Update for Tuesday June 27

   I started the day at the Cornelius Creek Shelter, marker 1424.8 and ended up at the Bobblets Gap Shelter marker 1443.2.  Pulled into it at 8:00.

   I did the first 9 miles quickly so I could meet Doug Lee at 1433.5, Cross Jennings Creek. He brought me resupply for 4 days. It was great to see my old friend and catch up. He is now the pastor of a church located 20 mi E of Lynchburg. The attached selfie was made by him.

 

   Talked to another old friend, Jim Richardson later in the day, and he will meet me near Daleville on Thurs.

    Stayed inside the shelter last night as there was no good place to.pitch a tent. It was packed with North Bound hikers so a bit tough to get comfortable. On the way out of the shelter this a.m. I saw bears 6&7. A cub with its mother. 

    The trail in this area follows the Blue Ridge Pkwy and affords great views of the Peaks of Otter area.

    Thanks for your prayers. Keep praying for our refugee brethren to continue to stay gospel focused and to be strong witnesses. 

Uncle

Update 7 June 25                                                                   

 

    Today I hiked from the Punchbowl Shelter @ marker 1394.4 to 1412.6 Marble Spring. I had cell network as I climbed the last mountain but not now.

   Met some really interesting folks, thru hikers, today. 

   General Hendricks, the latter name given him by a friend who likes how he plays Purple Haze, is the first Black American thru hiker I have met. We had a very good conversation. One of his companions took our PIC and he said he would email it to me.

    Yeves is a 75 yr old French man who I am told clicks along at 18 mi a day. He spoke almost no English. But just behind him I met Bayou and he gave me more info as they have camped at the same places. Bayou said he would read Curt Iles' book, Trampled Grass since he is also from the state of LA.

    Mama Bear is walking with her 7 yr old twins and a 13 yr old. They were chugging up a very steep hill at a good pace. Unreal!

    I finally got cell signal at the end of the day. Talked to Renee and Doug Lee. The latter is a former colleague from Kenya who now lives near Lynchburg. He will meet me on Tues with resupply. Will be great to see him.

    Renee told me about the passing of Ned Dellinger, the young son of Travis and Betsy. I am praying for them and their extended families to whom I feel very close. Also she said Leslie and Judah are still sick and now Sheila has come down with whatever they brought with them. Praying they all get well ASAP.

   I hope the post office at Buena Vista will agree to send my bounce box on up to Daleville. Turns out the former PO does not open on Sat and I got to BV just after 17:00 on Fri. 

    Hope to make it to Bryant Ridge Shelter tomorrow @ Mi Marker 1429.7. That should facilitate Doug meeting me on one of two roads the AT crosses that are near Buchanan. If he brings food I will not have to get off the trail until Daleville.

Uncle

Regress Not Progress                                                

    So today, June 24, Brandi and Stacey dropped me off at the same spot where she had met me the afternoon before. My goal for the day was around 20 miles to the 3rd shelter. The first one, Black Mtn, was only 2.8 miles from the drop point. An easy down hill descent.

    I stopped there to sign my name in the book since I spent the previous night off the AT. Rangers do check the shelter logs and keep up with hikers so I know I need to log in from time to time. Nephew always did that for us before.

    When I left the shelter I mistakenly walked right back up the hill I had just descended. When I got to my starting pt and realized my mistake, I was of course mad at myself. I walked 5.6 miles for nothing! So today I ended up only hiking 12 trail miles.

    As I retraced my steps, the Lord spoke to my heart. He reminded me that REGRESS is what a

refugee' s life is dominated by because they have left and possibly lost back home all they had worked for and accumulated. The pastoralist has lost his livestock. The farmer's tilled land is now growing up weeds and may soon return to the shape it was in before he put so much back breaking labor into clearing it. Regression.

    No one likes having to retrace their steps or redo work once done well. Yet this is what awaits every refugee who returns home once peace is restored.               

    Today I lost some time and energy, but in the big scheme of things it was a small thing. 

    Thanks Lord Jesus for granting me experiences which enable me to put things in perspective; even when they are painful.

