Getting Back to Where We Left Off

In Pam's words:

At the Trailhead, Mile 730, Daleville, VA  March 27

March 24-25, 2023: The Trip Down

Ten months have gone by and Pierre's northbound trek on the Appalachian Trail is about to continue where he left off in Daleville, Virginia. Pierre asked if I would write this blog post about getting him back to the trail. So here goes:

Our plan to leave bright and early Saturday morning was thwarted by a freezing rain delay. By 1:30 PM, we were across the Buffalo border and bombing down the I-219. We stopped for gas in the picturesque ski village of Ellicottville, NY. An unusual storefront sign caught our eyes that required a Google search: thrIVe IV Lounge. WHOA!!! Pay to get hooked up to an IV! Is this the latest health fad? Check out the IV Cocktails they have to offer HERE. A Simple Sally or EVL Hangover anyone?

We entered Pennsylvania in the pouring rain. There were still patches of snow in the Alleganies. It wasn't until the following day after leaving our overpriced, under-serviced roadside motel in Philipsburg, PA that we started seeing the first signs of spring. By the time we reached West Virginia, the daffodils and flowering trees were bursting with colour -- serviceberries, cherries, crabapples, ornamental pears, forsythia, and eastern redbuds! Beautiful!

We arrived at our destination, 25 East Main B&B, Fincastle VA, in brilliant sunshine and 23*C. To return to Mitch and Bobbie Bowman's B&B felt like coming home to stay with old friends. As Pierre said in his last blog post, "If you are EVER anywhere near Fincastle, do yourself a favour and treat yourself to Bobbie and Mitch's hospitality." Check out their website HERE.

Out Front of 25 East Main B&B

March 26-27: Prepping For the Trail

Monday was shopping day for trail food -- enough to last 8 days on the trail as well as to fill four resupply boxes which we then mailed ahead. Pierre treated his hiking clothes with pyrethrin to repel Lyme-disease-carrying-ticks. On our evening walk around the historic village of Fincastle, we reflected on the difference between how we were feeling last year in Georgia over how we were feeling this time 'round.

Last year, Pierre's mood was on edge -- the unknown of what he'd signed up for, the reluctance to leave his family behind, and the shared anxiety over my solo trip back to Stratford -- having to stop at a pharmacy in Cleveland, Kentucky to get a COVID test (which needed to be negative to get back across the border) and driving through the cities of Cincinnati and Detroit where I had a couple of OMG "WHICH WAY DO I GO" split second decisions to make.

This year we were definitely more relaxed, having last year's experience under our belts. Yet there was an air of melancholy. We will miss each other deeply. And it's tough for Pierre to leave his dear Jack Russell, Robbie... and then there's Arthur -- our darling 4-month-old grandson. The world is completely different now and leaving this little guy behind is particularly difficult.

Grampa Pierre and Arthur

Our parting words the next morning at the Daleville trailhead:

Pierre: "I've just got to get this out of my system."

Pam: "If you want to come home before Katahdin, that's okay. Maybe we can finish the Trail together some day."

Walk on, Sponge FOB.  Be strong, make wise choices, and enjoy the moment 💕

Happy Trails, Sponge FOB