Here We Are Again!

After postponing my thru-hike in early March, the starting line and first white blaze is finally coming into sight. Hello, August! With only 16 more days until step one on my Harpers Ferry Sobo20/Nobo21 Flip-Flop Thru-hike, anxious is the one word that comes to my mind that describes how I feel. Anxious is the same emotion that I felt in March but this time it’s different. This time it’s also filled with anticipation. I’ve learned a lot about myself over that past few months as I navigated through a full spectrum of emotions, thoughts, and feelings, from the highs to the ugly lows during this “life pause”. But much work still needs to be done.

On Saturday, August 15th, my wife, Jennifer, and I will make the 8.5-hour drive from Indy to Harpers Ferry, WV. The plan is to stay the night near Harpers Ferry so that we can take in some sights, relax, eat, and eat even more.  We’ll also make a stop and visit the ATC Headquarters, which is now open, curbside that is. Looks like no thru-hiker badge for me, but then again it’s just one more thing that I need to get over. On Sunday, August 16th we’ll pack up in the morning, make our way to the ATC Headquarters for my official “personal” photo on the office porch, then make way to the trail and touch the first white blaze as I head south to Georgia. Jennifer will accompany me overnight on trail day one to make sure that I don’t turn back, lol.

Until then, only 5 more days of hard training before I take a much-needed recovery break. My body needs it badly. We’ll make a quick day trip to Chicago tomorrow to move our daughter into her apartment for year number two at Columbia College Chicago. Then later in the week, a much-needed glamping vacation with Jennifer and our other daughter in the amazing Indiana Dunes National Park. Also, one more brief trip to Michigan to store the RV for the remainder of the year and to also say goodbye, for now that is, to parents.  So a pretty busy schedule until the 16th indeed, it’s time to turn the page and Be_again.