Third

 Note to Readers: Hello, this is from 2013, is on older blog site too but moving to this address for easier access.

                                                       THIRD                                             

The odds of being a third son of a third son of a third son have always been in my mind astronomical.

In reality though the truth is more like the same odds as two people having the same birthday in a room of 32 people- in other words not that great. No matter though, I will always attach special significance to coming into the world the same way my Dad and his Dad did with two older brothers already there. Just what is special about it though still figuring that part out. Am counting on six months in the woods in 2014 to finally find out.

They say hiking the Appalachian Trail is easy. A young man at the bear fence shelter said “Anyone can do it, even a five year old. Just got to get your legs under you.”  Hearing this on day four of a five practice hike did not alleviate my doubts as to fitness, capability, willingness or aptitude for any type of trek longer than one week. But the young man did seem to have thousands of long distance miles under his belt so his words gave some hope. After all Paul, my 66 year old brother and I three years younger need all the hope we can muster to believe that our quest to leap frog the AT in 2014 is not a futile one.

By the completion of our get ready hike there were plenty of reasons to think we were foolhardy to even think of doing the AT. We purposefully picked a route in Shenandoah reported to be the easiest section of the trail in Virginia. Nonetheless we had our moments. On day one did not notice the cutoff nor the post sign to the pine field shelter. Two tenths of a mile later we came to yet another highway crossing and decided to take a break to wait for Judd, another senior whom came from Iowa to join us for the week. After a half hour wait Paul said he was going further on and as he left I told him the shelter should be real close. Fifteen minutes later I heard Judd yelling and then he came excitedly announcing the shelter was behind us. I told him Paul had gone on already and Judd said as his pack was back at the shelter he would go run after him to tell him to come back. After pacing back and forth along the trail for three hours Judd returned without Paul. He caught up with him two miles further up the trail where Paul refused to climb back up the hill he had just come down on. So Judd gave up on the persuasion effort and helped him locate a camp spot nearby on a fire road and assisted with hanging his food and then hung out awhile before returning to pine field.

Judd and I set up in tent spots not too far from the shelter. While sorting out my gear my brand new compact inflatable packed pad started rolling down the nearby steep slope. Judd said there she goes, I immediately took off after the bag and as it was moving faster than I – decided to execute a tuck and roll and when drew up parallel stuck out my arm and snagged it. Saved the pad but not the hands as two days later they were covered with poison ivy.

That evening while socializing with a female thru hiker and her overnight friends couldn’t stop thinking about how Paul was doing all alone far from us. Was bothered that here it was first night and had already let sister in law Susie down. She told me just before headed out to please watch out for my brother. “David please promise to watch out for your older brother because he is as you know kinda like old already.” The thru hiker however helped give me some other stuff to worry about other than my poor watchful eye efforts. The girl had started from Springer Mountain in January. She endured days of sub-freezing weather and at one point holed up three days in a privy. Her story scared me as after living in perfect weather for 38 years anything below 60 is scary.

The next morning I left soon as heard Judd stirring and told him would wait at the intersection where Paul was. Forty minutes later found him standing by a post packed and ready to go. When asked how long he had been set he replied since 4:00 am. Seems after he got in his tent he discovered a snickers bar that missed the hung food bag. He fell asleep while thinking whether or not to get that bar with the other food. A few hours later he heard loud sniffing and snorting near his tent. Then next felt the pressure of a large forehead nudging his sleeping bag, followed by he and his bag getting pushed around inside his big Agnes ultra light. With calm resolve Paul searched for his cell phone found it and turned on the bark signal full blast. The artificial dog promptly sent the bear galloping off, but the encounter meant no more sleep that night for big brother. Lucky the bear came to bother him as by predawn he had packed up already. Soon afterwards vehicles were on the fire road. If he had stayed put could have been run over in the fog. Not even one full day on the trail and he had two death defying experiences. I was so jealous!  Also felt somewhat relieved that he was still alive as wouldn’t want Susie to think I was a complete failure at watching out for her husband.

