Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Order of Salvation
We will get David's illustration of the Order of Salvation up here shortly. In the interim here is a great video on the Order of Salvation.
AT 5-23
Greetings from the Dutch Haus Bed and Breakfast in Montebello, VA.
As you all know I left the AT on April 14 from near Erwin TN. Di and Logan drove up from Birmingham to retrieve me at a road crossing. We spent the night at the hostel in Erwin then back to Birmingham on Tues.
Friday I left for Guanajuanto, Mexico for the Advanced Medical Leadership Training. This is the third year I have been fortunate to be part of the faculty. We train folks that want to lead medical teams into third world countries for MTW the foreign mission arm of the PCA church. We teach concepts on food and water safety, immunizations, cross cultural issues, Tropical disease, team dynamics, stress management and many more. We spend 5 days in class and then do two days of real clinics, one in an urban area and one in a rural. The participants rotate roles twice a day.
The class went from Sat to a week the following Sunday. Participants were the majority medical but still lots of lay folk. 26 participants in total.
Back for a week at home and then to north of Pittsburg PA for Disaster relief training. Any one that wants to be able to respond to international disasters has to have completed this training. It runs from Tues through Sunday. We have one day of pure classroom and then move to the field. They hike to the field, dig latrines, set up tents for living and for clinics. We have a pavilion nearby that we can use for lectures and then move back and forth from field to lecture. We had 14 students, all energetic and interested.
Then back home a third time for mothers day evening. Mon and Tues got ready to go back to the trail. Wed. Dean Tanner drove me to Roanoke to regain the trail. I didn’t think that I would have enough time to get to the northern end before the mid October closure if I went back to Erwin so started at Troutdale, just north of Roanoke.
Wed. night we stayed with Dean’s sister in Roanoke, then Thurs morning the 14th, 30 days after leaving the trail, Dean dropped me off at the Railroad tracks in Troutdale and off I went. I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m nuts but he was diplomatic about it.
Hiked to Wilson Creek Shelter, about 9.7 miles. Guess what, taking 30 days off from hiking is not a good idea. Seems I am physically back to where I was at the beginning in Georgia on Feb. 28. Once again my muscles supporting my hips were killing me. Thankfully after a few days they got a little accommodated. Mainly hip flexors.
11 people at the shelter. One full time volunteer of the ATC. He works in the ATC office in Harpers Ferry. He was hiking southbound. Angry Beaver, Groundhog, One stick, No nails were some of the hikers that night.
May 15th on to Babbitt’s Gap Shelter. This was a miserable day. Hot, 100% humidity with heavy fog. Sweat like a pig, Hip flexors still hurting. Only did 7.3 miles because the humidity was so bad. Really sapped my strength.
May 16th on to Bryant Ridge Shelter 13.3 miles. Prettier day. Much dryer. Didn’t rain till night. Slept in the shelter so stayed fairly dry. This was a beautiful shelter, three level, Tongue and groove post and beam construction. Fanciest shelter I have ever seen. Walked with Red Leg and three girls with a springer spaniel named Georgia. Spent several nights with a three section hikers, a father, Gray Beard, and his 2 sons taking a 6 wk hike.
May 17th on the Thunder Hill Shelter, 10.3 miles. Big climb almost 3000 feet. It rained all morning and the sun broke through after lunch. It wore me out all the ups and downs. If I ever had trail legs they are long gone. Went over the “last” tall mountain, Apple Orchard Mt., till New Hampshire. There is a large radar dome installation there. Back in the cold war it was an installation staffed with 250 military folk. Now looks like an automated facility. Spring flowers are beautiful. Wild Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and many other flowers are going strong. I am learning how to use my macro feature on the camera. Still a little shaky however. Saw a number of rusty orange salamanders on the trail. Small somewhat lethargic creatures only about 2 inches long.
May 18 on to Matt’s Creek shelter, 13.2 miles. Took 10 hours to walk. Supposeably a big descent, but had lots of ascents in the process. Again I am really weary by the end of the day. Walked a mile past the shelter to a camping area on the banks of the James River. Unfortunately the camping area is close enough to the highway that the campground is being used for parties. Lots of trash, giant bonfire spots
May 19th walked to Big Island, VA to resupply. Crossed the James River on the world’s longest foot bridge. Was a box beam bridge built on railroad supports from a bridge that washed away in the 80s. The railroad built a new bridge adjacent that was higher, leaving the pylons empty. A hiker’s widow raised funds to build the bridge. Beautiful structure. Hitched a ride to town and went to H&H. A combo facility of restaurant, gas stations and groc. Store. Ate a big breakfast and then shopped for groceries. Bought 70$ worth of food, about enough for 6 days. Hitched back to the trail by noon and up to the first shelter to eat a lunch that I had bought at the restaurant. Was warm and sunny so got a bucket of water and took a sponge bath and washed my clothes. Put them in a large Zip Lock with soap and water and squish around for a while then rinse in the creek and hang out for a while. About 3 decided to climb up the hill. 2000 feet up out of the James River bottom. Camped on top of the ridge, dry camp no water, so did not cook supper or breakfast to conserve water.
