Hike of Appalachian Trail

 

On April 6, 2000 I left for a hike of the Appalachian Trail from one end on Springer Mtn. in Georgia to the other on Mt. Katahdin in Maine.  This is my journal, with the original notes in italics and additional notes afterwards to help explain any references I made or to add a perspective from after the hike ended.

 

I have some pictures up here.

 

First day, some pack adjustments, sleep off the trail to avoid a family of hikers with a noisy campfire.  This entry is kind of telling; my pack will not be perfectly adjusted until Hot Springs, NC and I will sleep alone off the trail most of the hike.

 

Next night and morning eat courtesy Moxie's Ga. friends.  Clothes get soaked in rain, sun never comes up to warm them.  Bad night, too cold in bivy sack, go on to shelter.  Hail and 20 degree temperatures and high wind.  Moxie was a hiker I met from Wingfoot's trailplace.com website.  He had some friends from the Internet meet him along the way with beef stew and other goodies.  This 'bad night' was maybe my scariest night on the trail.  I was still cold once in the sleeping bag and didn't know what to do.  I was too cold to try to cook any hot food.  I wondered a bit how this would look in the morning if I didn't make it through the night.  I decided to go on to the shelter down the side trail, where I found two British hikers and a guy named Dave who I would hike with the next day.  At the shelter they had tacked up a tarp to block the wind and built a fire.  It really cheered me up to be there and I was able to fry up a can of Spam and otherwise make myself comfortable.  It was still a cold night at the shelter, probably due to the cold wind blowing underneath the boards of the shelter, and my water bag froze, but it was preferable to the clearing where I started the afternoon.

 

Pack adjusted at Neels Gap, much better.  Sticking with Brits and Dave from NC.  Great view at camp.  At the outfitters in Neels Gap, they adjusted how the pack rode on my shoulders, basically they instructed me to cinch down the shoulder straps as much as I could.  This was a marked improvement, but unfortunately they did not notice that the pack's suspension system had never been tightened and I would continue to feel discomfort until Hot Springs, NC.

 

Long day up to Blue Mtn, meet Bo.  Bo was a strange one, resembling a transient more than the rest of us.  Basically it meant that he was wearing jeans and already looked like he had been out in the woods for a while.  He was cooking off of extra food found at the outfitters and using cans as pots.  I tried to stay away from him, but had respect for his woodsman skills; he was doing as well as we were, except we had expensive equipment and he was sleeping in leaves.  Remember how cold I was a couple nights ago wrapped up?

 

Dave goes to Hiawassee, meet up with Rich.  I never saw Dave again, but would hike with Rich until the Smokeys and have still keep in touch with him.  I had my first foot pain approaching Hiawassee, but somehow changing socks cured it.  My feet would be sore again until Fontana Dam.

 

Hike through fog in NC.  I enjoyed hiking through ghostly fog, in a rhodendron tunnel, with a gnarly hiking staff .  It felt like something out of a Tolkien novel.  My first state line.

 

Crowded night in a wet shelter, forget things when we leave early.  This day at the shelter started out OK, we got there just before a torrential rainstorm.  But then other hikers kept showing up and took over the space with their wet clothes and exclusive conversations.  Rich and I both can't wait to leave, and sacrifice some possessions to that end.

 

Get pizza at Rainbow Springs and hike into dusk.  Pizza tasted good.  Dumped the rice I had brought with me, it was not the quick-cook kind.

 

The next day, Rich is tired and I assume he won't catch up, but he does and we hike at night to brink of shelter.  Hear noises in ground.  This was a great experience, hiking at night.  Carrying sticks helped, as did following someone else.  Switchbacks would fool us, it first appeared as though the trail just ended.  We didn't quite back it to our destination, and where we slept, I swore I heard things in ground, perhaps insects digging.  It was probably just my pulse causing my hair to rustle.  But it seemed real at the time.

 

N.O.C. for breakfast and lunch.  This was an outdoor center with plenty of restaurants.  I clean up and eat a big breakfast, get some supplies, eat lunch and head up the mountain on the other side.

 

Beginning of hike was a lot of work.  Hiking and stopping.  Frustrating, but to sit in woods in peace and read Genesis was relaxing.  Now I am a more competent hiker and more confident.  Scenary on the trail is mostly the same, fallen trees, bares trees and fallen leaves, almost more like autumn than spring.  Exceptional view from Wesser Bald observation tower, perhaps most beautiful I've even seen.  So subjective though.  Flies bothersome or I would have spent more time there.  I stop at a shelter to get water, and begin to get cold, since I am no longer hiking.  Probably the cotten shirt doesn't help much.  Here I am accused of being hypothermic for the second time.  It begins to be a joke.  I dispute the hypothermia charge, and the other hiker relents to saying that I am merely 'approaching hypothermia.'  As I tell another hiker at camp that night, when I set off hiking I approach the speed of light, but don't reach that either.  The shelter itself was cold, facing the wind.  I leave the camp, quickly warming up, and stop on a bald.  Rich shows up later.  Sheltered from the wind, I have a pleasant night, watching the fog roll in.

 

Big day into Fontana Dam.  Rich out to hostel with foot pain.  My feet hurt so much that I can barely move once I get to the shelter.  I hit some sort of wall about a mile beforehand.  I guess I'm glad I pushed onto the shelter, but it took all I had to make it.

 

Next day resupply in town, such as it is.  Rich set for tomorrow.  The town was mostly closed and very disappointing.  Not really a town at all, it was just a hotel and general store in April.  Happy to leave.

 

THE CRACKUP

Break into sobbing when I call home.  Pent up emotional release that may have started in NOC over water filter.  Almost ask to get off the trail.  Cry throughout day.

· internal competition for mileage

· external competition to keep up with others

· physical exhaustion

· loneliess

· depressing scenery

· bad diet

· stress over water

· criticism over gear

The scenery and the diet would improve, but other complaints would continue.  I was having trouble with my water filter and felt I had to use it only when the water looked particularly bad.  As a result, I was drinking unfiltered water and worried about disease.  This kept up until Damascus, VA when I bought iodine solution.  I did stop worrying about drinking water right from a spring however.  I cried every day until Hot Springs.

 

Hike hot climb into Smokeys, then onto next shelter.  Unable to keep up with California teenager.  Cry until I get a bloody nose.  Not fun anymore?  Was feeling great at NOC.  I don't understand how quickly my mood changed.  I think I expected to be a fast hiker on the trail, and as far as pace went, I was one of the slowest.  Instead, I hiked longer days than others.  I also expected to have a light pack and instead had one of the heaviest, this might have had something to do with my speed.

 

Another hot day.  Tempted to stay at shelter with chairs, but go on.  One shelter had actual plastic chairs, a treat.  Didn't regret moving on, although I had to cook in the dark.  At this first shelter, I had some cramps with a hand that had been using a walking stick, but that was the only time that I happened.  At the time, my hand stiffened up into a claw and it looked kind of bad.

 

Clingman's Dome cloudy, walk down into mud and rain.  Then snow.  Survival hike to next shelter.  This was a classic case of trail reality:  even if you want to quit, you have to go on.  I didn't want to quit, but there was no other viable option except to hike on in miserable weather.  At one gap, close to the next shelter, two civilians, huddled underneath an umbrella, ask me if I am cold.  Despite a couple slips into puddles, I'm not cold.  As long as I'm hiking.

 

Next morning, all frozen and snow everywhere.  Hiking actually not bad, lots of pictures.  Stay at next shelter, too tired to continue.  Didn't have much water because bag frozen and wouldn't seal.  Talk about cheeseburgers the next day.  It was tough getting out of that sleeping bag!  Hikers tossed their frozen boots into the fire to warm up.  I used the phrase 'winter wonderland' the next day a lot.  At the shelter, I get more guilt about using untreated water in front of a ridgerunner.  We plan a trip to "Mountain Momma's" and wonder if it will be open on Easter, given the owners' strong religious nature.  Punched my first noisy snorer.  Probably would have been able to hike on if I had eaten and drank more on the hike, but was trying to keep up and it was a bit cold to sit and eat anyhow.  Recovered quickly.

 

Early morning start to get to Mtn. Momas on Easter Sunday.  Is that giardia or just British-Mexican food?  Delicious cheeseburger.  Leave in a rush, forget to dump trash, send postcards and buy snacks.  But I get a ride back to trailhead (ride down with handicapped kid in a van).  Run low on water and camp by streams with Slingshot who saw in Easter Sunday on a firetower with some friends.  I got some Mexican food from the British hikers and I think its beans disagreed with me.  Had a nice walk afterwards, I remember I got cheered up by some stones someone arranged on the road to indicate the path of the AT.  Camping by the streams was picturesque, but in the end like sleeping in the bathroom with the faucet running as I recall.

 

Hike in drizzle the next day.  Turns into storm with wind and rain.  Walk across bald through high winds.  1st shelter full, mve up to old rustic shelter where eight of us squeeze in.  Many people spoke of the great view from this bald, but it was howling winds for me, kind of exciting in its own way.  Another hiker rushed past me to reserve the last two shelter spots, but I was happier in the second one.  We all had wet sleeping bags and couldn't roll over, but it was fun sharing the discomfort.

 

Early start next morning to Hot Springs.  To stay one night or two?  Stayed one night.  It was fun though, like a summer camp.  Bought a pizza as soon as I got into town, couldn't finish last slice.  Stayed at the Hiker's Hostel, kind of a commune.  Got water filter fixed and care package from Christina.  I remember walking into the hostel, great music was playing and younger people were around just loafing.  It was very inviting.  Had no trouble staying awake past dark.  The water filter was not really fixed, I installed a new cartridge but was still unable to properly clean the cartridge so it wouldn't last long.

 

Next day no problem finishing meals.  Buy supplies and get pack refitted.  Late start to campsite near pond.  I wish I had eaten more in town.  The night before I had kind of gotten sick eating so much, especially the ice cream.  Getting the pack fitted was the best time spent on the hike.  I met a hiker, Stewball, who had just finished a southbound hike using the same pack and he noticed that the suspension system was loose and should have been tight.  He also moved some other straps around for the best fit.  Glad to leave town even though I had a great time there.  Happy to be moving again.  In what would turn out to be a bad decision, I do not buy replacement insoles at the outfitters, since the ones that came with the boots are still more comfortable than the aftermarket versions.  This comparison would change by the time I get to Damascus.

