... single... day... I have thought of India. This is not a pleasant experience.
Once we reached the paved road which led to Troutdale, we still had about five miles to walk. Perhaps it was less, perhaps more, but the point is that we didn't feel like walking it. We attempted hitchhiking on this moderately busy road and were, for the most part, unsuccessful. We even had these young punks do the I'll-pull-over-but-speed-away-once-you-reach-the-truck thing. We eventually gave up and began walking. We walked on the hard pavement on already tired feet for about twenty minutes. A white Ford Explorer roared past with a distinctive license plate. Not long after that a truck of latino workers picked us up and shortly took us to the hostel we were going to use for the next two evenings.
This hostel, run by a church in town, had no one around. The small church was locked and the sun was setting. Gracie was doubting his research on the matter. Across the street there was a nice, kept home. And a white Ford Explorer, the very same that had passed us, with a cooling engine popping and slightly hissing in the driveway. We walked over to inquire about the church's hostel and were met by a man who let us know that yes, the church there did have a free shelter for hikers but we'd have to wait around for someone else to show up, that he didn't have anything to do with it.
Anyway, by the time we crossed the street again, someone pulled up in the church's driveway. Two of the hikers we'd met the day prior, the cockney fellow and someone who went by the trail name 'Blue Jay LeFay', were being let out by the church's young pastor and his wife, who had just treated the hikers to a home grilled steak dinner. You see, this pastor saw the nearby AT as a source of ministry to hikers and began the hostel ministry in order to show Christ's love to those passing through. During the conversation he also pointed out that the fellow across the road was one of the head deacons. This annoyed me as it was obvious that we had needed a ride to town but this head deacon had simply flown past.
We were set up in the small hostel, a new two room building in a corner of the church's lot, suitable for about a dozen men to use (the women were housed in the old sanctuary, adjacent to their newly constructed church). We were shown the shower and laundry facilities in the rear of the newer sanctuary and were shown were we could use a complimentary phone.
Gracie and I stayed up late, having laundry and phone calls to make. The showers were a blessing, to be sure, being the first I'd had since I'd begun the trail a few days prior. I had horrible rashes were the pack and its belt had been chafing me.
The following day, during which I wrote the entry below, gave us a much needed rest. We ate at a local cafe twice that day. I believe that's also the day that Ronald Reagan died. We spent the afternoon relaxing indoors in the old sanctuary (we had been invited to spend the afternoon in the more comfortable female quarters by its only inhabitant, 'Inchworm'. She took that trail name because she would only do about ten miles a day, still respectable to someone who had just started, like me, but far shy of experienced hiker's standards.)
Yesterday... wait.
Today I feel- rested.
Yesterday Graceful and I did our scheduled 11.4 mile day, our biggest yet. Initially I was intimidated by it, and continued to be so until we climbed to the top of our last peak- Then I began thinking about Troutdale and the telephone there. I mentioned to Graceful the idea of increasing our mileage for the day by about another seven miles. He mulled it over and also liked the idea of having a "zero" day (no miles walked) so we kept going.
So, there I was, flip-flopping from being afraid of eleven miles to being eager to do nearly twenty just because of the prospect of talking to you.
We got off the trail at one point, inadvertently, and wound up adding about a mile to our walk and had to spend a lot of time, a couple of miles, at least, walking along a gravel road with paralleled the AT but down in a valley... that gave me three new blisters which I am hoping will heal enough for me to tackle the 14+ day planned for tomorrow.
I still wonder what I'm doing out here and truly hope this experience will draw me closer to a closer relationship with God.
I had hoped that getting away from pretty much everything would clear my mind so that I could focus on God. The fact of the matter is, though, that my mind is still cluttered, just with other things.
I hope this changes-
I really would like some vision, some purpose, some direction.
I feel lost.
I have for a long time.
I don't know if this will ever change.
Do we create our own paths?
Have I been set apart?
Is this part of a plan?
Why do I constantly fight the feeling of isolation?
What is God teaching me through this?
I just want so much to be on the path the Sovereign Lord has for me and I want to KNOW I'm on it.
He told Jeremiah that he had plans for him- plans to give him a Hope and a Future. I hope that applies to all of us.
One thing I had asked is that things bubble up on this walk, things I need to deal with. Every... single... day... I have thought of India. This is not a pleasant experience.
