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Sunday, June 18, 2006
Woke up to a beautiful day and some feet, walked 5 miles to the hwy and got the first car into town. Robert, the fellow who picked me up said he missed V.N. because of his blood pressure and wished me luck. He told me about Bag Balm for my feet which I bought. I am taking an extra day off here for my feet. Had breakfast at the diner in Rangeley, told them my story and they agree and support the cause.
Got a room at Gull Inn right on the lake, Robert who owns the place used to work at Walter Reed and is upset about all the casualties. Soaked my feet in Epsom salts then balmed them. Finally found a place to have a steak! Called my Dad and Boys for Fathers Day.
Monday, June 19, 2006
My first zero day on the trail, which means no hiking. (besides the 4 days I took off to honor my commitment in N.Y. which I don’t really count since I was driving all over) Just recuperating.
Zero day, just got back from swimming in the lake, did about 1.5 miles and realized I swim faster than I walk this trail. My feet feel much better, I have to give myself a zero day every so often to rest my feet. Met a bunch (Taco, Pa Burt) Thru hikers coming from the south, they are doing some mileage 20+ days, and some section hikers (Seaweed Sally, Tish). Had a Bar-B-Q corn, pork chops, and potatoes during a thunder storm for about 15 minuets. A couple of guys wanted to check out my gear, so I showed them how I used it as rain gear as well as a tent and sleeping bag. Pa Burt had retired from DuPont after 33 years took some picture of it and said he would call some people to see if he could get them interested in getting involved with the cause.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Back on the trail 7am walked 15 miles and stayed in a shelter with Dances With Women & Blue Balls and the guy from Alaska. Had talked with Just Jim who after he gets off the trail is going to a 2 week clinic for combat Vets, I have to
check it out.
It rained a lot, wore my rain gear most of the day so when it came time to sleep it was damp. The 2 guys I ran into in the beginning & kept running into don’t have trail names. Thru hikers, as a custom get to pick their own name, not the one given to them at birth. Signifying a kind of re-birth or shift in their life. So for my two young friends I get to help them pick their names; my latest is “Blue Boy” and "Cabin Balls”.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Did 9 miles today and stopped at the Cabin in Andover for $35 you get 2 meals, room, shower, and drop off at the trail. Told my story at dinner to Batman, Robins Nest, Aqua, Bear and a bunch of section hikers and showed them my gear.
While at the cabin I ran into one of the guys I hiked with (Green) in 98 and I found out Baltimore Jack is still hiking and that Swiss Mist met a guy in Vermont got married and stayed. Showed the gear to some of the kids here, because they didn’t believe it. I was thinking I’d sell the hats thru the hostiles and get everyone on the trail to wear them.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Had a great breakfast 3 eggs over easy, a mound of home fries, juice, 10 pancakes, bacon, raw eggs and milk Got dropped off at 7:30am in the woods.
I was thinking about the Statue of Liberty…Were we really like that back then? Or is that a myth? Give me your tired, hungry, down trodden. It seems now, we can’t even help our own, let alone anyone else. What changed? Or was it ever true?
I was taught history in high school by a WWII Vet who had been a prisoner of war till the end, he just about drank himself to death. Maybe he was idealistic and grateful or maybe I was more innocent.
Did 15 miles to a shelter, then it rained.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Woke up to rain, and left it the rain.
Was thinking how people say time heals all wounds, I say time is like dust on a table….. After enough time you can’t see the color, but it’s there just below the surface.
Today I met the A.T. crew maintaining the trail, I said “every time I see you , it rains”. Met Dave whose father has post traumatic stress syndrome from the Gulf war.
Did 11 miles today going into the Notch, which I will do in the morning. It is supposed to be a ruff section.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
5:45am went into the Notch got lost 3 or 4 times, ended up going north found my own footprints and thought someone else was going bare foot and has the same size foot. After a half mile I realized it was me. It took me 8hrs to go 5 miles, ended up doing 11 productive miles. The Notch is like a valley or stream bed filled with boulders, so you do a lot of climbing. There is ice there all year long, in some areas it was like walking in a meat locker. I am working on writing a letter to the President, let’s see what happens, also the Chiefs of staff.
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