Day 11 - Friday, February 26, 2021

We are finally getting back on the trail - hallelujah!  Due to the past winter storms we were forced to abandon the AT in Glenwood, New Jersey and then a secondary system delayed Jim getting his second vaccination for nearly a week. Fortunately the snow pack was not as extensive as we originally thought and thanks to some warmer weather we are able to resume our hiking at Harpers Ferry, WV; which consequently is also the site of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters & Visitors Center.  


So today is a travel day. Traveling 
6 hours to Charles Town, WV.  Our vehicles are packed full with all our equipment and provisions to stay out for the remainder of the thru-hike. 

As much as we are excited to be back on the trail, I am dealing with an annoying physical issue.  While biking in Florida last week passing the time off the trail, I had to stop unexpectedly (or didn’t stop rather).  I didn’t release my right foot from my pedal clips quick enough and I went down on the pavement 😡. My fall resulted in some minor cuts and bruises to my right hand, arm, knee and ego but I also hyperextended my right wrist, probably fracturing it. I didn’t have it x-rayed but I’ve injured myself enough to know it’s more than just a sprain. It’s been 12 days and I can only apply approximately 50% of normal weight bearing pressure on my wrist without experiencing some moderate pain. So the time off has helped healing, resting my wrist and I’ve kept it mobilized in a wrist splint... call me “Splinter” 🤨. I’ll just wear the brace and tape my wrist when hiking for a few more weeks...


On another completely unrelated subject I’d like to mention something that my sister Diane shared with my siblings and me this week. Have you ever heard of snow bales? My sister and her husband Bob woke up at their Westmoreland, NY home to find these in their backyard. Mother Nature’s magical and mystical phenomenon of the combination of the right relative humidity, air temperature, water content in the snow, ideal wind direction and speed combined with the right inclination of the land producing these rare anomalies. 


Thanks Bob for capturing this moment in the photo above and for him becoming the first non-corporate sponsor of our AT hiking adventure. Kudos Diane & Roberto!

We are definitely looking forward to resume hiking tomorrow....

Till next time... Happy Hiking 🥾 

😋

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