A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately, the library closes shortly so I’ll do my best to summarize. Sassy Sunshine made it to mile-mark 892.6 on June 16th before having to get off due to a swelling of nerves in her foot, also know has neuroma http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuroma. There is no quick fix for this and Sassy needed to throw in the towel. In a very unselfish and noble act, Sassy asked me to go on and complete the AT. This was the hardest “trail” decision imaginable and we had prayed and hoped we would never come to this point. My wife is my best friend, and up to this point the trail had been our adventure without an agenda other than to enjoy our time together. Moving on alone would result in being apart for almost three months. We considered our options carefully and we both agreed that I would continue on.
Sassy got on a Greyhound bus the next day and I was back on the trail by 2pm thanks to a Trail Angel named Tom Reider. Tom drove me 40 miles into the Shenandoah’s where I got back on at Roach Smith Gap, and he got Sassy to the bus station in Charlottesville. She went back to Lake City, MI where she is spending the interim with her mom and grandma. The plan is to spend considerable time baking and learning gluten-free recipes and also taking care of her feet.
As for me, I’ve been able to move along relatively quickly and get bigger miles in; 245 miles in the last 10 days. Hiking vigorously has been sort of my way of coping with the absence of Sassy. I hope to move up my arrival to Katahdin from early October to August 31st. Sassy plans to ascend Katahdin with me for a climactic end to our journey.
Everything has a way of working itself out. I found encouragement in reading Ecclesiastes 3:15 this morning. “That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” This time alone from Sassy is part of His divine plan that has been perfectly thought out. My conscience tells me to just go with it even though it’s difficult and sometimes tear-jerking. The Dude abides.
The Dynamic Duo
Daddy Longlegs and Sassy Sunshine sketched by Stewball
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Oh man! Best of luck to you both. Get healthy Rachel and the love your time with your family, and good luck Nick on the next leg of your adventure- being solo is a whole new deal, but I totally dug it.
ReplyDeleteAbide on, my friend. Good to catch up with you guys (virtually). Hope DLL is surviving solo and SS is benefitting from some needed rest.
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