The Fat Lady, She's a Singin' - Nov 25

It's a wrap... over... done... buttoned up... fini... complete. Best Wife and Pappy 12 have hiked the last of 2,190 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Slept 92 nights outside, built 53 fires, burned our trash in 52 of them, walked 5 million steps, wind blown off three mountains, forded seven rivers, canoed one, slept in six kind folk's homes, slept in one ski patrol hut and one historic one room school house, ate 92 bowls of oatmeal (P12), fell down 39 times (BW) and 21 times (P12), ate 185 Slim Jims & string cheese (P12), hitch hiked/yogied 23 rides, attended church 18 times, praised Almighty God every day for our health and for His wondrous creation we have called home for six months.

Shauna and have never laughed so much and cried with each other. We learned things about each other never before spoken or felt. We would not trade this experience for all the gold in the Middle East. Bill Gates can't buy this stuff.

We learned that almost all people are good, good folks. Very few bad apples out there. Most of the ones who look like bad apples are not.

We finished up the 200 miles that we had skipped on Nov 25 at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, VA. The AT in Shenandoah NP makes for some easy, very beautiful hiking. Saw four bears in two weeks.

I love the tractor seats on Bears Den Mt in the sixth picture. I can just imagine the trail maintainers chuckling to themselves as they installed them. I was so glad I met Giggles from Texas in the tenth picture. How fitting is that to meet a fellow thru hiker on the last day.

The sign in the 11th picture is clearly visible and only 30 feet off the AT in Shenandoah NP. Anybody want to buy it and run a hiker hostel? Not me. Way too much work. I like the last white blaze in the last picture.

We already miss the woods and the trail, the Honey Buns and the Slim Jims. Don't miss sleeping in sweat one bit.

We hope we can see each of you and reconnect. Not sure how we will make that happen but we'll try. Big time thank you for all the comments to my emails. Beforehand, I didn't have any idea that simple three word email responses would mean so much. They most certainly did, especially on tough days.

Not sure where we will end up now (how do you spell Pacific Crest Trail, haha) but we are anxious to find out.