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Craig and Suzy's 2006 Appalachian Trail Journal

Week #: Prep 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Post

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Day Date Start Finish Miles Journal Photo

106 7/1 Blackburn Trail Center Blackburn Trail Center
Day:106
Date: 7/1/06
Start: Blackburn Trail Center
Weather: blue skies
Finish: Blackburn Trail Center
Miles: 0.0
Cumulative A.T. Miles: 988.9 (-97.3 that we skipped) Clay: This morning was fun. Branch went to speak at a Girl Scout function with Hopeful and I helped Red Wing clean the long, 1.5-mile driveway to Blackburn. Debris from the storm last week littered the driveway and two trees fell over the it as well.

107 7/2 Blackburn Trail Center San Diego, CA
Day:107
Date: 7/2/06
Start: Blackburn Trail Center
Weather: blue skies
Finish: San Diego, CA (Clay’s sister, Becky’s house)
Miles: 0.0
Cumulative A.T. Miles: 988.9 (-97.3 that we skipped)

Branch: Since we made the decision to get off the trail, my emotions have been as up and down as the roller coaster that we hiked on the trail. I spend one minute proud of our accomplishments on the trail and the next feeling like a failure for not having completed. I feel optimistic about our future one minute and unsure about it the next.

This morning we went to church with Redwing and Hopeful. During the church service we sang “He Gives and Takes Away” and I walked away feeling reassured of the presence of God in our lives. I know that as long as we are willing to be obedient, God will use us. There are several things that I am sure of even now. First, God will use the experiences and major accomplishments that we had on the trail to be better administrators of A.T. Servants. In Ray Jardine’s book Beyond Backpacking, he says “Rather than looking at your uncompleted journey as a failure, view it as a valuable learning experience.(p 456)” We have definitely learned so much about the trail, about serving God, and about each other. We have seen first hand how God uses godly Trail Chaplains on the Appalachian Trail to impact hikers. Having seen this, we are even more passionate about sending out the right people to be a light to this people group. Additionally, Redwing reminded us that by not finishing the Appalachian Trail, we are better able to empathize with the 80-85 percent of the hikers who attempt to hike the entire A.T. and do not complete it. I know that post-Appalachian Trail thru-hike life will be very different, but I can take solace in knowing that A.T. Servants will still play a big part in it.

So today as I got on the airplane and finally kissed the A.T. good-bye on this journey, I felt more positive about our accomplishments over the last three months and about our lives after the accomplishment of this dream. I am taking away with me more than memories of hiking the trail. There are so many lessons I have learned. I will strive to make sure to value interruptions in life as God interjecting situations. I will strive to put more value on people and less on material things. These are only a few of the myriads of lessons that I can think of to write down.

I am looking forward to visiting with family and beginning to plan and put into action the things that we have dreamed about for some time now. I am eagerly looking to see how God will use this turn of events for His glory. It is by His grace and with His strength that we walked the trail and it is by His grace and with His strength that we leave the trail and begin our lives anew.

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Day	Date	Start	Finish	Miles	Journal	Photo
106	7/1	Blackburn Trail Center	Blackburn Trail Center		Day:106 Date: 7/1/06 Start: Blackburn Trail Center Weather: blue skies Finish: Blackburn Trail Center Miles: 0.0 Cumulative A.T. Miles: 988.9 (-97.3 that we skipped) Clay: This morning was fun. Branch went to speak at a Girl Scout function with Hopeful and I helped Red Wing clean the long, 1.5-mile driveway to Blackburn. Debris from the storm last week littered the driveway and two trees fell over the it as well.
107	7/2	Blackburn Trail Center	San Diego, CA		Day:107 Date: 7/2/06 Start: Blackburn Trail Center Weather: blue skies Finish: San Diego, CA (Clay’s sister, Becky’s house) Miles: 0.0 Cumulative A.T. Miles: 988.9 (-97.3 that we skipped) Branch: Since we made the decision to get off the trail, my emotions have been as up and down as the roller coaster that we hiked on the trail. I spend one minute proud of our accomplishments on the trail and the next feeling like a failure for not having completed. I feel optimistic about our future one minute and unsure about it the next. This morning we went to church with Redwing and Hopeful. During the church service we sang “He Gives and Takes Away” and I walked away feeling reassured of the presence of God in our lives. I know that as long as we are willing to be obedient, God will use us. There are several things that I am sure of even now. First, God will use the experiences and major accomplishments that we had on the trail to be better administrators of A.T. Servants. In Ray Jardine’s book Beyond Backpacking, he says “Rather than looking at your uncompleted journey as a failure, view it as a valuable learning experience.(p 456)” We have definitely learned so much about the trail, about serving God, and about each other. We have seen first hand how God uses godly Trail Chaplains on the Appalachian Trail to impact hikers. Having seen this, we are even more passionate about sending out the right people to be a light to this people group. Additionally, Redwing reminded us that by not finishing the Appalachian Trail, we are better able to empathize with the 80-85 percent of the hikers who attempt to hike the entire A.T. and do not complete it. I know that post-Appalachian Trail thru-hike life will be very different, but I can take solace in knowing that A.T. Servants will still play a big part in it. So today as I got on the airplane and finally kissed the A.T. good-bye on this journey, I felt more positive about our accomplishments over the last three months and about our lives after the accomplishment of this dream. I am taking away with me more than memories of hiking the trail. There are so many lessons I have learned. I will strive to make sure to value interruptions in life as God interjecting situations. I will strive to put more value on people and less on material things. These are only a few of the myriads of lessons that I can think of to write down. I am looking forward to visiting with family and beginning to plan and put into action the things that we have dreamed about for some time now. I am eagerly looking to see how God will use this turn of events for His glory. It is by His grace and with His strength that we walked the trail and it is by His grace and with His strength that we leave the trail and begin our lives anew.