Time For a Test Run

Disclaimer: Before anyone chimes in about dogs not being allowed in Smoky Mountain National Park- Roxy is my service dog so she is allowed to go with me. Before now I've avoided putting service dog labels on her because I dislike the stigma of having people know I need a service dog. The label is basically an announcement screaming "there's something wrong with me." I tend to not go places that don't allow dogs just to avoid the discussion of why I have a dog with me. However as I prepare for the Appalachian Trail I am going to have to go through this park and acknowledge the fact that Roxy is not just a pet but my partner.

Modeling the pack, while Roxy snoozes.

Tomorrow Roxy and I are heading out to Smoky Mountain National Park with my dad and brother to test out all of our gear. This week-long backpacking trip will be the longest trek we have completed. The last time we stayed in the woods for a week we stayed at Crag Camp in the White Mountains and just went on day hikes with light packs. So this adventure will be a real test of how much weight we can handle carrying. We have loaded up our packs with 7 days worth of food and are ready to get a taste of how difficult the AT will really be.

I'm thrilled with how well my Gossamer Gear Mariposa pack fit all my gear and how it feels when I'm wearing it. For this trip, I'm carrying just about everything I plan on bringing on my thru-hike with me. Roxy will be carrying her GroundBird Gear custom pack with about 8 pounds of dog food.

One of the goals of this trip is to figure out what food is going to work best, both for Roxy and me. For this trip about half of Roxy's food will be traditional dry dog food, and the other half is The Honest Kitchen dehydrated dog food. Roxy is also going to be feasting on the amazing Power Bones that Zuke's sent to help fuel her hike.

I am super excited about having organic, natural foods for me to eat. This afternoon I experimented with the various products that I received from Bob's Red Mill, Foods Alive, and Tru-Nut. Additionally I'm using many different dehydrated vegetables from Harmony House and lots of different snacks from Trader Joe's.

Here are my general meal plans:

• Breakfast: oatmeal or cereal with Bob's Red Mill dry milk powder or Tru-Nut powdered peanut butter
• Lunch: Flaxseed Crackers from Foods Alive and various dried fruits from Bob's Red Mill and Foods Alive
• Dinner: Grains (kasha/ cous cous from Bob's Red Mill or Trader Joe's Harvest Grains) mixed with various vegetables from Harmony House and lots of spices
• Snacks: various energy bars, crackers, chocolate covered berries from Trader Joe's, and strawberry applesauce

In terms of food, I am going to be really spoiled on the trail. I'm being very skimpy with all other supplies, but I can't pass up good food :)

Recently I switched my cell phone plan from AT&T to T-mobile, as long as I have cell reception and a charge on my phone I'll post short updates about how things are going to my Instagram. Check back on Easter Sunday for a summary of how the trip goes!

Feeling Loved

Teaching is rough. There have been many days when the final bell has rung and I’ve sat at my desk asking myself “why am I doing this to myself?” Today I got a wonderful reminder of why I love teaching. 

Today was the first day after I officially announced that I was not going to be teaching next year, and the response of the students was amazing. Here are a few of the best things I heard today: 

“Your room is the only one I actually learn something in”

“But I actually understand biology when you teach it”

“You’re coming back, right?”

“You are a role model”

“I hate that you’re leaving, but I really respect what you’re doing”

“I’m going to hunt you down and bring you back”  

To hear that I have actually had some sort of impact on these kids’ lives makes me feel like I haven’t completely wasted the last 5 years of my life. I love biology, and all I’ve ever wanted to do is inspire others to see the beauty of the natural world. Unfortunately teaching in a public school in America is more about jumping through political and administrative hoops and teaching kids to take tests rather than helping them learn how to think critically and learn to love exploring and gaining knowledge. To hear that I was able to instill some level of interest in these kids despite all the hurdles of our public education system was just fantastic. 

The kids are the only thing about Indiana that I am really going to miss. I’ve never wanted kids of my own (too much responsibility, babies are the worst), but I absolutely love getting to interact with young people. Before they become adults, people have unlimited potential. Seeing open-minded individuals absorb new information and develop novel ways of thinking absolutely blows my mind. Most adult minds are too fixed and unwilling to consider new knowledge. Getting to spend each day being a part of the growing process with these kids has truly been a gift. I've enjoyed getting to know each of my students and helping them learn more than just a list of facts for a test. I've likewise enjoyed learning from them. I honestly can say that I will miss each and every one of the kids, even those who I’ve had three years in a row because they refuse to turn in any assignments :) 

Many of the kids seemed shocked that I was leaving Indiana, as if the idea of getting out of the state was terrifying in some way, and to them I hope I serve as an inspiration. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to get out and explore the rest of the world, because there is so much more to see. There’s nothing wrong with deciding that Indiana is the place for you and spending your entire life there, but I hope everyone at least gets a chance to see other options. You never know what you’ll love until you go out and try new things. No matter what, I wish that all my kids find what makes them happy and live the lives they’ve always imagined (and don’t wait until you’re 28 to do what you love!). 

