IT IS DONE!

Today at 4:32 AM we put out onto the Mount Katahdin trailhead to climb our most epic and inspiring ascent of the entire journey. The 5.2 miles were filled with extreme bouldering and some intense pull-ups on re-bar that got scary a few times. But the bottom line is we completed the entirety of this Appalachian Trail in 96 days, 18 hours, and 34 minutes. We had not heard of another hiker this season who had finished with that pace as of our completion at 7:34am this morning. The summit experience was the single happiest moment of my enitre life, without a doubt in my mind. As the uncontrollable mucous poured from our nostrils due to the heavy winds and hypothermic conditions, we cried our eyes out for nearly five minutes. It is a good thing we got up there early, because it would have been quite the scene for those day hikers looking to go up Baxter Peak this morning. My voice is still hoarse from the animal grunts and yells which were constantly given during our summit. Cries of joy erupted cursing those who had doubted us and reaffirming our never wavering assurance that we would reach that peak within our timeframe. 2178.3 miles, incessant mosquitoes, torrential downpours, lightning in areas with no trees, shin deep muds, endless miles of jagged rocks, 16 climbs of Everest in vertical ascent, hot and sweaty nights in dirty sleeping bags, never taking showers or doing laundry, incredibly deep muscle pains, bee stings, bears, slick rocks, sharp roots, river fords, and the seemingly endless waking every morning to a day of 20+ miles ALL climaxed in this one amazing moment. It all feels so worth it now. From Chris and I, thank you all for your support! You really helped us keep pushing on in those long 30 miles days which seemed to never end. Our knees buckled as we both touched that sign together and at that moment we became Appalachian Trail Thru- Hikers, a title which we will hold proudly until the day we die. May our trip be an inspiration to you, that no matter what ridiculous odds you face, there will be a summit waiting somewhere for you. More pics/stats/etc to follow as I reenter society. God Bless. Jack.

Stung by a bee!

Our hikers, thankfully, checked in again to say they are still on target to finish on their 98th day.

Jack got stung on his face by a bee today and since my last report Chris found a replacement pair of nearly-new discarded trail shoes. They hiked another approximately 30 miles today which has pushed their leg muscles to the max. While it is relatively flat, there are still plenty of rocks and tree roots to tackle, in addition to their weariness due to all the long mileage days. They picked up their speed to shorten their hike by two days which has been taxing on their system. Good news however in that they have finished their 30 mile days ....at least for this hike.

Of their three remaining days the longest will be 20 miles.

They are low on food...so no doubt they will be ravenous by the time they get to Millinocket on Wednesday.

I can't believe they have almost hiked the whole thing! I could spend the rest of the year in thanksgiving for having made it safe thus far.

70 miles to go!

Yes, 70 miles to go! Got a call from the Maine wilderness. They had made a short refuel at a general store in Monson a couple of days ago. They met some section hikers there. It turns out they were college students who run the Outdoor Club back at Jack's alma mater: McGill!
While they had not met Jack, they had mutual friends. The McGill guys gave them a ride back to the trail. Another coincidence!

On the 20th our hikers stayed at Leeman Brook Lean-to. The next night they camped at the Chairback Gap Lean-To. Chris reported the treds of his shoes have worn thin....and still 70 miles to go. Sleeping has not been easy either as their campsites have been full.

They hope to summit in just four days! Still, a lot can happen in 70 miles. Next weekend will be their last before college begins, and not a moment too soon. It will be down from the fresh mountain air and back to the city. The memory and trip of a lifetime will soon come to a close.

Thank you!

First, let me say thank you to Larry and Kim Maxfield-Fearon for all the great help they gave Jack and Chris near Rangely. It is Providence working through trail angels like them which have enabled them to make it so far. Weight loss, calorie deficit, lack of food and hitching have often been in the back of my mind, so to have trail angels, such the Maxfield-Fearons give them a big hand near Rangely, has been a great comfort....to both the boys and us. I am confident that once the boys get off the trail they will, in turn, offer the Good Neighbor help they have so often received. Thank you also for letting us know they were in good shape as of Rangely.

We finally figured out a way to get the Carroll County, Maryland flag to the boys before the reach Mt. Katahdin. I don't know if those that helped want their names posted, so I will refrain from doing that. Needless to say, the flag is on its way and will get there in time!

Jack has said Maine is absolutely gorgeous! His descriptions, (a mother's opinion), compete with the best vacation books. The lakes are pristine and waterfalls are in abundance. The great solitude in the wildness must add to its grandeur. What a blessing we can travel so far and wide and still call this country home.

