Fall 2014 AT Library Presentations

Five Million Steps: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail

By Bob Grau

All presentations are free and open to the public at the libraries listed below.  Hope you can join me!

              SEPTEMBER                                         

Avon --------------- M, 9/8 @ 6:30pm               

Middlefield ------ W, 9/10 @ 7:00pm             

Willard ------------ TH, 9/11 @ 6:00pm            

Cuyahoga Falls -- TU, 9/23 @ 7:00pm

West Salem ------ TU, 9/30 @ 6:00pm

          

                OCTOBER

Amherst ----------- TH, 10/2 @ 7:00pm

Hubbard ----------- M, 10/6 @ 6:00pm

North Olmsted --- W, 10/8 @ 7:00pm

Doylestown ------ TH, 10/16 @ 6:00pm

Mansfield --------- TH, 10/30 @ 6:00pm           

2014 Speaking Dates

2014 Library Programs - Five Million Steps: Thru-Hiking the AT

Geauga West Library in Chesterland on Wednesday, April 16 @ noon
Ellet Branch Library in Akron on Saturday, April 19 @ 2:00pm
Kent Free Library in Kent on Monday, April 21 @ 7:00pm
Hudson Library & Historical Society on Tuesday, April 22 @ 7:00pm
Ashland Public Library on Thursday, April 24 @ 6:30pm
Norwalk Public Library on Wednesday, April 30 @ 6:30pm
Huron Public Library on Tuesday, May 6 @ 6:30pm 
Avon Public Library on Monday, September 8 @ 6:30pm
Middlefield Library on Wednesday, September 10 @ 7:00pm
Willard Memorial Library on Thursday, September 11 @ 6:00pm
Amherst Public Library on Thursday, September 25 @ 7:00pm
North Olmsted Branch Library, Wednesday, October 8 @ 7:00pm
Doylestown Branch Library, Thursday, October 16 @ 6:00pm 

Fall Speaking Dates

Five Million Steps: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail
LIBRARY DATES FOR APPALACHIAN TRAIL PROGRAM

SEPTEMBER 2013 --- (15 dates)

DATE                  TIME              LIBRARY                   LIBRARY  ADDRESS
Thurs., 9/5        7:00 PM        Beachwood             25501 Shaker Blvd.
Mon., 9/9         7:00 PM         South Euclid           4645 Mayfield Rd.
Wed., 9/11       7:00 PM         Green                        4046 Massillon Rd.
Thurs., 9/12     7:00 PM         Shaker Hts.            16500 Van Aken Blvd.
Mon., 9/16       7:00 PM         Kent                          312 W. Main St.
Tues., 9/17       7:00 PM         Avon Lake              32649 Electric Blvd.
Wed., 9/18       7:00 PM         Painesville               184 Phelps St.
Thurs., 9/19     6:30 PM         Richfield                  3761 S. Grant St.
Sat., 9/21         10:30 AM       Randolph                1639 State Route 44
Sat., 9/21         2:00 PM         Streetsboro              8990 Kirby Lane
Mon., 9/23       6:30 PM        Norton                     3930 S. Cleve-Mass. Rd.
Tues., 9/24       7:00 PM        Mentor                     8215 Mentor Avenue
Wed., 9/25       7:00 PM        Brunswick                3649 Center Rd.
Thurs., 9/26     7:00 PM        Lakewood                15425 Detroit Ave.
Sat.,    9/28       2:00 PM        Parma Hts.              6206 Pearl Rd.



OCTOBER 2013 --- (14 dates)

DATE                    TIME              LIBRARY                     LIBRARY  ADDRESS
Wed., 10/2         7:00 PM        Medina                      210 S. Broadway St.       
Sat.,    10/5         2:00 PM        N. Canton                 185 N. Main St.
Mon., 10/7         7:00 PM        Nordonia Hill           9458 Olde Eight Rd.
Tues., 10/8         10:00 AM     Bay Village                502 Cahoon Road
Wed., 10/9         6:30 PM        Mogadore                  144 S. Cleveland Ave.
Thurs., 10/10     7:00 PM         Perry                          3753 Main Street
Sat., 10/12          2:00 PM        Gates Mills                 1491 Chagrin River Rd.
Mon., 10/14       6:00 PM        Jackson (Massillon)  7487 Fulton Drive NW
Tues., 10/15       7:00 PM         Middleburg  Hts.    15600 E. Bagley Rd.
Thurs., 10/17      7:00 PM        Westlake                    27333 Center Ridge
Sat., 10/19          11:00 AM      Columbia                   13824 W. River Rd.
Tues., 10/22       7:00 PM        Wadsworth               132 Broad Street
Wed., 10/23       7:00 PM        Madison                     6111 Middle Ridge Rd.
Tues., 10/29       6:30 PM        Uniontown (Lake)   11955 Market Ave. N

November 2013 --- (2 dates)

Mon., 11/18      7:00 PM         North Royalton          5071 Wallings Rd.
Mon., 11/25      7:00 PM          Stow-Munroe Falls   3512 Darrow Rd.