 

CAR DREAMS

I dreamed this the night I left Fontana Dam.  I owned an old Chevy, maybe a '57.  I enjoyed driving it for a while but ending up regretting it because of the paint scheme.  Dad was really proud of it, but he thought it was a different car altogether.  Someone made some adjustments to the car's engine, but I didn't think they could help.  I think that car was my hike.  The next night I dreamt of the Triumph Spitfire I used to own, I couldn't get it started at all during the dream.

 

Big day, hike dawn 'til dusk.  Mention counseling to Butterfly, he wants to start a men's group.  I had been thinking about the need for counseling during the beginning of the hike, given that so many people dropped out.  Someone that people could call and get advice.  I never thought about this later on, and I don't think anything ever happened with Butterfly's men's group.

 

Rain the next day, small lunch and then big hill (Frozen Knob).  Hike into campsite.  I can't remember this day.

 

Next day a good hike until last uphill section.  Hike 'til dusk in anticipating of snack bar around Erwin.  This night was kind of funny, I woke up twice when two hikers with headlamps went through.  They pushed all the way into Erwin.  I heard that they would put in huge days like this, but then nothing for a couple days while they recovered.

 

Up at first light, see sunrise, get cheeseburgers and ice cream at snack bar.  But then twisted ankle and day is slow after that.  Stop to camp when I see tents, don't feel like sleeping alone.  They didn't get many thru-hikers at this snack bar and couldn't believe how much I ate.  The ankle twisted on nothing, it just started, but I had to hobble after that.  Going up one bald was particularly tiresome, I had to rest after every few steps.  We slept by a road in Tennessee, not recommended but we were okay.

 

Wrap ankle the next day and it's quieter.  Startled by dog.  Leave shelter into imminent rain, sleep on mountain top.  Rain is brief.  Great view on way up and wind carries birds' chirping.  The ankle was much better in an ACE bandage.  The dog story was funny, I was hiking along in my reverie when this little mutt let loose with some yapping.  I spun around with fists brandished to see the little dog who quickly retreated.  I used my Snickers bars to good use that night, powering up a hill.  I decided not to sleep at the very top of the mountain, since there was a threat of a lightning storm.

 

Next day hike up awesome Hump Mt.  It just rose up into the clouds, hard to believe it could be climbed.  Then walk through cows.  Into Elk Park for supplies.   Unfortunately I was out of film at this point.  It was a tremendous climb for me at the time, but a Snickers bar did the trick.  Hiking afterwards was trickly, uneven ground and the trail would cant to one side, hurting my ankles.  Elk Park was small.  Called Pur about the water filter again, supposed to have the handle replaced in Damascus.  Don't get very far up the trail after town, camp when I see tents.

 

Next day hot and humid, get frustrated about water filter.  Sleep in cove.  This was a bad day.  Not only was it hot and I had to cajole water out of the filter, but there was a long section between points in the data book, so it was hard to judge my progress.  I ran out of water before the shelter, and had to push on, thirsty with sore ankles.  It turned out the shelter was just ahead and I immediately felt better.  Decided to start sleeping when 'green looked like brown' and had a nice night near Dennis Cove, just before two hostels.

 

Next day see falls, but too cold and too many bandages (from blisters) to swim.  When hot, get frustrated that so many people pass me hiking.  Later on in the hike, I wouldn't have the bandages and water was never too cold for swimming.

 

Get to Damascus in one day.  Kids hike in group.  Easier miles but still long night hike into town.  Hostel full of drunks.  Many people push on for Damascus, and I joined in, but these 28.4 miles or whatever it was turned out to be too much for my feet.  The hostel was dominated by people straight from the bars who had gotten into some trouble there.  No problems sleeping though.

 

Feet hurt next morning, do I need new boots?  Toes cramped and heel has blisters.  Also pads of feet real sore.  Grumpy, everyone else hikes faster than me, but I put in longer days to get ahead.  Feet sore all day.  Buy insoles but I think need those blasted Leki poles too.  Everytime I hike without sticks I get hurt in the undercarriage.  Some nurse talking about stress fractures and six weeks' rest.  I was concerned that the expensive boots I bought fit poorly and would have to be replaced.  I was also very reluctant to buy hiking poles.  Sometimes when I hiked with sticks it seemed to help keep a pace, but I concentrated too much on walking itself and not what was around me.  The nurse was talking about someone else, but at the time I thought I might need that much rest and wasn't sure I could return to the trail if I had to rest that long.  I was concerned that I might be doing damage to my feet.

 

Trail Woes

One guy loses his food bag when others mistake it for theirs and leave with it.  He has to return to Hot Springs to resupply.  In Damascus, three hikers complain of stolen packs on the trail.  One guy falls when exploring Damascus, strains knee and ankle, off trail for week or more.

 

Christina comes down to Damascus.  Sunday School and church, nap, find bed and breakfast.  Show her town when she arrives, meet with hikers.  Feet treatment.  Next day off to see doctor about feet.  all doctors booked up for a month, so we go to the emergency room.  Not stress fracture or other things, just 'tissue overuse,' prescribes anti-inflammatories.  Buy Leki poles.  Christina returns home.  Dinner from grocery store.  Christina's feet treatment was soaking in hot water, trimming nails and some massaging, I think.  I found out that although restaurants were nice, ample meals could be purchased more cheaply at grocery stores and prepared in a hostel or on my stove.

 

Next day some feelings of 'why am I doing this' until after lunch.  Then real confident, foot feels great.  But it's just the drugs.  I would have any more foot pain until the next time I got off the trail for a town in Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA).  For the rest of the hike, the foot pain would only be there on town days, although I could still get blisters if I pushed it too hard.

 

Hike with Plasmo when we both decide to go on to extra shelter.  That was the day we went through the "Montana Country," lots of rocks and ponies.  Grayson Highlands State Park.

 

Big hike next day into Partnership Shelter with shows and pay phone to have food delivered.  This shelter was next to a visitors center for one the parks.

 

Hike into Atkins.  'Mary Ellen' has blood in urine.  School bus breaks down, many questions from kids.  Camp by river.  'Mary Ellen' was a hiker who had to leave the trail.  He thinks that his pack might have been pounding on his kidneys.  I could barely eat, the kids from that school bus were asking so many questions about my hike.

 

Hot kind of day, but not as hot as it will be in a month.  Lots of stiles, not much water.  Storm tonight?  Stiles were crossings over wire fences that let hikers over but keep cattle in.  Kind of ungainly to climb them with poles and a pack.  It was never really as hot as I feared.  We were scared of a heat wave in Pennsylvania and heard stories of hikers sleeping during the day and hiking at night to avoid the heat.

 

No storm but discover water bag leaks.  Plasmo trail magic again:  day hikers give snacks, case of beer.  Hike into Bland, try jogging.  Wife of former thru-hiker gives hitch to real supermarket (so many choices) and Dairy Queen.  Get hitch back with kid in borrowed Firebird who drives fast all over the road in 2nd gear.  Two other employees had declined to give us the ride.  Night hike into shelter.  I had trouble with the water bag leaking for a lot of the trail, never buying a Cascade Designs bag again.  Plasmo/Plazmo frequently got 'trail magic' from others on the trail.  Jogging with the pack was kind of fun, it really bounced around though.  A real supermarket was a big treat compared to convenience stores.

 

Late start the next day, ride into Trent's Grocery with matching sunglasses couple.  Swimming at falls.  More night hiking.  Plasmo arranged the ride into the grocery to get tap water and snacks.

 

Frost in morning.  Hike into Pearisburg.  Get package at post office.  Chinese buffet and Wendy's.  In the morning, I was glad I still had my warm sleeping bag.  In the package is a new water bag from Christina.  Bushwhacking back from WalMart to hostel, I put my foot in some sort of hole and have visions of breaking my leg.  "You always get hurt in towns" or some wisdom like that.

 

Leave midday.  See deer without them seeing me.  Eat take-out lunch.  Dinner at campsite, deer visits site.  This fawn walked around our site without fear and even allowed me to take its picture (it didn't come out).

 

Not many hikers on the trail due to Trail Days, but 4th shelter actually does have people in it.  Apollo and I go on to pasture.  Beautiful night hiking in pastures, orange moon overhead.  But in woods, I'm guessing where the trail is.  (Not using lights.)  Camp in tall grass = lots of bugs.  Trail Days is in just a couple days so most hikers are returning to Damascus.  It was fun to hike in the darkness, guessing about the trail and hitting the ground with the sticks to try to figure out where it went.  Not so much fun to camp with the bugs on a hot night however.

 

See Keffer Oak the next monring.  Steep hike down to Sarver's Cabin, only one shed still standing.  When sitting out on rocks, three wild goats stop by to lick salt off legs, arms, etc.  Steal bandanna, try to get poles (bandanna recovered).  Creek just deep enough for a dip, hot and humid and now no more goat saliva.  Grape soda at road/river as thunderstorm begins.  Walk through downpour so pass shelter and go on up to Dragon's Tooth area for pleasant camping.  Feel great hiking, no fatigue, confident.  Rains during night, thunder and lightning but pack OK.  The Keffer Oak is one of the largest trees on the trail.  Sarver's Cabin is an old homestead.  Was expecting the feral goats later on in the hike.  Real comfortable sleeping on a bed of leaves.

 

Walk down hand over foot down Dragon Tooth, get supplies.  Meet Trail Angel for soda; her daughter thru-hiked previous year.  Great views off McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs, rocks jutting out into space.  Second thunderstorm, still OK.  Dragon Tooth was the first time we saw iron rungs in the rock because it was so sheer.

 

Into town (Daleville/Cloverdale interchange) for meals, pizza to go.  Feet wet at first shelter.  Third thunderstorm, still fun walking, but a little cold this time.  Boots soaked.  Horrible campsite on the side of the trail, get leaf bits on everything.  Feet wet in the sleeping bag.  Had been wringing out socks every two miles.  Saw salamanders.  Earlier ones were dark and about 5" long, saw three this day, only and 1½" long and orange and wouldn't move when they saw you.   This was the beginning of the horribly white and wrinkled feet.  I fit a large pizza into ZipLock bags to take back on the trail with me.

 

Feet wet and wrinkled all day.  Would like to see sunrise and sunset over oceans with Christina.  Sleeping bag still wet at night but I manage.  Regret my tight schedule during the day, but at dusk feel good about hiking and proud to make mileage quota.  Asleep before dark.  I was on a schedule to meet Christina at Rockfish Gap that required about 23 miles a day.

