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GEORGIA TO MAINE!
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FIELD NOTES
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6/15/00 Waynesboro, continued. Plant and Lindy have met people from all over the world while on the AT. They have met some people from New Zealand, Dusty and Cow Pie, as well as a trio from Israel who are collectively known as The Holy Hikers.
Plant also reports that both he and Lindy have noticed that their sense of smell has heightened. While on the Trail, they can usually smell another human before they see them, they can smell their after shave, soaps, perfumes, etc. They can also tell when they are getting close to a town as they can smell exhaust, and other smells associated with civilization that they never noticed before.
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6/21/00 Tradition holds that on the Summer Solstice AT thru hikers hike naked! And Plant, as we all know, has always been a traditionalist!
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6/23/00 Shenandoah National Park Plant and Lindy called today to report that they should be arriving in Front Royal tomorrow. They took a lttle more time than expected to go through Shenandoah National Park. They stopped to tour Luray Caverns, which they both enjoyed, and report was much larger and more beautiful then they imagined. While in the Park, they have seen three black bears and lots of deer. Plant says "there are so many deer you almost have to push them out of your way to keep going!" They have 53 miles to go to reach Harper's Ferry West, VA, and they hope to be there 6/26/ or 6/27.
Virginia now seems to them like a never ending leg of their journey. They report feeling frustrated as they "can see the end but it is still out of reach". Plant said that when they first began hiking the AT, they each thought about different things all day long. Lately they have found themselves mindlessly plodding along, just doing what they have to do each day in order to get through and move on to the next stage of their trip. He reports his thoughts have begun to consist of "Rock." "Rock". "Rock".
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They have seen other thru hikers also become possessed by the Trail. They plod on no matter how they feel, no matter what the weather is like, no matter how tired they are. Rather than enjoying the journey, the Trail starts to own them and they follow the white blazes mindlessly onward.
When Plant and Lindy realized that this was beginning to happen to them as well, they had a "team meeting" and decided to slow down, see the sights and enjoy themselves again rather than just pushing onward. It was at this point that they rented a car, toured Luray Caverns, saw a movie, bought some beer and acted like the rest of us for awhile! It helped their spirits tremendously, and both are doing well again. They are slack packing until they reach Harper's Ferry, which will be a happy day indeed, for that is traditionally considered the half way point of the AT.
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6/22/00 Plant and Lindy do Luray Caverns!
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Cavern Lake
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Lindy
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SIGHTS OF SHENANDOAH
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TROUBLE AFOOT!
6/26/00 Phone call from Plant and Lindy. Plant called to report that he suffered two stress fractures to the metatarsal area of his right big toe. He is on crutches and wearing a foot support so he cannot move his toe. He needs to stay off of his foot for six to eight weeks. So, on 6/27/00 Plant's sister and niece drove to Front Royal VA, picked up our fearless hikers and drove them to our house in good old Lebanon PA!
While here, Plant is working on recovering, Lindy is enjoying the sights and is walking a little each day to keep in shape. And, they have a new plan of attack for the AT.
Lindy is going to fly to Georgia on 7/6/00 to get her van and drive it north to PA. Then Plant and Lindy will spend about two weeks with Lindy's cousin in The Thousand Islands. If all goes according to plan, Plant's toe should be healed in the beginning of August. Then they will drive from The Thousand Islands to the New Hampshire/Maine line where they will hike north through Maine and climb Mt. Katahdin. Afterwards, they hope to catch a ride back to the New Hampshire State Line and hike south ending in Harper's Ferry, home of the ATC.
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7/6/00 Lindy flew to Georgia today to bring the van to PA. She should be back late Saturday evening, 7/9/00. Since their arrival, Plant and Lindy have been enjoying the sights of Central Pennsylvania. We went to Middlecreek Wildlife Management Area, in Klinefeltersville PA, where we saw a Bald Eagle! We have toured the PA Dutch Country and enjoyed the 4th of July with a picnic that included Plant's mother and brother. A good time was had by all, but Lindy and Plant are missing the Trail! Next week they plan on heading to the Thousand Islands.
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7/13/00 Plant and Lindy are leaving Lebanon Pa tomorrow, 7/14/00. They will drive north in the van, visit with Plant's mother for a day or two, and then head up to Corning NY where they will visit with another friend before heading up the The Thousand Islands. Plant's foot appears to be healing well. Before they start back on the AT in Maine, he will have it re-xrayed to make sure it is healing and good to go!
While here, Plant and Lindy (mostly Plant) have relaxed. Lindy has started going to auctions, has hiked some on the AT, has walked and jogged, cooked , baked, picked cherries, won at Croquet and still had time to fly to Georgia and get the van! Now, if only we could do something about Plant.....
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Plant and his Mom
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Walking After Midnight
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