Walkin on a dream

Woo!

I'm still alive!  I just had 2 frozen margaritas, and my alcohol tolerance is wayyyyy low right now, so I am prettttty toasty.  And I thought, "hey, this is a perfect time to update my blog!"  While I am on the subject of drinking, I hardly do any of it out here.  It's pretty nice, I like how everyone can have a great time out here with 0 alcohol.  It amazes me how alcohol is so present in socitey.  Why does almost every social event (besides things involving church) involve alcohol when you get over 21?  Going to bars is pretty lame and a big waste of money.   Most people my age go out and get drunk on Friday and Saturday nights.  That really just doesn't make sense to me any more.  Sure, there have been times that I have been shwasted and I have had a great time, but for most of the time I basically do just regrettable things when I get real drunk and then I spend the next day regretting my actions.  But I feel like most people my age are like "haha, I was so drunk that I didn't realize that I did such and such and IT WAS F&$#*(%G AWESOME!"  ....WHY?  WHY IS THAT SO AWESOME!?  Sometimes I feel like a 50 year old in a 25 year old body.  But I'm fine with that, alcohol is pretty dumb.  I'm typing this while I am still pretty tipsy from the margaritas...can somebody say hypocrite???

OK, I WILL TALK ABOUT THE TRAIL NOW.  The trail is still pretty baller.  I have been doing 20+ miles recently.  My feet really hurt at the end of the day, but it still always feels good getting to the finish line every day.  I'm still enjoying every day out here.  I feel like this is still a 5 month long vacation.

For the most part, I just listen to music while I am hiking.  I am still hiking with Simba and Bobsled, but they hike faster than me.  We do the same miles each day, but I just take longer to do the miles.  So I am alone for most of the day, which I like.  I mostly listen to my mp3 player all day and listen and try to memorize songs.

The concept of memory fascinates me.  I think its the probably the one concept I think of the most out here on the trail.  How the HELL DOES MEMORY WORK!?  How can some people remember whole scenes from a movie after seeing it like twice?  Why do I have such a hard time memorizing songs when other people can read the lyrics and recite them perfectly right after that???  I had some Jolly ranchers while I was on the trail, and I was instantly taken back to Mrs. Snyders 3rd grade class where I would get Jolly ranchers after I did a hard math problem correctly.  I would have NEVER remembered that if I never had that jolly rancher.  And, when you are out in the woods, your mind starts to wander, and then before you know it, you will remember some certain memory from 10+ years ago like it was yesterday.  How....HOW DOES THAT WORK!?!?  Our brains are just like crazy complex memory chips.  Mind blowing stuff right thurrr.

ANYWAYS ABOUT THE TRAIL.  So I am still walking.  Walking lots.  Its nice.  It's super hot out so I am sweating balls constantly.  But, you are in the shade from the trees for most of the time so its not super bad.  There are some times where you walk along open fields and you think to yourself "crapppppppppp".

I saw a bear!  It was super tiny and it was scared of me.  Trust me, if you think you need bear mace for walking the A.T....you don't.  The only thing you would need mace for is other people...they are your biggest threat out here.

OK. TIME FOR PICTURES!

Oh hey, its me chilling on a porch swing.  This was some old barn from the 1800s that was along the trail.  As you can see, I am wearing a Virginia Tech shirt.  Now, some of you might be saying "Hey Joey, you went to Purdue, what the heck are you doing with a Virginia Tech shirt!?"  Well, first off, I think that for the most part, school spirit is pretty dumb, and secondly, I am what you call....smart.  You see, I am hiking in Virginia right now.  Most people have a tendency of creating some sort of bond whenever they see someone that went to their alma matter.  OH MAH GUAD YOU WENT TO VIRGINIA TECH!?!? I AUTOMATICALLY LOVE YOU FOR SOME REASON!!!! So, I am trying to exploit these people by being like "helllll yeah I love VT, go Hokies!" in order for these people to give me some free stuff.  I have already had a grandma try and give me some clothes out of her car...but unfortunately no free beers/drinks/snacks yet.  I still have some time to try and get some free stuff!

Pretty flowers blooming on the trail.

Pretty land here in Virginia.  But, no trees and direct sunlight means you will be super hot and exposed to direct sunlight.  SPF 50 FOR THE WIN!

We have walked along these types of bridges quite a bit in Virginia.  Civil engineers eat your heart out.

Lol this is a fake toilet on top of a mountain.  I would have totally pooped here if it was real.

Turtle!

So here is my obligatory picture of me on top of McAfee Knob in Virginia!  Woo!  This is one of the biggest landmarks on The Appalachian trail.  Heck yes I made it!

Annnnnnddd Here is Simba's picture on top of McAfee Knob.

Did I mention he is a little cray cray??


Of course, me being a MANLY MAN I couldn't let him top me like that.  So, here is a video of my retort.  MOM, I'M REALLY SORRY FOR MY ACTIONS IN THIS VIDEO!!! I AM OK, NO BROKEN BONES!  PLEASE DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME!!

Here is a sweet silhouette of us the next morning on the knob.

Shout out to my ex coworker from Mark F. for hooking me up with a baller care package!!!!!



Wanna know what the back of your feet look like when you walk 3 days in the rain?? It looks like this.  Lots  of chafing going on.

Ok...I'm all on board for not littering.  But who the heck takes a bite out of an aluminum can like that!?

"Now, if you look over there you can see even more mountains!"

Ok, I am done now.  Everything is super pretty out here. you really can't capture it with a camera. You really need to come out here to experience the pure beauty, as shown in this video below.

OK PEACE OUT!

Lighthouse