(Fri. 5/18/12) Blackburn AT Center, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett is sounding really good on the phone these days. It makes me happy to hear him so positive again. He was camping (alone) at the Blackburn AT Center just at the end of VA.

Brett is now a "Thousand-Miler". Brett has walked over 1,000 miles. One Thousand Miles! That is huge.

Harpers Ferry is the unofficial half-way point of the trail. It is where the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters are. Thru-hikers are encouraged to check in and have their photo taken for an album kept there. Although it's not the half-way point in terms of mileage, it is kind of the psychological half-way point.

The true half-way point [1092.1 miles] is coming up in Pennsylvania. Just past the true half-way point hikers can participate in the Half Gallon Challenge at the Pine Grove General Store. Finish a half gallon of ice cream by yourself in one sitting and you get . . . I'm not actually sure--the ice cream for free? a T-shirt? bragging rights? Brett said he didn't think he would have any problem completing the challenge.

Brett said he would be arriving in Harpers Ferry over the weekend, staying in the Teahorse Hostel. Brett's dad has two cousins who live relatively close to Harpers Ferry who were both interested in meeting Brett there. Brett has never met them and it has been a number of years since his dad has been able to see them, but they were interested in meeting up with Brett, taking him out to eat, and showing their family support.

[Brett called me on Saturday. He arrived in town and was working out his plans for the weekend. He had been hoping to make a detour to check out Washington D.C., but it didn't look like it would work out.]

(Tue. 5/15/12) Front Royal, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett made it to Front Royal today. (He kept trying to call it Fort Royale, but it's FRONT Royal.) I had a mail drop sent to a hostel for Brett. The hostel was in the basement of someone's home. Brett said it was nicer than most of the hostels he's stayed in: simple, but nice; clean; one of his favorites so far.

"Buzz Kill" was staying at the shelter as well. It sounds like their pace has been very similar.

He was able to do some laundry, take a shower, and dry off from all the rain he's had. He has walked in wet socks for two days. They just never had a chance to dry out.

The shelter is so nice that Brett was tempted to take a zero day. He will definitely take a shuttle in to town to resupply and maybe go to the library to use the computer and print off some information. (I forgot to send the pages he needed from his A.T. Guide--Bad Hun!)

Brett finished the Shenandoah's today, another milestone for him. Harpers Ferry is about 60 miles away. Brett thinks it will take him about 4 days to get there, so he should arrive sometime this weekend. Between Front Royal and Harpers Ferry Brett will have to hike "The Roller Coaster," thirteen 500-foot hills, up-down-up-down-repeat. Those kind of hikes are known as PUD's: pointless ups and downs.

Everyone says that you can't go through Shenandoah National Park without seeing a bear. Brett heard a bear in camp; he saw bear poop; but he never saw a bear. Other hikers saw a bear. A few asked him, "Hey, did you see that bear back there?" Apparently, Brett just missed it. I'm sure he'll have more opportunities to see a bear along the trail.

I think Brett enjoyed hiking through Shenandoah N.P. There are "waysides" along the way, concession stands where you can resupply as well as get a hot meal (burgers, fries, and a blackberry shake). Apparently, the park is known for their blackberries. They sell blackberry everything: jams, syrups, etc.

On Mother's Day, another hiker encouraged Brett to eat the Sunday brunch at a resort/lodge. It was a fancier restaurant and they were keeping longer hours for the holiday. It ended up being a little more expensive than they expected, because they had a more extensive buffet. Brett said they were serving a pork loin with red cabbage (a traditional German meal) as well as pickled/marinated mushrooms (a traditional Mitchell appetizer). Those foods really tasted good, a reminder of home.

Brett had another funny "homeless" experience. Brett had tented in a grassy city park by the YMCA in Waynesboro. He had set up his tent, picked up his new backpack, emptied the old pack, and left it there for a bit. He picked up his complimentary shower kit (soap, shampoo, etc.) at the YMCA and showered. When he got back to his tent he started packing everything into his new backpack when he saw a few dollar bills in the tent. Brett thought it was kind of odd, but thought maybe he had dropped some bills with all the packing/unpacking. Later, a lady approached him with some grocery bags full of food, books, etc. She said something like, "I'm so glad I saw you. I went home and couldn't stop thinking about. I put these bags together for you. Just thinking of me as your angel. Don't you worry. We've all be there. It'll get better." Poor Brett just didn't what to say. The woman was so sincere in her desire to help homeless-looking Brett that he simply couldn't refuse her. Brett did tell the woman he was hiking the trail. But that made her desire to help just as great; after all, he'll really need all this food to make it to Maine! In the end, Brett took the donations to the YMCA and asked them to donate it to the church that puts the shower kits together for the hikers. Surely they can find someone in greater need than Brett.

