CELEBRATE November 23rd

Looks like we’ll have an Open House
Art Show Celebration on November 23rd for those of you close enough to come hear our story.

Details soon.

Late Start

So, we’ve had a late starts, so I suppose we will technically start tomorrow. We are heading to the summit now and will camp there tonight. Tomorrow we will head north.

Thanks everyone for all your well wishes!

We’re exited, prepared, and thankful the weather has turned. It is a beautiful sunny spring day out there right now. (Brrr for tonight though).

Sleep tight.

Its about 10 pm, and the kids have gone to bed. We’ve got a lovely cabin for the night and I’ve managed to organize some more.

The kids are all packed up, bathed, and their clothes are laid out and ready for tomorrow.

My stuff is strewn about, of course. I made a fan dinner, fettuccini carbonara with shrimp. . . But as soon as it hit my stomach my brain stopped working, I was trying not to laugh given how much work I had to do.

Katie was a rock star, as usual, and we made good progress. We aren’t at a drop dead deadline yet, we return to this cabin in 9 days, relinquish our car. . .and then we cut loose for real.

I still need to trim down our “bounce box” and finalize a few homeschool things. . .but those will have to wait 9 days.

We had a lovely stop at mountain crossings in Neel’s gap today. Met a dozen or so hikers and we all got really excited for our start. We aren’t expecting to get to Springer until about 1 tomorrow. . .Alex flies I’m at 6 am and I need to get him. Then we need to get our ride up to the trailhead, so it will be a slow start day. Possibly slower than I’d intended, because I’m not finished packing my stuff (my clothes are NOT laid out, nor have I showered) and we still have some food tweeking to do. . . . .

And now the kicker, Alex is running late – I suppose if he misses his flight that will give me an extra day to pack.
Laughing, yawning and excited about tomorrow. Look for our first checkin as the road to Springer Mountain is complete!

http://www.thruhikeat.wordpress.com. Check out our progress.

Love to yoy all!

T minus 36 hours

We’re at my lovely friend Nancy’s place in South Carolina and I’ve been doing last minute prep. Mainly home school and a few gear tweeks. . . It’s getting so exciting. We leave for Georgia in the morning. . . Whoa.

K is spending the night with her friend Lea, I LOVE that she has friends from all over the world, and that they want to see her when she’s near!

Anyway, we still have a couple details to sort, but mostly we are ready. We watched a little national geographic film on the AT and it was so exciting to hear the boys excited about the fact that they would be some if those places!

Tomorrow we drive to Georgia. We explore a bit and we finalize our packs and our bounce box. Crazy, but it’s here. We are heading to Georgia in the morning.

We keep stepping closer!!

Most of you know I love to bake. So my last morning at my mom and dads I got up at 4 to make my grandmother’s recipe for banana bread.

As the sun comes up and I smell the baking loaves I finally figured out how to post from my phone. Good news for you! If I can easily post, I should be able to do little bits as we go. Don’t look for anything too long or complicated, but photos and check-ins should work!

Remember there will be very little here. Instead look at http://www.thruhikeat.wordpress.com and check out Katie’s too http://www.littlethingsandlavaflows.wordpress.com (Little Things and Lava Flows).

As for today’s update. We are mostly packed. Our trail packs have been mostly done for ages. We have a few bits and bobs to deal with, but that’s mostly all settled. I still have some things to send back to Seattle, some “where in the world are Cedric and Duncan” prizes to send (WITWACAD, truthfully we have to send them all, lol) and a box to pack for Maine, (which my mom will hopefully send to us in October!)

The car will be pretty full as we pull away. We still have several nights before we start. We are heading to see my friend Amy in St Augustine, my friend Myra in Charleston, our friends Lea and Nancy in Greenville and THEN we move into Georgia to position ourselves for the start.

