The first time I knew I was going to be a part of something important for BEYOND LIMITS was when my classmates and I were tasked with trying to get volunteers for the Appalachian Trail Adventure. That for me was when I realized that we were actually helping Dr. J with this goal she has,Read More
I got involved with BEYOND LIMITS without ever setting foot on the Appalachian Trail or even Mount Katahdin, the site of the first BEYOND LIMITS expedition. To this day, I’m still not what many people might call an “avid” hiker. I enjoy the outdoors and always make sure to include physical activity in my dailyRead More
After Heidi left us we did more hiking. We were coming to a trailhead to meet Honey and Bear and get some supplies. We also heard that there was some trail magic—a place that was offering a hiker feed. An older man, Jeremiah, and his younger male companion came up looking for us. Honey hadRead More
As we hiked, the day warmed and we were able to shed layers. As always, I was absorbing a lot of the Sherpas’ body heat, so I could get very warm. We stopped for our lunch break at a place about a mile or so from the trailhead where Honey and Bear were to meetRead More
The Clemson Crew worked out a rotation. As I mentioned, Nate did not want to carry. He reasoned that he should not become part of the rotation, since he would be with us for only a shortened time. He did get into the rotation once when his father was having back issues. (Sean had surgeryRead More
The ride to the trailhead took about 1.5 hours. We had decided not to take Miracle because of several factors. For one thing, we didn’t know what we would do with her while we were hiking. Some were afraid that someone might break in and damage Karma, my wheelchair, or something else. Also, the van,Read More
Honey and Bear came back from their trip to an outfitter (at Neel’s Gap?). They had bought two sets of ice cleats—really chains that would slip over hiking shoes. Hopper asked them to get two sizes: medium and large. She figured that one or the other of those sizes would fit whoever was carrying meRead More
Sunday, March 19, was D-Day minus one. We were to meet the entire gang, most of whom we did not know. We got a message from Hopper that she would be arriving around noon, driven by her sister- and brother-in-law. But before she arrived, there was a knock on our door. We opened the doorRead More
After we left Maine and really New England in general, the highway driving changed a good deal. We recalled that the interstates were really built for commerce—so that tractor trailers could move goods. Most of the highways were two lanes wide, with sometimes passing lanes on hills. Often we were one of the few carsRead More
For some time, we’d planned to leave Maine on Wednesday, March 15. I wanted to be well on our way for my birthday, which is March 16. By leaving on Wednesday, it would give me the chance to have one last class meeting with my students (all my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays). SoRead More
