Lightning Crashes

Wow...has it somehow been two and a half months since I hit the top of Katahdin? Amazing how quickly that time goes by back in the real world. It was a pretty short transition back into work and refereeing and I had meant to write this post for quite a while now. The plan is to try to pull out some of the tips and tricks that both Sabrina and I learned along the way...lets see how this goes.

1) Tiny ziplock bags are the best piece of equipment we had for the trip. Used them for medicine, protein powder, parmesan cheese and various gear repair items. Look for them from a jewelry supply or beading store.
2) On the topic of protein powder...getting the extra protein that I did during the trip really felt like it made a difference especially in relation to some of the other people I saw on the trail. I was definitely less sore in the morning and was able to do several long or difficult days in a row. And it tastes like Tang, so tough to go wrong there.
3) Also important for food are treats sent from home. I especially enjoy brownies and Princess found a great way to make and ship them so they don't turn into a crumbled mess in your pack. Cook them in a square pan then cut the batch into 9 squares. Wrap each brownie individually (tightly) in plastic wrap, then package them into one or two quart size ziplock bags. They survived life inside my food bag that way and more impressively, the USPS deliveries.
4) A lightweight pack is only good if you are carrying a lightweight load. It was worth the extra weight I carried as my pack to ensure that it rode comfortably at total loads from 20 to 45 pounds. Princess' initial lightweight pack was too "floppy" and didn't transfer the weight well to her hips, making for some uncomfortable hiking.
5) Dehydrated ground beef works much better than dehydrated ground chicken. It rehydrates much better and is not as chewy as the chicken turned out. Both are just as easy to make at home (presuming you have a meat grinder of some form) but the beef is much tastier.
6) Previous backpacking experience is over-rated. I hadn't done any real backpacking since Boy Scouts and Princess had 1 (yup...just one) total night of backpacking experience prior to starting and made if 413 miles, stopping because of a foot injury. She wasn't the only one out there with minimal experience and many of those people made it all the way.
7) It WILL NOT BE FUN all the time. If your plan is to stop hiking when it isn't fun anymore you will probably not make it all the way as a thru-hiker. The length of time you are out there makes it almost inevitable that at some point, you will not be having fun. There is nothing wrong with taking multiple years or decades to finish the trip, but the choices are either to trek on through or head for a section hike.
8) Take care of your gear. We had very few (might be zero) gear that had to be replaced due to getting "roughed up" along the way. Sure, some items wear out from the intense use that it goes through along the trip, but a little bit of care makes the rest of your gear last a lot longer.
9) Be organized. I saw a lot of lost items along the trail and I saw people along the way that I had no idea how they managed to keep all of their stuff together. I might be a little bit OCD about this (but hey...I am an engineer, I can't help it), but one really good way to do this is to use stuff sacks or other bags inside your pack to keep things organized in there.
10) That leads me into my next point, when at a shelter or crowded campsite, keep your gear contained and organized (again). Lots of people ended up losing things at shelters that they got back a few days later when they ran into the person who's pack it ended up in.
11) Have a routine. This works for a morning routine to get out of camp, an evening routine to get into camp and get fed and for something relatively mundane like packing your pack. There is no easier way to make sure you have all your stuff when you leave a campsite than to follow a loading routine. If the pack doesn't pack the same way as yesterday...you forgot something.
12) Food is gear (yes I borrowed that from Mary Holmes...but it is true), so putting as much planning into your food as you would into your pack and tent will go just as far for making the trip a success. Even if you don't want to do a lot of maildrops, when you go into a town to resupply, know what you want to get and have a reason for getting everything. I saw a lot of people walk out of towns with a lot of food they either didn't want or didn't need and not necessarily with food that would help them maintain the level of energy and performance required for the amount of work they were doing. Protein and fat are two important things to make sure you have in your meals, unfortunately they are heavy, but only eating really carb-heavy items will end up burning you out in the end.
13) Take a journal or some other way to keep some notes about what you did, who you met, the cool things you saw, and the great towns you pass through. At some point into the trip, a lot of the events begin to blur together and sometimes the only way to have those memories are to have a written record that you did shortly after it happened.
14) Take notes about what the pictures you take are of or where they were taken from. The scenery views can be epic but a lot of times they look just like the view from "that other mountain" and tough to figure it out later.
15) Eat the wolf burger in Stratton. Just get it, it is phenomenal.
16) Take gloves with you into the Smokies, trust me it isn't warm enough yet, even if it is 90 degrees as you cross the dam.
17) You can make a lot of the gear you need for the trip, much more than you think you can. We had made our hats, gloves, some cooking gear and other miscellaneous items. I saw homemade packs, tents, sleeping bags/quilts and a whole host of other things.
18) Be on your own schedule. If you get hiking with a group of people, don't feel bad about moving on ahead of them if that's what you need or about taking an extra zero day somewhere if you need the recovery. You'll catch up eventually.
19) Go to Palmerton, PA. Nicest/friendliest town on the trail in my opinion.
20) A lot of people say that the trip makes them want to hike other long distance trails. For me, I don't see many other multi-month trips in my future, but it has definitely re-invigorated my enthusiasm for getting more into backpacking again. Probably some 2-4 week trips, but I think that is about where my line is drawn now. Very happy I did this trip, but it got to be a very long time away at the end.
21) If you say "I want to hike the AT"...just do it. I hear SOOOO many people who, when they hear about my trip, say "I've always wanted to do that" or "That's on my bucket list". If it is that much of a goal for you, make it happen. There is always a way to get out there and do it, even if it means doing a week at a time for the next many years. Most of these people who say this will probably never get out and give it a shot, which is too bad, since it is was definitely a trip of a lifetime.

