Northbound By Foot
An Appalachian Thru HikeRock Hoppin
The rain certainly didn’t let up over night. At one point the lightening seemed like it was right outside the lean-to. The bright flash would wake you up and then the boom brought you to attention. Luckily we were tired enough for the most part to fall right back asleep.
We woke up to some light mist and cloud cover that was casting pessimism on the day. We only hoped that the clouds would clear by the time we reached the top of Katahdin. After some quick breakfast we set off on our climb. The hike started as it did 3 years ago, 1 mile of easy hiking up until the waterfall. At that point you went up and up… And Up. Imagine climbing stairs for about 2 hours and that is what the next part of the hike was like. Once we broke tree-line it was back to the hike that we remembered and loved from last time.
The rock climbing and bouldering was a lot of fun even though the clouds still had not cleared.
I don’t know if it was the excitement or the lure of the end of a long hike, but this certainly did not feel near as long the last time we hiked this behemoth. The top of the mountain is called the tableland and was just as much of a slow incline to the apex as I remember. It was cold, cloudy, windy and 2 miles of ankle-twisting stepping stones.
By the time we reached the top we were ready for one of the bud lights that we carried all the way up there. The clouds would clear every now and then to give you a glimpse of the world below. We had to re-live our hike by taking our summit photo again.
Here is the photo of all 4 of us in front of the Katahdin sign.
As we set off for our hike back down the mountain the weather was as miserable as the way up. Just when we thought that we were going to hike the whole 4 hours back down out of the clouds, the weather broke. In one strong gust the clouds washed over the ridge to reveal the endless mountains and lakes below.
Just to be able to see all of the beauty of world beneath us made the descent that much more majestic. The trail went from a knee-wrenching game of hopscotch to an old fashioned butt sliding.
Once we reached the bottom we hopped in the car and drove to the other campground for the night. This was of course after we stopped for some more beer and snacks. The rest of the night was spent sitting around the campfire, drinking ice cold Maine beers and eating an assortment of food.
Leak Out
Rainy Night
On our way into Baxter State Park we stopped by the Birches. This is where the thru-hikers stay the night before they summit their final climb of the trail. We walked into the shelter area to see if anyone was there and sure enough there were three northbounders hiding out from the rain. We brought a 18 pack of beer to share with them so they were more than happy to indulge.
After our quick detour we headed to our lean-to.
You can see that we have certainly made it home for the night. It was nice to be out of the rain as it didn’t let up all night long. The rest of the night was spent playing games, drinking a couple beers and eating a camp style Shepards Pie. We topped off the night with some pistachio pudding. If you remember from my trail blog, every time Derek had pistachio puddle and I had vanilla, jealousy was in the air. I made sure this time we had two packs of pistachio pudding and it was pretty good. Not as amazing as I remember but still a great trail desert.
Here’s to hoping we can get some decent weather tomorrow.
Cheers,
Leak
Trail Shower Burger and Brews
I think the title says it all. What else do you need. We woke up in the rain and hiked though the rain and mud the 4 miles back to Monson. After calling the hostel we were back to our starting point. Now it was time for a hot shower. Oh baby. How nice a hot shower can be after two days in the rain.
After the shower we found the only open restaurant in Maine and got some beers with a big ol burger. I just woke up from my food coma, so its coffee time. We are on our way to Baxter to spend the rest of the day in our private lean-to. Probably will result in a lot of lounging, some card playing, a bit of beer drinking and some more food gorging. Here’s to hoping for some good hiking weather tomorrow.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Well, that was a true taste of thru-hiking. If Char and Liz had any glimmer of a thought that they may one day join us on another adventure that has probably all forgone now.
The day started out great. We woke up at cloud pond after a decent nights rest. We took our time getting out of camp and were hoping to see the elusive cloud pond moose but that didn’t happen. Oh well. Before we knew it we were on top of Barren mt. There were some spectacular views here.
We have a bunch more and I will post them later some time.
The climb down from Barren mt. Was a bit treacherous and you could tell it was starting to wear on Liz’s knees. The rest of the day had some smaller ups and downs with a few rivers, a dead moose and a waterfall or two.
Although there were a number of rivers that we crossed, only one or two required us to take off our shoes and ford the beasts. Boy, those were some slippery stones. It’s a bit like I’ve skating for the first time. You couldn’t determine if the river was refreshing on your feet or painful from the sharp rocks.
The original plan was to stop at the little Wilson falls for the night and by the time we got there it was already 6:30. Of coarse there was no decent campsite by the falls whereas there is almost always a campsite by amy water source. So, we pushed on. And on. And on. I also forgot to mention that it had been raining since about 2:00 pm. Minor details I suppose. It is funny how in the mud trudging you will find a moment of beauty when you hit a moss covered forest with the light shinning through the glistening trees. Char, said it was reminiscent of an enchanted forest. Or maybe that was Derek.
