Checkin after day three

 Melissa just texted me from the trail. She has blisters on her blisters but is in great spirits. They hiked 13 miles yesterday and 10 today.  Lots of duct tape is in use to try and keep down on the blisters, but they are sure to happen this early in on the trail no matter what. Considering she's breaking in all of her equipment while on the trail this is to be expected. Sore feet is a complaint that will be with them from beginning to end, to be sure.

Jordan is doing well. He's eating 4 cups of food a day right now. So each shipment should cover 8 days. I'll weight out the food on the next delivery and fill you in on how much he is carrying. Jordan is mostly self sufficient on the food front. He has a pack too and is holding carrying his own food water and bowls.

They are working on their trail names now. Earning your trail name is a part of the social aspect of hiking the AT. It's a name you either pick out early in or earn along the trail. Jordan's trail name is Tripwire. I'm sure he's earned it well. Melissa is Hollywood. I had to call her parents for some information and found that Christina is Julia Child. Scatcatcher or Snake. She seems to find these before anyone else does.  I found out Christina's dad Peter is on the beginning of the trail with them too. His trail name is Tooter. or Toot.

I'll probably start referring to them by their trail names once they settle in on them. It makes the adventure feel that much closer. I'm sure some of the stories she will tell throughout the trip will use trail names only.

She's in the woods right now and the service is crappy. Tomorrow they'll be headed into town and I'll get more details. Once I have more to share I'll fill you, my readers, in so everyone can enjoy a hike through the AT even if it's vicariously.

So there you have it at the end of day three. Bedtime comes early on the trail. I'm writing this at 8:30 and I expect they are all asleep by now.

PEACE

Mail drop one headed to North Carolina

Well, I sent out my first shipment of dog food to Jordan. Jordan is my friend Melissa's dog and they are both taking a life changing adventure. They are on day three of the Appalachian Trail. She is hiking with her cousin as well as Jordan. I've got the proud pleasure of being one of their mail drop locations. I'm responsible for shipping out the food and other needs for Jordan and the girls and receiving shipments from them.

I'll keep everyone posted on their progress here. I sent 32 cups of food and Mushers Secret to the Fontana Dam Post Office. They should get in there soon for the pickup.

At last report they had done 9 miles on their first day. No report back of the second day. I'll encourage Melissa to ship back her note books so I can transpose them for her. With her permission I'll stat a new blog specifically for the trip. If that happens, I'll post a link here.
Fontana Dam here they come.
Good luck Jordan. Oh and good luck Melissa and Christina too ;-)

Map of the AT in pdf format

Spoken by the Tinker whom Charlie encounters

TINKER: "Up the airy mountain, down the rushing glen, we dare not go a-hunting, for fear of little men."

Source: The Fairies

Author: William Allingham [1824-1889]
Up the airy mountain
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting,
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather.
Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
Of the black mountain-lake,
With frogs for their watch-dogs,
All night awake.