 

Long day between shelters.  Trail magic in cooler.  Get on wrong trail by accident and get mad, day was going to be long enough as it was.  Meet second guy hiking in a skirt.  Hike into darkness to destination, as I am setting up sleeping bag, deer snorts several times, I think in anger.  Sleeping bag still wet but comfortable in no time at all.  Skirts were popular with some guys in the hot weather.  I had just found out that deer would snort recently so I was glad I knew what it was at the time.

 

Wake up to what I think is first light, but it's the moon rising.  4 am?  Hike up mountain in dark, beautiful views of city.  Stars and clouds.  I need to stop sleeping under trees, I miss all this.  Take wrong path again, but get to hear frogs at shelter/pond.  See dam and reservoir for Lynchburg.  Ride for supplies from full-time Trail Angel.  Long hot climb up bald and then Cold Mountain, rest up top.  Beautiful grassy area.  Blisters at days' end, soak them in river.  This was a great hike, really enjoying hiking through dawn.  I remember stopping for lunch when others were getting out of their tents.  Cold Mountain was great, lying back and watching white fluffy clouds.

 

Spy Rock is big and takes a couple minutes to scale.  Not sure Confederates spied on Union army from here, only one view into ridges.  Looking for campfires I guess.  A couple views from the Priest.  Soak in creek, contemplate swim in Tye River.  Ravenous appetite that I've had since Hamm's Store (yesterday afternoon in Buena Vista) continues, break into Pop Tarts.  After dinner, about an hour, appetite undeniable and finish peanut butter.  Find campsite 2.6 from shelter with great view, mossy bed, clear view of sky, perfect but decide to go on.  Regret decision when I realize view would be of sunrise.  Next overlook, has great view from rocks, place to sleep.  Go on again but return, realizing I can do everything at shelter here.  Decison confirmed by moss out on rocks, here I will eat second dinner, fix blisters and sleep.  Perhaps up early with moon?  The view is really to the south, so I can't see all the sunset, but I can see how it affects the southern part of the sky; those clouds are pretty too.  This was a great night's sleep and my favorite camp spot of the whole hike.  My appetite began to scare me here since I was eating so much and didn't have much food left.  I would never come this close to running out of food again.

 

No sunrise at the rocks.  Hike with Holly, survive relo.  Lunch at Cedar Cliff.  In to Rockfish Gap at 9:02, just ahead of Sarge & Tater.  Hitch into B&B eat and bathe.  My schedule was to hit the gap at 9:00 and I made it without even a watch.  I had been trying to keep ahead of Sarge and Tater, they were the reason that I woke up 'at first light' the other day.

 

Go to outfitters, get tent and summer sleeping bag.  Watch first movie since hike, "Gladiator," parts go too fast for me.  Hike ten miles until thunderstorm brings us to early stop.  Christina and I were trying to meet my dad in Shenandoah Nat'l Park.

 

Hitch back to Rockfish Gap, breakfast at Weasies.  Meet Dad, go to cabin, meet Edna, Earle, David, Kelsey and Grant.  Feet just as bad as in Damascus.  Eat plenty of food.  Christina goes home.  My Aunt Edna and Uncle Earle have a cabin in the country near the park, a good place to rest up.  David is my cousin and Kelsey and Grant are his children.

 

Robert in the next day for yard work.  Get supplies in town.  Transport squirrel.  Robert is another one of my cousins.  Edna would trap squirrels in her yard and take them into the park for release.

 

Start again on trail.  Feet feel like it's the end of the day but work okay.  Shelter full of day hikers, sleep at Doyle's Overlook next to the trail.  Deer keep waking me up as they chew on trees and bushes.  Shenandoah National Park is full of deer who have no fear of man.  It used to be if you heard leaves rustling it was squirrels; in Shenandoah it's deer.

 

Hike into Loft Mtn. Campground.  Find the best route to the store after taking the 2nd best, make phone calls there.  Go into wayside for breakfast, fudge.  Meet schoolkids and sign autograph as a hiker (scavenger hunt?).  Sunset on Hightop Mtn.  Well I'm glad I didn't take the longest route to the store at Loft Mountain, which was closed at that time anyway.  I would have been better off buying groceries there instead of the restaurant, but the food was better at all the other restaurants in the park.  It really cheered me up to be presented to the schoolkids like that.  The ranger introduced me as a thru-hiker and they were all suitably impressed.

 

Hot early (shirt sweaty and removed at 7 am).  Hike into Lewis Mtn. campstore.  Better than breakfast at the restaurant yesterday, like a 7-Eleven.  Leave at noon with 4 liters of water.  See sow and 2 cubs on Hazeltop, 1st bear sighting.  Very happy.  Doe & fawn (1st fawn) before Big Meadows.  Out of prescription drugs, begin to feel foot at Big Meadows.  Full dinner in lodge and then steak & potato from campers.  Into shelter at 10 pm but no t-storm.  This might have been my hottest day on the trail.  I didn't need all that water I carried out of the campground, but I'm glad I didn't run out.  Even though I grown used to seeing deer on the trail, fawns were still entertaining.  I'm surprised there wasn't a thunderstorm, there was plenty of lightning.

 

Big breakfast and late lunch/dinner at restaurants.  Meet older man who tells me to finish the trail.  I think, but you don't know how hard it is to hike it.  Then I realize that I don't know how it feels to be an old man who has yet to hike his dream.  See two bears just after sunset.  Sunset was pretty silhouetted against the ridge.  This was the night that I saw the bears right before I settled down for the night and didn't hang my food bag.  Read on:

 

See bear when I wake up, only part of the head.  It runs off.  Get to Elkwallow restaurant, call Christina and make plans for Harpers Ferry.  Cook makes me happy when she is willing to lunch at 9 am (2 cheeseburgers).  Pleasant hike up mountain, circle around green space.  Use surprisingly little water all dat and make it out of park before a meal.  Eat MRE, very nice.  Tobasco sauce dried up but otherwise good shape for being so old (from flood at Madison Acres). Lots of extras like a wetnap.  Lots of trash too.  Camp with Poet near plants suspiciously like poison ivy.  Not sure what I meant by 'before a meal.'  I ate the MRE at the first shelter out of the park.  I think that was poison ivy.

 

Finally identified plant I had been seeing as mountain laurel.  Saw all dark-gray bird, black eyes, with beautiful song.

 

Shelter with shower doesn't work.  See big black snake at next shelter, then a copperhead in fire pit.  Miles seem to go fast, but feet ache a bit.  Glad to stay at shelter, lots of rain overnight.  Have to lend out toilet paper to ultralightweight hiker who couldn't bring himself to carry a full roll.

 

The next night I sleep on porch at PATC Center, with cat.  The porch at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club had a cushioned sofa that was very comfortable, especially with a cat snuggled from above to keep me warm.

 

Sunrise to the left, hike into Harpers Ferry to meet Christina.  Hiker #243 or so at ATC.  Get hipbelt from pack, resupply.  Podiatrist checks out feet, recommends Spenco orthotics, tapes up pad on my feet.  That made me the 243rd thru-hiker to pass by the ATC headquarters in Harpers Ferry.  The podiatrist saw my feet right from the trail (I had a day's rest before the ER doctor in Va.) and thought it was fine, just that I needed custom orthotics when I got home to improve my feet.  I still haven't gotten them, however.  I needed a hipbelt for my pack because I was no longer big enough to fit into a large.  Dana Design sent out a new one free of charge.

 

Hike to Jefferson Rock, downtown Harpers Ferry.  Is John Brown a hero?  Seems so.  Over RR bridge and along canal path.  Freight train delay.  Pleasant walk.  Shower at campground.  See Dahlgren Chapel, a neat stone church.  Sunset at Wash. Monument.  Saw seven pine trees growing from one stump.  John Brown was memorialized at in the town, despite taking over an arsenal in the nineteenth century for which he was executed, I believe.  The Washington Monument in Maryland is shaped like a crock.

 

Pogo Memorial Campsite is not for the cartoon character.  Up at 4 am, shirt off at 5:15 due to humidity.  Slow all day but no time that was worse than any other.  Cross into Pa.  OK, so this would have been a hotter day than in Va.

 

Another humid day without seeing many other thru-hikers.  Swim and shower at Caledonia State Park.  Meet Cree who started in February and makes animal noises.  Hike through section devastated by gypsy moths.  It sounds like rain as they eat the leaves off the trees.  At Pine Grove eat half-gallon of French Vanilla and then swim.  Hot night.  Cree was able to imitate just about any animal call.  Yes, half a gallon of ice cream did make me sick.  But I was still able to eat dinner.

 

Hike with Eric, formerly with Lefthand Brewery into Boiling Springs.  Nice town:  river, parks, memorials.  Long walk through fields.  Get water at ATC training center.  The Lefthand Brewery is in Boulder, CO.  The walk from Boiling Springs to Duncannon is notoriously boring, but an improvement over the roads one used to have to walk.

 

Trek into Duncannon a little early.  2 Lunches at Doyle, an incredible hotel.  Paint is stripped on the outside, so it really stands out, like it belongs in Amsterdam or an album cover.  Christina arrives, go to covered bridge and then lunch, laundry and resupply.  Stay the night as it gets late, plus intermittent rain, at the Doyle.  Sleep late.  The Doyle charges all of ten dollars for a night's stay.

 

Long walk through town, then past stalled freight train.  Meet Micah from Boston, hike half the day with him.  Camp at Horseshoe Trail juncture, which goes to Valley Forge in 130 miles or so.  Discover when I used fuel to burn wet pizza box, cap wasn't put back on correctly, spill most of bottle.  1 strap damaged and suspension on other side.  Cold rainy night.  This pack wouldn't be fixed until I get to Connecticut.  I was really afraid that the whole thing was going to collapse because whatever I touched seemed to break, but it didn't have any more problems.  I didn't even run out of fuel and was able to cook lunch the next day.

 

See coyote hunter with .22.  No views due to weather, rain.  Make it to 501 Shelter for pizza.  Glad to sleep inside.  Water bag also damaged?  Cut by knife when slicing orange?  Attempt to fix with duct tape.  All in all, a bad day for gear.  Will I have to return home to buy a new pack?  The tube on the water bag had gouges in it as if it had been cut by a knife, but I didn't remember hitting it with my knife when I ate that orange.  Maybe sharp branches or wire fence when I was walking.  It was the worst day for gear, no more problems after this that I remember.

