Trail Dreams

I continue to have dreams about the trail nearly every night even now 4 months after returning from the trail. However, the intensity and reality of my dreams have diminished. For the first month or two, every dream was as intense and real as if I were still on the trail. Over time, my dreams have become more abstract.

A few days ago, I had a dream about being on the trail with Shamrock. In my dream, we had to crawl through a mine tunnel for 100 miles of the trail. I remember thinking about how confining the mine was. I think this dream was probably the result of work related deadlines and stress.

I think the nature of my dreams changed as the memory of the trail faded. I still have visual memories and knowledge of the trail. However, I no longer feel the trail in my bones. I remember talking with several people at Abol Bridge the last full day on the trail about what life would be life off the trail. None of us could imagine life off the trail. We knew intellectually what we would do off the trail, but we could not feel it. Our intellectual knowledge lacked the knowledge of the physical experience. We were on the trail for so long that we could not imagine what it would be like waking up in our own beds. We could not imagine zeroing for more than a day. We could not imagine life without all of the trail pains.

There types of knowledge. We like to think that we can understand something or someone just by listening or imagining, which I think is important. However, there is something else that we can not understand unless we directly experience it, and then its gone. Even that knowledge does not last.

People ask if I ever intend to do the trail again. In a sense, I can never do the trail again. The experience would be entirely different. You can not go back. If I were to do the trail again, it would be a completely different experience, and I would need completely new reasons to do the trail.

What did it all mean?

I read accounts of people who did the trail before me. All indicated that the trail was a life changing experience. Although, I don't think any were able to fully explain how the trail changed them.

I did the trail as a spiritual quest. I was hesitant to do the trail without a hiking partner for fear of being alone on the trail. I was concerned about the uncertainty of trail life. I had no idea if I would even make it out of Georgia. The physical demands of the trail were intense. I wanted to know what it was like to do a long journey by foot. Others were more interested in making this an extended camping trip, and, therefore, did the trail at a much slower pace. There was something about walking and hard traveling that I wanted to experience. By the end of the trail, I was very comfortable walking alone for days not knowing what was around the next bend.

I no longer worry much about the future. The trail taught me how little I really need to be happy. Little pleasures like listening to the rain on the roof is so much more intense now that I know what it’s like to walk hundreds of miles in the rain in ankle deep muck. I still often have very intense dreams about the trail. I suspect that even now three months after leaving the trail that I still do not fully understand all of the ways the trail has changed me.

Trail Friends

I recently heard from Sherpa who was with Sonic and I the first few days of the trail. She wanted to retire this year, but her employer made her a three year offer she could not refuse. She only had a month on the trail before she had to go back to work. That was enough to really make her look forward to the trail in 2010 when she can finally retire. She hiked the trail with Low Impact (later Low). Low is a young man who I think just graduated college this year. Sherpa stayed in contact with several people Sonic and I knew at the start.

Low finished the trail in mid September after developing Lyme disease.

Shamrock left the trail in Vermont. I had heard that he was struggling mentally with staying on the trail. I would have expected him to have done the entire trail.

Sherpa said she shared a room with Stranger in Gattlinburg. Stranger's girl friend called to break up with him a short time later, and he did not have the heart to continue much longer after that.
Stanger was on the shuttle to Springer with Sonic and I.

Danger Mouse who was Sherpa's original hiking partner left the trail in Neels Gap with bad blisters. I remember eating lunch with them while Danger Mouse was trying to tape her blisters. Sherpa said that Danger Mouse was not intending to hike the entire trail. Leaving in Neels Gap just prevented additional pain.

Unicorn and Pegasus left the trail about midway when Pegasus developed a leg injury. They picked up a dog along the way. Many people found dogs along the way. Dogs seem to find their way to hostels.

Starts Slow and Taper Off were another couple that Sonic and I first met at the Marta station in Atlanta, and who was on the shuttle with Sonic and I to Springer Mountain. Starts Slow had gall bladder surgery a few weeks before leaving for the trail. She kept getting sick on the trail, and then got off to do support for Taper Off. No one knows if they made it or not.

Bundy, Caboose, and Van Sherpa all dropped out before Damascus. They were providing support for Zero Zero who is blind. Zero made it to Damascus with someone else he met on the trail, which is an incredible accomplishment. I can not imagine being blind on the trail. I struggled with staying on the trail at dusk. No one knows what happened to Zero after Damascus.

I did not know Toe Socks or Chaco. Sherpa said that Toe Socks broke her leg in PA or NJ. They will be finishing the trail next year.

Tiger Balm and Katahdin Kid both left the trail due to injuries. They are a retired couple that Sonic and I shared a trailer with at the Cloud Nine hostel, and who were on the shuttle with us to Springer Mountain. I met them in Monson, ME just before the Hundred Mile Wilderness. They had both done between 800 and a 1,000 miles before injuries took them off the trail.

No one has heard anything about Red Eyes. I've tried to find him by doing searches for his name on Trail Journals. We know that he was arrested in the Shanadoahs for making threats at a shelter. He was found to have drugs on him, so an extra charge was added to his arrest. Thought Foot told me that he heard Red Eyes returned to the trail using a different name, but he did not know anything else. I'm not sure if he was even sure that the rumor of Red Eyes' return was reliable.

No one has heard anything about Road Rash or Hobo Joe. The last news about Road Rash was that his money was out by Front Royal in VA, and he had to leave the trail to make more money. I heard that he was not hiking with Hobo Joe by that time, and that Hobo Joe made it to Happers Ferry where all news of his whereabouts end. I found Road Rash's phone number, and will try calling him this week.

No one has heard anything about Doc after Harpers Ferry. Thought Foot told me that Doc got sick on the trail, and was found walking in the wrong direction. Someone helped him get to Harpers Ferry where news about him ends.

What surprises me the most was the number of trail injuries. More people than I would have expected slipped and broke or tore something. If I remember correctly, Kathrine was the name of the woman who broke her arm the first or second day out. Stranger found her and helped her get to a road where she called her husband. I think Kathrine was on the shuttle with Sonic and I to Springer Mountain, but I don't remember her. I know that Stranger was on that shuttle. I wonder if she is the red haired woman in the photo with Sonic and I on Springer Mountain.

