As of right now, we are sitting 538 miles from Mt. Kathadin! It's a great feeling to have finally gone over 500 miles, a distance that is truly significant, 25% of the trail!
Vermont has been a wonderful state, for the most part. The terrain is much less painful to walk on, with gentle slopes rather than harsh, rocky trails found in Maine and New Hampshire. In addition, we have walked through meadows and pine forests that have been really pretty to hike through. It's a good change of pace from the harsh beginning.
However, 2 days ago we did have the worst weather of our trip. Rain and cold as we went up Killington made the day not nearly as fun as it could have been. The day before that, Full Value, Reset, and myself got rained on hard in the morning while camping at a state park. We packed up our stuff, and went to the ranger's pavilion. Soaking wet, we were allowed to start a fire in the fireplace, and we sat there most of the day drying out.
We are 54 miles from the Mass-VT border, so our time in Vermont is drawing to an end.
Thanks for all of the support from everybody, it really makes a huge difference.
Much Love,
Tail End
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Greetings from Hanover!
So yesterday we did a 24 mile day straight into Hanover, NH. The fact that we did a 24 mile day indicates that we are finally out of the really strenuous mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, and we are finally into the more rolling, gentle hills that make up a lot of the trail. It also feels really good to have my first big mile day under my belt. It's a real confidence booster to know that I can hike that far in one day.Of course the trail doesn't just become easy now. While the terrain might not be as tough from here on out, the true challenge becomes a mental one,as the trail will play mind games with me over the next 1,700 miles.
Being in Hanover, I have never felt more like a homeless person/general dreg of society. The trail literally goes right down the street in the middle of town here, so you would think the people would be used to us smelly hikers with our packs coming through, but it doesn't appear that way. Odd looks and mumbling as we go by is just degrading. However, it is quite alright, because I know how bad I smell and I don't really care how weird people want to look at me! It is a weird feeling none the less.
Anyways, I don't know when our next stop will be, but I will keep you all posted as best I can. I hope everyone is doing well! If you need to get in touch with me, you can always send me an email, a facebook message, or a voice mail, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible! Much love folks!
Being in Hanover, I have never felt more like a homeless person/general dreg of society. The trail literally goes right down the street in the middle of town here, so you would think the people would be used to us smelly hikers with our packs coming through, but it doesn't appear that way. Odd looks and mumbling as we go by is just degrading. However, it is quite alright, because I know how bad I smell and I don't really care how weird people want to look at me! It is a weird feeling none the less.
Anyways, I don't know when our next stop will be, but I will keep you all posted as best I can. I hope everyone is doing well! If you need to get in touch with me, you can always send me an email, a facebook message, or a voice mail, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible! Much love folks!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
One More Thing
I forgot to mention that today I sent my memory card to my lovely fiance Jessica, so in the near future, there will actually be pictures attached to the link on my blog from my journey so far. Hope ya'll enjoy them!
Hello Again
Hey Everybody,
Well we are now almost all of the way through the infamous White Mountains of New Hampshire. NOBOs (that's trail talk for northbounders) warned us all throughout Maine about how tough and challenging the Whites would be, but honestly, they weren't bad at all. At this point I have climbed so many mountains that they just don't even phase me anymore. The terrain has been absolutely beautiful though. The ridges between Mt. Madison and Mt. Washington, as well as the Franconia Ridge were all incredibly beautiful places, and we were blessed to have great weather during our time here, as the Whites are known for their unpredictable and generally crappy weather.
I had my first bout of sickness on the trail a few days ago, which was very frustrating. After walking 2.7 miles I decided to stop for the day because I was throwing up and couldn't eat. It was good to get a lot of rest, but even better when I was able to go the 10 miles into town the next day.
At this stage, I have lost 40 pounds, which is mind boggling to me. I had to get a size medium pair of shorts because my larges wouldn't stay on under the weight of my pack! Also, my trail name is now Tail End, because I am the slow one in the group. Our next stop looks to be Hanover, NH, right before the Vermont border.
