TNT on the Farm: Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving Day, a chilly 22 degrees, our first snowfall of the season and this is the beginning of life on the farm in the winter.... where it's usually very cloudy, grey and cold. The trees have lost every tender, green, red or golden brown leaf and things appear lifeless and still. Charlie now walks from one side of the pond to the other....

The grasses are brown and will now be covered under a blanket of white for months. The lawnmower will now be blowing the white stuff from the drives, instead of throwing grass to the side. 

BUT, we are thankful. Thankful for so much.... 

• Thankful that we were able to take much of this year to walk amongst the other vagabonds along the Appalachian Trail, discovering more about ourselves and our life together.
• Thankful that we have such an amazing family, that supported that dream and prayed for us and encouraged us along the tough road.
• Thankful for all the incredibly strong, determined, interesting and unusual people we met along the way... some of who just this past week, FINISHED the trail... almost 8 months later and 45# lighter. (Karma, you're inspiring and amazing!)
• Thankful for the life we have back here in Michigan, on the farm. We live a simple, pretty private life, without much glitz or glamor.... and we like it that way.  We are comfortable with that. And since hiking, are even more comfortable just being alone. It's a good thing, as "Martha" would say.
• Thankful for our health. Even though we're getting along in years, we're still pretty healthy and have lofty goals of getting back out to hike on the AT again in the spring. Hopefully, Socks' knees will hold out!

We are truly thankful for the life we live and the many great blessings that have been bestowed upon us, even though we are so unworthy. Only by the grace of our great God, we have been given these earthly riches and hold onto the faith that one day, we'll meet Him face to face and enter into Heaven to enjoy true riches of eternal life. Until then, we press on... doing our best, loving completely, giving wholly and rejoicing in all God has for us.

Life in the winter here will be comprised of mostly Dreamer working outside.... 

 BEFORE

AFTER

He has big dreams of getting both orchards completely pruned. (A HUGE job for the west orchard. Trees here haven't been pruned for 15 years and are HUGE! He'll need a big ladder for this one!)

WEST ORCHARD- apples, peaches and pears

He's creating a path around the property that he and our granddaughter, Lydia can enjoy this coming spring. He's clearing a 10' swath around the perimeter of the 17 acres, meandering through maple groves, along the back of the pond, over the creek in back and even creating berry picking patches along the way. He's made a picnic spot, where they will take a sack lunch and visit on their walks. It's a huge undertaking, but he's made great progress and enjoys every chilly minute he's out there chopping and clearing brush.

He's clearing some dead trees and creating lots of brush pile for the bunnies to enjoy all winter long!

As for me, Socks.... I've put my gardens put to bed for the winter. Finally dug the last of the red beets from the frozen ground and said good-bye to the soil for another year. The gardens are all covered with leaves, manure and compost, ready to be tilled into commission in the spring. 

I will spend most of my time during the winter, cozied up by the wood stove, knitting socks or working on some sort of handiwork project or cooking in my lovely, comfortable kitchen, creating some delicious, but simple meal from our pantry/cellar of canned goods.

When we moved to this place, some 30 years ago... we dreamed of being self-sufficient and worked towards that goal initially. We had sheep, goats, chickens and ducks. We had an orchard and grape vines. We had solar heat and all the land we needed to grow whatever we wanted. BUT, kids came along and life got busy and complicated and those things fell by the wayside for convenience and necessity.  BUT now, time is all we have. We can again, move in the direction of being self-sufficient. When the weather warms, little chicks will again bring life to the barn. The green shoots of plants will begin to emerge from the black soil and life will begin again. We'll enjoy the fruits of the labor of winter, as we watch the apple and fruit trees flourish with life and the pond begin to again show signs of turtles, fish and muskrat.  

Until then.... all is quiet and we are thankful. So VERY thankful.

Team TNT is BACK! Livin' like there's no tomorrow!

'

The Appalachian Trail should come with a warning label, much like a pack of cigarettes. It will change your life THAT much.

I know that this blog post has been a long overdue entry and I hope that all of our faithful followers are still there to read what's coming from our hearts. To say this has been a difficult transition, would be a monumental understatement. Coming home from the trail at the end July was a difficult decision, a difficult adjustment and has continued to evolve into a new lifestyle for us, personally and as a couple.