I'm sure that Brett was very gracious as he talked with this woman. It's nice to hear about people being kind and generous with no expectation of compensation or reward.

(Sun. 5/13/12) ?, VA - Phone Update From Brett

What a great start to my Mother's Day--hearing from Brett before I headed off to church. I didn't get to take my shower, and I was still 10 minutes late to church, but it was worth it. We talked mostly about home and less about updates from the trail.

Brett had mentioned that one thing he misses on the trail is hearing his cuckoo clock. Brett took off the weights before he left, knowing that I wouldn't care to keep up with winding it every week. So, I have not heard the cuckoo clock singing every half hour either. But I can't really say that I have missed it.

Brett was still in the Shenandoah's and was expecting to see more wildlife. He heard a bear come by the shelter during the night, snorting and checking out camp. But the bear got spooked and took off. Brett never got to see it.

There are a lot of tame deer in the area. Brett had gotten up early and peed about 5 feet away from his tent. That morning there was a deer who was eating the dry, brown leaves Brett had peed on. The deer got spooked off for a minute, but came right back to the same spot to munch on the pee-leaves. Brett thinks there must be something the deer needed from the urine--salt? Very strange, a little gross, but also kind of interesting.

Brett was calling from the peak of a mountain and expected to be in Front Royal in about two days.

(Tue. 5/8/12) Waynesboro, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett made it into Waynesboro, so he had reliable phone service. He was tenting outside of the YMCA. They allow hikers to set up tents outside and use the showers in the YMCA. He was expecting heavy thunderstorms that evening.

Brett had to replace his backpack. He had a new one shipped to Waynesboro. Brett had made some modifications to his first backpack. There was a few things, including a "poofy pocket" for a water bottle, that he wanted to add to this new backpack as well. So he ended up spending about two hours sewing the new pack until his fingers were bleeding. He whittled down some of his gear again and sent a box back home.

Brett has been hiking in his Chaco sandals for about 100 miles so far. He has always been a sandal person, and the weather is only getting better for them.

It was still early enough that Brett was headed to the library in town. I think he was looking forward to having some indoor quiet time for writing in his journal and maybe using the computer (if they allowed non-residents to use them).

Brett finished the Blue Ridge Parkway that day and would be starting the Shenandoah National Park/Skyline Drive. The trail in Shenandoah should be easier.

Brett is down at least 37.5 pounds, even though he's eating as much as he can carry. (Yes, he's taking his vitamins.)

Brett's tooth is feeling better this week. It's not hurting like it was. I hope that he will get it taken care of when he visits his friend Don in Pennsylvania.

I asked about wildlife. He sid that he is hearing more birds in the woods, but hasn't seen anything spectacular. He did see a black and white nuthatch that was pretty. He saw a big rattlesnake on top of a mountain. And while he was walking through Waynesboro he saw some pretty cute baby goslings in the park.

When he was staying at the Dutch House Hostel he enjoyed seeing the pretty goldfinches and hummingbirds at the feeders the owner had said up. Apparently, at certain times of the year the hummingbirds come through in such great numbers that the feeders have to be refilled daily.

What Brett has really liked seeing on the trail are the red/bright orange salamanders. He said the color is so unreal, they look like little gummy worms you could just pick up and eat. (I'll have to get him to identify the species when we get to a computer.)

I think Brett is looking forward to seeing  more wildlife in Shenandoah, which is known for tame deer . . . and bears . . . and ticks. He has found about a dozen or so ticks on him, only two of which were buried in. The rest he could just brush off.

Brett is really enjoying the small towns on the trail: small-town America. He feels completely comfortable in these small towns and doesn't feel out of place. He does look a little out of place, though. Brett said he definitely looks homeless: long hair, long beard, dirty, smelly, with pants that keep falling down. He had been sitting by the side of a road. Someone passing by stopped and offered him a beer saying, "You look like you could use one." (Brett graciously declined.)

