I've mentioned before about living near some woods and how I enjoyed walking through these woods. I also lived within walking distance of my grandparents in one direction and my aunt and uncle in another. We moved to this house when I was either 8 or 9 years old. By the time we moved in, we had a dog, an Eskimo Spitz, named Foxy. We got her while we were living in another house but she was living with my grandparents while we were living in an apartment while the house was being built. Foxy remained outside and unpinned most of the time. She was smart enough to know where she should and shouldn't go. Particularly, she knew to stay away from the dangerous road. She was also very protective, of me especially. This would be a problem when she would remind visitors of this with a quick bite to the ankles. However, she never would never seriously hurt anyone and I could always could count on her to go with me where ever I roamed.
Not long after we moved, my sister decided to get a new puppy. It was a mix of German Shepard and Collie named Franky. Foxy, having had puppies herself before, pretty much adopted Franky as her own. He grew into a rather large but extremely laid back dog. While he was not as protective as Foxy, he would also follow me where ever I went. Eventually, I trained them to know when I'm walking somewhere and to follow me by saying, "Foxy, Franky, let's go!" They would then immediately get up and start going in whatever direction it looked like I was going in. Foxy would typically stay close to my side while Franky would go a little bit ahead of me. Whether I was going to my grandparents, my aunt and uncle's, or the wondering through the woods, they were going to be there with me. I never had that many friends but those two I knew I could count on to always be there. The trick could be to get them not to follow me when I didn't want them but at least they knew enough not to follow me to the increasingly busy, Woodruff Road.
Of course, the lifespan of dogs is not very much when compared to our own. Foxy was a very old dog by the time she died during my senior year of high school. Franky took it the hardest and disappeared for few days before finally being discovered in an animal shelter. My sister bought my mom a new dog we call Blue due to his one blue eye. We thought he was a Sheltie. I say "we thought" because he wound up growing into a full-sized collie. While he was very intelligent, he never learned where he shouldn't wander to so he had to be kept pinned up. This was very apparent when the church next door decided to keep their doors open for one Sunday morning service and he walked right in. Still, he would follow me whenever I walked anywhere much like Franky and he would stay near as long as me or someone else was outside.
Unfortunately, the woods were disappearing more and more as time passed. The two churches nearby where growing and needed the room. While the churches growing like they were was no bad thing, I did miss my woods. Also, age had finally caught up to Franky and he too died. My family eventually moved away from that house when the church needed our land to grow more. Blue seemed to not mind the new setting and had grown into an extremely obedient dog, always eager to please. I had never even seen him angry except for one time when another finally annoyed him to the point of snapping at the other dog. No one could blame Blue for that one either.
I share the story of the dogs I grew up with because Blue recently had to be put to sleep because of extensive health problems. These dogs have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember even though I haven't lived at home in a while. I currently live in an apartment where owning a dog would be difficult. Perhaps I will do something different and get a cat as my next pet. I never could have a cat growing up because of my sister's allergies. Anyway, regardless of the future, these three dogs I talked about here were an important part of my childhood and my growing up. Their companionship was invaluable. The memories they provided will be with me the rest of my life. I can only hope if I have children, they can have friends as good as they were.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sports
Most of the people who view this blog have come here through Facebook and one thing I'm sure that most of Facebook friends (and the few followers I have on twitter) have noticed is that I talk about sports a lot. I have many interests but sports is one of the easiest for me to talk about. I'll talk about the various sports I follow and a little bit about my history with them. I had been thinking lately about why I follow the teams that I do and I figured that today would be as good of a day as any to write this. Of course, today is the day of the biggest annual sporting event there is so it seems appropriate. I am going to work backwards in order of how much focus I give each sport. Sports not mentioned here are sports I don't follow closely enough or simply have no interest in.
Basketball
Basketball is a sport that I cared very little for when I was a kid. I never had much interest in playing it in any organized fashion. To this day I still have very little interest in the NBA. However, I have started following college basketball. The NCAA tournament is one of the best postseason events that there is and I've enjoyed even when I didn't care anything else about the sport. I suppose one reason for my lack of interest of watching basketball is that I am a Clemson fan and Clemson, as you may know, has had a horrible history in the sport. I suppose I started watching the sport more some time after Oliver Purnell became head coach of Clemson. I'm not entirely sure why but perhaps it was the new play style or maybe a slight change in the culture surrounding basketball in Clemson. Basketball is still not a sport I follow as closely as others and certainly am no expert on it, but I do at least watch now when Clemson is on TV and when it is tournament time. I would follow my alma mater, North Greenville, more, but it's really hard to follow division II basketball.
