Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Sunday, November 22, 2009
97 days on the Appalachian Trail
The word “hiking” ordinarily brings to mind the image of casual strolls in the park or refreshing afternoon excursions. But for my brother and me, it became a lifestyle: last summer, we spent 97 days hiking across two thousand miles. We woke up to that task every morning, in spite of torrential rains and 50 kilometre day-plans.
For many, that might not sound like much fun; you may legitimately wonder why we did it. The answer, however, isn’t particularly revealing. The idea came to me on my first visit to the Appalachian Trail, on a chilly fall afternoon in the hills just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The image of the labyrinthine path, coursing through the seemingly barren Pennsylvanian forest, elicited in me a passionate inquiry into its story.
Though I’d barely walked more than a few miles that day, that small taste of the trail – which follows the Appalachian mountain chain through the temperate forests of the eastern U.S. – spurred my imagination. My head began conjuring images of the trail rolling over a vast sea of deep, grassy knolls in the west of North Carolina, covered in brilliant red and white wildflower patches. I saw myself walking under the behemoth rock outcroppings of New Hampshire’s White Mountain Range. I imagined the lonely adventurers I might eventually meet, and the cozy little mountain towns of America’s original west: Appalachia.
So it was the mystique of the trail that lured me in. The opportunity to spend a summer living simply, free of technology and undistracted from nature’s splendour, invoked in me a special yearning. I also hoped that the experience could strengthen the bond I shared with my brother. To eat from the same pot, walk over the same stones, and huddle under the same log roofs – in temperatures ranging from tropical to just above freezing – I couldn’t imagine this experience doing anything but bringing us closer. But I never could have imagined the intensity of the isolation the Appalachian Trail brings.
On April 29, 2009, I left my 19th Century Philosophy paper in the Leacock Philosophy Office, ready to confront the coming challenge and fulfill an incomparable dream: to walk from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine.
But my brother and I soon found we weren’t alone. Every summer, a few hundred crazy souls unite themselves with the bio-rhythms of this peaceful land to seek fellowship with the wilderness. But romantics need not apply; beyond all else, life on the trail amounts to a continuous test of endurance – a fact for which an entire year of training had barely prepared us. And so, under a picturesque Georgian sky painted in blots of white, we set out, clueless about what would become of our feeble frames.
The trail would dump rain on us for days at a time. And on the trail, when you get wet, you stay wet. The path often became a stream and, on the worst occasions, we found ourselves walking knee-deep in mud, mile after gloomy mile through Vermont. The gigantic roots that covered the trail in Maine, meanwhile, made walking feel more like skipping. But probably the most persistent challenge for us was the fact that walking isn’t all a hiker is faced with – we had to climb mountains. Every day, a hiker changes about 4,900 feet (1,500 m) in elevation.
The whole sanitation thing out there isn’t exactly ideal either: going a week without showering or doing laundry got us scoffs at local grocery stores. It was tough working so hard everyday only to be humiliated upon re-entry into society.
Living off little more than a 15-pound sack and stream water was surprisingly liberating, though. Less stuff meant less hassle, and the freedom to peruse the depths of my inmost self without distraction was edifying. Solitude allowed my mind to wander through my past, my passions, my fears, and – eventually – nothingness. It is a glorious victory to be able to surrender one’s thoughts to completing a simple task for its own sake, and nothing else. The point at which my mind had nothing left to think about was the first time it was truly free.
I insist that the rewards of hiking lay in persisting through to the end of the act, rather than in some combination of fruitful anecdotes. My brother and I derived pleasure from simple things, like sharing a story with fellow hikers, or diving into a Chinese buffet with people we’d never met before. Strangers would offer much-needed food, or rides to places that catered specifically to housing long-distance hikers, free of charge.
Every person we met – from a federal prosecutor or the dean of finance at the University of South Carolina, to the man who asked us mud-covered hikers for money at a picnic table – was of deep value to the journey. We all enjoyed each other’s company so greatly because we all held a common love for the place through which we journeyed.
