The Way I Go Along The Appalachian Trail

It was a good decision to do today’s “Nero” yesterday. Heavy rains are expected all day. This will give me a chance to run a few errands and pick up my anti-inflammatory compound from the Apothecary.  Today will officially be a “Zero” which is not a bad thing... Total hiking miles as of March 31st:                 NY-CT Border (1458.7 NoBo) to  County Road 565, Glenwood, NJ (1355.8  NoBo) =   102.9    miles.  Harpers Ferry, Byron Memorial Footbridge, MD-WV Border (1026.3 NoBo) to Salt Pond Road, USFS 191, VA (738.1 NoBo) = 288.2 miles Total hiking miles = 391.1 miles Till next time... Happy Hiking   🥾  😋

Today is going to be another great day for hiking; bright sunny skies and favorable temperatures in the 60’s.   We are continuing from   Bearwallow Gap, VA 43 (751.9 NoBo) to Blackhorse Gap (743.9 NoBo) for a total of  8.0 miles.... a near “Nero” test for my tendinitis which is better.  We began hiking at 9:50 am. The temperature  was already 47°.  Jim stayed up late watching the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.  He doesn’t do well if he doesn’t get his beauty sleep 🥴. Actually we met this gentleman first thing on the trail. He is 74 years old completing a solo section hike to Bear’s Den (1005.5 NoBo) to attend his daughters graduation. He was a Vietnam Navy Fighter Pilot, flying his last combat mission April 5, 1973. His trail name is “Intruder” for the type of fighter plane he flew.         Grumman A-6 Intruder We shook his hand told him thank you to him and to all the brave Americans that have fought for our Freedom which allows us to do the things we are able to do... like hiking

Back on the trail after a rain day. Took the opportunity to rest and recoup a little. I also went to Urgent Care to have my left Achilles evaluated and it is just tendinitis in which I was glad to hear. Doctor recommended an over the counter topical anti-inflammatory pain killer.  He also gave me the name of a local Apothecary who makes a topical Tylenol base anti-inflammatory compound that he thought would be very effective - I wonder if it’s got any moonshine in it 🤭. I will  also support/protect my Achilles with PT Tape.  Today’s hike in the Thomas Jefferson National Forest was from Cross Jennings Creek, VA 614 (758.5 NoBo) to Bearwallow Gap, VA 43 (751.9 NoBo) equaling 6.6 miles. This is a Nero; which was a good test for my Achilles.  We began hiking at 11:00 am. It is a beautiful sunny day and the temperature was 45°. Jean is right, we are loosing too much weight and need to eat more protein on the trail. View from Cove Mountain. On top of Cove Mountain  looking down on VA 43.  W

It rained all night and is expected to continue most of today. Remember, we’re a couple slack packers so today will be a Zero 🤭.  Most thru hikers take a trail day off every 7-10 days to regroup, carb up with a good meal, do laundry, restock supplies, relax and rest their weary bones.  I’ve developed a little tendinitis in my left Achilles so today’s zero couldn’t come at a better time. Some times you just got to do what you got to do. On a positive note, my wrist is nearly 100% so I won’t need to wear the brace any longer. 🥳 Here’s one of my favorite pictures I’ve taken so far,  so it’s definitely worth sharing again.  Enjoy! Back on the trail tomorrow.  Till next time... Happy hiking  🥾  😋

Today we are hiking from Cross Jennings Creek, VA 614 (758.5 NoBo) continuing to Apple Orchard  Mountain Falls Trail (769.8 NoBo)  equalling 11.3 miles; so TODAY is a short hike 😒. Tomorrow’s forecast is for heavy rain so we are thinking about doing a “Nero” in the morning before rain starts in the early afternoon.      (Nero  - Short for “nearly  zero ,” or a partial day off (very few miles walked) during a long-distance hike.) Because today was a shorter hike with favorable weather conditions we started later than normal. That and we slept in a little to get some extra rest from our long hike yesterday. We began hiking at 10:45 am. Skies were sunny and the temperature was already 62°. Trail debris along the trail. Most areas south of Skyline Drive have been cleared. The Bryant Ridge Shelter. When reading trail blogs and journals many talk about how bad the shelters are; they say they are dirty, run down and rodent infested. I haven’t seen a bad one yet and this one was actually very

Today we are hiking from US 501, VA 130 (787.3 NoBo) to Petites Gap, BRP 71 (777.2 NoBo)  for a total of 10.1miles. One of our shorter hikes but it will be a well deserved break.  I called my martial arts Grandmaster and Instructor, Grandmaster Clifford C. Crandall Jr. yesterday from on top of Big Rock Row, as I had ce ll coverage, to talk with him about our upcoming Instructors Staffing  Meeting and semi-annual Black Belt Ceremonial Luncheon tomorrow. I’m obviously on the trail and I would not be able to attend. Grandmaster Crandall and I talked about how well the school is doing  even amidst covid19 and he informed me how 17 Black Belts in our school, American Martial Arts Institute (amai-eagle style.com) have earned new rank and will be recognized at the luncheon. This is tremendous growth in our school and I want to personally congratulate each one. I will be thinking of them and will send them my ki. So, we were driving to the trail on Petite Gap Road and we’re nearly there when