I've never been good at being introspective or coming up with big philosophical thoughts or talking about my feelings (despite the efforts of Princess to drag this out of me), and that still hasn't really changed, even with days and weeks of alone time. What I do know is that I owe a huge THANK YOU to Princess, my family, her family and everyone else who sent emails and messages encouraging us along. Also a big thanks to all of the random nice people along the trail who gave me rides, left food for us hungry hikers or who ran establishments in the towns that catered to the stinky, dirty group that we were. All of that made the trip the experience that it was. After living in larger cities for the last many years, it was also nice to see that there are so many kind and helpful people in the world, not bound up in the hustle and bustle of a big city, who can take the time to pick up a hiker needing a 15-mile ride into town to get more food, or calling their friends from the car to find the closest WalMart so I could replace my camera. Their help was a huge part of the success of everyone who finished the trail or made progress on a section hike. Most people I never got their names, but they deserve a big thank you also.

All my feelings comin' back again, like a rollin' thunder chasin' the wind, forces pullin' from the center of the earth again, I can feel it...

- Snowfox

The last installment...

All the rest of the pictures from the trip are now up at the picture link above...enjoy! Check out my beard removal stages.

Day 140 (9/7) - The Day That Never Comes

Day 140 - 5.2 mi/2180.0 mi tot/0.0 mi to go
The Birches Campsite to Baxter Peak, Mt Katahdin

What can I say about today...I MADE IT! After 140 days, 2180 trail miles, countless non-trail miles, a lot of tuna and some incredible support from friends and family I summitted Mt Katahdin. In a perfect world I would have waited for a better weather day but that isn't going to happen for 4 more days (maybe) so I took what I got and hit the summit. The climb up was tough with a long section of hefty rock scrambles on damp rocks in high wind gusts. Visibility was very low (less than 50 feet) so it was definitely not the spectacular ending I was hoping for, but a very satisfying one anyway.

Not much more to say other than a big thank you to everyone who helped Sabrina and I throughout the journey and to all those who followed along on this blog and on facebook tracking our progress. Keep on the lookout here over the next few days for a specific list of thank yous as well as other post-hike info.

