March 31, 2012

Text today:

Gonna be at Niday Shelter
 tonight with some friends, four Pines Hostel tomorrow night. Ayce (all you can eat) buffet also! All good <3


http://fourpineshostel.com/photos.html

March 29, 2012

Arrived at Rice Field Shelter. Everything is fine.

Video shows area in June, probably not as green now, but nice just the same.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQk6FOQ8R6k

March 27, 2012

Out walking Tess this evening, when Paul called. He gave me an update on Nutty. A vet checked him out. He's about a year old and mostly Jack Russell. Paul found him along the trail whimpering and hungry. Looked around and left a note in the nearby shelter to let others know he found a dog, just in case anyone was looking for him. He stays next to Paul most of the time, but takes off ahead of him or runs circles around him. He's full of energy and Paul is hooked.



Text from Paul earlier today:


Going to be at Jenny Knob Shelter tonight http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/65088452.jpg and Woods Hole Hostel tomorrow night. Everything fine, Nutty learning to sit. Going to  check the AT & T map at the hostel because service has been so shitty last few weeks. It's a running joke on the trail how bad AT & T is by the way. Love ya

I suppose the service will be poor until he gets into the tri-state area. I purchased a special plan for him and updated his phone to a Smart Phone for the trip, but it seems it was all for nothing. No matter how great the phone-no service means no service:(  Oh well. You live and learn.

Woods Hole Hostel looks like a lovely place. http://www.woodsholehostel.com/

March 24, 2012

Stopped in Atkins, VA today. Sort of stalled by the weather. Heavy storms, even hail! Spending the night waiting out the storm.

http://www.everytrail.com/fullscreen.php?trip_id=1482544

Also, guess what? Paul has found a friend. His name is Nutty. While walking in the woods, Nutty, an abandoned puppy, crossed paths with Paul. He told Julia that he's been at his side since. Sounds like Nutty may be a keeper! Lucky they found each other.

March 23, 2012

Heard from Paul yesterday. Our phone conversation was interrupted three times by loss of signal.
Within the brief exchanges, he told me where he was, and where he would be in the next two days, but
I lost the piece of paper I jotted the info down on:(  So much for being a reporter. He caught me off guard.  It was just after school dismissal, and my head was swirling.

Four things I do remember: 
1. He saw wild ponies on the trail that day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLwL-zjAsZ4
2.He is going solo presently.
3. He is okay!
4. His plans for completion have changed...originally he was hoping to be done in early June, however, now he thinks it will be more like early July.

Later in the day...

Another text...

Bad service, left Damascus, currently at Saunders Shelter with cool older guy from Massachusetts.
Pushing on in morning

March 20, 2012

Text today from Paul:

Bad service, left Damascus after some downtime, pushing on solo after hiking a good week with a friend.
Virginia!

March 18. 2012

Short call, phone dying, poor service. Asked him why he sounded so cranky...said he was hot, smelly, 

and tired from yesterday's St. Patrick's Day celebrating. Will be in Damascus, VA tomorrow night. 

Looking forward to shower, charging phone, and meal.

March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Received a few text messages yesterday:

Piggin out on Chinese around Hampton, TN


So I just resupplied and ate in Hampton, TN. Currently hiking with some cool guys I've met around my age, everything awesome.


Just went thru the Roans, really pretty up there.

Probably gonna tent out a few miles short of Lake Wataugha


Looks like I jumped the gun, regarding Paul's whereabouts. I thought he was closer to Damascus, VA . On the map, it didn't look that far. But now it appears, he'll be a few more days before he's in VA.

March 15, 2012

Brief text to Julia yesterday that mentioned he is okay, and on his way to Roan Mountain in Virginia.
http://webs.wofford.edu/davisgr/RoanMountain/index.htm

Intermittent service. Goodbye to TN and NC, 11 more states to go:)

Some Fun Facts:

• Virginia is home to the most miles of the Trail (about 550), while West Virginia is home to the least (about 4).
• Maryland and West Virginia are the easiest states to hike; New Hampshire and Maine are the hardest.

March 12, 2012

Email sent to Elsie that she forwarded to us.

Elsie sent Paul some jokes, and he replied:

Haha.  Here's a good one I heard from another thruhiker, apparently it was sketched on one of the shelters - 

Sketched in by someone - 

JESUS SAVES

sketched in underneath it, clearly by someone else - 

But Esposito gets the rebound and scores!

Anyway, here's a picture of your boy as he climbs up Bald Mountain at sunset.  Spent the night.  Figured it'd make Mussorgsky proud :p

In case you're not up on your Mussorgsky, check out the video:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCEDfZgDPS8

More Photos Sent Today from the AT-March 12, 2012

March 11, 2012

Made it to Uncle Johnny's Hostel, Erwin, TN. http://www.unclejohnnys.net/Hikerservices.html Will stay the night. Package with goodies due to arrive tomorrow. Took a shuttle into town and stocked up on food for a few days. Everything is good. Next stop Hampton, TN, then it's onward to Damascus, VA.

Meeting all types of people. Religious, some experienced hikers, locals; generally people have been very hospitable and helpful to him.  Mother Nature has been the only adversary so far. 

Recently he learned about a site called "Couch Surfing" from a fellow hiker. Apparently, it is an affordable way to hike Europe. Sounds like it sparked his curiosity. Oy! One day at a time:)

http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Video taken at the Start of the Trail

March 9, 2012

Text:

At a friend's house hanging out. By the way, everything as good as can be.

Looking at the photos, AT does surely look serene.

Sent from the AT.

March 7, 2012

Yeah! He called. Sounds good. Telephoned from a hostel in Hot Springs, NC. Doing his laundry and planning to join the hostel owner for a vegetarian dinner. He is not with the group he was with a few days ago. He left them behind and expects to meet up with them again. There has not been service for his phone.
AT & T is not great apparently in NC. Verizon has better service.

Asked us to send his first package of goodies to the next hostel. He requested:

three AAA batteries
an orange bandana (safety color so hunters can spot him)
bagels (NY is the best)
Natural Chunky Peanut Butter
money
protein bars

He said he's hungry all the time. No matter what he eats, he burns it up. The trail has been strenuous
and challenging. He's lost 15 pounds. Expects to be in NC/TN for another week, then Virginia.

March 6, 2012

No call or text tonight. Ugh!

March 5, 2012

Text sent tonight:

"At a hiker hostel just past the Smokies, everything's fine. No service, using another guys phone."

Short... but better than nothing.

March 4, 2012

No call tonight, he said he would. Probably no service:(  Hopefully, tomorrow we'll hear from him.

March 3, 2012

In Gaitlinburg, TN and spending the night. Walked in heavy rainfall and cold weather today . Boots are WET. They'll be drying out tonight. He was in the laundromat, washing his things when he called. Plans to go out to dinner with a group of guys he met at a shelter today along the trail (escaping the rain). In the morning, setting out to go about 15-18 miles and deeper into the mountains.

The AT did not get hit by the tornado, just heavy rains. Better weather expected for tomorrow. Onward...

March 1, 2012

Quick phone call tonight. Phone dying. Crossed the border into the Smoky Mountains, received license, and met up with two other hikers he has hiked with earlier on trail. Staying the night at the Russell Field Shelter. Will call again from Gatlinburg, TN in two days. Will stop here for food and possibly lodging.


http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/webcams/parks/grsmpkcam/grsmpkcam.cfm