Trail Anniversary

April 1, 2015

I wasn't planning to write anything about starting the trail, one year ago today. But then I picked up these photos from the pharmacy this afternoon, put them in the frame and couldn't help myself.

The photos, all framed and everything, were begging to be shared on the one year anniversary of our Appalachian Trail thru-hike start date.

I bought the dollar store frame months ago. In fact, seeing the five-in-a-row design is what gave me the idea to print these photos.

These photos were taken close to Bear Mountain State Park in New York State. They do not commemorate the start of our hike, rather they capture how we looked a little more than halfway into our journey.

By this point we were the real deal and these photos show that. They capture poor Padawan's bug bites, but her big grin all the same.

They tell the story of dirty legs (and my hairy legs); Toesalad's bewilderment at having taken us on this grand adventure in the first place and Otter's unbridled enthusiasm for the whole thing.

They portray (isn't that what a portrait does?) my indomitable, come-hell-or-high-water-I'm-finishing-this-thing spirit; and of course this photo shares Tenacious Bling's, well, her bling.

We arrived at Bear Mountain State Park on Saturday, July 26; day 118 of our adventure. The state park, which boasts a zoo (the Appalachian Trail goes right through the zoo, white blazes and all) was filled with weekend picnickers. And right at the bottom of the long descent down Bear Mountain itself was Stan Goldblatt, a professional photographer working on a project - taking photos of thru-hikers on their way through Fort Montgomery, NY.

"Are you the Von Trapps?", he asked.

He'd been hoping to meet and photograph us and he made us an offer we couldn't refuse. For a bowl of homemade chili, rice, and cold drinks he'd drive us to his nearby studio located in his home, take our photos, record a bit of our story, then drive us back to the trail.

All we had to do was get into car (without enough seat belts for all of us) with a complete stranger, and trust him to do as he promised.

Which of course he did. We'd heard about Stan from friends ahead of us on the trail.

"If a strange guy meets you at Bear Mountain State Park and offers you a ride to his home to take your photo - it's all good. He's legit."

Trail family takes care of their own.

And that's how it was that we got our trail portraits taken by a professional photographer.

We weren't dressed fancy. We weren't dressed "for a photo shoot". We were wearing what we always wore, the same clothes, day-in, day-out. We hadn't showered or put on deodorant. Poor guy, taking all those smelly hikers in his car. (No wonder he kept the windows rolled down the whole time.)

I remember exactly where I was one year ago tonight. In our red Hilleberg tent, sleeping with the girls, at Hawk Mountain Shelter, approx. 8 miles into our 2,180 mile hike.

So full of hope and expectation for what was to come, feet already tired.

AT Journal Day 1 3/31/14

Summited Springer Mountain with Powell Family. Left Big Stamp Gap at 2pm. Arrived at shelter 6:30. Brienne and Laurent sore. Celine no complaints. Clear day, no rain. Beautiful trail along creek. Shelter campground full of people, 30? No time to chat or really chill, busy figuring out camp routines. I felt good going to bed. Feet tired. It was a very good first day, all things considered.

I remember so many details about that first day. Most of the trail is like this for me. With the help of my photos and journal entries I can recall our days in amazing detail.

In the last month, as we've noticed an increase in trail buzz online (people are starting thru-hikes this time of year and there's a lot of internet chatter about trail stuff) we have spent more time as a family remembering our hike, sharing our stories with friends but also amongst ourselves.

We don't hide things under the rug in our family and so my trail struggles have been part of the conversation since the very beginning. But recently, there has been a marked increase in laughter as we share our memories.

Some of us, Damien, would go back tomorrow. Others, Brienne, may never hike a long-distance trail again. It's still too early to tell for any of us but our sights are westward for the future.

None of us can imagine hiking the Appalachian Trail again without the friendships we made in 2014. Without the people who made the trail what it was.

Part of us wants to go back and do it better. Basically, I'd like to thru-hike without an emotional breakdown and with more time. Damien would like to enjoy trail life without the heavy responsibilities he bore as team leader.

But when we recall the places we experienced and the friends we made, we realize that none of that would have been the same if our hike hadn't been exactly as it was. I had no idea how precious all of that would be to me one day, how precious it would be to me on this day.

And that's just how it goes.

I'm happy to be sleeping in my bed tonight. But I'd be lying if I said the trail hasn't tugged on my heart today.