April 12, 1997 (Day 24 – milepoint 218.5 – Tri-Corner Knob Shelter)

A profound thanks to Kathy and John for an enjoyable, kind, humbling, unexpected three days off the trail. My ride back to Newfound Gap in the morning, courtesy of Toronto Canadian Sharon (fellow UT grad student with Kathy) consisted of intelligent conversation and a banana. My welcome back to the trail consisted of rain.

I saw three people all day. Highlight of the day was Charlie’s Bunion: an exposed area of rock cliffs with an expansive view, which, as I stood there, was engulfed in continuously rising and falling clouds. At times, you couldn’t see ten feet away, but then a cloud would sweep away and you could see for 10 miles. It was magnificent!

The Tri-Corner Knob shelter is almost full. I made it in just before dark and was greeted warmly by thru-hikers Big Bird, Small World, and Yote. A few spoonfuls of crunchy peanut butter, a few slices of pepperoni, and I lay at the edge of comfortable numbness.

Aquaholic

April 12, 2009

Hey Aquaholic,

Today is Easter, the springtime fertility holiday, when we honor the resurrection of who is arguably the most compelling biblical character alive – the Easter Bunny…

The idea of the resurrection really struck me today. I feel like I am experiencing one in a way, like a part of me died and another part of me is coming back to life. I made sacrifices that resulted in the death of an important part of my identity, which I surrendered to and have been mourning for a while, and now I am accepting, starting to forgive and feel gratitude, and I am raising my inner awareness, waking up, and moving toward a new form of sustainable freedom…not the freedom you have hiking the AT in ‘97, but a freedom that honors the nature of my life today.

I am winning some battles and losing some, but my faith is returning bit by bit, and though I’m still carrying too much weight, this is a good path.

O’