I can't believe it....and neither can he.
This whole crazy idea that he talked about, saved money for, researched, and planned for about a year finally started on May 27th. He set out to summit Mt. Katahdin near Millinocket, ME with his dad, Jon, and one of his dad's best friends, Troy (who happens to represent the "Tr" part in his name.) It was a long, arduous day as they got a late start, he didn't have a stove because TSA confiscated his fuel, and they couldn't find anywhere to buy it!! Finally, they were off to climb what Jon said was the hardest climb of his life. They got completely drenched by pouring rain the last two miles down resulting in the fact that we now have no pictures of his start of the Appalachian Trail at the top of Mt. Katahdin! (I'm still not over that!) Jon and Troy left my 18 year old son soaking wet, sore and miserable at a lean-to shelter at the bottom of the mountain, alone and freezing.
The next day I got a (completely unexpected) call from him. He was miserable and questioning his sanity in doing this, thinking this was quite possibly the biggest mistake of his life. He had walked about nine miles and was on the border of Baxter State Park in Maine--heading into the Hundred Mile Wilderness where he wouldn't have any contact with us for 10-14 days. At the ranger's station, there were pop tarts. He had taken all sorts of food to cook and keep him alive and healthy on the trail. But he was going into the Hundred Mile Wilderness with no stove so most of the food he had was useless. Food was needed, and there were only pop tarts. He started the Hundred Mile Wilderness with a VERY heavy backpack (he did dump an extra pair of clothes and camel back on the side of the trail), 5 boxes of pop tarts and 12 granola bars. He was the 3rd Southbounder to start this season so there weren't many people around to help or with whom to talk. Baxter State Park isn't even officially open until June 1 so you can imagine. Yes, he knew this beforehand. No, there was still no changing his mind.
Day 3 he set out to start the Hundred Mile Wilderness as a very lonely, (still) wet, cold and scared kid without much food. This Mama was a praying fool and had so many joining as well!!
Many of you know the story of his being "saved" by angels with skin on--who quickly became his first friends on the trail and led him to probably his biggest influence that he's had on this whole endeavor. Poet. "Poet" and his wife own Shaw's. It's a hiker hostel in Monson, ME. There he was ready to actually listen and learn. Poet took everything out of his pack that he didn't need, outfitted him with a new stove, and other essentials. He had come out of the Hundred Mile Wilderness feeling like he was almost dead (had eaten two pop tarts a day for 5 days) and delirious. The "angels" had led him to a road where they got a ride to Monson. Here he spent two days letting his feet and boots dry, eating substantial amounts of food and finding the community he had no idea he needed. These two days changed him. He then (along with his two new friends) got a ride back to where he stopped in the Hundred Mile Wilderness to finish the next 6 days. He stayed two more days at Shaw's with Poet and loved every minute of it.
Since then there have been many ups and downs. Many times he's texted me right at his breaking point. I'm sure there have been many times he's been at that breaking point when he hasn't had service, alone and hurting, when he had no one but Jesus to cry to. He's had some amazing people along the way who have opened their homes to him that have just reached out to me on Facebook or even that friends of mine have asked for me!! The Burgers in southern MA were a god send and totally providential as he was crossing the highway to their house the very day he picked up his new phone from the post office (and I had put their name and number in it--just in case.) They gave him a meal, shower, company and a bed for the night! They also have given him prayers ever since!
A friend I knew from Covenant College, Jennifer Gladwin, picked him up at Harper's Ferry and gave him a bed for two nights. She drove him around, entertained him with frisbee golf, fed him good food and lots of ice cream! She also has continued to pray for him and keep up with his journey.
Of course, on the trail Firefoot has been a constant since New York. They've picked up others along the way, and they will always be a part of Trand's memories and life.
We've been privileged to be able to visit him on the trail. Once, the kids and I drove to PA to stay two nights with him there. Breck got to hike with him, and we got to meet the Turtles, three trail friends who stayed one night with us. Jon drove to VA to take he and his friends out and then stay two nights with him there. And of course, the infamous trip I took to pick him up and bring him home for the weekend when he hurt his back so badly he couldn't go on.
Last night when I visited him over dinner in Hot Springs, NC (about an hour and 15 minutes from us) he told me stories of all sorts of people who hike the trail. I love hearing these. I love the trail names, and I love what different ones have meant to him--even the ones that he hasn't liked so much--because they are all a part of his journey.
He's a SOBO. A Southbounder. They are a different breed. They are proud to be SOBOs. They are few and far between. A SOBO starts at Katahdin and heads south with Springer Mtn., GA as his goal. They represent about 20% of AT hikers. One in four people who set out to thru hike the entire trail each year will actually finish. Many SOBOs actually give up in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. It's easy to see why. Percentage wise more SOBOs actually finish than NOBOs. In 2014, 272 people started out at Mt. Katahdin to thru hike to GA. 76 finished. In 2015 Trand was #3 starting at Katahdin May 27. Even with his very rocky start, he was #15 when he went through at Harper's Ferry.
As hard as this has been, he said last night that he can't believe it's actually going to be over. For so many months he's texted me with, "Why can't this just be over???" And now, it will soon be a reality. He will have to learn again to live "off the trail." He may hide out for a while. That's okay. He will probably have a few lunches and maybe even a few hikes with my friend, Travis, who was a SOBO 11 years ago (and happens to be my hair dresser!!) I've texted Travis quite a few times during this journey for questions and general reassurance!! I'm thankful for him!
God has used so many in his life and mine over the last 5 months. We've both been changed. In about two weeks, he will be done, barring some unforeseen life changing circumstance. He began this journey as an 18 year old kid with all sorts of crazy, unattainable goals (that were mostly shattered in his first week out) and he will finish an 18 year old man with a smarter outlook on life. Is he still a hot head? Yeah, I think so. Losing that will come with age. Is he still the most stubborn person I know? Yeah, but that's what got him down the trail. But he's done a lot of figuring out what's important in life. And that's a beautiful thing.
I'm so proud of him. I'm in awe of him. He's my hero, my "Ace."
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