"Dreamer" has Prostate Cancer and we are Thankful.....

Yep, we're on a new adventure... fighting cancer. We are thanking God for the cancer and the circumstances we now find ourselves in…

“In all things, give thanks to the Lord.”

Of all the kinds of cancer Tom could have, prostate cancer is a pretty benign option. We could have been told he had a grapefruit sized tumor in his brain and to go home and put his affairs in order. But, no.  We got a good diagnosis.

He has had this for a while, but it’s been quiet and quite manageable. More recently, his PSA spiked and he had another biopsy, which showed advancement of the cancer and a change in his Gleason score. For those of you unfamiliar with prostate cancer, a Gleason Score is determined from the analysis of tissue samples taken from the prostate during the biopsy and a physical exam. It was evident that the time to do something had arrived.

Having researched many options for treatment, we decided to see the physicians at RCOG, in Atlanta, Georgia. The doctors here in Michigan were all about surgical intervention, with pretty high odds of encountering side effects, which wasn’t an option for us. RCOG, (www.rcog.com) who has successfully treated over 16,000 men over the past 20 years, was the option we chose. As a man with a strong family history of prostate cancer, this probably was inevitable. So, a word to the wise fellas…. Get checked. It’s a sneaky cancer, that’s mostly silent, especially in younger men who don’t typically warrant PSA checks.  It’s a lot like ovarian cancer in women… silent, until it’s already there and raging.

So, tomorrow, Tom will start the first of 35 daily radiation treatments to kill the cancer. Two weeks ago, he underwent surgery to implant 35+ radioactive ‘seeds’ in the prostate, which began initial treatment. Now the 7 weeks of daily radiation will complete his treatment. Hopefully, Christmas we will be rejoicing that we’re on the other side of cancer. We won’t have accurate ‘cure’ level for approximately 2 years, when the PSA remains at 0.2 or less.

 We have an extremely strong faith and this has only given us more opportunities to be on our knees before The Lord. We thank Him every day that this is all we have to deal with, knowing that He is in control and will work out all things for His Glory. We covet your prayers for successful treatment, no complications or setbacks and a quick return to normal life afterwards.

"DREAMER"

All this to say…. Women, get your men to get checked. Any man over 50 should have a baseline PSA. Men with a family history should have a PSA at 40. Men, don’t ignore urinary issues…. 

Should you want to encourage him with notes, cards or even a care package of goodies, I'll soon post an address where you can send things to him. We are so thankful to all of our hiking followers for your love, encouragement and prayers. Bless you!

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 again reunited!! This time for GOOD!! NEW VIDEOS!!

With some great sadness, I wrapped up my recovery time at Wood's Hole Hostel yesterday (www.woodsholehostel,com)  and joined Dreamer and Charlie up the trail at Front Royal, WV as they exited Shenandoah National Park!! I had a fabulous time at Wood's Hole and can't highly recommended it enough. The sweet spirit of Miss Neville and Michael will cause your spirit to pause and say... "Aaahhhhh." The lively animals and the bustling atmosphere of hikers passing through will make your stay entertaining as well. And the food goes without saying, it's the best organic "home-cookin" on the entire AT!!

Wood's Hole Hostel, Pearisburg, VA

A small part of the animal menagerie at Wood's Hole!

Neville and I had such a fun time together. We are very much 'kindred' spirits....

But, I'm lonesome for the man of my Dreams and I'm willing to fight through some 'on the job' training on the trail, so we're packing up when we hit Harper's Ferry and heading back to Michigan to grab my gear, spend some quick time with friends and family and head back to the trail for the second half!!

After an almost three hour drive, I was again greeted by the 'male' part of Team TNT as they walked out of Shenandoah National Park, where they have been hiking through, while I was recouperating at Wood's Hole. Charlie was so glad to see me as well as Dreamer.

He's promised we WILL NOT be separated again.... we just don't do well apart, so, no matter what, we'll stick to this promise. If for any reason, I can't continue due to the knee or whatever, we will stop hiking together. BUT, for those of you who know me very well, know that I am one pretty determined lady. I don't take no for an answer and live by the motto my Dad taught me.... "I can do anything I put my mind to." I have endured incredible physical pain on this trip already and I have lived through the death of a child, so I figure I've much been dealt the worst blows possible in life, physically and emotionally. I will resume hiking at Harper's Ferry with Dreamer and Charlie and will give it my all. Of course, we'll have to start a bit slower than the 20+ miles a day that Chuck and Tom are currently doing, but it shouldn't take long to have my hiking legs back beneath me. I want nothing more than to be part of this trail community again! I want nothing more than to be with the love of my life, all day, every day.