The plan for 2014 is to start in Damascus Virginia on March 15 and reach Katahdin the northern terminus 1650 miles and an estimated 147 days away on August 8th. Then take some time off and finish off the 535 remaining southern miles in the fall. Well that is Paul’s plan should say. Mine is to be gone from home as long as can walk and as long as Betty will let me. Which means could be out three days or if lucky gone till we summit Mt Katahdin. Whatever, am buying a one way ticket.

Getting to the point to just do the practice hike this spring has been challenge enough. Over the years physically have held up really well and for some reason thought such good fortune would not change. But after 20,000+ miles of running and dozens of overnight to week long treks but probably of more consequence living to the middle of seven decades started getting payback last summer 2012. Difficulties began with severe pain on the outside of the right knee while on a short backpack in the Sierra. Upon getting home physical therapy regiment began. That got the pain to dissipate but soon as it did multi months long low back syndrome kicked in. Two weeks before departure to Virginia was getting desperate when at a gathering four out of six testified that chiropractic had cured them and that I could get healed if went. $448, four sessions of enduring what felt like brass knuckles and two weeks later was nervous about just making it through the 10 hour plane ride let alone donning a backpack for a week. 

As it turned out my feet hurt much more than my back. Had not had blisters in decades but apparently the relative inactivity plus stopping of running after being told to do so by three doctors (five if count chiro) and four physical therapists had unconditioned my feet. Was glad to be free of the back pain and think the weight must have realigned the spine. The feet were a problem but the best way to get rid of blisters is to walk till they pop then not so bad.

We waited at the intersection an hour and a half for Judd to catch up. A plan was then made for the rest of day two to wait at each intersection for each other as if there were any more bear encounters to be had wanted to do them together. Three miles further Paul and I waited two hours for Judd to catch up. This pattern continued throughout the day. At the start of day three came up with a better plan and told Judd will either be at Lewis mountain campground or bear fence shelter. That was a 12 mile day. Upon reaching Lewis Mountain went to the store for some resupply and also a shower. Store manager Randy talked to us for 2 hours plus but still no sign of Judd. A hiker’s cabin was available so we grabbed that for $40 and had an enjoyable evening eating Doritos and egg sandwiches. The next day headed out on Randy’s advised shortcut to bear fence but we missed the cut. After two hours of wandering around finally found the shelter and Judd was there. As it was mid-day decided to stay put and take the afternoon off. Judd and I spent the rest of the day off trail going up and down ravines looking for bear. Found evidence but no sightings and was glad did not get too lost.

Day five came up with a new plan to reach Big Meadows campground and get a camp spot there so Susie could drive up from Smith Mountain Lake to join us for the weekend. This plan meant needed an early start as it was a Friday and campsites could fill up fast so we were off by 6:30 am. We reached the campground by 9:30 and had our pick of campsites. Meandered over to the Harry Byrd Visitor Center and got some blackberry cobbler with blackberry ice cream and blackberry milkshake. It was awesome.

Susie came in the afternoon the rest of which was spent putting up their king sized expedition tent. Could have slept ten people easy. I stayed in my own tent however. Wanted to get my money’s worth as had to buy a new tent on the way to the trailhead. Somehow had left home with the rain fly of a MSR hubba and the body of a REI chrysalis. When laid the tent out at Paul’s home the day before we left discovered the error. So ended up getting a eureka solo at  Dicks sporting goods in Charlottesville and did not plan to take it home. Too add insult to the mistake my wide brim hat apparently fell off in Dick’s  parking lot as was wearing it when we got there and it was gone time entered the park. So in a way had to use the eureka tent at least one more time to also make up for losing the hat.

We had a campfire and Judd showed up as the sun came down. He had a late start out of bear fence. He then proceeded to roast hot dogs by the fire. He ate eight with buns but I was too tired to want any. It was 11:00 pm, temperature in the 30’s , so said no thanks. Just wanted to get in my bag and get warm and get to sleep.

