Written By: Emily “Lightning” Ginger
After journeying for so long with the Traveling Circus, the time has come for me to peel away from the group and finish the hike by myself. I am finally “hiking my own hike,” and moving forward on my own. I look forward to what the next 10 days have in store for me. It feels good to be independent again! Mt. Khatadin here I come… Mom and Dad, I’m making my way towards Baxter and I’ll see you there!
Atta Girl! This is your time, Em! So proud of you. Just think how much you have overcome. You are doing what's right for you and “dropping dead weight” so to speak. After this, any future challenge will seem small time and easy to just hop and skip right over.
I have parted ways with friends before, sometimes just from growing apart. Friendships change as life changes. I have had friends from sports teams or university classes who I was joined at the hip to. Once our season was over or once we graduated, that reason wasn't there anymore. We just stopped hanging out. There is no need to keep yourself in a relationship if the reasons for the friendship are no longer there. Stay strong, sistah! Know you have been true to yourself.
CCGinger
That is a bit harsh, CCGinger…”dropping dead weight”! It is easy to understand why you, Emily, have probably felt frustrated with this hike: unforeseen accidents like Kate breaking (or spranging) her big toe causing a 0 day, the storms and variations in weather affecting your daily plans, the personality changes, highs, and lows among all 3 of you, seeing the same faces every day, the monotony, the chores, and especially the filming for this documentary.
The filming has slowed all of you up every day. It is something all 3 of you knew would be a hindrance and hassle throughout this trip. You knew that before you left Illinois. Another point to bring up is that neither Kate nor Brandon have your physical abilities. Their pace was probably too slow for you most of the trip. Emily, you are so lucky to have the build you have. Most people would kill to have your perfect figure, your strength, your beautiful, long blond hair! Okay, I'm getting carried away. But still, it's true that you could have left Kate and Brandon in the dust and just moved on at your own pace months ago. They must know that too. But, this trip has been filled with much more than just the walking. All 3 of you need to remember that.
So, finish the hike on your own but please be careful. Enjoy these last 10 days…I'd rather see you 3 finish together, but if it's not to be, I still wish you the best…and still hope to see you at Mt. Katahdin on the 12th. Love from the 'other' mother
I'm sad you guys won't get to finish together like you originally planned. But, if it's come to the point that you're all in different places logistically/physically/emotionally, I suppose it makes sense for each of you to follow your own path.
Good luck in the home stretch. I'm so excited for you to reach the finish line!
ouchouchouch…dead weight???? Remember friendships/relationships are more important than the task at hand….
I'm glad Emily has decided to take the high road. I don't wish to sow any further discord amongst everyone, but I will stand by my sister. She was obviously forced to confront some serious inter-personal challenges. All else said, I do know that it is NOT within Emily's character to call other people names, to taunt or harrass or to otherwise discount other people's talents and capacities. When people do well and are stronger in certain areas, she is there to cheer and encourage them forward. She has no interest, let alone time, tearing anyone down. Dispensing with “dead weight” is perhaps the best way to describe her decision. I am very proud to call her my sister, and I would be proud to hike any trail with her.
J. Ginger
???????????
To Emily, Kate, Bran & Emily's mom & dad:
Barb & I will be in Maine to celebrate everyone's achievement, an trust me, we are very proud of Emily, Kate & Bran. They have done something, emotionally, intellectually, and physically that a relative few have accomplished.
I do not understand what has recently transpired, but what I do know is that three adults did something extraordinary, and I am very lucky and proud to witness their achievement. So Kate, Emily, and Bran whether separate or together, I hope to toast your achieveme and if Emily arrives a bit earlier than Kate or Bran, so be it. We would like to be there to celebrate her accomplishment.
You did not just do “good”, you have ackcomplished a life altering experience.
My love and caring to you all,
Ray
Well Lightning, it seems to me, from what I know of you, that you don't belong in a low, shallow, sleazy reality show anyway — especially one that bastardizes the AT.
The trail is for more — way, way more, incalculably more — than the mere soothing of the ego of someone who has failed to achieve the shallow, tawdry “fame” of Survivor (see Kate Imp's profile on this blog, for those unfamiliar with it).
I know that many a thru- hiker will agree with me. And maybe all of us will skip the movie and it will flop anyway. I'm sorry to say it, but that's how I see it.
Hike On Lightning! Make Katahdin's Summit!
Wow… dropping dead weight? Friendships change, yes, but that was extremely harsh and frankly very rude. I doubt the other two who have hiked exactly the same amount of miles Emily has (and probably encountered more difficulty doing it, since they state they aren't as athletically “gifted” as her) would refer to themselves as dead weight. Think before typing something so thoughless.
I would call it harsh and rude to refer to your friend's athletic ability by saying “she's a physical beast”, especially after the person indicated it hurt her feelings (see one of the earlier videos and some comments on Lightning's facebook page). The dead weight I was referring to is the relationship that was holding her back emotionally, not the physically slower pace of walking, nor the slowdown from the filming. No one needs to stay in a “friendship” that causes such hurt and duress. Emily removed herself from the cruelty of a bully.
CCGinger
Ouch, bully? Is that what Kate thinks she is? And isn't Emily the one who wrote an entire entry about being a woman and hearing her “roar?” Beasts roar… But sure. I'm sure Emily has never said a mean thing in her life. Where's the eye rolling icon when you need it, lol.
Whatever, Emily can hike her own hike, it's great she's finishing, regardless of if its alone or with the group… she's clearly done a wonderful job… but perpetuating all this ridiculousness on the internet without any one of the actual people involved stating anything about it is just sort of immature, CCG, don't you think?
can't we all just get along?
Seems like everyone is reading into this when they really don't know the story. Consider the old saying,,, It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt. I don't believe Emily is the one who said anything about “dead weight”.
Anyways, here's wishing all three savor their last days on the trail!!! Can't wait to hear more from Emily when I see her in person!!!
Mark (Emily's Uncle)
Please lighten up on the Circus. Maine is a strange place mentally for the northbounders. The brain(everybody's) is preparing itself for the inevitable transition even if the body is still walking. It races strangely and chaotically. 3 hikers…cube the chaos in the mind!
Maine is their last chance to “make good” on an already imperfect hike…….. It should be of no surprise and no major concern that one “solution” deviates from another.
Let's celebrate their collective journey, individually, for what it is. Almost all thru-hikers, at some point, relied on somebody else to get them to the starting line, assist along the way, and celebrate at the end; but we all hiked it ourselves. It's neither an individual or collective achievement.
Also let's celebrate the blog that these kids have provided us(at their expense); allowing us to share the journey with them, almost as it happenend. We have been transported from our LCD's to the long green tunnel. In a certain way, it is also our journey too. We know how we'd like it to end; but let's let it end the way it does; and celebrate it anyway.
And let's hope they keep writing about it for years to come and we keep reading it!
I would hike any trail with you, Emily, and I truly wish I could have done this hike with you! I am very proud of you, and a bit jealous. You always do everything you say you want to and not a lot of people can say that! Most people are all talk. Your actions speak louder than words, and not only do we hear your voice, but can see your accomplishments! Never let anyone take that characteristic away from you, it is what sets you apart from the rest…. that amongst many other amazing qualities! I love you doll! I am glad that you have found the time to stop and smell the roses on your hike! “How can you be mad when there is so much beauty in the world?”
Please do a closing report after you complete your hike.