July 7, 2011 It's Been Awhile!

Seems like it's been forever since I've updated the blog.  It's summer and things are crazy and hectic with all the usual summer things to do.  So in case you were all wondering, Tom is still hiking.  He is currently around the 750  mile mark on the trail in Central Virginia.  He's been having a blast for the past several weeks.  He spent a few days down in Southern Virginia being fed and pampered by my cousins in Pearisburg, Va.  Cousin Tam fed him, gave him a hair cut and ran him around to do errands.  Then of course he got to play video games and put his feet up for awhile.  What a hard time he had hitting the trail again!  Then once he arrived in Daleville, he was off the trail again for the day enjoying some more TLC from an old family friend, Kristen, who used to live in Delaware with us.  So once again, Tom enjoyed some fresh food, good company and a boost to his spirit!  Of course leaving Daleville apparently turned into an epic tale of a cheap hotel room, several hiking buddies and a swimming pool.  Not sure how many days he spent sacked out there but he is once again back on the trail and hoping to put some miles behind him. 

Tom is currently on his 3rd pair of shoes so far on the trail.  We can't believe how fast he is blowing through them.  We are hoping to meet up with Tom once he gets in the vicinity of Front Royal, VA or farther north.  Traveling with his younger siblings is challenging and we are hoping to keep the one way trip to 3 hours or less. 
 Today is Tom's 110th day on the trail.  This is when the trail becomes the most difficult. He's been  hiking in the evenings and by moonlight as it is so hot during the day.  He's spending more time alone these days as the majority of the pack are further north of Tom.  He's not on any particular time table and so therefore not pushing hard to make big mileage each day.  But the Virginia blues have been hard on Tom.  The endless days of hiking and eating the same foods gives way to fabulous days hitting the local towns, talking with the locals, eating out, and hanging with fellow hikers in the shelters at night.  So leaving towns, hostels, and the fellowship of other hikers becomes harder; the distance traveled each day becomes less as more time is spent enjoying the summer weather and all the distractions along the way.  Tom had wanted to be in Harper's Ferry, WV by July 15th and now knows that he is dreadfully behind schedule so he has decided to pick up the pace a bit this week and put some miles behind him.  So good luck Tom and we hope to catch up with you soon.

And your package with your shoes, board shorts, new socks, and a few little goodies is on it's way to Glasgow, VA by priority mail.   Hope you catch up with it in a few days. 

Love, Mom