I’ve rented a cabin for all of us, near Hiawassee, GA. We’ll be there the night before we start and the innkeeper will keep our car until we pass through the area in 10 days (at which point Alex and Nancy will cooperatively get the car moved so it’s close to the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountain National Park/GSMNP is 165 miles up the trail).

It’s all quiet here in the < condo, I'll start loading the car as soon as someone
wake wakes up. . . Thanks to EVERYONE that's helped us along the way. . <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 you all!

Truly Gearing Up

Well, less than a week from today we’ll take our first steps on Springer Mountian. I arranged our ride to the trailhead today, and we’ve figured out where to stow our car (Thank Nancy!). Katie and I today organized our food for the first two week, including what kind of resupply we need to do in Neel (or Neels) Gap, Hiawasee and Franklin. I’ve been working and re-working our trail school materials and am just about “there” in having it all sorted.

My biggest frustration today is that I just cannot find my Georgia maps. Now, sadly, most of the maps are crap anyway . . . but we really planned to have them. I am a bit oldschool that way. I may need a last second trip to REI in Georgia to scare some up in the event they don’t appear.

Katie is working hard on sewing her Huffelpuff patch on her backpack, Duncan keeps trying his pack on, Virginia carefully went through what she had to send back to Seattle, and Cedric is relatively oblivious.

I will occcasionally post here . . . but look at our ThruHike blog to see where we’ve checked in. We don’t plan to be slaves to our blogs, but we do hope to update here and again, so keep checking back!

Cheers!

Out the door Feb 3 2013

I’m not sure why I was surprised by my emotions this morning.  After all, I am taking the first leg of a dream I have had for more than 30 years.  A little post on FB from a friend with well wishes and an “I Love You” brought tears.  So now, alone in my kitchen, I’m facing the reality that I am driving away in a few hours clearly not leaving my house in order, I have not done all the little things that I’d meant to in order to “be ready”. 

So I sigh.

I didn’t think it would all get done.  Sometimes you imagine things one way, but, when it comes right down to it YOU CAN DO IT, OR YOU CAN KEEP TRYING TO BE READY.  So, I pack up the loose things, figure I still l have about 32 days to muck about, and I load the car.

And I sigh again.

It is a different feeling than I expected.  It is rather like when we moved to England.  I will come back to this house, to these things, someone else will have to tidy up (thanks Alex and Katie and Emily).  But other than my insides, (and the insides of each one of us on this journey) we will come back to pretty much what we left.  In 9 months we will try to step back into this house, back to these things and back into the lives we have here.

SIGH

I suppose writing write now should take a back seat, I have a car to load . . . and an adventure to continue.  We have a 9 day drive to get to my parents before my Dad’s 75^th birthday.  Thank you everyone that is making time for us as we make our way, from people hosting us over night, to meeting up for a cup of coffee or breakfast.  You are all part of our Appalachian Trail endeavor now, and we thank you! 

Sigh . . . and SMILE.   (coffee, I need more coffee . . . . )

Duncan – GIVING – Cheetahs and Shephards

Duncan William Martin Wade. You really have to see the photos . . . they really capture who he is. So grab a cup of tea and a biscuit (a cookie – flapjack if youhave it) and watch his slideshow.  Then read on.

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While he had a similar, trying, birth experience as his brother, he didn’t have the same problems.  (read Cedric’s giving page for all the details)  While carrying him, I repeatedly said that baby B (Duncan) was doing fine, and baby A (Cedric) was not.  Baby B continued on quietly while everyone fussed over everyone else.  He seemed to know immediately what he wanted and was not afraid to scream for it.   As he got bigger he figured out how to do what he had to do.  He is independent, helpful, dedicated.  He isn’t flashy, he is steady and reliable.  Everyone wants him on their team.  He works hard.  Duncan is a rock.  He is honest and thoughtful.  He is really goofy, and like to say “chicken” and laugh if he doesn’t have response to a question.   Duncan is a helper, he loves ot set a goal and reach it.