Hockey
I live in the south where, until recently, I think the only thing people knew about hockey is that it's played on ice. Obviously, this is not a sport I grew up with. I started paying a little bit of attention to the sport in 2002 when the Carolina Hurricanes made it to and lost the Stanley Cup Finals. My interest was fleeting but at least I had a team to follow. I started to pay attention again at the beginning of the '05-'06 season. This was also the first good team the Hurricanes had since last making the finals. Part of the reason I started paying attention again is that I was about to move to Raleigh where the team is located. I lived in Raleigh and the Canes continued to surprise everyone with how well they were playing. As the end of the season drew near, my personal life took a turn when my wife left me, leaving me alone in Raleigh away from my friends and family. I chose not to move home until I had finished the semester at seminary but I desperately needed a distraction and the Hurricanes' fantastic run through the playoffs provided just that. They would win the Stanley Cup that year and it was fun being in a city with pro team to win a major championship. I learned to appreciate the sport of hockey during this run. Also, I learned that playoff overtime in hockey is one of the most intense things in sports. I know hockey is not the easiest game to watch on tv but I would suggest to anyone with any interest in sports to check out a game in person.
Football
This is the sport I have the most experience playing. I was always on the line and prefer that to any "skill" positions. Football is by far this country's most popular sports. When it comes to sports in this country, NFL is king. However, here in the south, college football rules. I enjoy both. I'll start with the pros.
NFL: As a kid, I don't have much memory of watching the NFL much except for the watching Super Bowl and going an Atlanta Falcons game one time. This changed in 1995 when the Carolina Panthers started playing. When I was fourteen, everything about the new team seemed cool to me with the colors, the logo, and the uniforms. Also, the team played their first season in Death Valley in Clemson. I regret never having made it to a game when they played there before they moved to Charlotte. It also helped that they were one game away from the Super Bowl in only their second year of existence. They later made it to the Super Bowl and even though they lost, that was a very fun year. Another thing with the Panthers is that my mom occasionally gets free tickets to their games. I've learned enough about Charlotte that I have a much easier time getting to and leaving the stadium than I do other teams around here.
College: Since there are different levels of college football, there are different teams I follow. Division II is easy: the school I went to and the team I played for myself, North Greenville. At the division I-AA (now FCS) level I pull for the Furman Paladins. I consider them to be pretty much the home town team for Greenville and everyone in my family has always pulled for them so I do to. Division I is, of course, the Clemson Tigers. I have lived all my life around the Clemson/S. Carolina rivalry. My family was odd in they never did choose one over the other when I was growing.up. However, when I was young, my family happened to vacation at the same week and place as Clemson head coach Danny Ford for several years. Although my memories are vague, he taught me how to swim. This leaned me toward Clemson and I became more and more of a Clemson fan as a got older. My one difference is that unlike most Clemson fans, I do not hate South Carolina. The rivalry is fun and I certainly want Clemson to win every year but I don't pull for SC to lose when they're not playing Clemson. I have one final word about college football. As great as the sport is, division I is ruined by what is the worst post season in all of sports. I'll save my rant on that for another time.
Baseball
Finally, we get to baseball. While baseball has been eclipsed by football as the country's most popular sport, it is the sport with the most history. It is also the sport I have the most history with. On Summer nights as a kid, I could usually be sure that one television somewhere was turned to a Braves game. Both my dad and maternal grandfather were huge Braves fans. Everyone in my family was. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I became one, too. Before I pulled for any other team discussed here, I pulled for the Braves. For the longest time, the Braves were awful with Dale Murphy being the lone bright spot for them. Then 1991 came and everything changed when the Braves made the World Series. With the Braves now a good team, baseball became even more fun to watch. Even now, I'm still always learning more about this sport. I look forward to the start of baseball season more than any other season, especially when the weather begins to warms.
As I finish writing this, the Super Bowl has just ended. This is the worst time as far as sports are concerned. Even though I enjoy college basketball and ice hockey, baseball and football are the two sports I look enjoy the most. When the Super Bowl ends, I'm ready for baseball to begin. I'm finally done now. In hindsight, I should have split this up into several posts. I didn't realize it would be so long, but I enjoyed explaining my relationship with different sports. I'll have other posts about sports in the future including something about expressing faith in sports and why I hate the BCS so much but until then, it's time to rest.