I think nearly everyone was sick at least once. I got sick twice. I knew many with Lyme disease or giardia. I also knew many who never treated water, and did not get sick with anything serious.

I read that people in really good shape have a lower chance of finishing the trail than people less physically fit. My theory is that no one's tendons, ligaments, and joints are conditioned for the trail. Muscles respond quickly to exercise. These other things do not. I remember several youngsters like the Professor who wanted to do really big mileage early on the trail. The last I saw or heard of the Professor was when he was zeroing indefinitely at Uncle Johnny's in Erwin, TN with an ankle injury. I think anyone can push hard for a few days or even a few weeks. Few can sustain that pace from the start without injuries. The physical difficulties of the trail can not be over stated.

Rain

Laying in a warm bed while listening to the rain is wonderful. It was a pleasure that was hard to imagine on the trail. There were so many days especially after Vermont that were wet all day. There was no way to stay dry. You knew when you got up that you were going to be wet and possibly cold all day long. Those days sure make it so much nicer knowing that I can listen to the rain inside in a warm bed.

Statistics

I'm on an email list with about 14 others who I met in Virginia, and apparently I'm the only one who finished the trail. The responses from the others on the list indicated most if not all were off the trail. I know of no one else I hiked with during the first half of the trail that has made it to Katahdin yet. Although, I'm sure that Thought Foot, Shamrock, and a few others will make it. Thought Foot is probably a week or two away from the end now. What's puzzled me was the official statistics for trail completion. Its reported that about 26% to 28% of those that start a thru hike finish their thru hike. This is not my experience.

I did a web search to find out where those numbers come from. They apparently come from the Amacola Falls State Park Visitor's center by Springer Mountain, and the ranger station at Mount Katahdin. The problem with these numbers is many if not most people starting at Springer do not do the approach trail. They start at Springer Mountain completely skipping the visitor center. This is what Sonic and I did. Of the two dozen people staying at the Hiker Hostel with us, nearly all were shuttled directly to Springer Mountain. My best guess is that there were at least as many people on the trail who skipped the visitor center as there were people who registered their hike with the park officials. This would cut the percentage of completed thru hikes at least in half.

The other problem with the official statistics is that the rangers at Mount Katahdin only ask if you started in Georgia. They do not ask if you hiked the entire trail. Of the 8 people I camped with during the Hundred Mile Wilderness, 5 had yellow blazed well over a 100 miles. This might be about the average for all people at Katahdin. The guide book talked about how you should resist the urge to yellow blaze in Maine. People are getting tired and burned out. I know I was experiencing those feelings too. However, if you count only those at Katahdin who made an honest effort to hike the entire trail, then you would have to cut the finish rate down again possibly by another half or more. This means the completion rate is only about 5% to 7%, which matches my experience much more than the 26% to 28% does.

Trail Magic

I've been off the trail for nearly three weeks, and the one surprise is how quickly the trail magic ended. The kindness of strangers was possibly the most important part of the trail. I can not over state the appreciation I had for all of the kindness I experienced along the way. Just finding a cooler with cold sodas was an incredible experience, but people did so much more than that. I came to realize that there was no small kindness. Everything was meaningful and appreciated.


When I left the trail, I wanted to be the one giving trail magic. This is harder than you might think. It seems like there are very few opportunities to give. I talked to Jaime, the owner of the Millinocket hostel where I stayed during my last day, about trail magic. She thought that everyone wants to give. Trail magic was a way for people to give to others. She also thought that it was very important for us thru hikers to take trail magic. You have to put yourself in a vulnerable position to take what is offered, but Jaime thought that was important. I really agree with her.


So why is it so hard to continue to give in everyday life? We are surrounded by people, but at the same time often very isolated. I read a study comparing the number of friends people reported having in the 1970s compared to today. The results indicated that most people have significantly fewer friends today than a generation ago. I wonder if the technology is partly to blame. We have cable TV and the internet. I think its easier to turn on the tv or the internet than it is to talk to other people. However, neither tv or the internet allows people to develop close friendships.


I don't understand the lack of trail magic in ordinary life. It was such a wonderful connection to other people.

Pictures

I've been very slowly adding photos to blog postings. Keep checking back to old posts for picture updates.

Home

It feels good to finally be home. I've been home the past few days. It was surprising how quickly I adjusted to life off the trail. While on the trail, I thought often about what life was going to be like off the trail. Now that life is routine.


I've been having very intense dreams about the trail every night. They are nothing more than dreams about being on the trail. They are some of the most enjoyable dreams I've ever had.

After nearly a week off the trail, my feet still hurt when I get up in the morning. Although, the shooting pains have lessened, and the pain in my knees has gone away. I hear from people who have been off the trail that it takes about four weeks for all of the pains to go away. The physical demands of the trail are intense. Everyone has significant pain especially near the end of the trail.

I still have some loss of feeling in my feet and toes. Everyone loss feeling in some part of their feet by the end of the trail. I haven't noticed that any feeling has returned yet. I hear that it can take months for the feeling to come back.

My hunger subsided rather quickly. I was eating about 6,000 calories a day while on the trail. It only took a couple days for me to lose that hunger.

I go back to work tomorrow. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, and I'm looking forward to working again.

The Long Ride Home

I left Millinocket at 9:00 AM on Monday morning. I was expecting a long bus ride home. Its almost 4:00 AM on Tuesday morning, and I have no idea when I will be home. I had a good book, and thought the ride would be a good transition to the "real world". My long bus ride is getting longer than expected.

I did not anticipate NYC. I had to change buses for the third time at the NYC Port Authority. The first thing I noticed was that the NYC culture is as opposite to trail culture as you can get. NYC people seem to have an aggressive, loud, self centered attitude. I watched the bus driver yell at several passengers who did not understand her poorly comunicated directions.

On the trail, people we generally friendly and helpful. You were definitely on your own, but people would likely help you if they could and you were not being stupid about something. At worst, people would just ignore you.

I also noticed the segregation of knowledge at the Port Authority. I suppose thiis could happen anywhere, but it seems to happen most often in big cities or government offices.

At the Port Authoriity, only wokers with dark shirts were directing passangers. If you had a question about why your bus was 3 hours late or why you had to keep lining up at different gates or how and when you were going to get home, well, those questions were for supervisors in white shirts. Supervisors did not mix with passengers, and they did not answer questions asked by workers in dark shirts.

