Troutville VA

It took 14 hours travel time to get here yesterday, but Amtrak is so much better than the buses I took leaving here last April to return home after Rodney's death. Much better frame of mind as well.
I stayed with Homer Witcher last night, who was so kind back then shuttling me around to police station, funeral home, and bus station. His daughter Karla picked me up in Roanoke last night, and I met his wife Teresa this morning. But right now it's pouring rain as I sit in their kitchen and I'm waiting it out until it lets up. Memories of rainy Virginia in 1982 come to mind.

Maine wrapup

I had such a wonderful time hiking in Maine that it's hard to let go. Despite all the hardships, the challenging terrain and the breathtaking views were magnificent. Far and away my favorite part of the AT. The encounters (and re-encounters) with fellow hikers, especially at the end on Katahdin, were so much fun. Even the limited cell service wasn't a problem, since I managed to go into lots of towns with nice hostels, and all those shuttle possibilities!
I leave for Virginia on Saturday to finish the final 350 miles of my second complete AT experience. Here are some more Maine photos that I neglected to fit in. And an update on that "white rainbow" -- actually a "fog bow", a rainbow produced by tiny water droplets of fog, with much weaker colors so it appears white.

The "tablelands" on top of Katahdin before the summit


Hungry Horse, Bliss, and Dory heading to the top, with Catfish, as he and I started back down.


"Shoes" -- 75 year old and not the oldest hiker this year; so named because he once started a section hike only to realize he'd forgotten his hiking boots at home.


The final shuttle ride, from the hostel in Millinocket to catch our bus to all go home: happy campers!

Katahdin 0 mile 2,185.3

Cool and misty morning, low clouds, and no views going up the mountain until above treeline and into blue sky. And then an amazing white rainbow appeared. Tough climbing up the rocks, some of it requiring iron rungs as handholds to claw and scramble uphill.

















At the top the obligatory beer (or champagne) toast and then a photo with the summit sign.





And for me a moment to place some of Rodney's ashes on the commemorative cairn and share a final beer with him.

Approach to Katahdin

Despite some mist and thick clouds early, today turned into a good hiking day for the easy 10 miles into Baxter Park. Trail was mostly flat, following rivers upstream with some nice falls. Here's "Big Niagara" falls:



And a Katahdin view



At Katahdin Stream campground we met a group who had just summited today, guys I shared a rainy night in a shelter in Vermont last month, celebrating with beer. And sharing same.




And also a trail celebrity, "Miss Janet" who runs a hostel in Erwin TN but who enjoys giving out trail magic in Maine when northbounders are finishing up:




Tomorrow we leave the hostel at 6am to get an early start on the mountain

Out of the 100 mile wilderness

Rain today (and tomorrow) persuaded me to come into Millinocket early, staying at the AT Lodge. Seeing lots of folks here who got ahead of me as I slowed down the last two days when temperatures soared into the high 70's. Took baths in lovely lakes, but the reappearance of mosquitos was a major nuisance.
Tomorrow I will go back and do the easy flat 10 mile hike into Baxter State Park and return to this hostel. Then summit on Wednesday, the 5 very difficult miles up Katahdin when the sun returns.
Here are some pictures from the wilderness. You meet all sorts of people on the trail, among them" Astro Guy" Guy Gardner, space shuttle pilot on missions in 1988 and 1990, standing with Sue our shuttle driver out of Monson, as well as Catfish.



Screw Auger falls in Gulf Hagas



A Spruce grouse, too stupid to be afraid



Distant view of Katahdin



Another closer one



Old style privy, "Fort Relief"



Blueberries still edible on Rainbow Ledges



Big bull moose

Monson again, mile 99.2

Today was cool and mostly sunny, perfect for hiking even if fighting off a cold. After another huge breakfast, Catfish and I were driven into the 100 mile "wilderness" and walked a mile up to join the AT. Then a long day of ups, downs, and turnarounds back to town, 15 trail miles. The day featured several stream crossings, usually rock hopping, but one serious ford. Here's how not to ford a river:

This woman was crossing barefoot on the slippery rocks and went in up to her waist. But all her gear was in a big plastic bag inside her pack so no damage, just severe embarrassment followed by a quick change of clothes. Here's Catfish successfully crossing, also barefoot (I wore my crocs and had no problems)

Monson zero day

Given the early morning rain, the huge breakfast I ate here at Shaw's, and the fact that I didn't sleep well, taking the day off was an easy decision. I'm also not the only hiker here with cold symptoms. I shipped my food drop and arranged to slack pack 15 miles back here tomorrow, and hope I'm well enough to enjoy the better weather coming the rest of the week.
At breakfast I chatted with John Vogel who is doing a long section hike. Turns out I had read about him -- he, his wife, and twin sons bicycled from the Artic Circle to Terra del fuego and blogged and wrote a book about this 3 year adventure (see http://familyonbikes.org)
Here he is in front of the lodging house before heading back to the trail.

Shaw's is for sale, after being run for 9 years by Dawn and Sue. They bought it from original owner Keith Shaw, who started it as a hiker hostel in 1977. More changes coming to the trail.
And I ran into another guy I hiked with in Georgia back in May, Hungry Horse.