While still in Robin Hoods Bay after hiking coast to coast in England, he asked if we could do it again.  I replied that would do it when he was 15.  So we have a plan to do it again.  He asks about it regularly.  So now Duncan and I talk about “when we hike the C2C again . . . ”   I love having that on the calendar with him!  We read look, look at maps and photos, an talk about our future trip.  I feel so lucky to have him want to do the trip again, and, at least for now, he wants to do it with me!

Duncan is thoughtful and charming,  Recently when we were going through a rough time with the deaths of two close friends, he stood up at their memorial service (over 500 people) and presented a toy to the family.  He and our friend Lee shared a love of Star Wars, so he remembered him by making a starship with mini figures on them and stated to the crowd  “Lee loved Legos and Star Wars, so I made this for him.”  No dry eyes.

Duncan loves sport, loves games . . (watch out, he may be a card shark when he grows up) He likes to win, but is a good sport when he doesn’t.  He loves to practice football/soccer.  He is my only competitive kid, but he has a sense of sportsmanship, he cheers for his teammates and has a “we’ll get ’em next time” attitude.  He really loves games of skill.

Duncan loves school.  He works hard, loves hearing his teachers praise, and proudly brings things home to post on the refrigerator! He loves art, he makes pictures for everyone.  He loves to build complicated things our of Lego, and he has had amazing gingerbread houses!  He helps around the house without being asked.  He is he first to step up when someone needs help or a favor.  He saves his pennies.  he came up with the idea of a tattoo for my Christmas present.  What a superstar.

Duncan is our very own George Bailey.  He does the right thing.  He works hard, he cares about other people, and everyone adores him.

  after winning the first round of our S.H.E.E.P. game . . he won a flapjack!

he practiced and practiced . . .was riding a 2 wheeled bike with no training wheels by the time he was 4.

As for his giving.  In 2010 Alex an I went to South Africa.  We came home talking about a cheetah rescue operation we saw there, he saw the photos of us petting a cheetah, and meeting the Anatolian Shepherds they raise to protect livestock.  He’s never really forgotten them.  So that is why he chose Cheetah Outreach (http://www.cheetah.co.za/) .  Giving is a bit tricky there, as you have to actually fill out a form, or call them.  But, it is what he wanted to support.  He loves that cheetahs are the fastest land mammals, that he can help save them from trapping.  He loves dogs and the fact that Cheetah Outreach uses the dogs to protect the cheetahs (although indirectly) is brilliant.

Duncan is a love.  Pick him for your team, you won’t be disappointed.

The Road, literally, to Springer Mountain – driving and schedule

People have had a few questions, and because the details are sprinkled throughout my blog posts, I figure I should devote this post to “what the heck is going on and when”?

Feb 3    In two weeks I am starting my drive to Florida.  I am travelling by car with the boys to celebrate our family’s joint 25-50-75 party.  My Dad will be 75, my brother will be 50, and my eldest niece will be 25 all within a week of one another.  So, I am embarking on a 12 state adventure that will culminate in Florida at this fun family celebration.  I plan   with 6 friends and relative and see over 15 others en route.  If we play our cards right, we’ll see the Lundi Gras parade while in New Orleans!

Once in Florida  Alex and the girls will arrive by plane.  Alex will need to return to Seattle.  The girls will stay on as we do our final preparations for the trail and being trail school.  We plan a trip to Key West as part of our 4 points adventure.  We went to the NW point on New Year’s day.  We expect to hit the SW point on the trip, and then the SE point on our Key West journey.  When we make it to Maine, we’ll venture to the NE point to complete our exploration of the four corners of the US. (not “the four corners” as in the four corners where four states meet – although, we did consider going there on this trip, but February isn’t a great time to be venturing there especially on a tight schedule. )

March  6  The first week in March I’m hoping to travel into Georgia and North Carolina with the kids in tow to do some preparations and see some friends.  If I can get it all organized, we will venture to the trailhead.  We will scope out where we will leave our car, how we will move it to where Alex will pick it up when he has to head back to Seattle.  If we can’t figure out a good car scenario we will figure out a shuttle or friend to help move us, or the car when it/we needs to be.  We don’t know Alex’s flight details into Atlanta or Charlotte yet, so are having trouble pin pointing our date of hitting the trail.  I am hoping for March 8^th, but it may be the 11^th, or even later if the weather is bad. 