(Five years ago on the AT, give or take a handful of months...) 6.6.04 (morning)
(I do distinctly remember the morning about which I wrote below. I'd chosen not to stay in the shelter, preferring the privacy and relative warmth of my tent- at least my tent would keep out the breezes. I found an isolated meadow near the shelter and set up camp. The next morning, I was surrounded by a white haze. I could see light coming from the direction of the valley below and soon the sun began burning away the fog. I sat there in the tall grass, soon drenched in the new morn's golden sunlight, and sang praises to my God. What a wonderful way to start a day.
I wrote this prior to eating breakfast, apparently, and probably did so due to the joy I was experiencing from the recent worship.)
Woke on mountaintop in a cloud, waiting for the sun to break through. Sang a hymn or two and read three Psalms aloud (25-27).
"Be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord." -Ps. 27
Gaffer's tape seems to work well on mega-blister I have going on right ankle. Walked around today (this morning, rather) breaking camp and could not feel a thing with bandage/tape combo. Going to find Graceful, who is sleeping in shelter. I stayed in tent last night.
I sleep so much better out here!
"Fair are the meadows, fairer stil the woodlands
Robed in the blooming garb of Spring
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing." -lyrics, 'Fairest Lord Jesus'
I wrote this prior to eating breakfast, apparently, and probably did so due to the joy I was experiencing from the recent worship.)
Woke on mountaintop in a cloud, waiting for the sun to break through. Sang a hymn or two and read three Psalms aloud (25-27).
"Be strong and take heart. Wait for the Lord." -Ps. 27
Gaffer's tape seems to work well on mega-blister I have going on right ankle. Walked around today (this morning, rather) breaking camp and could not feel a thing with bandage/tape combo. Going to find Graceful, who is sleeping in shelter. I stayed in tent last night.
I sleep so much better out here!
"Fair are the meadows, fairer stil the woodlands
Robed in the blooming garb of Spring
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing." -lyrics, 'Fairest Lord Jesus'
(Five years ago on the AT, give or take a handful of months...) 6.05.04
(Alright, so over the summer I thought I'd try to keep up and post these five years, almost to the day, since I'd written them, but a cross country trip and my usual forgetfulness got in the way. So, here we go again...
In this entry I seem to be in much better spirits than the day before (remember, I've not read these since I wrote them back in '04. Nothing earth shattering in this one and little insight into what was making me tick out there. Just filler, really...).
Today I am feeling... content.
"Troubles last but for a night- but joy comes in the morning" - Somewhere in Proverbs, although it may say, "Grief" instead.
Anyway, I woke in good spirits albeit late. But then, so did Dick (Ol' Graceful). The day began muggy and Graceful was convinced it would rain again. In better spirits as I was, and due to the fact there was nothing I could do about it, I decided to take it as it came.
Today was a short day. We saw beautiful rock formations, mountaintops covered with rhododendrons and herds of wild ponies. (Just for you, Steve, I approached one to touch it. As it turns out this is no major deal since they are accustomed to getting treats from hikers- Graceful took his camera out of the ziplock and at the sound of crinkling plastic was rushed by two of them who began nibbling at his hands.
Today was frustrating, too, because I had a chance to walk down a couple of miles to the state park headquarters where I could have called you guys and so Graceful could get coffee. But, we couldn't find the trailhead from the shelter until it was too late. I was saddened because I wanted to talk to you so very much.
I seem to be acclimating to the trail- I walk better with a pack than without. My only problems are with the massive blisters I have on my ankles- I barely feel them with my boots on but they are VERY ugly and hurt a great deal when the boots are off. I am told by through-hikers that they are every hiker's bane for the first couple of weeks.
Tonight I sat at the shelter and listened to the conversations of these through-hikers, all over 40. One was from England with a wonderful Cockney accent and a devilish sense of humor. I didn't feel like part of the group, nor should I have, so I just listened, as did Graceful.
I am apprehensive about how much distance we must cover tomorrow (11.4 miles) and uncertain how easily it will be done... but oh, well, I guess I have to do it.
Steve, please tell your mother and father that I cherish the compass they gave me in February. I have not needed to use it yet but I played with it today. It means a lot to me that they consider me part of their family and that your mother showers me with love when I see her.
It's strange that I miss my mother, too, although it's been oly a couple of weeks since I've seen her. I look forward to calling her as soon as I can.
Do I still feel lonely? Yes, but not as intently as I did Tuesday or Wednesday.