The reward I gained from this endeavour is absolutely indescribable. The feeling reaching the end point of our voyage – after pouring three months of our life into reaching it – was intoxicating, euphoric perfection. For the first time in my life, I had no desire to be in any other place but hugging that sign on Mount Katahdin that marks the end of the trail. I still have trouble comparing this moment to any other in my life.
To the readers I’ve compelled to consider taming the Appalachian Trail, you may find no other requisite for the hike than unbridled enthusiasm. If you can picture yourself eating heaps of junk food outside a small grocery store in some remote mountain community, or imagine zipping out of your sleeping bag every morning to the sight of a yet unseen forest, then you will be as prepared as I was. I nevertheless strongly recommend doing some preparatory hikes up Mont-Royal to test your motivation. Many a hiker has loved the idea on paper, but quickly dropped off within the first week. In fact, nearly 30 per cent of people drop off before they reach the 30-mile mark. So, if the trail beckons, don’t turn it away. Modern life can wait, as it did for me.
For many, that might not sound like much fun; you may legitimately wonder why we did it. The answer, however, isn’t particularly revealing. The idea came to me on my first visit to the Appalachian Trail, on a chilly fall afternoon in the hills just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The image of the labyrinthine path, coursing through the seemingly barren Pennsylvanian forest, elicited in me a passionate inquiry into its story.
Though I’d barely walked more than a few miles that day, that small taste of the trail – which follows the Appalachian mountain chain through the temperate forests of the eastern U.S. – spurred my imagination. My head began conjuring images of the trail rolling over a vast sea of deep, grassy knolls in the west of North Carolina, covered in brilliant red and white wildflower patches. I saw myself walking under the behemoth rock outcroppings of New Hampshire’s White Mountain Range. I imagined the lonely adventurers I might eventually meet, and the cozy little mountain towns of America’s original west: Appalachia.
So it was the mystique of the trail that lured me in. The opportunity to spend a summer living simply, free of technology and undistracted from nature’s splendour, invoked in me a special yearning. I also hoped that the experience could strengthen the bond I shared with my brother. To eat from the same pot, walk over the same stones, and huddle under the same log roofs – in temperatures ranging from tropical to just above freezing – I couldn’t imagine this experience doing anything but bringing us closer. But I never could have imagined the intensity of the isolation the Appalachian Trail brings.
On April 29, 2009, I left my 19th Century Philosophy paper in the Leacock Philosophy Office, ready to confront the coming challenge and fulfill an incomparable dream: to walk from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine.
But my brother and I soon found we weren’t alone. Every summer, a few hundred crazy souls unite themselves with the bio-rhythms of this peaceful land to seek fellowship with the wilderness. But romantics need not apply; beyond all else, life on the trail amounts to a continuous test of endurance – a fact for which an entire year of training had barely prepared us. And so, under a picturesque Georgian sky painted in blots of white, we set out, clueless about what would become of our feeble frames.
The trail would dump rain on us for days at a time. And on the trail, when you get wet, you stay wet. The path often became a stream and, on the worst occasions, we found ourselves walking knee-deep in mud, mile after gloomy mile through Vermont. The gigantic roots that covered the trail in Maine, meanwhile, made walking feel more like skipping. But probably the most persistent challenge for us was the fact that walking isn’t all a hiker is faced with – we had to climb mountains. Every day, a hiker changes about 4,900 feet (1,500 m) in elevation.
The whole sanitation thing out there isn’t exactly ideal either: going a week without showering or doing laundry got us scoffs at local grocery stores. It was tough working so hard everyday only to be humiliated upon re-entry into society.
Living off little more than a 15-pound sack and stream water was surprisingly liberating, though. Less stuff meant less hassle, and the freedom to peruse the depths of my inmost self without distraction was edifying. Solitude allowed my mind to wander through my past, my passions, my fears, and – eventually – nothingness. It is a glorious victory to be able to surrender one’s thoughts to completing a simple task for its own sake, and nothing else. The point at which my mind had nothing left to think about was the first time it was truly free.
I insist that the rewards of hiking lay in persisting through to the end of the act, rather than in some combination of fruitful anecdotes. My brother and I derived pleasure from simple things, like sharing a story with fellow hikers, or diving into a Chinese buffet with people we’d never met before. Strangers would offer much-needed food, or rides to places that catered specifically to housing long-distance hikers, free of charge.