Basketball
Basketball is a sport that I cared very little for when I was a kid. I never had much interest in playing it in any organized fashion. To this day I still have very little interest in the NBA. However, I have started following college basketball. The NCAA tournament is one of the best postseason events that there is and I've enjoyed even when I didn't care anything else about the sport. I suppose one reason for my lack of interest of watching basketball is that I am a Clemson fan and Clemson, as you may know, has had a horrible history in the sport. I suppose I started watching the sport more some time after Oliver Purnell became head coach of Clemson. I'm not entirely sure why but perhaps it was the new play style or maybe a slight change in the culture surrounding basketball in Clemson. Basketball is still not a sport I follow as closely as others and certainly am no expert on it, but I do at least watch now when Clemson is on TV and when it is tournament time. I would follow my alma mater, North Greenville, more, but it's really hard to follow division II basketball.
Hockey
I live in the south where, until recently, I think the only thing people knew about hockey is that it's played on ice. Obviously, this is not a sport I grew up with. I started paying a little bit of attention to the sport in 2002 when the Carolina Hurricanes made it to and lost the Stanley Cup Finals. My interest was fleeting but at least I had a team to follow. I started to pay attention again at the beginning of the '05-'06 season. This was also the first good team the Hurricanes had since last making the finals. Part of the reason I started paying attention again is that I was about to move to Raleigh where the team is located. I lived in Raleigh and the Canes continued to surprise everyone with how well they were playing. As the end of the season drew near, my personal life took a turn when my wife left me, leaving me alone in Raleigh away from my friends and family. I chose not to move home until I had finished the semester at seminary but I desperately needed a distraction and the Hurricanes' fantastic run through the playoffs provided just that. They would win the Stanley Cup that year and it was fun being in a city with pro team to win a major championship. I learned to appreciate the sport of hockey during this run. Also, I learned that playoff overtime in hockey is one of the most intense things in sports. I know hockey is not the easiest game to watch on tv but I would suggest to anyone with any interest in sports to check out a game in person.
Football
This is the sport I have the most experience playing. I was always on the line and prefer that to any "skill" positions. Football is by far this country's most popular sports. When it comes to sports in this country, NFL is king. However, here in the south, college football rules. I enjoy both. I'll start with the pros.
NFL: As a kid, I don't have much memory of watching the NFL much except for the watching Super Bowl and going an Atlanta Falcons game one time. This changed in 1995 when the Carolina Panthers started playing. When I was fourteen, everything about the new team seemed cool to me with the colors, the logo, and the uniforms. Also, the team played their first season in Death Valley in Clemson. I regret never having made it to a game when they played there before they moved to Charlotte. It also helped that they were one game away from the Super Bowl in only their second year of existence. They later made it to the Super Bowl and even though they lost, that was a very fun year. Another thing with the Panthers is that my mom occasionally gets free tickets to their games. I've learned enough about Charlotte that I have a much easier time getting to and leaving the stadium than I do other teams around here.
College: Since there are different levels of college football, there are different teams I follow. Division II is easy: the school I went to and the team I played for myself, North Greenville. At the division I-AA (now FCS) level I pull for the Furman Paladins. I consider them to be pretty much the home town team for Greenville and everyone in my family has always pulled for them so I do to. Division I is, of course, the Clemson Tigers. I have lived all my life around the Clemson/S. Carolina rivalry. My family was odd in they never did choose one over the other when I was growing.up. However, when I was young, my family happened to vacation at the same week and place as Clemson head coach Danny Ford for several years. Although my memories are vague, he taught me how to swim. This leaned me toward Clemson and I became more and more of a Clemson fan as a got older. My one difference is that unlike most Clemson fans, I do not hate South Carolina. The rivalry is fun and I certainly want Clemson to win every year but I don't pull for SC to lose when they're not playing Clemson. I have one final word about college football. As great as the sport is, division I is ruined by what is the worst post season in all of sports. I'll save my rant on that for another time.