I love you guys more than I think I'll ever be able to show you.
P.S., If you see Caroline, please tell her that I think of her daily as I sort out my food for the day. She was an INCREDIBLE help that last evening in both organization and morale. -tell her I miss her, too.
Also: It's still DAMN COLD up here... it's friggin' JUNE!!! I was shivering again before sundown, and the sun was out this time (no rain today) P.G.!!! I'm going to break down and purchase a bag, even if it's a mummy. This blanket does ok, but I have to have it just right since I foolishly cut a foot and a half off of it trying to save weight- which probably didn't make a difference since by pack is still too heavy... but I manage with it. I didn't bring my Columbia bag because it is a winter bag, not a summer. I would have cooked in it, I thought. I also didn't bring one of the other two I'd been given by my mother years ago, even though they would have been perfect, because I had already taken them to storage. "Aw", I thought, "It's summer- I won't need a bag. A blanket will do." EVEN THE GUYS FROM NEW ENGLAND ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE COLD!
Still no trail name.
In this entry I seem to be in much better spirits than the day before (remember, I've not read these since I wrote them back in '04. Nothing earth shattering in this one and little insight into what was making me tick out there. Just filler, really...).
Today I am feeling... content.
"Troubles last but for a night- but joy comes in the morning" - Somewhere in Proverbs, although it may say, "Grief" instead.
Anyway, I woke in good spirits albeit late. But then, so did Dick (Ol' Graceful). The day began muggy and Graceful was convinced it would rain again. In better spirits as I was, and due to the fact there was nothing I could do about it, I decided to take it as it came.
Today was a short day. We saw beautiful rock formations, mountaintops covered with rhododendrons and herds of wild ponies. (Just for you, Steve, I approached one to touch it. As it turns out this is no major deal since they are accustomed to getting treats from hikers- Graceful took his camera out of the ziplock and at the sound of crinkling plastic was rushed by two of them who began nibbling at his hands.
Today was frustrating, too, because I had a chance to walk down a couple of miles to the state park headquarters where I could have called you guys and so Graceful could get coffee. But, we couldn't find the trailhead from the shelter until it was too late. I was saddened because I wanted to talk to you so very much.
I seem to be acclimating to the trail- I walk better with a pack than without. My only problems are with the massive blisters I have on my ankles- I barely feel them with my boots on but they are VERY ugly and hurt a great deal when the boots are off. I am told by through-hikers that they are every hiker's bane for the first couple of weeks.
Tonight I sat at the shelter and listened to the conversations of these through-hikers, all over 40. One was from England with a wonderful Cockney accent and a devilish sense of humor. I didn't feel like part of the group, nor should I have, so I just listened, as did Graceful.
I am apprehensive about how much distance we must cover tomorrow (11.4 miles) and uncertain how easily it will be done... but oh, well, I guess I have to do it.
Steve, please tell your mother and father that I cherish the compass they gave me in February. I have not needed to use it yet but I played with it today. It means a lot to me that they consider me part of their family and that your mother showers me with love when I see her.
It's strange that I miss my mother, too, although it's been oly a couple of weeks since I've seen her. I look forward to calling her as soon as I can.
Do I still feel lonely? Yes, but not as intently as I did Tuesday or Wednesday.
I love you guys more than I think I'll ever be able to show you.
P.S., If you see Caroline, please tell her that I think of her daily as I sort out my food for the day. She was an INCREDIBLE help that last evening in both organization and morale. -tell her I miss her, too.
Also: It's still DAMN COLD up here... it's friggin' JUNE!!! I was shivering again before sundown, and the sun was out this time (no rain today) P.G.!!! I'm going to break down and purchase a bag, even if it's a mummy. This blanket does ok, but I have to have it just right since I foolishly cut a foot and a half off of it trying to save weight- which probably didn't make a difference since by pack is still too heavy... but I manage with it. I didn't bring my Columbia bag because it is a winter bag, not a summer. I would have cooked in it, I thought. I also didn't bring one of the other two I'd been given by my mother years ago, even though they would have been perfect, because I had already taken them to storage. "Aw", I thought, "It's summer- I won't need a bag. A blanket will do." EVEN THE GUYS FROM NEW ENGLAND ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE COLD!