I hope to see you this fall!  Feel free to contact me if you need more information.

June Speaking Dates

YOU'RE INVITED TO MY APPALACHIAN TRAIL PROGRAM

You are invited to attend a program about my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) at 31 libraries this year.  I will recount details of my thru-hike of the AT in 2011 from Georgia to Maine, a distance of 2,181 miles. During each PowerPoint program, I will also display my gear, show photos of the trek, and answer questions.  At the conclusion of each program, my book, Five Million Steps on a Journey of Hope: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail, will be available for sale for $15.  I will sign copies of my book for those interested.

Four of those library programs are in June, which are listed below.  Most of the library programs will be in September and October.  Those fall dates will be listed on this site in early August.

                  JUNE 2013 AT PROGRAMS at LIBRARIES 
 Tues., 6/4 @ 7 PM    ---Avon Library,37485 Harvest Drive, Avon

Wed., 6/5 @ 7 PM    --- Solon Library, 34215 Portz Pkwy, Solon

Thurs., 6/6 @ 7 PM   --- Brook Park, 6155 Engle Road, Brook Park

Mon., 6/17 @ 7 PM  --- Parma South, 7335 Ridge Road, Parma

Hope to see you there!

Update

Is there life after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail?

I want to give you a brief update on my life since completing the Appalachian Trail last September. I was able to raise thousands of dollars for Alzheimer's Association, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Society for Melanoma Research thanks to pledges from over 300 people.  I have completely recovered from my broken ankle suffered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Since last October, I have enjoyed speaking before many groups and organizations about my hike.  There are many more presentations scheduled through 2012.  It is fun to reflect back on the hike and share my photos.  Ever since I started the hike many people have encouraged me to write a book about my AT adventure.  Eventually in late fall I decided to begin the process.  It has been a time-consuming, but fun and rewarding experience.  There are so many things that happened that I did not have the time to share with you while writing my blog.  Also, I expect to include many photos that I took on the trail.  I hope to complete the book by the end of this year. 

I have chosen to donate the proceeds from the sale of my upcoming book to another worthy charity, Journey of Hope.  Its mission is to provide immediate financial assistance for critical and urgent survival needs to support and sustain adult cancer patients and their families.  Journey of Hope has provided financial help to many struggling families dealing with cancer.  The need is great.  I will inform you when my book is completed and hope you will support my effort to benefit Journey of Hope.  May God bless you!    

Article

This article appeared in my local paper this week.  It gives a good overview of the trip.

http://blog.cleveland.com/newssun/2011/10/berea_hiker_completes_170-day.html

Links to the Channel 5 and MSNBC

A big thank you to everyone that came out to hear about my AT adventure and see my photos.  I hope you enjoyed the evening as much as I did.  Here are two links to the stories that appeared in the news recently.  If you want to watch the story, use the first link.  Copy and paste them into your browser.

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/67-year-old-man-hikes-entire-Appalachian-Trail-last-350-miles-with-a-broken-ankle 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44726150/ns/local_news-cleveland_oh/#.TpMid7LLIqA

Presentation

I will be making a presentation about my Appalachian Trail thru-hike.  I expect to give a brief talk about the nearly 6-month hike, show my photos I took on the trail, and answer questions about the 2,200- mile adventure.  This is will take place on Sunday, October 9 at 7:00 PM.  It will be held at the Western Campus Theatre of Cuyahoga Community College at 11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road  Parma, OH 44130.  No need to RSVP--just come!  Hope to see you all there.