I hope you'll continue to watch this journey unfold as we make our way into the second half of the trip! It's difficult to comprehend that it's almost half way over already! In just a couple days, we'll have our pictures taken at the half way point, at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harper's Ferry, MD. THEN, will be quickly driving back to Michigan to re-unite with family and friends for a week. For those of you who are local to Michigan, we'll be hosting an open house event on Sunday, June 23rd to touch base with friends before launching into the second 1200 miles of the trip, when we doubt that we'll be making any further trips home. So, if you're in the vicinity, stop out or see our Facebook page for details. (www.facebook.com/tntonthetrail)

Team TNT is together again and will remain together till the bitter end! We have several new videos up  so you can stay up to date with our journey. Please take some time to watch and be sure to share with friends who you think might be interested in this journey!

http://youtu.be/-n_Oz_rJhbs

We took several days over Memorial Weekend to 'work' some trail magic for many fellow hikers!
http://youtu.be/VBkdbxq38LA

And another stretch coming into Waynesboro, VA.... just before going into Shenandoah National Park.
http://youtu.be/i6t2pmblkss

Catching up with Dreamer and Socks

Team TNT has been separated now for THREE weeks....we're surviving, but not without almost daily phone calls or texts when able and prayers being lifted to Heaven on behalf of each other. We truly are one and space, time and geography can't separate us from each other's spirits.

Charlie and I have been holding down the fort at home in Michigan, mostly waiting for surgery to repair the knee. Once it was diagnosed, the waiting for the actual surgery date was agonizing for the Team....I'm not a patient person anyway, (something God was helping me to work on while hiking), so each day, I tried to fill my time doing some projects around the house, that required TWO legs....cleaning the basement, etc. 

While Dreamer, on the other hand, has been plugging away at the miles on the Appalachian Trail. He continues to average about 15 miles per day, still enduring all sorts of nasty weather and terrain. The Smoky Mountains were a real challenge for him physically and probably even more mentally. Getting back on trail as a solo hiker was tough emotionally and mentally for him. I struggle from a distance being challenged in different ways....missing him, being jealous about the fact that he's still their living 'our' dream and keeping myself from being depressed at my situation here.

He's meeting a whole section of new hikers and even catching up with some that we started with in our first week! He's able to move so much faster without me and so now is cranking out serious miles! I'm so proud of him and his perseverance.... Honest revelation: I don't think, were the roles reversed, that I'd still be out there alone, trying to go on. I'm weak and would be way too lonely and insecure about my abilities to hike alone. 

His physical load is a bit more because he has to carry all the gear himself and his heart is a little heavier too....without the rest of the Team....

The countdown will begin again soon!

Team TNT + C: T Solo hikes the Appalachian Trail for a bit....

As you know, I, 'Socks' have been home for the past two weeks, discovering the issue with the knee, dealing with being 'off trail',  (which amounts to BIG, FAT DEPRESSION), and trying to enjoy my little piece of joy in Lydia Ann.

Well, the MRI news wasn't good.... I tore both the medial and lateral meniscus in my left knee. Dr. stunned that I'd hiked 60 miles on it, but understood the amount of damage because of it. I will be having surgery day after tomorrow, Monday, April 22 to repair it with some rehab/PT following.  NOW, the real countdown can begin. I am prepping for being 'laid up' for a few days.... (for those of you that know me, I'm not a good 'sit still' kind of person), so, I'm gathering up my stuff for "sick bay."

I'll be staying with Hannah and Nate and our granddaughter, Lydia for a few days, till I can ditch the crutches and be mobile again. I'll be heading back home to resume some sort of exercise and rehab to get moving back towards the trail! Hoping to work with a trainer to regain some strength in this leg and learn what I can do to protect it from further injury once I get hiking again. The word I'm hanging onto is: BELIEVE! It's my new mantra. I believe I WILL be back out there hiking by mid-June. Charlie and I will be taking a field trip to visit Dreamer as soon as I'm able to drive.

Charlie is getting pretty out of shape and needs to get hiking again! He lives a pretty LAZY life here as evidenced in these pictures.

Charlie sleeping in his bed with his 'friend', Mr. Fluffy

Charlie sleeping on the couch in the family room. 

We've been able to catch up with Dream over the past couple days as he 'zero'ed in Erwin, Tennessee. He was able to upload and mail several videos that I'll be posting over the next couple days to catch everyone up. He's doing great, is putting in BIG miles and is missing us both. He did create the best video for me... It's just scenery, but the song and the trail speak to my heart, when he is unable to verbalize how much he misses us. Thank you sweetheart. We miss you too.

