Date: 2004-08-27
From: Gentian Pond Lean-to

To: Full Goose Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.6

Maine!Mileage Countdown: -276.5Being through the Whites doesn't mean that tough trails are behind me. Today wasn't even ten miles of walking. Sure, I got in pretty early, about 3, but I was completely exhausted. I drank almost all of the 2 1/2 liters of water I started with, enough to last nearly 15 most days.I did go over several mountains, none of which was over 4000'. But what really made me tired was that always I was either going up or down. There was very little level trail, except for board bridges, which require concentration to keep from wandering off them into the goo. And today, even some of the board bridges weren't level. Coming down off the East Peak of Goose Eye Mtn, the board bridges were often tilted at quite an angle, with cleats along their length to keep us from sliding off.Tomorrow is Mahoosuc Notch, a mile of boulder hopping through a sharp gap. I have been looking forward to this for quite a while, but with the whipping I got from the Whites and since, I am approaching it with some trepidation. Following the Notch is Mahoosuc Arm, a 1600' climb in just over a mile and a half. Tomorrow will be even fewer miles than today, but I will probably be just as beat at the end of it.Yesterday I mentioned that I plan to take a long bike ride next year. It will cover all 50 states plus DC. I have two criteria for each state: To have a picture taken of me and my bike in front of the state house; and to be the overnight guest of at least one resident of the state.For about 20 states I already have an invitation, or have a relative or friend close enough that I can ask for an invitation and be sure of getting one. For the rest of the states I am hoping on getting some invitations from people reading this journal, and other friends I would like to see again but whom I don't feel I can impose on by asking for an invitation. For states where none of these invitations is forthcoming, I would like to receive some 'road magic' from people I meet along the way.I won't be following any firm plan, but intend to let the wind (and invitations) guide me. I expect to start from my home in NH, sometime late in March, and take between 9 and 15 months. Just to get started, I will probably head down the East Coast states, and then come back up the states west of the Appalachians, giving out trail magic and revisiting some AT points along the way. I do intend to be in PA in early June to attend a college reunion. During the hot months of summer I will probably travel the northern tier of states, and in winter the southern tier.Alaska, Hawaii and DC present special problems. To get to Alaska I expect to take a boat to Juneau, starting in either Washington state or British Columbia. I intend to have my Alaska invitation to be on the panhandle as well, but don't have anything in hand (or even in the bush) yet.Hawaii is a different sort of a problem. I don't want to pay more to have my bike shipped there than to buy it so am looking for an alternative method of transport. I have heard that it is possible to crew for a sailboat race and have your belongings taken to the race venue. This assumes there will be a race in Hawaii when I am ready to go there, that someone like me who knows nothing about sailing can actually crew, and that what I heard is in fact true. I would be most grateful if anyone can shed some light on this, or any other, method for getting to Hawaii.The DC problem is of an entirely different nature. DC doesn't have a state house. What should serve in its place? The US Capitol where its laws are made? The mayor's office? Some other location?(If anyone is moved to invite me, please send me an e-mail at alan.shorb@mindspring.com. Be sure to have a subject line that I can clearly recognize, like "Bike Trek Invitation", since I am prone to throw in the trash any e-mails coming from names I don't know with subject lines I can't identify. Thanks.)Here with me at Full Goose are all the people from last night, plus a group of about 15 from a boarding school for troubled kids out for a few days of hiking.Milestone: Today I entered my 14th, and last, state on the AT, Maine. Yahoooo!