Thanks again for all of your support!
Tail End
Well we are now almost all of the way through the infamous White Mountains of New Hampshire. NOBOs (that's trail talk for northbounders) warned us all throughout Maine about how tough and challenging the Whites would be, but honestly, they weren't bad at all. At this point I have climbed so many mountains that they just don't even phase me anymore. The terrain has been absolutely beautiful though. The ridges between Mt. Madison and Mt. Washington, as well as the Franconia Ridge were all incredibly beautiful places, and we were blessed to have great weather during our time here, as the Whites are known for their unpredictable and generally crappy weather.
I had my first bout of sickness on the trail a few days ago, which was very frustrating. After walking 2.7 miles I decided to stop for the day because I was throwing up and couldn't eat. It was good to get a lot of rest, but even better when I was able to go the 10 miles into town the next day.
At this stage, I have lost 40 pounds, which is mind boggling to me. I had to get a size medium pair of shorts because my larges wouldn't stay on under the weight of my pack! Also, my trail name is now Tail End, because I am the slow one in the group. Our next stop looks to be Hanover, NH, right before the Vermont border.
Thanks again for all of your support!
Tail End
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Maine - CHECK!
So I know it has been quite awhile since I updated the old blog here, and I apologize for that. However, this should be a long and hopefully somewhat entertaining post. We are now in Gorham, NH taking a 0 day before we get into the White Mountains, some of the most difficult terrain on the trail. We came out of Maine 2 days ago, and wow, that was a really incredible feeling. Maine is 281.4 miles on the AT, and that's no joy ride either. So to recap my adventure so far, I'm going to share a few things that I have learned.
1) The distance 1.3 miles is very tricky. At the end of a long day, you see a sign that says 1.3 miles to your destination. Your heart goes starts racing and your pace quickens (at least it feels like it does). But after awhile, you think to yourself, "Wow, I really should be there by now." A few more minutes go by, and a slight panic comes over you. "Did I miss the shelter? Ok really, where is this thing?!" Shortly after this panic, you finally see the sign that you have arrived to camp for the night, and that last easy 1.3 miles becomes the longest of the day.
2) In Maine, if you think you are on top of a mountain, but there is no sign indicating you are in fact on top of the mountain, you are in for a big disappointment. False summits abound in Maine, and they can really trick you into believing you have gone farther than you actually went.
3) Clothing does not dry in Maine, unless you are at the laundromat. It hits dewpoint every night in Maine, so when you hang your sweaty clothes up for the night, they will still be just as damp in the morning, if not wetter.
4) Town days save your sanity. As much as I love being on the trail in the wilderness, going into town is a life saver. Not only can you do laundry and shower, you get to eat real, mostly fattening, food. You also get to drink something other than water. I love going into town and getting chocolate milk and Gatorade. And the only way not to get malnourished on the trail is to gorge in town. I have already lost 25 pounds, so when I get into town, I pack the food in!
5) Your body is capable of amazing things. It really is incredible how far you can push yourself out here. If you eat right and rest just enough, you can do a lot more than you think. Your body is working so hard during the days hiking, that even when you are in town relaxing, your heart is racing! And you actually get more sore when you stop, because your body finally has a chance to catch up and heal itself. It's a great feeling, sometimes.
6) Trekking poles save lives. There have been countless times that I would have face planted on granite if I didn't have my poles with me. At the same time, I have almost fallen off mountains tripping on them...
7) Every day brings new challenges, and new rewards. Even when you feel like you are going to be good, and you are ready for anything, you will probably get kicked in the teeth the next day. At the same time, each day brings something beautiful, whether it's a mountain view, or a nice swim in a lake, the rewards of the trail are truly special.