A "BREAKING" Story

 

You will probably recall that on Thursday, July 28 I fell on a steep and treacherous rock descent on North Kinsman Mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and twisted my ankle.  I decided to call a retired Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Kim Brown, whom I had met just ten days earlier in Lake George, NY.  Dr. Brown listened to me as I described the condition of my ankle over the phone.  He said that I should have an xray to really know the condition of the ankle.  However, he understood that an xray was not possible at that time.  From what he could surmise by my description, he guessed that I probably had a severe ankle sprain.  He suggested that I obtain an Air Cast Ankle Stirrup to use immediately and continue using it through the rest of my hike.  I was able to purchase one by phone at a Rite-Aid Drug Store in Lincoln, NH.  Lincoln was the closest town to where I was on the AT.  Later the same day two AT hikers hiked five miles up and then five miles down the mountain to get it to me.  After two days of rest and a small amount of walking on the tent pad where I had set up my tent, I resumed my hike.  The Air Cast certainly stabilized the side-to-side movement of my ankle.  Within a week after the injury the ankle felt much better.  When I finished the hike, I seldom thought of the ankle.

I finished the hike on September 7.  Two days later I called Dr. Brown.  He thought it would be a good idea to still have an xray on the ankle even at that late date.  Since I have been home the ankle is still slightly swollen and tender at times.  Today I had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Robert Coale.  After an xray technician took three xrays of my ankle, I returned to await Dr. Coale.  Within a few minutes the xray technician came to the room where I was awaiting the doctor.  She had an expression of wonderment as she asked me if I knew that the ankle was broken.  Obviously I did not!

When the doctor entered I told him my AT tale.  He was quite surprised that I was able to continue hiking after just a few days of ankle rest, especially in the most rugged states of the AT-----New Hampshire and Maine.  He said that I must have a high pain tolerance.  I have never thought that I did.  He described the break as an "Oblique Distal Fibula Fracture."   He advised me not to jog or run for another four weeks.  He described the break as clean and now mostly healed.  He also said that in about four to six weeks the ankle should be fully healed and pretty much back to normal!

Now as I reflect on the whole episode I am glad that I didn't know that it was broken.  If I had known, I most likely would have taken several weeks off and gone home.  By now I would likely have been back on the trail still hiking.  I believe that the old saying is true, "ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL!"

I hope to have one more blog within a few weeks to give you some final thoughts about my AT hike.  I'll be touch!  

Victory!!

Tuesday (9-6) started at 9 AM as the hostel owner (Ole Man) shuttled us back to the Abol Bridge.  Here is a view of Mt. Katahdin in the distance.

We had lunch along the Nesowadnehunk Stream which was deep and furious.  Fortunately, we didn't have to ford the stream because we wouldn't have been able to do so.  It was at least chest-high.  We reached Katahdin Stream Campsite at the base of the mountain at 2:15 PM.  After paying $10 to camp we were able to get a two person lean-to.  Chainsaw stayed in his tent and I shared a lean-to with Old Grand Dad.  We hiked 9.9 miles.  We were up early on Wednesday (9-7) to get our exciting day started.  We started hiking up the mountain at 6 AM.  The weather was cool and later in the morning it began to rain.  As we proceeded up the mile high mountain, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up.  We reached the summit at 11 AM.

We took a few pictures and then started heading back down after 15 minutes.  The wind chill felt like it was in the 30 degree range.  It was a tough climb going up and coming back down.  We got back to the ranger station at 4 PM.  The AT Lodge owner shuttled us to Millinocket, ME for the evening.  Tomorrow Deadman and I head to Bangor, ME in the morning and hopefully Acadia National Park in the afternoon if the weather is OK.  We both fly home on Friday.  I'm looking forward to getting home but it has been a GREAT adventure.

Thank you all so much for you kind wishes, prayers, and support.  It's been a blessing to be able to share my journey with you. 

Check back next week for a few exciting events that are set to take place!.

Winding Down

After breakfast in Monson on Saturday (9-3), we were shuttled back to Jo-Mary Rd where we started hiking at 9:45 AM.  I was eager to begin the last section of the hike.  Here is a picture of a sheer rock face with trees growing out the side and a lot of moss.

We forded two streams.  The first one required taking off our boots and socks and putting on our Crocs.  The second stream had more rocks to use for crossing so we all decided not to change our shoes.  The rocks were slippery and some were uneven.  About 2/3 of the way across, I slipped and fell in.  My right foot was caught between two rocks and the strong current made it difficult to stand upright.  It took me about 30 seconds to get myself back in control of the situation in the waist-high water.  Somehow, only the bottom of my backpack got wet.  I keep my tent in the bottom of my bag so no real harm was done.  Then I realized that one of my hiking sticks was missing.  One stick floated away and I couldn't see it.  Fortunately Deadman was still on the shore and he spotted out the pole below the surface about 50 feet downstream.  I made it to land, took off my backpack, and went back in after it.  Other than being very wet, the ordeal ended OK.  We continued hiking until 6:30 PM when we tented just off the trail.  Considering the late morning start, we were pleased to have hiked 15.0 miles.  Sunday (9-4) started at 6:30 AM.  Here is a picture of the misty morning in Maine.