Had a hard time getting cell phone coverage the last couple of days. Seldom works from a shelter so have been trying to use the phone when I am at a high point with good visibility. Here in Montebello, town of 200 people there is no cell coverage of anykind.
May 20th, walked on to Pedlar Lake, city reservoir for Lynchberg. Ate lunch at the punchbowl shelter. Met Ms. Muster and Katsup two female thru hikers. A thru hiker is one who plans to walk the whole AT in one 12 mo. period. All else are section hikers.
There are two kinds of thru hikers, Traditional, that walk from one end to the other straight thru, may take breaks be return where they left off. The great majority walk south to north. Nontraditional or Flip Thru hikers jump around on the trail but walk the whole thing in the 12 mos. I have till next Feb 28 to finish. I am a flip hiker as I have skipped the distance from Erwin to Roanoke and plan to come back and finish that section after reaching Mt. Katahdin, Maine.
Camped with 3 middle aged ladies with their own dogs. Members of the Danville, VA kennel club. One has hiked all of the AT in sections except a 3 mile section in NH. Sketch, BoPeep and SueBop. They were doing an overnight.
Ran into a trail maintainer that was not quite all there. Was big, had a giant knife and was talking a little off. Was glad to get past him.
May 21st was at Hog Camp Gap, A meadow with spring. 10.1 miles, but with a 4000 foot elevation gain. Really a big big climb for an old man like me. Again was worn out. I have delusions each day of doing 15 miles, but after 10-12 hours of walking my body says forget it. Stayed with Ancient Ruin from Australia, Lost Arcadian from New Brunswick and Black Kat from who knows where.
May 22 I walked 11.1 miles to Spy Rock Road and down to spend two nights at the Dutch Haus Bed and Breakfast, owned by Earl and Lois Arnold, in the town of Montebello.
Pretty place, nicely done yard and gardens. Spent Fri. nite in the bunk house and Sat. in the main house. Will get back on the trail Sun. Morning at 8. Still have 39 miles to Waynesboro and the start of the Shenandoah’s. Taking a Zero day (no miles walked) to get my legs back in shape after the 4000 foot climb. They were sore to the touch today.
A week from tomorrow my Grandson, Logan Rafferty from Biloxi, MS is joining me for a month on the trail. He and I have hiked on and off since he was five or six, but never for this distance. Should be in PA by the time he leaves in early July. I think his Dad Sean is driving him up.
Guess that is the update for now. Please continue to pray for health and safety. Those local to Pelham, please continue to take care of Diane. I appreciate all you have done.
Keep on hiking
Grandpa Hugh
Remember “Use it or lose it” especially trail legs.
As you all know I left the AT on April 14 from near Erwin TN. Di and Logan drove up from Birmingham to retrieve me at a road crossing. We spent the night at the hostel in Erwin then back to Birmingham on Tues.
Friday I left for Guanajuanto, Mexico for the Advanced Medical Leadership Training. This is the third year I have been fortunate to be part of the faculty. We train folks that want to lead medical teams into third world countries for MTW the foreign mission arm of the PCA church. We teach concepts on food and water safety, immunizations, cross cultural issues, Tropical disease, team dynamics, stress management and many more. We spend 5 days in class and then do two days of real clinics, one in an urban area and one in a rural. The participants rotate roles twice a day.
The class went from Sat to a week the following Sunday. Participants were the majority medical but still lots of lay folk. 26 participants in total.
Back for a week at home and then to north of Pittsburg PA for Disaster relief training. Any one that wants to be able to respond to international disasters has to have completed this training. It runs from Tues through Sunday. We have one day of pure classroom and then move to the field. They hike to the field, dig latrines, set up tents for living and for clinics. We have a pavilion nearby that we can use for lectures and then move back and forth from field to lecture. We had 14 students, all energetic and interested.
Then back home a third time for mothers day evening. Mon and Tues got ready to go back to the trail. Wed. Dean Tanner drove me to Roanoke to regain the trail. I didn’t think that I would have enough time to get to the northern end before the mid October closure if I went back to Erwin so started at Troutdale, just north of Roanoke.
Wed. night we stayed with Dean’s sister in Roanoke, then Thurs morning the 14th, 30 days after leaving the trail, Dean dropped me off at the Railroad tracks in Troutdale and off I went. I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m nuts but he was diplomatic about it.
Hiked to Wilson Creek Shelter, about 9.7 miles. Guess what, taking 30 days off from hiking is not a good idea. Seems I am physically back to where I was at the beginning in Georgia on Feb. 28. Once again my muscles supporting my hips were killing me. Thankfully after a few days they got a little accommodated. Mainly hip flexors.
11 people at the shelter. One full time volunteer of the ATC. He works in the ATC office in Harpers Ferry. He was hiking southbound. Angry Beaver, Groundhog, One stick, No nails were some of the hikers that night.
May 15th on to Babbitt’s Gap Shelter. This was a miserable day. Hot, 100% humidity with heavy fog. Sweat like a pig, Hip flexors still hurting. Only did 7.3 miles because the humidity was so bad. Really sapped my strength.