Every person we met – from a federal prosecutor or the dean of finance at the University of South Carolina, to the man who asked us mud-covered hikers for money at a picnic table – was of deep value to the journey. We all enjoyed each other’s company so greatly because we all held a common love for the place through which we journeyed.
The reward I gained from this endeavour is absolutely indescribable. The feeling reaching the end point of our voyage – after pouring three months of our life into reaching it – was intoxicating, euphoric perfection. For the first time in my life, I had no desire to be in any other place but hugging that sign on Mount Katahdin that marks the end of the trail. I still have trouble comparing this moment to any other in my life.
To the readers I’ve compelled to consider taming the Appalachian Trail, you may find no other requisite for the hike than unbridled enthusiasm. If you can picture yourself eating heaps of junk food outside a small grocery store in some remote mountain community, or imagine zipping out of your sleeping bag every morning to the sight of a yet unseen forest, then you will be as prepared as I was. I nevertheless strongly recommend doing some preparatory hikes up Mont-Royal to test your motivation. Many a hiker has loved the idea on paper, but quickly dropped off within the first week. In fact, nearly 30 per cent of people drop off before they reach the 30-mile mark. So, if the trail beckons, don’t turn it away. Modern life can wait, as it did for me.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
I am proud to say that an article I wrote on the hike was published in my school's newspaper today. Check it out at McGill Daily Article.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Slideshow for the entire hike
I took a while to put this together and I did have to delete a ton of pictures to cut it down, but here is what I consider to be the "best of" our AT hike.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Articles in the Carroll County Times
Lois Szymanski
Brothers complete Appalachian Trail hike
By Lois Szymanski, Central Carroll
Friday, October 02, 2009
Over the summer, two Finksburg brothers completed a feat few can claim — at a pace even fewer have achieved. On Aug. 26, 18-year-old Chris Maguire and 20-year-old Jack Maguire stepped off the Appalachian Trail. They’d made the 2,178-mile walk from northern Georgia to central Maine in 97 days, each of them wearing down three pairs of shoes along the way.According to Jack Maguire, plans for the Appalachian Trail hike started after he had hiked a part of the trail in Pennsylvania. “I became enthralled with the idea that those short three miles were a part of such a huge path, stretching from Georgia to Maine,” he said.His brother Craig agreed. He had hiked parts of the trail in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. “I found myself wanting to return to the trail each time I finished a hike,” he said.Since both are in college, they decided to try a summer thru-hike. “Most hikers will take off jobs or school to amble through the woods over a 120-170-day period,” Jack said. “But we wanted a challenge.”The pair took a Greyhound Bus to Gainesville, Ga., stepping onto the southern trail tip on May 21 at Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The hike would take them through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, “we were chased by territorial turkeys,” said Jack. “We were stalked at night by a hungry bear which chewed Chris’ hiking poles up real good, and I nearly stepped on a huge rattlesnake. Life on the trail is plenty exciting.”“The mountains became my home,” Craig added. “I could appreciate nature for the harsh and enlightening realities it contains. I was accomplishing something daily.”About 20 days into the trek, both young men became ill. “We had to hike while throwing up and having severe stomach issues,” Jack said. But they kept pushing forward. “I lived with an immediate goal,” said Craig, “to walk to Maine.”
