Hello friends, family, and followers!
First off, we want to thank all of you for following our journey on the Appalachian Trail. Keeping a blog on the Internet was a new experience for each of us. Your support gave us the motivation to keep it going! Thank you!
So…where do we go from here?
We initially planned to end the blog with our summit of Mt. Katahdin. In the last few months, however, we’ve met or been emailed by many thru-hikers that have mentioned how lonely and difficult the transition home can be. For this reason (as well as requests from followers), the Traveling Circus has decided to continue the blog for the time being. While not as frequent, we intend to post both written entries (about our transition) and video entries (from the trail) in hopes of providing insight and entertainment.
Other points of interest:
1. The Documentary
The Documentary will enter its post-production phase later this year. We still intend to have a completed product by Summer 2011. In many ways, the story will reflect this blog. This film is about our experience, and each of us tell a different tale (…with many surprises and confessions!) However, having a camera with us at all times also gave us the opportunity to provide our audience with a deeper connection to the ‘daily routine’: camp life, fellow thru-hikers, trail magic, and mountaintop views.
The Traveling Circus, with periodic help from co-producer/editor Jason Furrer, filmed over 200 hours of footage while also averaging over 20 miles a day on the trail. This was no easy feat, but we pushed through in hopes of creating something that could inspire people of all ages for years to come. With the help of One Way Street Productions and our editing team, we believe the film will do just that.
2. Listserv
For those of you interested in receiving updates about the progress of the documentary, please send us your email address at athike2010@gmail.com (or click here) so that we can add you to our listserv. The listserv will be emailed periodically with news re film festival submissions, scheduled viewings, etc.
3. Pictures
For those of you without a Facebook account, we apologize for not updating the picture page on our website! Monkey will be organizing the photos from the entire trip in the next few weeks. He plans to upload photo albums on our photo website for all to see. Our website will have slide shows of those albums as well.
For those of you with a Facebook account, our final albums of pictures have recently been added. Enjoy!
4. Separation of the Traveling Circus
There have been many assumptions made about the separation of the Traveling Circus, but alas, none of them will be addressed. In order for any one of us to speak “the truth,” we would have to invade the privacy of the other two — something that none of us are willing to do. Hiking in a group (with 2 women & a guy / with 2 siblings & a friend / with 2 people that didn’t know each other & 1 that knew both / with a lawyer, an ivy grad, and a city chick) is something that has never been done. There was no book to follow, no one to seek advice from. Maybe it was a mistake, or maybe it was the best decision we ever made. What we do know is that we had some truly amazing experiences that will forever hold a place in our memories.
5. A Broad Thank You
Once again, thank you to everyone that helped the Traveling Circus get from Georgia to Maine. Thank you to every person that: (1) gave us a ride, (2) gave us a place to stay, (3) gave us food, (4) gave us a care package, (5) gave us advice, (6) gave us love and support, or most importantly, (7) made us smile and laugh. Our feet may have done the walking, but many times it was the support from people around us that kept us going. So, thank you!
Re: #4- then scrap the documentary. You billed this whole thing as 'what happens when a lawyer, ivy grad, and city chick try to hike the AT?'. Well, what happened is you all made it to Maine, but not together. So frankly, you tell it all or you don't tell it at all. Not something you can half-ass. You don't have to go into detail, you don't have to tear it apart, you just have to offer some sort of explanation. But you can't completely ignore this really incredible change in group dynamics.
Lame choice. Very very lame.
I agree. Lame. You should scrap the film.
Agreed.
I'm guessing soon there will be a post by one of the hikers or perhaps by one way street productions encouraging us to calm down and wait out the movie – that all will be revealed there. I called it a few posts ago, the one where Kate and Brandon wrote about Summiting Mt. Katahdin.
Pfft.
I “ended” the Hike with great respect for Emily – trekking on alone. I wondered about and then gained respect for Brandon whose blog “The Signs” wrapped up the hike from his perspective. There were no excuses or vilifications, lame or otherwise, when he spoke of Emily going on alone. I thought there goes a gentleman.
The most recent blog The Signs was written with the editorial “we”……what I'd like to know is whether “we” was all three “we”…..all two….or one? I've no desire to peer beneath the dolly's skirt…..but one can't help being curious. There was clearly a rift. I'm told it was filmed.
UNLESS it was not filmed….or if it was filmed and will be edited out…then it is no one's business but the three “we”.
It would be a total waste to not proceed with the film at all.
The journey was started with that intent and we…scratch that! …and I, for one, enjoyed the trek. I'm nursing a sore foot and it's painful to walk to my car…much less hike along with three young adventurers except vicariously.
I'm glad you guys are going to continue to blog. I think the aftermath of a thru-hike is probably really interesting. One thing I'm curious about is what you do with all your gear? I'm sure you'll never wear the clothes again… but what about the rest of the stuff? Do you burn it in a huge post-trail bonfire, shove it in a box and squirrel it away for future use (if any of it is still even usable), or do you have your tattered pack and shoes bronzed as trophies?
Also…good luck pulling the film together. Adam and I can't wait to see it.
I hope that you reconsider your decision to provide 'no further comment' on the separation in Maine. However, you don't owe the followers anything, and it wouldn't be “lame” to ignore, but I do agree that it IS part of the story.
In any event I am rooting for the whole Circus. I appreciate the blog, and am looking forward to the movie.
Thanks again.
It does not sound like a documentary to me if you can't handle the truth.
That is the best part about the adventure. Along the way, you get to meet people who are willing to extend their help. Thanking is the least thing we can do. I commend you for acknowledging those people here in your blog.