January 23, 2022. Granite Bay to Avery’s Pond 16.3 Miles

77 days to go and it’s getting serious. I have switched some things up, new pack and new shoes. Two of the most important pieces of gear and I’m changing them both. Well, at least I am trying them out.

My backpack is Gossamer G20 which is around 40 liters. A bit smaller that I usually carry but I was thinking with so many town stops and resupply options along the way, it should be fine. The jury is still out being my gear alone basically fills the inners and doesn’t leave much space for food. This could be a problem as eating is a very vital part of hiking. You need to replenish the thousands of calories that your body is expending as you walk up and down the glorious trail.

As for my shoes, this is near and dear to my heart! If your feet are sore or they are not happy, there’s no way you can put in the daily miles. I have been a true blue loyal customer to Solomons for the past ten years. I wore them on countless hikes, treks and thru-hikes, so why on Gods green earth would I switch? My number one reason is the rocks, roots and mud I will encounter on the AT. The Appalachian Trail is known for being an old trail and with that comes worn out footpaths and countless rocks! My Solomon’s don’t provide the padding that my aging feet are requiring these days. So I am trying out Altras. They are most popular for long distant hikers being they have a wide toe box and rear trap that holds your gaiters in place. The model I am trying is Timp2 which is a zero drop (mimics barefoot hiking), has a solid vibrant sole and cushy heel. I will let my feet decide as they are the boss of this choice.

Today I walked out my front door and headed north on the Pioneer Express Trail. This is a horse trail that takes you from Sacramento to Auburn. If you are really adventurous, you can keep walking to Squaw Valley. Where I live, I can walk two blocks and I’m on the trail. So I donned my pack full of all the essentials, tent, sleeping bag, pad, stove, clothes and food and headed towards the north. My game plan is Avery’s Pond, about 14-15 miles up the trail. I had my trust companion Zoey with me, a wonderful four-legged creature who was made for this type of travel. She carry’s her own pack filled with dog food, dog treats and her bowl and leash. The leash rarely comes out but it is required so she brings it with, ever so reluctantly.

The day was perfect. Blue skies, warming temperatures and relatively dry trails. There were a few other furry legged animals on the trail, along with some trail runners but I was the only backpacker. Honestly I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anyone else besides me backpacking on this piece of real estate. I’m not sure why as it is beautiful and relatively flat. The trail meanders through oak trees, brush and a bit of poison oak. It follows Folsom Lake and has beautiful vistas and rock outcroppings that overlook the water. I truly am blessed to have Folsom Lake State Park in my backyard.

As Zoey and I navigated the trail, we saw many horses and riders. Most the horse people are quite friendly and Zoey has due respect for these behemoth animals! She knows to stay away from their hind legs and typically sits on the side of the trail, without being asked, and watches as they pass us. For being a dog, she is quite smart and minds her manners. I couldn’t ask for a better behaved McNab and she is pretty happy that her owner takes her out regularly to stretch her paws!

We arrived at Rattlesnake Bar Boat Ramp and were greeted by my husband George with oranges and apples, carbonated water and beef jerky. Zoey loved the jerky as I chowed down on the fresh fruit. There is something magical about juicy fruit when all you typically eat is dried fruit or leather strips. George stayed for a bit and then nodded farewell as Zoey and I meandered up the last bit of our trail for the day. We made it to Avery’s Pond to find it quite empty. With the lack of rain the past few years, many lakes and ponds have dried up. We continued on and found a nice sheltered plateau above Folsom Lake. Zoey began bird watching as I set up for the night.

The evening was cool and once the sun set, it was downright cold. We both squeezed into our tent, had dinner and proceeded to sleep early. Tomorrow will be a warmer.

September 24, 2022. Avery’s Pond to Auburn Overlook 6.5 Miles

What a night. Zoey was on watch all night. She kept going in and out of the tent, star gazing and looking for nocturnal critters that were obviously going to invade our campsite. Then she started barking and growling at the wind. She was definitely on guard defending my presence. I had little to zero sleep and rose with the sun. Honestly I just wanted to drink some coffee and head up the hill to Auburn.

We tore down camp. Who am I kidding? I tore down camp as Zoey watched. We had breakfast, me polenta and sausage, Zoey lamb and rice with beef jerky sprinkled in. We both ate every single morsel and cleaned our bowls! Once packed up, we headed up the trail to Auburn. The trail followed the northern portion of Folsom Lake. The trail is well maintained and we saw quite a few runners this morning enjoying the perfect weather for mid-January. Only in California Will the temperatures dip down to the 30’s at night and warm to the 60’s in the day during what is suppose to be winter! Yes, we need more rain but I’ll wait till I get home for the rain dance!

