I wish I had better news to report. Terra Nova, as of last night, is staying at the Church of the Mountain hiker hostel in Delaware Water Gap, PA. He plans on taking a zero day today and rethinking things. While his determination is in place, the heat is sapping his energy. This is a common problem for people with MS – the wide range of symptoms associated with the condition worsen with heat internal and external. And Pennsylvania has been very warm the past couple of days.
Regardless of the outcome, I am proud of my friend. And now he’s completed 240 miles of the AT, the entire length of the trail in PA from Pen Mar to the Delaware Water Gap. He still feels he could complete the hike, but his body is giving out on him. Fall and winter hiking would work much better for him, but he felt he needed to hike now since he never knows if he will be incapacitated by a flare up.
I will continue to keep you updated on Terra Nova. Keep the support coming, please. He needs it.
June 25, 2014 @ 1:16 pm
Hi Adam,
I’ve been loosely following your hike on FB and figured I’d drop you a note. I was in a serious motorcycle accident in 2007 which shattered my right knee and my right arm. I picked up hiking afterwards as walking was about the only thing I could do anymore. I don’t pretend to know the challenges of MS, but I feel the pain of my accident everyday and especially on the trail. I envy you in that you’re actually out there on the trail, doing what I dream of. Whether you decide to move on or not is up to you, I just wanted to let you know I’m proud of you for just getting out there in the first place under such challenges, something I have not done. GL in this journey or the next! – Bryce
June 25, 2014 @ 3:44 pm
We all have to make our own decisions, as best we can. There are other options – I’ve heard a number of good ones from some of the folks on facebook – dawn/dusk hiking, night hiking, umbrellas for shade, wet bandannas for cool. I know that there are a number of cool cloth articles out there – Columbia makes some cool tech clothing that actually chills you when you sweat. Exofficio makes a great hoodie and clothing using a different tech from columbia. What I’m saying is that there are options worth exploring – but he’s the only one that can make that decision. I can’t begin to know what he’s dealing with.
http://www.exofficio.com/products/mens/collections/sol%20cool
June 25, 2014 @ 8:13 pm
Good luck, I’m sure you’ll make the right decision. I have injuries myself from an accident and many times I would like to just give up, but I find it’s a mind over body thing. Once you get past that, you will be amazed at what you can do. You’ve already done more than many will ever do. Sometimes the best way to look at it, is a little at a time. Just think of it as it’s only so far to the next stop. I can do that right? Just keep doing that and you’ll be done in no time. I’m sure you’ll do what evers best for you.
June 25, 2014 @ 10:59 pm
First let me begin by thanking Niel for taking the time to write this blog about my mini expedition I am on and let me also thank everyone else for their kind words of encouragement and ideas on how to battle the summer heat. Everyone’s words of encouragement have really helped me stay focused and try that little bit harder to keep at this what I like to call my mini expedition. Yesterday I was having real trouble with the heat and having doubts about why I would even try to so something like this in my condition. I could easily have called my wife and tell her it’s time to come get me , which is actually what I did last night, I felt completed defeated by the heat and the monumental hike in front of me. I thought that since I completed the state do PA that that would be enough and I could go home withy head held high. Well I woke up this morning and felt I was selling myself short, that I used to do longer ruck marches in the army with a pack twice as heavy as what I am carrying now. Yes my body is different now and I didn’t have to deal with MS then but I for some reason which who knows I may regret in a day or two tolde wife to forget picking me up today, that I wanted to stick at this. I have decided not to think about being on the trail for 3 months or 2, or 1 but to just focus on making it through one day at a time. I don’t know how long I will be able to stay at this, it may just be for another day or two or maybe 2 or 3+ months. One thing I do know for sure is that I am grateful for each day I cAn hike, each person I meet on the trail , and each night I get to camp in my tent. I can’t express how much everyone’s and Niels words of encouragement help keep me motivated even when my body is saying I shouldn’t be doing this and my mind says I could easily be home with my 5 year old daughter eating ice cream in an air conditioned house. As much as I love to do that I also love to hike through the mountains and I know that it may be now or never to do that so that is what I try to remind myself each night I go to sleep and each morning I wake up here on the AT. I had a nice zero day and plan to go to bed soon so I can wake up at 4 am and start hiking by 4;30 in order to get most of my hiking done before the heat builds up during the day. By the way yesterday I saw a black bear in front of me on the trail only 75 feet away. He moved into the thick woods before I could turn my phone on to get a picture. I don’t mind seeing bears, it’s the rattle snakes I hope I don’t see. Good night everyone and tomorrow I begin my first steps into the NJ part of the AT