I picked this song as my last day song since for a long time it definitely seemed like it would never get here and now that it did, "the sunshine never came".

Waiting for the one, the day that never comes, when you stand up and feel the warmth, but the sunshine never comes, no the sunshine never comes.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 139 (9/6) - Push It

Day 139 - 33.0 mi/2174.8 mi tot/5.2 mi to go
Wadleigh Stream Lean To to The Birches Campsite

So this morning required some serious decision making due to the upcoming rain in the forecast for Katahdin. Here were the choices that are possible:

1) Continue as planned, summit Big K on Wednesday, likely in the rain
2) Continue slowly and try to wait out any rain before summiting on Thursday
3) Continue faster and summit tomorrow, Tuesday

The implications of this decision will impact the possibility of a good day on the summit or a possibly miserable one. Those who know me well would have seen which choice I would make even without checking the mileage for today. I figured that a really long day today would give me the best possible chance for a decent day on the summit. The forecast for tomorrow is 50% rain, which I am reading as 50% sunny...always the optimist.

I hiked the crap out of the trail today. I covered 19.5 miles in 6 hours then did the last 13.5 in 4.5 hours with a 30 minute lunch in between. I felt good for almost the whole day until about the last 5 miles where the exertion caught up. Good thing it was a nice cool day or this would not have been possible. I finished the day around 6 pm, checking in with the ranger at Katahdin Streams Campground and moving onto the important part of the day...recovery. In a sentimental gesture, I made spaghetti with meat sauce, same as the first dinner on the AT way back in April, and drabk 3 protein drinks to help my muscles get ready for tomorrow. A few Advil and a good night's sleep and whammo! Katahdin tomorrow. Probably be on the summit around 10 am and could be in town in the mid afternoon.

It is sureal to be tented here at the base of this massive mountain that has been a focus of our lives for the past 5 years and I would not be here without the great support from Sabrina and both of our families. My climb tomorrow is dedicated to all those who have been so helpful along the way (many more than I will list right now, but a list will get posted soon) and those who will continue to help as I make my way home over the next few days.

Push it...push it real good!

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 138 (9/5) - Cheeseburger In Paradise

Day 138 - 21.5 mi/2141.8 mi tot/38.2 mi to go
Cooper Brook Falls Lean To to Wadleigh Stream Lean To

Other than some interesting stream crossings today the trail was mostly flat allowing for fast miles. The day had 2 major highlights:

1) A great view of Katahdin from Pemadumcook Lake
2) A 1 lb deluxe cheeseburger at White House Landing

The burger was great and a nice change from lunches of tuna packets on tortillas. To get to White House Landing you have to hike 1.2 miles off the AT to a boat dock where an air horn sits to summon the boat for the ferry ride across the lake. The hostel (?) was nice, albeit expensive, so I just stayed for lunch the took my boat ride back across the lake to continue my hiking day.

The downside to the day was finding out that Wednesday is supposed to be the only bad weather day this whole week...the day I planned to summit. I will reserve my decision on whether to wait a day until Tuesday sometime when I get to Abol Bridge. I hope the forecasts are wrong and it is a nice day and I can continue as planned. To be continued later...onto Hurd Brook tomorrow.

(darn...yet another song I don't know lyrics to but it sure seems to fit, apologies to all the Parrotheads out there)

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 137 (9/4) - Goodbye Earl

Day 137 - 18.9 mi/2120.3 mi tot/59.7 mi to go
Newhall Lean To to Cooper Brook Falls Lean To

Lets get the important things out of the way first...HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY SABRINA! We got to chat on the phone for a while today and plans are set to meet up in Boston in less than a week. I am definitely a lucky man to have such a wonderful wife.