We climbed 900 rocky feet to the top of Nesuntabunt Mountain, descended 900 feet to Pollywog Stream, and then had lunch at Rainbow Stream Lean-to.  The morning was difficult with lots of mud and unending standing water.  We forded one stream by rock hopping.  The afternoon had easier terrain with no major climbs but still, lots of mud and water everywhere.  At 3:30 PM we heard thunder in the distance and it kept creeping closer.  As we reached Rainbow Spring Campground at 4:30 PM, the rain began so we quickly put up our tents.  I ate dinner in my tent after I towel dried the floor due to all the water.  The rain stopped at 6 PM for a few minutes so we all quickly walked to a nearby spring to get water.  We hiked 14.7 miles.  The goal of Monday (9-5) was to reach Abol Bridge.  The overnight rain left all of us with wet tents and wet gear.  The trail was very sloppy and drenched.  We reached Abol Bridge at 2:30 PM.  By 3 PM we were being shuttled to the Appalachian Trail Lodge, a hostel about 30 miles away in Millinocket, ME.  It continued to pour all night and it is expected to continue into Tuesday.  We hiked 11.2 miles so we are 15.2 miles from the peak of Mt. Katahdin.  After 24 weeks (168 days), I have hiked 2,165.8 miles for an average of 12.9 miles per day.  Hopefully the next post will be a picture of me on top of Mt. Katahdin!

High Water

Because of Hurricane Irene, the brooks and rivers we needed to cross on Tuesday (8-30) were flooded.  We changed our plans around a bit so we were shuttled 52 miles into the 100-mile wilderness and dropped off on the trail at a logging road called Jo-Mary Rd.  We started hiking south back to Shaw's Lodging in Monson.  By doing this we could avoid some of the high water until it had a chance to recede a little bit.  It took 1 hr and 45 minutes to reach Jo-Mary Rd.  We started hiking at 10 AM.  There was only one mountain to climb--Little Boardman Mountain.  We forded the East Branch Pleasant River which was waist-deep with a fairly strong current.  The water came up to the bottom of my backpack so my gear got a little wet.  We hiked until 7:15 PM in order to maximize our miles since we got a late start due to the almost two hour shuttle ride.  We were able to go 15.4 miles.  Wednesday (8-31) was a cool and dry day.  We were back out on the trail at 6:45 AM and we immediately climbed 1,100 feet to the top of White Cap Mountain (elev. 3,650).  Then we tackled Hay Mountain and Gulf Hagas Mountain.  We forded the West Branch Pleasant River and it was about waist-high too.  We finished at 6 PM and went 14.4 miles.  Thursday (9-1) could have been called "Mountain Climbing Day" as we started by climbing Chairback Mountain.  This was the correct path going up if you want to call it a path!

Next was Columbus Mountain, then Monument Cliff at the top of Third Mountain, then Fourth Mountain (it is actually called that), and finally Barren Mountain.  Each time there was a steep descent before climbing again.  We finished at 6:15 PM.  It was a very tough day.  We were able to go 13.6 miles because there weren't any streams to cross.  Friday (9-2) was another beauty of a day.  There weren't any major mountains to climb but there were plenty of ups and downs of hundreds of feet at a time.  We forded three streams--Long Pond Stream (thigh-high), Big Wilson Stream (knee-high), and Little Wilson Stream (calf-high).  It is refreshing to ford a stream with cold water but it is time consuming.  You have to take off your boots and socks, secure them on your backpack, get your Crocs out, ford the stream, dry your feet off, put the boots and socks back on and then put your Crocs away.  It is a production and it takes at least 15 minutes just to go a very short distance.  A hostel representative met us at 2 PM at a road access and took us back to Monson.  After a quick resupply, we are now ready to hike north on Saturday from Jo-Mary Rd which is 56.1 miles from Mt. Katahdin.  We hiked 8.5 miles.  It is hard to believe we are almost there!  

Almost Done....

I'm excited to tell you that I have a date to climb Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the AT!  We (there are now five of us) expect to summit on
Wed., Sept. 7 with a rain date of Thurs., Sept. 8.  I have a one-way plane ticket from Bangor, ME to Cleveland, OH for Fri., Sept. 9.