They have left short messages the last few days. They are now on the last leg of the AT, less than a hundred miles and are now in the 100-mile wilderness. After that it's Baxter State Park where they will meet Camel and Fungi's family who will join them in the final hike up Katahdin.


Due to the wonderful circumstances of their companions Camel and Fungi, (their family is meeting up with them) we will be able to meet up with Jack and Chris post-AT. What an answer to prayer! Probably won't hear from them again until Baxter State Park.

Thank you again....and again....and again....

Past Caratunk

Received a call today in hopes of mailing a Carroll County flag to our hikers. I was certainly glad that I waited to mail it when I heard how far they had hiked in the last couple of days. As I had said before, they had changed their final "slow-down" plan into a "speed-up" plan. On day 89 they had hiked 22.5 miles and on day 90 they had hiked 22.6 miles. They wound up at West Carry Pond Lean-to, elevation 1,340' last night. Today, day 9, they crossed the Kennebec River. They have passed through the town of Caratunk today and will be near Monson by tomorrow. Sometime tomorrow they will only be 117.8 miles from Mt. Katahdin.
Chris said this section of Maine is much easier and less intense than southern Maine. Well that's a relief!

WINDING DOWN ....

Jack let me know the other day that they saw their first porcupine and they were amazed at its size! Still no view of moose however. They swam in a pristine lake...sounded priceless. They were looking forward to seeing their co-hikers Camel and Fungi. Looks like the guys have changed their plans of a slow wind-down through Maine and are going to increase their mileage once they get past Avery Peak....or so it seems. Hopefully we will be seeing them for a couple of days after they finish the AT.
Can't imagine how they will make out without a stove or warm clothing.....But this entire trip, from beginning to end has been unbelievable to me. Finally, preparations are being made for the return home. In thanksgiving for a continuing safe voyage.

Jack checking in from the Stratton Motel in beautiful downtown Stratton Maine. We hit the 200 miles left mark today in this wild and wonderful journey. Maine has been rugged yet welcoming. The towns are getting much smaller and the mountains much tougher. However our traversal of Avery Peak in the Bigelow Range up here should mark the last ridiculous ascent until Katahdin. When I say ridiculous, think climbing 250 flights of stairs in the 90 dg heat up here. Southern Maine has been wicked difficult, cutting our mileage up brutally. But the views have been spectacular and wild, lacking the roads and houses of my dear Mid Atlantic. Camel and Fungi are scheduled to have made there catch-up hike complete today and should be pulling in at any time. When we hit Monson in 73 miles we will be entering the portal to the END known as the 100 mile Wilderness (which is neither truly 100 miles or Wilderness). But its lack of adequate resupply does pose a unique challenge to us trying to go ultra light. To counter our food excess we will be sending home our cooking fuel, pot, warm clothes, and all other non-essentials. As this may be my final entry from the trail I will leave you out there with us feeling the constant hope that we will soon be under the shadow of that lonesome mountain, Katahdin, that sits so majestically amongst the cedar bog country of Central Maine.
-Peace, Corporate (Jack)

Coincidence?

Call the doctor...for me that is. Well, not really. This morning at about 6:30 a.m. as I was half-awake, I heard my cell phone ring in the distance. I hurried to the phone, assuming it was Jack or Chris perhaps calling, as I had missed two calls from them yesterday. There was no notation on the now silent phone when I finally got to it. I decided to dial them in the event they were leaving a voicemessage. The past day or two there had been several missed calls on my cellphone with no accompanying message. In the back of my mind was lurking the usual half-preoccupation with my sons' safety. Out in the wilderness a lot can happen.
To my utter amazement Jack picked up the phone and was also shocked that there was phone reception from his campsite. He had not even tried to call just then! Well the good news is everything is alright and still on target. Blessed Coincidence. They are staying near a beautiful pond somewhere in Maine. They are starting day 87 heading toward Rangely Maine. Jack said that they plan to hit every remaining AT town in Maine....Rangely, Stratton, Caratunk, and Monson. Their standard fare has been several hamburgers, fries and a 1/2 gallon of strawberry cheesecake ice cream each.