Well even a hurricane can't keep me from my schedule or my planned miles. I took a very late start today to let the rest of the downpour finish before going over Whitecap Mtn, my last time above 2000 feet until summiting Katahdin. There was plenty of water on the trail from the rain but at least no more was coming down. Just over the top of the mountain, I ran into Utah, a guy I had hiked with on and off for the first 500 miles of the trip. He decided to flip flop and was heading south bac to Salisbury CT where he got off. It was great to see him and get a little bit of news from behind me on the trail.

After that, the sun made an appearance and it turned into a great day with cool temperatures, nice trail and just good hiking. I caught back up with Tabasco at the East Branch of the Pleasat River where he and two other hikers had been pondering how to ford the rain-swollen river for 2 hours. We spent another hour there and finally found a path that was feasible and more or less safe. We all made it across with nothing more than wet feet. The shelter we ended up at might have the best location of any shelter on the trail. It is right next to a really good waterfall which is running especially fast after all that rain. I am tented not far from the falls and after squeezing 7 people into a tight 6 person shelter last night, the extra space is a welcome change.

Tomorrow should be a great 21 mile day with my elvation staying between 700 ft and 1000 ft all day. A nice easy walk to a shelter on the shore of Nahmakanta Lake. Summiting is still planned for Wednesday.

And turns out he was a missing person who no one missed at all.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 136 (9/3) - Rock You Like A Hurricane

Day 136 - 20.8 mi/2101.4 mi tot/78.6 mi to go
Long Pond Stream Lean To to Carl Newhall Lean To

Planning for today included getting to the end of day target before the rains from Hurricane Earl show up. This was a semi-tough task given the fact that the Barren-Chairback Range was in the way. I hiked the whole day with Tabasco and we did great time all day and did well with the elevation gains and drops we hit all day. There were some good views along the way and even cell phone reception to call home to get a weather update. We made it to the shelter just in time to grab the last two spots and not lose them out to the group frm Colby College that was in the area. The highlight of the day was the trail magic of homemade whoopie pies and soda we ran into near the Pleasant River. Looks like the rain is about to start so time to get bunkered down to stay dry for the night.

Heading over our last big mountain before Katahdin tomorrow, Whitecap Mountain, and hopefully the rocks are not too slippery and the ascent/descent are not too miserable. 4 more days to get to the base of Katahdin.

More days to come, new places to go, I've got to leave its time for a show.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 135 (9/2) - Where the Wild Things Are

Day 135 - 15.1 mi/2080.6 mi tot/99.4 mi to go
ME 15 (Monson ME) to Long Pond Stream Lean To

The town of Monson is not short on options for food for a small town. Lunch at the Lakeside Pub yesterday was great, the community dinner was a real treat and the breakfast at Shaws today was a hiker nirvana (and the gas station supposedly makes great calzones and the BBQ place is also supposed to be worth a visit, although I didn't have a chance to visit either of those places). Breakfast at Shaws is an "order by number" system with three choices: 1, 2, or 3. The number indicates how many pancakes, eggs, bacon slices and sausage links you want (all served with home fries too). It is all you can eat as long as you finish your plate so I went for the 3-3-1 meal today. My goal was 3-3-2 but the pancakes make it tough. I also, for the first time on the trail, skipped lunch since I was so full from breakfast. I think I made up for that with dinner though. Also many thanks to Dawn, Sue and the other staff at Shaws for a great stay, an awesome place to spend my time in Monson.

Hiking today was tough with 8 days of food in my pack an temps in the high 80s and 90s for my start into the 100 mile wilderness. No big climbs yet, but plenty of little ones to keep me working. I get some good cimbs tomorrow going up and over Chairback Mtn and the other peaks on that ridge. A nice night at the shelter with several thru-hikers from previous years, making for good conversation and funny stories. Also passed the 100 mile to go mark today...into double digits now.

