Amyloidosis‏

In 2007 my father, Dennis Blake, was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, Amyloidosis. After years of battling the disease, the correct diagnosis was finally given less then a week before he passed. Amyloidosis is a rare blood disease that can affect one or more organs when abnormal deposits of the amyloid protein are produced. It is debilitating and life threatening. The disease meant nothing to my family weeks before we first heard the word, and then it defined the rest of our lives. It is only in the last 25 years that physicians have started to understand the disease. I have been hiking the Appalachian trail for a little more then a month. Hiking 8 to 12 hours a day, I have had plenty of time to think of my father and what kind of differences I could make in his name. I would love to make this epic adventure about more then myself. The amyloidosis foundation's mission is to increase education and awareness in hopes that it will lead to earlier diagnosis and improved treatment. My goal is to raise $1,000 in the name of my father. I have roughly 200 miles left. Just one penny per mile adds up to $20 when I complete the trail of 2,000 miles. If anybody would like to donate a small amount per every mile I complete, then I am confident that I can reach my goal. Here are the directions and the page link for the donations: Check "In memory of" and add my father's name "Dennis Blake"

Monday, June 6, 2011

The Hail Mary

Every once in a while we make a split second decision on the trail. It's led to a late night phone call and a 6 hour road trip home for Jamies birthday. It's led us to follow a "blue blazed trail" that took us past a beautiful waterfall. This time its led us to the Shenandoah River. We were packed up and ready to hike towards Harpers Ferry, WV when Sabertooth threw a "hail mary pass." "why don't we aqua blaze?" Sabertooth said. A couple phone calls later we had reservations to float the Shenandoah river north from front royal Va to harpers ferry Wv and hook back up with the trail there.
The Appalachian trail is marked by white blazes, 2x8 painted rectangles that we follow all day. Side trails, often more scenic, are marked by blue blazes. Aqua blazing is a term used when an A.T. thru hiker uses a river, rather then the trail, to further there journey. There are many more slang terms like pink, yellow, and brown blazing. In our case, Saber, Squirrel, Blue, Shutter, TJ, and I will be floating 50 miles down river into WV in a canoe.
A "purist" would say that our aqua blaze is bad taste. That we must walk every step, pass every white blaze on the trail. We are not purist. Though we have hiked every mile of the trail thus far, we are always open to a little adventure.
This morning instead of hiking 18 miles, we shall paddle 18. It will be a vacation from our vacation. 3 days of great small mouth fishing, rope swings, swimming holes, and paddling along side my brother. I wouldn't have it any other way!
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2 comments:

  1. CourtneyJune 6, 2011 at 8:24 AM

    Sounds like a perfect way to get a day of sun and enjoy yourself! Sorry I missed you passing through, cruise was great though! Hope ur staying safe, miss and Love u! Xoxo

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  2. CharliJune 8, 2011 at 9:15 AM

    Sounds awesome, Matt. I think it is great! How come TJ does't have a trail name. A good one could be 'Rush' as in Rush Goalie.

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