Our last days on trail were absolutely miserable, to say the least. We were caught in the worst heat wave to hit the trail in recent history. 98 degrees, with humidity and blazing sun, the rocks of Pennsylvania and the mosquitos had just hatched... plus, if you remember, I, Socks, had blisters which turned my already tender feet, literally into hamburger. Almost losing my little toe to some rotten infection, we reluctantly left the trail at Duncannon, PA. We'd packed the packs to return to the trail that day, hoping that the weather would break and cooler temperatures set in. We sat at the UPS office ready to ship our 'bump box' to the next destination and Dreamer said, "There isn't anything in me that wants to go back out there again." He was done. He likened to Forrest Gump running and running and running. Then one day, out of the blue, he said he was done running. Dreamer was the same. He'd hiked almost 1200 miles, most of it alone without the rest of Team TNT, endured horrible weather and terrain and was just DONE. He was really having trouble watching me struggle physically, limping with each step due to the blisters. We together decided to turn our car towards Michigan and head home. The decision made; we excitedly talked about home and all the things we'd missed for so many months, our life back here in Michigan and all the things we wanted to do.

In what seemed like endless hours hiking, spending time inside your own head, we both had 'spiritual' experiences so to speak... meeting our God and hearing His voice. We are some of those crazy, whacko Christians and spend much of our afternoons listening to spiritual music on our iPods, feeling the presence of God,  and listening for what He was trying to teach us each day. Each and every day we hiked we prayed and asked for safety and that God would show Himself to us in the beauty and people around us. Should you chose to hike this, or any long-distance trail, you WILL meet your maker. I don't care what religion your profess or none at all. There is no way you will spend that much time along with your own thoughts and see what's around you and NOT come to believe in some 'higher' power. Unless you're mentally incapable of hearing that 'still, small' voice in your head, you will meet God. You will call out to 'someone' for physical strength when the terrain gets tough, your feet hurt and you think you can't take one more step. You will seek our 'someone' when you are so lonesome you think your heart will break. You will call out to 'someone' when you find yourself scared and alone in a dark, wet shelter in the middle of the night. You will be changed spiritually.

I couldn't be more proud of Dreamer and all he accomplished. Almost 1200 grueling miles, enduring most of it alone, spending endless hours hiking forward, waiting for the day when I could return and join him. He persevered through loneliness, horrible weather, boring hiking food, extreme weight loss, and most times, no phone signal.... with our communication being very limited, sometimes going for days without speaking to each other. For any of those who know us or have followed this journey, we've been married for 33 years and haven't spent much time apart. We're hopelessly in love with each other and being separated was the absolute worst part of this entire journey. Should you decide to hike: YOU WILL BE LONELY. Even if you're hiking with a group of people who become your friends, you will miss home and family and sometimes it will be very painful and will cause you to think about leaving the trail. Make sure your relationships are solid at home before you leave on a journey like this and make time to stay in contact with those you love. Your journey will be much more pleasant.

I found both extremes of my physical limits on the trail... I was amazed at what I was able to do physically... at 58 and not in terrific shape to start with, I could hike. Not as fast as the young people, but we could do some respectable mileage and stay on schedule.... UNTIL the injury. In one instant, in one day, my hike went from a 'thru-hike' to surgery. Although I fought hard and tried to deny there was a problem, I had to make my way back to Michigan for surgery on my left knee to repair two torn meniscus. I'd managed to tear both the medial and lateral meniscus, injuring one so badly, they removed much of it. I highly recommend that you take care physically and when you encounter an injury, deal with it. I pushed myself to hike another 60 miles on a debilitated knee, ruining it forever. I will ultimately be looking at a second knee replacement sometime in the future. But all this to say, the trail will test your body. It will batter your feet, it will hurt your legs, back and shoulders. You will be brought to your knees physically, especially those folks who are older and not in such great shape. You will have to plan ahead, pace yourself and care for your body. Treat it right, and it will carry you far.

So, where is Team TNT now? What is life like for us? What has changed?
We are still "LIVIN' THE DREAM". We came home profoundly different people and a renewed couple. As I stated in the Warning Label, you will be changed. Our priorities in life changed dramatically and we are working together to achieve these new goals for the final third of our lives. Tom celebrated his 60th birthday on September 14th, the day we'd anticipated and planned to summit Mt. Kahtadin... He didn't say anything, but I'm sure, certainly a day of reflection.