Hurricane Irene

Friday (8-26) started at 6:15 AM on yet another gorgeous day.  We climbed Pleasant Pond Mountain (2,470 ft).  We had lunch near the top of the mountain as we were just about to begin the 1,500 foot descent.  We had forded (crossed) several bodies of water before but when we reached Baker Stream, we needed to take off our boots and socks and put on our Crocs in order to get across. The stream was knee-deep with a reasonably strong current.  We finished at 4:30 PM when we tented at Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to (shelter).  We hiked 14.7 miles.  We were back hiking at 6:30 AM on Saturday (8-27) and it was another beautiful day.  The weather has been amazing for several days and it has been such a blessing.  The terrain was flat but as usual it was muddy, rocky, and filled with large tree roots.  We forded two more bodies of water.  The water at the Bald Mountain Pond was mid-calf level and the water at the West Branch Piscataquis River was knee-deep.  I took this picture from the top of Moxie Bald Mountain.  The clouds were very low-lying. 

We began the tricky 1,700 ft. descent.  We reached our hiking goal when we got to Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to at 3:30 PM.  I set up my tent while Pilgrim and Deadman decided to stay in the lean-to.  Upon hearing the weather forecast, I changed my mind and joined them in the lean-to.  The rain and wind from Irene started overnight.  Somewhere around 9 PM we heard a very loud BANG.  A large tree branch fell on the metal roof.  In the morning, we could see a very big dent in the roof.  Thankfully everyone in the lean-to was fine even though it scared us.  We hiked 13.0 miles. We started on Sunday (8-28) at 6:15 AM in the rain.  We wanted to get an early start since we knew bad weather from Irene was quickly coming our way.  Due to the rain we were very concerned about fording the East Branch Piscataquis River.  The hiking guide indicated it to be dangerous after a lot of rain.  We were relieved that so far the water was only at mid-calf level.  Just 24 hours later, we heard it is now more than three feet deep and thus, impassible for now.  The overnight rain made the trail very slippery and muddier than usual.  We arrived at Route 15 at 11:30 AM and we were shuttled to Shaw's Lodging in Monson (pop. 500).  Monson marks the beginning for the 100-mile wilderness.  We are getting relatively close to our final goal of Mt. Katahdin.  We hiked 9.0 miles.  After breakfast at Shaw's on Monday (8-29) the hostel owner took us back to the trail.  We hiked south 10 miles back to Route 15 where we left the trail on Sunday.  This "flip-flop" allowed us to stay a second night at the hostel due to the weather.  We forded Leeman Brook which had risen from Irene.  It usually is only a trickle but now it was mid-calf and rushing.  The trail in many places resembled a small creek.  After 161 days (23 weeks) I've hiked 2,076.4 miles for an average of 12.9 miles per day.  I hope to be done within the next 10 days or so!

Enjoying Maine

Monday (8-23) was yet another beautiful day.  We have been very blessed with the abundance of nice weather recently.  After climbing 800 ft to the East Peak of the Little Bigelow Mountain, we had lunch at the lean-to at 1 PM.  We descended 1,800 ft to the serene Flagstaff Lake where I took a short nap.  Here is the lake.

At 2 PM we continued hiking and we reached the 2,000 mile mark painted on the road.  Because the AT gets slightly longer each year due to some relocation of the trail, we had already hiked 2,012.2 miles.  We climbed Roundtop Mountain and then we arrived at West Carry Pond Lean-to at 5:00 PM where we set up our tents.  After dinner we heard the sound of a loon on the large pond.  Overall it was an easy day of hiking and we traveled 12.2 miles.  Tuesday (8-24) started at 7 AM for us.  The trail was relatively flat with neither long climbs nor steep descents.  There was still an overabundance of roots, rocks, and mud.  Elevation change for the day varied no more than 200 ft at a time.  We enjoyed lunch sitting on a large log directly on the trail.  We reached Pierce Pond Lean-to at 2:00 PM and set up the tents.  It was a welcome change to be done hiking early in the day.  I was able to write my daily blog in the daylight and not feel rushed.  The ponds in Maine, like Pierce Pond, are huge--hundreds of acres.  They are surrounded by trees and the area is as gorgeous as you would imagine.  We started on Thursday (8-25) at 6:30 AM.  We hiked .4 miles to have breakfast at Harrison Pierce Pond Camps, a traditional camp for vacationers and anglers.  The camp was built in 1934 and is very rustic and decorated with a sportsman flair.  The owner cooked us an amazing feast.  I had 10 blueberry pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee, and juice!  Within five minutes of leaving Harrison's, we saw our first moose about 90 ft away in a stream as we were hiking to the Kennebec River.  Wow, what a HUGE animal!  The Kennebec River is the most formidable unbridged crossing on the AT.  A thru-hiker drowned in 1985 trying to ford the river and many others have had close calls.  The river spans 150 yards and is up to six feet deep.  Dangers include rocks, strong currents, and unpredictable water levels due to releases to the dam upstream.  Hikers are urged not to attempt to ford the river.  The ferry (a canoe) is the official route and even has a white blaze painted on the bottom of it.  Over the last 20+ years the canoe has ferried in excess of 20,000 hikers.  After we crossed, we hiked to US 201 where we were picked up and driven two miles to the lodge where we sent our food earlier in this week.  We did the usual--showered, did laundry, and had dinner.  I can see why people who love the outdoors appreciate the beauty of Maine.   

