Duffy on the AT

My handsome husband is a long-distance hiker, when time and pocket money converge. The spring after retiring from the Navy (2007), I drove him to Springer Mountain, Georgia and he headed North on the Appalachian Trail. I helped him publish a trail journal online. Just under 300 miles later, he got off the Trail, came home, and walked Lovely Daughter down the aisle. He even cut his hair.

Money was tight, so he got a job instead of returning to finish the thru-hike, but he grieved for the life he'd had on the Trail. And longed to go back again.

Well, time and finances have changed, as they tend to do. Though still tight, there's enough money now- and a job with some vacation time saved up - for him to hike another section of the Appalachian Trail. In a few short weeks, he'll drive to Damascus, Virginia, park the truck at a hostel, get a shuttle to Erwin, Tennessee and hike for 10 days or so back into Damascus, Virginia for Trail Days.

Last week, I sent a link to his re-started journal to some friends and family and there's an old friend who would like to go with him. They've been firing emails back and forth, with Billy asking questions and Duffy answering - because Billy's never hiked like this before and Duffy's now a seasoned Veteran...in more ways than one!

Duffy also has a way with words and a sense of humour I truly admire. When I read one of the emails he sent to Billy about training for the Trail, I knew I'd be putting it here. Though not an original writing of Duffy's (it's been around the hiking community, with assorted revisions for quite some time), it is infused with his spirit, and I'm copying it here for YOU to read.

March 11, 2009

"...asked about training for the AT, and this was my answer (plagiarized in part from Whiteblaze):

The best way to train for a hike in the mountains is to hike in the mountains. If you don't have any mountains handy, there is another method:

1. Go to your local hardware store and ask for the roughest sand paper they have. Go home and take your shoes and socks off and put the sand paper rough side up on the bottom of your feet and then put your socks and shoes back on. Then pull down your pants and underwear and place a piece of sand paper in your crotch. This is to simulate blisters on your feet and the chaffing you will get. Any left over sandpaper may be used as toilet paper to simulate the leaves that will be available after all your TP gets wet.

2. Food regimen: at any point during training if you get hungry, get your cooking gear out and put it in the tub. Turn shower on COLD and cook ramen noodles under the shower. Repeat for 5 days. On the 6th day go to a restaurant and eat 3 large pizza's at one sitting.

3. Don't take a shower or bath for at least 5 days. But please brush your nasty teeth. (Oral hygene is key.) When the 5 days are up take a bath, not a shower. When you are all done taking a bath and you are feeling clean proceed to drink the water. This will simulate the slimy puddle water you will have to filter when you manage to run dry 10 miles from a spring.

4. At sunset, take your sleeping bag and roll it out on your driveway and lay down for a well deserved rest. Ensure the lawn sprinkler comes on at least once during the night and sprays your sleeping area. If you are planning on sleeping in shelters, bring all the t.v.s and radios you have into your room and turn them up as loud as they will go. Now slide under your bed and have a pleasant sleep on the floor."

Now doesn't that sound like FUN?!?