Carey Belcher on the AT

Life is Great!

Carey — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:30:31 +0000

Recently I was lucky to be taken to an archeological site near where I live. The owners of the store where I work know all sorts of cool hikes and sites. This site is not well protected, so I was asked not to broadcast its location, but I am going to attach some pictures. I am excited to explore the southwest desert and Colorado Plateau. There are so many cool things in this region. I'll share them with you here (if I can figure out how), and on my new blog when I catch it up to the present.

http://carryonadventures.blogspot.com/ (address of my new blog)

Since I let the one year anniversary of my start on Springer Mountain slip by barely acknowledged (except on Facebook), I feel I should say something before it is too far gone. April 19th, 2012, I hiked up to Springer Mountain in Georgia and then turned around and headed north into an amazing adventure that lasted nearly eight months.

I am so happy right now. I love my new job, house, life and friends. I love my family and long-term friends even more than ever. I love my dog and my cats and I love snuggling with them. The cats and I have been together for more than ten years and I've had seven years with Maggie-dog.

Even before my AT thru-hike I was a nomad and moved my little family all over the USA together. I can't believe I considered finding them new homes. I think I would have greatly regretted that decision, though I am always a supporter of re-homing a pet if you can't give them what they need (not sending them to a "shelter" to die, though).

My fur-kids sure put up with a lot, including being fostered out to wonderful friends for eight months while I hiked. Without you, Jenn, Katie and Darryl, I couldn't have left at all. I can never thank you enough. I am thankful for all the support, kind words and love everybody gave me while I was hiking and even more now that I'm home. I couldn't have done it without you all and I'm loving all the new friendships I've made as a result of my thru-hike.

I am working on my new blog, but I'm struggling with it. As I get more hours at my new job I find less time to work on the blog, and when I do have time, I sometimes would rather hang out on Facebook or go on a hike. I still feel like my blog is homework. How funny. It's very rewarding and worthwhile homework, and important enough to do well.

I have made it to Pennsylvania on my thru-hike in my new blog. With each entry I take the original blog that was posted here at The Dusty Camel and I edit it. I add memories and details I didn't then. I try to make it easier reading and fix any mistakes. I re-sized all my pictures to add to the blog and I add labels for the pictures and tags for landmarks, shelters and other things I passed.

I check my numbers and mileage and fix the mistakes I often find. I think about things and add my thoughts sometimes. It is much more work to "move" my blog than I expected (emotional work, too), but despite the mistakes I still find on the new blog, I am proud of it. I hope it's a useful reference for others and it is the best journal I ever kept. Thank goodness I wrote down all those details. I have already forgotten things that reading my own blog helps me remember.

I feel an urgency to catch up my blogspot blog so it will become my new blog and it will be current with my new adventures, but I'm at a part in my hike, on my blog, where I was having a hard time. I find myself reliving it, and struggling with it again, as if it's still happening and I'm partially stuck there. I also find a reluctance to finish my hike in the blog, as if by still working on it, and being in the middle of it, I'm still there. I don't really want my thru-hike to end.

However, I have new adventures to write about, and more planned, and I'm motivated to get out of the past and get current. So, for those of you who are following the new blog, I am pushing myself to make it a priority. I'm sorry I've been dragging it out, but life has a way of taking over. Luckily I enjoy writing, so this is a labor of love, not some unwelcome project.

I received the check from The Dusty Camel for the money I raised for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. It's $150! Kind of lame, but I realized I didn't really do a fund-raiser hike. Not really. It takes a lot more work than you'd imagine to effectively raise money, and most of the work is done before you leave on your hike.

Before my hike I should have raised awareness, sent press releases, contacted many groups with the story, asked people to pledge publicly per mile, gotten some sponsors, had a person at home who could set up media meetings along the way, deal with questions and keep up the publicity while I was hiking. I still would have hiked the same way, but maybe had a card to hand out, with the blog address and fundraiser info. Oh well, lesson learned.

I'm not sure I'll make my next long hike (the PCT) be a fundraiser hike, but if I do, I will do it much better. And thank you very much, those of you who contributed to the fundraiser. The money will go to the clinic which services the animals at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and offers low cost spay/neuter services to the local community. They deserve it, and though it's not much, it's hard won, and they will use it well.