Brett did comment on the sad dental state of many a small-town West Virginia/Virginia resident. He was shopping in a Dollar General recently, and the young, pretty girl at the cash register had just one front tooth. Brett said these kind of toothless smiles are, sadly, prevalent.

I asked Brett whether he has been keeping the same pace with any hikers. He said "Buzz Kill" is still around. They started at Springer on the same day and have leap-frogged each other throughout their hikes. The last few days he enjoyed keeping up with a retired Marine from Virginia Beach. The Marine was a section hiker who would be getting off in Harpers Ferry, I believe.

Brett's attitude is definitely getting better. I can hear the difference in his voice as we talk. He said does not have the big doubts that he had earlier in Virginia. (Those of us at home never doubted him!)

(Mon. 5/7/12) ?, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Cell phone reception is still not great. I was looking forward to hearing from Brett, and finally heard from him on Monday. Our conversation lasted about a minute, but the phone kept cutting out. Brett called back and we had about half a minute of a conversation. How frustrating!

He was about five miles outside of Waynesboro, VA, and that's all I got from the update!

(Sat. 5/5/12) Montebello, VA - Email Update From Brett

I am at Dutch Haus B&B. No cell service, but I have Internet. I should be in Waynesborough on Tuesday. I have a new backpack being sent there. I am just about done with the Blue Ridge Pkwy. There is no way that we could have worked out a way for Dad to meet me. It was just not what I thought it would be.

I am having some medical issues that I am worried about but will talk to you about those later. I am in for a good rest today and should be back on the trail tomorrow afternoon. Things are still going well. Once I get to Shenandoah NP it is rumored that the terrain will get easier. I am looking forward to that.

I may not be out of the so-to-say "blues," but I do feel better again about what I am doing. I do believe that I can do this. It is just tough and somewhat monotonous. Someone I was talking to a few days ago said something to me like, "Either you think it is worth the effort [and tough it out] or you go home. It is that simple." I thought that was a good way to put it simply. It really is that easy of a choice. I know it is worth the struggle. I am the one who is making myself climb this stupid hill and cuss it the whole way. I am deciding to do this, and I can decide to quit whenever I want to. I know that it is worth the effort. What is keeping me going right now is that it will get easier soon.

I am still taking pictures, but I have to say they are tapering off, because there is not as much to see. Anything that is worthwhile I do take a picture of.

I crossed the James River the other day and was told that it was a tradition for a thru hiker to jump off the bridge. So I had to do that twice. The first time I had to see if I would survive, and the second time I jumped to get it on video to show everyone else how stupid I am. It would be like jumping off the top of Shalimar Bridge. Scary as hell to actually let go of the rail the first time. Then it was fairly easy. Gravity took over and did the rest. The water was cold but felt refreshing after a few.

We have had a few 90 degree days. It really takes a toll on hiking up hills. I think I came close to drinking 3 gallons of water the other day, and I really did not pee much.

I should be able to call in a few days. Until then, love you Hun.

Email from Brett later in the day:
If the scale here is right, I am now below 200 pounds. That is over 40 pounds lost.

(Wed. 5/2/12) Glasgow, VA - E-mail Update From Brett

I have been feeling better the last few days. Been trying hard and have been enjoying things more. It is still work, but I have been feeling better. I will call in a few. I was in and out of Glasgow today for resupply. I should be in Waynesboro by Monday.  Love you and thank you for the support. It really means a lot to know the confidence you have in me. It definitely makes a difference, and it helps keep me going.

Perspective From a Former Thru-Hiker; and (Mon. 4/30/12) E-mail From Brett

In preparing for his hike Brett read a lot of trail journals, including the blog of Lindsey, a girl who finished her thru-hike last year. On a whim I went back to her blog and saw that she had recently posted on the anniversary of her start date. I e-mailed what she wrote to Brett. I think it helps to see it from this point of view.

Springer Fever

Has it been a year already?

I remember the nerves I felt as I left Amicalola Falls State Park a year ago. I kept questioning myself and my decisions. What made me think I could complete such a seemingly impossible task? Would the reward be worth the effort?

Today, a year since I started and roughly five months since I finished, I wonder why those questions were even in my mind. Impossible? Hardly. The reward? Greater than I could have imagined.

It's amazing how much my experience still affects me. I feel a strange ache in my left foot when I walk, I refer to grocery shopping as "resupplying," and I crave Pop Tarts, peanut butter, and Knorr sides. I'm so jealous of all the people starting their thru-hikes this year.

