Sunday, November 8, 2009
at home
I'm finishing up a little break back at my parents house, heading back onto the trail this morning at Max Patch, north of I-40 since I-40 is closed and all. Looks like there should be mostly good weather for the Smokies, only 250 miles left! Should be done in 2 weeks or less.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Virginia
So here I am, 4 states away from the end of my hike... granted that the one I'm in right now is 550 miles long or something. A good quarter or more of the whole trail. Turns out Virginia with its being a big state and unnecessary amount of switchbacks takes up more than its fair share of miles. But hey, from Rockfish gap there's 850 miles to go, which seems substantially less than the 1330 I've already done, and I'm still having a lot of fun. Who knows what will happen when I get back home anyway? Still haven't heard back from the peace corps... perhaps applying for grad schools will be in order?
But for now I'm more concerned with the troubles on the trail than after it. You know, rain, sore feet, angry cows, black bears falling from trees, hikers with severe emotional and mental issues, tourists, but most of all high voltage.
This is a shot of a typical hiker shelter along the trail. I'll be using these for 3 or 4 days seeing as how my tent (which I conveniently put back in my pack after deciding it was worth the weight somewhere back in vermont), had some pole malfunctions. So, add mice to the list of trail issues. Or rats that apparently steal people's socks and shoe insoles? Dunno, I did not stay at that shelter. Bears do apparently frequent some shelters though, as I found out one lonely night after getting into camp at about 8pm (dark.) I had a black furry visitor come by every few hours to check on me and see how I was doing. He seemed undeterred by my yelling and clapping, but fortunately disinterested in my lack of food (thanks bear bag.) I saw one bear my entire trip before entering Shenendoah National Park (not coincidentally the day before), and over the past 3 days I lost count, but I would guess around 20. They are everywhere. One fell off a tree in attempts to run away from me. Pretty hilarious.
After hiking through almost all of the Shenendoahs, my roommate (center) Charles from last year picked me up, and we headed back to crash at his place. He's going to grad school in Charlottesville now. The next day we headed out and finished the remaining 12 miles of the AT to Rock Fish Gap. Hiking 12 miles without my backpack on felt pretty amazing. Tomorrow I imagine I'll hike much further with a pack fully stocked on food. I do like food though.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the letters back in Duncannon, I was pretty astonished when the post office lady handed me the stack. Next stop is Pearisburg, VA, then Damascus, VA, then Tenessee??? That sounds disturbingly close to home. Perhaps some of you North Carolina folks will have to come do some walking with me soon?
Post office stuff;
Pearisburg, VA 24134, ETA Oct. 14th
Damascus, VA 24236, ETA Oct. 24th
Oh, and thanks to the Chamberlains in Harper's Ferry for the place to stay and food and everything. Things like that make the trip.
Anyway, looks like it is waaaay past my bed time, hiker midnight is 9pm. 'night
But for now I'm more concerned with the troubles on the trail than after it. You know, rain, sore feet, angry cows, black bears falling from trees, hikers with severe emotional and mental issues, tourists, but most of all high voltage. 
This is a shot of a typical hiker shelter along the trail. I'll be using these for 3 or 4 days seeing as how my tent (which I conveniently put back in my pack after deciding it was worth the weight somewhere back in vermont), had some pole malfunctions. So, add mice to the list of trail issues. Or rats that apparently steal people's socks and shoe insoles? Dunno, I did not stay at that shelter. Bears do apparently frequent some shelters though, as I found out one lonely night after getting into camp at about 8pm (dark.) I had a black furry visitor come by every few hours to check on me and see how I was doing. He seemed undeterred by my yelling and clapping, but fortunately disinterested in my lack of food (thanks bear bag.) I saw one bear my entire trip before entering Shenendoah National Park (not coincidentally the day before), and over the past 3 days I lost count, but I would guess around 20. They are everywhere. One fell off a tree in attempts to run away from me. Pretty hilarious. 
After hiking through almost all of the Shenendoahs, my roommate (center) Charles from last year picked me up, and we headed back to crash at his place. He's going to grad school in Charlottesville now. The next day we headed out and finished the remaining 12 miles of the AT to Rock Fish Gap. Hiking 12 miles without my backpack on felt pretty amazing. Tomorrow I imagine I'll hike much further with a pack fully stocked on food. I do like food though.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for all the letters back in Duncannon, I was pretty astonished when the post office lady handed me the stack. Next stop is Pearisburg, VA, then Damascus, VA, then Tenessee??? That sounds disturbingly close to home. Perhaps some of you North Carolina folks will have to come do some walking with me soon?
