In New Hampshire.
Well I made it through and made it out. My thesis done and all paperwork complete.
All my boots are off and I am functional if not fully physically prepared.
Arrived in NH on the 4th at about 5 am after driving the whole way. Had a couple rock outs to the Mama Mia soundtrack complete with upper body car dancing vigorous enough to keep me away long after I was too tired.
Another thing that kept me alert in the wee morning hours was hitting a skunk just before I crossed the NH border. I rounded a curve at a moderate speed but alas not slow enough to avoid the skunk. Our eyes locked for a second before he disappeared under the hood of my car. He knew he was going to die. The memory and the smell of him lingers.
I have spent the last few days preparing for my trip. Mostly by sewing until my brain feels as though it will explode. I have made :
1 hiking Skirt
2 shorts
a pair of gators
Modified one of my brother’s dress shirts into a hiking shirt
Added extra ventilation to an rei shirt
Hemmed polarfleece pants
Made hip belt padding extenders
90% of a rain skirt
90% of a rain cover/poncho
90% of a Bear Bag
Left to do:
Hem snow pants
Speaking of Bears I have been listening to the most recent episodes of Smodcast while sewing and the last two have included an unusually high number of references to animal attacks. Now Kevin Smith is terrified of sharks which is understandable and he often works it in to a smodcast somewhere. But these podcasts talked more about bear attacks. Brutal and awful ones where people where not only killed but eaten.
Now I have heard my fair share of bear attack stories and know the chances of being attacked by one is remote while I’m on the AT especially since black bears are pretty shy and want to avoid me even more than I want to avoid them. However in the words of Bill Bryson, “ it’s not as though they have signed a treaty” the threat still exists. I am taking comfort in the fact that the attacks they were talking about were perpetrated by brown and polar bears and took place in Russia and Norway.
One of the attacks was on a 20 year old girl who called her mother during the attack and described how she was being eaten. I will not be calling my mother during a bear attack. If I am having a break from being attacked I will call the forest service and/or the police. If I am being attacked I will be using my hands not to hold my phone but to fight with the bear… grabbing rocks ,sticks anything that can be used as a weapon.
I am not criticizing this girl for calling her mom just pointing out that it seemed like a serious misfire of the fight or flight instinct. So rest assured I will not be calling any of you during a bear attack. At the end of the podcast Kevin Smith said, “So don’t go into the woods.” I think he may have been talking to me…I’m not listening.
I am going to have to adjust my route yet again cutting out Vermont completely this year. With my increasingly late start and the flooding from Irene it seems best to avoid that area for now. I’ll still be attempting Massachusetts to Georgia though. And 1,500 miles is still a good long walk. How far I get will be determined by the weather and my ability to function in it.
I have figured out the majority of my P.O. Drops. They are as follows:
(none in Mass as I will hopefully be close enough to get someone in my family to come out for a drop off and day hike)
New York: Wingdale (zip 12594) I will be picking up 8 days worth of supplies.
Greenwood Lake (zip 10925) I will be picking up 7 days worth of supplies.
Pennsylvania: Delaware Water Gap (zip 18327) 10 day supplies
Duncannon (17020) 10 days
West Virginia: Harpers Ferry (25425) 11 days
Virginia: Waynesboro (22980) 8 days
Big Island (24526) 5 days
Catawaba (24070) 6 days (this stop may or may not have a good source for my starches you want to send something when it is most necessary this would be one of the times to do it.)
Pearisburg (24134) 8 days
Atkins (24311) 6 days (another potentially limited supply stop)
Damascus (24236) 11day
North Carolina: Hot springs (28743) 6 days
Fontana Dam (28733) 6 days (limited supplies)
Georgia: Hiawassee (30546) 6 days.
Mail can addressed as follows: Jessie Blackmer
General Delivery
City, State Zip
Please hold for Thru-Hiker
(estimated date of arrival)
I may opt to have my mail drops sent to an outfitter or hostel if I plan on arriving on a day when the post office isn’t open. If so, I will post it here on the blog and on twitter well in advance.
My diet will be consisting mostly of foods with more than 100 calories per oz. I will be eating approximately 9oz a day of carb heavy foods like instant potatoes, oatmeal, and rice. So feel free to send me a box of Minute rice if you feel the urge. I will also be eating a variety of nuts, dried fruits and veggies, beans, and tvp. I’ll also be using Nido milk powder and dehydrated cheese, eggs, and sour cream.
If you want to send me a little care package here are some suggestions/guidelines.
Seeds: Roasted and salted are best. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Candy: Pretty much any candy without gelatin, which is pretty much any candy. I will be including an oz of m&m’s in my diet each day, so maybe not m&m’s. I hear snickers really satisfies and heath bars are a personal favorite.
Cookies: Please make me yummy cookies. I needs them. They are my precocious. If you send baked goods please either vacuum pack them or double bag them with a piece of bread to keep them awesome. I will also accept any other baked goods nom nom. I will be missing them sooo much. I’m not a real raisin fan but I will eat them.
Letters: Yes please.
Nuts: Love the nuts. Just please no Brazil nuts (they seem to go bad quicker than other nuts) and no pine nuts (I am allergic to a fungus that grows on them).
Dried fruits: I will have a ton of bananas, mangos and craisins so anything but those would be greatly appreciated.
Soy Jerkey: Yesssssssss. I’ll be your best friend or your jerkiest…..
Dried beans: Unless they are instant, like in an instant soup mix, It takes too long to cook them.
If you are finding all my P.O. Bullshit kind of confusing and just want to send me a letter or something non perishable you can also send it to Cara Sammons at Flying goat Farm. She and Devin and maybe Ari will be sending out my essential food boxes and could include something additional in them.
Their Address is at the top of their web page :
The P.O. Stops above are just a guess at this point. I never want to carry more than 7 days worth of food at any given time. I'll be making more short term resupply stops in between some of my P.O. stops. So depending on my options in different towns I may opt for an additional P.O. Drop.
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