May 16th on to Bryant Ridge Shelter 13.3 miles. Prettier day. Much dryer. Didn’t rain till night. Slept in the shelter so stayed fairly dry. This was a beautiful shelter, three level, Tongue and groove post and beam construction. Fanciest shelter I have ever seen. Walked with Red Leg and three girls with a springer spaniel named Georgia. Spent several nights with a three section hikers, a father, Gray Beard, and his 2 sons taking a 6 wk hike.
May 17th on the Thunder Hill Shelter, 10.3 miles. Big climb almost 3000 feet. It rained all morning and the sun broke through after lunch. It wore me out all the ups and downs. If I ever had trail legs they are long gone. Went over the “last” tall mountain, Apple Orchard Mt., till New Hampshire. There is a large radar dome installation there. Back in the cold war it was an installation staffed with 250 military folk. Now looks like an automated facility. Spring flowers are beautiful. Wild Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and many other flowers are going strong. I am learning how to use my macro feature on the camera. Still a little shaky however. Saw a number of rusty orange salamanders on the trail. Small somewhat lethargic creatures only about 2 inches long.
May 18 on to Matt’s Creek shelter, 13.2 miles. Took 10 hours to walk. Supposeably a big descent, but had lots of ascents in the process. Again I am really weary by the end of the day. Walked a mile past the shelter to a camping area on the banks of the James River. Unfortunately the camping area is close enough to the highway that the campground is being used for parties. Lots of trash, giant bonfire spots
May 19th walked to Big Island, VA to resupply. Crossed the James River on the world’s longest foot bridge. Was a box beam bridge built on railroad supports from a bridge that washed away in the 80s. The railroad built a new bridge adjacent that was higher, leaving the pylons empty. A hiker’s widow raised funds to build the bridge. Beautiful structure. Hitched a ride to town and went to H&H. A combo facility of restaurant, gas stations and groc. Store. Ate a big breakfast and then shopped for groceries. Bought 70$ worth of food, about enough for 6 days. Hitched back to the trail by noon and up to the first shelter to eat a lunch that I had bought at the restaurant. Was warm and sunny so got a bucket of water and took a sponge bath and washed my clothes. Put them in a large Zip Lock with soap and water and squish around for a while then rinse in the creek and hang out for a while. About 3 decided to climb up the hill. 2000 feet up out of the James River bottom. Camped on top of the ridge, dry camp no water, so did not cook supper or breakfast to conserve water.
Had a hard time getting cell phone coverage the last couple of days. Seldom works from a shelter so have been trying to use the phone when I am at a high point with good visibility. Here in Montebello, town of 200 people there is no cell coverage of anykind.
May 20th, walked on to Pedlar Lake, city reservoir for Lynchberg. Ate lunch at the punchbowl shelter. Met Ms. Muster and Katsup two female thru hikers. A thru hiker is one who plans to walk the whole AT in one 12 mo. period. All else are section hikers.
There are two kinds of thru hikers, Traditional, that walk from one end to the other straight thru, may take breaks be return where they left off. The great majority walk south to north. Nontraditional or Flip Thru hikers jump around on the trail but walk the whole thing in the 12 mos. I have till next Feb 28 to finish. I am a flip hiker as I have skipped the distance from Erwin to Roanoke and plan to come back and finish that section after reaching Mt. Katahdin, Maine.
Camped with 3 middle aged ladies with their own dogs. Members of the Danville, VA kennel club. One has hiked all of the AT in sections except a 3 mile section in NH. Sketch, BoPeep and SueBop. They were doing an overnight.
Ran into a trail maintainer that was not quite all there. Was big, had a giant knife and was talking a little off. Was glad to get past him.
May 21st was at Hog Camp Gap, A meadow with spring. 10.1 miles, but with a 4000 foot elevation gain. Really a big big climb for an old man like me. Again was worn out. I have delusions each day of doing 15 miles, but after 10-12 hours of walking my body says forget it. Stayed with Ancient Ruin from Australia, Lost Arcadian from New Brunswick and Black Kat from who knows where.
May 22 I walked 11.1 miles to Spy Rock Road and down to spend two nights at the Dutch Haus Bed and Breakfast, owned by Earl and Lois Arnold, in the town of Montebello.
Pretty place, nicely done yard and gardens. Spent Fri. nite in the bunk house and Sat. in the main house. Will get back on the trail Sun. Morning at 8. Still have 39 miles to Waynesboro and the start of the Shenandoah’s. Taking a Zero day (no miles walked) to get my legs back in shape after the 4000 foot climb. They were sore to the touch today.
A week from tomorrow my Grandson, Logan Rafferty from Biloxi, MS is joining me for a month on the trail. He and I have hiked on and off since he was five or six, but never for this distance. Should be in PA by the time he leaves in early July. I think his Dad Sean is driving him up.
Guess that is the update for now. Please continue to pray for health and safety. Those local to Pelham, please continue to take care of Diane. I appreciate all you have done.
Keep on hiking
Grandpa Hugh
Remember “Use it or lose it” especially trail legs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)