I finally managed to get on a bus to Pittsburgh. I have no idea when the bus arrives in Pittsburgh or when I can get a bus to Cleveland. Those are all questions for supervisors in white shirts. Unfortunately, there are no supervisors in white shirts on this bus.

With bus travel so much more fuel efficient than air travel, its too bad a company can not make the system run more efficiently than the Greyhound. It would not be a bad experience otherwise.

I met a guy with a mohawk who likes to pound nails into his nose. He says everyone can do it. I also met a really aggressive 18 year old magazine sales person while standing in line. He says he makes $90,000 a year selling magazines door to door in Cambden, NJ. It seems like there are a lot of college students riding buses too.

Congratulations Joe!!

That is an amazing achievement! Its been fascinating following your journey. Thanks for sharing it with us every step of the way. I am looking forward to hearing more stories!

4 MONTHS AND 8 DAYS!!!!!

WOW! Joe you must have left the trail in a blazing fire!
You are Amazing!!!!

You are the 7.5 Million Dollar Man!

Awesome!!!

I always knew you would finish the trail. I'm looking forward hearing some trail stories (the ones you couldn't publish).
Mark

Way to Go!!!

Congratulations!!! If the average time to complete the trail is 6 months, what is the quickest time on record? It would probably take me 6 years to do a thru hike :)

Day 131 - The Ordeal Ends (August 17)

The ordeal ended as quickly and quitely as it began. I don't know why I thought it was such a good idea to walk from Springer Mountain, GA to Mount Katahdin, ME. I don't think anyone on the trail can explain why they thought it was such a good idea or why they stuck out the rain and misey of early Maine. It was a good experience. It was better than I expected.

I was up at 3:30 AM when I heard Pipper and Forest Gimp getting ready. I decided to get up with them. It would be dark when I started walking, and I preferred walking with others in the dark. It can be very difficult to find the white blazes with my headlamp.

We started out around 4:00 AM. The trail was mostly flat. We even saw a moose in the dark. I stopped to watch the moon set over the river a little after it stated getting light. It was a very beautiful morning. I saw Stripe come by while I was sitting in the semi dark. I startled him when I called out to him from the woods.

The trail crossed two streams. One had some logs across that I could walk on. The second had only one thin log that looked really dangerous. I wanted to keep my feet dry for the climb up so I tried to construct a log bridge. I ended up wearing my crocs, sitting on the log, and pushing myself across with my feet on a submerged log. I'm not going to miss these river crossings.

I made it to the ranger station about 10 minutes after Pipper, Forest Gimp, and Stripe left for their climb up Katahdin. I would have been right behind them except that I was offered breakfast by a group of campers. They wanted to know all about my trip so I ended up talking more than eating. One in the group thru hiked in 2000.

The climb up Katahdin was supposed to be the hardest of the entire trail. The rangers tell people to expect an 8 to 10 hour climb up and down. The climb was not as steep or dangerous as other climbs, but it was definitely long with a very long section above tree line. I hate being above tree line. Its too windy and cloudy up there.

It took 2.5 hours to get to the top. The summit was in the clouds. I was surprised by how many people were at the top. It was windy and cold, and most people were not prepared for the weather. I had my picture taken by the Baxter Peak sign. I forgot to touch the sign so I may not actually be finished with my hike.

It was cold so I did not stay too long at the top. I met Pipper, Forest Gimp, and Stripe on the way up, and I met them again on the way down. There was some nice views once I got below the clouds.

I did not feel much of anything finishing the trail. It seemed like just another day on the trail. I was feeling some anticipation of the climb up and down just because I knew the climb was supposed to be so hard. I suppose the trail is not over with one step. Its a gradual end with many millions of steps.

There are stages to the trail experience. I could never relate to either former thru hikers or to southbounders. Our experiences were too different. The trail changes you in stages so slow that you hardly notice them. There is the excitement of the beginning, the routine of the middle, and the fatigue of the end. It may be more complicated than that, but I think we all experienced those changes.

I was going to leave the park with Pipper, Forest Gimp, and Stripe, but they found a ride that had room for only three. I very quickly met a nice Canadian couple who gave me a ride to Millinocket. They even left me with a bottle of wine.

I'm staying at the AT lodge. I should be able to get a shuttle to the bus station in the morning. I shared the wine with Jaime and some other guests. Jaime's daughter is Hippy Chick who Sonic and I met at the very last shelter of Sonic's trip. Hippy Chick and Poet are in CT now. They have less than two months to get to Katahdin before it closes for the year.

Run Joe Run

Run like The Six Million Dollar Man!

He has left you hanging again.

Hasn't he? Are you on the edge of your seat?

Day 130 - Katahdin Looms (August 16)

There is still some debate over whether we should go up Katahdin tomorrow or hike to the Birches campsite tomorrow and do Katahdin on Monday. However, that was not the main debate of the day. Everyone was more interested in discussing whether to pay the 10 dollars for a campsite and try to yogi 10 dollars in food or stealth camp for free.

I got to the private campground by Abol Bridge first, and asked for a campsite thinking all eight of us would split the cost. It turned out that they charge hikers 10 dollars per person, which I paid. Everyone else thought this was a rip off because the campground would be getting 80 dollars for one site.

I waited around for a while and then left to set up my tent. It turned out to be one of the best camp sites with a beautiful view of Katahdin. I also did not have to actively yogi anything. Food came my way in abundance. Later Pipper and Forest Gimp paid, and they too discovered the bounty of the campground.

The first course was a great big bowl of pasta with a single biscuit given by the lady to the right. The next course was salad given by Gene, the man in front. Gene also set up stuff so we can make coffee on his grill before we leave in the morning. I'm feeling so full that I can not eat another bite.

I'm getting up at 4:00 AM to hike the 10 miles to the base of Katahdin. I have to be there by 10:00 AM or the rangers will not let me on the mountain. This is supposed to be the toughest climb on the trail. I hear there are a lot of technical climbing.

Surprisingly, none of us are feeling much of anything right now. Tomorrow is just another day on the trail. I don't feel much anticipation. What anticipation I do feel is more related to getting to the mountain early enough and the actual climb itself. I'm hoping I will feel something when I'm at the top.