Seth and I are going back to the trail this weekend/next week to do some trail magic and hike for a few days. I'm curious how the hike will be mentally, as well as physically. I can't wait to see a white blaze,  and I'm almost looking forward to waking up with a hiker hobble again!

Brett's E-mailed Response:

Thanks for that update.  Everything helps. I already know everything she said is true.  It's just in the middle of the journey when the effort and struggles are tough. Today was good. Feeling good, but tired now. 20 mile day. 

(Sun. 4/29/12) Troutville, VA - Phone Update From Brett

After talking to Brett late Saturday night, this Sunday evening phone call was a surprise.

Brett had stayed up on Saturday until about 2:30am. He didn't go very far in the morning, stopping by the fire station in Troutville, VA. They let thru-hikers use the station. Brett did some laundry, washing his clothes three times before they passed as "clean". He took a shower for the second day in a row, just because he could. He had time while waiting for the laundry to relax in the common room, let his knee rest, and get caught up on some journaling. Then he hiked about 4 miles to a shelter.

The shelter was at the top of a hill and there was no one around. Brett has hiked and camped alone before. But having just said good-bye to Ed and knowing that he wasn't ahead of him on the trail, in addition to Brett's own struggle, left Brett feeling a little lonely. This is the first time Brett has called home just to talk to someone.

I still have confidence in Brett. But it is hard to hear about him having a tough time and not be able to do more to help him.

(Sat. 4/28/12 late) Daleville, VA - Phone Update from Brett

After seeing the beautiful photo of Brett on McAfee Knob, I was hoping that things were going better for Brett. Not so.

It started pouring rain about a half-mile before Brett got in to Daleville. He had lunch at Pizza Hut and went shopping for supplies. He talked to Ed on the phone. Ed was ahead of Brett on the trail, and they hadn't seen each other in a few days. Ed was heading out of Daleville when the downpour started. He continued six miles on the trail before he decided he was done. Brett asked Ed walk back to Daleville. Then the two of them went out to dinner and chipped in on a hotel room. It was almost midnight EDT when Brett called me.

It sounds like Brett and Ed had a good conversation over dinner. There is a big wave of drop-outs in Georgia, and another in Virginia. Brett said he saw two other hikers walk off the trail that week. The "Virginia Blues" are hitting everyone. By the time you get to Virginia you have seen just about everything you are going to see: rain, snow, hunger, blisters, hills, and more hills. The vistas all start to look the same. You start to ask yourself, "Why am I here?"

Brett hit a wall last week, and was still in a funk the next day. Then he was climbing a hill in the rain and said, "I've got to change my attitude." He started singing out loud one song after another. Before he knew it, he was at the top. He had a dry hostel to look forward to and was starting to feel better.

Now, however, he has started questioning himself again. He saw how relieved and excited Ed was about going home. Ed was happy with his decision. There aren't many guys in the same situation as Brett and Ed. Most people on the trail don't have families and a home to be homesick for. It makes it a little tougher.

I had told Brett how people ask me whether Brett is having fun. Brett said he thought about that some more. There are a lot of things at home that Brett has fun doing. Throwing the frisbee with Copper is fun. Fishing and hunting are fun. Going out on the boat is fun. Sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed, while not exactly "fun", it sure is nice. Hiking and going up hills is not fun. But the experience is more rewarding than temporary fun is.

Brett know that this experience will be very rewarding, but feeling good about the hike "now" is a more difficult. It doesn't help that Brett's body is starting to feel the stress of hiking every day (he crossed 700 miles the day prior). His feet are starting to do better, but four days previous to the call his left knee started bothering him. It especially hurts when he is going up or down steps (hate those hills!). His tooth is also bothering him. We'll need to find a way to get him to a dentist on the trail.

Now Brett needs to reevaluate his hike. He will need to work through his emotions this week and find his answer to the question, "Why am I doing this?"

(Sat. 4/28/12) McAfee Knob, VA - Email and Photo From Hiker

I missed two calls from Brett, though I was anxious for an update. I was excited to get this email with a gorgeous photo attached.

We really enjoyed meeting your husband yesterday and hiking part of the way with him up to McAfee Knob.
Bob

(Thu. 4/26/12) Catawba, VA - Phone Update From Brett

After almost a week, I finally heard from Brett again. There hasn't been much cell phone service, especially in the valleys.

