9.06 - Phone Call

From Kurt:
    
"I'm really stoked that I got to chat with Kris for a bit.  He called Jan from Washington, DC while the aunt, uncles, cousins, siblings and niece were over for some birthday celebrations.  I think he enjoyed getting passed around from person to person and definitely got caught up on where people are at while he's out in the boonies.
    
I guess that brings us to where Hindsight and Slim Pickins are actually at now.  The guys hit the halfway point of Harper's Ferry, WV a couple days ago and took a bus (maybe train) into Washington, DC.  As mentioned before, they weren't going to be able to hit the end point before the park was closed so they're going to fly up and hike from Maine back to Harper's Ferry.  This way they get the entire trail in and it actually adds a level of complexity.
    
For instance, one of the first legs is 100miles long between civilization.  They'll need to pack enough supplies to carry them the entire distance and, because it's so far removed, they're not sure if the SPOT Messenger will communicate while they're out there.  Should be interesting (not only for Hindsight and Slim but for all of us here wondering where they're at) - look for that update in the coming posts.
    
During my conversation with Kris, he mentioned that the long days really take a toll on the feet.  "I haven't had blisters for 850miles, but my feet just ache."  He said his gear is holding up well and that he's really glad for how this trip is working out (regarding the split that they're currently doing).  Not only does it make it possible to do the entire trail, as well as add some complexity, but it removes a large issue of cold weather.  They won't be able to avoid the cold completely, but they won't need to deal with nearly as much of it as they're getting the northern-most section done earlier in the year.
    
Finally, and this is turning out to be longer than expected, I found it interesting how Kris referred to things that happened on the trip.  "Time" is irrelevant; he referred to events by miles.  It makes sense, really.  He hasn't had appointments to get to or a calendar to maintain.  They operate during the daylight, have an end result they want to attain, and "the mile" is the unit that's tied the weeks and months together.
    
Thanks for the time on the phone, Kris.  I'm so impressed with you guys and your progress!!"