Appalachian Trail   Jun 26 - Jul 1, 2007
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Day 1	Katahdin Stream Campground to Mt. Katahdin to Hurd Brook Lean-to	Daily mileage: 23.8	Trip mileage:  23.8
Day 2	Hurd Brook Lean-to to White House Landing	Daily mileage: 28.5	Trip mileage:  52.3
Day 3	White House Landing to Carl A. Newhall Lean-to (near)	Daily mileage: 33.9	Trip mileage:  86.2
Day 4	Carl A. Newhall Lean-to (near)to Monson, ME	Daily mileage: 35.9	Trip mileage: 122.1
Day 5	Lakeshore House (Monson, ME)	Daily mileage:   0.0	Trip mileage: 122.1
Day 6	Lakeshore House (Monson, ME)	Daily mileage:   0.0	Trip mileage: 122.1
Day 1
I learned something about Maine today – the sun rises very early! I woke up at 5am and was certain I had overslept. I looked out the window of my room and the sun was already peaking over the top of the buildings. I checked my watch and sort of felt like I was in an episode the “Twilight Zone”. It doesn’t get this light out until 7am or so down in Atlanta. I was at the AT Café at 5:20AM to have breakfast before Paul was to pick me up to shuttle me to Baxter State Park. I was watching the local news during breakfast and the weather forecast for today is not good. Heavy rain, severe lightning, damaging hail and high winds. I wasn’t as concerned as climbing up to Baxter Peak in the rain but was more concerned that they’d not let us even attempt it. As we spoke to the lady at the ranger post, she said they’d only given it a Class 2 so far, so we were able to continue into the park but they’d recommend we wait until 7AM when they would post the current conditions and class rating. I quickly checked in with the ranger station, grabbed a day pack and headed up to Baxter Peak. There were 3 other SOBO hikers heading up to the summit with me. I quickly left the three behind as I made my way up the mountain. I made it to the summit in 2 hours and 20 minutes. There was a SOBO by himself at the top, waiting for his other hiking partners to get there. I had passed both of them awhile back and let him know he had awhile to wait before they would arrive. He asked if I’d take his pic and he in return took several of my pics. I spent roughly 20 minutes on the summit and decided I was ready to head back down. My descent took me exactly 2 hours. I had at least 10 more miles to hike today in order to reach the boundary of Baxter State Park. There was a female SOBO hanging out at the ranger station when I arrived. She was up from FL and was hiking the trail solo. She had climbed to the summit yesterday. She said it took her over 10 hours round trip and she was taking a zero day today. It was only a little after noon and she was bored out of her mind. We talked while I was readying my pack and then it was time to leave the campground area. It was beautiful hiking through Baxter State Park. It seemed I wanted to snap a photo around every turn in the trail. Simply beautiful country! I had stopped to filter some water when I saw an older man and a young boy heading up the trail towards me. He introduced himself as “Stickman” and the kid was “Faithful”. They were hiking the AT as a Missionary trip to raise money for some project or something. He got the biggest kick out of hearing my trail name. He told me it was the best one he’d heard so far. He saw I was wearing a cross and then he saw I have a cross tattoo on my right calf. He wanted to know the story behind the tattoo, so I told him and him immediately asked if he could take a picture of it. He took several pics and then offered me one of his walking sticks free of charge. He gave me his contact info and asked for me to contact him and he’ll send me one. He makes homemade walking sticks from Poplar and then engraves scripture into it that ties in with backpacking. I can’t wait for it to arrive! We must’ve talked for over 30 minutes and the bugs were getting worse, so we decided to continue on our ways. I soon reached Abol Bridge and stopped for a soda and snack at the store. I still had a lot of daylight left, so I decided to hike to the Hurd Brook lean-to. It was something like 3-3.5 miles from my current location. I arrived at the lean-to to find 5 hikers already there. 3 inside the lean-to and 2 camped outside of it. I located a spot for my hammock and went about setting up my camp. During this time, another 3 people showed up to stay here for the night: an older man out for a section hike and a young couple who were hoping to hike the 100 Mile Wilderness, but only made it two days and had turned around. Honestly, they had no business being out in the 100 Mile Wilderness. His pack was made from a 2x4 wood frame with an old duffel bag tied to it with nylon cord. He was carrying a huge cooking pot from home; it must’ve weighed several pounds. They ran out of food after only 2 days. Luckily, they ran into Brian & Brian, a father & son from NY, who were staying in campsite as well. Here’s another funny story. This is the first time either Brian had ever been in the woods or backpacking. So instead of doing an overnight or something to try it out, the father decides they’ll