Jack wanted to also note a few more interesting points: They have not seen any moose yet, but their droppings and tracks are everywhere. Jack thought he may have heard one in a nearby pond last night. He reported that a world-famous adventurist happened to stay with them at last night's shelter. You can google him under the name Ray Jardine, quite a remarkable adventure resume on his website. Jack also shared that people in Maine have been extremely friendly and generous. They have automatically gotten transportation to and from the small towns along the AT. I asked about the relative difficulty of the trail. Jack reported that Bigelow Mountain, about 45 miles north, should mark the end of major difficulties along this section of Maine...except for the last five miles up Mount Katahdin. They currently face the Saddebacks, Sugarloaf and the Crockers before reaching Bigelow Mountain. He said they were in much better shape than back in Georgia so things have been easier to manage overall.

As they have only 13 days left to hike this will be among the final reports until Katahdin. I am grateful for the Coincidence I received from the airwaves to get in touch with my sons. It was a blessing for a pondering mind.

Happened upon a great webpage as to recommended 18 miles per day average for a 120-day hike with all kinds of detailed information if you are interested in making such a hike:

http://appalachianpages.com/index.php?pageid=18 mile plan

The Challenge of Southern Maine

Received a short check-in voicemail from Jack this morning. Since we last heard from them they were getting ready to face Mahoosuc Notch and Mahoosuc Arm. If my understanding is correct, they hiked about 16.4 miles on that day, day 85, all the way to Baldpate Lean-to, elevation 2,660'. The following day they had to go 8 miles off the trail to get to Andover, a small town with 4 buildings, including one general store. They made a resupply there, enough to tide them over until their next refuel. When they finished the trail that day, day 86, they wound up near South Arm Road, the northern gate from Andover. They sounded a bit discouraged at the difficulty of the trail at this point.
Jack said that southern Maine was just too hard to complete 20 mile days. They are working on raising their average. They were hopeful that their daily average would go up as they hike farther north.
My calculations show that in order to finish by day 100, they must have a daily average of 17.4 miles per day. Fortunately, their average is well-above their original average of 22 miles per day. The final leg of the northbound AT is notably daunting. However once they get past this portion of the most challenging portion of the AT, they should be able to take respite in the fact they will be less than 200 miles from the northern terminus of the AT.
Continued trust in Providence to bring them safely home. That plus their effort, has been all that has kept them safe thus far. It is not over until they are safely home....so continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks!

MAINE AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The long-awaited state is finally here!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They said they would be in Maine last night....and they made it!!!!!!!!!!!!

In thanksgiving for prayers answered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris sent a voicemail to let me know they arrived safely in Maine. They spent last night at the Carlo Col Shelter a short distance from the Maine border. As of last night they were 280.9 miles from Mount Katahdin!!!!!!!!!!

This morning they hiked the reportedly most difficult mile of the AT--the Mahoosuc Notch trail...and then they had to hike the Mahoosuc Arm (3,770') There was still reportedly recent ice among the crevices of Mahoosuc Notch. They anticipated having to take off their packs to mvoe in, around and under the boulders. This may have been one of the most difficult days. Later reports will tell. We will have to wait to hear the news. Pretty soon, however, the difficult southern Maine range will be behind them and they will have plenty of lakes, waterfalls and gorgeous Maine scenery to enjoy as they trek toward the highest peak in Maine: Mt. Katahdin...and then back to life after the Appalachian Trail....But hey, wait....they still have 15 days left to hike....and over two hundred miles....still seems like a lot to me. ....black bears, moose, grouse.....rivers..... many things still to come in the next 15 days!

PAST MOUNT WASHINGTON!

I called Jack and Chris and spoke to them briefly today. They have come a long way! They climbed Mount Washington yesterday! Jack said that Mount Washington was not not that steep, but that this section of hiking was difficult compared to any other stretch of the Appalachian Trail. They met two young guys sightseeing from Beth Tfiloh, Pikesville on Mount Washington. Nice coincidence. Jack and Chris were climbing Carter Notch (have to check spelling later) when I called them today. They were able to slack pack today by leaving some of their backpack at their Gorham, New Hampshire lodging.

According to Jack, they will be in Maine by tomorrow! Pretty soon, hopefully, we will see the guys again!

Facing Granite

Chris called to give an update:

They hiked 15.9 miles yesterday into Lonesome Lake Hut.

They did work for stay....(thru-hikers only) at Lonesome Lake Hut. Jack got kitchen cabinet cleanout duty and Chris got the pleasant task of cleaning out the freezer. In exchange they got free accommodations and food remaining after paying guests had eaten. They got bowtie pasta and vegetables among other things. They also got to sleep on the dining room floor, as is usual for work-for-stay guests. Everything was clean and certainly well-protected from the elements.

