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, August 8, 2011

Andover

.   One of the greatest parts of being on the trail is never being able to expect what will come next. When we caught a ride into Andover Saturday we were on a quick mission. Pick up packages and get back to the woods. When our shuttle driver, Gunny, pulled up in a mini van blasting old school rap we didn't know what to expect. Turns out, Gunny was a great guy. In his early 50s, retired military, he runs a casual ATV tour company and a really casual hostel. A short ride later and he had us staying at his hostel for the night..,.which then turned into a much needed zero day Sunday. 
 Andover's "Homes Day Celebration" was in full swing as we entered town. "The biggest day of the year" Gunny explained. After a minor detour thru town due to the local parade, we got set up in our palace for the night. An old RV served it's purpose. Our expectations are extremely low after 5 months on the trail. Satellite tv and worn out mattresses equals heaven for tired thru hikers. Not long after arriving Gunny took us on a tour of Andover's best swimming holes, rope swings and cliff jumps. We missed the local lawnmower race downtown in favor of cooling off from the Maine heat....a blistering 85 degrees. 
  It was a great weekend we never expected. I sure will miss this!
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