You're where the wild things are - toy soldiers off to war.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 134 (9/1) - Sad but True

Day 134 - 9.0 mi/2065.5 mi tot/114.5 mi to go
Horseshoe Canyon Lean To to ME15 (Monson ME)

Today was a bittersweet day. It was a day heading into town which is
always good, but it is the last town on the trail with only a long
stretch of remote wilderness between me and the ultimate goal. Music
plus town motivation helped me to cover the 9.0 miles today in less
than 3 hours. Good time even on this flattish terrain. As for
yesterday, sorry to subject everyone to my whining but it was very
therapudic and I definitely felt better after putting it all in
"writing".

This is a nice town here with lots of very friendly people and a good
place to stay at Shaws. Dawn was very helpful despite being very busy
and I am happy with my plan to splurge on a private room here for the
night. Lots of my own space to spread my gear out for a final
shakedown to drop as much weight as possible before heading out
tomorrow with 8 days of food with me. That is a ton of food and I
think it weighs probably close to 20 lbs. That is a lot of incentive
to drop pack weight wherever possible to make the hiking less
miserable. I think I did pretty well and should be in decent shape
tomorrow.

Dinner tonight was great as the community center hosted a pot luck
dinner for only $8 and no one left hungry. Great food too and actually
sat next to a couple from NoVa.

Plans from here call for 5-6 days (likely 6) to get to the base of
Katahdin and one more day for the summit. Should be home sometime next
weekend, at least to Syracuse anyway. Blog posts may be sparodic
depending on cell signal availability but will get sent whenever I can.

I'm your dream, make you real, I'm your eyes when you must steal, I'm
your pain when you can't feel, you know it's sad but true. I'm your
dream, mind astray, I'm your eyes while you're away, I'm your pain
while you repay, you know it's sad but true.

- Snowfox

Sent from my iPod

Day 133 (8/31) - Cryin Like a Bitch

Day 133 - 22.0 mi/2056.5 mi tot/123.5 mi to go
Pleasant Pond Lean To to Horseshoe Canyon Lean To

Ok so before I get into today's recap, time for me to do some venting. I am not looking for any sympathy nor should anyone reading this be worried, just impacts of over 4 months on the trail and I am ready to be done.

1) I am tired.
2) I am sick of flat slippery rocks.
3) I am sick of badly maintained trails with big blowdowns and overgrown vegetation that hides rocks and roots for me to trip over.
4) I am tired of having to continually do first aid om me legs after falls from those rocks and roots.
5) I am sick of waking up in the morning to put on clothes still wet with sweat from the day before.
6) I am sick of pumping every drop of water I drink.
7) I am tired of heat and humidity.
8) I am tired of crappy cell service and non face-to-face conversations with people.

Ok...sorry about that, just needed to vent and let everyone understand that it isn't just a "walk in the woods" out here. It will be good to be done in a week or so.

Anyway, today had some good views from Moxie Bald Mtn and some walking along a river with minimal elevation changes. 6 Course and I were both tired today after our long marathon day yesterday so we slept in for a little bit before heading out on a slightly shorter, but seemingly tougher day due to the heat wave running through the area. I think I drank about 2 gallons of water today and sweated most of it right back out. I plan to rehydrate myself very well while in town tomorrow and part of the next day.

I have 9 miles to go to get into Monson tomorrow and should be in sometime in the mid morning. A nice relaxing day and part of the next day before heading out into the 100-mile wilderness for 6 days or so before reaching Katahdin.

I tell you why...you take your chances, I've told you one too many times that you're cryin like a bitch.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 132 (8/30) - Whoomp There It Is

Day 132 - 27.0 mi/2034.5 mi tot/145.5 mi to go
Little Bigelow Lean To to Pleasant Pond Lean To

Got a good early start today as the plan was to hike old school Virginia style and get through a 20-plus mile day. This would get 6 Course and I down to the Kenebec River in the 2 pm to 4 pm window to catch the ferry (canoe) across the river. We blew through the morning finishing the 21 miles to the ferry by 2 pm. The ferry is a critical piece to the trail since the upstream hydroelectric dam can release large quantities of water at any time raising the river level by up to 4 feet. Fording this river (about 200 feet wide) is not a really good option. Although people still attempt and as the ferry operator said: "you can't stop stupid". Seems to sum it up nicely.

