$24 for $20

Well the good news is that Steve and I made it out of the woods alive. The bad news is that we were unable to cover the AT like we initially thought. The trail was too difficult and we had to generate an alternate route in order to make it out of the park all in one piece. It's Ok, though. We were not out to prove anything to anyone, and I think one of the best things a person can do is to recognize when they are attempting something that is outside of their limits. I'm man enough to say "I can't do this." Lucky for me, hubris doesn't follow me on the hiking trail. I will, however, return to the Great Smoky Mountains to hike the AT, but only after I have aquired the appropriate gear and have conditioned myself to peak physical shape. I love to learn, and on this trip I have learned so much about backpacking and hiking. The experience was definately worth my time and money, and you can expect a neat story (I've already started working on it; the working title is "Hell is Appalacia") within the next few weeks. Until then, Steve and I leave Ashville tomorrow for Kalamazoo, where I will wash up, rest my sleepy head/mind, and return to the grind of school for about a month and a half. A little bit of research and a course on American Sign Language are the only things standing between me and New Zealand.