Baseball
Finally, we get to baseball. While baseball has been eclipsed by football as the country's most popular sport, it is the sport with the most history. It is also the sport I have the most history with. On Summer nights as a kid, I could usually be sure that one television somewhere was turned to a Braves game. Both my dad and maternal grandfather were huge Braves fans. Everyone in my family was. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I became one, too. Before I pulled for any other team discussed here, I pulled for the Braves. For the longest time, the Braves were awful with Dale Murphy being the lone bright spot for them. Then 1991 came and everything changed when the Braves made the World Series. With the Braves now a good team, baseball became even more fun to watch. Even now, I'm still always learning more about this sport. I look forward to the start of baseball season more than any other season, especially when the weather begins to warms.
As I finish writing this, the Super Bowl has just ended. This is the worst time as far as sports are concerned. Even though I enjoy college basketball and ice hockey, baseball and football are the two sports I look enjoy the most. When the Super Bowl ends, I'm ready for baseball to begin. I'm finally done now. In hindsight, I should have split this up into several posts. I didn't realize it would be so long, but I enjoyed explaining my relationship with different sports. I'll have other posts about sports in the future including something about expressing faith in sports and why I hate the BCS so much but until then, it's time to rest.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
By Popular Demand
I have received complaints about my recent lack of updates on my blog so here is a new post. I really don't have anything interesting to say right now and typing on my phone gets annoying. At least a certain bored individual will have something to read at work however short it is. Anyway, I do have a real update planned for sometime in the next week and a half but that's it for now. This thing isn't dead yet.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas Morning
I'm sitting here at work this Christmas morning. It is nice a quiet morning working security on Christmas day. As a kid, like many others, I woke up early on Christmas mornings but it was much more fun when you're not waking up early to be at work. This is obviously not where I'd like to be but it's certainly better than not having a job. Also, my unfortunate work schedule doesn't interfere with any family plans.
I have already gathered with both sides of my family and will be gathering with my closest family after I get off. I am fortunate to be blessed with family I have. They are a very goofy bunch. If nothing else, I always come away entertained. My best friend suggested that one of us needs to write down all the funny stories that come out holiday gatherings.
On a more somber note: this was the first Christmas without my grandfather. None were really surprised when he died a few days after last Christmas. Truly though, we were blessed to have as many Christmases with him as we did since for several years, many believed it would be the last Christmas.
I hear many people that do not look forward to spending time with the family this time of year. I know some with some unimaginably difficult family circumstances. Sometimes, your family can get on your last nerves but remember to appreciate the family you have. There are those who don't even have a a family to annoy them. Also, don't ever forget why we gather with our families this time of year. On a starry night around 2,000 years ago, a very unusual birth occurred. The One who should be most glorified became man in the most humbling of circumstances. Keep in mind what is most important.
Merry Christmas!
Ricky
P.S. I typed this on my phone since my computer at work doesn't like blogspot so I'm sure the typos are plenty.
P.P.S. There is one other important thing about this time of year... It's almost time for homemade ice cream!!!
I have already gathered with both sides of my family and will be gathering with my closest family after I get off. I am fortunate to be blessed with family I have. They are a very goofy bunch. If nothing else, I always come away entertained. My best friend suggested that one of us needs to write down all the funny stories that come out holiday gatherings.
On a more somber note: this was the first Christmas without my grandfather. None were really surprised when he died a few days after last Christmas. Truly though, we were blessed to have as many Christmases with him as we did since for several years, many believed it would be the last Christmas.
I hear many people that do not look forward to spending time with the family this time of year. I know some with some unimaginably difficult family circumstances. Sometimes, your family can get on your last nerves but remember to appreciate the family you have. There are those who don't even have a a family to annoy them. Also, don't ever forget why we gather with our families this time of year. On a starry night around 2,000 years ago, a very unusual birth occurred. The One who should be most glorified became man in the most humbling of circumstances. Keep in mind what is most important.
Merry Christmas!
Ricky
P.S. I typed this on my phone since my computer at work doesn't like blogspot so I'm sure the typos are plenty.
P.P.S. There is one other important thing about this time of year... It's almost time for homemade ice cream!!!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Things I've learned
- I should probably work my way up to my ambitions
- Just because a sleeping bag is long enough doesn't mean it's wide enough.
- Never trust dehydrated food.
- I really could use some lembas bread for my next trip.
- A 1 liter container is not enough for water.
- Rivers are beautiful things... even more-so when you're dehydrated and out of water.
- A good hiking stick or trekking poles are invaluable. Many falls were prevented thanks to my hiking stick.
