Date: 2016-07-28
To: Lincoln, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Well I have been home for three days. It has been odd to be here. My energy has been very low and I have aspired to do very little. I am slowly taking my kit apart and washing my stuff. It amazing how fast you can take it apart compared to how much time it took to put it together! Far less thinking involved I guess. I am slowly running across friends in town and I dropped by my school today to check in. I wound up sitting in on some interviews for a new Dean of Students position they have added. The language of education is definitely still in my mind. Time to start thinking a little about that.Everyone talks about how the trail provides. I thought I would take a minute to thank some of the many people who helped me out over the course of the last five months. First and foremost, I want to thank my family. This includes my wife Ann who minded the house, the banking, the kids, and everything else she did in addition to going to work. She also came to visit me in Pearisburg, VA and I thanked her by being sick for two of the three days she was there. Again, sorry about that Ann. Also my daughter Aliza who came to visit me in Manchester, VT and again in New Hampshire. We spent a great zero day together and ate some good food. She and Ann also hiked a bit with me in the Presidentials. Thanks too to Sawyer, my son, who spent a three day weekend with me down in Pennsylvania at a time when I really needed a visit. We also had a zero day together and he was brave enough to do a 15 mile hike down there with me. I was ready to go home with him when he left me in Port Clinton but he refused to let me quit on his watch. Thanks to my brother Neil who looked after our mother in my absence, dealing with all of the details pertaining to her care. Also for his unending support which came in positive and motivational notes, posts, and the occasional phone call.Many thanks to my close friend, and now retired colleague, Deb "Lady Grey" Van Schaack, (AT Class of 2013) for her patience with me when I asked her ten million questions about the trail, gear, and everything else, prior to my departure. While our job was always busy, there was always time to talk about hiking!I want to thank Earl "Ranger" Ray, my local hiking buddy, for taking the time to come hike with me in Georgia and again in Maine. He gave me a great six day send off down south which put me on track to have a successful thru hike. While our time in the north country involved him chasing me, and me wondering where he was much of the time, I was grateful for his company and pleased to have him there when I summited Katahdin.Many thanks to my cousins Mike McGowan and Laurie Werner of Strasburg, VA. Their willingness to rescue me out of the Shenandoah, and let me lay up at their house for five days to rest up my shin splint, was a key part of my ability to have a successful thru hike. You guys are the best! Look forward to seeing you in a week or so.The following people put me up in their homes and took great care of me while I was passing through. For that I am truly grateful!Beth Gill and her husband Roger Seay of Franklin, NC who took me out to dinner and shuttled me around when I passed thru their town. Beth and I worked at the AMC Lonesome Lake hut together.My neice Molly Goolman of Hagerstown, MD. Molly took me to a pub where they serve a soft shell crab on a burger. Local flavor at its best! What was that called??Tucker and Judy Maxwell of Waynesboro, PA. They also hosted Lady Grey in 2013.Jeff Fylstra and his family in Etters, PA. Jeff and I met when he was section hiking in Tennessee.Heather Goguen of High Bridge, NJ. Heather is an old friend from my AMC days. We worked at the Galehead hut together. She was responsible for me yellow blazing into New York City for a day.Bob and Sherrie Rice of Bondville, VT. Bob and Sherrie are cousins of mine. They took great care of me for a couple nights and welcomed my daughter as a guest at the same time. Sherrie knows that she ranks as one of my top fans overall! Thanks for everything.Kelly "Santa" Collins and his wife Cheryl "Wonder" of Pike, NH for the hospitality, great meals, and slackpacking in the western White mtns. Santa and I hiked together through the Whites and western Maine as far as Rangeley. He completed his thru hike on July 26!Emily and Peter Benson of Jackson, NH. Some of my oldest friends who put me up for four nights as I slackpacked thru parts of the Whites. It is always great to be with you guys!Mike and Diane Rodriguez of Rangeley, ME. Mike and Diane let me crash a weekend with Santa and Wonder, their friends from back home.Mary Ellen and David Royce of West Carry Pond, ME. Dave and Mary Ellen were my next door neighbors in Vermont and we also worked together at Mt. Abraham Union High School in Bristol, VT. Mary Ellen is the second best cook I have ever known! Thanks also to the many many trail angels along the way who did things like cook me hot dogs, gave me snacks, picked me up hitching, left water or drinks on the trail, and numerous other things that made my life as a thru hiker a little easier.I would also like to acknowledge some of the many people I hiked with on the trail. You guys supported me, inspired me, motivated me, listened to me, and in some cases saved me. These are listed in roughly the order in which I met you. I hope that I was able to share at least half as much with you as you did with me.David "Slug" Howie"Dreamcatcher"Jensen "Rennaisance" Fleet"Scoobie"Rob "Large" WhitesidePhoebe "White Rabbit" WhitesideReed "Magic" HostetlerBen "Phat Sister" Brown"Digger""One Feather""Thor"Kelly "Santa" Collins and Cheryl "Wonder" Collins"Quick"Torie "Ash" KoscikMitch "Dutch" LeningtonJacob "Clean Skittle" Downing"Nomadic Fish" and "Deadset", the Maryland BoysAndrew "AK" KovanisDevin "Mantis" UnderhillColin "Big O" Bassett"Bigfoot the Good"Michael "Grandma" BergerJoe "Uncle Frito" PetersenCaleb"Pack Mule" GroffRachel "Goldilocks" Esbenshade"Moonbeam" and "Big Cypress", the "Two Peas""Pants the Pirate" and "Zen Master"Emrys "Merlin" Yetz and Monkey the dog"Lookout"Shelby "Purples" Farmer"Six Legs" and Calvin the dogFlorian "Rocky Cat" Feldmeier"Unknown"Amy "Gingersnap" Lacey-Plumley "Fence" and "Un-Careful""Nascar"Erik "Lost Pony" JenkinsJustin "Wee Gillis" SeguretAndrew "Blaze" SnyderI apologize if I missed anyone and will amend this list as I remember more. I am honored to know all of you and be part of the AT Class of 2016! Congratulations to all.