Date: 2006-08-25
From: Monson

To: 100 mile wilderness
Miles today: 0.0

Hello Ork and Beanians,   Well we have finally reached the final trail town for north bounders!!! We arrived in Monson this afternoon and are just begining all of the wonderful tasks that make town stops chaotic as opposed to relaxing. As an example we are in the library now updating our journal and while that is happening our laundry is washing across the street. Of course we were eating pizza while we put our laundry in because you cant eat in the library. After our computer time expires we will roll the laundry into the drier and head for the payphone to make our 600 phone calls. When all 600 family members have been contacted we will shop for our food for the next 115 miles. That should take us right to about 7 tonight, at which point we will eat dinner and go to bed! AHHH the sweet sweet healing power of an afternoon in town.   We would really like to extend our thanks to all of you who signed on to our site through this trip. But this last batch in particular was very touching for us. It is great to have the support of so many wonderful people pushing us along our journey. We were so touched by this outpouring of support that we felt we should do something in return to show our appreciation, and that is why we are quitting!!! Just kidding, actually wild horses couldnt drag us away at this point. (I think I may have plagerized that wild horses line.) Anyway we really do appreciate everyone for all your help along the way.   Alright enough sappy crap. We have 115 miles to go until this little charade is over. We are slated to summit on the 2nd of next month, and it looks like there will be plenty of others around at that time. We are still traveling with Rip and Hugger and plan to summit with them. Maine has been beautiful but very wet. We also saw our second moose of the trip the other day. She was broad side to us standing in a swamp. We waited for Rip and Hugger for a while but decided Stevie Wonder couldnt miss this moose so we left. Of course when we reunited with them it turned out that while Stevie wouldnt have missed it, Rip and Hugger would. What else can I tell you...oh, the hostel we are staying at tonight has loaner clothes for you while you do laundry so I am walking around town today in baby blue shorts that are the appropriate length for a tour de france cyclist, and beans sweater is simply marvelous! We are quite a pair.   I am going to say goodbye now as we only have a half hour on this thing. We really do appreciate everyone who has followed us. The next time we sign on, we will be AT thru hikers! Please sign our guest book if you stop in. And one final note for all the Ork and Bean faithful, it would be wrong for us to enter the 100 mile wilderness without leaving everyone a rule of the road. I know it has been a long time since I wrote this but, it is time for another Ork and Bean rule of the road: When entering an "alpine zone" it is always prudent to utilise the facilities before you get above tree line. While most day hikers are accustomed to seeing boulder fields atop mountains, they are always taken aback by pooping thru hikers. And trust me, you are still obvious even hiding behind your pack!Thanks again for everything!Ork and Bean