We surmised all of our goals to:
1. SIMPLIFY (and all that entails)
2. Spend time with those we love and care about
3. Make the most of the time we have left.

#1- Learning on the hike, just how little we actually needed to survive, we came home to SIMPLIFY our lives, both in terms of physical 'things' and commitments. We've been selling 'things', cleaning our clutter, both in our home and lives. eBay has become my new best friend, as we get rid of the things that just weigh us down. Much like we spent hours getting our pack weight down to a minimum, with the least amount of things, we're doing the same in our lives and our home. We have accumulated so much STUFF in our 33 years and it's become 'weighty'.... takes up space and doesn't give us joy. So, it's the Salvation Army, eBay and Craig's List for many things. We've gone through and cleaned out the house, the barn and garage. There is such freedom in having less things. It's less to take care of, less to manage and less to worry about.
We've also pared down our commitments to our family and our God. Tom decided to retire upon coming home. It's something he did once over 10 years ago, but then started another company and became busier than he ever was before. NOW is the time to truly retire and say goodbye to 'work'. Once before we were forced to cut our income in half and we survived, we'll do it again and we'll be fine. We certainly won't live the lifestyle we have in the past, but our priorities have changed and those things aren't important anymore. We can live a simple life, doing the things we enjoy, with the people we love....and that's LIVIN' the DREAM for us.
I came home and planted a late garden. I wasn't planning on having one this year, as we were hiking...and it would have been the first time in 35 years that I hadn't had a vegetable garden. But, my beets, green beans, kale, collards and tomatoes are thriving in the cooler Michigan temps! I love my garden. (I've always said, when I die, cremate me and till me into my garden.)

#2- We've been available to spend time with our kids, our new granddaughter and friends who are very special to us. That's important to us. Invest time in those we love most. All the rest is just busyness. We've had Lydia for an overnight visit and although exhausted, we LOVED every minute of it. She is the light of our lives and we are thrilled that we've had the opportunity to have a grandchild. Grandchildren will change you too. Watching your children be parents will rock your world....and make you see your mortality a little bit closer. We want to watch our children grow as adults and guide them through life as we are able.... spending time with our kids is the most important time we'll ever make.
We have a lot of friends, but a handful of very dear friends, who we've spent years with, lived through tragedy with and love with all our hearts. They are important to us and we want to continue to invest time in them and their families. This is a goal we will actively pursue and have already spent some wonderful times making memories with some of them.

#3- This is where it gets personal.... we're both about 60. IF, we're lucky, we're in the final third of our lives. God willing and continued good health, we might see 80? We both have faced our mortality and are both thankful to be here now. We are both profoundly aware of time and the fragility of life....Tom with prostate cancer and me with Lupus, we've been thanking God for each day for a long time. But, we as a couple, want to spend our remaining time, whatever that is, being together, enjoying doing the things we love and continuing to build our relationship. We have lived a life LARGER than most will ever know, doing things and traveling places that most will never see. We ARE blessed beyond measure.

We do plan to hike again next summer and are planning our return to the Appalachian Trail, hopefully in May 2014. We so enjoyed doing trail magic this year and want to coordinate our trip east with some trail magic and visiting special places to us, like Wood's Hole Hostel.
We are profoundly grateful to all of you who have come alongside us, cheered us on, send notes of encouragement and watched our videos' so faithfully. NO, we didn't finish the trail, NO we didn't touch the sign.... but we didn't need to. We'd accomplished all we'd set out to do, personally, physically and as a couple. This was our journey, our story and we hope that it has in some way provoked you to think about challenging yourself in a similar way... maybe not with a physical hike, but challenged you personally to examine your life and your priorities, your dreams and aspirations and your belief in a God who can do all things.
Please keep watching for continued updates on next year's leg of the Appalachian Trail adventure. We'll go into this one a little more educated, mentally stronger and knowing what the trail will hold!

As our 'theme song' says... we are living like there's no tomorrow and loving like we're on borrowed time. We are all on borrowed time! Make the most of yours!

Hang on for a wild ride next time!

Team TNT re-joins the Appalachian Trail!