I talked to a couple people at Best Friends about if they want to make any kind of big deal on their end for the presentation of the $150 check. They might want to, so I'm holding off with the presentation. I will get a picture to post up here, whether from my own camera, or a link if Best Friends writes something about it.

My job is perfect. Seriously. I get to drink organic, shade-grown, fair-trade coffee, make lattes and other awesome drinks, and help people find the perfect piece of gear, outdoor clothing, map or book. I love the people I work with, and I love the people who come in the store. I smell like coffee and it's an awesome perfume to wear.

I have already had the most inspiring and what I'd call amazing experiences in the Willow. One night a guy and girl come in the store not long before closing. We didn't recognize each other at first, but then as we talked about hiking the AT, we realized we had met on the AT in 2012. Her trail name is Nutter Butter, and we met up in Massachussets for about five minutes. She was hiking with Rainbow and Mamaw B. and they called themselves the Three Fast Ladies. We all visited for a few minutes and then headed on, never to see each other again.

They were faster, so I followed their register entries the whole way to Katahdin. I read how Nutter Butter left the women and went ahead, to finish faster for a deadline of her own, and of how Rainbow fell the final time about 40 miles from Katahdin and was unable to finish her thru-hike because of a broken pelvis that she had already hiked 200 miles on.

I had read about how Mamaw B. finished her thru-hike and became the oldest woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. Previously it had been Grandma Gatewood. And then Nutter Butter walked into The Willow, somewhere in Utah. How amazing is that!? I realized that adventurers who end up in my area are going to gravitate to this store, and I might even meet others I met on the AT or friends I have made online.

Another day a couple of guys came in, smelling of the trail, carrying well-worn backpacks. I asked what trail they were on and they said they were thru-hiking the Hayduke Trail. I have been reading online about this route, and had found a trail journal online, from a couple who did it in 2009. These guys both have trail journals online and have hiked the AT previously. It was exciting to meet them and realize that I can do trail magic in this area as well as section hike parts or all of this route. How exciting! I really love my job and my life. I feel so lucky.

Carry-On AT 2012
http://carryonadventures.blogspot.com/

My AT hike ruined my life

Carey — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 00:16:55 +0000

Carry-On on Three Ridges, Virginia, 2012 (picture thanks to Donna Dearmon)

My 2012 AT thruhike was my first long distance hike and I took almost 8 months to complete it. It ruined my former life. Thank goodness. I was bored, unhappy and completely jaded on people. I was angry a lot and frustrated, overweight and argumentative. I worked in animal rescue and regularly saw the worst that people can do to helpless creatures and I hated people, though I loved the animals-which was the one bright spot in my life. It just wasn't enough.

During my thruhike I regularly received trail magic from family and friends as well as complete strangers. People who I might have argued with on the internet about politics or religion helped me, getting nothing back from me but a thank you. We never talked about the things we might disagree on. All that mattered was that I was hungry, cold, tired, in need of a ride, and they offered me help, from one human to another. I am friends now, with some of those trail angels, even though we have very different "beliefs".

I have come away from my thruhike with a new faith in the goodness of humans. I saw evil in humans, too, on the trail and off, but the good was overwhelming. I have faith in humanity again and that makes me incredibly grateful. I don't see it as being blind to the evils of humans, but of seeing more good than bad in individuals.

I trust groups less than ever, however, and feel even further removed from the politics, religions and other things that I hated before my hike. In some sense I could say I hate them even more, but feel less reactive towards them and less inclined to argue with people about them.

I also learned that I am a badass. Seriously. I was night hiking in the rain in December in Virginia, almost done with my thruhike and I realized. I am a badass. I kick ass. I am tough and stubborn and resourceful and determined and I am about to complete this amazing journey (which I did a few days later). The self confidence that came from my thruhike can never be taken from me.

I learned to appreciate basic things, like four walls and a roof, chairs, tables, clean water, hot running water, electricity. I have already lost the constant appreciation of these things, but I regularly have flashes of gratitude for these luxuries of American life that I enjoy. I understand how others in much poorer parts of the world can be happy with much less, because I was extremely happy on the trail, with much less.

I appreciate my luck in being an American much more than I used to. I don't need things anymore. I am working on getting rid of "stuff" I had stored before my hike that I now don't see the need for. The stuff I do keep I appreciate much more. I enjoy it, but don't need it.

