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I didn’t even get to have a drink of water and we were off hiking. It was 23 degrees on my little thermometer. I had been warm and comfortable in my hammock when my mom called me out to pack up and get going since everyone else was frozen little Popsicles. We would have breakfast when “we” and Mother Nature warmed up a bit I was told. It wasn’t long into the hike when we had caught up to Lambo who was waiting for us in a sunny spot when I threw my hiking poles down and pack to the ground and flopped down next to them and started screaming and my mom and Lambo about how crazy they were to be doing this and enjoying it. I literally threw a fit like a 2 year old with adult language involved. So far I’m thinking this is stupid but, I’m not quitting.

We are in Erwin now, Dad (the greatest man in the world) picked us up yesterday off the trail so I could doctor up my poor feet. Today we went and picked up new boots for me since mine are to small. It feels as if someone has replaced my lower half with Lego man legs and my feet and toes have turned into plump uncooked sausages. And when I’m not moving I have shin splints ( lovely ). Spirit says I’m laughing all the time tho so it’s not as terrible as I may make it seem (*cough* bullshit *cough*).

 Today was my last day having to go to my job. Not just one job one of the 3 I had been working. Yay! Now I’m all done with the work part. Right now I’m loading up an iPod shuffle so I have some tunes when I want to drown out nature or my own thoughts or whatever other reason. All I have left to do now before we head out Wednesday morning is clean my room. Ugh. It was pretty well clean until I sold my car ( crying face emoji ) and emptying out my car fill the floor of my room back up. I had everything in there from floaties for at the lake to roller blades, snow shoes, blankets, mittens, a few jackets for each season along with three bags of who knows what else. Plus 5 pairs of footwear! So yeah my room is a pig pen again ( as usual ). So just clean my room and cuddle the shit ( yes I swear and will be swearing throughout my posts ) out of my kids ( pets ). And see a few friends… Yeah then I’ll be ready to go. ( nervous face emoji )

I must say it has been an interesting week. Monday morning I had my #19 molar pulled out of my mouth. The sound of cracking teeth is right up there with the nails scratching on a chalk board. Neither sound you should ever have to hear in your lifwtime. I’m just saying… Afterwards, I met Andrea at work to talk to our coworkers at Minnesota Discovery Center about our hike and have a pie social as our send off. We then headed home. Me to rest my sore mouth and Andrea to prepare for the trail by cleaning or sleeping, I’m not sure which.

So on Tuesday, I began my day laying on the couch and Andrea had a nanny job, which she told me later, that her and the baby sacked out most of the day.

In the evening our 3rd hiking partner, Andrew came out for supper and last minute trip planning. Packs were weighed pre-food and water. Andrew’s-20, Andrea-15, and mine 22. We are ready and raring to go.

Wednesday morning I woke up to snow flakes drifting down from the sky. We were about to get our first snowstorm of 2016. Another day was mostly spent on the couch, as all schools and even our place of employment were shut down for the day. Andrea also spent most of the morning sleeping.

By evening, my jaw was in significant pain. I realized that I hadn’t been rinsing my mouth with the right mix of salt and baking soda. Ugh! Pays to read all instructions. I got right on the right mix and the pain has lessoned. Whew. Considering I am allergic to most antibiotics.

It would be great to say we are physically ready for the demands of the trail. But as you can see by the picture at the top of this post of Andrea breaking in her underquilt, that would just be a lie. I guess we will just have to take our time getting up our miles in the beginning of our hike, because…that’s how we roll.

Sookie

It is hard to believe that Andrea a I are only 32 days from stepping on to the Appalachian Trail. For me, comes the worries of a weak ankle. For Andrea, all the fears of being new to the trail. I could try to explain to her what the AT (Appalachian Trail) is like, but I don’t think that I could do justice. The trail is just something each individual needs to experience for once self. I didn’t want the trail to keep calling my name, but somehow it does. So, it is with much excitement and also fear that we look forward to plant our feet on the AT.

I have been busy drying food for mail drop resupplies. My gear has remained the same. Andrea is going this weekend to St.Paul, MN to look for a slightly larger liter backpack. Her other backpack could probably work during the summer, but we still might have some cool days in the beginning of April.

We will be sharing this blog, so sometimes Andrea will be writing and sometimes I will be. You will always know who as we will sign out trail names at the end.  I received my name from my family before I left for the AT in March of 2015. Andrea will be receiving her trail name on the trail.

For those new to the terminology of the AT, we will try to explain as we go. We will be NOBO (North Bound) and starting from Hot Springs NC. we may do a Flipflop, or we may just turn around from Katahdin to walk 2000 miles. The decision is 5 months away and to early to make. We hope you enjoy our journey and all of our adventures to come.

We named out blog “Beyond the Range”, because we live in Minnesota at a place called the Iron Range. Iron mining and then taconite mining are a way of life, but there is always room for adventure beyond the Iron Range!

Sookie and Andrea