    Please join us in this Hiking to Help Refugees venture so we can together provide God's Word to S. Sudanese refugees. Only God can restore what war and the forces of evil have destroyed in these people's lives.

Uncle

Day 6

    Today I hiked from marker 1357.7 which was where the The River  

suspension bridge is located, to very near 1372.9. Chose to stealth camp at an overlook near the Greasy Spring Rd. A dad and son had a fire built and welcomed me to pitch.

 

     The climb up Priest Mtn took about 3 1/2 hrs. Gained around 3,000 ft. I stopped to talk a lot with folks north bound. Ate at the Priest Shelter and stayed longer than I planned visiting with a couple from the UK and a thru hiker from MI named Eight Track. Enjoyed taking my time and talking to folks.

 

    Will have a 10 mile hike to US 60 in the a.m. and hope I have a signal so I can call Brandi and arrange to meet with her by the road. Supposed to rain so may get a later start. Even today I did not set off  

  until 8:30. Need to do better in that regard.

 

    The other day someone dropped a red bandana in the path and I have enjoyed wearing it around my neck. I dip it in water. I found it when in need if water.  Just afterwards came upon a weak spring and used it to partially fill my Sawyer squeeze bag. One wets the bandana and let's the water drip into the bag. It was a timely find.

 

   On the same day met a couple from S Africa. The husband was raised near Edenvale where BIMS is located. Renee and I had to stay there for a month twice after she had a surgery at a Jo'berg hospital. Small world.  

 So the hikes over the last few days have not been all that easy but the views have been outstanding. 

Uncle

 

 

 

Fifth Trail Visit

    Renee dropped me off where I started on April 9th at Swift Run Gap, mile marker 907 if headed north. I walked around 20 and 19 trail miles the first two days and only 7 the 3rd. That is because the forecast was for heavy p.m. storms. 

    So I had the idea to call Steve Barrett of Kent's Store, VA and see if he would meet me at Afton Mtn.,  and take me to his house for the night. The possibility of rain had caused him and his tree service crew to already cancel for the day, so he agreed.

 

    I was the Barrett' s pastor when I served the  

  Beulah Church of that small rural community. We had lots of good times during those years, much of it in the woods deer hunting.

 

    I was busy the whole time I was there, I.e. shopping, washing clothes, putting ice on my feet, etc. However we had lots of time to reminisce and also speak of what is now happening in our lives.

 

    Thanks Steve and Brenda for your hospitality. The attached picture is of Steve holding my pack on the morning he dropped me back off on the trial.

 

    And a big shout out to all our friends of Kent's Store. I wish time had allowed me to visit all of you! Thanks for how you support our ministry.

Uncle

I am posting these photos from Edward Dimas post. Edward is the president of the Baptist Convention of South Sudan. As you follow David's trek on the AT, these pictures represent the reason he is doing what he is doing, giving more copies of Hope to Christians and those who will be Christians. Please give to help add to the population of Heaven. Thank You.....

Above is the body of Christ at Pillar Baptist church, those souls who are craving to know more about the ways of Jesus so they can live their lives for Him.

The above picture is of the children of Pillar Baptist church's preschool. 

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

The actual building of Pillar Baptist Church.....


Please help sustain thirsty souls and reach thirsty souls.   Thank You

.

June 17, 2017

Before leaving Harrisonburg, VA this morning to return to the AT, I wanted to type up a brief status report for those of you who have been praying for us, and following us on this "Hiking to Help Refugees" venture.

Renee and I celebrated 42 years of marriage on Thursday, June 15.  We stayed in a friend's condo in the Boone, NC area on Thursday night, and  

  then late Friday drove up to Harrisonburg, VA.  This morning I am thanking God for the life mate He gave me.  I married way over my head!  She's also a great nurse and she's definitely taken care of me since I flew home.

