528... seriously

I'm really not sure where to begin to write about today... so I will start with this... 528. 

That is how far I hiked on the Appalachian Trail.  All the way from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the Partnership Shelter near Marion, Virginia.  I feel this blog has been lacking some photos (because you KNOW I am not tech savy enough to put pictures here with my phone!)... so I will give you this one to start.  528 miles, 47ish days... and I hiked them in these socks. 

Every. Single. Day.

Yup... you can gag a little... they're NASTY.  But they are also in a dumpster at the last shelter so don't worry they won't be showing up anywhere!

Aren't you glad I finally got around to putting pictures here??!!

Next up?  My AMAZING friend Lindsay, who drove all the way to Virginia to pick me up.  8 hours.  8 LONG hours... and she did it with a smile.  True friendship that is!  Here she is posing for a photo with my pack on the AT.  She was a super trooper and spent the night in a tent, on the ground, with my crazy AT "family" for a night, just so that I could spend one more night on the trail.

I don't think she can possibly know what a gift her being there, listening to 8 hours of my stories on the way home, meeting my friends, and climbing one last mountain with me was.  I am blessed. 

THanks Lindsay Lou!  YOU ARE THE BEST!

Finally, this is Grayson Highlands State Park.  (This is where Lindsay hiked one last mountain with me =)).  I had hiked through Grayson Highlands on Saturday morning and we went back after we left Marion.  It was AMAZING.  There are wild ponies and beautiful balds and rock outcrops and BEAUTY.  Seriously, one of my favorite parts of my hike.  AMAZING. 

528.

That's how far I walked.

That's INSANITY.

Late last week I hurt my left leg.  I really couldn't tell you what I did to it, but tonight it is swollen HUGE and gross, and it has been really painful to walk on... but I REALLY wanted to make it to that last shelter, so I hobbled through my pain... and I do LITERALLY mean HOBBLED.

My Appalachian Trail experience was AMAZING.  It was NOTHING like what I expected.  It was surprising and humbling.  It was challenging and peaceful, beautiful and hard.  I met people who I already miss more than I can express.  I didn't cry even once... I definitely didn't give up when I wanted to.  I may not be the fastest hiker, but I made it a whole lot farther than I thought I would.   Although a big part of me desperately wants to be a thru hiker, still out there and headed for Maine, my heart is still there.

I have much more to share here about the journey, many things to tell you about what I learned and am still learning... but I will tell you this... I miss hiking already.  I miss my trail friends and my trail life.  Although the journey was not what I expected, it was a journey that taught me a lot more than I could have thought possible.  I headed out alone and yet met amazing people that challenged and changed me.  I went to find peace and solitude and found more of both than I thought possible. 

You could say that living for nearly 7 weeks in the woods changed who I am... but the reality is that it will change me only as much as I let it.  The peace I found on my journey is only as real as I let it be.  The truth I found is only as meaningful as I allow in my life. 

I am not the same girl I was on April 27th, and that is the greatest blessing of all.

Much more to come...