Good Friends

I haven't made many close friends in my life, but those I have made mean the world to me. I would do anything for them, and I like to think they would be there for me if the time comes.

I want my blog to always be positive and informative, but today I have to write about a great friend! In memory of...

We met in college. He was my fraternity brother and closest friend in college and after college. I remember him as incredibly smart, the way he would think was unlike anyone I had ever met. Some of his ideas were genius others were a little crazy (in a good way). What I remember most is that he was a good person, kind and ready to provide a helping hand to whoever needed it. One of the most memorable experiences with my friend was our quest on the Appalachian Trail.

The AT was close to the college I attended and occasionally a bunch of us would hike, camp, build a fire, drink a few beers and just talk most of the night away...incredible times, what memories. One night my friend said, after a few beers, that we should hike the AT after we graduate. Of course I agreed, at the time it sounded like an amazing idea.

The next day my friend was buying the AT guide books, the entire set. He started researching the best gear, the best routes, and resupply points along the trail. He was 100% invested and we were going to do it right. It took me a little longer to get totally on board, but when I did I was also hooked!

By the time we graduated we had all the gear and supplies we needed. We gathered at a fraternity brother's house the night before we headed out on the trail. We drank a few beers, of course, and there were a bunch of friends to see us off including my real brother, who was also a fraternity brother (we attended the same college). A lot of stories were told that night. In the morning, late morning, we headed for the AT. We hefted our packs, they seemed real heavy, said good-bye to our friends and off we went down the trail. The day was sunny and warm, what and awesome start to a great adventure!

We hiked 3.2 miles that day and couldn't wait to get our packs off. We did make it to the first set of shelters, which we were very grateful to see. The shelter was small and moss covered, it looked like something out the book, The lord of the Rings. We were looking forward to a dinner of mac and cheese. We unfolded our whisper lite backpacking stove, hooked up the fuel tank, pumped it up, primed the wick, and turned the nozzle to on. We put the flame of our Bic lighter to the bowl...and nothing! We tried for an hour to get the thing lite, but no luck. It was gorp for dinner, which was better than nothing. Then it started to rain, so much for a nice warm dry sleeping bag. We got to talking about the day and started to laugh. We decided it could only get better.

And it did...A month later we could start the stove with our eyes closed, we were hiking 20+ miles a day in the mountains and learned how to enjoy ourselves even though it rained a lot. I remember we were walking into a town to resupply and of course it was raining and it was raining hard, but we were just walking down the road like it was the nicest sunniest day ever. We took our packs off at the door to the store and went inside, and there was a woman staring at us and just smiling. She said you guys are through hikers aren't you? I can tell who are through hikers because they don't mind the rain. We looked at each other and said yes, yes we are. That is the day we earned the badge of being through hikers.

Awesome Day on the AT with R Cubed

We spent three months out on the trail. When we ran out of money, we worked at a landscaping company, then spent a few days in New Orleans, before we got back on the trail and hiked north through the Smokies. What a time it was, an experience that will live with me forever. Thank you R Cubed for one of the greatest experiences of my life!! I wish we had stayed in touch more, I haven't met your wife or your cats yet and we never did make it to the AT reunion hike...I love you man, good luck where ever you might be hiking now!

That quest on the AT was the humble beginnings of who I am today... the Quiet Quester!