1019 MILES!! I major milestone and the almost 'half-way' point of the entire Appalachian Trail. Even though Socks has been 'absent' physically from the trail.... we've done it together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2quFqRZKqQ8&feature=share&list=UUgOzPcZE-EQzBWn75CAm8wA

As we run around the house packing up last minute things, cleaning out the fridge and making notes, we are both thrilled beyond belief at the thought of leaving in the morning! After spending a marvelous week, packing in time with family and friends, we will return to Harper's Ferry, WV tomorrow and again starting hiking as a full TEAM on Saturday!

I'll admit, I'm pretty nervous, as surgery was JUST 8 weeks ago. I'm stiff. It still hurts, but I don't think I can be any more ready mentally. It's the physical that will really challenge me! Thankfully, the terrain after coming out of Harper's is much tamer than previous stuff! As I sat here 

at this picnic table, near Cheoah Bald, not quite understanding the extent of my injury, I had no idea what lay in store for me over the next couple months. Living alone at home, surgery, recovery, physical therapy and a trip back to the trail to pick up Dreamer! All these tribulations have only prepared me for the reality of coming back to the trail.

We've learned so much about ourselves, our relationship and exactly what we can do if we put our mind to it.... lots of lessons learned up to this 'half-way' point. We'll be sharing our hearts as we move forward.... 

I want to thank my sweet friend Margaret Ross (www.margaretrossjewelry.com) for her support, encouragement and for this adorable 'inspiration' bracelet she custom made for me, just for the trail. It has an angel on it and two other 'charms' that say, Perserverance and Determination.

I think that pretty much sums it up.

Team TNT+C Making Progress- Appalachian Trail Hike 2013

The Appalachian Trail never fails to deliver. Weather (the worst in trail history), terrain/ PUDs (pointless ups and downs), and mental challenges (chronic depression due to the previous two items). In all seriousness, this has been a challenging time for Team TNT+C. Dreamer has continued to endure the continuous crappy weather, rain, freezing temps and even hail this past couple weeks. When will spring EVER come to the Appalachians?

He's produced a couple of new videos with more interviews with random hikers, but he's also tried to show more of 'real life' on trail.... the weather, the deplorable living conditions and some of the mental challenges of doing this hike long term, in these conditions and then add, being separated from the rest of the Team TNT. He's had some rough days...mentally and physically and it's hard on both of us. We are both learning much about ourselves, our relationship and communicating. I know how much we'll enjoy being back together again and being able to lean on each other mentally, physically and emotionally.

I (Socks) had surgery on April 22, to repair the two meniscus' in my left knee and removal of several chunks of roaming cartilage. Today, stitches were removed and I was given the 'go-ahead' to start physical therapy with the goal of being back on trail by June 17th!! I'll be working with a therapist who knows about our trip, knows the physical demands that await me and will customize my therapy and conditioning to accomplish that goal...building the strength back up in that leg and working to increase my endurance again. (I've gotten a bit like a couch potato since surgery, so I'm a little weak in the legs!)

 
                                   

Charlie is Charlie. He pretty much goes with the flow and puts up with most things, so relax or play, he's two paws up! I'm sure he'll be very anxious for the walks we'll start to take over at Rose Lake to start building stamina and then begin to carry a little weight in a pack. We'll go slow, but we are very anxious to be back on the BIG trail with Dreamer again!!

Local PRESS coverage for Team TNT- Appalachian Trail

Team TNT will have the local press here in Lansing, Michigan following our Appalachian Trail journey. Today, the first installment hit the newsstands in the "Greater Lansing Woman" magazine, published by the Lansing State Journal.

This introductory story highlights the top 5 reasons we're each embarking on this journey as well as a few statistics about the trail. Each month, we'll do an update article from the trail, keeping our supporters up to date on our progress, trials and tribulations along the way and perhaps even a story or two about some of the other hikers we meet.

I'm sure that Charlie will provide a bit of fodder for some interesting tales too!

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we'll start the trek southbound to Springer Mountain. Let the adventure begin!!

Team TNT's Final Blog Post & Video from Home!

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Dreamer here,

It has been almost exactly one year since our first Blog post announcing our intentions to attempt a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.  I believe this is Blog post number 72.  Terri & I have tried our best to describe: our intentions, our feelings, planning and logistics, clothing and gear, as well as all things Charlie our dog.  Hopefully, if you are considering a journey like this, our Blog posts will be of benefit to you.