New Boots and the 2,000 Mile Mark

We started our hike on Saturday (8-20) at 7:10 AM on yet another gorgeous day.  We climbed S. Crocker Mountain (4,039 ft), descended 400 ft, and then climbed N. Crocker Mountain at 4,228 ft.  We began a 2,800 ft descent over the course of five miles to reach Stratton, ME.  We got a ride at the trailhead to the Stratton Motel.  We did our laundry and enjoyed dinner after hiking 8.4 miles for the day.  On Sunday (8-21) we took a zero hiking day.  We had breakfast at a diner across from the motel and then resupplied at a grocery store next door.  We bought enough food to last us for four days which will get us into Caratunk, ME.  We also bought an additional four days worth of food and sent it to Caratunk to get us from Caratunk to Monson, ME.  Caratunk doesn't have a grocery store.  We will pick up our food shipment at a lodge on Thursday evening.  My Scarpa boots are finally shot.

These excellent boots took me 2,000 miles but unfortunately, won't take me to the end.  They have fallen apart and the tred on the bottom is very worn.  After lunch the motel owner drove us to Rangeley, ME so I could go to an outfitter and purchase new boots.  I bought Merrell hiking boots this time.  On Monday (8-22) the motel owner drove us back to the trail at 7 AM.  There was a lot climbing as we crossed three peaks of the Bigelow Mountains: South Horn (3,831), West Peak (4,145), and the Avery Peak (4,090).  After the initial ascent to the South Horn, we descended 600 ft. each time before finally reaching Avery Peak.  The sun was shining and it was nice outside when we reached the top of the South Horn.  This is the West Peak.

When we reached the second and third peaks, the weather quickly changed to cold and windy and a light rain started.  A jacket was essential.  We camped at 5 PM after hiking 10.4 miles.  After 154 days (22 weeks) I have hit the 2,000 mile mark!  I have hiked 2,003.5 miles for an average of 13.0 miles per day.    

Under 200 Miles To Go!

Tuesday (8-16) was a rainy morning.  The hostel owner drove us back to the trail at 8 AM.  We started with wet feet from the day before.  With two days of rain, the AT resembled a creek rather than a trail.  The trail was muddy, slippery, and ugly.  The roots were wet and to be avoided at all cost.  Roots are enemy number one because it is so easy to trip over even a small one, if you aren't watching your every step.  We climbed Old Blue Mountain with an elevation of 3,600 ft.  There were plenty of rock scrambles, bars, and ladders.  Bars and ladders are permanently cemented on some of the big boulders so you can get up and over the rocks.  After a long and difficult descent we climbed Bemis Mountain.  We were glad to see the day end at
5 PM when we reached the Bemis Mountain Lean-to.  We hiked 8.7 miles.  Wednesday started out at 7 AM on a nice day.  The morning was difficult with a steep descent of 1,300 ft and then immediately an ascent of 1,000 ft.  Again, bars and ladders were necessary several times.  The afternoon was easier than the morning so that was a treat.  We reached a campsite at 5:30 PM where we tented for the night.  We went 12.9 miles.  Thursday was another pleasant day.  We climbed over Saddleback Mountain in the afternoon.  Here is the beautiful view from the top of the mountain.