 

Hike into Port Clinton with D-Low and Youngblood.  Struggled early to keep up, but OK after lunch.  Took quick nap.  Got blisters, it started right after a break in which I rubbed my feet...  Into town for water and phone calls; will get backpack part in Delaware Water Gap.  Hike up trail, miss blue blaze side trail, perhaps due to red light, sleep on Pulpit Rock (view limited but the best I'll ever get).  I was looking for a blue blaze on the side trail, but couldn't see it with the red LED light I was using for night hiking.  It also made reading maps difficult since most of the writing on them was in red ink.

 

Can't sleep more than 3-4 hours so up and around 3:00 or 4:00 to press on and take shower.  View from rocks worse.  Miss yellow trail and Pinnacle, but realize this and make U-turn.  Try gully, it turns out to be the yellow trail.  Very relieved, had considered going all the way to the next shelter to call in or taking roads.  Get to campsite before anyone wakes up, take shower.  Eat, resupply at RV center for socks, fuel, 3rd water bag.  Meet employee of campsite who hiked up through Pa.  Fortunately I had a map so I knew the two routes to the campground.  The trail I took to the campground was really a washed out gulley, but I knew it had to be the trail when I started seeing trash.

 

Next day (Fathers Day) hike up to Pulpit and Pinnacle:  no views.  Sarah likes poles.  Mom and Sarah return home.  Lazy day, mail post cards, resupply, lie around.  Get on trail at 4:15, AT @ 5:00.  Great view at the Pinnacle, hike into shelter, meet Capt. America again.  This was a day hike with Dad and Sarah, but all the views were whited out.  Sarah liked the Leki poles and used them to descend the gully trail back to the campground.  I had first met Capt. America in Duncannon and enjoyed his conversation; he had travelled extensively throughout the world.

 

Up early hiking.  Plan was to stop at 1 pm, but for some reason we hike marathon into Palmerton.  Stay at jailhouse hostel, eat cheeseburgers.  Dan's Pulpit best view.  Lots of rocks to climb over, plenty of complaints in the registers.  The thing I thought was, it wasn't easy and there wasn't even a name for what we went over, just a bunch of rocks.  These rocks were nothing compared to what we would see later, of course.

 

Scramble over rocks to get out of Lehigh Gap, hands and knees.  Martian landscape, mutant plants, pine branches growing out of the ground.  Get sick from pastrami bagel sandwich.  Pain in stomach, gas.  Can't wear hip belt.  See bear and dead rattlesnake at shelter.  Stay at 1st motel on trail (exclusive of Christina's visits).  Shuttle to restaurant, can't eat my pancakes.  Puke whilst buying Pepto-Bismol.  Feel much better.  South Park on TV.  The Martian landscape and flora was due to zinc mining in the area.  The pastrami was the last sandwich meat I ate on the trail.  Up until then, I hadn't had any problems.  I'm not sure I would have stayed at the motel if it wasn't for Capt. America and Buckwheat's urging, but I'm glad we did.  For one thing, it rained a lot.

 

Late start after "Dukes of Hazzard" starts.  Rocks like we were used to, then one spot of big ones (Wolf Rocks).  Then nothing spectacular, even some road walks.  Get into town at 5:15, just missing the post office.  Great dinner at La Skillet.  Sleep outside hostel at Church of the Mountain.  The hostel, while very nice with reading material, couches and a shower, does not have much inside sleeping room.  I had a real comfortable night camping next to Eric who warned me that in NJ, everytime you stop you get bit by mosquitoes.

 

Get package from Dana, but neither yoke is right for pack.  Must have told her the wrong thing over the phone, don't know all the technical terms for things on pack.  Anyhow, send those back at own expense (grumble) and eventually leave town.  Alleviate some grumpiness with lunch with man driving VW camper, works half a year in California and then back to Connecticut.  Quick dip in Sunfish Pond.  At spring, notice mosquitoes do land on you as soon as you stop.  Hustle on to fire tower.  See bear 15 min. before tower.  Cloudy sunset.  Fireworks or something in valley at night.  Was awfully upset over the pack, but it would be fixed soon.  Funny how I got used to it being broken.  I'm also thinking as I type this in, that a major concern for us on the trail was where we would be at sunset.  It's rare that I even notice a sunset now that I'm back to a job.

 

PA - start 6/9/00; finish 6/23/00 - for KTA award

 

See sunrise, windy in tower.  Hike with Woodchip and family, learn about naturalist at Northland College.  See rattlesnake under rock, hear rattle.  Meet Christina on trail.  Drive all the way to Water Gap.  No motels to be had in Stroudsburg, drive all the way into Jersey.  Try out rundown motel that's actually real expensive, leave after phone out in 1 room and sink not functional in 2nd room.  Try B&B with pool but end up at nice motel just slightly more expensive than rundown one.  Eat at diner and then go to bed.  We spent way too much time looking for a motel, but didn't really have much choice.  Had I thought of it, we would have gone back to the motel in Wind Gap.

 

Next day do laundry and breakfast.  Try out Tomahawk Lake - expensive quasi-resort full of Hispanics, but still a refreshing break.  Then get groceries and lunch.  Hike up to fire tower, but thunderstorm.  Check out dirt roads but end up taking the trail back.  Find another motel and now an early start.  We check out a side trail to the tower.  When we went to places like Tomahawk Lake, I would reflect on how much trouble it was to try to find something common on the trail:  a quiet lake for swimming and lunch.

 

Early early start, side trail works out fine.  Long breakfast with 1 lb. bacon, excerpt from Bill Bryson in Australia.  Bugs pretty bad, have to light anti-mosquito bucket.  At next shelter, learn Captain America, Buckwheat and Plazmo are ahead.  Skip nap to try to catch up.  Swim at High Point park - no other hikers there.  Toe nail comes off without incident.  At Unknown Shelter, on private property, see packs for everyone, but no sign of hikers.  Meet Jim, the proprieter, ride into town looking for them.  After shower, just as I get ready for bed, they show up -- taken out to dinner by Desperado, another trail angel.  7 in car.  First time eating that much bacon at once, would make it a common breakfast for the rest of the hike.  The Unknown Shelter is a cabin on private property with a shower, washer and dryer.

 

Next day hike with Plazmo through lots of mosquitos and road walks.  Eat lunch on side of road since no other spots w/o bugs.  T-storm as we get into fruit stand, get absolutely soaked, thunder as loud as I have ever heard.  Go on to next shelter with Plazmo.  Others go to hostel with a/c, cable, etc.  Bugs continue to be bad.  At shelter meet Desperado, go into town for his trail magic:  supplies, Chinese AYCE and trip to state park.  Ranger shoots 2 geese with a shotgun to thin numbers from Desperado's Explorer, Plazmo fetches from water.  Quick swim, getting cold.  Good sunset.  Return to shelter.  Desperado has supplied shelters in this area with citronella, soda, cookies and bug spray for twenty years, but he's never thru-hiked.  Spends about $4000 a year.  Also:  recycling depot that only accepts some cans.  Have seen some register note from Rich/Whuttameye.  I would later see Desperado in Maine.

 

Next day, cross into NY.  Plasmo sees three possible bears.  Strange guy gets Plasmo's water.  Alleged views of NYC but we can't see anything. See guy get dropped off in woods by ranger, but he claimed he was a hiker.  Stop at dark, rocks too treacherous without light, low on water.   This strange guy had apparently been in the woods a couple days looking for a "Secret Lake."  He wasn't very well prepared and was moving pretty slow.  Others told us that he had inquired about what it cost to be rescued from the wilderness (it's expensive).

 

Hike up to nearby campsites, meet couple who were cited for hitchhiking in Warwick.  Lemon Squeezer and then unnamed piece where you have to pull yourself up with a tree branch.  Get water at rest stop (swimming, vending, showers) hear about zoo closing.  Push on.  Water bag opens, lose 2 liters.  Great hiking, cresting rolling hills with half-buried boulders.  Some tough ascents.  Chairs out in median strip of hwy. crossing.  Great views from Bear Mtn. tower but too hazy for NYC.  Get water.  Despite best efforts, miss zoo; it closed at 5, we had been told 5:30, got there at 5:10.  Attempt to scale fence but observed by security guard with radio so take road instead (official AT when zoo is closed).  T-storm as crossing Hudson.  Meet Plasmo and Cheesehead sheltered under register stand.  Hike into friary, pavilion shelter.  Everything seems to be wet but manage to sleep reasonable well.  So I never saw the NYC skyline on the hike.  There were rumors of a breakfast and dinner served at the friary, but I didn't get that either.

 

7:30 breakfast proved to be hoax.  Shrine side trail.  Nice hike, up and down and around.  Marvelled at all the stone walls we see.  Long 3 hour break at Dennytown Rd., great sky, clouds, sun.  Boy scouts in hwy. truck.  Stop at awesome campsite (Shenandoah Tenting Area) for dinner with Snapshot, Ulcer and Greyhound and two section hikers.  Use red jacket for second night in a row, starting get colder at night.  The shrine was set up by the friary and was very peaceful in the woods.  Serenity, I thought.  It must have taken a lot of work to form all these stone walls in the woods, from old farms I suppose.  Couldn't leave Dennytown Rd., just as I would start to pack up, more people would show up.  People had been telling me to get rid of that heavy red jacket, but I got some use out of it after all.

 

What is it with the mysterious breezes that cause just a few leaves (or just one) to flutter?

 

Hike into deli for much appreciated sandwich.  Get supplies, finalize plans with Christina.  Get ride back to trail.  Finally drinking plenty of water again.  Hike into buggy shelter with barely enough time to eat before dark.  The terrain is definitely getting a bit tougher, ups and downs with some rocks thrown in.  I seemed to drink more water than others.  I remember Plazmo hardly drank water at all.

 

Had been sleeping late, but out of shelter reasonably early.  Pleasant walking to a shelter for lunch, turns into 1½ hour break.  Meet shelter caretaker, about what you expect from someone who checks in twice a day.  Hike through Nature Conservancy lands (Pawling).  Get water from house with Nat'l Weather Service radio.  Pack feels light - what did I forget?  Dover oak tree, AT metro stop.  Post lunch break at river campsite; nice, kayaking.  Then hot work through bugs onward.  Again have to work for the miles.  Go through Indian Reservation without sign of incident.  Buggy shelter with no picnic table (welcome to Connecticut).  Fix double dose of Lipton and off to bed with bitter A.L.D.H.A. member (Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association).  Yes, the shelter caretaker would check in on the shelter twice a day to keep it in good shape.  The trail was closed or was about to be closed through the Indian Reservation due to an ongoing dispute the Indians were having with the federal government.  This was around Independence Day.