- It doesn't take long to get sick of tuna.
- Coming across a camp site with actual toilets after two day in the woods is exciting. (You probably didn't care to hear that)
- Trail magic is not exclusive to the Appalachian Trail. (Thanks Brian!)
- I've undervalued the feeling of being clean my whole life until now.
I might add some more later if I come up with any.
- Just because a sleeping bag is long enough doesn't mean it's wide enough.
- Never trust dehydrated food.
- I really could use some lembas bread for my next trip.
- A 1 liter container is not enough for water.
- Rivers are beautiful things... even more-so when you're dehydrated and out of water.
- A good hiking stick or trekking poles are invaluable. Many falls were prevented thanks to my hiking stick.
- It doesn't take long to get sick of tuna.
- Coming across a camp site with actual toilets after two day in the woods is exciting. (You probably didn't care to hear that)
- Trail magic is not exclusive to the Appalachian Trail. (Thanks Brian!)
- I've undervalued the feeling of being clean my whole life until now.
I might add some more later if I come up with any.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Getting Ready for The Foothills Trail
This Saturday, I plan on going on backpacking trip on a portion of the Foothills Trail. This will be the first time I've done something like this. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find anyone to do this with me so I will doing this by myself and, understandably, I am a bit nervous. However, I need to start sometime somehow, so I might as well dive headfirst.
Since I'm starting from scratch, I've had buy all new gear. This has been both really frustrating yet oddly addicting. It's been very annoying searching everywhere for decent gear that I can actually afford. Backpacking gear is expensive! I have looked at various online retailers and I think I've visited nearly every nearby outdoor recreation store from Traveler's Rest to Commerce, GA. As frustrating as this is, I can't help myself but looking at reviews and specifications of the different pieces of gear I've considered. I have almost everything but with only a couple days remaining, I'm still lacking a few key items. One of these things I don't have yet is perhaps the most important thing of all.... my pack! I think I've settled on one but I haven't bought it yet. It seems to be the best combination of durability, weight, and price. One thing I've learned while getting gear: weight is everything. I've tried to be as lightweight as possible without going broke. I certainly won't be doing what is called ultralight. I'm simply not skilled enough, or have enough income, for that. Regardless, it's coming together.
Anyway, the time to leave is almost here. If nothing else, it will be nice to have a week off from work. I would ask anyone that is reading this to pray for my safety and that I figure out what I'm doing. Hopefully, I should have plenty of supplies and I'll be able to keep myself warm on those cold mornings and evenings. It will be an interesting experience and I hope to learn much from it. Maybe somehow the Lord will use my seclusion in nature to help me grow. Let's see what happens.
Since I'm starting from scratch, I've had buy all new gear. This has been both really frustrating yet oddly addicting. It's been very annoying searching everywhere for decent gear that I can actually afford. Backpacking gear is expensive! I have looked at various online retailers and I think I've visited nearly every nearby outdoor recreation store from Traveler's Rest to Commerce, GA. As frustrating as this is, I can't help myself but looking at reviews and specifications of the different pieces of gear I've considered. I have almost everything but with only a couple days remaining, I'm still lacking a few key items. One of these things I don't have yet is perhaps the most important thing of all.... my pack! I think I've settled on one but I haven't bought it yet. It seems to be the best combination of durability, weight, and price. One thing I've learned while getting gear: weight is everything. I've tried to be as lightweight as possible without going broke. I certainly won't be doing what is called ultralight. I'm simply not skilled enough, or have enough income, for that. Regardless, it's coming together.
Anyway, the time to leave is almost here. If nothing else, it will be nice to have a week off from work. I would ask anyone that is reading this to pray for my safety and that I figure out what I'm doing. Hopefully, I should have plenty of supplies and I'll be able to keep myself warm on those cold mornings and evenings. It will be an interesting experience and I hope to learn much from it. Maybe somehow the Lord will use my seclusion in nature to help me grow. Let's see what happens.
Friday, November 11, 2011
How I got here
We'll start with a bit a history. The first and most important thing that anyone who might be reading this and doesn't know me is that I am a Christian. I came to know Christ at a rather early age. I later went to college thinking I was going into the full time ministry. After I finally graduated college (it took me a little longer than expected), I got married to the girl I had dated since high school and, really, the only girl I had ever dated. I also left to start seminary. Though, things weren't always easy, everything seemed to be going according to plan and I was content. Of course, this was all my plan, and God's plans always trump our own.