Post office stuff;
Pearisburg, VA 24134, ETA Oct. 14th
Damascus, VA 24236, ETA Oct. 24th
Oh, and thanks to the Chamberlains in Harper's Ferry for the place to stay and food and everything. Things like that make the trip.
Anyway, looks like it is waaaay past my bed time, hiker midnight is 9pm. 'night
Friday, September 11, 2009
Still alive and hiking!
So after 30 minutes or so of posting pictures up, I seem to have accidentally deleted the entire post by trying to add this one more picture. At least its a good one. I'm in Unionville, NY, having an awesome time, excited about hiking through New Jersey and PA. I'll post more later I promise. Right now I'm kind of frustrated at the internet.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Vermont/Post offices/ect.
Post Offices:
Williamstown, MA 01267
ETA 8/25/09
Kent, CT 06757
ETA 9.4.09
So I just rolled into Rutland VT this morning, after camping out in the parking lot of a Pub. Pretty excellent except for the guy who was also camping there who insisted on playing NPR really loud until 6am. I don't really understand that. But the Pub was pretty sweet, delicious Guiness, and the guy poured it so that there was a clover in the foam. I thought it was impressive.
Anyways, no pictures now cause I'm not sure where the cord is and I only get 30 minutes of internets at this library, but VT is really pretty. Not as intense as New Hampshire, but lots of rolling green hills, open meadows, blackberries, and little stores to get coke and ice cream from. Also, for the first time since the very beginning of the trail, there are extended flat easy sections. Its pretty fantastic. I've hiked 42 miles in the past 2 days, and don't feel too sore. There are a lot of yellow jackets though apparently. Three guys I was hiking with yesterday stirred up a nest right after we left this lake we were swimming in. I was still putting my shoes on after floating on my backpack in the pond for a little while. One of the guys bet me 20 bucks that my back pack wouldn't float me because everything in it is in a water tight dry bag. So I got 20 bucks and didn't get stung by bees. Kind of makes me feel bad though.
Computer time is about out... peace
Williamstown, MA 01267
ETA 8/25/09
Kent, CT 06757
ETA 9.4.09
So I just rolled into Rutland VT this morning, after camping out in the parking lot of a Pub. Pretty excellent except for the guy who was also camping there who insisted on playing NPR really loud until 6am. I don't really understand that. But the Pub was pretty sweet, delicious Guiness, and the guy poured it so that there was a clover in the foam. I thought it was impressive.
Anyways, no pictures now cause I'm not sure where the cord is and I only get 30 minutes of internets at this library, but VT is really pretty. Not as intense as New Hampshire, but lots of rolling green hills, open meadows, blackberries, and little stores to get coke and ice cream from. Also, for the first time since the very beginning of the trail, there are extended flat easy sections. Its pretty fantastic. I've hiked 42 miles in the past 2 days, and don't feel too sore. There are a lot of yellow jackets though apparently. Three guys I was hiking with yesterday stirred up a nest right after we left this lake we were swimming in. I was still putting my shoes on after floating on my backpack in the pond for a little while. One of the guys bet me 20 bucks that my back pack wouldn't float me because everything in it is in a water tight dry bag. So I got 20 bucks and didn't get stung by bees. Kind of makes me feel bad though.
Computer time is about out... peace
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Post Offices
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Hanover, NH 03755
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 14th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Rutland, VT 05701
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 19th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Manchester Center, VT 05255
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 24th
General Delivery
Hanover, NH 03755
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 14th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Rutland, VT 05701
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 19th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Manchester Center, VT 05255
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA August 24th
Still hiking!
So I guess its been a while since I've had reasonable internets to put something up on here. Last one was... Stratton? That was like, 200 miles ago. I think.
The trail has been awesome recently. Lots of big mountains, excellent views and cool people. My sickness is all healed up, and I'm already halfway through New Hampshire. The White Mountains are beautiful out here, despite the rather thick crowds of tourists.
Southern Maine was definitely a difficult section of trail. Whenever I feel like this whole AT hiking thing gets hard, I keep saying 'its just walking,' but as it turns out, sometimes its not just walking. This became apparent on a particularly rainy day heading through the Mahoosuc Range. The Mahoosuc notch is often said to be "The hardest mile of the AT." However about 2 miles before I got there, I had to go down the Mahoosuc Arm. This particular section of trail the MATC (Maine Appalachian Trail Conservancy) decided would best be made by following steep rock slabs down the mountain, where water would pour over them when it rained. That way if you slip and fall, you keep going 6 or 7 feet, maybe more if you pick a good spot. I managed this section by holding trees on the side, pretty much the entire way down.