Mileage – we are only expecting to do 4-6 miles a day for the first two weeks.  I think we can do more and move faster but we just don’t want to come out of the gates too fast.  That leaves us getting to Neel Gap (sometimes written as Neel’s Gap, I never know which to use)  around day 5, Hiawassee around day 12 (the second opportunity to pull off there), GA-NC border around day 16.  At that point we are hoping to be up to an average of 8 mile days, with the possibility of an occasional 10-12 mile day, weather depending.  This has us (again, hopefully) at Franklin, NC day 19,  and at three weeks the Natanhala Outdoor Center.  If we can keep a pace of 8 miles a day, we will get to our first mail drop and first planned town stay(I say planned because we may stay in town before this) in FONTANA DAM.  Fontana dam is on the western most edge of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP) and if we can swing it we will get in some time between day 24 and day 27.  With a start date of March 8, that has us getting in some time between March 31 and April 3.  Obviously if we start March 11, we move those dates out a bit, unless we walk faster. 

As you can see, planning where we will be when, is a bit of a challenge.  Our plan in a simple one.  We get up each day, and we walk north.  We get where we get to, when we get there. People who are meeting up with us need to come to us.  You can choose the dates, or the location, but not both. I really cannot project past about April 3rd.  I do know we will be in the DC/MD/PA area

 

Are you on the path of our trip to Florida?  Want to see us?  Let me know and we will see if we can make a stop!  Have someone who you think we should see (meet your mom?  see your sister, best friend, a hiker you adore?)  let us know.  Sooner is better.

Our DRIVING route . . . Seattle, Portland, Eugene, San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Jose, LA, Encinitas, San Diego, Tuscon, El Paso, Abilene, Dallas, Houston, Lafayette, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, Tallahasee, Orlando.  Then we will be making our way around Florida, including the Keys.  Then Jacksonville, to Atlanta, Greenville, possibly Asheville.  We leave soon, so get in touch! (sorry Risa, I wanted to put Flagstaff on the route, but just could not do it given the weather and the time . . . . frowny face).

Virginia – Giving – GIVING HER ALL

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November 2000

Dear Friends and Family,

Our beautiful second daughter, Virginia Laurel, was born October 27^th.  We want to add a personal note to this announcement because we would like you to know that Virginia was born with Down syndrome.

In the past few days, we’ve experienced many ranges of emotion and have also learned a great deal about all the positive ways Down syndrome can affect our daughter and our family.  Virginia is a beautiful, responsive baby and we hope you will accept her into your hearts without pity or reservations.  Please don’t feel that you have to pretend that she is “normal” and please feel free to ask us any questions that you may have about her. 

With our help, we hope Virginia will group up strong and healthy.  We want you to share in the joy of her progress along the road to maturity.  She may travel that road a little more slowly than others, but we will consider each new milestone in her life as a blessing.

Though our hurt and disappointment may still be fresh, we know Virginia is in our home and in our hearts for a very special purpose.  Our lives will be enriched by all the special gifts that she was meant to bring to her friends and family.  Her presence has already filled our home with much happiness.  Please celebrate with us!

Amy, Alex and Katie

If you have a child with special needs . . . believe in them, they are amazing, find their loves, their strengths and be there for them.  They may be on a different path from all the typical kids around, but that doesn’t make their journey any less important, any less meaningful or any less exciting.  Part of our AT journey is shouting from the rooftops OUR KIDS ARE CAPABLE!   Help spread the word and take a look at just how FABULOUS that little girl from the above birth announcement is!