Regardless of what I feel, reaching the top is the end of a long strange journey. I will no longer know what it feels like to be on this thru hike. I met several former thru hikers on the trail, and I don't think we could relate to each other. They did not seem to understand our experience, and we could not imagine life off the trail. Reaching the top ends the journey. The quest will be over and in the past.

We talked this afternoon about what life will be like off the trail. I don't think any of us can really imagine that life. Sailboat said that before the trail, he thought a lot about what trail life would be like, but he could never really imagine it. He said he has been thinking about what life off the trail would be like, and can not really imagine it either. I think that is about as accurate of a statement as any that I'm feeling right now.

Sailboat is waiting for his sister from Texas this evening by Abol Bridge with Sage. There was no cell phone reception for days, and the pay phone at the camp store is broken. He does not know if she is coming today or tomorrow. Stripe, Pipi and Hamburgler, and Rino are stealth camping somewhere free.

Stripe stopped by our campsite to look at the map and make plans for tomorrow. The camp ground lady came by and told him he had to immediately leave the campgound. I'm sure she is not chasing everyone else's guests away, and Stripe spend a lot of money in the camp store today.

I better get some sleep now so I'm ready for the big climb tomorrow. If all goes well, I will be soaking in a tub in a motel in Millanocket tomorrow night.

Day 129 - Last Day in Wilderness (August 15)

There was a view of Katahdin across a lake today. Its lookiing much bigger than when I first saw it from White Cap Mountain yesterday. I hear its the hardest climb on the entire trail. There are supposed to be a lot of rock climbing to get up and down.

I'm at the Wadleigh Stream lean-to tonight with Captain Jack, Pipi & Hamburgler, Sage, and Sailboat. I met Captain Jack somewhere before, but I don't remember where. He looks like Johnny Depp in the pirate movies. He got off the trail for five weeks, and then decided to flip flop. I think he lost his trail legs. He thinks the Hundred Mile Wilderness is hard.

This should be the last night camping at a shelter on the trail. There is only 38 miles to Katahdin, and 23 miles to Abol Bridge. There is a private campground at Abol bridge that I will probably stay at tomorrow night. From there, it is a 10 mile hiike to the base of Katahdin and 5 miles to the top.

I may try to summit on Sunday. The altenative is to do a 10 mile day to the Birches campsite for thru hikers, which is at the base of Katahdin. If I decide to summit on Sunday, I will have to get up around 4:00 AM to get to the base early enough to make it up and down.

I think I may have been sick for a while. I'm feeling like I have more strength than I've had for a few weeks. I've been feeling drained. I thought I was feeling burned out, but I'm not so sure anymore. I've had a caugh and a stuffy nose since the Whites. My energy level decreased after the caugh started. I've been feeling a lot like I did after I had the fever in Demascus except I don't think I have a fever.

Day 128 - Katahdin (August 14)

I had my first view of Katahdin today from White Cap mountain. After all of these months, I can finally see the other end of the trail.

I'm ready for the end. My feet hurt. They have been pounded for over four months. I lost a lot of feeling in my feet and toes. Everyone has lost some feeling. The amount of and location of the loss of feeling is different for each person. It is also very painful to walk in the morning. It gets better after a few steps. And I also get shooting pains in the bottoms of my feet from time to time.

I've been pushing myself to near the limits of my physical and mental endurance for the last few months. There are many things I really enjoy about trail life like the beauty and the people I've met. However, trail life is a very hard life for those on a budget with limited time. I took few zeros the last half of the trail. I also knew I needed to make up miles, which meant I did not have much time for rest. I missed home and everyone back home.

Trail life also meant being uncomfortable for very long periods. My feet have been wet every day now for weeks. I walked through clouds of biting insects, through heat, cold, and rain knowing that I would get up and do the same thing day after day with no end in sight.

Trail life was not all bad, however. The trail magic was amazing. You never knew when the kindness of others would change your day or what was around the next corner. I remember telling Sonic when we were driven off Blood Mountain that we may have a more miserable night off the mountain than with those kids or we may find the Neels Gap hostile open and meet new friends. It turned out we had a wonderful time at the hostile. That's where we met Thought Foot and Road Rash.

Trail life has especially made me appreciate the kindness of others. I could not have finished the trail without all of the little things that strangers have done for me. But more importantly, I learned that there is no such thing as little kindness. I learned to appreciate even the smallest kindness. I hope that not only will I never forget this appreciation, but I hope I can show kindness and openness to others.

I'm tenting at Cooper Brook Falls lean-to. There are several people here who want to summit on August 18. They are Stripe, Forest Gimp, Pipper, Pipi & Hamburgler, Sailboat, Sage (who I hear is around but I've not seen him since VT), and Rino (who I also think is here). I will most likely finish with them on the 18th, but I would prefer to finish on the 17th if I can. Its hard to imagine having unlimited zeros in just a few days.

Day 127 - Carl A Newhall Lean-to (August 13)

I feel physically drained. I don't know if I'm feeling burned out or if I'm physically sick. My energy level is as low as it was when I got sick after Damascus. However, most of us are feeling burned out.

I just have four more days on the trail before Katahdin. There are less than 80 miles to go. Tomorrow will be a physically demanding day, and then it will be nearly flat for 70 miles. The problem is I will be walking through about 55 miles of bogs. I just keep telling myself that my feet will be dry in just a few more days.

I hear that Pipi and Hamburgler as well as Sage and Sailboat are camping nearby. All four yellowblazed hundreds of miles. Forest Gimp skipped over a hundred miles. Nearly eveyone around me skipped large sections. There are few AT purists. Pipper and Cricket are purists. They are determined to see every white blaze. I'm just walking from Spinger Mountain, GA to Mount Katahdin, ME.

Rino is not doing too well. I think he realized that fasting through the wilderness was not a good idea.

I missed only a fraction of one percent of the AT. I blue or yellow blazed only when there were dangerous sections of the trail. The biggest section I missed was in the Sattleback Range when the rivers were not safe to ford. Cricket was the only one willing to wait for the rivers to recede, and I heard he waited at least four days. I never heard if he was able to cross the river, but I assume he did by now.

There were many dangerous sections of the trail I should have and would have skipped if I had known about the actual trail conditions. The landslide on Moody Mountain near Andover, ME was one section I should have skipped.