Everything was derailed when my wife suddenly leaves. I was now by myself away from any friends or family at seminary. I decided to finish out the semester but I had absolutely no desire to stay there any longer so I moved back home. I found a job doing security which I have plenty of experience in. After a while, I became indecisive. I couldn't decide whether it was God's will to return to ministry despite a lack of passion for full-time ministry or go into another field that does interest me now and do God's will from there.
During all of this, a new desire was growing in me. I had always loved the woods near near my house growing up, but now wanted to be out in nature more and more. I started driving up to the mountains whenever I had the chance. Despite my poor physique, I would go hiking occasionally. I've channeled this into trying to get a career as a park ranger but so far, that hasn't worked. What I really needed was an adventure or a journey of some sorts I could take. I didn't know what I could do since security does not pay well at all. Then one day, my best friend mentioned something to me that some of his other friends were talking about: hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. It seemed interesting but I didn't know if it was something practical. I began researching it, and researching even more. I wanted to know everything I could about this idea. I realized that this was actually doable!
Over the next couple of years, I would plan for this. I have no family that I'm responsible for, I have no financial obligations, and I'm at a job that I don't really mind leaving. The planning did come to a slight halt for a couple months when I entered a new relationship but that was short-lived. There was only one thing that truly scared me about starting. My grandfathers health was failing and did not want to me unreachable in the woods somewhere should something happen. Then, last year a few days after Christmas, the day before my birthday, he died. I knew he was far better off than any of us now. I was mostly worried about my now alone grandmother, and I still do.
However, now I've decided that 2012 is the year I will take this adventure unless I was to find some new job that I would want to make a career of, but I haven't. I haven't quite figure everything out. There are still some logistical things I need to figure out like how to get home from Mount Katahdin (the northern end of the trail) once I get there. I have decided, though, that I will depart from Springer Mountain in March. The main problem I've read is that it usually is crowded that of year but I'll deal with that. I'll be chronicling my adventure and my preparation for it here so keep reading if you're interested. Of course, there are other things I'm interested in so I my post about those now and then. I just hope you can be patient with me and the fact that I'm not very good with proofreading. Until next time...
Everything was derailed when my wife suddenly leaves. I was now by myself away from any friends or family at seminary. I decided to finish out the semester but I had absolutely no desire to stay there any longer so I moved back home. I found a job doing security which I have plenty of experience in. After a while, I became indecisive. I couldn't decide whether it was God's will to return to ministry despite a lack of passion for full-time ministry or go into another field that does interest me now and do God's will from there.
During all of this, a new desire was growing in me. I had always loved the woods near near my house growing up, but now wanted to be out in nature more and more. I started driving up to the mountains whenever I had the chance. Despite my poor physique, I would go hiking occasionally. I've channeled this into trying to get a career as a park ranger but so far, that hasn't worked. What I really needed was an adventure or a journey of some sorts I could take. I didn't know what I could do since security does not pay well at all. Then one day, my best friend mentioned something to me that some of his other friends were talking about: hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. It seemed interesting but I didn't know if it was something practical. I began researching it, and researching even more. I wanted to know everything I could about this idea. I realized that this was actually doable!
Over the next couple of years, I would plan for this. I have no family that I'm responsible for, I have no financial obligations, and I'm at a job that I don't really mind leaving. The planning did come to a slight halt for a couple months when I entered a new relationship but that was short-lived. There was only one thing that truly scared me about starting. My grandfathers health was failing and did not want to me unreachable in the woods somewhere should something happen. Then, last year a few days after Christmas, the day before my birthday, he died. I knew he was far better off than any of us now. I was mostly worried about my now alone grandmother, and I still do.
However, now I've decided that 2012 is the year I will take this adventure unless I was to find some new job that I would want to make a career of, but I haven't. I haven't quite figure everything out. There are still some logistical things I need to figure out like how to get home from Mount Katahdin (the northern end of the trail) once I get there. I have decided, though, that I will depart from Springer Mountain in March. The main problem I've read is that it usually is crowded that of year but I'll deal with that. I'll be chronicling my adventure and my preparation for it here so keep reading if you're interested. Of course, there are other things I'm interested in so I my post about those now and then. I just hope you can be patient with me and the fact that I'm not very good with proofreading. Until next time...
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