I learned to trust myself, my instincts, and the things that are important to me in the companions and people I bring into my life. I learned that life does provide what you need, even if it's not what you want. Sometimes it only provides what you need for the next couple of days and you don't know what will happen after that, but then it provides just enough after that to keep going for the next few days.

I learned to find joy in just breathing and walking, whether in the sunshine or the rain. I felt strength and weakness in my body, and I conquered challenges that scared me.

I came back from the trail and had major withdrawal. I had to reevaluate everything in my life and it took several weeks. I was unemployed and felt that any job other than on a trail somewhere was a horrible idea. I considered finding new homes for my pets so I could go be a ridge runner or caretaker on the AT. I chafed at my responsibilities and regular life. I became a hermit and worked only on my blog and the pictures from my hike.

Finally I realized I could keep my pets, who are my family, and work in the outdoor retail industry and feel as if I had the best of both worlds. I start my new job tomorrow with people who are thrilled to have me because I did my thruhike. I am thrilled to work with them as well, and learn about all the hikes in the desert around me. My pay per hour is almost half of what it was before my hike. It worries me, but I feel like it's worth it to stay in the outdoor world and work with people who understand my new obsession.

I am planning another thruhike, of a western trail. I am still addicted to the AT, and it will always be the one, the first, but I look forward to my new life and I am excited for it. I hope one day to revisit the AT, whether in sections or another thruhike, because I believe it is special in the culture and people who make it what it is.

I made many friends on the AT, who I am still in contact with, and I treasure them greatly. I relate more to them than most of my pre-thruhike friends, who aren't all that interested in what I did and how it changed me now that I'm back. My old friends are just trying to figure out if I'm going to be able to participate in society again. So am I, but I think I've found the way that works for me, at least for now.
To follow my new adventures please come check out my new blog. I'm in the process of updating my 2012 AT thruhike there, and after that will come new adventures and gear reviews.

Carry-On AT 2012
http://carryonadventures.blogspot.com/

1-30-13

Carey — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 05:44:46 +0000

I have been busy on my computer for hours every day. I copied all of my photos onto my external hard drive and then began organizing them by state. I then had to choose the pictures I like the best and size them down so I could post them online. I am still not the biggest technological whiz out there, and I haven't figured out how to post dozens of pictures at once to this blog. I did realize that I could post hundreds of pictures on my Facebook group "Carey Belcher hikes the Appalachian Trail," so that is what I have done. It is an open group and as long as you have a Facebook profile you should be able to view the pictures under the "Photos" tab. I check that page every day and am still adding new people to the group.

I have been transferring this blog onto my own blogsite. I got the posts hopelessly out of order for May and June of my hike and I know it's frustrating to read. I couldn't even follow it very well and I hiked it, so I apologize for that. I don't know how to fix it, and rather than spend a lot of time working on this site right now I decided to move my blog to the new site because I plan to keep it going and have other adventures, beyond thruhiking the Appalachian Trail. Maybe my adventures won't be quite this big for a while, but I do plan to hike the other two big long distance trails, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, in the next ten years. I plan to hike the Triple Crown by the time I'm 50-hopefully sooner. And in the meantime I plan to have smaller outdoor adventures. The new blog has pictures! Here is the link.

http://carryonadventures.blogspot.com/

I won't completely abandon this Appalachian Trail blog, however. I am a Camel after all. I do plan to do some gear reviews, and I will check in periodically, but I plan to focus most of my energy on the new blog and on getting a job in the outdoor industry. Now that I've had this taste of outdoor adventure and loved it, I want more. So I have also been working on adding my outdoors/thruhiking experience to my resume and have begun to get it out there. I realized that because I have animals, who are like my family to me, most outdoors jobs won't work well for my situation. However, the retail industry will allow me to come home every night and take weekend adventures and that is what my animals need from me, so I am putting my focus there. I will write a book about my hike as well.

