This past week I, Anita, joined Ken for a week on the trail. It was rather impromptu. I brought with me very little by way of entertainment. But one thing I did bring was a crossword puzzle for each day…without answers! Ken and I thought you might also enjoy a sample of the fun.
Across
1. Also known as a lean-to. We stayed at Chestnut Knob in a stone enclosed one on Monday night. It was on top of a ridge with a 360 degree view, except that we could see very little because of the fog. During the night, the wind howled and it poured rain. We were grateful for those four walls.
4. This trip was not a ——————. The person I have been caring for, Vicki Sleinkofer, passed away and for me, the sudden free time has been an opportunity to mourn, ponder, disconnect with a tech sabbath week, and open myself up to what the Lord chooses for me next. My goal was to posture myself to be fed by the Lord. (Thank you Kristi McLelland for the timely teaching.) This trip was a realignment of the soul. God can choose to feed, inspire, open or close doors, whatever. I just want to be available. ( I also found out that Alma Sawyer, the other lady I cared for, has gone to be with Jesus as of this Monday.)
6. A heavenly street is made of this. The trails here were also strewn with it by way of maples. But even with all that beauty, whether slick and shiny, or dry and crispy, they were equally deceptive. They expertly hid the sharp rocks and slippery roots and sometimes made the path indiscernible from the rest of the woods. Thank God for white blazes.
8. On the fingernail on older people. We walked along it in the Jefferson National Forest. We were on Brushy Mountain, Mt. Rogers National Rec Area,, Locust Mountain, and Glade Mountain.
9. Low temperature for the week. Also the full weight of Anita’s pack.
11. Steve Schmitt and John Bloomer. Steve’s hospitality was really appreciated when I, Anita, got to VA. His father-in-law, John spent probably two hours in his car shuttling us to our starting point and our car to the ending point. I did not see their wings.
12. Virginia is for ————————. At least it was for these two.
13. Both heaven and the AT inspire this.
14. My, Anita’s, job was to be the pace setter and that meant I was also the ———— blazer. We averaged one mile per hour. The webs were what really slowed me down. For Ken it was a walk in the park.
Down
2. Country —————. It is a constant balance of effort: Do I look down to avoid tripping, or do I look ahead to stay on the trail? We crossed one cow pasture in which we miserably failed at both. We both stepped in fragrant cow patties, and lost our way in the extensive acreage. We did see one way out of the pasture and met a guy who happened to work for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. He thankfully pointed us in the right direction.
3. ————-Sides. Favorite brand of bagged pasta for Ken. Also a favorite: Chocolate Covered Cherry Kind Bars, and Pumpkin Spice RX bars.
5. One leg of hiking’s triple crown.
7. We forded it. On Thursday, we were warned that a bridge ahead was out. We had to take off our shoes and find our own way over.
10. Another term for privy. The following is a sensitive story that I, Ken, have been avoiding, but it is time to bring it out in the open: Relieving myself. So the protocol for this is that when you’re out in the woods with no facilities at all, you dig a six inch deep cat hole with a trowel that the manufacturer calls the “Deuce of Spades”. When you’re finished with your business you fill in the hole with the soil that was removed. The reality is that you never can actually dig it six inches deep for all the rocks and roots, but you do the best you can. There are occasions, however, where you do have facilities of a kind, usually located near a shelter. These are known as privies. Many are composting privies, built on an elevated platform to allow lots of airflow to assist with the decomposition. The user is asked to add a handful of wood shavings or leaves to encourage the growth of aerobic bacteria. Monday morning, after it rained all night, I made my customary dawn visit to the privy. After doing my business, my foot slipped on the rain slickened top step and I landed on my back and slid down the final four. The rest of the week I was reminded of that “slip-up”. On the bright side there were no serious injuries, and I did not fall into the can! This is the first hard fall I’ve had since my July accident.
We are now in Marion, VA, where Ken will take a zero day and resupply his pack. Anita is just trying to get up the steps to the hotel room. Ken calls it Hiker hobble.
Ken hikes the Appalachian Trail 