 

Up before 5:00 to hike into Cornwall Bridge.  Beautiful clouds with rising sun at field.  Nice view from Caleb's Peak of fog nestled into valleys.  Find some trail magic:  Deep Woods OFF! just in time for a cloud of mosquitos and gnats.  Does not seem to work 100% against gnats but much better.  Into town but no Christina.  Get errands done whilst I wait.  End up at nicer motel.  Explore Kent and see famous stage actress/singer whose name escapes me.  Patty LePond?  Get laundry done, improve Polish-American relations with a free beer.  Hit up hiker boxes, see other hikers.  Pizza at restaurant w/o soda, ice cream.  Early bedtime.  Fix pack!  I tried to spray the mosquitos directly with the OFF spray, but that didn't have much affect.  Was ready for a shower in Cornwall Bridge:  hot, sweaty, and then ice cream dripped onto my leg.  Our reservations were accidentally cancelled at the first motel, but the second one was much nicer.  Almost too nice for a hiker, I had to hide in the car while Christina did the talking.  Pack finally fixed.

 

Sleep late.  Back into Kent (no restaurants in Cornwall Bridge) and then jazz club.  Skip waterfalls for walk by river.  Drive off to get groceries, watch "Me, Myself and Irene."  Hit trail around 10 pm.  Stream crossings - one slow, over log couldn't see rocks to cross.  Another I crossed twice, couldn't see trail on the other side to know where to cross.  Camp on mtn. view, expect a sunrise.  Stream crossings at night need more light than what I brought with me.

 

Get the sunrise (not perfectly aligned but nice), can't get out of bed soon enough to use camera.  Surprised to catch Greyhound, Snapshot and Tangerine at next campsite.  None of them made it for fireworks.  View of racetrack/testing loops at Hang Glider Point.  Most seem hung over from July 4th celebrations.  Gruff ice cream salesman.  Snooze at hydroelectric plant.  Trail Magic with construction workers:  no phone, but banana, watermelon, chocolate and soda.  Could I have stood in waterfall?  Not sure, hard to see.  Race up mountain ahead of mosquitos, finally use OFF spray for momentous results.  Great view at Rand's View.  Hike on to deserted (but developed) campsite.  Pull off fed deer tick.  Not sure if I can make Chesire before P.O. closes on Saturday, not sure I want to wait until Monday.  (Turns out wasn't the day I thought it was so there were no problems.)  It was hard to get up, bed was too comfortable there on the rocks.  The race track was so far away that the sounds of the tires squealing didn't match up with what you saw.  I thought some people standing while a waterfall fell on them.  I couldn't get close enough to see if I could do that (something I kind of wanted to do, always saw it in movies).  Yes, concerned that a deer tick might have transmitted Lyme's Disease, since I am in Connecticut.  Waiting for me at the post office in Chesire was a new stuff sack for my cookset.

 

How do slugs move?

 

Scarlet tanager.  This was a bird I had been noticing.

 

Hiked up to shelter for bacon breakfast and see Sitcom and Afrorunner.  Missed a great sunrise here.  Late leaving, this will be a slow day.  Snack on Bear Mtn., great view.  Dip in creek at Sages Ravine, very cold water.  Meet hiker who started from Springer also on 4/6, he stopped at Hot Springs and plans to go back to try to finish.  Chide weekender kids about washing in the stream.  Find campsite suitably far enough away from kids with some views.  Sunrise wasn't where I expected it, so I got to see it, also got most of sunset.  Slow day but had fun and there were some steep climbs and descents.  I'm OK with that.  The weekender kids were washing their food pots in the stream, leaving macaroni visible.  I got my water upstream.

 

Up at dawn, surprised I get to see sunrise.  Shouyld have brought my camera, need to use up film.  Long hike on flat section, crossing and along roads.  Mosquitos real bad.  Many boggy sections.  Is this where girl freaked out (Catawba trail angel)?  Finally at shelter, meet up with Spur and hike with him the rest of the day.  He has recommendation for cheap long distance calls.  Only one view after shelter.  Camp early off the trail up on ridge, trying to evade mosquitoes, who are still present, just not as bad as before.  Ate four of them earlier, two in five minutes.  The daughter of the trail angel back in Va. looked down at her shadow and panicked when she saw that her silhoutte was obscured by the bugs and took off running until she fell down, hyperventilating.  The bugs were that bad.

 

Next day, Shaker ruins.  Vats to collect maple syrup(?), lines running to trees.  More bog bridges but fewer bugs.  New kind of stile, just a couple steps; seems a bit Spartan to get over barbed wire.  Saw tree separate and rejoin at campsite.  Cobble near trail.  Village roadsign.  First southbound hikers:  "Peter Pan" and "Tinker Bell!"  Left May 15, flipflopped to climb Katahdin that early, then another hiker, "Red Dog," right on their heels (date of this entry July 8).  Dip in Upper Goose Pond, kind of muddy bottom.  Get to shelter early, 6:15.  Didn't see much at the Shaker ruins.  I had sketches of the tree and the stile, kind of hard to explain with words.  A cobble is a large mound of earth overturned by a glacier.  I didn't know that until later, but I would soon sleep on one.

 

Make good time into Dalton.  Ice cream at Tom's.  Continue to see southbounders.  Watch little league baseball game on way out of town (rained out with Adams leading Dalton 7-2).  Get to cobbles but too cloudy for sunset and no view of sunrise, thunderstorm threatening (had been raining).  Sleep down in pines.  It's been amazing how dark and chilly these pine forests have been when walking on the trail.  Tom lets hikers sleep on his porch and makes great ice cream sundaes.

 

Down cobble and into town.  Chug 1/2 gallon OJ and then can't finish pancakes.  Fire call just as I get into town, see red and blue lights go by.  Get MSR stuff sack.  Long upwards hike to Bascom Lodge.  Very windy at summit.  Snack and then head down.  Get turned around at U-turn for about 200'.  Steep going down.  Supermarket.  Call fire dept. - has anyone read postcards?  Maybe Keyser.  Mostly questions about bears, girls.  Missed two jobs, one on E. Spring.  Hitch back 0.3 to trail, finally someone asks, "Why does a hiker need a ride?"  Walk right past house on trail, into campsite at night.  I had been sending postcards back to the fire department where I volunteer, but their questions indicated they hadn't been reading them.  Two big fires since I left.

 

Slow day.  Vermont is beautiful and so is the weather.  Stop at 1st spring, get water and then just listen to water.  Take nap in sun under power lines.  Gorgeous sky, clouds.  Trying to decide about this Trail Magic day.  Stay at shelter with sketchy hikers - smell like beer, use hatchet for fire.  One looks like he escaped from an institution, a lot of grunting from the others.  But a pleasant night's sleep and get some great beef from a LT hiker.  There's a party being put on by employees of a local EMS called Trail Magic Day, not sure if I want to go.  It turned out that some of the hikers put on act to scare off AT hikers; a group had just gone by that annoyed them.  But they liked me, probably because I was alone and quiet.  And most importantly, they fed me some.

 

Catch up to several hikers in morning.  See windmills at overlook.  Good view from Goddard Shelter, then from fire tower.  Black flies appear (7/12) due to wet spring (2nd wettest spring on record).  Finally decide to stay at shelter and go to Trail Magic.  Can fit in gondola but not Vt. Tortoise.  18 at shelter and area.  Because I stuck around for Trail Magic Day, I did not have time to stop at Vt. Tortoise's house, she invited me to stay there way back when I saw her in Georgia.

 

Get up unnecessarily early.  No Northern Lights sighted overnight.  Hike down to parking lot and wait.  Trail Magic is put together by Brandon and his friends at Manchester Center EMS.  Get fed & presents & fuel (1st refill since Pa.).  Up to gondola.  It's enclosed, for skiiers.  Great views from enclosed fire tower.  Nice hike down mountain.  Dip in beaver pond.  Sunset at Prospect Rock w/ LT hikers.  The gondola wasn't as exciting as I thought, I pictured it as being open.

 

Get note from Vt. Tortoise; she can't make lunch.  Get 1st car to stop going to town.  $40 worth of groceries, see EMS guys, get lunch.  Hitch back with Parisian family, later see them at Alpine Slide Ride.  Fun luge-carts down ski slope.  Have to hike all the way back to warming hut.  Hike on into hailstorm.  LT hikers call me crazy; "hell yeah."  Pass up full shelter for campsite but no views of lake, sunrise or sunset.  Camp along trail.  I would put my pack in a shopping cart with the trekking poles and walk around the supermarket, on in Manchester Center, the whole shopping center.

 

De-slug stuff (why are slugs attracted to my stuff anyhow?) and hike on.  Shelters occur frequently.  Lunch by lake to dry out feet from yesterday's storm.  Dark clouds loom.  Into next shelter for nap.  Great views from White Peaks Cliff, a panaramic camera wouldn't do it justice.  Baker Peak was supposed to be great but cloudy, although it was cool to see clouds rushing in.  Bear Mtn. (does every state have one of these?) steep, no views.  Saw great sky this morning with sunrise, all pumpkin-orange all over due to clouds.  Into shelter with sore feet, probably due to wet boots.  Maybe it will clear up tomorrow and I can dry things out better. Baker Peak was supposed to have great views and I could see some of that as I climbed, but nothing by the time I got to the summit.  "Bear Mountain" was a common name.

 

Slept late since I didn't feel well night before - tired, aching feet, aching joints.  Lyme's Disease?  Hike a bit with Zoom Loco, who left in May, possibly the fastest on the trail right now.  Learn some stream fording lessons:  evaluate stream before setting out, use poles and sandals together.  Careful throwing boots clear.  Ford Explorer drives up to Gov. Clement shelter.  Long steep hike up Killington, but no views, everything closed.  Back down to Pico Shelter.  Supposed to be 0.7 off the trail, but only 0.3.  Consider zero day here.  So with this stream, I followed Zoom Loco halfway into it before we both realized we couldn't make it without getting our feet wet.  We tried to switch to sandals midstream but with mixed results.  This area of the trail was a bit dangerous, that Gov. Clement shelter was not recommended for overnight stays due to locals intruding on it for fishing and a hiker's car on the side of the road was smashed up and later burnt by vandals.  Since a storm was pending, I was happy to get to the shelter a little sooner than expected.