The Mohoosuc notch itself is actually better described as the funnest mile of trail on the AT. (at least so far). Kind of a rock jungle gym. Climbing under huge boulders and up over the other side, was pretty awesome, even in the pouring rain. I went through in about an hour, which is apparently really quick, at least relative to th
e current record holder, who took 8 hours to get through, stopping to cry halfway in between. I guess climbing over and under rocks is more fun for some people than others?After getting through the notch, I met up with Jedi and Runner, 2 Georgians SOBOing the AT. We hiked into Gorham NH together through the rest of Souther Maine, and then slackpacked our first section of the White Mountains. This is where you hike from one road to another, and stay at the same hostel, so you don't carry your pack. It made the 21 mile d
ay way easier.I left them the next day to climb up Mount Washington with some beautiful weather, staying at the Lake of the Clouds hut. Th
ey have this hut system in New Hampshire where these huts provide dinner, breakfast, and beds for customers who pay 100 bucks a night. Pretty ridiculous. Fortunately, AT thru hikers can do 15-30 minutes of work, get fed, and sleep on the floor or table in the dining area. Works well for me. After a beautiful day of hiking above tree-line, free food and shelter was pretty nice.Yesterday started out fairly exciting, with a big thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail. Fortunately I was down in the trees, 1 mile before I got to Franconia Ridge, again up above tree-line, and very exposed. The weather cleared up just as I got on top where there were maybe arond 50mph winds, enough to where I had to lean into it as I hiked.
I got into Lincoln NH yesterday afternoon, and spent the night at Chet's house, a really nice guy who has turned his garage into a bunk room for hikers. I went to the post office, ditched some gear so I can be more light weight. Cause who needs a tent, really. I'm heading back on the trail sometime this afternoon, looks like another beautiful day.
Oh, and thanks to Megan, Sophi and Will for the letters/food and everything.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Post offices!
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Andover, ME 04216
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA July 28
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Gorham NH, 03581
Hold for A. T. Hiker ETA July 31st
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
North Woodstock NH, 03262
Hold for A. T. Hiker ETA August 6th
General Delivery
Andover, ME 04216
Hold for A.T. Hiker ETA July 28
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Gorham NH, 03581
Hold for A. T. Hiker ETA July 31st
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
North Woodstock NH, 03262
Hold for A. T. Hiker ETA August 6th
Update from Stratton Maine
So apparently the pictures from the last few days got saved on my camera's internal memory where I'm having trouble accessing it, so no pictures.
I started out again last Friday to do the 71 miles between Monson and Stratton ME. Lots of beautiful waterfalls, some deep river fords, mountains with big rock outcroppings, and a canoe ride across the Kenebec River, since it would be hard to ford at 7 or 8 feet deep.
Sunday night at Pierce Pond I met 2 other south bounders and 4 north bounders (one of them who had started on April 27th, that's over 20 miles every day!) There was good swimming and a beautiful sunset. That night I started to feel really sick, cold chills and muscle aches and stuff. I felt alright the next day, woke up, got some delicious pancakes from a cool old guy at a little fishing camp half a mile down the trail, and then started out again. After 7 or 8 miles I realized I was still pretty sick, and figured in the middle of the woods by myself wasn't the best place to be. So I headed out another 5.5 miles to a road, calling the hostel in Stratton on the way to get a ride out. Turns out I got a staph infection, and the itchy red bumps on my legs weren't bug bites, but from the infection. No idea where it came from. I went to a doctor in the town of Rangely 20 miles south and got hooked up with some antibiotics yesterday. Feeling a lot better now, going to give it another day of rest, and then head out tomorrow.
I started out again last Friday to do the 71 miles between Monson and Stratton ME. Lots of beautiful waterfalls, some deep river fords, mountains with big rock outcroppings, and a canoe ride across the Kenebec River, since it would be hard to ford at 7 or 8 feet deep.
