So Many Angels, So Little Time...

Ok, so the phone rings, with an immediate announcement - "Babe - I have 11 minutes to talk to you, so let me tell you what I need mailed out by Wednesday..."  It got pretty tricky for us, as I was asking a million questions about nothing to do with what he needed mailed out.  I felt it important to find out stuff for the blog - like where are you?? What mile marker did you hit?? How cold is it?  Did you know that there's 28 days until Halloween?? Where can we mail you goodies next?? All those answers, thankfully, came before we got disconnected, and I will share later in the blog.

Teddy was more concerned about telling me what he needed NOW - his sleeping bag liner, more water drops, another pair of shoes (I believe pair #5) and a GPS with all the coordinates of the PCT in the state of Washington inputted and mailed out by Wednesday.  Oh, and the maps printed out, double sided (to save on weight) sent too.

via pcta.org

Panic set in, silently of course, as I did not want to fall apart now, with 1800 + miles under my belt of holding it together, with the confident voice of "whatever you need Honey, I'll handle it" being sucked right out of me.

Enter in, MY trail angels... Uncle Ed - with one frantic phone call to Virginia and a nice conversation, Teddy's maps are being sent out tomorrow.  Just like that.  He has been following Teddy's adventure this whole time - maps are hanging in his office at work, along with pictures of Teddy's adventures along the way for all to enjoy... Little did Uncle Ed know that it would be him that keeps Scarecrow accurately on the trail, and not wandering through the snow somewhere.

via clipart

Another trail angel is my brother Kenn, although at the moment I am typing this, he doesn't know it yet... He will, this evening, have to help me learn how to turn on, make sense of, and program all of the coordinates into his GPS needed to navigate the Washington section of the trail through snow, and then be willing to part with it as I mail it off to my husband, who is expecting it later this week.  Let's hope that Montrail and Eastern Mountain Sports will be just as accommodating to me with my requests for them via phone...

So, Teddy is requesting all of these trail aids, because it is a realistic concern of his now, that the trail will be covered in snow in a few weeks or less, and he will not be able to navigate through without the half-mile maps and GPS.  There were already so many deal breakers for me along his journey that will cause me NEVER to attempt this hike, but the snow covered trail??  that cemented my decision for good...

We were upset to realize that Teddy missed some trail magic of his own sent from our wonderful family and friends... but, the wonderful people of Dunsmuir and Ashland Post Offices have agreed to forward the letter and package (thank you to Uncle Ed Utz and Carole Pentzel) that didn't quite make it there when Teddy did... Scarecrow - I hope you realize just how many people have helped US throughout this journey... trail angels are EVERYWHERE***

via google images

Yet another trail angel of mine, is my cousin Beth Rutkowski Jump.  Her, along with her husband, and children have agreed to open their home to my wandering husband for a day or two.  She will pick Teddy up  when he is about half way through Washington, at Snoqualmie Pass, bring him home, feed him, allow him to shower, sleep in a real bed, experience some family time, and then drive him back to the trail.  If that was not generous enough, she has agreed to accept any packages/mail for Teddy until he gets up there.  Their address is listed below.  Teddy should arrive there anywhere between October 21-26.  I cannot thank the Jump family enough for their generous nature and hospitality towards Teddy, whom they have never met, at a time in the trail when he will need a bit of TLC before the homestretch of 250 miles...

via google images

Teddy was able to call back this evening from a payphone at the Crater Lake Lodge with yet ANOTHER story of trail angels spreading their magic.  It was raining and lightly snowing today as Teddy hiked towards the lodge - that means he was freezing and soaking wet.  He was offered a ride up to the lodge, but because the lodge is actually on the trail, and he being a purist who will not skip a single mile, turned down the ride and continued to walk through the rain and snow.  He heard there was a fireplace and a payphone in the lobby, so he was determined to make his way there.  Upon arrival, he noticed two fully packed bicycles parked, and immediately found their owners near by.

via google images

A couple from Belgium, Collin and Vanessa, came to the United States to bicycle from Seattle, Washington to Mexico.  They got into talking with Scarecrow, and were amazed at his adventure of walking the reverse of what they were about to cycle though.  They shared a trail angel story with him, about a woman who heard of their adventure plans, and went right up to the counter at the lodge and rented them a room for the night.  Simply out of the goodness of her heart, and the admiration of the couple's undertaking - they found themselves with a room for the night.  They, in turn, extended their kindness to Teddy, and offered him use of their shower, and allowed him to lay his therma-rest and sleeping bag on the floor, instead of outside, in his tent, in the freezing rain and snow.

via google images

So, as I come to an emotional close of this blog entry, I will share what I got out of Ted when it was finally my turn to ask the questions.  He is happy.  He is cold. He is strong.  He is tired.  He is grateful.  He is currently at 1,838 miles in, with 812 left.  Any and all correspondence with Teddy should now be sent to him in care of my wonderful cousin:


Beth Jump
18104 NE 110th Way
Redmond, WA 98052

I am so truly blessed and thankful to God and ALL of the angels that have helped Teddy through this amazing journey.  There are many of you that I get to talk to and thank, but just as many that I do not...

via google images

 THANK YOU... THANK YOU... THANK YOU...

~ The Thruhiker's Wife ~