It was a tough week. In addition to raining almost all week, they got three inches of snow. Brett had a bad day the day before. He was freezing and tired. It's not fun and you start asking yourself "why?" He was staying at Four Pines Hostel, about 30 miles from Dalesville, VA. He felt a little better after showering, getting dry, and going out to eat. But he still hates going up hills. "You get sick of it."

Brett saw Ed a couple of days earlier. They stayed in a guy's backyard, hunkering down through the weather. However, he wasn't sure if he would see Ed again. Ed is pushing more, and Brett feels miserable hiking those long days.

(Fri. 4/20/12) Pearisburg, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett called from Pearisburg, VA. He had stayed at Woods Hole Hostel, about 10 miles from town. He came into town town to resupply, and will go another 7 miles to the next shelter. He said some bad weather was moving in. Brett gave me a list for a mail drop for Daleville, VA for the following week.

Brett thinks he may have a cavity (his first), which will be a little difficult to address on the trail. He's going to give another week and see how it feels.

Brett met up with Ed at the hostel, but they split up again with Ed moving forward more quickly.

In answer to the question, "Is Brett enjoying the trail?" Brett came up with kind of an analogy. He guesses it may be similar to childbirth on the "fun scale". Do you enjoy it? No you don't enjoy the pain. Brett doesn't enjoy every minute of the trail--certainly not every hill or storm. But ultimately, he is enjoying the trip because he is proud of what he has accomplished and is accomplishing.

(Wed. 4/18/12) Bastian, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Had a phone call from Brett this day. Brett made it to the small town of Bastian, VA, and resupplied at Trent's Grocery. He was able to take a shower, but didn't have soap or a towel. He set up in the yard of the owner's of the store. (Brett was chased by a duck while we talked.) It had rained all day and Brett was wet and cold. He expected to stay at a hostel south of Pearisburg the next day. Brett had not seen Ed in a few days. Ed was pushing on more. Brett's had about three toe blisters. He asked me to send him his Chaco sandals, saying that his toes want to spread out a bit. There is an outfitter about 100 miles north of Bastian where Brett could pick up a mail drop.

I told Brett that a lot of people ask me, "So, is Brett really enjoying it?" I never know how to answer that question. Brett agreed. Answering "yes" or "no" isn't really accurate. It is hard work. But with that hard work comes a sense of accomplishment. It is personally satisfying. One of the hard things for Brett is going uphill. There are a lot of false peaks, and sometimes Brett is just ready to get to camp. This day Brett crossed 600 miles. That is a lot of miles! Hiking the trail is a good experience. Town is fun. And it is nice living in the mountains for months.

Brett said that the water situation had not been good that week. There had not been any rain until that day.

The trees are really showing the light green of Spring. In two weeks Brett's expects to be in full shade in the mountains from the foliage. Brett saw the biggest toad in the middle of the trail. A huge, two-pound (exaggeration?) toad! He has found tons of ramps, an onion/garlic bulb that grows wild in the mountains. The leaves are strong, but the bulb is mild. Brett picked some and sauteed them with his dinner. He also found a Morel mushroom, but didn't gather or eat that.

Brett has been eating the mess out of fruit roll-ups. He has been able to resupply fairly easily. Most every small town has a Dollar General, which is where he ends up going a lot.

Virginia is pretty, though he has gone through some "dumpy" towns. The lower elevation has a lot of pastures and climbs that aren't as big.

He came across two sisters (and their dog) on the trail who grew up in Pensacola. There were going rather slow.

(Sat. 4/14/12) Atkins, VA - Phone Update From Brett

I wasn't expecting to hear from Brett so soon, but I was able to talk with him an hour and a half this evening. Although they stayed in a hotel last night in Marion, Va., the two guys Brett was hiking with ("Tater Tot" and "Buzz-Kill") wanted to stay in Atkins, Va., tonight. So they are enjoying a second hotel stay.

Brett expects to be in Pearisburg, Va., in about a week where I may send him a mail drop.

This morning the guys had to hitch-hike from Marion back to the trail. They tried calling to arrange a ride through the county public transportation, but the Friday driver didn't mention that the dispatch office was off on Saturdays. They would have needed a more direct phone number for the Saturday driver in order to schedule a pick-up. Once on the trail they hiked about 12 miles into Atkins.