It at least did not rain today. There were a few fast river fords yesterday, but nothing dangerous today. I don't know what tomorrow will bring.

Day 126 - Hundred Mile Wilderness (August 12)

I'm finally in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. Although, I don't think its the same as it used to be. There are many logging roads through the Wilderness. I've heard there are people who will slack pack you through the entire wilderness. I also heard that it was expensive because you have to drive so far on logging roads.

I've always been interested in forests. I saw a sign earlier today showing the location of a 1949 / 1950 logging camp. I'm guessing this area was logged then. However, I see some large pine trees where I'm camping that are probably older than 60 years.

What seems to be missing from Maine is the forest diversity. It seems to be mostly a pine forest. I don't see any cedar or birch groves like there are in the Boundary Waters.

I got a late start from Shaw's Boarding House this morning. I got in too late to resupply at the grocery store last night. I was the last person served breakfast, and could not resupply before the shuttles to the trail left. I was fortunate to have someone drive me later.

I met Tiger Balm and Katahdin Kid at the store this morning. They were on the shuttle to Springer Mountain with Sonic and I. They also shared a trailer with Sonic and I at Cloud Nine hostile. They are a retired couple who were flip flopping the trail this year. It sounds like both are off because of injuries. It was nice seeing them.

They told me they read in a shelter register that Red Eyes was arrested for drugs in the Shanadoah, which is different than threatening people. Both might be true however. I'm sure Red Eyes would have had drugs on him at all times. If he were arrested for anything, he would also be arrested for drugs.

I met up with Stripe, Pipper, and Forest Gimp at the Long Pond Stream lean-to. I did not expect to see them today. Pipper and Forest Gimp seem too competitive for me. I would prefer they take the lead and do their thing so I can do my hike without distractions.

Rino and his dog are at the shelter too. Rino has brought no food for himself. He is only carrying food for his dog. He said he has fasted like this before. He also did the trail two years ago. None of us think fasting though the Wildeness is a good idea.

It is raining again. The trail was drying out and the stream levels were going down. This rain may make the streams dangerous to ford. I'm happy I only have 99 miles to go. I just hope the rain does not prevent me from getting through the Wilderness. At this point, I just want to be done.

The only reason I'm still on the trail now is because I'm currious about knowing what it will be like to actually see Katahdin getting closer and closer, and because I'm worried that I might regret leaving the trail in Maine. The first is a good reason to be here, and the second is not. I think I accomplished all I could have hoped for by early Maine. It was probably time to leave the trail then.

Day 125 - Monson, ME (August 11)

I'm staying at the Shaw's Boarding house in Monson. I camped with Pipper, Stripe, Forest Gimp, Memphis Tim, and Limeonaid last night at the Bald Mountain Brook lean-to. Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, and I seem to be slackers compared to the others. I think that is why we naturally started hiking together.

On the trail, you never really plan who you are going to hike with or have lunch with or camp with. You seem to just hang out with different people. Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, and I were all willing to give up our seats on a shuttle rather than fight with everyone else. Maybe its not surprising that we are hiking together.

I wrote early in the trip how very different people seem to get along very well on the trail. Sherpa and Low Impact are a great example. Sherpa was an older woman who is about to retire and Low Impact is a young man who recently graduated from college. They hiked together for hundreds of miles until Shepa had to go back to work. This has not changed the entire trip. The trail breaks down social barriers. You see and related to people based on their character rather than social expectations.

The trail was rather nice for a change. I suspect the Maine trail people don't have the money to relocated this section of the trail in a bog yet. Much of the trail ran along a very scenic stream.

We went over a mountain in the morning. The clouds were below us. A few mountain tops poked out above the clouds like islands in a sea. I took a lot of pictures. I hope some at least turned out well.

We heard of many people who are leaving the trail in the Hundred Mile Wilderness. We heard the Four Sisters who I never met but heard about left the trail 60 miles from Katahdin. I understand why they might have done this, and respect them for their decision. There is a time to get off the trail. A lot of things like your original trail expectations, your trail experience, trail conditions, and weather all determine that time. I'm probably staying on a little longer than I should.

Day 124 - Stephen Catz (August 10)

I just found out that Stephen Catz from "A Walk in the Woods" is not a real person. No one saw Bill Bryson walking or camping with anyone while he was on the trail. Stephen Catz also has never been identiified in real life. I'm really disapointed. I liked the character of Catz.

I also hear that the movie "A Walk in the Woods" is probably not going to be filmed. Robert Redford had the book rewritten to be about two retired guys (Redford and Newman). A lot of people are very happy the movie will not be made because they do not believe it would capture the trail life. Based on my memory of the book, I do not think Bryson captured trail culture. Maybe its best the film is not made.

We got a shuttle around the Kennebec River today. Shilo's son, John, lives in Maine. He had a pickup truck we could all fit in.

At the start of the trip I knew there would be a natural end point. I did not ever make Katahdin a primary goal. It always seemed to be an artificial goal. I think a good end point would have been around the Mahoosuc Notch. I think I could have left the trail then without regret. I'm on the trail now only because I don't want to get off this close to the end. However, if this is a spiritual journey, now is exactly the time to get off.

I no longer find pleasure in walking the trail. It may be that Maine's trail is just too poorly constructed and maintained to enjoy. I read that most of the trail in Maine was constructed after 1968. The trail people in Maine write about the rugged nature of the trail. What they really did was create a poorly engineered and maintained trail. They are using the "rugged" to mean poorly constructed. I know of no one who enjoys this part of the trail.

Memphis Tim said he read one of Earl Shafer's books. He said Earl talked about how much he enjoyed Maine during his first thru hike in 1946 and how much he hated what happened to Maine's trails during his third thru hike in 1998. You can not look at anything in this state except your feet while you are walking.

I'm at the Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to tonight with Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, Stripe, Pipper, and Forest Gimp. What,s interesting is how we broke up in groups based on yesterday's shuttle. Pipper, Forest Gimp, and Stripe made sure they were on the first very over crowded shuttle. Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, and I were willing to wait. I think we are all slackers lacking competitive drive.