Today they hiked Mt. Garfield, Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln and Franconia Notch. There were over 200 people, mostly day hikers at Franconia Notch. Someone told them that the weather conditions were among the most beautiful than they have been at Franconia Notch. The weather was "perfect." It is known to abruptly change or be overcast. The sky was clear blue. They have been so blessed by the weather this summer. Truly unbelievable. In thanksgiving to Divine Providence.

Today they hiked 15.9 miles. Chris noted that he can feel his knees this evening due to the high steps they have to take in order to scale the granite-faced mountains. They are not using their hands that much....so they are in good shape in that regard.

It was going to be another hut this evening. Destination reported on a future date....
Thoughts of joy and wistfulness are mingling together as they realize they are less than three weeks away from Mt. Katahdin....if all continues to go as planned. From my current calculations, they need to average about 18 miles per day overall to finish in 100 days.

How quickly the summer is flying by! Here's to enjoying every day, in every season, no matter where we are, or what kind of weather it is!

THEY'RE IN THE GREAT WHITES!

Well, they're in the long-awaited White National Forest!

While Minnesota Smith and others gave them discouragement regarding the difficulty of the Whites....so far, it appears our hikers seem to have it under control.

They climbed Smarts Mountain a few days ago. It had, according to Jack, an "absolutely outstanding view." From the Smarts Mountain firetower, they could see the White Mountain range all the way to Mount Washington, miles away! Smarts Mountain was a difficult climb, but the stunning view from the top was well worth it. They also climbed Mount Cube, another big mountain.

Last night they stopped at the Hiker's Welcome Hostel. People at the hostel shuttled them into Warren, NH so they could restock for the next four days. Jack told me there's a saying in the Whites that "when you step out the hiker's welcome hostel, you step into the Whites...." and that, according to Jack, "is absolutely true. "

Earlier this morning they hiked 3,500 feet of Mount Moosilauke. (sorry, no moose in view)
Today is the first time in their entire hike so far, almost 1,800 miles, that they crossed up into the alpine biome. Jack explained that the alpine biome describes a type of vegetation. There is not much wildlife at the peak. Trees won't grow in this region, and the soil is different. They said it was easier to walk through this type of biome. However the climbs are quite vertical in nature. The north side of Moosilauke was incredibly steep. Alongside the downward climb is a waterfalls, making for a slightly wet descent.

They have met a large number of southbound thru-hikers. Jeremiah Johnson, a hiker they met in the southern tier of the AT, is also there. Finally, Jack and Chris heard from their "old" thruhiker buddies Camel and Fungi! Jack and Chris were relieved they were contacted.

Next week they'll be through the Whites and in Maine, still, thankfully, days ahead of schedule.
The 100-mile wilderness in Maine will also be a challenge because it requires planning ahead for 100 miles, without access to supplies. If Jack and Chris are able to keep up their current pace, they should be finished that portion in about 5 days. Signing off. They are having the best summer vacation of their life.

Swinging along the open road...

Just thought I would drop the blog a line about recent adventures at Dartmouth and beyond....

Jack told me that the food coop in Hanover was the among the nicest he had ever seen....and he spent a summer in a grocery store. He said the food appeared extraordinarily fresh and there was great variety from around the world. Things in the outdoor stores were extremely pricey however. A southbounder recommended that Jack and Chris wear three sets of gloves through the Whites given the rocky conditions. That hiker said that their hands would be raw from the rocks without protective gloves. Have not heard if Jack and Chris have bought any yet.

Shelters in New Hampshire are different from other parts of the AT. Hikers have to pay nightly rates to stay in large cabins called "huts.". The first few thruhikers can work for stay. Work consists of cleaning, etc. They are basically simple bunk houses. From photos I have seen they appear to be sturdy and extemely protective from the elements.

As they wind down their hike.....the end is slightly more than three weeks....Jack is making plans to head directly back to Canada. Makes sense since they will be so close.

On a sad note, (but hopefully this can be fixed) Jack accidentally deleted all the photos he has taken since the beginning of July (Harpers Ferry). We are researching ways to recover these photos. The internet claims to have available software to recover data from accidental deletions....apparently a common error among users.

Unbelievable, grace-filled, how they have managed this far and this long. Continued trust in Divine Providence that all will go as it should.