We pushed on. Before you knew it, it was getting dark and starting to get dangerous with all the rocks and roots. As we passed a north bound thru hiker he mentioned that the shelter was only 30 more minutes. We came to find out that was a lie. We finally found a decent spot to camp and swiftly setup the tents in the dark. Some quick chili Mac, mmmmm, and it was time for bed.
Leak
Like Riding a Bike
It’s funny how you get remotely close to the trail and the concept of sleeping in becomes somewhat nonexistent. It probably didn’t help that the sun was beaming in the windows at 6:00am, which subsequently became the time to rise. After we packed and re-packed our packs it was breakfast time. We went with a number 2. This means 2eggs, 2 bacon, 2 French toasts, sausage and potatoes. You see they are use to catering to thru-hikers.
Now that we filled up it was time to grab a shuttle with A girl Named Sue. Sue drove up to the trailhead and we immediately started going up, and up and up!
This is about how the day went. We went up and then we went down and then we went up to go back down. It is kind of like riding a bicycle in that we fell right back into our natural pace. This would have been fine under thru-hiking conditions, but we were back to our green selves and the roller coaster of a day didn’t exactly help. Either way there were some great views and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.
Since we got somewhat of a late start it seemed like we were never going to get to the shelter. It’s funny how I can vividly remember a lot of the twists, turns and bends of the trail, but really couldn’t fathom how the shelter just wouldn’t reveal itself around the next bend. We had a rough climb up the base of Barren mountain and after a snickers and a partial cliff bar we finally made it. Speaking of snickers, my brother and I packed in 12 king size snickers to give out to the thru hikers. We only donated two to the cause, but they were quite excited so it made it worth-while. If we have to eat the rest I suppose it won’t be so bad.
Once we got to the shelter at cloud pond we quickly donned a swimsuit and slipped gingerly into the frigid pond. It was a bit slimy, extra slippery and certainly cold, but also refreshing and much needed after the sweaty climbs we endured throughout the day. Next it was onto pad Thai for dinner, another snickers for dessert and hot coco with a side of bourbon for a night cap. Oh yeah!
We are breaching the hour of hiker midnight seeing as the sun is now down, so until tomorrow.
Loving Life
Pictures didn’t drop in where I wanted them but that’s alright. Enjoy!
All Packed Up
It’s a bit weird to be typing blog posts again on my tiny phone screen. After three years away from my nightly ritual it’s become somewhat foreign. I almost feel as if I just fall asleep mid-post for old times sake.
We just got into Bangor Maine and are driving up to Monson. We made sure that we weighed our packs at the airport and here are the current stats:
Jeremiah: 20 lbs
Char: 23 lbs
Derek: 23 lbs
Liz: 17 lbs
We still have some shuffling around to do, but we should all be sitting around 20 lbs before water. Not too shabby I suppose. I am actually finishing up this post as we are getting into Monson, so here is a pic of us in our sweet digs.
It is pretty cool being back at Shaws and seeing where we stayed in our last trail town. I tried to get Char and Liz to go put on some loaner clothes for the night but they weren’t having it. I guess you need to be a bit more desperate. You can definitely tell it is past hiker midnight here. Everyone is tucked in for the night. On that note it’s time for a couple beers and then sleep. Until tomorrow.
Loving Life
Back At It!
Guess what? We’re back at it. Not some crazy 5 month adventure this time, but we’re heading back into the northern woods for a little re-union hike. After 3 years it is about time and my brother and I are both excited to hit the trail for a little stint. This time we are bringing our lady friends with us to live it up!
The plan is to hike a couple days in the 100 mile wilderness and then hike Katahdin, our final climb on the AT, at least once or twice. The packs are nearly packed and the plans are pretty much planned. Here is what we are looking to do and since I know we all like picture books I made it as graphic as possible.
This Friday we will fly from St. Pete to Bangor, Maine:
Then we are going to drive from Bangor to Monson, Maine:
When we get into Monson, Maine on Friday night we are staying at the fine establishment called Shaws.
In the morning you order your breakfast by saying a number like 1,2,3,4,5. This is the number of everything that you want and equates to something like this:
I don’t know her, but we’ll call her Sheryl. Sheryl’s face seemed appropriate and therefore she made the post.
After we force all of that into our bellies we will grab a shuttle into the 100 mile wilderness. I’d imagine the shuttle will look something like this (we can only hope):
The shuttle is going to take us from Monson to Katahdin Iron Works rd, which is in the middle of nowhere and subsequently exactly where we want to go:
When we get Monsoned, no pun intended and you probably won’t get it unless you have seen Kingpin, in the middle of the 100 mile wilderness we will start our hike back to… well, Monson. The first night we are going to hike 12 miles to the Cloud Pond Lean-to.
The next day we will be hiking over the barren ledges.