We now have 168 “likes” on our Facebook page at: facebook.com/tntonthetrail, mostly friends and family trying to keep up with the adventures of Team TNT.  Terri has had lots of fun connecting with so many of you and she will be all things Facebook, as our trek continues.

We are approaching 200 “followers” on Twitter!  Simply amazing!  Five months ago, I did not even know what a tweet was.  And now we have people from all over the world, most of which I have no idea who they are.  All I know is they are interested in two old farts planning for and soon to be attempting thru-hike of the A.T.  For Team TNT, I will be all things Twitter.  I will do my best to upload photos and video as we move North from Springer Mountain.

Until last summer, I really had never seriously taken an interest in shooting or working with video on a computer.  Now, I find it my delight using my video camera and working with Final Cut X in order to produce fun and hopefully informative videos.  As I write this we have had over 1,700 views on 17 videos at: youtube.com/tntonthetrail.  Again, amazing!  I cannot begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to capturing as much as possible as Terri, Charlie & I move up the trail towards Mt. Katahdin.  My plan is to send my computer to places along the trail where we will be taking a break and during those down times, work on creating some short videos for YouTube.  I will then mail the SD Cards with the finished projects to my son-in-law Nate to upload them for me from home.  Nate, I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your willingness to take this on for me!

Our last video can be found here: http://youtu.be/wFc_5dwzvWE       Terri & I are attempting to do our best at showing our appreciation for all of you that have played such an important role in our lives and this great adventure we are standing on the threshold of.  Our next post will be from the Appalachian Trail!!!

 

~Team TNT

PS Thanks to Jason Gray “Good to be Alive” and  “Remind me who I am in You”.  Your music helps the pictures and video come to life!

Charlie's Clothing & Gear - Final on Appalachian Trail Prep

Dreamer here,

We are now a week and one day from beginning the adventure of a lifetime for Terri & I!!  The excitement seems to build with each passing day!!  I am finding it difficult to describe the feelings I am experiencing.  It is far different than anything I have ever felt before.  The bookends of these feelings go from being soooo excited I could squirt; to, waves of what seem like absolute terror!  We are mostly ready; however, Terri & I still have lists of things to be completed.  Unless a meteor hits Laingsburg (or some equally devastating event) we will be leaving Michigan on Tuesday, February 26^th for all points South.

The video here (http://youtu.be/xNBBBlrVH2E) fulfills an early promise on videos and information regarding our clothing and gear.  Months ago I started with two episodes on my stuff.  You can also find a video on Terri’s items she will be taking and wearing.  The process of how Terri has prepared our meals and the logistics associated with planning for a six month journey can also be found.  And now, the last video in that early promise, “All things Charlie.”

For all of you dog lovers out there, you will find this video appropriate.  For others, this will appear excessive; nonetheless, Charlie means the world to us and that is all that matters.  There is no doubt that I will be carrying extra weight because of our decision to take Charlie with us.  That may be a decision we regret in the end.  And it may be the best decision we ever made!  We’ll keep you posted…

~Team TNT

Charlie’s Clothing and Gear List

5.1oz - Thermo rest Z-Lite Pad

6.0oz – Boots by Ruff Wear

25oz - Back Pack (Palisades) by Ruff Wear

9.9oz – Outer Insulated Jacket by Sooters Friends

7.5oz – 3-Layer Rain Jacket by Hurta

6.1oz – Insulated Jacket (Cloud Chaser) by Ruff Wear

8.1oz – Fleece Jacket by Apache River

3.5oz – Pack Cover

3.3oz – 6’ Retractable Leash

0.7oz – Collapsible Dog Bowl

0.2oz – 12’ of Tie Out Cord

4.4oz – Trekker (Stuffed Animal)

64oz – Dog Food (4-2cup Bags) “4 Days”

0.3oz – Plastic Poop Bags

12oz – Treats “4 Days”

Terri's "Feminine Attire for the Trail - Appalachian Trail Prep

Dreamer here,

Ok, ok…  I hear you out there!  I know I promised this a long time ago!  There is no question, there are far more women interested in what Terri will be wearing/carrying as far as “Feminine Attire” than men interested in mine.  Or at least more vocal about it…  The YouTube video here:  http://youtu.be/eOFTMNGWwX0  should answer most questions related to female clothing.  If not, please let us know.  We would be especially eager to hear from those of you that are past AT Thru-Hikers and have recommendations or thoughts on items we may be missing!  Come one, come all, we would welcome your feedback!!