Day 123 - Pierce Pond Lean-to (August 9)

We got a late start because we could not fit on the first shutle. I think the first ones out stopped for breakfast because it took an hour and a half for Sue (hostile owner) to return. When we did get to the trail, we knew we would not have enough time to make it to the Kennebec River ferry before it closed so Memphis Tim, Limeonaid, and I decided to take our time to the shelter.

We stopped at the 2,000 mile marker in road to take pictures. This is a maker someone made in a previous year. We already crossed the 2,000 mile mark yesterday. I remember looking in the guide book at the mileage remaining when we had just passed the 2,000 miles to Katahdin mark. That distance was unimaginably large. Now the distance remaining is the same as the distance traveled to get to the 2,000 mile to Katahdin mark. I still can not imagine walking 2,000 miles even though it is something I already did.

It turned out the ferry was closed and will likely remain closed for days due to high water. The ferry is a canoe that somene uses to take hikers across the river. There is a hydroelectric dam upstream that releases water unexpectedly due to electric needs. People have drowned trying to cross the river so the ferry service was started.

We slogged out another 16 miles today. The terrain was relatively flat, but the trail is under water in many places. The trail is wet and slippey. It takes all of your concentration to keep from falling. Just another 155 miles remaining. I'm hoping to be at Katahdin in 7 days, and then take one day to summit. I don't know if this is possible with conditions as they are.

We had floating bog bridges to cross a one section. This seemed like it was something out of a tv reality show like Survivor. The bridges would sink to the bottom when you stepped on them, but you never knew what angle they would be when you finally put all of your weight on them. They were also very slippery.

We hear that we have to ford a couple streams that will be very high. It sounds like the worst that can happen is you might have to swim. The water is cold, but maybe not cold enough for hypothermia if the weather does not worsen.

We went to Harrison Camp in the afternoon to let them know we wanted in on beakfast. We met Shilow's son there who has a truck and is shuttling people around the river. It looks like we have a way around the Kennebec.

The loons are singing tonight. The thru hiker guide book talks about how rugged and unspoiled Maine is. This area is filled with logging roads and cabins on all of the lakes. The Boundary Waters is unspoiled, not Maine.

The average

According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the average thru-hiker takes six months to finish. Joe has only been on the trail for 4 months and 8 days.
So what do you people want from him? I mean do you you really expect him to finish that fast? What is he Bionic? Did you want him to rush thru the end to hurry back to work for the man? He's probably taking his time observing the mating habits of the Moose. Or perhaps he has joined a pack and is living with them for awhile.

So you need not worry. Plus very few people fall to their death, click on the title for the list of fatalities in Baxter State Park. It's usually heart attacks or exposure or your co-hiker clubs you to death for eating the last granola bar and tries to say they though it was a bear charging them.

Caryn I finally finished painting the stripes in the bedroom. It looks awesome. Thanks for your tips.

Not that I'm trying to scare you, but look at this video.

Click the title to see someone elses video.
Look what Joe will have to do. Scary!

Are you all holding your breath?

Well are you?

Web cam of Mt. Katahdin

Just click on the title for the link.

Day 122 - 2,000 Miles (August 8)

I just did my first 2,000 miles today. Since I'm not planning on returning to Georgia, I'm also hoping this is my last 2,000 miles. There are only about 170 miles remaining between me and Katahdin. I've actually walked many more miles than 2,000. The 2,000 miles are just trail miles.

The trail conditions may be the worst that they have ever been. Maine has had record rain and cold temperatures. The trails are streams. We are walking in ankle deep muck and mud. Everything is slippery. Climbs up and down are very dangerous. Possibly everyone has taken serious falls that could have taken them off the trail if they fell wrong. The streams are no longer all fordable, but information on which streams are not fordable is not being disseminated. The ferry at Kennebec River may or may not be closed tomorrow. If it closes, we will be stuck with no way across until it opens again.

Stripe, New Guy, Memphis Tim, and I slack packed Bigalow Mountain today. We got a shuttle to the south side of the mountain, and walked back to the Straton hostile. It was nice not having to walk with a heavy pack. The only reason I did this section is because I was with three other people. Bigalow Mountain has ridges above the tree line. It rained all day. The temperatures felt like it was near freezing at the higher elevations, and the wind was very strong. It was very relieved to be off the mountain.

Limeonaid arrived at the hostile from Rangely. She said that Loafy is talking about leaving the trail. He hiked back to Rangely when he saw the stream we crossed yesterday. I think he made a very good decision not to ford that stream. It was waist high and very fast with rapids just below where we forded. Fording that stream was one of the most dangerous things I did on the trail. Cricket is still at the Poplar Ridge shelter waiting for the waters to recede. People are giving him food while he waits.

If visibility was clear, we should be seeing Katahdin from the higher peaks. Unfortunately, visibility is less than a quarter mile. We have had very few views since entering Maine.

I'm hoping to be in Monson in three days if all of the rivers are fordable. Monson is the last resupply before the hundred mile wilderness. It should only be five days through the hundred mile wilderness. Katahdin should be the final day. It should be really good to finally see Katahdin, and then see it get closer and closer every day. However, it's possible we will not see Katahdin once until we are there unless the weather clears.

The weather and trail conditions are so bad that we are all just looking forward to finishing. I would like to hike the remaining miles. However, there may be many streams that are not fordable. I think nearly everyone has decided that we will keep hiking, and will do our best to hike every remaining mile as long as its safe. Blue and yellow blazing may be necessary in order to continue our hike to Katahdin. The weather forecast for the next week calls for rain. Waiting for the weather to clear doesn't appear to be an option at this time. There is no break in the rain in the forecast.

Day 121 - River Fording (August 7)

Today may have been the most dangerous day on the trail to date. I keep thinking that conditions can not get worse than they already have been, but conditions keep getting worse. Wait until you see the pictures of the river we had to ford. You can not imagine how stupid it is to continue on the trail.

It rained very hard all night long. By early morning, the rain decreased to just a drizzle. Zak and Barbara had a friend take their car to the Caribou road just off the AT. However, they moved their car because of the rain. Their friends did not think that the stream by Caribou road was fordable. We had heard that this stream was waist high yesterday. We had heard that the next stream was ankle deep and rising by mid afternoon yesterday. Zak and Barbara offered to give us a ride out. The weather forecast called for more rain and thunderstorms for this afternoon. We did not have enough food to wait more than another day for the weather to break and the streams to go down. We decided it was safest to get out as quickly as possible.