To say Judd is a character is sort of an understatement. We had met a few years earlier on a mountaineer hike out in Washington State. At that time Judd lived in Oregon. I was visiting my son in the Seattle area and was able to join the mountaineers for a hike from Rainy pass to Stevens pass. However due to severe pack sores I had to leave the group at Stehekin. Spent enough time with them though to get to know Judd and was amazed by his backcountry knowledge and skills. Also as it turned out we grew up within 20 miles of each other in southeastern Iowa and had much in common. We were to hike together during my visit in the northwest last year but he was sidelined by a car that hit his bicycle. When he heard that was going to hike in Shenandoah he asked if could join and told him that would be fine. I like Judd he is funny and can start a fire when all wood around is wet.

On the Saturday morning Susie woke up after freezing all night. It was decided that rather than stay another night at the campground we would head on back to Smith Mountain. Judd decided to stay on in the park. We made a day hike to Dark Hallow Falls. Then more blackberry cobbler, ice crème and shakes before heading on down the road. On the way out stopped at the closest intersection to the pine field hut. I walked back to the shelter to search for my 35 year old grey wool sweater which had lost somewhere on the hike. Was thinking maybe it fell off when dived for that inflatable pad as the first day out had the sweater tied around my waist. A search of the campground turned up nothing. Then asked a thru hiker who looked to be almost as old as us with a beard down to his knees if he had seen any grey sweaters. He said there was one out back and sure enough an old grey sweater was there. I was so happy. Betty had got me that sweater in 1978 and wore it on our honeymoon up in Kauai’s Kokee state park. When held it up though there were about 20 holes some as large as pie pans in it. Animals must have chewed it up. On further inspection though it was determined to be a ladies sweater and therefore not mine after all.

On the Monday left Smith Mountain for the journey home. The train ride from Lynchburg to BWI was pretty uneventful except for the fact that left my wool hat in the compartment of the seat in front. Made sense though. On the train from DC down to Lynchburg the week earlier had lost my cell phone. A man got on the train on the first stop and put what looked like to be either a large size briefcase or small piece of luggage on the seat next to mine and said if anyone comes by tell them will be back. An hour and a half passed and that bag was still in the seat next to me and no sign of its owner. As by that time figured it was not going to blow up so went to find the gentleman who left it. He was in the dining car. Told him that was moving his bag to the window seat which did upon return and as by that time the train was emptying out found a row to myself. Stretching out in those seats must have been when the cell phone fell out of wherever had it. Anyway next trip am going to attach bungee cords to my pant loops so that important items like phones, id, hats, tent parts, sweaters can be dangling from my body and therefore will know where they are at all times.

We will try and get Brother John to join us for at least a day. It is thanks to him Paul and I got involved working at Wisconsin’s YMCA Camp Mainito wish as youngsters which in turn led to life long trail seeking. John is the oldest, the smartest, eloquentist and so on of the three of us. He is a former park director for the City and County of Honolulu as well as a former park ranger in Yosemite, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone. He no longer says our plan to hike the AT is stupid. That’s because he realizes we know that already.

Paul is doing the walk for charity. He originally planned to do it in 2016 so he could raise $70000 while turning 70 on the trail. I told him he is already like 70 in his mind so mise well do it already. He agreed and now we are getting ready to go. I have a couple more practice hikes coming up soon. Will be with a bunch of similar aged people to do the north rim in Yosemite late this month (July). Then will hike with my son for a week in the Sierra. I always enjoy hiking with Josh because whenever get tired can just hand him some of my stuff to carry.  After that up to Washington where will try and finish a whole route with the Mountaineers. Doing the Grand valley loop in Olympic National Park. Should see plenty goats. Back home in late August and then the countdown begins for the AT quest 2014. 

attached two photos one of my brother Paul and I on top McAfee Knob and the other of she whom I owe everything and whom rules how long or how little will be able to stay on the trail next year dearest Betty!