After the canoe ride, we decided to hitch a few miles to the Northern Outdoor Center to try some of their microbrew beers. We had a nice happy hour there and got to use their computer for a while too. The plan after that was to hitch back to the trail and hike about 2 miles to a camping spot. Lets start with the hitch. Right as we were leaving two guys pulled in with a freshly shot black bear in the bed of their pickup. We got a ride with them in the back with the bear. Made for some great pictures. Then as we were hiking out, we discovered that there was no camping spot about 2 miles out and we ended up hiking another 2 hours to this next shelter. Oh well, it positions us nicely for the next two days into Monson.

Hopefully the legs will feel good tomorrow and can get another 22 miles down the trail for a nice easy day into Monson on Wednesday.

I'm taking it back to the old school, cause I'm and old fool who's so cool. You wanna get down let me show you the way - WHOOMP THERE IT IS!

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 131 (8/29) - Anthem for the year 2000

Day 131 - 15.3 mi/2007.5 mi tot/172.5 mi to go
ME 27 (Stratton, ME) to Little Bigelow Lean To

Big news today, I passed over the 2000 mile mark! It is hard to comprehend walking that far but here I am only 10 days from the end. Had some great views today from on top of the Bigelow Range and spent an hour on the West Peak eating lunch and taking it all in. This will be my last time above treeline for a while but it was certainly a good day for it. Lunch was eaten with the Kibby Mtn wind farm as a backdrop and this will be my last day of views of Dad's work. Hopefully some good pictures, but we will know more when I can look at them on a real computer.

The hike today included almost 6000 feet of elevation gain and nearly as much loss. This makes for a tough day on the muscles (going up with a full load of food leaving town) and the joints (always fun on the downhills). After today we get started on some more consistent elevation terrain and hopefully moving back into some bigger miles too, moving myself closer to the ultimate goal, Katahdin (which I think I saw today from the ridge). I ran into a few college orientation groups today from Tufts and thankfully they are not at this shelter so I will be able to sleep well in minimal noise. We have great weather forecasted for the next 4 days so back into my tent for a while and onward to Monson in the sun.

Looking for a big day tomorrow trying to reach the Kennebec River before 4 pm (21 miles from here) to get a ride on the ferry across the river. Updates on my success to come tomorrow.

We'll make it up to you in the year 2000.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 130 (8/28) - it's a long way to the top

Day 130 - 13.5 mi/1992.2 mi tot/187.8 mi to go
Spaulding Mtn Lean To to ME 27 (Stratton, ME)

I forgot to mention yesterday that I ran into the first flip-floppers
that I knew from earlier portions of my hike. It was cool to chat with
them and good to see that Big Ooh, Koopa and Yahtzee are still going
strong.

Today was one of those days where the draw of getting into town
overshaddowed the several hills that were in the way. I made short
work (relatively) of the day and got to the road just after 1:30. The
only really bad part of the day was a 900 foot climb over 0.5 miles.
There was some other long slow climbing and descending sections but
those went fine.

Stratton is a nice small town with a nice motel (splitting double room
with Six Course), a store, and a great restaurant. The restaurant
serves the "wolfburger": a half pound burger topped with a sausage
patty, bacon, cheese and mushrooms. A great meal and it will
definitely result in a good sleep tonight.

Tomorrow ends the 200 mile section of the trail considered the hardest
of the whole trip. It will be nice to get into some flatter terrain
and make some progress towards the end goal for me.

Gettin' had, gettin' took, I tell you folks it's harder than it looks,
it's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.