When Barbara, Zak, Loafy, Stripe, and I got to the stream, it was waist high, and not fordable. There were rapids downstream, and a waterfall entering the stream. We decided to trail blaze upstream to look for a better place to cross. There was an AT sign about a half mile back up the trail that we thought might be at an old logging road. We went back up the trail, but could not make any progress down what might have been an old logging road. We then went back toward the stream and found a moose trail we were able to trail blaze until we found a place in the stream that seemed more fordable.

Loafy decided when he saw the stream that it was not worth the risk of crossing. He was going to walk back to Rangley. Cricket was going to see every white blaze regardless of the risk. We left him at the shelter with some extra food so he could wait out the high water. Loafy may have been the only one who made the right decision.

I was tallest so I volunteered to cross the stream with a rope. Stripe and Zak held on to one end. I thought that if I fell, they would be able to prevent me from going down the rapids before where we were crossing. I got most of the way across, but did not think I could make it any further. My feet were slipping. I felt like I would lose my footing at any time.

Zak said that he is heavier and decided to try. He made it across the stream. We tied a rope across the river, which made crossing much easier. We all got across without a problem. Zak took the dog across in his backpack.

Once on the other side, we needed to find either the trail or the logging road that was shown on our maps. We had to walk a while through the woods parallel to the stream before we found the logging road. We had to walk at least 5 miles on the logging road before we met a logging crew who gave us a ride to Zak and Barbara's car.

We met Chris the New Guy at the hostile. He told us about how he had to swim across the stream at Caribou road. He fell while crossing, but was able to swim with his pack to the shore. He thought this was the most dangerous thing he's done on the trail.

After a very long day, we finally made it to Stanton where we are staying tonight. I will continue on the trail when I feel it's safe. I will blue blaze anything I feel is too dangerous. I will yellow blaze when blue blazes are not possible. Maine does not use bridges. All streams need to be forded. This doesn't make much sense. I'm sure they have access to the same money every other state has. What they are doing here is extremely dangerous. It will kill someone.

I have less than 200 miles to go. We are planning on slack packing Bigelow Mountain tomorrow. I could be on Katahdin in 10 days.

Day 120 - Saddleback Mountains (August 6)

I made a decision today that I will not ever question. I will never go above tree line unless I know what the weather is going to be. I heard that there was going to be rain. I heard nothing about winds. The trails are completely flooded. I slipped on my way up the mountains and cut up my left leg. No one has been able to walk without falling. The trail conditions are often so bad that you fall hard several times a day.

The winds were at least 40 miles an hour. They were faster than they were on Mount Washington. I had a good rain jacket. However, rain would fall on my hands, and then run into my sleeves. When ever I lifted my arms, water would run down my shirt. I knew that if I kept moving, I would be ok. If I stopped moving, I would have hypothermia before very long. There was no way to completely get out of the weather until you made it to a shelter. The ground is saturated. If you set up a tent, you would be sleeping in a puddle.

The real danger was not the wind and the rain. Nor was it the really bad trail conditions. The real danger was the combination of both the wind and rain, and the trail conditions. The trail conditions are so bad that if you break a leg or sprain an ankle, you will likely die of exposure. This is danger way beyond what I and most others on the trail think is reasonable.

I made it to the Poplar Ridge shelter by early afternoon. Stripe was already there. A couple (Zak and Barbara and their dog) from Baltimore was there as was a Southbounder whose name I did not get. Later Loafy and Cricket came in. I met both on my way to the shelter. I was really worried about Cricket. He was wet coming up Saddleback Mountain. He came in very late. I was hoping he turned around, but he came in safe. We were all packed in very tight for the night.

It poured all night long. I stayed in my sleeping bag almost the entire time I was at the shelter. I just ate a few snacks and never made dinner. A guy with a dog showed up late. We offered to make room, but it would have been hard with his dog. He decided to tent.

A rare glimpse of Rabbit

This is a photo from Certain's trail journal. It's our Rabbit, V8 and Auntie Mame when they were at lonesome lake hut in NH.

Day 119 - Rangely (August 5)

Stripe, New Guy, and I made it into Rangely early this afternoon after a fairly short 9 mile hike. We all needed to resupply here. Stripe is staying with a friend of his mom, and New Guy is heading back to the first shelter from the road. That shelter is only about a mile from the road so I decided to stay in town tonight. The next 35 miles to Straton will be very difficult miles. The mountains are high with peaks above the tree line, and the trail is nothing but muck and water. Rain is forecasted every day for at least the next 5 days.

Hitching with two other people was not a problem. We have all discussed hitching techniques. Some people believe its easier to hitch when you are with someone because the driver sees you are not a friendless loner. Others believe its easier to hitch alone because the driver will not feel out numbered. Stripe likes to give people a friendly wave as they pass to let them know we are friendly and its ok to stop. I think trying to get as clean as possible might help a lot, but I mostly get rides from guys in pickups who probably don't care about a little dirt.

I still have to find a place to stay. There is a hostile fairly close to town for $20. There is also Riff Raff's friendly about 4 miles away. They will come and pick you up if you call. I hear that Riff Raff's place is a good place to go if you like to stay up late. A friendly is usually someones house. They can not charge you to stay there, but a donation is accepted. I think a hostile has state established rules cooking and beds and stuff like that. Friendlies are usually much cheaper and often accept work for stay.

Trail conditions are so bad that I really don't want to get back on the trail tomorrow. I've just been thinking about doing the miles. I calculated that I may be able to finish with 12 more days on the trail. There are about 220 miles left. Those miles can be done in 12 days if all goes right. It might take longer. Those miles are all underwater, and we will be walking in ankle deep muck the entire way. It's supposed to rain every single day so we will be wet all day too. There are low clouds so there will be no views either.

I think the one reason that I'm staying on the trail now is that when ever it rains or the weather is bad, it will feel so good knowing that I do not have to walk hundreds of miles in it. There was a really interesting chapter in Moby Dick about how you can not know pleasure until you know discomfort. I agree. While the next 12 days will be mostly unpleasant, I think they will make all of the days I'm sitting at home while its raining outside that much more pleasant.