Next up was The Horn Mountain.  Both are 4,000+ ft mountains.  We had breathtaking views of Maine in all directions.  Then we descended into Redington Stream Campsite at 5 PM where we tented.  We were the only hikers there.  Maine is a great state for R&R--not rest and relaxation but roots and rocks!  We hiked 13.2 miles.  We were blessed again on Friday with yet another beautiful day.  This was the fourth day in a row of good weather, which is unusual.  The day started with climbing Saddleback Junior Mountain.  It is called Junior because the elevation is "only" 3,655 ft vs Saddleback being 4,120 ft.  We had an early lunch at 11 AM at a stream we forded.  So far we have successfully forded three with seven to go.  The mud is still a slight problem but far better than earlier in the week.  At 3 PM we stopped at Spaulding Mountain Shelter.  We decided to eat and take a short rest.  We resumed hiking at 4 PM and hiked 5.1 more miles to make it easier for us to reach Stratton, Maine on Saturday afternoon.  We finally finished our hiking day at 7:45 PM and completed 15.4 miles.  We have 196.3 miles until the end!

Pilgrim's Leg Infection and Trail Food

Friday (8-12) started for us at 6:40 AM with a steep 500 ft climb and several rock scrambles, all while there was a swirling 50 mph wind.  It was misty with poor visibility.  We descended 2,500 ft before we climbed back up 2,300 ft over Baldpate Mountains East and West.  I took this picture from Baldpate West while I was looking back at Baldpate East.

We finally descended 1,500 ft to Frye Notch Lean-to (shelter) where we tented after going 10.4 miles.  We started our day on Saturday at 7 AM on a cool day.  We reached East B Hill Road where the Pine Ellis Hostel picked us up at 10:45 AM.  We showered, did laundry, and had lunch at a general store.  Pilgrim had a large (size of a softball) red area on his leg with a small cut in the middle.  We stopped at a pharmacy and the pharmacist looked at his leg and advised him to see a doctor.  In the late afternoon, he went to the hospital and he arrived back to the hostel at 10 PM.  He felt much better after his IV antibiotic treatment.  On Sunday (8-14) we expected to start hiking in the morning but that didn't happen.  When Pilgrim was at the hospital on Saturday, the doctor told him to come back on Sunday for a second round of the IV antibiotic.  He will also take an oral antibiotic for several more days.  All three of us have had different health problems on the trail.  I had the injured ankle, Pilgrim had the leg infection, and Deadman suffered hypothermia back in Georgia.  When Deadman got to Mountain Crossings Hostel in Blairsville, GA at Neel's Gap, all his gear had been wet for two full days. He stumbled into the hostel and he immediately was given a bed to rest.  The hostel operator told the other hikers, "There is a dead man in there."  Hence, the trail name Deadman was born.  On Monday (8-15) the hostel owner shuttled us back to the AT at 7 AM.  Soon after the hike began, the rain started and it didn't quit all day.  The trail was wet, muddy, rocky, and as slippery as ice.  Everyone fell at least once.  When we finally reached S. Arm Road at 3:15 PM, the same hostel owner picked us up once again.  We hiked 10.1 miles.  After 21 weeks (147 days) I have hiked 1,934.5 miles for an average of 13.2 miles per day.  We have 246.5 miles until the end.  I hope to be done and back home in Ohio by the middle of September.

Some people have asked me what I eat on the trail.  When I first started hiking, I "cooked" in the evening.  I made mashed potatoes, Mountain House freeze dried dinners which are dehydrated meals, like astronaut food, and Knorr packaged foods.  After two months of doing this, I no longer felt the need for a hot meal since the weather was quickly heating up.  At the end of May, I sent my stove and pan home.  Now I live on peanut butter/Nutella and cheese on a bagel with every meal.  At breakfast I drink two packages of Carnation Breakfast Essentials, formerly Carnation Instant Breakfast.  At lunch and dinner I drink Crystal Light lemonade and have Oreos for dessert.  I also eat dried fruits, Snickers, and various energy/granola bars.  Of course, I look forward to going to a restaurant when the opportunity comes up.  When we are on the trail, we typically take about a 40 minute lunch break and a few five minute breaks throughout the day.  The rest of the time--surprise, surprise, we hike!

Maine

I started hiking on Tuesday (8-9) at 6:20 AM after breakfast at the hostel.  I climbed Mount Hayes (2,555 ft) and then Cascade Mountain. (2,631).  The climbs were not as tough as the White Mountains but tough enough.  I was glad to get to Gentian Pond Shelter at 4 PM.  It is nice to have friends to hike with again.  I hiked 11.8 miles.  We started the day on Wednesday (8-10) at 6:40 AM.  It rained for most of the day which makes things that much more difficult.  We were either climbing or descending over slippery rocks, mud, and roots all day.  Each of us fell numerous times but thankfully no one was hurt.  At 10:30 AM we entered Maine, the 14th and last state on the trail!

