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June 26, 2010 9:24 pm
From: Limerick, Maine
Age: 29
Section Hiker just doing Maine through the Whites before making a big move to Idaho.
Gets the trail name “Brookie” from all the brook trout he catches and cooks up at camp in the evenings.
I met Dan about 1/3 of the way into the 100 mile wilderness. We have been able to relate on several levels. We have been hiking alone but seem to end up at the same place at night. He is very fast but spends a lot of time goofing off and fishing so our mileage tends to be the same.
Smart guy, good sense of humor. Has shared his wealth of Maine knowledge with me. Having lots of fun hanging with him.
June 26, 2010 6:09 pm
I met Troy aka “Super Guide” on the bus from Portland to Bangor. I noticed his southern accent and guessed him to be about in his mid twenties. He sat a seat back and across the isle. As we rode in I overheard his conversation with a woman from Brooklyn. She somehow brought up gay rights and he went on about how wrong it is, the bible says so etc.
Being pretty liberal and having many gay friends and family I made a pretty quick decision that he was not someone I wanted to make friends with on the trail.
As I was later to find out he holds many other prejudices including blacks and Puerto Ricans. I was about to tell him why I don’t want anything to do with him and why but I am trying to avoid conflict. Unfortunately I keep running into him:(
June 26, 2010 6:09 pm
SOBO Thru-Hiker
Mother Goose was on the bus from Portland to Bangor. She is 61 and has over 31,000 miles hiking.
She has hiked the AT 5 times and is working on her 6th. She has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the and the International Appalachian Trail, and the Eastern Continental Trail from Florida to Canada.
She is very, very cool. Super knowlegeable and had been very helpful in teaching me a few things. I enjoy her company very much!
June 25, 2010 9:43 pm
Date: 6.25.2010
Location: Monson, Maine
I woke up early this morning filled with the anticipation of completing the 100 miles of wilderness and getting to my first trail town. I said my goodbyes to Dan and Mother Goose who had camped nearby and hit the trail.
I think in my excitement about getting to town, a hot shower and a cold beer I underestimated the hike I had left. I did 11 miles over some fair terrain and reached the road leading into Monson, Maine. The town was still about 4 miles away. This was to be my first hitch hiking experience!:)
It was pretty easy to get a hitch and only took about 3 cars. A middle aged woman named Linda stopped and picked me up. She told me bear hunting stories as we made the short ride in.
A place called Shaws was a hostel suggested by a hikers I saw, so Linda dropped me off right there. I got a room for a few days and headed straight for the shower.
I grabbed lunch and a beer at the only other hostel in town which also had a pub and restaurant.
A little later Dan and Mother Goose made it into town. It turned out Thrill Billy, Tooth Pick, CC Rider and Lisa were all already in town. We had a really great group of people.
Monson is a very small town. Everyone is very friendly towards hikers. Dan and I Hung out in the general store and they had a Friday night jam session with local musicians all showing up with their fiddles, flutes, banjos etc and played. It was great small town down home fun!!!
Looking forward to some rest and relaxation here. The 100 was a rough stretch and I sure could use it!
June 23, 2010 2:15 am
Date: 6.23.2010
Location: Chairback Mountain, Maine
I awoke this morning around 4:30am with a few gentle rain drops kissing my face. I had the bug net on my hammock but did not put the rain fly on the night before. I got up and quickly put on the rain fly and went back to sleep for a few hours.
When I finally dragged myself up in the morning it was starting to rain all out. I grabbed my stuff, packed my hammock up and made my way over to the lean to. Dan had showed up there the night before and we began to chat, getting to know each other while trying to stall going out in the rain to begin hiking.
I had been lucky up to this point, I had not done any rain hiking but I knew it was inevitable I would have to. Shortly before I left I we met Thrill Billy and Tooth Pick.
I said my good byes to Dan and headed out in the rain eager to try out my expensive new rain poncho. Unlike most ponchos it is super lightweight and breathable.
Although I have hiked in the rain before, this was my first rugged terrain rain hiking experience. Well it was a rough one! I fell about 10 times!!! I am lucky I did not injure myself.
If you don’t rain hike you’ll never finish. So I rain hiked. Through a river crossing and Yup up and over a mountain:( Chairback Mountain had to be crossed and at its top, oh joy a great big boulder field. I wish I had a picture of that field. Since it was raining and life and limb were my main concern I did not get a picture. I survived it. Actually going up in the rain is preferable to going down, even if it is a boulder field.
My poncho did a good job of keeping my pack, chest and head dry but everything from my knees down was sopping wet as well as my arms.
I came to Chairback lean to around 5. It took me 6 hours to go 10 miles. Pathetically slow but at least it was uninjured progress in the rain.
Toothpick, Thrill Billy and a northbound section hiker named Stephan were already there. Dan showed up a bit latter and convinced us despite the rain he could get a fire going. He sure did! The rain let up and we all huddled around the fire trying to dry something to wear for the following day. Shoes and socks were singed lol but we managed some drying.
Just at last light 2 girls showed up. Connor and Carla. It would have been way too crowdedvin the lean to and I really had no desire to sleep in it so I did the gentlemanly thing and moved my stuff out to make room and set up my hammock for the night.
I hope the rain goes away tomorrow!!!
June 22, 2010 11:58 pm
Date: 6.22.2010
Location: Carl A. Newhall Lean To 100 Mile Wilderness
I had hiked a long way today including White Cap Mountain. I usually don’t stay anywhere near the lean to’s but they are near water sources and I was to exhausted to go any further so I stopped at a lean to just before it got dark.
As I got there someone was all ready there making a fire. His name was Tony and he looked to be In his late 40’s. He was wearing jeans and a tie died t-shirt. His story was a little inconsistent. He told me he was doing a hike for a homeless fund sponsored by his best friend Pete Seger.
He also told me he had no food and asked if I could spare any. My first thought was “what the heck are you doing smack dab in the middle of the 100 mile wilderness with no food!!!” Whatever his story I have in the past been hungry and if there is one thing I hate to see its someone go hungry. So despite being a little short on food myself I gave him 2 ramen noodles.
I set up my hammock and just as I was about to go to bed Dan showed up. He ran on with more stories to Dan and I bid them both a good night.
If your going to be homeless I have to believe there are better places than the 100!
June 22, 2010 9:44 pm
Date: 6.22.2010
Location: White Cap Mountain Maine
Close your eyes here For a moment everything is perfect here
Close your eyes here For a moment you and I can find no conflict here
Close your eyes here For a moment our hearts hurt no more here
Close your eyes here For a moment we are all aligned in health here
Close your eyes here For a moment we all understand here
I Climbed White Cap Mountain today. It was a very steep and tiring climb topped off with a long, long climb up hundreds of stone stairs. As you ascend the mountain the smell of fresh pine floods your senses, but when I came across the top I smelled something else as well which I believe was fresh sage. White Cap has easily been my favorite time of the trip thus far. The views were simply stunning and unlike Katadihn which I found slightly overwhelming, White Cap had very gentle rolling peaks which set me at great ease.
Close your eyes here.
June 21, 2010 2:14 am
Date: 6.21.2010
Location: Jo-Mary Lake, Maine
Had to stop here and rest. Just gorgeous!
June 21, 2010 2:14 am
Date: 6.21.2010
Beaver damms are nothing new to me there are tons of them in upstate and western NY. I thought this one was neat though cause the AT goes right over the top of it:)
June 20, 2010 6:45 pm
Hey all. Making my way through the “100 Miles of Wilderness” limited service and battery. Should be to the first trail town by Friday. Regular updates after that. This is the longest and toughest stretch on the AT