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Trail Journal




Date:
Trail Day:
Miles Today:
Location:
Section Mile: AT 9
ECT Mile:

Got up early - about 6 AM. Packed up and started hunting for the trail. Took photos of the first AT blazes I saw 1 2 3 4 and a board with distances on them. Went to the ranger station to register and get the weather forecast. It was a class 2 day. 1 is hiking above tree line recommended, 2 - not recommended, 3 - not recommended with some trails closed and 4 - all trails above tree line closed.

I met Buckeye Bob at the station. He is a north bounder just about to finish. We started out together. The trail started off very easy. After about a mile it started climbing in earnest. In some places you had to pull yourself up. There were three places where they have driven bolts into the rock for grips. After a long climb which seemed to last forever we could see a sign. We were happy but it turned out to be an information board. The peak was still 2 miles away. After some more climbing we got to the table lands. My shirt was covered with sweat. From here it was much gentler. We came to Thoreau Springs. We filled our bottles and ate some snacks. Some more climbing and we came to the peak. There were about 6 people there. There were 2 other thru-hikers. One completing and another flip-flopping. We took several photographs 1 2 3 4 5 and had lunch. The views near the top are phenomenal. The clouds were below and you could see several peaks 1 2 3 poking through the clouds. Also met Gray. She volunteers for the AMC.

We started back down. The climb down was slightly easier than the one up. Took a short break at Katahdin Stream falls. Got back to the ranger station. Bob gave me all his left over food. Very good, because I am all out. I also gave him some journal pages to mail to Suriyan. We then said our good byes.

I continued down the trail and decided to stay at Daisy Pond Shelter. I asked for directions to the Lean-to, took the wrong turn and ended up on the trail again. I decided to continue on and set up camp further down.

Today I completed the IAT and started the AT. Also a short mileage day but quite strenuous. I cooked the noodles Bob gave me. I added some of my own spices to the already "Hot" noodles. I had tears running down my eyes. But they felt so good. After hikes you always feel like eating spicy foods because of the loss of salts through sweat.



Date: July 18 2000
Trail Day: 48
Miles Today: 22
Location: Rainbow Stream Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 31
ECT Mile: 711

Started early today. Hiked to Abol bridge. This is the last store stop before the 100 mile wilderness. Bought food for about 7 days. My pack is now quite heavy. Had two sandwiches and two chocolate drinks. The trail was fairly easy. I also came across maintenance people from Baxter park who were repairing a bridge.

Met several hikers and thru-hikers today. Thru-hikers were Acrobat and Captain. Very nice guys. Brothers. I asked them a bunch of questions about the trail.

Later in the afternoon it started raining heavily. I got drenched and finally reached the lean-to. Downhill and Dodger were there. Dodger is headed south to Monson, while Downhill is completing. Downhill is also from W. Palmbeach and we have seen each other at the Big "o" hike around Lake Okeechobee. A really small world.

Today is my first day at a Lean-To. Will have to see if the rat tales are true. It is now drizzling and I am ready to sleep.



Date: July 19 2000
Trail Day: 49
Miles Today: 17
Location: Potaywadjo Stream Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 48
ECT Mile: 728

The shelter did not seem to have any mice. I didn't know whether to be disappointed or happy. Mosquitoes are a problem in the lean-to. They bite your face and shoulder. It was also a very dark night. Downhill was the the first to leave. He was going to do a 23 mile day and make it into Daisy Pond. I talked with Dodger. He lives in New York city. His parents have a cabin near Bangor and he camps over there a few times a year to help maintain. He has done the 100 mile wilderness before. Dodger then left. I left shortly after him.

Today's hike was a little tougher than yesterdays - more ups and downs. I was hoping to make it to Antlers campsite about 4 miles away but had to stop here. I met 3 older gentlemen. One of them was called Motelman. He was section hiking the AT. He was about 80 % done and was concentrating on Maine this summer. He said he was trying to refine section hiking to the point where he did not have to camp. Also met a northbounder called Sea Otter. He is doing an amazing speed and will be done in 92 days. Simply amazing !

Today's section ran besides lakes, streams and one part went up Merantabunt mountain. Nice view. Also a lot of boys today.

Well, I'm now almost 50 days into my hike. How does it feel ? For starters I have completely adapted to this life. I do not think or crave the city life. I have no muscle or joint aches. The soles of my feet and toes sometimes hurt towards the end of the day. In a day's hike, the beginning portion always seems slow but after about an hour or so I go into a trance like state where the hours and miles fly by. Then towards the end of the day as I fix my ending point it seems slow because I'm looking forward to it. Food cravings - ice cream, pizza and beer. I haven't had beer in a while. At present, I don't even stink as bad because the rain has washed it away.

