Our Hike Across America for Bone Marrow Disease

What made you decide to hike the American Discovery Trail?
I began one day to evaluate where my life was going and the accomplishments I’ve made. My husband, Adam and I started discussing children, and I got a little freaked out, to be honest. And I really didn’t even know what I would answer if someone asked me, “What do you really love to do?” So I started to think about that question. I resorted back to a wonderful experience I had in high school when I signed up for an “Outdoor” senior class. Our final was to hike for 3 days in the Porcupine Mountains in Upper Michigan. It was such a challenge and exillerating experience that I thought I’d try it again. So I did. And those feelings came back. I love to be outside – and I love to hike. There’s something about being completely reliable on what’s on your back and what’s around you. One day, my husband said to me jokingly, “Let’s walk to Hollywood.” And before I knew it, I found the American Discovery Trail website. I thought it would be cool to just go for it all and hike one of the biggest trails out there.

Why did you decide to hike for the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation?
I was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in 1997, and it was a shock. I had never heard of this disease or others like it, and I was really scared. The complete story about my journey with Aplastic Anemia can be read here. I thought that while hiking the American Discovery Trail and hiking through many big cities, small cities, countryside, etc. that I would meet a lot of people. This would be the perfect opportunity to spread the word about these diseases – to raise awareness. The more people that know someone who has been affected either directly or indirectly by Aplastic Anemia or MDS and are aware of such are more likely to support research for them. And in the end, that saves lives, and makes the experience of dealing with the illness a little smoother. I know when I was sick, there were many times I just felt hopeless. I’d like to also give a little bit of extra hope to those that may be fighting similar battles. There’s much more beyond bone marrow failure disorders. And it’s wonderful.

How much money do you plan to raise?
I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it before we leave for the American Discovery Trail, but our goal is to raise $1,000,000. I plan to continue raising funds after I’m done hiking, as well. We are currently planning a fundraiser that we hope to make an annual event. You can read about this fundraiser here. I know this is a huge goal, but it’s a huge hike, too. And there is a lot of research that can still be done. By raising this money for the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation, I know that the money will go to something that is close to my heart. Not only will the money go towards research, but also patient and family education, assistance, and advocacy. Please read here to learn more about what this money will go towards when donated to the AA&MDSIF

How long is the American Discovery Trail?
The American Discovery Trail covers more than 6,800 miles and goes through 15 states. We will be hiking on the southern route of the ADT, and that trail totals 5,107 miles. Yup, we’re going to cover that many miles on foot. We will be starting in Delaware and hiking westbound through Maryland, DC, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and ending in California.

How long will it take you to hike the ADT?
We hope to complete the ADT in about 8 to 9 months. The weather window for this trail is really tight, so we have to be to certain destinations by very specific times to allow for us to thru-hike the trail without taking a large break in between. We plan to be in Denver, Colorado no later than July 1, 2006, and Carson City no later that October 1, 2006. If we miss these dates, the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada may be impassible due to snow.

How many miles will you hike each day?
We plan to hike an average of 20-25 miles a day.

Are you training?
Yes. We walk when we can and where we can. I live in a fairly flat area, so about two months before we leave, we plan to work in some more hilly areas. My training schedule isn’t anything really technical, though. I just stay as active as I can. I work out at least 4 times a week, and I try to get in one really long hike of 10 or more miles on the weekends. We are working our way up to comfortably hiking 20-25 mile days. I am also planning some extended weekend hiking trips, as well as a 9-day hike on the North Country Trail in the fall.

What will your spouses do while you’re away?
Our spouses are our number one support team. They will be “holding down the forts,” as well as continuing to spread the word about our trip, keep up with our journals, and tell us to keep moving when things might get tough. They will basically keep things in order while we’re out there. Not only for the hike, but everything at home, too. We will definitely be keeping in close contact with them as often as we possibly can.

How do you plan to communicate back home while on the trail?
By using a really cool device called “Pocketmail.” Simply by holding it up to a payphone, we will be able to communicate via email. This is where we will transfer our daily journal entries so that they can be copied into our online journal at trailjournals.com. We are also working on getting some visitation flights for our spouses so we can see them while we’re on the trail.

Can people join you along the way?
We’d be happy to have company on the trail. We have already had many people inquire about meeting us somewhere on the trail. We do have a tight weather window, so we have a pace to keep up to, but even if you can only come for a short while, we appreciate the company and the support!

Where will you sleep?
We will have a tent and warm sleeping bags. We will be prepared to camp wherever we can legally when we need to. We will be making some night motel stops, also, so that we have an opportunity to shower and possibly do some laundry. Another nice thing about the ADT, is that there are kind souls that graciously offer hikers to stay in their homes. If offered, we may not be able to turn it down!

What will you eat?
Hiking all day long will require us to consume a lot of calories. Ken & Marcia Powers are triple crown thru hikers, (2005 ADT hikers, too!) and they gave me the advice to put olive oil in as many meals as I can just for the extra calories. It’s amazing when calorie numbers start adding up. We will eat things like oatmeal, pasta, nuts, dried fruits, and many other lightweight food choices. There are some pretty cool trail dishes that can be made. And to help us feel normal, we will be eating out every now and then. You can imagine after eating the same stuff day after day how important a good meal out will be!

How will you protect yourself from wild animals?
By letting them do their thing while we do ours. Many times, we will be treading on their territory – through their homes. By starting with simple respect for wild animals, there is that much less of a chance that they will attack a human. 9 times out of 10 a wild animal will run away before you have a chance to decide how to defend yourself from an attack. There’s danger in everything you do in your life, and well, this is one of the dangers I will be facing. I find it a little exciting. I can only hope that if I run across a wild animal, I can be quiet enough to observe its actions and its beauty.

How will you deal with bad weather?
I guess the same way I would if I were home. If it gets bad enough, we’ll find the best form of shelter we can. If it’s weather we can safely hike in, we’ll hike in it.

How can I be sure my donation gets put towards this event?
All you have to do is be sure that when the donation/pledge form asks for who your donation is “in honor of,” enter “Robin Grapa.” This is how the AA&MDSIF will track the amount we raise under this event.