Today marks the 16th day since I stopped walking on the AT near Manchester, VT.  I am rested and feel healed up.  I ate like a bear just out of hibernation while home and cannot tell it added anything to my waist.  At this point I can wear waist size 34" pants, something I haven't been able to do since Reagan was president!  It was very busy at the house while I was home.  I had a great visit with my eldest grandson (age 7) who came in on June 13, and with my second born son, Zeb.  We celebrated his 33rd birthday early last Wednesday and it was a wonderful party. 

My daughter-in-law, Leslie, will arrive in the USA with her youngest two on June 21 and they will return on July 13.  So on July 8th Renee will meet me wherever I am and return me to the house so I can visit with them through the 13th.  In the afternoon of that same day she will return me to the AT. 

My goal in the next 3 weeks will be to hike as close to Damascus, VA as I can which is approximately 436 miles from where I'll resume walking at Swift Run Gap, mile marker 907 for those north bound.  That number of 907 also tells you how far I have to go to Springer Mountain, GA.

Nephew is still logging big miles in the White Mountains of NH and will certainly make it to the top of Mt. Kathadin within the next 2-3 weeks.  We we parted on June 6 we were hopeful that I could fly to Maine and join him in climbing Kathadin, but I know now that will not be possible, as my priority will be to see Leslie and her girls.  Who knows, if circumstances allow after I reach Springer, perhaps I will be able to make that journey alone and work on hiking a maximum amount of miles.  All that is in God's hands and I am at peace with that knowledge.

Thanks for following me this far.  I trust you will continue to read the blogs I will write and keep up with both Nephew and I.  For me personally, this whole thing is about raising as much money as possible so we can place as many scripture resources in the hands of our S. Sudanese brethren.  My heart remains broken over their suffering.  However my heart receives comfort whenever I remember that we as a team can provide them with the Word of God at such a critical time in their own personal lives, and in the life of their nation.  Only God's Word can change the heart of a sinner, and only that same Word can provide a sure and lasting foundation for the building of a nation.

Thanks ahead of time for praying, reading and giving.

David Crane (Uncle)                                       

Home Base

    Nephew's mom is my sister-in-law, Kim Austell Crane. She has gone to great lengths to educate herself about the AT and how to read the AT guidebook produced by AWOL; a former thru hiker who during his trek recognized there existed a great need for a detailed map giving all sorts of info. She has also spent many hours watching the You Tube videos of hikers who were in front of us so she could better understand the type of conditions that awaited us. In some cases she has followed the Face Book posts of hikers who have the habit of giving good reports about not only the AT but also where they stayed off the trail, i.e. at a cheap hotel or B&B.

     All this research has enabled Kim to become the local expert on the AT and everyone's "go-to" person for reports and answers.

     On many an occasion, Nephew has turned to mom first, via text messages, for weather reports and for guidance when it became obvious we needed to get off the trail because we were too wet or badly needed something.    

     At some point, Stephen announced he believed Kim had earned a trail name, so Nephew dubbed her "Home Base." The name has stuck and since I have returned home I have called her that or HB.

     The loving support of parents, spouses and other loved ones when undertaking an excursion which takes you far from home is so important and meaningful. In this case, we have had it from everyone. My mom and Renee have bought maps of the AT and placed marks at all the points where we stayed the night. Their enthusiasm and interest has added something special.

   When we lived in Africa, I always referred to my mom, Mary Etta, as one of the most important members of our team as she faithfully took care of any business related matters of ours. She sent us all magazines and mail we needed and in short enabled us to focus on our mission.

     So it is special to see HB keeping up the tradition of strong, significant parental support for a child's unusually stressful and potentially dangerous venture.

     How about your life? Are you perhaps holding a child or grandchild back from pursuing a dream or sense of calling because it will take them far away or could be fraught with danger? 

    Today I am thanking God for the supportive wife and family I have had. Keep it up HB! And know I will also be leaning on you for logistical support when headed south.

Uncle

Update on Uncle


  Today, June 6, Renee drove me to an Urgent Care clinic in Shelby, NC and I saw a physician there.  They did an exam and blood work and I was diagnosed as having a mild case of cellulitis and early stage of shin splints.  I say "mild case" because the white blood count was in the normal range.  He recommended I give it two weeks before resuming my hike as far as the swelling connected to the shin splints in concerned.