A MESSAGE FOR MY SWEETHEART

TNT will be on the mend!!!

It’s literally been a roller coaster of emotions over the past couple of weeks, since returning to Michigan and Tom (Dreamer) returning to the trail without the rest of Team TNT. We are both struggling in similar, yet very different ways.

We are a couple. We are a team. We are partners. 

And we don’t do well apart…. So the first issue is just the physical separation. I’m lonesome and I miss him. He’s expressing much the same and more. “The hike just isn’t the same without you”, he says. We just enjoy being together…. most of the time. So, this geographical separation is very disconcerting for us. So too, is the separation of the ‘dream.’ He’s moving on down the trail, experiencing things I’ll miss, meeting other hikers I’ll never know and accumulating the total mileage that I won’t have or will have to make up at some other time.

We had grown adept at trail life. We knew who carried what gear, who did what when we got into camp, who packed up what when we broke down camp and which one of us was documenting what events. We had ‘become’ part of the trail. Dreamer, Socks and Charlie. We were well known on the trail, mainly because of Charlie.

(He’s a real charmer!) Many times, we’d be hiking down the trail, in the middle of nowhere and someone would come up and say, “Hey, you must be Charlie!” And then, we’d introduce ourselves as, “Charlie’s parents”, which we were better known as.

Our daily life ran pretty much the same…. Get up, pack up, hike, eat, sleep and start all over again the next day. Moving in tandem with many other hikers, driven by the same inner compass, moving northbound. Up and down mountains, through mud, slush and snow, to get to that next shelter, where we’d pitch our tent amongst the other colorful nylon domes and rest our weary and tired bones.

Tom says it’s been tough hiking through the Smoky Mountain National Park, literally. The terrain is very different from what we’d experienced thus far. Apparently, the trail groomers/builders in this section thought switchbacks were for sissies, because everything is either straight up or straight down. And, it’s been tough mentally for him. Even though he’s hiking along with many others, he still feels alone and isolated without us. And that’s even tougher than the physical part.

BUT, after a visit with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday, we have reason to celebrate!! Team TNT will be back together! I learned from the MRI that I had torn both the medial and lateral meniscus in my left knee. It’s no wonder it hurt and it’s quite amazing that I managed to hike almost 60 miles with that injury, up some of the toughest assents and descents we’d hiked over the 175 miles that I was able to hike. Guess I’m one tough hiker chick, have a very high pain threshold or was just simple determined to hike!

Surgery is scheduled at this time for April 22^nd and with a bit of rehab and strength training, I should be back on trail the first week of June! Making my countdown calendar look like this!

I’ve got my gear all ready to pack and Charlie is ready too! As soon as we get the go-ahead after surgery, Charlie and I will start just walking flat ground, gaining strength and putting some miles together. After a bit longer, we can add our packs and start putting down even more miles. Even though we know that we won’t be able to keep up with the 20 miles that Tom is now doing, we’ll be there and doing our best. It won’t be long before Team TNT is cranking out some good miles TOGETHER!!

We are so thankful for all the love; support and prayers that we’ve been shown over this past couple weeks. The outpouring has been simply overwhelming. We are humbled and honored to have such wonderful family and friends… some of which we don’t even know, but are part of the bigger hiking community. We are profoundly grateful and blessed.

If you haven't seen this video that some dear friends created, check this out. I am so humbled with this much love.

We will continue to keep you updated with information from the rehab to the places and miles Tom is covering! Stay tuned. Things are about to get exciting! 

Winter Storm Virgil in North Carolina!

Again, in this short first month of our adventure, we find ourselves in a forced zero situation. The crappy weather that has plagued us for the past three weeks is continuing and we are currently in the middle of 'Winter Storm Virgil' near the Nantahala Outdoor Center, in Bryson City, NC.

The past two days, we hiked 20 miles in the most ridiculous weather, rain, misting, walking in and through clouds, slogging through ankle deep mud and yesterday, hiking 7 miles DOWNHILL in a blizzard.

Not your ordinary snowstorm. I mean, 55 mph winds, determined to push us off the side of the mountain and whip our faces raw with snow, like ground glass. We slid on our butts, down switchbacks made of giant boulders, hanging on for dear life to tree branches that hung by our sides. My knees feel the pain of every footfall going downhill. Most people are thrilled at the prospect of not doing huge climbs and dread the days of 3000' climbs. BUT, I'd rather climb uphill every day, all day, than go downhill.... Any day. 