That is my brother Derek from the last time we hiked over the barren ledges. Maybe this time he won’t be so curious, but that is why we call him whiskers anyways since he is curious like a cat. Once we conquer barren mountain the plan is to hike another 13 miles to the Little Wilson Falls where we are going to spend our second night on the trail.
When we wake up on Monday we will hike the 7 miles back to Monson where we will hop in our car and drive up to Baxter State Park for the next two days.
The plan is to stop at a grocery store to re-supply for the next couple days as well as get some of this for the thru-hikers that we may run into:
And This:
And of course plenty of this:
We are spending the first night at the Katahdin Stream campground in one of their fancy lean-to things. It’s actually just a normal lean-to, but I’m sure it will have plenty of mice like the rest of them. On Tuesday we will hike Katahdin up the Hunt trail and will hopefully get a clearer day than last time. Here is a pic from our thru-hike:
If it is still cloudy, which it usually is, we will have plenty of this for us and the thru-hikers:
After we hike back down the hunt trail we will drive from Katahdin Stream Campground to the Roaring Brook Campground, which is still in Baxter State Park. We are camping there at a tent site on Tuesday night before flying out Wednesday night. On Wednesday the plan is to get up early and hike up Katahdin again from the other side if we have enough time. Otherwise, we may just hike up to Chimney Pond and back. After hiking we will drive back to Bangor and fly to Detroit rock city where Char and I will be driving up to our family cabin for a little shindig. Derek and Liz will continue on to the Cape to hang with the hoity toities. Here is our last flight for good measure:
Well, that is the plan and if you would like to follow along I will be blogging on the hike. I have been growing out my beard just to make sure I fit in with the rest of the mountain men. I suppose I should end this like I always do.
Loving Life
GA 2 ME In 20 Min
So, it has been a few months since we finished our hike. It is nice to be back with family and friends as well as making that thing called money. Looking at the pictures and memories of our journey can certainly make me miss the call of the woods, but it is re-assuring knowing that there are plenty more adventures to come. Charlotte and I will be getting married next September which is pretty awesome. Especially, because I know that she will be right there next to me for every adventure that comes our way. We’re already talking about doing a 20-30 day hike on the John Muir trail out west. I have heard this is absolutely spectacular. Can’t wait! Oh, and you all will be coming with so no worries.
Anyways, I recently put together a video of our hike and added it to youtube for you all to enjoy. You can find the video here so enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas.
Lovin’ Life
8-29-11 Trails End
So, the adventure is over and I’m heading home. We were supposed to fly out on Sunday, but who would have known Maine was going to get hit by a hurricane. Now I sit here in the airport awaiting my flight back to reality. It took 141 days to walk from Georiga to Maine and it will take 3 hours to get back to Florida. It’s hard to think that about 5 months ago I was sitting before the southern terminus wondering what the miles would bring. Now I know. They brought pain, anguish, discomfort, but more than anything pure amazement and beauty. The one thing that made hiking the Appalachian Trail a truly amazing experience were the people and the kindness that the trail brings out in the people. I want to thank everyone that was a part of my adventure and made the trail a life changing experience. To everyone that followed our adventure and provided their support. To everyone that encouraged us to keep walking when the days were long and dark. To everyone that reached out that reached out and gave when no one asked for giving. And more than anything to everyone that simply followed the adventure through this blog. I really enjoyed taking you along with me as it kept me going knowing that so many looked forward to my ranting and raving. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Now one adventure ends as a new one begins. Unfortunately, this adventure is my life and there will be no blog. Now you will all be a part of the adventure and a part of my life. As always you can rest assured and know that I’m Loving Life.
Leak Out!
8-27-11 She Said Yes
We were climbing down the knives edge when something hit me like a blinding realization. I looked at Charlotte and instantly knew that I wanted to marry her. I looked in my pocket and there was a ring so I gave to her and we lived happily ever after. Ok, in actuality I have been thinking about this moment since I first embarked on this adventure. From the day that I left Georgia I knew that I would ask her to marry me on top of my final climb. Asking her would be the easy part. The hard part was thinking about the moment everyday for the next 5 months and not being able to tell anyone. I was hiking with my brother everyday and didn’t even tell him until about a month ago.
Anyways, my mother brought me the ring to Maine and I stashed it away. As we climbed down the mountain we stopped to take a break when I gave Char a candy ring pop. She had mentioned that it would be nice to get engaged in Maine so I knew it was in the back of her mind. I said, “you wanted a ring, right?” So, she opened it, put it on, gave it a lick and said, “I say yes”. Then I asked her if she wanted a real ring as I proceeded to pull it from my pocket. Needless to say she did agreed to put herself in harms way and get married to me. Yeah, I know. What was she thinking? I then surprised her by having her parents waiting at the base of the mountain so that they could spend the weekend with us.
Sorry ladies. This guy is taken for good, but he is unbelievably happy and as always he’s Loving Life.
Northbound By Foot 