As I think back on my two day jaunt, I believe my feet approve of the new shoes. It was touch and go for a bit as I got used to the Zero Drop but once my calves were stretched to their limits, all was good. The pack fits perfectly. It has wide padded shoulders and the hip belt sits right where it needs to. There is something splendid about having a base weight of less than 15 pounds. I was 12.4 pounds without food and water so there’s nothing to complain about when your backpack weighs less than many peoples daypack!

My Lord shined on me as I ventured out on this little adventure. He was present with all His glorious beauty, warm sunshine and numerous stars in the night sky. I know there are some people who question my thoughts of walking into the woods all by myself. But honestly, I am never alone. I hear God speaking to me as I climb the hills, when I come around a bend and marvel at this creation of his, or when I sit in my tent praying. I am never alone nor am I lonely. It is the solitude that I am relishing in, the quietness that I desire and the never ending source of peace. It is the end of a perfect day!

It has been some time since I entered words on a page. As I sit here and wonder what is next, I know that the Lord has been placing this trail on my heart. The Appalachian Trail, a winding long distance walk from Georgia to Maine that traverses 14 states and roughly 2,200 miles. I have been curious of this far away place, not really that far, but much of my hiking has been in the Western United States. As I gear up and contemplate what this year will teach me, I keep focusing on my word for the year “Journey”.

Journey is defined by Webster as a trip or tour, mean travel from one place to another, usually means of traveling a long distance and often in dangerous or difficult circumstances. I’m not digging the dangerous part, yet I know I have Jesus on my side and He will guide my every footstep. I do trust that this will be more of a “life journey,” as meditation brings balance to my thoughts and actions in my ways. This relationship of walking with the Lord, meditating on his word provides peace, contentment and joy that lasts a lifetime. I have found solace indeed as I hike trails, when my feet trod over soil, muddy, slimy and sometimes dusty roads, when my thoughts wander to creation and this incredible world that I am part of.

In our life journey, the unexpected may remind us or surprise us. My expectations for this hike builds as the days get closer. What will it be like? How will the weather effect my plans? Who will I meet and minister to along the way? Am I ready to conquer this unknown territory? All these questions with few answers. The lessons I learned from my first long distant hike was expect the unexpected, embrace the unknown and accept where you are right now. It is a funny thing as I plan this hike, prepare my daily milage sheets, plot my resupply boxes and determine where they will be mailed, schedule my nero’s and zero’s (days with little miles or no milage), and when I will finish.

A funny side story: As I am a planner, I have built my excel spreadsheet, planning everyday on the trail, where I would camp, resupply or pick up food and gear boxes, spend town days and take days off, down to the absolutes. Nothing left for chance. There is an event called “Trail Days” that happens every year in Damascus, Virginia and most, if not all thru-hikers attend. As I was plotting my days and milage, I fell short of Damascus by some 20-30 miles. To my luck there is a Hostel ran by a local named Dave and he provides rides for hikers. I called him late Thursday night assuming I would go straight to voice mail but to my surprise he answered the phone. I explained to him my dilemma that I will be a few miles shy of Damascus and wanted to see if I could hitch a ride. My plan was that I would arrive at his fine establishment on Friday, May 13th. He laughed and said, “Sweetheart, if you think you are going to follow an itinerary and arrive here on Friday the 13th, I’ll have a welcome banner with a free beer waiting for you!” I was a bit taken back and explained that I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) a few years ago, was well aware of the milage I was capable of and understood the dynamics of the trail. Dave stopped me mid-sentence and told me, “This is not the PCT, this is the Appalachian Trail and they are two different worlds.” With that I told him I’d be there Friday morning at 9am and he said, “if that’s the case I’ll have two beers for you!” We hung up and my illusion of this trail changed dramatically.

For the many who know nothing of this trail, it traverses through 14 states including Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The Appalachian Trail also referred to as the AT is described as the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 3 million people are said to hike on a part of this trail yearly. The highest point is Clingmans Dome at 6.643′ and the lowest point is Bear Mountain State Park at 124′. Although the Appalachian Mountains are relatively low when compared to the Sierras or the Rocky Mountains, the amount of climb on the Appalachian Trail for a thru-hike is 515,000′ compared to the PCT which is 315,000′ or the Continental Divide Trail which is 400,000′. That is equivalent to climbing Mt Everest 17 times! So needless to say this will be one incredible and exhausting journey, filled with countless ups and downs.