For those of you wondering, we will not be carrying all if these items for six months.  The list of clothing represented here is for cold weather hiking only.  More than likely, we will carry most if not all this until mid May to late May.  After that we will change out our cold weather clothing for summer weight items that will include not only clothing, but gear such as lighter sleeping bags, pads etc.  And then if needed, we’ll have these items returned to us later when we reach New Hampshire and Maine, especially if we are still hiking in late September or early October.

Terri’s Clothing/Equipment she may be wearing or carrying includes:

18.6 oz            Nikon 1 V1 Camera w/10-30 lens

7.4oz               Nikon 30 – 110 zoom lens

3.0oz               Speedlight Flash (SB-N5) w/case

3.0oz               Extra Nikon Lithium Battery

4.8oz               iphone

2.9oz               Additional iphone juice pack by Mophie

0.4oz               Headphones

38.0oz             Vasque hightop Goretex Boots

1.9oz               Merino wool socks by Smartwool

6.7oz               Insulated long underware by Underarmour

6.9oz               Long sleeve ¾ zip “Caprilene” shirt by Patagonia

7.8oz               Synthetic vest by Arc’Teryx

3.8oz               Wife beater merino wool shirt by Ice Breaker

6.6oz               Nylon lycra skirt by Isis

7.6oz               3-layer jacket by GoLite

3.5oz               Windshirt “Houdini” by Pataonia

3.2oz               Underware by Reebok

2.2oz               Sportsbra by Patagonia

1.9oz               Nylon Gloves

8.4oz               Gortex rain pants by Marmont

Terri’s “Safe Clothing” she will be carrying in pack

2.5oz               Trash Compactor Bag – Pack Liner

1.8oz               Night cap by Smartwool

2.5oz               Sleeping socks by Smartwool

15.4oz             Synthetic insulated jacket by GoLite

11.2oz             Synthetic sweater w/hood by Patagonia

7.1oz               Long Johns “Caprilene” by Patagonia

7.1oz               Long sleeve insulated shirt by Underarmour

0.9oz               Baboushka

8.9oz               Crocs (camp shoes)

2.6oz               ULA Pack Cover

12.1oz             Tarp Poncho by Sea-to-Summit

7.6oz               Camelbak w/hose

1.0oz               Headnet by Sea-to-Summit

1.6oz               Over Mittens “3-Layer” by Mountain Laurel Designs

0.7oz               Face Cream in contact case

0.6oz               Reading Glasses

0.7oz               Hair pick

Even though Terri & I are somewhat experienced backpackers, we would readily admit we have a lot to learn in the long-distance, multi-season hiking arena; however, we know one thing for sure: proper clothing and gear do not guarantee success thru-hiking.  We know it is not about the gear!  That being said, we also know that without the proper gear, it can make what is important to long-distance hiking potentially miserable.

~Dreamer

A Hike with Charlie - Appalachian Trail Prep

Dreamer here,

WOW!!  I love this video!!  http://youtu.be/aQkU4UMXLpw  (View full screen if possible) It portrays a great hike in the woods with my best four-legged buddy Charlie, on a beautiful day.  For those of you that know me, you know I love to hike.  God has given me a delight and it is moving through the woods in any weather.  Team TNT hikes almost every day at our favorite stomping ground, Rose Lake.  We are so grateful for this section of woods.  There are enough trails there to hike for hours and not hit the same section of trail twice.  Not bad for being so close to the large city of Lansing, MI.

For those of you that have been following my efforts to create a pleasing video know it has been a long and rough road.  My goal has been to learn enough about how to use a video camera, as well as acquire all the knowledge I can using Final Cut X in order to actually do something with the footage.  Well, as I am finding out, none of that has been easy.  Last fall, I barely knew which end was the business end of the camera.  And now, I know enough to be dangerous.  Terri & I have started a “Blooper” reel that at some point we will produce into a feature length video.  ;-)  The forgiveness in all of this, I am finding is in working Final Cut X.  Edit, edit, edit…

The long and the short of it is, I simply love working with my video camera and I have never had so much fun with my computer before.  Honestly, I love looking forward to carving out a few minutes here and there to play with the postproduction work with the software.

