This time tomorrow...

So here we are, the day before we start the biggest adventure of our lives thus far. It has been a crazy last few days. I finished working on Friday while Kaitlin drove home overnight from North Carolina. Saturday was spent cleaning and preparing, followed by an amazing dinner out with the Allen clan at Flatbread Company in Amesbury (always so incredibly delicious). That is our staple spot when someone is leaving for a while because the atmosphere is fantastic and the food even better. Sunday morning was spent the same and included some last-minute shopping for little things. Then my parent's threw a send-off party for us which brought friends and family together to give us their well-wishes. A big thank you to everyone who came, it really meant so much to us! Kaitlin and I set up some of our gear as a little expo:

Teri and Courtney (Kaitlin's mom and sister, respectively) have been invaluable in helping us get ready by helping to dehydrate foods, make granola, separate bulk foods, etc. Our dear friend Paula (aka GramCracker, AT thru hike class of 2010 - see previous post on pemigewasset wilderness) is also a saint for us on this trip. She will be picking us up at Atlanta airport tomorrow morning, driving us to Neels Gap, taking the shuttle with us to Springer, and hiking back to Neels Gap with us. Did I mention that she drove up from Florida to do this? Our first trail magic (random acts of kindness on the trail).

Well, I need to go actually pack my backpack and pray that I don't forget anything or that it doesn't weigh too much. But again, a huge thank you EVERYONE who has offered us kind words, monetary, emotional, logistical, and any other kinds of support. We could not be more excited to embark on this adventure and we couldn't have been so ready without all of it. We sincerely hope that you enjoy this blog during our travels and that you will contact us along the way! Please also make sure to check out our links to the right to see where we are on a map, and more importantly, to read about how we are making this hike not just about adventure, but about supporting people who are less fortunate.

Peace Out and see you on the trail!

Dan