start at Baxter State Park and hike the AT to New York. He was allowing 42 days for them to do it. He was carrying over 70 pounds in his pack and his son was carrying 50 pounds. I’m guessing his son was maybe 11-12 years old and couldn’t have weighed more than 100 pounds. I can only imagine how miserable it must’ve been for him to carry a 50 pound pack. The father had over 20 days of food in his pack including over 50 Power bars, a full-size can of Pam cooking spray (no idea why he had that in the woods), he was carrying two Coleman propane canisters (the ones that weigh several pounds each), something like 30+ Mountain House meals. Needless to say, we were all having a good laugh at his expense. But he knew how ‘green’ he appeared and proceeded to make fun of himself throughout the night. They had made it two days into the trip when they decided to turn around and head back to Abol Bridge. He was able to reach his wife, who immediately left NY, for a 10 hour drive to pick them up the following morning. Brian (the father), explained he collects rocks and found a rock with some fossils in it earlier in the day. This rock weighs around 30 pounds and he had hiked several miles with it in his hands to the Hurd Brook lean-to and he planned on carrying it out in the morning to Abol Bridge. It was a neat rock but there is no way in hell I’d carry a 30 pound rock on a backpacking trip unless it was worth a ton of money! The older man who arrived in camp really enjoyed hearing himself talk. He’d talk non-stop for an hour or two at a time. I finally grabbed my book and found a quiet spot back by my hammock to read and relax for a bit. A short time later, one of the guys from the lean-to was headed my way with his book. He found a spot nearby and we both read in peace and quiet for a couple of hours. Once the sun went down, we all gathered around the fire and sat in silence. It’s amazing how much time you can spend just staring at a fire. I decided to turn in around 10pm and skies opened up shortly after. The rain was coming down in buckets and there were strong storms in the area. Lots of thunder and lightning.
Day 2
I was the last one up in camp today. Everyone was already on the trail except for the young couple headed back to IL. They were hiking to Abol Bridge today to set up camp and wait for their ride, which should be there in a few days. I’d go crazy camped in one spot like that for 2-3 days. Last night was a rough night. Somehow, a lot of rain made it into my hammock. Not just a little, I could have dealt with it. No, there was enough to completely soak my down sleeping bag and the clothes I was sleeping in. It was pouring rain all night and the shelter was full, so there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I slept the night in my rain jackets and pants and tried to make the best of it. Unfortunately, I woke up with a sore throat, nasal and chest congestion and a horrible wheezing cough. I figured I’d complete the 100 Mile Wilderness and see if it has gotten any better. I’d come too far to turn around at this point. Shortly into my hike I came upon Rainbow Ledges. What a beautiful little spot. I found I was able to get a cell phone signal, so I stopped for a bit to update my wife on my trip and let her know about the cold I’d come down with last night. I came across several nice view spots above some lakes that were spectacular. There were several boats cruising around the lakes. I was meandering down the trail, completely lost in thought, when I heard a loud ruckus to my right. It sounded like someone stomping their feet in shallow water. I just walked on for a few seconds when a voice in my head said “it’s probably a moose you big dummy!”, so I crashed through the underbrush to see two moose (a sow & a calf) dashing for the opposite shore. The sow made it to some shallow water and stood there staring at me, while the calf was swimming across some deeper water, only its head visible above the water. I was able to get some good photos of them crossing the water. They both made it to the opposite shore and just stood there and stared at me. I was able to snap off a few more photos before they calmly turned and faded into the trees. I was praying that I’d get to see a moose on this trip and I was ecstatic I was able to get some good photos to boot! Shortly after the moose, I passed a young couple heading to the Rainbow Springs lean-to. They were SOBOs and were only hiking 5 miles today. Sort of a rest/easy hiking day. I had planned on stopping at Rainbow Spring lean-to to cook lunch and take a break. There was a guy there from Massachusetts and a lady from Maine taking a break there as well. They were friends and were hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness. After a lunch of chicken rice with harvest vegetables, I packed up my stuff and was ready to knock out the remaining 15.9 miles that would take me to the White House Landing. I arrived at the White House Landing dock and per the instructions, did one short blast with the air horn hanging on a nearby tree. I dropped my pack, took off my shoes and