As you can see from the sign, it is 281.4 miles to reach Mt. Katahdin, the end of the AT.  Maine is second in the number of miles on the trail with only Virginia having more.  We went over Goose Eye Mountain and had numerous rock scrambles.  We had heard from several other hikers that southern Maine is as tough or tougher than the White Mountains were in New Hampshire.  We finally finished a challenging day at 7:10 PM and completed 9.5 miles.  We got a late start on Thursday (8-11) as we wanted to make sure the weather was favorable.  We entered the much talked about Mahoosuc Notch.  For 1.1 miles the AT climbs over, crawls under, squeezes between, slides down, and jumps huge rocks.  There were many times the terrain looked impassible when I first glanced.  Many of the ascents are actually rock climbing and someone would be seriously hurt if he/she fell.  At times we had to pass our backpacks between each other just to get through the rock obstacles.  This section is notoriously known as the toughest mile on the entire trail.  It took us more than 3 hours just to go 1.1 miles.  Here is a picture where there is ice/snow between the rocks, even in August!

We reached Speck Pond Shelter at 5:30 PM and the three of us tented on a group tent pad.  We hiked only 5.1 miles over nine hours but we have now finished one of the most difficult sections of the AT. 

Hiking Again with "Pilgrim" and Now "Deadman" Too

This is how I spent my day on Friday (8-5)--hiking over rock, after rock, after rock.  This is the trail, believe it or not, and it was like this for almost the entire seven miles.  It seemed like 21 miles though.  It was the most physically and mentally exhausting day since I started in Georgia back in March.

I was so glad to finally reach the hut and be done for the day.  I expected to do kitchen work at Madison Spring Hut for my work-for-stay obligation.  Instead, the hut manager asked me give a talk to guests/vacationers on thru-hiking the AT.  I spoke for about 10 minutes and then answered several questions.  People were very attentive and seemed to be quite interested.  Several people told me they thoroughly enjoyed it.  I slept on an air mattress on the floor again as did two other hikers who also did work-for-stay.  I started hiking on Saturday (8-6) at 6 AM and went from the hut (4,300 ft) and over and down Mount Madison (5,366 ft).  Here is a picture looking back after I had already climbed it.  You can see the narrow dirt path in the front of the picture.  That is the AT.

When I reached Pinkham Notch, I was picked up by a hostel shuttle.  When Pilgrim and Deadman finally arrived at the hostel, I was able to surprise them!  They have been hiking together since I got hurt on July 28 and they were really happy to see me.  Deadman is a great guy about my age who lives in Georgia.  They had planned a zero hiking day for Sunday and agreed to take another zero day on Monday so I could catch up with them since I was two hiking days behind.  The three of us hope to finish the AT together.  Pray that this happens!  In the evening we resupplied and enjoyed dinner while we rehashed what has happened since we had last seen each other.  I hiked 7.8 miles.  On Sunday (8-7) the hostel shuttle took me back to Pinkham Notch at 8 AM to resume my hike.  I hiked from Pinkham Notch (2,050 ft) on a rainy and dark day up Wildcat Mountain (4,422 ft).  I had to rock scramble (rock climb, use my hands) the entire way.  In one very precarious scramble position, in my head I could hear my deceased mother say, "Bobby, get down from there!"  I thought to myself, "I'd be glad to!"  I descended to Carter Notch Hut (3,350 ft) for lunch and then climbed Carter Dome (4,832 ft).  Again, I went 7.8 miles.  I started hiking at 6 AM on Monday (8-8).  Rain started mid-morning and continued intermittently for several hours.  I descended to 3,915 ft, climbed back up to 4,618 ft, descended again to 3,100 ft, and then climbed to 4,000 ft.  My final descent of the day was to 780 ft when I reached the hostel at 4:45 PM.  I hiked 13.3 miles.  After 20 weeks (140 days) I have hiked 1,880.4 miles for an average of 13.4 miles per day.  Once again my ankle is getting a little bit better with each passing day.  I hope it is 100% soon.  I plan to wear the ankle brace for extra support all the way to the end of the trail--300 more miles!  I'll be entering Maine, the last state on the AT, on Wednesday (8-10).