Of course, none of this comes cheap.  First I had to have the video camera, which turned into a better camera, which evolved into a boom mic for better sound, which turned into a new computer because my old one could not handle the software and memory issues, and on & on it goes…   This video you are about to watch was produced entirely with the new camera that Terri purchased for me; a GoPro Hero 3!  Thank you Sweetheart!!  I love it!!!

Enjoy,

~Dreamer

Catching up, some details and our request of all of you!

Dreamer here,

Terri, Charlie & I will actually be leaving Michigan three weeks from today for Springer Mountain, Georgia!  It is all so surreal.  After dreaming about this for so many years, and now after actively preparing for months, the moment of seeing our dream come to life is near.  Standing on top of Springer Mountain 24 days from today will be one of THE thrills of my life.  Standing there in that moment, actually visualizing this great dream, come true!  WOW….

Terri & I want to thank all you for your support!  Comments in multiple places, texts, phone calls, E-Mails and cards have surrounded us with your love and encouragement.  We are so grateful for all of you!  Amazingly, our Blog is currently reaching 7,000 visits!  Our YouTube Channel is approaching 1,500 views!  Our friends on Twitter are close to 250!  And our TNT Facebook page is getting close to 125 likes.  All of this is unbelievable for Terri & I.  After all, we haven’t even started our trip yet!

Even though we are uncertain exactly how all of our communication will actually work while we are out on the trail, we know a couple things for sure.  IMPORTANT – Terri & I will NOT be accessing our personal Facebook pages while we are away.  (Facebook.com/tntonthetrail) is the only Facebook page we will be updating.  So please, if you would like to get as regular as possible updates via Facebook, LIKE US on our TNT Facebook account.  Also, our Twitter handle is: tntonthetrail.  (If you have not already noticed this, Terri works with Facebook and I work with Twitter.)  I will be updating Twitter with lots of information and pictures (via Instagram) whenever I have a signal.  We will also be updating our Blog as often as possible with our location and experiences.  Lastly, it is our goal to document as much of our trip as possible with video, and we will be uploading to YouTube as often as we can produce videos and have the bandwidth to get them posted.

Finally, Terri & I have a request for all of you.  For those of you that have been within 6 feet of us for the past few weeks know that we are building a video montage of “Encouragement” from our family and friends.  It would mean so much to us if you would take a second and create a short video (use your phone) with some personal and encouraging words for us.  It is our hope to watch these clips during low moments while on the trail.  Being reminded of your friendship with encouragement would mean a lot to us!  Please send them to: Thomas.Shaver1@gmail.com.

See you down the trail,

~Dreamer

All the Dirt on Food - Appalachian Trail Prep.

Terri & Dreamer here,

Ok, ok, finally, we have prepared a blog post and You Tube video about “Food”.  There is no question the number one comment is about food.  Well, we should say that is the number two comment after, “You guys are going to do what?  Oh my, are you guys crazy”!  I guess the answer to that is, yes we are…

The questions range from: how are you going to carry six months of food on your back, what kinds of food are you going to be eating, will you be eating out every day, what is Charlie going to eat, do you eat freeze-dried food every day and do you cook in the woods or just eat cold foods out of packages??  And on & on…  This video should answer most of the common questions.

More than likely this video will not answer all of your questions, so please feel free to add your comments and/or questions below.  We would love to hear from you.  Especially if you feel as though we are missing something!

~Terri & Dreamer

PS  31 More Days!!

Electronics and Accessories on the Trail - Appalachian Trail Prep

Dreamer here,

In the past few days, Terri & I have been asked over and over again two questions about out Appalachian Trail (thru-hike attempt) backpacking adventure: What are you doing about food on the trail (can you really carry six months worth of food ;-) and are you taking your phone, camera, Kindle etc.  In this post, I will attempt the take on the question about electronics and accessories on the trail.  Terri & I together will work on the food question for our next entry.