 

Take the zero.  Nice to rest without worrying about the time.  Hike up to Pico Summit.  See abandoned ski lifts, communication towers.  Some views but overcast all day.  Occasional hiker comes through.  Go up for sunset but too cloudy.  Seems too overcast for sunrise too.  Still feel a bit sick at night.  Those post-meal naps felt very good.

 

Yes, no sunrise.  Up and at 'em, on AT @ 6am.  On schedule until stop for bag lunch and phone call.  Thunder but not much of a storm.  Find jar of peanut butter, so I shouldn't have to resupply, in shelter.  Stop at Lookout Point, a cabin with 360° views and observation deck on roof.  No water but I manage with what I have.  Decided not to pack in extra water when I saw how overcast it was, then it cleared up.  Still not much of a sunset.  Hoping for sunrise.  "Lookout Farm."  This was a great spot, except for not having water.  The owners graciously allowed anyone to use the facilities.

 

Try to sleep on obs. platform but too cold/windy, so move inside.  Active mouse, gets into pita bread.  Up and 4 for sunrise, still incredibly cold.  Move down swampy trail to get water, use spring on trail.  Take nap using jacket (still wearing it due to cold) at vista of red barn.  This is the first day hiking with active fever.  Lots of stops.  Collapse before deli off trail near stream.  Force down single packet of noodles.  Tired of taste of iodine.  I think maybe I would have held off sickness if I hadn't been so cold sleeping outside this night.  I still had my summer bag, which didn't afford much protection on the exposed observation platform.  I thought of making the deli for dinner, but just couldn't go on, when I saw I had water for the night.

 

Weak the next day, get some peanut butter down, pack up, de-slug.  Great breakfast at general store; section hiker Mary also shows up.  Finish road walk with a pint of Ben & Jerry's.  Stop in Norwich:  beautiful small town for phone call, last Vt. mail drop off, water.  Road walk into Hanover.  Check e-mail, meet up with Christina.  Free "white blaze" at Ben & Jerry's store, only one on the trail.  Go to clinic for fever 39.7°C or 104 something Fahrenheit.  Get prescription for amoxicillin, should kill virus and also any chance of Lyme Disease.  The big breakfast helped a lot, ice cream too.  The kids at Dartmouth College were great, treated hikers as if they belonged.

 

Feel better the next day but still need rest.  See "Patriot" and covered bridge in Cornish.  Naps but because of the fever I couldn't eat all I needed.  Drink three quarts of water overnight to help with fever.

 

Next day drive out to Lake Winnipisauke and relax at beach.  Eat lobster roll.  Watch "Perfect Storm," eat in town.  Still some sweating, but I feel much better next day.

 

Pack out of B&B.  Brunch at Lou's.  Check e-mail and make another call home.  Resupply.  Watch "X-Men" in town with hikers and off to shelter just outside of town.  Fry up some burgers, no trouble sleeping.  Lou's was a popular restaurant in Hanover.  This was the first time I would cook burgers on the trail but not the last.

 

Pretty slow day, plenty of breaks at the right spots (water, views).  Good hiking with Afrorunner, Wolf & Wheel.  About sixteen miles for a full day.  Good view off cliff.  Stay at Trapper John Shelter, but no signs of M*A*S*H influence.  In town had met John/Triangle Man last seen in Damascus.

 

Break with group, who will hike two short days to stay at Glencliff hostel.  Meet at top of Smarts Mtn., eat lunch in firetower.  Break off again and head down mtn.  Dinner on rocky top of Mt. Cube.  Can sort of tell Whites are coming, rocks are at tops of mtns.  Sleep in mosquito swamp; their buzzing keeps me awake during the night.  It would always be their incessant buzzing that bothered me, never any actual biting.  I think I would have traded bites if it meant they'd leave me alone.

 

Meet up with Youngblood the next morning.  Decide not to go into Glencliff, the hostel store is really spartan.  Feel mad about not phoning Christina though.  Up Mt. Moosilauke, 1st above treeline.  Long hike up but not too sleep.  Could see growth thin out, from mixed to just conifer, to small conifer to just alpine grass.  Very windy and cold at summit.  35 mph wind?  Could barely walk straight.  YB touts praise of his Nalgene canteen, my stove breaks.  Try for 40% off pizza, but just can't make it.  The 'trail' is rock upon rock, with rebar and steps bolted on.  Have to use hands several times.  Cook by river.  Consider dip, but ominous chill winds.  Finish descent, took an extra past pizza closing time.  Up next side, camp off trail.  See good site at 7:55 so I have to push on when feet get tired so I feel it was worth it to pass first one.  Rain starts at midnight.  In Glencliff was a 'store' that apparently sold not Ben & Jerry's but just Lipton dinners.  My stove broke on a hinge, but would still cook food.  I would have to balance the stove carefully but it served until it was replaced.  There were stories of pizza 40% off for thru-hikers at a restaurant off the road at the bottom of the mountain, but I couldn't make it before they closed.  As for the trail, this was the start of the White Mountains.  It was pretty much all like that.

 

And the rain contines at 5 am.  So I can't just sleep in to miss rain.  No trouble getting ready.  Slow hiking over kind of slick rocks and definitely slick roots to shelter.  "You're the first person I've seen in seventeen hours."  Take icy (aren't they all) dip in river, keep climbing.  Pass thru 1st. hut.  Try to catch northbounders to share difficult hitch into town.  Meet Camo & Never Again, but get ride before they catch up.  3rd car was a schoolbus.  Stove to be replaced in Gorham.  Phone call to Christina successful.  Shame a ride out of a guy and back on trail.  Camp alongside trail, slide down.  Yes, a schoolbus stopped and drove me into town.  I shamed a ride out of a guy because I waved to his girlfriend and she must have given him a hard time for turning me down with a weak excuse.  I camped on a slope, so I slid down overnight.

 

Get water at campsite, hike up.  Break treeline for incredible ridge walk.  Weather perfect, not too much wind.  Lots of camp kids out.  A slow day nonetheless, especially at end.  Decide to try to work for stay at Galehead Hut.  Get there at 5 pm (1 mph) and they welcome me.  Rest up and eat lots and lots of chili.  Yogi also stays, Team Wisconsin and Candyman turned away.  Eat so much I feel a little sick at bedtime.  The croo sings "dinner's almost ready..."  Croo introduce themselves before dinner.  Except for two chopper drops, everything must be packed in and out.  No shower facilities, just a hose.  Some time off to hike around, cool falls area for swimming (several miles away).  Use wooden frame packs to carry in bulky items.  I feel much better having that dinner, and believe my food will last 'til Gorham.  Skull story.  Guest have beer in mini-keg.  This ridge walk would have some of the best views during the hike.  I can't believe I ate so much I almost got sick, but kept it all in me.  When I bought food I didn't realize how slow this part of the hike would be, but thanks to the food available at the huts, I made it OK.  The skull story was that a skull was found, believed to be from a lumberjack back in the day, and ferried around the huts on the backs of unsuspecting hikers would were going to the various huts.

 

Wake up in the morning to banjo strumming.  Quick work for stay, sweep and organize attic.  More food and out at 10 am.  Continue 1 mph pace through rain, soaked trails.  But views are still there.  Get water at crowded hut, on to shelter for dinner.  Hike into dark to campsite by river.  Get angry at hiker who scolded me for being slow.  These are frustrating times.  One of the hikers really made me mad when he went off at me for being slow.  I could have punched him.

 

Up early with breakfast pepperoni to be climb out of Notch.  Get about two views in before all fogged in for rest of day (one quick view through fog later in the day).  Finally make it to hut for chow, nap, etc.  Then onto next hut.  Not a bad walk, but longer than expected.  In for water and up to camp halfway up Mt. Washington.  Want above treeline experience camping but don't want to be too early to get to summit.  Hoping for clear view in morning.  Also, dungeon at hut looked dreary.  The above-treeline experience was well worth it.  A cold wet fog rolled in, but I quickly got in my sleeping bag and bivy sack and made it OK.  This was a pretty dangerous night, in theory, since the weather can change without warning at Mt. Washington.  There's a list in the visitor's center at the summit of the people who have died on the mountain.  The dungeon at the hut was a stone walled room with hard bunks available for hikers to spend the night as an alternative to the hut itself, which can cost $50 a night when work for stay is not available.  Work for stay is also only offered to thru-hikers.

 

Found spot to be about 2/5 mile south of summit.  Missed any sunrise, but got the views.  Ate breakfast with free water and had picture taken in front of range.  When buildings open, eat, etc.  Finally move on.  2 more pictures in front of summit, why do people insist on taking two pictures of me?  Hardly any views walking range.  Snack in hut, climb up some more piles of rocks.  Views at end of day back at range.  Do not make as far as I had hoped, as is typical in the Whites.  Stay at Osgood tentsite.  Finally camp with southbounders, some really laid-back 4-mile a day kids.  Now that I was at Mt. Washington with the views, who will take my picture?  Then people who always take a second shot, but that camera had to last me until I could buy another one, so I wanted to conserve film.

 

Up a bit late, hike up Lowe's Bald Spot for snack & reading.  Into Pinkham Notch for phone calls (no one home), AYCE lunch.  Up steep Wildcat.  Frustrating because so many false peaks, tough mental game.  Rocks slick and cold.  But into last hut before I expected.  Fix dinner on real stove.  See 1955 and '57 regster signatures by Grandma Gatewood.  No '48 register for Earl Shaffer.  Out for night hike, stay at Carter's Dome.  Great night's sleep, despite cold mist.  My research in registers prompted another hiker to find her own entry from the 1950s.  Wildcat was tough because for about half a dozen times, I knew I must be at the top, finally, only to see more in a couple minutes.

 

Sleep a bit late again (this is tiring work) and then set off.  Decide that was the best camping spot in area.  Actual summit of Carter Dome too rocky and Zeta Pass too low and too much tree cover.  Nice walking.  I'm getting used to this.  Meet 2 hikers carrying machetes.  Stop in for three hour lunch break, talking with caretaker.  Nice open walk to shelter.  Quick dip in river.  Finish dinner at dark, nearly out of food.  Have decided reason for hike was to take an extended vacation in nature while getting exercise.  Wash socks in river, instead of town laundromat.  Always a good feeling the next morning to know I made the right decision in picking a campspot.  Machetes were not much use in the rocky White Mtns.  Now to decide reason for next hike.

