Date: 2007-11-17
From: AT Lodge, Millinocket, Maine

To: Bus Rolling Down The Highway
Miles today: 0.0

*****Author's note: Yes, I have used dehydrated foods, there all types of brands: mtn house, alpine air, backpacker's pantry, etc. I like them for short term use for their lightweight and ease of preperation. I dont like them long term because there are 1000's of mgs of sodium per serving.*****I do not have any other "trail journal" other than this year. I will tell more about my other hikes over the next week or so & then the rest go into the book.*****As I was driving the bus home: I was thinking that I should have something incredible to write about my journey. I really dont. I enjoyed it; would only recommend it to only the most spartan; learned alot about the north eastern USA; & learned alot about myself. Most of it has to do with very personal issues that I do not want to get into. The only thing to share is that I think I have finally grown up, after all these years.*****With the talk of "The Traveller" & my decision of not climbing Mt Kathadin illegally: let me tell you his story of doing so. Somewhere in the mid 70's, The Traveller got dropped off near the base of Kathadin around dusk. It was mid January and the temperature was below zero. He had all the right gear to make the climb. He waited till an hour after dusk and began his climb. He said it was so cold that his sunglasses broke. The shading fused into the glass had froze and broke the glass. He said that he would have froze to death himself; except, he had spent alot of time with his uncle up in Alaska who taught him about "vapor barrier". He constantly had to stop and zip up and then zip down. He said he got to the top and tapped the sign and went about half way back down. There he made a nice stealth campsite. He said that he had just gotten to sleep when he heard a couple of guys demand him to come out of his tent. He did and there in front of him were two rangers. He said that they had seen his footsteps at the base of the mountain. He said that the rangers were extremely upset and borderline hypothermic. They told him to get all of his gear together because he was under arrest and was going to see the judge. Well, Traveller is not the type to hurry by commandment from anyone; so, defiantely, he took his time. He said the rangers could barely move when he did get his stuff altogether. They transported him to Millinocket, Maine where he went in front of the judge. He said it was around 8am and much of the town had come out to see this guy who climbed "The Mountain". When the authorities asked for his identification, he had none and gave them a false name. I cannot remember the name and it seems hard to believe that they would accept his false name in a legal manner; but, he said they did. After he was givin a long admonishment from the judge; she asked what was his plea. He said, "Nolo contendre"; which threw the court into disarray because she was not sure if he could use this defense in this matter. After 30 minutes or so; he asked to approach the bench. He went up and told the judge that to settle the matter; he would pay for everyone's time. The judge agreed to around 500 dollars and also, he was forever banned from the park. He accepted. He was escorted over to the bank where he had the money wired to him. The banker would not allow him to accept the money without an ID. Traveller said that the sheriff told the banker that he would vouch for his identity. He went back and paid the fine and was released. He said that it was all in the newspaper with his fake name and everything. He said that at the top of the mountain: there was a weather station that was dropped in by helicopter for that winter. He said that when he summited, it triggered the thermometer and it registered minus 88 degrees. Do I believe all of this story? I actually do, maybe a few exaggerations; like the -88 degrees. I heard this story directly from him in mid-December 2006 at The Fontana Shelter, NC. Do yall think that I should have done what he did? It would have been a good ending!