From Dartmouth College

Just a quick update from the hikers themselves. We are chilling at the Dartmouth College Campus in Hanover, New stinkin' Hampshire. We are so ready to get up into the White Mountains into the first alpine zone of the trail. Hope everyone's summer is going fantastically. From sunny and splendid NH, Jack.

Final days in Vermont

Hiking in southern Vermont meant trudging through mud pits half way up to your shin. About 2 miles before stopping at Lost Pond shelter, Jack and Chris reported an absolutely awesome view from Baker Peak. It had a super-good view...not 360 degrees. They sat on a rocky outcropping. One could see the clouds below the mountain summit. You could see the sun lowering over the horizon.

They met southbound thruhiker Sysifus with his gorgeous purebred husky. Sysifus hails from Georgia. He is 19 years old and goes to Georgia State. The guys learned that anyone with over a B average in high school can go to state university for free.

On Saturday, they went to the Rutland Walmart to resupply and purchase cold-weather gear for the upcoming White Mountains. They stayed at a hostel in Rutland. The town was having a sidewalk sale/festival and our hikers bought freshly-squeezed lemonade.

Since Massachusetts there have not been that many thru-hikers. On Sunday Madhatter, an AT trail angel, put out a cooler filled with cans of soda with a note mentioning the "Madhatter's Tea Party" at the 500 miles to Katahdin trail marker.

On a sad note, again on Saturday, while Jack and Chris were sitting at an AT road crossing in Vermont drying their raincoats, two cars rode by them at 40 mph. Some of the people in the first car shouted, "hippies" at Jack and Chris. The second car with another 25-year-old in it threw a full can of beer at them and it nearly hit them and burst like a grenade. Guess not everyone has the same love for hiking the AT.

They saw Sasquatch again, as he had predicted. He is section hiking the whole Vermont portion of the AT in two weeks. They saw him on Sunday---with his dog---and he gave them his ATC business card. They noted that they are approximately in the middle of the pack of northbound thruhikers. They have noted they see other thru-hikers in spurts. Some of the other thru-hikers stop along the trail and spend zero-days off the trail in the trail towns that line the AT.
Jack and Chris have yet to spend a zero-day either off or on the trail....by Providence.

On Sunday morning they were able to attend Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Rutland, Vt. The last time they were able to hike on their own to Mass was on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Holy Family Church in Pearisburg, Va back in June. Also interestingly, that Saturday was one day before the patronal feast of our church...the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Interesting "coincidence."

As of Sunday night they were 162 miles from the Canadian border. The Long Trail to Canada and the AT share the same route for a period of miles then bifurcates. The AT turns eastward toward New Hampshire, while the Long Trail heads directly north toward Canada. On Sunday night they went off to the Long Trail to Tucker Johnson shelter, near US 4.

They must average 18.8 miles per day to get to Mt. Katahdin by day 100.... a much easier average then the beginning required average of 22 miles per day.

They were planning a long hike day for Monday. Somewhere in New Hampshire by Tuesday.

Postscript for Monday: They wound up spending the night in Thistle Hill shelter. They completed their Monday goal of 30 miles along the trail. They wound up just a few miles shy of New Hampshire. Got to talk with them as they approached the Vermont/New Hampshire border and vicariously shared the thrill with them of entering the state of the White Mountains (New Hampshire) and the last AT state before the final AT state of Maine. Talked with them as they walked through the pretty town of Norwich, Vermont. In thanksgiving to Divine Providence for continued safe travels.

Continuing days 69, 70, 71 and 72

Latest report: Jack and Chris stayed in Williamstown, Mass. at the Redwood Hotel at a price comparable to other hotels in the area. The following day, day 70, they hiked 20 miles to Melville Nauheim Shelter. It rained the second half of the day. They met thruhikers Kindman and Bonelady. Bonelady carries a cow skull on her backpack. Met woman who had walked the Pacific Coast Trail from Seattle and was not going to do anymore serious hiking when she got "hiking fever" again....rather "hiker withdrawal" symptoms.

Day 71 brought very muddy mudpits along the trail. It was drizzling a great deal. They hiked 27.7 miles to Stratton Pond Shelter. They each paid $5 to stay in a nice shelter on Stratton Mountain. They met thru-hiker Blessed that day.

Day 72: That morning they completed 75% of the AT. It rained "cats and dogs" on top of Bromley Mountain. They about 1/2 mile along the ski slope of Bromley Ski Resort. They saw the ski lift and gondola. By the end of the day they had hiked 25 miles to Lost Pond Shelter. Temperatures are in the 40s.

Signing out for posting up to Day 72.