We (5 of us) are 'stuck' in a tiny cabin made for 2, along with all our gear, AND Charlie, because the shuttle driver cannot make it up the mountain to get us. 8" more of fresh snow fell last night. Even our things on the enclosed porch were snow covered this morning. 

So, here's where we'll sit today, going over gear, packing things we'll bump ahead to continue our quest to eliminate weight and work on various tasks.... Two of which are a jigsaw puzzle and another taking a nap on a couch made for humans.

I'm going to rest my knee and enjoy the day of not pounding it. In just two short days, we'll have to turn Charlie over to the kennel that will watch him while we 'cruise' through the Smoky Mountains, (dogs are not allowed in the park). It will be a tough 6 days for us.... Highest elevations for us thus far, longer distances between shelters, (tenting not allowed, must stay in shelters), no Charlie AND the Smoky's have just received a fresh couple of feet of snow! Weather is predicted to improve, but it's still going to be tough going.

I'm remaining confident that if I can get this knee through the Smokies.... I can make it all the way! 

We've endured the worst AT winter weather in history, people are leaving the trail due to the weather and injuries due to the weather and were still here. We're strong and it can't stay winter forever!

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right." Henry Ford

watch the newest video from TNT on the Trail here!!!!!

A Week of Trials and Tribulations- Hiking the Appalachian Trail

The weather still is our biggest obstacle, and not really an obstacle as much as a nuisance. Freezing water every morning, frozen toothpaste and the ever frozen butt wipes. (As referred to by Tom in a previous video). We rely on those wipes for more than wiping our hands! If you know what I mean....and those are pretty chilly on the nether regions in the early morning!

The list of companion hikers we've met or have spent time hiking with is growing daily.... So very many interesting people! Kids of all ages and the older group with which we find ourselves most often. 

Leaving our zero time at Hiawassee was exciting...zero days are nice, but it's nice to get back out. We've been separated from the 'real world' long enough, that its a bit of sensory overload going into town for too long. The noise, the people, the smoke. It's stunning how many people in the south smoke!!!! 

Two notable things happened this week.... Our first day back out, late into the day, we crossed our first state line into North Carolina!! It was a pretty tough hike for most of the day OUT of Georgia and then all of a sudden, we walk upon this very unpretentious sign bolted to a tree announcing our arrival in North Carolina. Simple sign. Simple proclamation. But for us, monumentous and for me personally, worth shedding a few tears. 

It's been an emotional week for me ( Socks), not sure why. The reality of what we've taken on sometimes hits me like a thunderbolt and it scares the snot out of me. The grueling and non-stop cold weather is getting old and the terrain in North Carolina only exceeds that of Georgia. The climbs are getting more difficult and more rocky....like scrambling over boulders, hand over hand. 

In fact I had the first major meltdown coming over Albert Mountain a couple of days ago. It was the hardest to date, climb for me physically. My short legs couldn't make the climb, from one foothold to the next and using the trekking poles was proving useless, so I literally had to crawl on my hands and already very sore knees to the next boulder, all the while terrified that I'd fall backwards down the mountain if I lost my balance. One half way up the 300 ft. scramble, I just fell apart and sobbed against the nearest tree. I was overcome with fear. Fear of falling, fear of not being able to scale the mountain, fear of what worse might be ahead..... But I pulled myself together, pulled up my big girl panties and crawled up that sucker. Dirty handed and scraped kneed, I found some strength somewhere and by God, didn't fall off the mountain. Everyday, a small victory is to be found!

Late this week, we've met a new group of young hikers from all over and are getting quite an education! Hermes, Detour, Hollywood, Clever Girl and Dump Truck. The little recreational time we have together is mostly talking about why we're here and dreams of life after "the trail."  Yesterday I got an informative lesson on Crust Punks and their lifestyle..... And I thought we were nomads? Or some would say, 'Gypsy's with money.'

Today is a zero, with an unplanned extra day here in Franklin, NC. Yesterday, I stumbled down a corner on a switchback and torqued my 'good' left knee. Had to make a trip into the local Urgent Care for a check. 

Thankfully nothing structural, but soft tissue swelling and lots of discomfort. Steroids, pain pills, a brace and an extra day off will do the trick. In the meantime, I'm doing laundry, of which I'm drying in the parking lot of the motel along with all the other hiker trash perched outside here doing various things from reading maps to catching some sun for a change! 

Till further down the trail, Dreamer, Socks and Charlie!

Check out the newest video of a couple of old farts taking their time along the trail.