Sunday night at Pierce Pond I met 2 other south bounders and 4 north bounders (one of them who had started on April 27th, that's over 20 miles every day!) There was good swimming and a beautiful sunset. That night I started to feel really sick, cold chills and muscle aches and stuff. I felt alright the next day, woke up, got some delicious pancakes from a cool old guy at a little fishing camp half a mile down the trail, and then started out again. After 7 or 8 miles I realized I was still pretty sick, and figured in the middle of the woods by myself wasn't the best place to be. So I headed out another 5.5 miles to a road, calling the hostel in Stratton on the way to get a ride out. Turns out I got a staph infection, and the itchy red bumps on my legs weren't bug bites, but from the infection. No idea where it came from. I went to a doctor in the town of Rangely 20 miles south and got hooked up with some antibiotics yesterday. Feeling a lot better now, going to give it another day of rest, and then head out tomorrow.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Mount Katahdin and the '100 mile wilderness'
So I got into Maine last thursday, but with no backpack. Apparently the airport code for Bangor Maine is similar to somewhere in New York... so my bag went there instead. But, it came into Millinocket where I was staying at a Hostel at 9am the next morning, apparently too late for me to get shuttled to the base of Mount Katahdin.
So I began my hike on July 9th last Thursday. Katahdin was pretty epic. Felt like something out west, climbing over boulders, getting up above tree-line. The weather was beautiful too, unlike the day before which was apparently cloudy and raining.
Since camping in Baxter state park (where katahdin is) is 20 bucks a night, I decided that after the 4,000 foot climb and 10 miles of Katahdin, I would hike 13 miles out to Hurb Brook shelter. Loooong 13 miles. Fortunately a small store 10 miles out provided me with Dr. Pepper and a cookie to get me the next 3. Hurb Brook shelter was devoid of people, and I spent a creepy lonely night there before heading out the next morning.
The next day I encountered, a lot of mud, as well as a brother and sister hiking that went by Crash and Bam Bam (trail names, I still don't have one.) We hiked to the next shelter where we met 4 more south bounders from massachussettes, who informed us that there was a place in the hundred mile wilderness where you could get 1 lb burgers.
So the next day, under the directions of out guide book, the 7 of us set out, hiked 8 miles in the morning to a boat dock, blew an air horn, and were ferried across a lake to where we had an amazingly delicious lunch. We continued on that day, taking it easy as my knees were pretty unhappy, probably from hiking 20 miles the day before, and 24 the day before that. Lots of hiking, mud, swimming, and wading along the way. Bam Bam peaced out due to a sybling argument, but gifted me with some hiking poles for which my legs are forever greatful. Crash and I left the massachussettes boys as they smoked lots of weed and didn't hike too far in a day, and we were low on food. First big mountains after that made the hiking days a little harsher, especially on the knees. I camped out in another shelter last night, 3 miles from Monson where I'm at now. This morning I hiked out, falling 12 or 13 feet on the way due to a really slippery rock, but my thumb is okay, and I'm showered and clean. Still hungry, but all you can eat tacos tonight, so I'm saving up.
I hope everything is going well back in the real world, I'm just gonna keep hiking.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Leaving for Maine
So I haven't been updating this at all since I've been having entirely too much fun with a certain
awesome girl named Megan, but I'm heading out on my hike tomorrow, and this is probably the best way of keeping everyone updated on where I am and how I'm doing, so I imagine I'll start using it again...
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Monson, ME 04462
Hold for A.T. Hiker, ETA July 17th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Stratton, ME 04982
Hold for A.T. Hiker, ETA July 23rd
(I'll be putting the next 2 or 3 post offices that I'll be checking for mail at the beginning of each post. Address it like I wrote, and mail it so that it will arrive a day or two early in case I overestimate.)
So I'm packed up and ready to go. Excluding food and water my pack weighs 20 lbs, so 25-35 depending on where I'm at on the trail, which seems reasonable.
I fly out of Asheville tomorrow at 5:35am (ew). Get to Bangor, ME at 2:00, take a bus then a shuttle to a logde, and then a shuttle to Baxter State Park on monday morning. From there I'll hike up Mount Katahdin and back down, then off into the 100 mile wilderness. Monson, ME is just on the other side, so I guess I'll be trying to update everyone from there.
If you feel like mailing me anything, candy, food, or just a letter, send it to the addresses I post on the top of the page. I plan on being self sufficient, so I don't need any mail, but I'd definitely appreciate anything. I'll be sure to send you a post card or something back.