- Snowfox

Sent from my iPod

Day 129 (8/27) - Back In the Saddle

Day 129 - 16.9 mi/1978.7 mi tot/201.3 mi to go
Piazza Rock Lean To to Spaulding Mtn Lean To

Today we tackled a few more formidable peaks including Saddleback, The Horn, Saddleback Jr and Lone Mtn. The hike up Saddleback was not as bad as expected and I was greeted near the peak with some pretty impressive winds, definitely harder than what I got on Mt Washington earlier in the trip. Just after cresting the summit, the clouds cleared and I got some really great views including back towrds Rangeley and some good views of the wind turbines on Kibby Mtn (we will have to see how the pictures of those comes out...I will get some more chances at them over the next few days too). Supposedly there could be views of Katahdin, but I couldn't find it today.

Overall today I felt good and covering the nearly 17 miles was good mentally since we still have about 30 miles of very tough terrain left before it starts to level out somewhat. Six Course and I are working well hiking together and are having a good time as we move along. It will be nice to keep in touch with him after the trail too since he lives near Baltimore sometimes. We are here in the shelter and there is a lot of company as a Bates College orientation program leaders group is out for a preliminary hike and stopped here for the night too. They were super nice yesterday to give me a ride into town too.

Heading into Stratton tomorrow and more hiking north after that.

Peelin' off my boots and chaps I'm saddle sore

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 128 (8/26) - Don't Steal My Sunshine

Day 128 - 11.2 mi/1961.8 mi tot
Sabbath Day Pond Shelter to Piazza Rock Shelter

The trail this morning was a swamp after all the rain yesterday. The sun did come out for most of the afternoon and we were able to get our gear dried out over any random horizontal surface in town.

I think my long day/short day alternating plan is going to be a good one to keep moving northbound. Being this close to the end is really a neat experience with everyone in the area being really excited about the prospect of completing this trek. Six Course and I spent most of the afternoon in town eating and visiting the local bars to get a true sample of the opportunities in Rangeley. After the good afternoon, we hiked out of town 1.8 miles and had a good relaxing evening at the shelter with a handful of section hikers. They had a fire going when we got there and the weather was perfect for an easy evening.

Tomorrow's plan is to go over Saddleback Mtn where I should get some views of Kibby Mountain as well as views of Katahdin...my ultimate ending point. the weather for the next few days is supposed to be great which is a nice change from recent days.

Do you like butter tarts?

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 127 (8/25) - Its Raining Men (In Skirts)

Day 127 - 17.0 mi/1950.6 mi
South Arm Road to Sabbath Day Pond Shelter

The amount of rain I walked through today might have exceeded the total amount of rain I have see the entire rest of the trip. The morning wasn't bad but right after Six Course and I hit the first shelter I started coming down hard. We were able to take a nice long lunch break but the rain wasn't going away. We geared up for it (including my rain kilt) and headed back out for the last 8 miles of the day. Those were slow miles in the rain and we had some really slow spots coming down off the Beamis range to stay safe on the flat slippery rocks. We made it through fine and got to the shelter just in time to claim the last two spots inside and avoid having to tent through the night in the wetness. Rumor has it that tomorrow will be the start of a few nice days so that will be a good change. I will head into my third to last town tomorrow, Rangeley, and then head back into the woods for the evening. Just under 230 miles to go.

(Katie...please drop in some lyrics here for me...my knowledge of this song is zero, but I got it up here just for you)

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 126 (8/24) - Forever Road

Day 126 - 10.1 mi/1933.6 mi tot
East B Hill Rd to South Arm Rd

Today was definitely not a "forever road" since I opted to take a nice short day over some easy terrain to get a little rest in. A few steep ups and downs but not a bad day overall. I took a mid morning shuttle back to the trail and finished my hiking by 2 pm and set myself up in a campsite near a stream. Spent the afternoon around a campfire (hey...why not, nothing else to do) and relaxed. Hopefully the weather the nex day or two doesn't make me regret not hiking on this perfect afternoon. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.

Back with a pretty big day tomorrow, looking to cover 17 miles and the whole extent of the Beamis Range. Rangeley should be coming up for me on Thursday with Stratton on Saturday. Under 250 miles to go before I get to return home to my wife who I haven't seen in 2 months. She has been a huge supporter of mine on this trip and we are definitely on a "forever road".

