I picked Luke and Caleb up off the trail that afternoon, and we had lunch and then enjoyed a baseball game that afternoon. It was pretty easy to talk the boys into staying at our place overnight and resting up a bit. I offered a shower, a roof and a bed; simple luxuries to those of us not on the AT. Luke was thrilled over the prospect of being in an environment controlled by a thermostat, and Caleb said "you had me at shower."
Despite 2 months in the wilderness, battling rain, cold, fleas, and rattlesnakes, the guys looked good. I was expecting to find a bearded skeleton of the Luke I knew; but both the guys seemed healthy and strong. For fun we brought out the scales, and the boys had only lost around 3 pounds since leaving Georgia; but watching them eat, you would never know it. Luke had told me that the average thru-hiker burns over twice the calories of a regular person, but I didn't quite understand it until we fed the guys (or attempted to). For dinner both boys polished off their own large pizzas, then had some cereal for dessert. For breakfast my mom had all the eggs, bacon, toast and gravy that we thought the guys could handle; but an hour after breakfast my mom was emptying out the fridge to find more to give them. It was almost a game to see how much we could put in front of them, but in the end the guys always won; I gained a lot of respect for the boys and their hollow legs. But I guess burning 5,000 calories a day for 2 months gives you that kind of power.
Despite my best efforts to try to get them to stay longer, the boys hit the trail again Friday afternoon, rested and (hopefully) well-fed. They had an ambitious few days ahead of them, as they were planning on getting in 52 miles in 2 days in order to meet Kevin in Harper's Ferry. That sounds like a lot to me, but the boys seemed completely unphased.
I truly enjoyed the guys taking time off the trail to visit with me. The stories they tell are amazing, and on top of my envy of Luke and Caleb, I have come to admire them greatly. They discuss things that would be highly burdensome to most of us as if they were but trifling matters. Luke and Caleb have overcome being wet and cold for days on end, conquering 30 miles in a day, getting closer to a rattler than anyone should ever come, not to mention the pain and discomfort that is a part of their daily lives. Yet, ask them about their journey, and they will not talk about their hardships; they will tell you about the views from Skyline Drive and the wonderful people they have met. They are doing the Trail right and taking it all in as they go along. It will make me think twice before I complain when our house runs out of hot water or when there's nothing to eat in the fridge. Luke and Caleb rough it every day, and come out with smiles on their faces.
By the time of this post, the boys will have left what is surely the most beautiful part of the trail, and the country: the Shenandoah Valley (although I may be biased). But they looked as happy as could be and showed no signs of slowing down. Luke was an inspiring guy and one of my favorite people of all time BEFORE he did the trail, and although I only met him the other day, I am confident I could say the same for Caleb. But the two guys are taking a journey that inspires us all to seize life's opportunities, and my respect and admiration for the boys has only grown in the past few months. Caleb and Luke, I love you guys and I wish you the best, and I look forward to hearing all about the second half of the trail. And I expect (and demand) a visit when you are finished; once you have walked 2,1oo miles, a car ride to Roanoke should be nothing. We are all praying for the both of you! Thanks again for stopping by, and I will see you in a few months.
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