In North Carolina the pair encountered a horrific thunderstorm. “Out there, there is no place to hide,” said Jack of the high open stretches called Balds. “You have to literally run for your life,” he said.Despite the hardships, there were also nice surprises along the way. “During our brief stay in Pearisburg, Va., we came upon a town fair,” Jack recalled. “The blooming onions there were some of the best food I ever had.”They also encountered a town festival in Rutland, Vt., with live bands and street vendors.They met hikers from Montana, Washington, California, France, England, Poland, Israel, New Zealand and Australia as well as many East Coast states.Jack said they met a federal prosecutor, a Green architect, the manager of California’s largest kayak outfitter, a famous trail filmmaker, the owner of BackpackingChef.com, and a man who ran waste management programs worldwide.“We met old men and college grads,” he said, “southern-accented Dixies and people with the deepest New England accents you’ve ever heard in Maine.”The deepest friendship they formed along the way was with the only pair keeping the same fast pace: Their names were Camel and Fungi.“Because there are no distractions, conversations with friends, even strangers, can last hours and involve deep material,” Jack said. “Camel and Fungi developed a particular bond with us. We developed a long list of funny quotes, compiled along the way. It can be quite funny walking across dialect borders.”Jack said the worst part of the trip was “mosquitoes and no-see-ums preventing one from sleeping, walking in shin-deep mud in the Northeast, persistent rain in Tennessee, not showering or laundering, having no music, rocks, roots, and other obstacles on the trail, not having a flush toilet, snakes, unfriendly drivers (one who threw a full beer can at us), not being able to verbalize the experience to non-thru-hikers, running out of water for hours at a time, getting sick, getting to a summit which is either without a view or foggy, and Pennsylvania rocks.”“The people were the greatest part,” he said. “The trail community is the friendliest. All the people out there treated us like legends. Often there were boxes full of cold drinks and snacks waiting in the middle of nowhere. I have a particular love for the owners of the trail hostels in towns. I love how intensely satisfying a good meal in town was. I loved how time was no longer an issue; out on the trail … your past is measured in miles.”As they hiked, Jack and Craig’s mom updated their online blog. “We carried a cell phone and called home every other day,” Craig said. “Our mom would write an update with all the latest news. Our family and friends could keep up with our hike.”Craig said the hike strengthened their relationship. “We bonded,” he said. “I can’t imagine hiking the whole trail without him. It was a group effort. We pushed each other to keep hiking.”Jack agreed. “My brother and I become incredibly close. We ate out of the same pot. We drank from the same streams, and often even sat on the same log to enjoy a rest. We fought ferociously at times, but when two people share such an intense passionate adventure, they are bound at the hip.“Chris and I enjoy the trip a lot more knowing that our experience will not be lost in the annals of our individual memories. When we discuss the hike, it’s for real. We know what it felt like out there.”Read more about the Maguire brothers’ adventure on their blog at http://www.jackchrishike.blogspot.com/.
Saturday October 3, 2009 Carroll County Times Editorial "Thumbs-Up"
Brothers Chris and Jack Maguire, from Finksburg, recently completed the 2,178-mile Appalachian Trail hike from northern Georgia to central Maine in 97 days. The two decided to do the hike this summer after Jack had hiked three short miles of the trail in Pennsylvania. The college-aged brothers said they bonded during their trek and met all sorts of interesting people along the way, which they chronicled in a blog their mother updated via daily cell phone reports.
Brothers complete Appalachian Trail hike
By Lois Szymanski, Central Carroll
Friday, October 02, 2009
Over the summer, two Finksburg brothers completed a feat few can claim — at a pace even fewer have achieved. On Aug. 26, 18-year-old Chris Maguire and 20-year-old Jack Maguire stepped off the Appalachian Trail. They’d made the 2,178-mile walk from northern Georgia to central Maine in 97 days, each of them wearing down three pairs of shoes along the way.According to Jack Maguire, plans for the Appalachian Trail hike started after he had hiked a part of the trail in Pennsylvania. “I became enthralled with the idea that those short three miles were a part of such a huge path, stretching from Georgia to Maine,” he said.His brother Craig agreed. He had hiked parts of the trail in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. “I found myself wanting to return to the trail each time I finished a hike,” he said.Since both are in college, they decided to try a summer thru-hike. “Most hikers will take off jobs or school to amble through the woods over a 120-170-day period,” Jack said. “But we wanted a challenge.”The pair took a Greyhound Bus to Gainesville, Ga., stepping onto the southern trail tip on May 21 at Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The hike would take them through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, “we were chased by territorial turkeys,” said Jack. “We were stalked at night by a hungry bear which chewed Chris’ hiking poles up real good, and I nearly stepped on a huge rattlesnake. Life on the trail is plenty exciting.”“The mountains became my home,” Craig added. “I could appreciate nature for the harsh and enlightening realities it contains. I was accomplishing something daily.”About 20 days into the trek, both young men became ill. “We had to hike while throwing up and having severe stomach issues,” Jack said. But they kept pushing forward. “I lived with an immediate goal,” said Craig, “to walk to Maine.”
