Where is HOI?

“Great Job HOI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looking forward to seeing you in VA..

Sticks as far as the duct tape.. I have seen that done and will probably go that route this weekend for my 18 hours of walking.. Do you put the ducttape right on the skin or do you apply moleskin first..

My feet are starting to look like raw hamburger...

'32oz”

“HOI, any thoughts to flipping up to Mt Katadin before it closes and hiking back to your northern most point? That would get you done in one fell swoop and let you continue to hike”

“CD - here is the latest flower I had not seen before: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CACO17 - I saw it for the first time up on Big Bald a bit south of Erwin

OPIE - yeah I thought about flipping but then I though I'll just hike to end of September and pick it up the next year from where I left off - while I can winter hike I am not great on the idea of doing it for weeks at a time”

“Niiiiiiiiice HOI! I saw some of these in West-by-God Virginia a few years ago. And I've seen the western version of the indian paintbrush in Colorado.

A couple of weeks ago I learned how to identify and prepare some wild edible plants that are available along the AT in Virginia. Wild ginger, wild onion, stinging nettle and morels.”

“Awesome! Enjoy Beauty Spot...it's...well, beautiful. Great place to watch the sunset! From there north is one of my favorite sections. :)”

“I put in directly on my foot. Nothing else.”

“well folks I am here in the Damascus library but the news could have been better - I had to bail about twenty four miles south of Damascus when to the shortness of breath problem I have been having on up hills got worse - after 10 minutes of sitting on a log sucking air after coming up a very mild slope I realized that it was time to get it checked out by the doctor - it was a tough decision - I am hoping to get back on the trail but until I know what the issue is I just don't know when.”

“Take care of yourself, that is the main thing right now. The trail ain't going anywhere.”

“hope all checks out good hoi. peace bro.”

“Get well soon my friend!!!”

“good luck HOI. Don't push it...”

“I'm here in Pearisburg doing a SOBO section hike from 220 (~Daleville) to Mt. Roger's Visitor's Center on 16 - things are better but still there is something a little off about the SOB problem - I'm generally good in the morning but later in the afternoon the shortnes of breath is a lot worse - wtf??? I know its not the blood pressure meds now - I'm off that stuff for now with the doc's approval”

“...well....take care of yourself!!!!!....hugs and best wishes...”

“Be careful.”

“Don't do anything I wouldn't do.”

“btw the highlight of my last few days hiking was coming across a yellow fringed orchid right along side the trail a mile or so up from Pine Swamp Branch shelter - pic:

”

“oh wow HOI! That was indeed a nice find. I've never seen those. A few weeks ago we found a couple of Turks Cap Lilies on Cold Mountain.

Have a good hike my friend. Be careful.”

“OMG....that's awesome!!!”

“WOO HOO HOI! It's been a while, but i'll be reading this thread and rootin for ya on a regular basis now.”

“And where is, the HOG????”

“Lets bump this up. Where and how is hoi?”

“at the moment I am at my home planning the next section - so far I've hiked about 700 miles of AT or blue blaze trails - next section will either begin or end at Daleville and head up/come from the north (James River ? BRPW ?)

physically I have a fair selection of aches and pains - every day I have the following to deal with:
1. left shoulder - probably tendonitis
2. right shoulder - bursitis
3. feet - Morton's neuroma (toe and metatarsal pain) and old heal spur causing heal pain
4. knees - generally hurt especially after sitting a while - tough getting up
5. left hip - pain while laying down or sitting - no pain while hiking
6. gut - possible beginnings of an ulcer from the NSAIDs I've been using to deal with 1-4
7. back - tends to cramp up on right side after a few miles

On the good news side the shortness of breath is much reduced and seems to be getting better with more hiking time - I'm no longer taking the blood pressure meds (doc agrees with this decision) and my resting pulse rate is generally below 60 - BP is generally running about 105/62. Weight loss is good but its a real battle to keep it off when not hiking.

I tend to just hike from shelter to shelter so a typical day is about 10 miles of hiking.”

“gettin old sucks don't it???LOL! I feel ya brother!!!”

“Hey-hey, HOI!@!”

“Your list of complaints sounds like mine from '05, just different stuff:

sprained lt ankle
sprained rt ankle
shin splints
giardia
food poisoning
extreme partying

Just keep on keepin' on. You'll end up somewhere. We all do:)”

“Hog: Thanks a lot for the update. I'm sorry about all your structural aches and pains - glad your blood pressure is under control now. I've been on the blood pressure pills since after I was injured 5 years ago - don't know why it set my BP out of whack, I keep hoping a long hike will get me off it. Maybe I need to get past 500 to do it.

Like Nimble says, keep on keepin' on. 700 is more than twice my longest so my hat is off to you already.”

“Wow, 700 miles. That's great HOI!”

“700 miles is AMAZING!!! Gettin' old isn't for sissies! But the alternative is worse!”

“"Maybe I need to get past 500 to do it."

For a moment I read that as 500 pounds.

That would certainly do something.”

“Good to hear from you HOI !”

“Keep on Truckin'!”

“Great job Hoi! I sure have missed the trail. I plan to get back out soon and do some sections as it cools off. Never thought I would be a cold weather hiker. Hmmm I hear also the bugs were horrid. I admire your hanging in there through all the obstacles.Happy hiking!
Trekkngirl”