I feel a bit claustrophobic because I have been indoors almost constantly since I got home. I haven't been hiking even one time in the last six weeks and I don't have much money either. The tire went flat on my car and so I've been even less likely to leave the house. I actually feel as if I've been hibernating. I don't think I'm depressed but I don't think I'm adapting very well to being off the trail. Having the pictures and blog to keep me occupied is a good thing, I think, though it keeps me tied to a computer all the time. I'm reliving my hike as I post each entry on the new blog and I think I'm processing it, but also it makes me long to be back on the AT, or back on any trail. I have joined several AT Facebook groups and I find great satisfaction in sharing what I learned with those who are leaving this spring. I know how they feel as the day gets closer to hitting the trail, boy do I remember that feeling. I'm excited for them, and jealous of them, those 2013 thruhikers.

I haven't seen hardly anybody in town and haven't been up to visit my friends at the animal sanctuary. I was waiting to receive the check for the fundraiser so I can present it to the clinic, but since it will take another month or so, I won't wait to visit. I'll just make it a separate visit when the check arrives. Of course, I still need to get my flat tire fixed before I can get up there unless I want to spend all day walking, and who does that? :)

1-4-13

Carey — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:08:33 +0000

I got to see several of my friends on New Year's Eve and that was great. I drove home that day and stopped at the party on my way through town. My Maggie dog was still in the car, though, so I didn't stay long. Once reunited with Jenn and my cats, we had a quiet night and I celebrated the new year with a solo drink and then went to bed.

I peeled the callous off my foot today, and I still have tan lines on my legs where my hiking shorts ended at my knees. I think I'm sick again, too. Not again! I took Nyquil and the body aches are subsiding. I should have taken it earlier today. Yesterday I went with my friend, Jenn, to see Les Miserables and we had Thai food. I'm glad I felt good then but why am I sick again? I need a job but the outdoor jobs I want take me away from the house for days and I have animals that I can't leave alone like that. I need a roommate who will take care of my pets while I'm gone before I can even consider any of these jobs. In the meantime, I need any job, some way to pay the bills. I don't know what to do, but think I'll go sleep since the Nyquil is kicking in.

1-1-13

Carey — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 08:51:06 +0000

Happy New Year! Here are my resolutions for 2013. I will continue my blog, though not daily (WAY too much work). I will write a book about my thruhike (not just a pumped up trail journal). I will edit and organize my photos so I can post them here and on Facebook and maybe make a book out of them. I will write another song with my sister for her next cd. I will get certified in Jin Shin Jyutsu for humans and animal companions. I would like to work outside, maybe with at risk kids, or as a ridge runner or caretaker and combine some of my passions into a custom made career. I feel like I'm being too idealistic, but then again, I feel such a strong potential to create a life I used to only dream about. Now I believe I can do whatever "it" is, if I can see it clearly enough and if I want it enough.

I knew nothing about long distance backpacking or thruhiking when I first felt the dream inspire me. My thruhike was a lot of work. It took everything that I had in me, but most of all, it took complete dedication. I now have a chance to create the life I want, and I realize it's possible. It will need just as much stubborn persistence and adaptation to chaos as I needed to complete the AT.

Thank you to Zach Davis for writing the book "Appalachian Trials." I believe the mental preparations I made while reading his book were a key reason that I never once wanted to quit. I knew other things might take me off the trail, but I knew I would never quit because I learned how to work with my mind and because I truly enjoyed being on the trail.

12-27-12

Carey — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:59:04 +0000

I turned 39 on the day I flew to Denver and reunited with my dog, Maggie, and my amazing friends, Katie and Darryl (thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for keeping her so well!!). And I got back together with my car, too, which Darryl had checked over and got the battery going again. My friends Jason and Laural gave me their frequent flyer miles, which is how I got to go to the funeral and then flew to Denver. Thank you! And thank you, Jared Belcher, for the buddy pass!

I feel so lazy! I haven't been walking and I've eaten all sorts of holiday food. There are several inches of snow on the ground and it's still snowing. I got sick the day after I arrived in Denver and then I lost my voice. I'm getting my voice back today, finally, and feeling much better, though still coughing and congested. I have struggled to finish my blog, perhaps not wanting my hike to be over for real. Also, not wanting to write about the funeral and all the sad, emotional stuff.

I made it back to my family for Christmas with no voice. I was overwhelmed with people and emotions and stuff. I'm not sure I'm handling this well. I spent the last few days recovering and relaxing. I couldn't afford to buy Christmas gifts for anybody, but I got some cash gifts that will pay gas money...thank you! I'm deciding what to do with my life and my future. Where to live? What kind of job? Career? I can't wait to see my hometown friends and my cats!