How is the AT ? It is extremely popular and therefore busy. On average I see 20 hikers a day and this is supposed to be the hundred mile wilderness - one of the most remote sections. It is also very well maintained and has numerous shelters and tent sites. It is almost impossible to get lost on the AT. About half the hikers are boy scouts.

What are thru-hikers like ? The most common phrase that has popped into my mind on meeting them is - very nice guys. Of course, there is the odd exception. It is also fairly easy to tell if someone is a thru-hiker - they have beards and have a certain look in their eyes - a peaceful inward look. I think even I am getting to look like a thru-hiker because they immediately ask me if I am doing a flip-flop (finished Georgia to somewhere and now doing Maine to that somewhere).

My review of the IAT. Its a young trail. The organization and volunteers have done a tremendous job in 5 short years. Completing a 700 mile trail is no small task. However from the hiker's point of view :



Well, that's all folks.



Date: July 20 2000
Trail Day: 50
Miles Today: 23
Location: Logan Brook Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 71
ECT Mile: 751

Got some good miles in today. Quite a chilly day. I just got into a good rhythm and kept moving. Met Grandad, Floater and Utah. All thru-hiking north. Got to the shelter. There were two guys from N. Carolina on a hiking/fishing trip for a week. We were then joined by a couple and a kid. They had parked their 4-W drive van near the trail and hiked 2 miles. They had all kinds of fresh vegetables. They gave me some organic brocolli.



Date: July 21 2000
Trail Day: 51
Miles Today: 17
Location: Chair back Gap Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 88
ECT Mile: 768

Last night was cold. I had to sleep in my thermal underwear. The terrain is also becoming more hilly. Went up White Cap Mountain. Decent views. You can see Katahdin quite clearly from here. Then the trail descended to a valley and there was a 5 mile section that was almost flat. This led to the Hermitage. Saw a lot of tourists and families out for a day hike. I crossed the west branch of the Pleasant River. It is a broad shallow river. I then watched a family cross. It was fun watching the little girl cross. The water reached upto her thigh and she was slipping and almost about to fall. Their dog crossed the river without even worrying about the water.

Met thru-hiker Pixy and two others. Pixy is the first female thru-hiker I have met. Very good looking young girl.

I also lost/misplaced my current set of maps. So I will be hiking by guess work till Monson. Also ran out of water and did not get any till I got to the shelter. I was thirsty.

At the shelter was Marlboro man. He is doing a section hike from Vermont. We were joined by Mark and another guy, both doing a thru south bound.

It has now started raining heavily. I was originally planning on doing another 5 miles but am glad I did not, or I would be soaking wet. Tonight promises to be chilly also.



Date: July 22 2000
Trail Day: 52
Miles Today: 11
Location: Long Pond - Lean-to
Section Mile: AT 99
ECT Mile: 779

I talked to Marlboro man - he is a very interesting and informed guy. Told me where I could get a tarp. I am thinking of switching to a tarp and it looks like someone left one at Long Pond shelter.

Today's hike was quite wet and slippery due to last night's rain. I slipped quite a few times. Bill Irvine, the author of Blind Courage was slightly ahead of me. He is blind and walked the entire AT with the help of his seeing eye dog a few years ago. But as I kept hiking, the dog's tracks disappeared near a lean-to and I think I passed him by.

Also got disoriented at one of the places where the trail split in two for a short distance. I did a loop and headed back in the wrong direction. I did not realize it till some of the rock climbs started to look familiar. Rock climbs have a mathematical or logical solution to them. You hold here, step there, pull yourself up, etc. Looking at one such climb, I knew I was headed in the wrong direction. But just to confirm using an AT sign I continued. Saw a sign on top of Third Mountain, realized that I was indeed headed in the wrong direction and turned back. This must have added about 4 miles today. It was also ironic that I had to get lost with Bill Irvine so close.

Also met and talked to Best Man. He is planning on hiking the IAT after he is done with the AT. I gave all the information I could.

Came to Wilson Valley lean-to and met Old Ridgerunner and two students - Jeremy and Katie. Ridgerunner had hiked in 1986 and was now completing a section thru-hike. Jeremy and Katie are sophomores in Computer Science and English at the University of Maine. I was about to continue further but it started raining. Also I was under the impression that Monson was about 20 miles away but actually it was 15. So I decided to stay there. It rained most of the night and it was chilly.



Date: July 23 2000
Trail Day: 53
Miles Today: 19
Location: Pie Lady Boarding
Section Mile: AT 118
ECT Mile: 798

Today was again wet and slippery. I also had a pretty good fall. The trail moved from hills to lakes and was slightly flatter. Got to SR 15 and was picked up by the Pie Lady. She is quite famous in AT circles. I decided to board at her place. Did laundry, and a shower, ate and talked to Nimblewill Nomad who is also here. Also met Caveman who is also doing a south bound thru hike.







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