8) The people who run hostels (most of the time) are really incredibly people. When we stayed in Monson, the owner of the hostel let us take her car to grocery shop, and even left a car at the trail head for us to bring into town. There are a lot of people out there who devote a lot of time to helping hikers have the best experience they can have.
Finally, I'll do a little introduction of my trail buddies.
Addison, aka Reset, some of you may know. He is the fastest hiker ever, and I hate him for it.
Dread, the meanest and scariest person on the trail. We keep him around to scare off day hikers and north bounders. He has a zoology degree, so he is also our resident animal expert.
Plug is an ultralight hiker from the Texas. He is also an incredibly faster hiker.
Full Value is the biggest character of us all. A 41 year old who just sold off his own business and house to come hike the trail. He has been in the Peace Corp, worked as a commercial fishermen in Alaska, has his masters in Napoleonic Studies, and worked in the rodeo business.
Well that's all I have for now. Hope this has been a good post for you all, and thanks for the support everybody!
1) The distance 1.3 miles is very tricky. At the end of a long day, you see a sign that says 1.3 miles to your destination. Your heart goes starts racing and your pace quickens (at least it feels like it does). But after awhile, you think to yourself, "Wow, I really should be there by now." A few more minutes go by, and a slight panic comes over you. "Did I miss the shelter? Ok really, where is this thing?!" Shortly after this panic, you finally see the sign that you have arrived to camp for the night, and that last easy 1.3 miles becomes the longest of the day.
2) In Maine, if you think you are on top of a mountain, but there is no sign indicating you are in fact on top of the mountain, you are in for a big disappointment. False summits abound in Maine, and they can really trick you into believing you have gone farther than you actually went.
3) Clothing does not dry in Maine, unless you are at the laundromat. It hits dewpoint every night in Maine, so when you hang your sweaty clothes up for the night, they will still be just as damp in the morning, if not wetter.
4) Town days save your sanity. As much as I love being on the trail in the wilderness, going into town is a life saver. Not only can you do laundry and shower, you get to eat real, mostly fattening, food. You also get to drink something other than water. I love going into town and getting chocolate milk and Gatorade. And the only way not to get malnourished on the trail is to gorge in town. I have already lost 25 pounds, so when I get into town, I pack the food in!
5) Your body is capable of amazing things. It really is incredible how far you can push yourself out here. If you eat right and rest just enough, you can do a lot more than you think. Your body is working so hard during the days hiking, that even when you are in town relaxing, your heart is racing! And you actually get more sore when you stop, because your body finally has a chance to catch up and heal itself. It's a great feeling, sometimes.
6) Trekking poles save lives. There have been countless times that I would have face planted on granite if I didn't have my poles with me. At the same time, I have almost fallen off mountains tripping on them...
7) Every day brings new challenges, and new rewards. Even when you feel like you are going to be good, and you are ready for anything, you will probably get kicked in the teeth the next day. At the same time, each day brings something beautiful, whether it's a mountain view, or a nice swim in a lake, the rewards of the trail are truly special.
8) The people who run hostels (most of the time) are really incredibly people. When we stayed in Monson, the owner of the hostel let us take her car to grocery shop, and even left a car at the trail head for us to bring into town. There are a lot of people out there who devote a lot of time to helping hikers have the best experience they can have.
Finally, I'll do a little introduction of my trail buddies.
Addison, aka Reset, some of you may know. He is the fastest hiker ever, and I hate him for it.
Dread, the meanest and scariest person on the trail. We keep him around to scare off day hikers and north bounders. He has a zoology degree, so he is also our resident animal expert.
Plug is an ultralight hiker from the Texas. He is also an incredibly faster hiker.
Full Value is the biggest character of us all. A 41 year old who just sold off his own business and house to come hike the trail. He has been in the Peace Corp, worked as a commercial fishermen in Alaska, has his masters in Napoleonic Studies, and worked in the rodeo business.
Well that's all I have for now. Hope this has been a good post for you all, and thanks for the support everybody!
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