dipped my feet in the water at the edge of the dock. It was really refreshing to have the cold water on my feet. It was almost 25 minutes before the shuttle boat arrived to take me across the lake. First order of business - a HOT shower. I’d been hiking all day in my rain gear, to keep the mosquitoes at bay, and I was stinking to the high heavens! Ahhh, now it was time for a 1 pound cheeseburger. This burger tasted like a little slice of heaven and I quickly devoured it along with 3 Mountain Dews and 2 Barqs Root Beers. I went and dropped my gear in the bunkhouse and decided another 1 pound burger was sounding pretty darn good. So I went back and had another one. With my belly full, I decided to take a kayak out in the lake and cruise around for a bit. It was very relaxing but after about 20 minutes, I was ready to head back in and kick my feet up. So I grabbed a book and headed for the front porch swing. I love porch swings and this one was doing the trick. I felt like I was at home here. I’m a very restless person and I was amazed at how easily I was able to just ‘bum around’ for hours. Bill & Linda are wonderful people. Very gracious hosts and made me feel right at home immediately! I guess I should say Linda is very gracious. Bill is bit standoffish and not much for small talk. They have a very sweet Chocolate Lab named Pooh Bear. He is very calm and sweet and would sit on the dock, tail wagging, to greet everyone who came to White House Landing. I continued to lay on the swing with my book until it was dinner time. And yes, it was another 1 pound cheeseburger. I was wanting to try one of their homemade pizzas, but didn’t think it’d be a good idea with my current cold symptoms. Pizza has a way of ‘jacking’ with my stomach sometimes, so I thought I’d stick with the safe bet – a cheeseburger. After dinner, I headed right back for the front porch swing to read for the evening. All the fishermen were out for the day and it was late in the evening when they started coming back into camp. They had an awesome day of fishing, quickly filling up their coolers with fresh fish fillets, which they proceeded to cook on the grill for dinner. I’m not much of a fish eater but it smelled delicious! As the sun was going down, Linda surprised the kids who were with the fishing group by building a fire and making Smores. Needless to say, it was a HUGE hit! It was around 10PM and the bugs were coming out in force. So I decided to head to the bunk house and get ready for bed.
Day 3
I woke up today feeling like ass. I have a sore throat, chest and head congestion and a horrible cough. And to top it off, I can barely speak. on the bright side, I did wake up to a beautiful sunrise and the relaxing sound of loons in the area. I tried to eat some breakfast but it just wasn’t meant to be. I was able to get down a few pieces of bacon and one small pancake. I paid my tab and Bill shuttled me across the lake to continue my journey. I was in auto-pilot today, feeling too rough to do much more than put each foot in front of the other. Not many details for today's journal.
Day 4
It was rough trying to get sleep last night. I don’t have any cold medicine with me, so I’m determined to put myself in auto-pilot and make Monson today. I’m confident I’ll be able to locate some cold medicine somewhere in town. I was on trail for a couple of hours, crossing a small foot bridge when i felt like i was being watched. I looked up and there was a bull moose 40 feet down the trail staring at me. I was a little awestruck at first, then recovered and tried to slowly get my camera without spooking him. He quickly turned and slowly trotted down the trail. I tried to creep up behind him to get a photo but he just seemed to disappear into the woods. It’s amazing how an animal that large can move so easily and quietly through the woods. I eventually made it to Maine 15 and headed into Monson. I had originally planned to stay at Shaw's but have heard a some negative experiences since the new owners took over. I chose instead to stay at the Lakeshore House and what a good decision it was. The owners are great people and it is a nice place to relax. It sits directly on Lake Hebron, has a pub/grill, patio, kayak and paddle boats for the guests, cable tv and an awesome ambience. There are 4 NOBO's hanging out on the patio, though they are staying at Shaw's. They said only 12 NOBO's are ahead of them and the girl in their group will be the first female to finish this year. My mail drop has not shown up yet, so i am staying here until it arrives. I hope it arrives tomorrow, I'd hate to be stuck here until monday. I think the zero day will do wonders for my cold and hopefully I’ll be ready to hit the trail again soon. I plan on hitting the little shops in town tomorrow. I’m planning on walking around and get some pics of some of the older buildings and churches. I want to take a moment and thank my wonderful wife for giving me the opportunity to attempt my thru hike. I couldn't do it without her love and support. And most of all, thank you Munkins for believing in me more than I do myself.