     So I am taking Naprosen for the swelling and an antibiotic.  I will ice the feet several times per day and also soak them in  

Epsom Salt.  Finally I will elevate them above the level of my head as much as possible.

     I have already ordered a small portable charger to carry, since I was benefiting from Nephew's.  I've also already ordered the AT Guide Book, Southbound version and have downloaded Guthook to my phone, as Nephew was our navigator.  I will also, hopefully, get a camping quilt from "Jacks R Better" which will be more suitable for sleeping further south in the summer.  It's weight is just over a pound and it packs down to just about the size of a softball.  This should help me to have a lighter pack.

     I learned a lot of lessons hiking the 735 miles with Nephew northbound, and having the above mentioned items should place me in good stead when I'm ready to
  strike out again on my own, starting at Swift Run Gap, mile marker 907, in the very southern end of the Shenandoah Nat'l Park.

Uncle

 

Change of Plans

As I mentioned in the blog I did last week entitled "I am missing a gear,"  

   I have known for some time now that Adam is now able to hike at a speed and for a distance beyond my ability. As I said there, part of it is certainly due to the age difference but I also at this point realize it is because of the cumulative impact this hike has had on my feet and legs.

    Yesterday morning, Saturday June 2, I made the hard choice to leave the trail and go into a nearby town, Arlington, VT. 

    It was very interesting as to how the Lord worked things. Two days prior Adam planned a 20 mile hike. I was hobbling along the best I could, but at 4:15 I was still 10 miles from the shelter that was the day's goal. I pressed on another 4 miles and only stopped when I came upon another hiker who had already pitched his tent. So I stayed there. I realized that night that something new was going on with the muscles of the calf of the left leg. I also saw I had some serious blisters on the heel of my right foot, so I taped them up well before the taking off early the next a.m. in hope that Adam might wait for me at the shelter 6 miles out. I got there by 10:15 and found him waiting. We then did 8 miles to the next shelter,  

   Story Spring, making a 14 mile day for me but a short 8 mike one for Nephew.

    I noted that night that the pain in my left calf was no better and that I now had a serious blister developing on my left heel. 

    The plan for the next day involved a 20 mile hike which included climbing Stratton Mtn, which is not a big one in comparison to others we have done, but still a climb. 

    I had only walked a few miles when I came to a nice gravel road. At that point I knew for a fact I could not continue on physically and I certainly could no longer entertain the idea of making it to Kathadin with Nephew. So I dropped my pack and prayed "Lord, I know I am in the middle of nowhere, but if it is your will for me to stop here you are going to have to send a car." Less than 10 seconds later a local guy pulled up. Amazing! Jeff agreed to take me to a motel in Arlington, VT. He really blessed me and I think he also enjoyed our conversation.

   So after settling in, I called "Home Base" Kim Crane's trail name, and asked her to confirm with Nephew that he was going to make it into Manchester. After receiving his confirmation he would stay there Saturday and Sunday nights, because he has packages at the post office there, I asked my brother to book a ticket for me out of Albany, NY to CLT on Monday; which he did.

     This morning I hitched a ride easily to Manchester and am spending one last day with Nephew before leaving. We have had a good time.

    The plan now is for him to continue on solo to

  Kathadin. On my side I will return home, heal up, and then return to VA where we started and head south solo to Springer Mtn in GA. Note that when I say "solo" it does not imply I will be alone a lot. I am sure I will team up with various people along the way.

    After talking to my best bud, Dr. Chuck Burnham, I suspect what I have happening is shin splints; hopefully in an early stage. God willing, they should heal quickly. There is a type of calf compression sleeves one can buy to help with such a condition, so a pair of those may be in my future.

   Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us and keeping up with us through our blogs, pictures and trail journal. No matter how long I live, I will never forget the sight of that car pulling up just as I finished praying.

    God willing, this thing is not over yet. Just a change of plans!  BTW, I hiked 735 miles before stopping.

David Crane ( Uncle)