12-18-12

Carey — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 02:44:09 +0000

I spent several days with my family at my Aunt's funeral and the other family gatherings. It was sad and yet I was happy to see them. My brother's whole family was sick with upper respiratory nastiness and I overdosed (not really) on Vitamin C tablets. I rode with my sister and dad back up to Salt Lake City for a family Christmas party that had already been planned, and my friend invited me to a Solstice party where I only knew her and her husband. She gave me some very cute clothes to wear, (thank you, Jenni!) because I had nothing but the clothes I had carried while hiking and the clothes I grabbed at GoodWill for the funeral. So I knew I looked great, but so many strangers in such a small place was quite overwhelming. I had to hide in the bathroom a few times, then I found individuals to talk with and it was easier than dealing with the large group. I had to do the same thing with my family gatherings as well.

I feel odd, and sort of detached. A calm island of quiet surrounds me in the midst of seeming chaos. I came back to a slaughter of elementary school kids that makes me want to go back to the trail and hide, and a party nearly every night. I feel good, in cute clothes that fit my body. I am a 14-16 now, at 185 pounds and I feel good about my strong body. This body hiked 2184.2+ miles with a 35 pound pack. I want to keep this strong body. I walked five miles with my sister, but have done no other physical exercise since I finished the AT. That is not a good start, with all this holiday and funeral food and alcohol everywhere. I crave fruits and vegetables, so I've been eating huge plates of salad and maybe a dozen oranges. But I've been eating unhealthy food, too.

12-10-12

Carey — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:11:28 +0000

Amazingly, I don't have a hangover after last night, but I am tired and trying to figure out a way to get to my aunt's viewing and funeral, which is on Thursday. I can fly into Vegas on Weds instead of Denver with my buddy pass, but then I am stranded without a way to get to the funeral or back to my car and Maggie dog, which are in Denver. I put my situation on Facebook and I guess I'll see what happens.

Rockin' Robin couldn't make the party last night but she drove over five hours to come get me and Eagle Eye at the dojo this afternoon! She brought food and snacks and all sorts of supplies she knows hikers (and road travelers) love. She visited with Nigel while we packed up our stuff and we all said goodbye. Thank you, Nigel! You were wonderful to help us out like you did.

City Slicka knows Rob Bird, and when he heard we were trying to find a place to stay in Erwin, TN, he called up Rob and next thing we knew Rob had invited us to stay the night with him. We had stayed with him at the Birdcage in Dalton, MA, and now he has moved to Tennessee and helped us out again. Thank you City Slicka and Rob Bird! We got to visit with Rob tonight and I plan to sleep in tomorrow while Eagle Eye hikes twelve miles she missed near here. Then Rockin' Robin will drop her in the Smokies and me at the airport in Charlotte. Thank you, Rockin' Robin! You are a trail angel now, too!

Some friends of mine, Jason and Laural Wilcox, offered me their frequent flyer miles to help me get to Denver after the funeral. Thank you!! I can't thank you enough for your generosity and heart. Even though I'm off the trail now, this still feels like trail magic. It sucks to come off the trail and go straight into mourning but it would be even worse to not be able to be with my family, especially my dad, at this time.

12-9-12

Carey — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:22:00 +0000

My 2012 thruhike took 235 days
AT miles hiked today: 18.6

Total AT miles hiked: 2184.2!!!!!!

I did it! I have completed my 2012 thruhike of the Appalachian Trail! Happy dance.......

The fundraiser for the clinic at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (where I used to work) will continue until January 1st. You may have doubted I would do the whole thing, or disagreed with my strategy, but I walked the entire Appalachian Trail in 2012. So if you are able, please go to the "Donate Now" button on the right side bar of my blog to help out the rescued animals at the sanctuary.

We slept at the dojo last night and then Nigel fed us breakfast and coffee and drove us back to the trailhead early this morning. Thank you, Nigel! We found City Slicka tented not far from the road. He said he was coming to our party tonight. We chatted for a few minutes and then we hiked up the mountain while he broke camp. The weather was beautiful, the trail was in great condition and the walking was especially easy with my nearly empty pack. City Slicka passed us and we met for lunch at a shelter, but he said the water source was dry. Luckily I carried extra water since my pack was so light and I still had plenty. City Slicka said he saw a bear cross the trail near the powerline and he was five minutes behind me at the time. I never saw the bear and I am jealous. There was supposed to be a storm blowing in, and the wind blew, but it was not very cold.

