The 1 ½ weeks from April 7 – 18, 1997 were very intense times on the Appalachian Trail for me. I met many more thru-hikers with some funny names: BDC – Bacon Double Cheeseburger, Grizz, Love-To-Hike, Tippy Canoe, Ichabod Wayward Traveler [the infamous Traveling Jack who has hiked more miles on the AT that anyone in history], Crash, Jake, Bomber, Beavis, Shaggy Goose, Movin’ On Up, Scooter, Wild Bore, Pyro, and Skywalker. I experienced extremely cold temperatures and snow and extremely long hiking days. And I witnessed a human experience that I described in my journal as “the worst I had ever seen...”

Old Crow and I hiked together, on and off, for a six week stretch in March and April of 1997. Old Crow gave himself his trail name for a couple of reasons: 1) Old Crow was his drink of choice, a Kentucky bourbon whiskey, and 2) it was the very thing that motivated him to hike. I found out later that this thru-hiker was actually running from something that had taken over his life. Brad H. from Raleigh, North Carolina had clearly experienced a different life than Brad G. Old Crow had stories about drinking, partying, and fraternity stunts, and he delivered the stories with a wit and humor that made me laugh. After a very cold night (single digits) in the Overmountain Shelter on April 9th (an old horse barn), Old Crow wanted a break from the harsh conditions of the trail, and I thought that I deserved a break, too. He called some friends in a nearby town, Boone, NC, that picked us up at the nearest road crossing. I wrote, “a free place to stay that is warm, what more can you ask for” and thought that it would be an uneventful side trip – I was wrong. “4.11.97 Last night was close to being the worst night [so far]. I got very few hours of sleep because of the party [downstairs], and I saw a bunch of college students at their worst. Crow got really messed up…” For most of the early morning (3 to 4am), I was awakened by Crow and his drunken friends coming in the room and making a lot of noise. I assisted his friend in setting Crow’s sleeping bag out and taking his boots off – he passed out and urinated on himself. “Then I realized how bad it really was…This was the lowest and he had been there before…I knew then that this is why Brad was on the AT – to change this part of his life.” Crow told me later that he had been sober for a month before that night – the first month of hiking. The pull toward his addition was too great. I insisted to be taken back to the trail by someone sober and, at that point, I didn’t know if I’d see Crow again. There are so many things to pull a potential thru-hiker off of the trail – the past catching up with you is one that I hadn’t considered until now.

I hiked on through Southern Virginia and into some of the best relationships of my entire trip. Many thru-hikers were pushing 20+ mile days at this point in the trail. One month down and I was in the best shape of my life, so I decided to attempt “The Marathon.” into Damascus, Virginia. From Iron Mountain Shelter, it is 26.3 miles to town and Damascus fever (the longing for good food and good company) had me convinced that I could pull it off. It was a very tough day that I don’t remember much about…I arrived in Damascus at 6:30pm and got word that my Dad had been there. Come to find out, Dad drove to Damascus to deliver my next maildrop instead of shipping it, and I missed him by a few hours. I came into town and thru-hikers, hostel keepers, townspeople, and restaurateurs all asked, “Are you Optimist? Opti, did you see your Dad?.” I was so sad that we had missed each other. I met Scooter and Wild Bore during my first night in Damascus – I was headed to the pizza joint and ran into these two mid-twenties guys, graduates from Dartmouth. After we shook hands, Scooter immediately asked, “So you are Opti Phil 4:13? ‘I can do all things through Christ’ guy?” I was profoundly amazed that someone was actually reading my shelter entries. Each shelter contained a register, usually a spiral bound notebook, that was used by hikers to communicate with each other. Entries usually contained information on the nearest spring, the resident skunk, encouragement to friends, words of protection, etc. The register was something that no thru-hiker passed up, and although it may sound silly, we looked forward to reading through each register and connecting with the trail community. Since I was given a trail name with meaning and purpose, each of my register entries were slanted toward the positive and optimistic and signed “Optimist, Phil. 4:13.” I would occasionally write out the passage at the end of my entries as well. I thought that, if even just a small way, I could lift people up in a hard time and give a nugget of wisdom from Paul’s letter to the Philippians with each entry. I had apparently succeeded, and Scooter and Wild Bore would become fast friends. More on their story later.

Snow put a twist on hiking in the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area, “4.18.97 Definitely say the AWESOME power of God today! Last night, Two Winds, Bomber, Bob (weekender) and I were in the loft of the Thomas Knob Shelter, and it was a good thing because there was a few inches of snow on the first floor. We got about 3 to 6 inches of snow last night, and it was cold (teens). I didn’t get a very good nights sleep because the snow was coming through the roof, and it dusted everything. I woke up many times last night and was cold some of this morning…I passed Bomber and broke trail [for] eight miles – the drifts were sometimes knee deep! I kept moving and stayed warm…Two Winds stayed at the shelter and Bomber and I moved on – a good thing too because it was colder [up on the mountain]. I was getting tired f Two Winds again, anyway…I have been singing a lot on the trail…it defiantly helps pass the time. So does my Walkman – I listened to National Public Radio today and the miles became less noticeable. I listed to the [mix] tapes also, but that drains the batteries quickly…Today’s walk was nothing short of INTENSE! It was the worst weather I have seen – snow + wind (gusts up to 40 – 50 mph) + cold (20 – 30 degrees) + wind chill (-20 degrees). Scrambling over the rocks and not being able to find the trail were the worst parts [the white blazes that marked the trail were covered by snow or blended it to the background, and I was off trail for a while]. It was a nice change of pace, but I am ready for spring…”

497.7 miles down, 39 days