Also I am bringing my cell phone, so that'd be the quickest way if anyone needs to get in contact with me. 335-8989 (WNC area code)
I guess that's all, I'll let you know how the first leg of my hike has gone sometime next week!
awesome girl named Megan, but I'm heading out on my hike tomorrow, and this is probably the best way of keeping everyone updated on where I am and how I'm doing, so I imagine I'll start using it again...
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Monson, ME 04462
Hold for A.T. Hiker, ETA July 17th
Richard S. Ianniello
General Delivery
Stratton, ME 04982
Hold for A.T. Hiker, ETA July 23rd
(I'll be putting the next 2 or 3 post offices that I'll be checking for mail at the beginning of each post. Address it like I wrote, and mail it so that it will arrive a day or two early in case I overestimate.)
So I'm packed up and ready to go. Excluding food and water my pack weighs 20 lbs, so 25-35 depending on where I'm at on the trail, which seems reasonable.
I fly out of Asheville tomorrow at 5:35am (ew). Get to Bangor, ME at 2:00, take a bus then a shuttle to a logde, and then a shuttle to Baxter State Park on monday morning. From there I'll hike up Mount Katahdin and back down, then off into the 100 mile wilderness. Monson, ME is just on the other side, so I guess I'll be trying to update everyone from there.
If you feel like mailing me anything, candy, food, or just a letter, send it to the addresses I post on the top of the page. I plan on being self sufficient, so I don't need any mail, but I'd definitely appreciate anything. I'll be sure to send you a post card or something back.
Also I am bringing my cell phone, so that'd be the quickest way if anyone needs to get in contact with me. 335-8989 (WNC area code)
I guess that's all, I'll let you know how the first leg of my hike has gone sometime next week!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Waiting... but I can't wait.
My life is about to go through some pretty serious changes, most of them pretty exciting. There's some disappointments. I'll miss my friends, my biking partners, my band, the Flatirons, maybe even all of the snow, but I'm ready for something new. Funny that I still love Boulder, I'm having a lot of fun, but can't keep my mind on what's happening now and I am constantly thinking about the next few weeks to months to years. So despite some recent fantastic snowboarding, an awesome bike ride down steep hills in the snow today, I feel like I'm just waiting for the time to pass. Here are the things I'm waiting for...
Graduation: I just finished up my undergraduate senior honors thesis making graduation this May seem eminently close. I think April will be a long month regardless. I am burnt out on school and suffering from some pretty severe senioritis (I may die from it...) My thesis work with nuisance algae (Didymosphenia geminata) in Boulder Creek came out fairly interesting though and my thesis advisors suggested I get it ready to submit to a journal! That part I'm fairly excited about, but as far as everything else school related goes, we all know I'm not failing any of my classes, can I just have the piece of paper now and be over with it?
June Adventures: On May 31st the lease for the house I'm staying in should end starting one of the more anticipated events of my life. Roadtripping, biking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, caving, canyoning, camping, kayaking, swimming, goofing off, being ridiculous and being irresponsible, just to name a few of the activities that will be involved at potentially some of the following places Rocky Mountain National Park, Winter Park, Sol Vista, Mount Elbert, Vail, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Fruita, Ruby Horsethief Canyon, Moab, Arches, Canyon Lands, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Paria Canyon (got the permit in the mail today!), Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and i-40 all the way home to NC for perhaps some final adventures in Pisgah. Of course, as much as I'm excited about doing these things, at these places, I'm more excited about the company than anything. A good friend, pen pal and fellow biocyclologist, Megan, is flying out to meet me in Denver on May 24th and I cannot wait to see her again, let alone tear about the West with her. On April 1st she had me convinced for about 30 seconds that she couldn't come. If I hadn't remembered what day of the year it was for another minute or two I may have started crying. Needless to say, this trip is far from being at the back of my mind.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail: Something I've wanted to do for a while. About 2,162 miles or 5 million steps. A lot of people have said that graduating from college into a deteriorating job market must suck. I figured it makes a good excuse to do something I've always wanted to do. I have a one way plane ticket from Asheville, NC to Bangor, ME for July 7th. On the 8th I will hike up to the top of Mount Katahdin, turn around, and head for Georgia. I'm currently trying to figure out gear for the trip, wearing my hiking boots every day to break them in. I really think I can pull this off. A strange hippy I gave a ride to on the way back from snowboarding told me that she thought I could do anything. Maybe she was right? She was definitely high.