At this point, I can only imagine what lies on the trail ahead. What treasures the Lord has for me, the people He has planned for me to meet and walk with, and the absolute trust I will need to take countless steps forward, every moment of everyday. This terrain I will walk on and the trees I will be surrounded by will be of nothing I have ever experienced. The nature that will envelop this trek will be something I have no knowledge of. The weather, rain, sleet, snow, wind, humidity and did I say RAIN will be a force to reckon with! The rocks, roots, mud and muck I will conquer daily without complaint, oh right. Surely I will be in the midst of something I have only dreamt about.

I have selected April 15th to start my journey. It will be Good Friday when I climb the 604 wooden steps that precede the AT. It is tradition to start on the “Approach Trail” which will let me know fairly quickly what is in-store for me in the upcoming five month trek. As I considered this hike, I was not fond of the elements that would present themselves, but I truly believe that this is the Lords way of refining me. He has a sweet way of putting me right where I need to be, humbling me and submitting my ways to His ways. So with that, I am training and preparing my heart for the days ahead. May you find a journey that will help you grow and mature in your faith. With God, all things are possible…even the Appalachian Trail.

I am the daughter of a King who is not moved by this world. For my God is with me and goes before me. I do not fear because I am His.

All photos above have been shared by the Ravens. They are wonderful friends that are Triple Crowner’s, hiking all three long distant trails in the US. You can follow their family as they hike: theravens15.wordpress.com

After walking, hiking, trekking or climbing, there is something so sweet about coming home. This year, I came back to Oakdale where my sweet father lives. It’s close to my home as he lives in Oakdale and I’m near Sacramento, California.

Prior to jumping on my flight home, my dear husband George and mighty dog Zoey met Sid and I, in Salem, Virginia. George had driven across country to support me on the trail. With his new purchase, a 19’ Travel Trailer, the plan was to follow me as I continued nobo on the AT. Well we all know how plans go. We make plans and God laughs! So George and I had 24 hours of hugs and kisses & Zoey finally had us all back together again. Little did she know, it was not going to last long.

We made the best of times. We all went to dinner, some Southern Cooking was in order. After dinner, we saw the new “Top Gun- Maverick” movie. My grandson has never seen Top Gun before. I couldn’t believe it. He must be the only person on this planet that hasn’t seen the best movie ever! If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor and go see it. I’ve never been too excited about sequels but I must admit, this was all sorts of entertaining.

Afterwards, we indulged in Dairy Queen Frosties or Blizzards-the ice cream you can turn upside-down and it still stays in your cup! Such a nice reunion. We waddled back to our Hotel and quickly I fell asleep.

Friday morning was a whirlwind of activity. I had been staying in contact with my sister and she was giving me updates on Dad. Prior to me leaving, Dad had open-heart surgery which was followed up with an implanted pacemaker-defibrillator. Needless to say, things didn’t go as well as expected. His heart wasn’t responding properly and his medications were causing severe side effects. My sister Kari called 911 out of desperation, and Dad was whisked away.

When I left the trail this year, I had asked Jesus to give me that compass for my next few steps. I had no idea what I was going back to. When I stepped off the plane, Kari was waiting. She updated me on all things Dad and was reassuring that he was in good and capable hands. The last two months while I was hiking, Kari kept Dad under constant care. She was with him 24/7 to the point there was no time for herself. She wouldn’t say it but she needed help. There is something that family understands without words, and this was my time to take the reigns. We laughed, we cried and we consoled each other. What a blessing to have a sister who you can share life with.

In times like these, I lean so heavily on the Lord, his grace and healing powers are my hope. Right now I am sitting in the hospital with Dad, trying to watch the Dodgers do what they do best. Win Baseball Games! My Dad loves the Dodgers. He has been a fan from the beginning of time and I am happy to support his team. In reality, the Dodgers are my Home Team too. The game didn’t go so good for Dodger fans, so we moved on to Hallmark Movies. Yes, Dad is a helpless romantic. Another thing we have in common. Here I sit watching our movie, while Dad says, “I’m still listening!” He’s fast asleep.

So with all this, I still yearn for another mile on the trail, just one more uphill, maybe a thunder and lightning show of power, and an elusive stream to soak my tired feet. Two months was not enough but right now, it will have to suffice. I truly believe that I am exactly where I am suppose to be. God’s compass has directed me here. So my walk may change but the sweet Lord will always direct me! I find such peace in Him, the love of Jesus and am thoroughly blessed by all of you! I am immensely grateful for the outpouring of love, support and prayers I have received in the past few days. Thank you, each and everyone of you, who have walked with me through this journey. I will return to the trail when the Lord swings open that door again, but for now, I am right where I need to be. Home sweet home.