But as far as I can see it'll be you and me just the way its supposed to be (I do love me some Hootie...er...I mean Darius Rucker...he will always be Hootie to me)

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 125 (8/23) - Slip Sliding Away

Day 125 - 14.9 mi/1923.5 mi tot
Speck Pond Shelter to East B Hill Road (Andover ME)

1) Southern Maine is tough.
2) Rain plus flat rocks are a bad combination

These last two days have been killer and have certainly taxed my hiking abilities. A lot of up, down, around and through. And to make it all worse, the rain makes all these rocks and roots very slippery too. But I was able to push through and make some decent time to cover the ground I planned to get over. Like yesterday, I can't wait untill I come back with Princess on her section hikes and can hopefully go through and over all of this in good weather. I am sure it will have a better impression on me then.

I met up with two section hikers (Circuit and Sherlock) around lunch today and they convinced me that since I was going into Andover to get a package I might as well stay at the Pine Ellis Hostel. A great call as David and Ilene are exceptional hosts and it was a very fun night hanging out with a full house of hikers, both NoBos and SoBos.

A short-ish day planned for tomorrow before entering the Beamis Range on Wednesday.

You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 124 (8/22) - The Final Countdown

Day 124 - 14.7 mi/1908.6 mi tot
Gentian Pond Shelter to Speck Pond Shelter

Made it into Maine today and my final state. Nothing left to countdown but the miles (271.4 mi to go from here). It was a cool milestone and a neat one to get to.

Other than that, today might have been my least good day on the trail yet. It was chilly, damp, rainy, windy, slippery, and overall miserable. My day was a big one and I definitely worked for each mile I completed. My knees are feeling the work I did today and two minor slips today left me with a nice bruise on my lower back. Oh well, another day on the AT in southern Maine. Hopefully the weather will be a little bit better tomorrow and I can dry out somewhat.

Mahoosuc Notch was interesting and made me take my pack off twice to get through some tight spots. I didn't think it was too tough, but was definitely a very slow and challenging mile. It might even be fun in warmer, dryer conditons, but that wasn't to be today.

Despite the tough day, still happy to be out here and looking forward to continuing my treck northward tomorrow. Plans for tomorrow wll take me into, or very close to, Andover ME, depending on what time it is when I get there and whether or not the PO is still open then.

Doo. Doo-doo-do-doo, do-do-doot-doot-do, doo-doo-do-doo, doo-do-do-doot-doot-doot-do-doo. (oh come on...are you telling me you can't hear the synthesizer here too?)

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek

Day 123 (8/21) - Welcome Home (Sanitarium)

Day 123 - 11.8 mi/1893.9 mi tot
US2 (Gorham NH) to Gentian Pond Shelter

Wow, sleeping in today felt great, didn't get out of my sleeping bag until after 7 and felt really good to have gotten that extra hour. I got to sleep in because the post office doesnt open until 830 on Saturdays and I had to go mail some food boxes ahead to my next two town stops so my visits there are simpler and quick. Other than that I spent the rest of the morning getting my things together and repacked and taking care of a few last town chores, like buying sodas at the gas station...got to have my caffiene.

Today was a planned short day of hiking and getting myself back into the pattern I had going before the White Mountains and their hut system got in the way. The trail did a lot of up and down today so a short day will also make tomorrow feel better. I made it to the shelter at a reasonable time and despite my plans to use my tent tonight, I will be in the shelter due to the presence of tent platforms in all the places where my tent would like to be. I think I mentioned it before, but since my tent is not free standing (it requires stakes to keep it set up), tent platforms are not a very viable option for me. Overall it might be a good thing since it looks like we might get some rain tonight.

Maine and Mahoosuc Notch are on the agenda for tomorrow. Those will be some good pictures.

Sleep my friend and you will see the dream is my reality.

- Snowfox

Sent on the go from my Peek