Still no trail name.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
(Five years ago today on the AT, give or take...) 6.4.04
(Note: Wow. This is an emotion charged entry. I'd not brought a sleeping bag, only having a couple of sheets with me in order to cut down on weight because I didn't think, being summer, that I'd need anything heavier. Oh, wow, was I wrong on this day. I don't know how low the temps got that evening, but I remember being terribly afraid of what my condition would be the next morning. For comparison, other hikers were bundled up as if for winter snow... and it had been raining all day, so I was soaked to the bone. Anyone that knows me very well may understand the depth of what I'm trying to express here... I am rarely concerned as to whether or not I can physically handle something, trusting my constitution and resilience to carry me through as I often test my own limits for fun. On a lighter side, though, something that I did not write about here because I was so full of anxiety of how the night would transpire, I had an interested stop at a privy earlier that afternoon. Atop one particular peak at the edge of a clearing sat a three sided privy. The open side looked across a small meadow and down into the distant valley (if the rain and clouds had not been otherwise obscuring the view). As I sat there doing my business, a doe wandered out in front of me by about fifteen feet, sniffing around for something to eat. I slowly and quietly reached for the camera in my pants pocket, now down around my ankles, and snapped a picture of it. So, when you see the picture above, you can also think of what I was doing at that moment.)
6.4.04 "Thomas Knob Shelter" [9.9 miles walked today]
Today I feel... soggy. Scared. Thankful.
The day began with rain before sunup. Dick and I ate a hurried breakfast, once we woke up, and took off around ten in the morning- we had kind of hoped it would stop, so we tarried for a couple of hours.
So many things happened today. I don't know if I can write about all of them.
I am so friggin' COLD.
God Stuff:
I prayed that he would use the rain to teach me something-
We reached the top of a mountain which was a man-made 'bald'. It occurred to me (God told me?)
Wait. I have to point out that it was hard to see beyond a few yards. It wasn't raining at this point, but we were walking in a cloud.
Anyway, as I stood there atop one of the highest peaks of the day, I couldn't see very far beyond where I was standing. Something came to me: "Even though God may put you on a mountaintop, you still may not be able to see very far ahead." Spiritually, do you see what I am saying?
Then, the cloud parted a bit and there in front of me in the distance loomed the next big peak we'd cross...
I turned around and the clouds were breaking behind me, too. I could see down in the valley farmlands and tried to pick out where the trail was. I though of how comfortable those homes must be- dry and warm. Then another thought came to me: "When on a mountaintop God may not want you to see very far because you may become too aware of a larger, upcoming test and become disheartened, or you may look back and desire what you have left behind or you may take pride in how far you've come."
Praise God if He spoke to me.
Praise God.
The rest of the day was not quite so good. I still prayed a good deal, though. It gave me strength.
It kept raining and got COLDER.
I have no rain gear (on purpose) and little to keep me warm. I was shivering so much after we stopped that I could barely stir my cooking soup. When the soup was halfway done I put everything up and raced to the tent, changed into the only dry clothes I had, and crawled underneath my blanket. I am warm for now (except my feet) but do not know how I will fare the night or what I will do if tomorrow is cold and rainy. We still have two and a half days until we get to our first town. I am hoping that tomorrow is warm and sunny so my things can dry. I am scared of what I may have to endure otherwise. The prospect of donning cold, wet, clothes in the morning is NOT a pleasant one.
I still miss everyone and am anxious to complete these twenty six days. What made me think I could do this for six months?
I feel SO ignorant- Like a child that Dick must care for.
When will I grow up?
When I stop being such and idiot?
I don't think this is really me talking.
I am SO cold... I need to wrap myself up again.
By now I have decided to send these writings to you, Steve and Vicky. I have to say again how much I love you two and how special you are to me. I am SO excited for you and your child.
I am crying now just thinking of how I look forward to holding him/her.
I want children so badly, myself, too, and I don't think I'll every have the opportunity. Being an uncle to your child(ren) may be the closest I ever get.
(Note: I assume, after this last bit of self pity, I somehow managed to fall asleep. I remember nothing of how the night went but apparently I woke and carried on successfully.)
(Five years ago on the AT, give or take...) 6.3.04
(Note: This day's entry is what most trail journals that I've read turn out being, merely a log of how many miles were walked, what the author had seen, minor, mundane details about the journey. Today I went into my opinions about my trail food choices (Bear Creek dehydrated soups being a winner). This evening Dick and I wound up pitching our tents around a huge boulder as we were nowhere near a shelter. I don't think that I write about this in any entry but that evening as I was hanging our food bags out of reach of any bears as I should have, I'd failed to realize that I'd hung them directly over Dick's tent. He seemed to have little sense of humor about that the next morning, even though I'd not done it on purpose.)