The best kind of people :)

No More Secrets

After waking up to views like this for a week, it became clear a life in rural Indiana was not going to cut it.

Today I let my employer know that I will not be returning next school year (I’m a teacher). I was originally planning on waiting until the last minute to make it official, but I’m not capable of lying to children, so when one of my students blatantly asked me if I was going to be teaching next year, I had to say no. Once kids know something there is no way to keep it a secret, so I had to tell my principal the news. 

Now that the truth is out I feel like I can really start finalizing all the details necessary to make my thru-hike a success. I have 9 weeks to tie up all my loose ends so that I can spend 6 months (hopefully more)  in peace as I restart life. As far as I am concerned, here are the biggest issues that need to be taken care of before starting a thru-hike:

1. Getting health insurance- Obamacare maybe? Being an adult is hard. I honestly have no clue where to even start with this issue.
2. Deferring student loans- no income = no payments! But of course I’ll have to jump through all sorts of hoops and fill out tons of paperwork to make this happen.
3. Updating my resume- seems silly, but eventually I will have to get off the trail and convince someone to give me money for doing stuff. I want to have a solid resume ready for when I return from the wilderness.

Anything else? Probably, but like I said before: being an adult is hard. I’m probably overlooking many major details that normal people think to take care of. I’ll focus on my 3 biggies for now and deal with other issues as they come along. It is hard to believe that the big day is almost here. After months of planning, practicing, and gathering supplies, I’m just about ready to start the life I should have always been living.  

Roxy's Health Issues

At the beginning of January, Roxy went to the vet for her annual checkup. When I mentioned that we were planning on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail together, the vet voiced concerns about Roxy's health during the trip. Roxy weighed in at 65 pounds at the time, and her vet recommend she gain about 10 pounds before we start the trail in June. He said at 65 she absolutely should not get any smaller, and that I should let her eat as much as she wants.

Well, Roxy has been taking the move to our temporary housing in Bloomington really hard. We went to the vet again last Wednesday and she weighed only 58 pounds. Her weight loss was quite a shock because since January I have been trying really hard to make sure Roxy got plenty to eat.

I've always tried to feed Roxy as well as I can, but with a limited budget and many expenses as we prepare for the trail life, I can't afford top of the line dog food. For the past few years I have been feeding her Diamond Naturals Lamb and Rice twice a day supplemented with cooked chicken, carrots, and rice or other combinations of meat, veggies, and grains. I usually pour olive oil on top of her food too. If I can't afford fresh meats and veggies for her, I will add anything I happen to have on hand to supplement the dry kibble: eggs, peanut butter, yogurt, or whatever I happen to be eating. After our January vet visit, I have continued the twice a day supplemented meals plus I have been leaving a full bowl of dry kibble out at all times for Roxy.

Despite being given the option to eat as much as she would like, poor Roxy has lost weight instead of gaining it. We usually run at least 3 miles a day, and walk an additional 2-4 miles per day. On the weekends we try to fit in longer runs or backpacking trips. Decreasing her exercise doesn't seem like a realistic option, especially since we need to be in shape for the trail. Roxy has always been an active dog, and never seems to get tired. I am not sure if the quality of her food is the issue, or the stress she is experiencing in our new living arrangements is to blame, but I am worried about her losing weight. This week I switched her food to Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage, but she is only slightly more interested in eating this compared to her old dog food.

Roxy after a 10 mile run.

Since moving to the apartment, Roxy  has been so stressed that she will bark all day when alone, destroy her bedding, and relieve herself in the house. The only time I can't have her with me is when I am at work. I hate seeing her like this so I have started taking her to a doggy day care facility while I am at work, but that hasn't helped either. Even when I am home with her in the apartment she just sits and pants uncontrollably and can't settle down. We do our best to spend as much time as possible outdoors, but on weekdays we have to sleep indoors so that I can get to work on time.

The vet we saw last week prescribed Buspirone, an anti-anxiety medicine, to try to help her cope with our new living arrangement. I hate the idea of medicating Roxy, but at this point I think it is what's best for her. All her stress and anxiety disappears when we are out in the woods, but for the next 3 months we need to survive here. Any suggestions about helping Roxy cope with indoor life would be greatly appreciated. She is my pride an joy, and seeing her in such a dreadful state is killing me too.