2013, Virginia Laurel Martin Wade . . . . sassy, bold, saucy . . .  and I could not be any more PROUD of her!  Now, her opinions, drive, and persistence can truly drive her teachers, friends, and family mad, but I would not have it any other way.

Virginia is a firecracker.  She has explosive energy reserved and with a targeted spark, she is nothing short of impressive.   It was always my intent to believe in her, her abilities and her interests.  It was my intent to help her always explore opportunities, to experience the joys of our world, to push the boundaries of her abilities and to celebrate the amazing person she is.  Her list of accomplishments includes medals in Special Olympics – in both skiing and gymnastics.  She travelled with us to watch the World Special Olympic Games and was able to meet both Team USA and the Great Britain team.  She has won two essay contests, one about how she (a girl with Down syndrome) is like her friends, the other for an anti-bullying campaign.  The second contest she won $1,000 to go to her school library!   Twice, she has donated her ponytail to Locks of Love.  Virginia walked across England with us, she loves to cook and she is a HUGE reader.  She reads and reads and reads and reads.  She loves movies . . . and believe it or not Shakespeare.  She works hard, she has been know to argue.  One thing for sure she is not a push over!  She is a team player and we are so proud of her and so excited to see where she is going!

Virginia inspires me every.  She works so hard, often on thing that she struggles to understand.  She struggles to understand why some people expect so much of her, and others expect her to fail.  She struggles with homework, with understanding the dynamics of social situations and she struggles with keeping track of time.  However much she struggles, she learns more and more about how to navigate our world each day.  She is mastering each piece of her life, and she is having fun doing it.  She has more responsibilities than and higher daily expectations than most of the children we know her age who also have Down syndrome.  She is on a very different path than her typical peers, but I have to say, the path is a great one.  You shall see.

GIVING  While considering giving and working with Katie, Cedric and Duncan, Virginia and I discussed charity, donations and sponsorship over several weeks.  In the end Virginia was adamant about where she wants “her money” to go.  Virginia was and is a bit of a trailblazer at her school.  She is the first child with (for lack of a better term) extensive special needs to be fully included there.  It has not been an easy road for her, or for the school.  Despite the ups and downs (no pun intended) she has progressed, she has been a true member of her class (not just a token participant) and others at the school comment that the school is a better place because she is a part of it.  Virginia feels strongly about her school family.  Because of this Virginia has chosen her charity to be St Benedict School .  Their donation page can be found  at  St Benedict School  Giving.  After a brief conversation with the school, it may turn out that the money coming in in her name will be put to a special fund to help the school continue to support children with special needs.  I hope that fund will materialize, but even if it doesn’t St Benedict School has had a huge impact on the young lady that Virginia has become.  She loves her school and is very grateful they embraced her.

In terms of the AT, the journey will be more challenging for her than the rest of us.  I say this not because of the physical challenges, but because she is the only one that will not start the adventure with an abstract understanding of what we are doing.  Her understanding of 200 days, or seven months, or 2000 miles just isn’t there.  In some ways that is really good.  No stress over how long we will be gone, or how far we have to walk.  However, the first few weeks she will be asking when we are going home, and if she can watch a movie.  It will take that long (weeks) to get her past that we are just walking every day.  She loves to walk, and loves to camp.  She loves hanging out, sleeping in a tent and meeting people.  She is going to love the AT, because everything she needs is there.  Her brothers, her sister, her Mom and Dad.

I want to recognize the two other groups that Virginia considered for her giving.  Special Olympics (both of Washington – the SkiHawks, and Special Olympics) donations to any of them would warm our hearts.  The other group is the Down syndrome community (DSC).  She has loved them all . . . . remember to put the donation with her name mentioned and let us know .   Special Olympics Washington . . . Donate here   SkiHawks  . . . Donate here   Special Olympics . . . Donate here    DSC . . .Donate here