 

Up a bit late again, finish off all food except for a little peanut butter and a snack bar.  Pack up stuff left out overnight and quick walk into Gorham.  It seems like many cars go by with smug looks on the occupant's faces before one stops.  also, plagued by gnats.  Marcel, from Gorham AMC, gives me ride and place to store pack.  Get new stove, try to find out grocery options.  seems like distant Shaw's is only option, manage to hitch in and get ride out.  Hitch in was from hiker, made car talk with ride out, a nice man who went out of his way.  So Yankees are redeemed for earlier mistreatment getting into town.  45 min call to Christina and shorter ones.  Leave after lunch, hot sweaty hike up mountain, then cool rain threatens.  See moose!  Cow and calf, escape before I can take picture.  Maybe I should hike without singing.  Get into tentsite with enough time to cook and eat six burgers before dark.  Then a t-storm, after I'm in the sleeping bag.  I was glad I didn't try to hitch in that night, it was hard enough during the day.  Really frustrated trying to hitch in.  Tried that "Moxie" drink, felt like it had a sour aftertaste.

 

Slow moving, a bit chilly.  Have trouble finishing bacon.  Meet author of book on prior page (Nimblewill Nomad).  Take nap, finally we have sun, blue sky, white puffy clouds.  Into shelter with great view for leftover burgers.  Meet Quebec -> Key West hiker, "Spider."  People tell me I can finish by Labor Day but miles not appearing.  Into Maine.  NH sign has a typo.  No one to take picture here.  Rough stuff begins quickly, have to drop pack three times between Mt. Success and Carlo Col shelter.  360º views of mountain ranges from summit of Mt. Success.  Into shelter with girls' camp, they only do 4-5 miles a day, campsite to campsite.  John/Triangle Man shows up, but I fear he's too fast for a companion.  Perhaps through the Notch.  Leave shelter despite sudden chilly air.  Catch sunset.  Makes trees look autumnal with red glow.  Camp on false summit of Goose Eye, very windy but great views.  Hope for good sunrise.  The NH sign read, "Your in New Hampshire now."  I had read it was better to go through the Notch with a partner.  Awesome sunset, another one of the times I left a shelter despite omenous weather, only to be rewarded.  It was incredibly windy on that false summit, all night long.  I eventually sheltered myself with my pack and tied down any loose items.  When I woke up in the middle of the night to relieve myself, I staggered against the wind.

 

Used pack as shield against the wind.  Great night's sleep, especially for being on a rock.  Not much of a sunrise, too overcast.  Still windy.  Truck on, no views from Goose Eye.  Think I hear cries for help, must have been a bird and the wind.  Or a ghost I suppose.  Meet Afrorunner, Wheel , Wolf and Youngblood at shelter.  Afrorunner stays back to go through Notch with me.  He's going into the Peace Corps soon.  Nice to have guide through rocks.  Harder with heavy external frame pack, but I'm glad I did it legit.  See ice under the rocks, drink from spring there.  Afrorunner has to leave to catch up for deadline, I take break at brook.  Feel sleepy and tired, have been up since 4:45.  Up Mahoosic Arm, nice views and then down into Speck Pond.  Decide to stay and not go on to firetower.  Quick swim.  Hang out with another hiker and the caretaker later than planned.  Eat lots, appetite is crazy.  2 Liptons and peanut butter pitas.  I'm still grateful for Afrorunner's companionship through the Notch.  Glad I stayed at shelter there too.  That was the first time I had to pay for shelter on the trail (five dollars well spent).

 

Try to sleep late, but can't really.  Long swim, 'til my arms get tired.  Skip firetower (alternate camping spot); 0.3 off trail.  On peak of something, small plane flies just overhead.  Down through notch, pass sign for flattop ("extraordinary view").  Great views off Baldpate.  See no hikers from last shelter to next.  Read Ezra on 2nd peak, climb down.  (Natural stairs down 2nd peak.)  Into woods, stay at shelter full of SBers and angry border collie.  Safe from rain.  Read into Psalms on my hike, starting from Genesis.  This was the first dog I met who didn't like me.  Naturally, I would continue to see the dog along the way.

 

Nice woods hike into road.  Wait 40 min for ride, just not much traffic except for logging trucks.  Road to town not completely paved:  town ran out of money when resurfacing.  Lunch, then 60 min. Christina phone call.  Another lunch, more phone calls.  Feeling tired so decide to stay at hostel.  No nap.  Post office, mandatory shower and clothes change, grocery shopping.  Pizza dinner for all hikers.  Watch "Austin Powers."  Ice cream mixup.  Thus ends the night at Andover Inn.  I had to shower and change clothes because I "smelled ripe," but having clothes in which to change was a nice touch for the hostel.  Someone ate my ice cream by mistake, but I got his, and as long as I had a thousand calories of ice cream I was happy.

 

Up early with church bells.  Hat trick with breakfast sandwiches.  Shuttle alone; other couple too slow that day.  Meet up with Afrorunner, Wheel and Wolf.  Burger lunch.  First stream crossing, marked Ford in data book, is too easy.  Sweat in eyes pops out contact lense, can't get it in without discomfort; switch to glasses for first time on hike.  Camp by Black Brook next to French-Canadian girl camp.  Wheel recommends "Five Easy Pieces."  Three breakfast sandwiches, out of three choices on the menu.  Up in that area, French-Canadians were pretty common and there would even be a lot of French in the registers.  Trying to remember what "Five Easy Pieces" was, a book, a movie, an album?  I think it was a movie, maybe with Jack Nicholson.

 

Slow start.  Can only eat ten hard boiled eggs.  Use woods for first time since Va.  Next ford not so tough.  Get stomach-ache and diarhea from eggs.  Long tedious climb up Old Blue in cold drizzle, wind.  Too slow to really get warm, no place to stop.  Trail slick, flooded, etc.  Clears up, snooze at Mt. Elephant overlook.  PA Dutchmen catch up; 8th grade education, dairy farm, Mennonite more liberal than Amish.  More French-Canadians at shelter.  Move on a couple miles and camp on flat rock.  Stopping a bit early but tired and not sure I'd find a better spot below.  Eventually threw away the other two eggs.  Sick for a couple days from that episode.  Trouble keeping glasses dry with rain.  Nothing clean to wipe the lenses.

 

And it was the best place to stop.  Slippery slabs below, fall/slide a couple times.  No sweat with ford.  Pegleg at road.  Fairly easy miles to shelter.  Do not see mouse skeleton between shelter and campsite.  At Swift River Pond campsite canoe around pond.  J-stroke a little rusty.  Wind really moves canoe around.  Guy fishing in special inner tube with waders, fins and dog.  Stomach problems still around, but abated.  Match symptoms of giardiasis:  diarrhea, bloating (belching?), gas, lack of appetite (or maybe I just don't like my food), stomach cramp (could feel muscle cramp as I loaded canoe).  At campsite, stove malfunction - cuts out.  Maybe it's the filter that came loose in the bottle.  Relight several times (have to clean clogged jet?) then give up and let dinner soak in not quite boiling water, with mixed results.  Will resolve this in town.  Trail is definitely easier than before but not quite cake.  On to South Pond to camp.  Watch woodpecker feel out tree, pecking here, there, pulling away some loose bark.   He didn't peck peck peck like usual, just exploratory pecks.  No moose seen at Pond.  There was supposed to be a moose skeleton just off the trail, but I didn't see it.  Well that's fine.  Saw border collie at Swift River pond again, the last time.

 

Moose shows up during night but in the shadows so I can't see much.  Decide against swimming out for closer look.  Downside of ponds -- bugs keep me awake since I'm not comfortable with bivy sack over my face.  Maybe I should have gone with the hoop.  Or wash smell out of sack.  Tired of my food, can't finish breakfast.  On to road, several cars pass before one stops.  Trouble getting through to cell phone.  Get package from post office from Christina, phone calls, breakfast (not in that order).  Stove fixed when filter reintroduced.  As I finish lunch, family, shows up, stay for 2nd lunch.  Shopping in town (Rangeley) then back to campsite, 2½ hours away.  Sleep well.  Apparently cellular coverage in northern Maine is not perfect.  Rangeley had some tourist attractions for shopping possibilities.

 

Go canoeing with Sarah while mom does laundry and dad hikes the trails in the park.  Lots of wind on lake (lake Sebec).  Drive off seeking moose.  1st site has signs warning us off, drive on to Lily Bay S.P. and get another spot.  This one gets real crowded.  Bogs also have bugs, lots of no-see-ems.  Give up around 8 pm but see a moose off road on the way back.  Appears to be licking something off the road's surface.  Watch then drive by for photos.  See fox as we turn into camping ground.  The first site was a highway department storage location and moose must have been attracted to the salt there.  There were signs forbidding moose-watching.  I think the moose we saw was licking salt off the road.

 

Wake up early to car alarm (5:30).  Kids crying (6 am).  Rush to get out by 11:00 checkout.  1st driving experience since hike, to get ice, ice cream, call Christina.  Buy block ice instead of cubes.  Slepe on drive to town.  Buy groceries.  See some other hikers and back on trail.  Trouble when right Leki pole locking after telescoping in lower half.  Climb up Piazza Rock, it's just a big rock.  'Caves' are just another Mahoosic Notch experience, but more fun without pack.  Hike past pond and up most of Saddleback to flat spot.  Full moon, but it gets real cloudy.  Mornings were definitely quieter on the trail.  My Leki poles were supposed to slide down for easier storage, but this one didn't want to lock in at full length again.  Well, almost through with them.  Great views from this campspot, I liked being up high even when it was dark.

 

Still sleeping a bit late.  Up to Saddlehorn summit, then over next two.  Outward Bound group, out for three weeks hiking, canoeing, students attempt to be independent at end.  PA Dutchmen, Camo and Never Again at lunch break.  Ford not difficult.  Get to shelter during rain.  One hiker lost her dog.  Ripper, a Dutchmen, has Lyme Disease - facial swelling, paralysis, heart swelling, EKG report, spinal tap.  Can still hike for now.  Never heard anything more about the dog.  Ripper would finish the hike the day after I do, and recover completely.

