I had a great 30 minute phone call with Jeff a few days ago. He was sitting on top of a mountain about 20 miles outside of Demascus, VA. He sounded wonderful! So happy!
Jeff had a great time at Trail Days, a 3-day hiker festival in Demascus. There was a lot of food, entertainment, a hiker parade, tent village with other thru hikers, vendors and companies demo'ing products. Jeff purchased a new backpack. The Jansport he started his hike with had already been through quite a bit of use, and the daily wear (with heavy load) was starting to bust seams and break straps. He bought a new Offsprey bag from a local outfitter, sending his Jansport home. He later visited the the Offsprey booth and they gave him a free rainfly, to keep his new pack dry while hiking in wet weather. Another vendor gave him a free sleeping mat, since his old mat was too large for the new pack - again, he sent the old stuff home. He was psyched about his free wares and about his new pack.
Being a thru-hiker (meaning you're hiking the full AT in one trip) sounds like you're the rockstar of the hiking community. People are very generous along the trail, sharing food and beer, rides and even a floor to crash on when in town for the night. He's met a lot of really cool people along the way and they have all seemed to share a bit of good vibe with Jeff and his new AT friends.
Blisters
...no not the foot sores (though I'm sure he's got them too).
My favorite story from our conversation was about a dice game called Blisters. Those of us that know Jeff well, know that he loves a good game. He always has. I remember Jeff and I in intense competition for the high score at Kirby's Pinball on Gameboy with Eden Roe at the Caroga Lake cabin, way back in elementary school. In more recent years, our friend Chris Pulver introduced us to The Settlers of Catan, which Jeff shared across the country during his Colorado > San Diego era.
On a recent hike, Jeff crossed paths with a guy who really enjoyed the company of his AT posse. This dude introduced Jeff to a new game, Blisters. Apparently, Jeff really took a liking to the game and played many with his new friend during stops on their hike. As his new friend was leaving the group and heading back home (I presume, he was not a thru hiker - just along for a few days or so), he tried to give Jeff his Blisters set. The guy had the game since middle school, a gift from his mom. Jeff turned down the gift, even when the guy persisted. "I couldn't take it - he had it since middle school. It was from his mom." Jeff told me.
A few days later, a friend of his (who blogs about their travels) received a message online from the guy who they had met a few days before. "Tell Jeff to check the post office in Demascus," the message said. When Jeff arrived at the post office in Demascus, VA a brand new set of Blisters dice had been shipped to him there with a note thanking Jeff, and his crew, for the time they spent with him on the Appalachian Trail. Jeff sent him a post card from Trail Days, thanking him for the gift.
Trail magic.
Before Jeff left for the AT, I coincidentally chatted up the nice barista chick in the coffee shop next to where I work. She had hiked the Appalachian Trail, solo the year before. She said she had embarked on the trail with a very negative view on humanity, but the kindness she received on the trail gave her so much hope.
Thank you, dude who gave my brother Blisters.
Ha. I bet that's the only time I'll ever use that sentence again.
Good night, ya'll.
xo - Sister Carly
Jeff had a great time at Trail Days, a 3-day hiker festival in Demascus. There was a lot of food, entertainment, a hiker parade, tent village with other thru hikers, vendors and companies demo'ing products. Jeff purchased a new backpack. The Jansport he started his hike with had already been through quite a bit of use, and the daily wear (with heavy load) was starting to bust seams and break straps. He bought a new Offsprey bag from a local outfitter, sending his Jansport home. He later visited the the Offsprey booth and they gave him a free rainfly, to keep his new pack dry while hiking in wet weather. Another vendor gave him a free sleeping mat, since his old mat was too large for the new pack - again, he sent the old stuff home. He was psyched about his free wares and about his new pack.
Being a thru-hiker (meaning you're hiking the full AT in one trip) sounds like you're the rockstar of the hiking community. People are very generous along the trail, sharing food and beer, rides and even a floor to crash on when in town for the night. He's met a lot of really cool people along the way and they have all seemed to share a bit of good vibe with Jeff and his new AT friends.
Blisters
...no not the foot sores (though I'm sure he's got them too).
My favorite story from our conversation was about a dice game called Blisters. Those of us that know Jeff well, know that he loves a good game. He always has. I remember Jeff and I in intense competition for the high score at Kirby's Pinball on Gameboy with Eden Roe at the Caroga Lake cabin, way back in elementary school. In more recent years, our friend Chris Pulver introduced us to The Settlers of Catan, which Jeff shared across the country during his Colorado > San Diego era.
On a recent hike, Jeff crossed paths with a guy who really enjoyed the company of his AT posse. This dude introduced Jeff to a new game, Blisters. Apparently, Jeff really took a liking to the game and played many with his new friend during stops on their hike. As his new friend was leaving the group and heading back home (I presume, he was not a thru hiker - just along for a few days or so), he tried to give Jeff his Blisters set. The guy had the game since middle school, a gift from his mom. Jeff turned down the gift, even when the guy persisted. "I couldn't take it - he had it since middle school. It was from his mom." Jeff told me.
A few days later, a friend of his (who blogs about their travels) received a message online from the guy who they had met a few days before. "Tell Jeff to check the post office in Demascus," the message said. When Jeff arrived at the post office in Demascus, VA a brand new set of Blisters dice had been shipped to him there with a note thanking Jeff, and his crew, for the time they spent with him on the Appalachian Trail. Jeff sent him a post card from Trail Days, thanking him for the gift.
Trail magic.
Before Jeff left for the AT, I coincidentally chatted up the nice barista chick in the coffee shop next to where I work. She had hiked the Appalachian Trail, solo the year before. She said she had embarked on the trail with a very negative view on humanity, but the kindness she received on the trail gave her so much hope.
Thank you, dude who gave my brother Blisters.
Ha. I bet that's the only time I'll ever use that sentence again.
Good night, ya'll.
xo - Sister Carly
