Email No. 19: June 8, 2006

Notes (a short one) from the AT

Hello All!

I can honestly say that I've been composing notes to you all daily inside my head. There is so much that I've seen out here that I want to share and different bits and pieces - a tree, a squirrel, particular plant, ramps, the way that deer came bounding out of the bushes right in front of me and nearly ran into me, the same with the rabbit the day before, the bear and bear cub that Heidi saw but I didn't cuz I was going so slow due to hurting feet, the rattlesnake, the pissed off rattlesnake, the king snake, millions of garter snakes, the pathes that are rocky and I curse (yet also enjoy because I have to actively think about hiking), the ones that are smooth and I could stroll upon for hours (and yet I get bored on), the uphills, the downhills (oh the murderous downhills!), the boots that were heavy and never let my feet dry due to sweet, the same boots that don't fit after 800 miles (yes- 800!) as my feet have swelled from a woman's size 10 to a men's size 10, pinkie toe nails rotting off from too much moisture, a big toe nail dangling by just a thread, the trail runner shoes that seem to have solved all of my problems since then (I keep up and even set the pace with Heidi now), a sunset, a storm, drought, trail magic and angels, 6 days without a shower during the hottest week yet, camping halfway up a bald just to see the beautiful sunrise, waking up to a storm on top of the bald and 50 mph winds and thinking, wow I should write a review for this tent!, too many hikers on the trail, getting off the trail for a week and losing track of hikers and it being just Heidi and I, the adoptive families on and off the trail, Model-T, Ranger Dawg and Sarge- each an adoptive grandparent on the trail, 5 mile days combined with town and FOOD!, four 20 mile days in a row leaving myself to be proud of what I've accomplished physically and yet wonder what I've missed along the way and I barrelled down the path, a 24 mile day and swearing I'll never do that to my body again- until the next time it seems like a good idea, a day where I walk no miles at all and just hang out in town, looking forward to a "zero: day taken somewhere out on the trail, loving every minute of my existence out here even though sometimes it's tough and in the moment, painful and so many other things that remind me of individual people as I know they would appreciate them. I can also honestly say that most of those "composed notes" get jumbled up and I will never be able to give them the attention they deserve on paper and so this is what you get. Hope it's a snapshot that gives you an idea of the bigger picture of my life the past few months. I know that I am missing so many more "moments" that are important to share, but maybe I'll catch them in the next email to you... whether that be a few days or months down the line.

Hope all is well! I love and miss you all and think of you often.

Jessica