I tried to meditate while I walked and sent my aunt thoughts of love and health and gratitude. At one point I felt like I saw her, looking young, radiant and beautiful. She accepted my offerings but didn't seem to understand why I was sad. I tried to enjoy the day and not stay sad. I remembered people, places and experiences on the trail, and thought about the future. What will I do after this? How will this change me? Am I different than I was when I started? Will anybody come to our party? What will happen to my aunt? Will my dog be happy to see me? I hope my car still runs. My mind was not serene, but I enjoyed the view from the ridge through the bare trees. The mountains to the east were blue, there was a line of hazy white clouds above them, then a line of dark blue clouds topped by more white clouds. It was beautiful and I felt my spirits lift.

I love this trail. I already miss this trail.

The trail today would have been lovely for a night hike until we came to a massive tree that had blown down, tearing up the trail when its roots tore out of the ground. This was on the side of a steep ravine and the choices were either to try and follow other tracks above the blowdown across shifting dirt and try not to slide down the ravine, or to climb down the roots of the tree into the hollow they created and edge over to where the trail continued. Eagle Eye and I both chose to climb down the roots and we survived! That was scary. City Slicka was waiting at the road and he said he had gone down the roots, too, but had tripped and almost fallen into the ravine. We called Nigel and walked the last .8 of a mile to where he met us with the car and congratulations for me.

Back at the dojo we realized nobody was coming but those of us who were already there, so we had a small but fun party and stayed up much too late. During the party I got the news that my aunt had died. We both finished our big adventures (hers being life itself) on the same day. I went into the bathroom and cried, called my dad and cried with him, then went back out to the party and struggled to be happy and celebrate, but I felt distant and removed from the proceedings. I drank a bottle of wine and some beers and laughed sometimes and cried sometimes and finally went to sleep at 4am.

12-8-12

Carey — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 04:44:30 +0000

Days since my thruhike began: 234
AT miles hiked today: 13.9
Total AT miles hiked: 2165.6
Miles to complete my thruhike: 18.6

Neville made us a breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee this morning and we leisurely headed back to the trail. It was hazy but the sun burned its way out later in the morning. There were some views from a nice ridge and the temperature reached the sixties. The trail was smooth and I enjoyed the miles of rhododendron tunnels, the pine trees and all the water. I loved the trail today. It smelled green and warm and it was perfect. Maybe I'm not ready to be done yet, after all.

I got a new blister on my right foot today, plus new hot spots on my feet and the back chafing is getting worse. Thank goodness for New Skin. It has kept the chafing under control and though it burns terribly when applied, it really does protect the area. I met a guy who got a staph infection under his pack that took over much of his back and he had to go to a doctor and take time off to recover. New Skin has been my treatment of any skin rashes, wounds, chafing and hot spots, plus hangnails and a cracked thumb. I will never hike without New Skin.

We got to the road that leads to Trent's Grocery at 5:30, just as it got dark. Eagle Eye saw a light across the road and yelled "City Slicka?" It was him and he will come to the dojo tomorrow night for the party. We knew he was just barely ahead of us because he had signed the register where we stopped for lunch and we hoped we would find him. He doesn't slackpack, though, so he's staying out tonight. Eagle Eye and I called Nigel at the dojo and then walked to Trent's for a burger while we waited for him.

At the dojo we found Teddy Bear and his wife, Erin. He finished his hike last week and misses it so much that he and Erin drove ten hours to come up here. There were also balloons for us from the Con Gals (Toe Knee, Blaze and Nice Lady). Thank you! Wish you could have been here instead but the balloons are a fun surprise.

I got bad news about my Aunt Normandie tonight. She had blood clots and a massive stroke after her shoulder surgery and is not responsive. There isn't much hope. My family is shocked and upset and many are driving to be with her, including my dad. I am crying. I am so glad I got a chance to talk with her in August while I was in Maine and she was camping in Idaho. She even gave me some money towards my hike and now I may not see her alive again. I love you, Aunt Normandie.