6.3.04 "off of VA 601" [8.6 miles walked today]
Today I feel... better. Rejoiceful. Happy.
I know... frightening, isn't it?
Psalm 9:10b: "...for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
While today has not been trouble free (I have three blisters to deal with), it's been good. We saw such pretty vistas. But more importantly, a peace seems to have been there today. I didn't feel alone. I'm actually trying to talk to Dick (not the easiest thing to do- I sometimes feel as though we're on different wavelengths, sometimes not). My time when I was ahead or behind I would sing or pray in the Spirit, occasionally in English.
When not doing that, I still though about being "home" and how I would be getting back once this month is over.
It's so hard to imagine- this has only been the second day of twenty-six!
It should take about two weeks for my feet to toughen enough so that I won't get blisters.
FYI: I hate GORP. Most people call it "trail mix" but here it stands for 'Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts'. Of course, nowadays, it contains much more than that, but it's still called GORP. Anyway, I wind up just eating the pineapple, bananas, and apricots. I give the rest to the animals.
The soups I brought ROCK. The best 'trail food' I have had, ever. I just wish I had bread since I make it so thick.
Energy bars- not so much. 'Can't stand the taste.
"Accelerate" energy drink powder? ROCKS. At least, it tastes good. 'Don't know if it does anything with the supposed protein/carbohydrate mix, but it sure is a nice treat every hour or so.
Anyway, today was a gorgeous day. I was able to constantly tell the Lord I loved Him.
Psalm 16:11- "You have make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
I miss my family. I prayed for Steve and Vicky and Yovanka off an on today.
I love them very much and wish I could show them that.
(Note: The family I speak of above pertains to the foursome of Steve, Vicky, Yovanka, and Caroline, who were, at that time, my closest friends and the only people I interacted with on a regular basis. They'd become my family, the people with whom I was the closest and knew me the deepest, and I remember referring to them as such in these entries. Today I have a wider area of friends and still am very close to Steve and Vicky. I occasionally speak with the now Memphis-based Caroline, but Yovanka has seemingly dropped off the face of the earth.)
6.3.04 "off of VA 601" [8.6 miles walked today]
Today I feel... better. Rejoiceful. Happy.
I know... frightening, isn't it?
Psalm 9:10b: "...for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
While today has not been trouble free (I have three blisters to deal with), it's been good. We saw such pretty vistas. But more importantly, a peace seems to have been there today. I didn't feel alone. I'm actually trying to talk to Dick (not the easiest thing to do- I sometimes feel as though we're on different wavelengths, sometimes not). My time when I was ahead or behind I would sing or pray in the Spirit, occasionally in English.
When not doing that, I still though about being "home" and how I would be getting back once this month is over.
It's so hard to imagine- this has only been the second day of twenty-six!
It should take about two weeks for my feet to toughen enough so that I won't get blisters.
FYI: I hate GORP. Most people call it "trail mix" but here it stands for 'Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts'. Of course, nowadays, it contains much more than that, but it's still called GORP. Anyway, I wind up just eating the pineapple, bananas, and apricots. I give the rest to the animals.
The soups I brought ROCK. The best 'trail food' I have had, ever. I just wish I had bread since I make it so thick.
Energy bars- not so much. 'Can't stand the taste.
"Accelerate" energy drink powder? ROCKS. At least, it tastes good. 'Don't know if it does anything with the supposed protein/carbohydrate mix, but it sure is a nice treat every hour or so.
Anyway, today was a gorgeous day. I was able to constantly tell the Lord I loved Him.
Psalm 16:11- "You have make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
I miss my family. I prayed for Steve and Vicky and Yovanka off an on today.
I love them very much and wish I could show them that.
(Note: The family I speak of above pertains to the foursome of Steve, Vicky, Yovanka, and Caroline, who were, at that time, my closest friends and the only people I interacted with on a regular basis. They'd become my family, the people with whom I was the closest and knew me the deepest, and I remember referring to them as such in these entries. Today I have a wider area of friends and still am very close to Steve and Vicky. I occasionally speak with the now Memphis-based Caroline, but Yovanka has seemingly dropped off the face of the earth.)
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