 

Off the next day.  Skip Sugarloaf side trail, no views 'til afternoon.  At river, PA Dutchmen build up rocks with which to cross.  Was frustrating getting down to river, big rocks.  Slipping a lot on roots, wet and no grip left in boots.  No view of glacial cirque.  Trail get easier going down, but I feel tired, feet tired of exact placement between rocks and roots.  Get to town before 5:00 though.  Share room with Pudding; buy him cigarettes, which cost four dollars now.  Can now estimate trip to be over in 10-11 days.  Write heaps of post cards, get groceries, eat two dinners, call Christina and Grandmommy.  Came into town with a mixture of fatigue and lightheadedness from hiking downhill to the point of hyperventilation.  To make that more clear, the Dutchmen were in the water of the river, moving rocks around to make for an easier crossing for anyone else.

 

Up with dawn (unwillingly) to pack up to VH1 videos.  Another phone call and last of the supplies.  Ride to post office, breakfast and trail with shuttle and PA Dutchmen.  First two miles easy then long and steep up.  Resting on way up the mountain, saw chipmunk run in hole of fallen tree, then he kept peeking out to see if had I left.  Brief rain storm whilst I cook the burgers.  Onward, but still tired.  Stop at lots of viewpoints and at one, decide to camp.  8 pm but sleepy.  Some rain around 4:30 but great night's sleep.  It turns out the Dutchmen were just ahead.  One of them tried fishing at that last shelter.

 

Up and at 'em.  First all is fogged in at views, but they open up at L'il Bigalow.  Slip a couple times.  Meet PA Dutchmen at shelter, they hadn't made it past the campsite near where I camped.  Take dip in the Tubs, pools in the brook.  Cold, but refreshing.  Cross 2000 mile mark, painted in the road.  Take nap on logging road, somewhat refreshing.  Hope I'm not fighting anything off, really seem sleepy a lot.  Next shelter on pond, but stormy whitecaps and wind.  Try Arnold's Point side trail, 50 yards, but it goes from narrow poorly maintained trail to bushwhacking to impassable.  Upset - no indication of where trail ends or why trail is there - no view, no plaque.  Write MATC about this, lost almost an hour and much patience (and some blood) on this trail.  Later on AT, some bog bridges that sink underneath your feet.  Get to pond, nice and big and surprisingly calm (compared to last one).  PA Dutchmen are out in a boat with pine logs as poles (have trouble getting back in).  Pond is warm with lots of leeches.  Do not swim.  Dutchmen build a fire, I go to sleep around 8:00.  I was really upset at that side trail.  Still mean to write MATC about it.

 

Great night's sleep.  Up to watch morning sky.  First on trail, great time to next shelter.  Trail then follows stream, swimming in pools.  I go on, but don't cliff dive, like Kodak.  Want to get on, so I can reach Monsoon in time.  Do regret not cliff diving later, since someone else had tried it, making it safe?  On to ferry.  River is so tame, not worth fording.  Decide to skip restaurant and go on.  Slip off log or misjudge mud or something and end up knee deep in thick mud.  Sucking sound as I pull it out.  All part of the full experience.  On to shelter for cookies, nap.  Up steep Mt. Pleasant (terrain belies name) and long walk down with sore feet to powerlines.  Meet up with Granny, Camo, Never Again and Pudding, but Kodak still has Puddin's shoes.  Get there just in time to cook before dark.  Lousy night's sleep, too buggy.  Rain at 4:15 does not deter mosquitos.  This was the Kennebec river, where the official AT is to ride in the canoe.  It was mild when I was there, but quickly turned into a raging torrent when the dam released more water.

 

First out of camp, pass by cable river crossing (not AT).  See Griz at next shelter, unusually long break.  Today will be a slow day due to a bad night's sleep.  Despite map profile, easy walk up Moxie Bald, even the weather clears up.  Snoozing at summit, realize I have four more miles to Monsoon than I had thought.  Down to shelter for a snack and then back at it.  Later tired again, probably not eating enough.  See "shallow grave" at one ford.  Quick stop at next shelter and then to frst actual ford with sandals to cook with Camo and crew.  ATV shows up, Camo stands him off.  Off for less buggy camping.  Peaceful walk, find place.  Some bugs but not for long.  The 'shallow grave' was some sort of crude grave marker, but who makes a grave this close to a river?  Finally a ford in Maine which can't be crossed by hopping on rocks.

 

Some rain at 4:15.  Start to get up but rain stops.  Rain returns at 5, up and moving.  Beech (?) trees especially good at shielding from rain.  Trouble getting a hitch, get cold with rain, walk in.  Finally someone stops.  Quick phone call home and then breakfast at restaurant.  Long wait there.  Check into Shaw's.  Decor is '50s nursing home.  Off to do laundry, hang out with other hikers in lounge watching TBS movies.  PA dutchmen come in, we watch "Witness."  Back to Shaw's for phone calls, etc.  See cows get fed by Shaw.  Big steak dinner.  Make final plans for Katahdin, off to sleep, feels good.  Much talk by Shaw against hostel competition.  It really looked like I wasn't going to get a ride in for that walk to town, which was something like four miles.  Great food at Shaw's, who didn't much care for the Pie Lady, his competition, or the laundromat which had great accomodations but lacked the AYCE meals.

 

Buy food I need, with supplements from other hikers and hiker box.  2 bags and everything full, most ever had in pack.  Shuttle to trail, take photo of sign.  Trail is up and down in the woods.  See weird jellyfish-like object in water.  Leave Griz after dinner.  Hear but do not see moose on the way to other shelter.  Get there after dark, trail not easy with headlamp.  Quickly to bed.  Meet Yurtman, whom Christina took to Atkins on her home from Damascus.  Pretty much bought out the hiker food at the store in Monsoon.  The sign at the beginning of the Hundred Mile Wilderness has dire warnings about the challenges of the section of the trail.  Had hiked on and off with Griz for the day.

 

Up, get water, and off.  Hike with Granny and 'John.'  Nice leisurely pace.  A bit low on water but OK.  Go on from shelter to camp by stream with Fenway and section hikers.  Great Plastic Burning Debate.  Annoyed by mouse-like creature at night.  Dump trash in empty trail magic cooler.  I had to go back down the trail to get water; the spring at the shelter had dried up.  Ran low on water during the day only because we decided not to head off the trail at one point to resupply; never ran out.  Water at the next shelter was a bit scarce too.  Fenway claimed it was better to burn plastic packaging than it is to burn paper or wood.  I disagreed; that was the jist of the debate.  Didn't get the trail magic from the cooler, but it looked like a prime time to jettison the trash bag, as others had also done.

 

First out of camp, ford stream (2nd with Tevas).  Hermitage nature sanctuary of white pines.  No 5 mile Gulf Hagas circuit hike this time.  Into shelter with moose droppings all up privy trail.  See 'Lone Wolf' and 'Gypsy' at next campsite.  Last saw them at Sam's Gap [TN].  He will be at ALDHA Gatherine in WV during Columbus Day weekend.  No views from Whitetop, supposed to be best in state.  All fogged in, chilly brisk winds.  Get water at next lean-to, ponder again what would happen if I were injured out here.  On way to next shelter see 'Rock Raven' who started 4/5, he is flipping from Rusty's.  His sister [also hiking] says, "we won't tell you what we ate last week (they've been off with allergic bee stings and the White House Landing)" and I return snappily with "that's OK, I won't tell you what I'll be eating next week (when off the trail)."  Walk through mossy woods to shelter, a nice one with skylights, chance of moose sightings.  But I have 60 miles to go in 3 days, flip coin and decide to leave.  Make it 2 miles to pond.  Sleep OK, but rains on and off all night.  Considered the scenic Gulf Hagas loop (to dart in and then back, not taking the circuit) but missed the trail that was supposed to have good views just off the AT.  Have to save something for next time, I remember thinking.  'Lone Wolf' hikes the trail often.  He paid me a strong compliment when he hefted my formidable pack and declared me a true backpacker.  He wasn't a lightweight either; I once saw him pull a stack of books out of his pack.

 

Up with snacks for breakfast, quickly becomes light.  Swim at shelter after real breakfast.  Tiring walk, slipping on and off bog bridges.  Quick nap.  Stop in Antler's Campsite, recommended for loons.  Great spot on lake.  Visit Fort Relief:  curtains, wash basin and register.  Talk with Erie folk from earlier shelter (where I swam) at the next shelter.  Big spring is water source.  Move on to campsite, only a sign, not really a developed spot.  Red raspberries taste better than blueberries.  I recall I ate snacks for breakfast because the cold rain didn't induce me to cook.  Ah, but raspberries aren't as common as blueberries.

 

I think there might have been more developed stuff at sign (privy), sign misleading b/c it just said tentsite.  Good night's sleep.  Up and on trail, see bull moose, take photo.  Remark upon how moss and trees grow along rocky side of Nesuntabunt Mountain.  Take photo from summit of Nesuntabunt of Mt. Katahdin, now clearly visble in distance.  Cheese begins to upset my stomach, too bad I have two lbs. left.  Take photo with totem pole at Rainbow Spring lean-to.  See bear cub but no mama bear.  On Rainbow Lake, see seaplane land, take off, land, take off...  Great night.  Buggy, but loons all night long, plus great swimming at dusk and then at dawn.  Photo didn't really turn out of moose.  Still have some of that cheese, any takers?

 

Brisk walking along ledges (no memorable views) and then to Lean To.  Avoid crazy woman, hustle down to Abol Bridge Camp Ground.  Great view of Mt. Katahdin from bridge.  Get snacks and read up on Pentium 4.  Lots of bugs walking along river into park.  See whitewater rafters go by.  Stop for swim at Big Niagara Falls, cold water.  Move on from Daicey Pond CG to Katahdin Stream.  Get disabled spot, meet with Christina, who saw a moose.  Cold dinner and then to bed.  I forget what made that woman crazy, I think it was a discussion of limiting entry to the park.  If you had asked me, I would have guessed that a Pentium 4 would be ready by the time I finished the trail.

 

Up next morning to pack up and move truck.  On trail at 7:38.  Slow walk up.  Some challenging sections and then big boulder climbs like in Mahoosic Notch.  Christina tired at summit.  Here the journal ends.  I was the only thru-hiker at the summit that day, though there would be several the next.  Also clear views on the following day.

 

I made the transition back to regular life fairly well.  I started work after two weeks and about a week after that the feet stopped hurting.  I'm writing this on January 17, as you can see I've been busy enough to take a while to writing this.  Just last weekend I took my first post-Hike hike in Duncannon (and the pack felt light).  And although I vowed not to do anything like this again, the Continental Divide is looking pretty good right now.