The reason these hungry hikers wanted to get to Atkins was to enjoy the famous One-Pound-Hiker-Burger at The Barn Restaurant. Apparently it was worth it. Brett said that it was, hands-down, the best burger he's had on the trail. It even rivals the burger he gets at Simply Good, his favorite local restaurant (a dive with a good burger and friendly employees). The Big Red Barn burger was made with two beef patties, whereas the Simply Good burger is made with one. Other than that, they were just about the same: good meat, good sauce, great burger! (I haven't actually had one of Simply Good's burgers. I think I need to talk Brett into taking me again.)

Brett found a good scale today and says he has lost a total of about 25 pounds. He feels better and stronger. Brett's beard is getting longer and is full of gray. Brett says he looks pretty rough, but he really doesn't mind looking the part of the mountain man.

Brett's feet are doing okay. He might get a little blister here or there, but they are not crippling blisters like the bad blister he had on his left heel. His first pair of shoes were his favorite before they started wearing down, but the shoes he has now are okay.

Brett and I talked about what he has accomplished so far on the trail. He has been on the trail for two months,  rain or shine, with a 45-pound backpack, and has hiked over 500 miles. That is something to be proud of. Even if he had to stop now (which he has no intention of doing), this would be a success story. He definitely feels the support from his friends and family. Looking back on what he has done so far gives him a certain amount of confidence and makes continuing on through the rough patches a little easier.

(Fri. 4/13/12) Marion, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett has been out of cell phone range this last week. I was excited to hear from him last night. Unfortunately, the cell phone quickly started breaking up and we had to cut our call short.

In Damascus last weekend Brett received his package with the summer-weight sleeping bag and lighter down pullover. He boxed up his winter-weight sleeping bag, down jacket, and long johns. Then at the beginning of the week a cold front came through and Brett experienced his coldest day on the trail--with only his summer gear to help him through. He said that it was warming up (it was only supposed to be in the 30's on Friday night), but should get a little warmer in a few days.

Brett called back today. He made it into Marion, Virginia, an interstate town a couple of miles from the trail. Last night he mentioned his plan to hitch-hike into town. I am assuming he was successful. Marion is a bigger town with a Wal-mart, hotels, restaurants, etc. where they were able to get some resupplying done. Brett, Ed and another hiker pooled together and got a hotel room. Brett said it feels good to be clean. He said it is the first real shower he has had in about two weeks. Apparently, the shower he had at the hostel in Damascus ran out of hot water quickly. Tonight they have plans to do laundry and go out for dinner.

Update/End of the night call:
Brett called me on his walk back from the restaurant to the hotel. It didn't sound like he had an impressive dinner. They just chose the restaurant because it was convenient to walk to from the hotel.

I asked about whether they had to hitch-hike into town. They didn't. They were able to use county transportation to get them from their shelter last night to town. Last night they stayed at Partnership Shelter, a really nice shelter next to a National Forest Service visitor center. They have a shower (with cold water) and a phone. Apparently, a traditional thing to do when staying at this shelter is to use the phone to order a pizza delivery. So, of course, Brett has to follow tradition. Brett said he suspects that the pizza is probably pretty good when you eat it in the store, but it wasn't that great by the time they got it. It was cold and kind of dry.

In the morning, they were able to use the phone to call the county public transportation and arrange a ride into town. They plan to use the public transportation tomorrow to get from the hotel back to the trail. Not a bad deal for $0.50.

Brett said that he offered to take the floor in the hotel tonight. He said that he is quite comfortable on his sleeping pad. Brett said that he would take sleeping in his cozy tent apartment over a shelter any day. The only thing he doesn't like is setting up or taking down camp in the rain. That is no fun. He has spent only two nights in a shelter so far because of bad weather. One night was the hail storm, previously mentioned. The other time was he chose to sleep in a shelter because it had been raining for an hour before it was time to set up and was expected to rain through the night.

Brett said he has been sleeping well. That is, before the cold snap came through. He couldn't sleep last night because he was so cold with all of his warm gear gone.

A typical evening schedule might be:
7:00pm - retire to bed
8:00pm - write in journal for a while; fall asleep fairly quickly after journaling
1:00am - wake up; toss and turn for a little before falling back asleep
6:30am - wake up
7:00am - get out of bed and start packing up camp
8:00am - ready to hit the trail
Brett did say the times are starting to get a little earlier than the above with the days getting longer.