In North Carolina the pair encountered a horrific thunderstorm. “Out there, there is no place to hide,” said Jack of the high open stretches called Balds. “You have to literally run for your life,” he said.Despite the hardships, there were also nice surprises along the way. “During our brief stay in Pearisburg, Va., we came upon a town fair,” Jack recalled. “The blooming onions there were some of the best food I ever had.”They also encountered a town festival in Rutland, Vt., with live bands and street vendors.They met hikers from Montana, Washington, California, France, England, Poland, Israel, New Zealand and Australia as well as many East Coast states.Jack said they met a federal prosecutor, a Green architect, the manager of California’s largest kayak outfitter, a famous trail filmmaker, the owner of BackpackingChef.com, and a man who ran waste management programs worldwide.“We met old men and college grads,” he said, “southern-accented Dixies and people with the deepest New England accents you’ve ever heard in Maine.”The deepest friendship they formed along the way was with the only pair keeping the same fast pace: Their names were Camel and Fungi.“Because there are no distractions, conversations with friends, even strangers, can last hours and involve deep material,” Jack said. “Camel and Fungi developed a particular bond with us. We developed a long list of funny quotes, compiled along the way. It can be quite funny walking across dialect borders.”Jack said the worst part of the trip was “mosquitoes and no-see-ums preventing one from sleeping, walking in shin-deep mud in the Northeast, persistent rain in Tennessee, not showering or laundering, having no music, rocks, roots, and other obstacles on the trail, not having a flush toilet, snakes, unfriendly drivers (one who threw a full beer can at us), not being able to verbalize the experience to non-thru-hikers, running out of water for hours at a time, getting sick, getting to a summit which is either without a view or foggy, and Pennsylvania rocks.”“The people were the greatest part,” he said. “The trail community is the friendliest. All the people out there treated us like legends. Often there were boxes full of cold drinks and snacks waiting in the middle of nowhere. I have a particular love for the owners of the trail hostels in towns. I love how intensely satisfying a good meal in town was. I loved how time was no longer an issue; out on the trail … your past is measured in miles.”As they hiked, Jack and Craig’s mom updated their online blog. “We carried a cell phone and called home every other day,” Craig said. “Our mom would write an update with all the latest news. Our family and friends could keep up with our hike.”Craig said the hike strengthened their relationship. “We bonded,” he said. “I can’t imagine hiking the whole trail without him. It was a group effort. We pushed each other to keep hiking.”Jack agreed. “My brother and I become incredibly close. We ate out of the same pot. We drank from the same streams, and often even sat on the same log to enjoy a rest. We fought ferociously at times, but when two people share such an intense passionate adventure, they are bound at the hip.“Chris and I enjoy the trip a lot more knowing that our experience will not be lost in the annals of our individual memories. When we discuss the hike, it’s for real. We know what it felt like out there.”Read more about the Maguire brothers’ adventure on their blog at http://www.jackchrishike.blogspot.com/.
Saturday October 3, 2009 Carroll County Times Editorial "Thumbs-Up"
Brothers Chris and Jack Maguire, from Finksburg, recently completed the 2,178-mile Appalachian Trail hike from northern Georgia to central Maine in 97 days. The two decided to do the hike this summer after Jack had hiked three short miles of the trail in Pennsylvania. The college-aged brothers said they bonded during their trek and met all sorts of interesting people along the way, which they chronicled in a blog their mother updated via daily cell phone reports.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Pictures
Here is a collage of all our state border crossings. From top left to bottom right: GA/NC, NC/TN, TN/VA, VA/WV, WV/MD, MD/PA, PA/NJ, NJ/NY, NY/CONN, CONN/MASS, MASS/VT, VT/NH, NH/ME. Click on the image to enlarge.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
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.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
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.
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....
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....
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
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!
Chris said this section of Maine is much easier and less intense than southern Maine. Well that's a relief!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, August 17, 2009
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)
-Peace, Corporate (Jack)
Sunday, August 16, 2009
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
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
Saturday, August 15, 2009
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!
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!
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