First of all, here is a list of all the electronics and accessories I will be carrying:

·      Sony HDR-CX580 Video camera  (12.2)

·      Video Camera Case (7.4oz)

·      Sennheiser Boom Microphone MKE-400 (4.5oz)

·      Two Extra Batteries for Video Camera (3.1oz)

·      Video Camera Battery Charger (3.1oz)

·      Two extra SD Cards SDHC1 32 Gig (0.1oz)

·      Iphone (4.8oz)

·      Charging Cable for iphone (1.4oz)

·      Energizer (AA battery) charger for iphone (2.6oz w batteries)

·      Mophie External Battery for iphone (2.9oz)

·      Mophie External Battery Charging Cable (0.8oz)

·      Ear Phones (0.7oz)

·      Kindle “Paperwhite” with Case (7.2oz)

·      Kindle “Paperwhite” Charging Cable (1.1oz)

·      Sony Audio Recorder with AAA Battery (1.9oz)

·      Shuffle ipod (0.5oz)

·      Shuffle ipod Charging Cable (1.2oz)

·      Suunto “Observer” Watch (3.0oz)

·      Multi-Use AC Adapter (1.0oz)

Check out the You Tube Video on Electronics and Accessories on the Trail:   http://youtu.be/vSlVl9Aqe9w

The total load is a touch under 3.5 pounds.  I can hear it now, some of you will be thinking, “WOW, not too bad for all that stuff!”  While others will be writing to tell me what an idiot I am for taking all that crap!  More than likely, as our journey progresses, this list will change and we will downsize a bit.  Believe me, I have put a lot of time into researching this list of items, and every one of them have a purpose.

Here are my thoughts on the items specifically:

·      Terri & I hope to use the video camera to document our journey with as much quality video as possible for all the reasons stated many times in previous Blog posts.

·      The video camera case stores the camera in such a way (On the chest strap of my backpack.) that I can easily pull it out whenever I need to.  And it is a hard case in order to protect it when I am falling multiple times on the trail.

·      The Sennheiser microphone has the best audio possible.  I experimented with many other options and this I believe is the best overall.  I have used lapel microphones and the wires are either an issue or the weight and complexity of wireless microphones make them prohibitive.  I do know, it is just as important to have good audio as it is good video.  I have watched many You Tube videos as well as DVD movies, and when the audio is not right, it is simply not right.

·      I have extra SD Cards, because as a part of my strategy to back up my video, I plan on rotating these periodically through the mail with my son-in-law who will load them on an external drive at home for safekeeping.  (In the mean time, each time we meet up with our Bounce Box, I will load all my video on my computer as well as an external hard drive.)

·      I will rotate three video camera batteries. (NP FV-50)

·      My iphone is one key piece of gear.  Mentioning only a few of its anticipated functions: phone, text, photos, chess with a friend, internet, maps, GPS (For marking our position for our Blog occasionally.) updating our Blog, Twitter, Facebook, music, talking books, E-Mail, weather, radio, etc.  My phone is a few years old, so I recently had a new battery installed.

·      External “Mophie Juice Pack” Battery for my iphone.  The iphone smartly slides right into the external charger and acts like a phone cover/protector.  This adds 1500mAh, or about a full charge and a half to the internal battery in the phone.

·      Energizer Battery Charger for the iphone.  In an emergency this unit with two AA lithium batteries will charge the iphone 1 ½ times.

·      The Kindle speaks for itself.  For less than a half of a pound, I can have all the books I want!  And if I turn off the wireless feature, the internal battery will easily last between town visits.  Plus, because it is the “Paper White” version, I need no other light source in order to read in low light conditions.

·      The Sony Audio Recorder is one thing that is unused and untested on the trail for Terri & I.  We hope to journal of course and this may be a way to ensure we get as much as possible collected.  We’ll see…

·      The ipod shuffle…  This may be redundant.  We’ll see…  The iphone works just fine for music and talking books, so, this may be one thing we return rather quickly.

·      My Suunto “Observer” Watch.  I cannot imagine hiking with no timepiece.  Besides, this watch has the ability to provide me with: elevation, barometer, temperature, compass, timer and alarm clock.  I have had it for many years and it works nicely.

·      Lastly, the AC multi-use adapter is another ounce that may be sent home rather quickly.  All this is designed to do is allow us to charge three devices at once, from one outlet.  In other words, if we pull off the trail and stop into a gas station / convenience store and ask if we can charge our phones, we will actually be able to charge several things at the same time.

We welcome your comments and suggestions!  We have a lot to learn!!

~Dreamer