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.