(Sat. 4/7/12, Sun. 4/8/12) Damascus, VA - Phone Update From Brett

I had a couple of nice phone calls from Brett on Easter weekend. It was a treat to talk to Brett so long after not hearing from him much during the week because of poor cell phone reception.

Brett arrived in Damascus, VA, on Saturday and got the package he asked me to send him. He switched out his winter gear. Because it was Easter weekend, I included a small bag of candy and a few filled plastic Easter eggs. In addition to candy, I put a slip of paper in each egg with a sweet message. Brett opened up the box, saw the candy, and passed around the bag to share his goods with some hikers who were with them. Each of them reached in the bag and grabbed one of the plastic egg. They opened their eggs about the same time and read the sweet and loving messages inside. "Uhhh, Brett, I think these are for you."

When Brett called me on Saturday I was on the beach watching the sunset with my sister-in-law. I was glad that Brett was enjoying his own perfect spring evening in Damascus. Brett was walking down the small main street of Damascus. He said the weather was perfect, the town was quaint, and the flowering dogwood trees were beautiful.

Brett aslo called me on Sunday. He had spent the night at a hostel in Damascus. The hostel was an old bunkhouse, now run by the Methodist Church.

Brett enjoyed some trail magic in Damascus. The owners of a Bread & Breakfast (minus the breakfast) host "Sundaes on Sundays" each week. They have all the makings for sundaes including fruit, cookies, caramel, etc. Brett had a chance to talk with the owners and their daughter. They were really nice folk. Brett had a wonderful conversation with them. The father was a thru-hiker from 2000. The daughter, who was a thru-hiker from 2006(?) following in her father's footsteps, met her husband on the trail. During the course of their conversation, Brett discovered that this family moved to Damascus from Niceville about 8 years ago. The daughter graduation from NHS in 1998 and went on to FSU. They discovered some common acquaintances: Jeff W., and one of Brett's coworkers John Cl.

Brett really enjoys having intellectual conversations with people. Most of the conversations he has had with people on the trail is simply about:
1) gear
2) who you are, where you are from, etc.
3) why you are hiking the trail
Brett really enjoys former or more experienced hikers "What advice do you have me?".
[Unfortunately, I don't remember hearing if the owner of the B&B and former thru-hiker was able to answer that question for Brett.]

I was happy to hear that Brett had such an enjoyable weekend. I think it does a lot to keep one's spirits up.

Virginia Timeline (4/7/12 - 5/19/12)

4/7/12 (Sat.) - Crossed the TN/VA border [463.2 mi.]
4/7/12 (Sat.) - Stayed at The Place, a Methodist run hostel in Damascus, VA [468 mi.].
Switched out winter gear for summer gear.
4/8/12 (Sun.) - Easter Sunday. Spent a zero day in Damascus, VA.
4/13/12 (Fri.) - Stayed in a hotel in Marion, VA [530.7 mi.].
4/14/12 (Sat.) - Stayed in a hotel in Atkins, VA [542.2 mi.].
4/18/12 (Wed.) - Stayed in a yard near Trent's Grocery in Bastian, VA [605.5 mi.].
4/19/12 (Thu.) - Stayed at Woods Hole Hostel outside of Pearisburg, VA [619.4 mi.].
4/20/12 (Fri.) - Resupplied in Pearisburg, VA [629.8 mi.].
4/26/12 (Thu.) - Stayed at Four Pines Hostel in Catawba, VA [696.8 mi.].
4/28/12 (Sat.) - Stayed at a hotel in Daleville, VA [722.5 mi.].
4/29/12 (Sun.) - Stayed at Fullhardt Knob Shelter outside of Troutville, VA [727.5 mi.].
5/3/12 (Wed.) - Resupplied in Glasgow, VA [779.3 mi.].
5/5/12 (Sat.) - Stayed at Dutch Haus B&B in Montebello, VA [817.4 mi.].
5/8/12 (Tue.) - Tented by the YMCA in Waynesboro, VA [? mi.].
5/15/12 (Tue.) - Stayed at Front Royal Terrapin Station Hostel in Chester Gap, VA [957.3 mi.].
5/18/12 (Fri.) - Hiked 1,000 miles! (VA/WV border)
5/18/12 (Fri.) - Camped at Blackburn AT Center,VA [1004.8 mi.]
5/19/12 (Sat.) - Crossed the (final) VA/WV border [1014.9 mi.]