Day 5
I decided to take a zero day today and try to get over this damn cold. My mail drop showed up this morning and I was glad to have some cash on me. I spent the first part of the morning walking around town, checking out all the neat little shops. I normally have trouble spending any length of time just hanging out and not doing much of anything, but I found I had no trouble at all here in Monson. Jeff and Rebekah, owners of the Lakeshore House, are great people. I spent a lot of time talking with them while I was relaxing on the patio. I also spent some time talking to the bartender at the pub and it turns out she grew up just a few miles from where I grew up in Cincinnati. The cold isn’t getting any better and I don’t think it’s a good idea to be out in the woods alone considering my health history. After a long conversation with my family and several thru hikers, it is with heavy heart that I leave the trail. Yes, I could have pushed on and taken my chances. But that isn’t a smart decision. I’m still fairly young and have plenty of time to attempt another thru hike. There were several factors leading up to my decision: (1) My health. I had colon cancer when I was 12 years old and had a colectomy at the age of 13. The slightest stomach bug can send me to the ER in a matter of hours with dehydration. This cold could easily turn for the worse and put me in jeopardy out on the trail. A few years ago I would have probably sucked it up and taken my chances. But that type of decision making changed once I met my wife. My decisions now affect more than just myself. (2) I think I’d feel safer on the trail if I was hiking with someone I knew and who knew my history. I’d rather wait til next year or even 2009 and hike with a friend than attempt a solo hike and have a medical emergency on the trail. (3) I now would prefer to hike NOBO instead of SOBO. There is no comparing the beauty of the trail in the north with the bland scenery here in the south. I think it’d be a lot better experience hiking through New England to finish my trip and I certainly would prefer having Baxter Peak as my destination as opposed to Springer Mountain. (4) Here are some words I thought I’d never hear myself say: I’d like to hike the trail at a slower pace. I found myself knocking out high miles from the beginning and would have preferred to slow down and enjoy parts of the trail more. I know how I am and hiking solo would not allow me to slow down. It’s just in my nature. So I figure a hiking partner would help remedy this situation. (5) I had some gear failures during my first week on the trail: • Somehow, lots of rain was getting into my hammock. I’ve never had this issue and need to figure out what the hell is happening. • Zipper on my convertible pants failed after the first day. So I was down to only rain pants and shorts. • My purifier was not working properly. It’s brand new and I’ll need to return it to REI and get a new one. • Pocketmail. Hmmm… not too impressed with this little gadget. The more I tried to use it the more issues I came across. Great concept but I don’t    think it’s quite there yet. • Custom inserts. I didn’t take enough time to get my feel acclimated to wearing them and paid the price with some substantial foot pain. • I like the Heinecan cooking pot but it’s not what I should have taken on this trip. • I love the Ring of Fire stove but will need to order a new model that has pot supports for using a regular pot.
Day 6
Even though I had decided to end my trip, there was a small part of me hoping I'd wake up today and feel like continuing on my trip. But I woke feeling the same as yesterday, so I'll stick with plan of getting a shuttle from Monson to Bangor. Take a bus to Portland and fly to Atlanta. It was a long day of traveling to Portland. I arrived at the bus station and found out they have no local bus service on Sundays. I was out of cash and couldn't afford a taxi. So I'd have to walk there. The terminal employee gave me directions and said it'd probably take around 45 minutes. This was going to cut it close. I grabbed my pack and set off for the airport. It took just under 45 minutes and luckily there was hardly anyone at the airport. I was quickly routed to the line where they do additional security measures. They had me unpack every single item from backpack, swabbed them all and ran 'em through their detection device. I stood there for almost 40 minutes while they did their work. Normally, I woulnd't have minded this but this was pushing it close to me not making my flight. By the time they finished and I repacked everything, I had less than 10 minutes to get to my gate and board the plane. I do have to say they were extremely nice about the whole situation and I was thankful. My decision to leave the trail was all the more clear tonight. I had a case of the 'runs' hit while waiting at Washington/Dulles Airport for my connecting flight to Atlanta. If I'd been out on the trail, this could have quickly led to a serious situation for me. The last time I had a stomach bug like this one, I wound up in the ER less than 12 hours from the onset of the symptoms. I had to get 4 units of fluids to rehydrate me. This bug wasn't as bad but it was enough to make me feel somewhat better about bailing on my trip.