Peace Corps: On a long plane ride back to Colorado from Carolina this year, I decided that I should apply for the Peace Corps. I feel to an extent guilty living in a developed country. I think it was Frances Moore Lappé who said that underdeveloped is a verb not an adjective. That, and I need to get out of the country at some point in my life right? Learning another language, living in a different culture and getting some actual job experience would I think be good for me. The application process for the Peace Corps turns out to be rather awful though, and despite a great deal of promptness on my part, I am still at the stage of being a nominee. I'm hoping to get an official invitation any time now. I check the mail box a lot. I check my email a lot too. I believe I was nominated for an environmental position in Thailand beginning in January, but that's a lot further from a certainty than I would like. But, all my med forms are in, nothing to do now but wait.
So that's where I am right now. I'm trying to calm myself down and focus on the present moment a little bit. Enjoy the last snowboarding of my last season for a while, then spend some much needed time with my bikes before I leave them at home in NC to hike for 4 or 5 months. I've essentially graduated, the trip in June is going to happen, my AT hike is planned, I know the Peace Corps will send me an invitation some day, all I need to do now is relax, lose some anxiety and enjoy the Boulder and my friends here while I still can.
Graduation: I just finished up my undergraduate senior honors thesis making graduation this May seem eminently close. I think April will be a long month regardless. I am burnt out on school and suffering from some pretty severe senioritis (I may die from it...) My thesis work with nuisance algae (Didymosphenia geminata) in Boulder Creek came out fairly interesting though and my thesis advisors suggested I get it ready to submit to a journal! That part I'm fairly excited about, but as far as everything else school related goes, we all know I'm not failing any of my classes, can I just have the piece of paper now and be over with it?
June Adventures: On May 31st the lease for the house I'm staying in should end starting one of the more anticipated events of my life. Roadtripping, biking, hiking, backpacking, climbing, caving, canyoning, camping, kayaking, swimming, goofing off, being ridiculous and being irresponsible, just to name a few of the activities that will be involved at potentially some of the following places Rocky Mountain National Park, Winter Park, Sol Vista, Mount Elbert, Vail, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Fruita, Ruby Horsethief Canyon, Moab, Arches, Canyon Lands, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Paria Canyon (got the permit in the mail today!), Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and i-40 all the way home to NC for perhaps some final adventures in Pisgah. Of course, as much as I'm excited about doing these things, at these places, I'm more excited about the company than anything. A good friend, pen pal and fellow biocyclologist, Megan, is flying out to meet me in Denver on May 24th and I cannot wait to see her again, let alone tear about the West with her. On April 1st she had me convinced for about 30 seconds that she couldn't come. If I hadn't remembered what day of the year it was for another minute or two I may have started crying. Needless to say, this trip is far from being at the back of my mind.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail: Something I've wanted to do for a while. About 2,162 miles or 5 million steps. A lot of people have said that graduating from college into a deteriorating job market must suck. I figured it makes a good excuse to do something I've always wanted to do. I have a one way plane ticket from Asheville, NC to Bangor, ME for July 7th. On the 8th I will hike up to the top of Mount Katahdin, turn around, and head for Georgia. I'm currently trying to figure out gear for the trip, wearing my hiking boots every day to break them in. I really think I can pull this off. A strange hippy I gave a ride to on the way back from snowboarding told me that she thought I could do anything. Maybe she was right? She was definitely high.
Peace Corps: On a long plane ride back to Colorado from Carolina this year, I decided that I should apply for the Peace Corps. I feel to an extent guilty living in a developed country. I think it was Frances Moore Lappé who said that underdeveloped is a verb not an adjective. That, and I need to get out of the country at some point in my life right? Learning another language, living in a different culture and getting some actual job experience would I think be good for me. The application process for the Peace Corps turns out to be rather awful though, and despite a great deal of promptness on my part, I am still at the stage of being a nominee. I'm hoping to get an official invitation any time now. I check the mail box a lot. I check my email a lot too. I believe I was nominated for an environmental position in Thailand beginning in January, but that's a lot further from a certainty than I would like. But, all my med forms are in, nothing to do now but wait.
So that's where I am right now. I'm trying to calm myself down and focus on the present moment a little bit. Enjoy the last snowboarding of my last season for a while, then spend some much needed time with my bikes before I leave them at home in NC to hike for 4 or 5 months. I've essentially graduated, the trip in June is going to happen, my AT hike is planned, I know the Peace Corps will send me an invitation some day, all I need to do now is relax, lose some anxiety and enjoy the Boulder and my friends here while I still can.
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