Day 118 - Slogging it out in the Muck (August 4)

The muck and rain is awful. The trail is underwater. The trail is a stream in many places. The muck is ankle deep with unseen holes that are knee deep. I stepped in one hole, and jammed my knee into a fallen log. Words can not describe how awful the trail conditions are here. What's worst is going up and down slopes. The rocks are wet and there are no rock stairs. One slip, and you can be off the trail for good.

Maine is getting record rainfall. Its been raining every day since I got into Maine, and the forecast calls for rain every single day. We are wet. Our feet are wet. Our shoes are soaked and very heavy. Walking is very difficult.

The shuttle driver told me this morning that he is taking northbounders off the trail now. They are quiting because of the rain and trail conditions. I've heard of other northbounders who are so disgusted with the weather and trail conditions that they are hitching to Monson to start the 100 mile wilderness. I think the trail gets a little less dangerous after Mount Bigelow. I still have about 60 miles of this stuff. After Bigelow, the trail will still be wet and mucky. I'm just hoping it will be less dangerous.

We had to ford a very fast moving stream today. Fortunately, there was a fallen tree across the stream. We sat on the tree and pushed our way across. If it wasn't for the tree, I have no idea how we could have safely crossed the stream. I was hiking with Stripe and Limeonaid at the time.

I'm at the Sabbath Day Pond lean-to with Stripe, Limeonaid, Cricket, and New Guy. We were talking about the danger level on the trail. The danger level is much higher than we expected or think is reasonable. The trail is very poorly maintained in Maine. Cricket wants to write letters to trail people letting them know how dangerous sections of the trail are here. I don't think anyone cares. It would have been nice to have had better warnings before starting the trail. There is a difference between physically difficult which is how this portion of the trail is usually described and physically dangerous which is what this portion of the trail actually is.

I noticed that I am hiking a lot slow lately. It helps to hike with others now. I can't seem to get into the same rhythm that I used to have. I think I'm getting burned out on all of the dangerous stuff we have to do on the trail, the awful trail conditions, and the weather. There are no views. Everything is wet. Walking is extremely difficult. Our shoes are very heavy with water and muck. I calculated that I can be on Katahdin 12 days after leaving Rangely, which I should be at tomorrow. I'm just slogging out miles now.

Day 117 - Landslide on Moody Mountain (August 3)

I did a section of the trail with a level of danger much greater than I want. I'm both angry about the lack of warnings and relieved to to have done it safely. I had even thought about walking off the trail I was so angry. However, there should only another 70 miles of this crazy stuff.

What happened was a landslide took out part of the trail leaving slick sloping muddy rock with a drop off at the edge. A thunderstorm developed after I left the last shelter. I was within a couple miles of a road and wanted to go to Andover to resupply. The best way to minimize my exposure to the lightning was to move quickly and get off the mountain.

The trail was a very steep incline up with several places with wooden and rebar ladders. At one point, a landslide took out the trail leaving a sloping and slick rock surface to cross. My options as I saw them at the time were to cross the landslide area to get out of the lightning as quickly as possible or walk 10 miles back to the last road.

I wanted to get out of the lightning so I crossed the landslide area. If I slipped, I would likely have fallen off the edge and dropped about 10 feet. The fall would not likely have killed me, but I doubt I could have continued on the trail. Bones would have snapped.

What made me really angry was the sign on the north side of the mountain warning people of the danger. A sign should have been posted at the last road south so that people would have the option of skipping this section. I was so angry with the trail people for not posting a second sign that I wanted to walk off the trail for good. Posting one sign is like warning people on only one side of a bridge that is out. This is not why I'm here. If I wanted to rock climb, I would have brought a rope and climbing gear. I do not want to take this level of risk.

This section of the trail has the most dangerous stuff than any other portion of the trail. There is often little attempt to make the trail walkable. The trail goes straight up and down mountains. If the bedrock is a smooth steeply sloped surface, it doesn't matter. The trail goes right up and over the mountains with no attempt to make it walkable.

There is a difference between physically difficult and physically dangerous. Several places in the trail have rebar ladders. More sections need rebar ladders or wooden ladders. Maybe Boomer can tell us how much effort is required to install climbing bolts. I would think that while this might take some time, rebar or wooden ladders would really help in places.

I met Brian today on his way back on the second portion of his yoyo. I first met him on Blood Mountain when Sonic and I were driven from the mountain by those unruly kids. It sounds like his hike is going well. He is dating Liz who stayed at the first hostile with Sonic and I.

I met a section hiker today who tried to tell me the last 20% of the trail takes 80% of the effort. I tried to tell him that if that were really true, then all of us Northbounders would only be doing 4 or 5 mile days. We are putting in the same level of effort we did over much of the trail, but that effort is only getting us about 75% of the miles we did in the middle states. We were not in good enough shape at the beginning to compare those miles. I think the Southern states took just as much effort as New Hampshere and Maine, but without as much danger and spread out over more miles. He also did not think there was any dangerous sections of the trail except in NH and ME, but those were the only sections he hiked.

I'm staying at a hostile in Andover. I'm getting good at hitching. A couple of guys in a pickup picked me up. I was very wet on a road with very little traffic. My cell phone had no signal and it was 9 miles to Andover. I was wondering how the day would end.

Day 116 - Mahoosuc Notch (August 2)

This was possibly the hardest day of the entire trip. I started at Carlos Col shelter. The trail went up and over mountains with no attempt at making any switchbacks or even finding a walkable route. I was going very slow watching my step, but even then I kept falling. I fell twice hard enough to break something. I also slipped off a boardwalk knee deep into a bog. Everything was mucky and muddy.

The Mahoosuc Notch was as hard as its reputation. It is a jumble of boulders that you have to climb over, squeeze through, and climb around. There were several times I had to take my pack off to get through a tight crack or hole.

The climb out of Mahoosuc Notch was very difficult. The climb went straight up over very slippery rocks.

There were times today that I did not know if I could go on much longer. I kept thinking about having to do this for the next 100 miles. There is really nothing I can do except to keep going and hope nothing breaks.

The trail got much better after Speck Pond. It looks like this section is maintained by the Maine Appalacian Trail Club. I hope they continue their good work for the next 100 miles. I'm at the Baldpate Lean-to tonight.