Date: 2009-10-23
From: Katahdin

To: Amicalola Falls State Park, GA
Miles today: 36.7
Weather: light rain

I have decided to update this 2007 journal because I ended up just doing a section of the AT in 2007, and am going to add a few miles to what will be my section hike of the AT over a number of years.My plans for the future are to head back out to finish hiking the CDT with Mrs Gorp in June of 2010, so I have a little time to play now. :-)I actually already did a small section hike on the AT on August 12, 13 and 14 of 2009. I was in Maine to help Mrs Gorp celebrate the 30th aniversary of the end of her first hike of the Appalachian Trail. (I believe I was still in grade school back then) Ha!!We didn't make it up Katahdin on the first try on Aug 10, 2009. We got a very late start and the weather was threatening, so we turned around and decided to do a short hike from Monson, ME to Caratunk, ME first, then come back and climb Katahdin for that 30 year thing.We left Monson on Aug 12th and heading south towards Caratunk. We camped on a peninsula at Bald Mtn Pond that night. Camped south of Pleasant Pond the second night, then walked into Caratunk the next day in time for lunch at Northern Outdoors.We thought about going on, but the weather was so warm and there were so many bugs out, that we decided to head back to Baxter State Park and climb Katahdin.Lew and Frogcaller came and picked us up in Caratunk and took us back to their cabin. Thanks!!! :-)We got an early start on Aug 16th and made the 30th aniversary climb up Katahdin.We spent another day in Maine after that. Mrs Gorp did the work of gathering information for updating next year's Thru Hiker's Companion and I did the driving.The foot problem that took me off the CDT earlier this year was no problem on this short hike. Rainbow Slick fit me for custom orthotics earlier and they seem to be doing the trick.I've tried staying busy this year....buying a storage unit for my stuff, then finding all my stuff and moving it in. I've also been doing some running and bicycling. I got together with Mrs Gorp again before The Gathering in Gettysburg, PA and got in a 750 mile bicycle ride....100 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, all of Skyline Dr through Shenandoah National Park, some roads to Purcellville, VA where we picked up the Washington and Old Dominion Trail which we rode into Washington, DC, then picked up the C&O Canal Towpath and rode that all the way to Cumberland, MD, then picked up the Great Allegeny Path and rode that to Pittsburgh, PA where we picked up to Montour Trail and rode that about 40 miles to the Pittsburgh Airport.We rented a car at the airport to get back to our vehicles in VA, then headed to Gettysburg, PA where Mrs Gorp did a presentation to the college outdoor club about cross country bicycle riding. The Gathering started the next day. We spent the weekend with old friends. :-)I headed back to FL to get ready for a little walk that I should be starting on Oct 30th, 2009 at Amicalola Falls State Park, GA. I'll climb the Approach Trail up to the summit on Springer Mtn and will be walking north for a while.I have no idea how long I'll be out or how far I'll get on this next section of the AT, but I've got a little time and I REALLY love being on the Trail this time of year!!Any journal updates I do will be made under this 2007 journal. I'm just trying to keep all my sections of the AT posted on this 2007 journal year because it's the only one I haven't finished for the AT.As you can see, I've tried to stay busy even though I haven't updated since I got off the CDT earlier this year. I know....I've been bad. :-)