Date: 2009-07-15
From: Monson, Maine

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 120.0
Weather: clear sky

The 100 miles of wilderness was rough. We had 6 straight days of rain and our feet were wet for at least 6 or 7 days. We did have a few amazing days of sun with clear skies, and those were some of my favorite days. I posted some pictures and videos that you can view on the left hand side of my website page. I hope you enjoy! Dad and I are in Monson, Maine right now taking a day off to rest, and we needed it! I feel great, and I'm looking forward to starting again tomorrow. Dad will be staying one more day, and then he will be heading back to Atlanta. Oh, and for those of you who don't know, I will be continuing my hike southbound solo. Tommy felt that he needed to be in Atlanta after we started, and I hope that everything works out great for him back home. Plans change, but the show must go on! I feel confident in myself, and I feel very safe out here. So much has happened since my last entry, so I will just write about the highlights. After Mom and Jess left, Dad and I continued our hike and we saw a moose the first day which was neat. Other than that, we didn't see much wildlife other than a few birds, and a few snakes. Dad almost stepped on one that was sunning on the trail, but it wasn't poisonous. At first, Dad and I were making great time only hiking 5 or 6 hours a day and doing about an average of 11 or 12 miles, but the rain took it's toll and by the third day his feet were falling apart. He got his trailname, Blue toe, out here because after the 3rd day, his big toe turned completely blue. His name should be Blue toes instead. They look like swollen hamburger meat now.   He says this is one of the toughest things he has ever done in his life, but he made it, and I am proud of him. Good job Dad! He is the man! Out here in the 100 miles, you have 2 games to play, a physical game and a mental/emotional game. I believe that the body will eventually take care of itself physically, but if you're not prepared mentally, I think you are doomed to fail. Your mind starts to play tricks out there, and you doubt yourself and ask yourself why you're doing this, but one campfire later with a bunch of strangers will change that. I have slept inches away from complete strangers in shelters, and overnight, they become like your family. I can already tell that my perspective of people has already changed a little in the short time I have been out here, and I think that is a good thing. I have had so many laughs with everyone out here, and everyone is almost always willing to help you succeed. There is no competetion. Your goal each day is to make it to the next day, and that strategy seems to be working for me. I know I will grow so much in these next months, and I am thrilled to be out here! When we got to sleep in real beds last night at the hostel with a bathroom, I started to tear up a little. I have never been so thankful for stuff that I took for granted back home. Having all you own on your back for a while will really make you think about what you need and what you don't. I am sending my tent home, my stove stand, one pot, and half of my stuff. I now just have the bare essentials, and as I travel forward I know I will be sending more stuff home. I am having a great time out here though, enjoying hiking during the day and meeting new people. It is a different lifestyle, but everyone is in the same boat out here, one day at a time. I do have a funny story about a friend named Rock Plopper. She had a lot of gear at the beginning of the trail, and she looked like a camel with all of her stuff. Since it had been raining for a while, her sleeping bag got wet and weighed too much for her to carry, so at the top of White Cap Mountain, she started screaming in a rage and took her sleeping bag off her pack. With sleeping bag in hand, she waddled to the nearest cliff and threw it as far as she could, yelling at it as it eventually disappeared. She told us that at a shelter one night, and we started cracking up! She froze a little the next few nights, but she has a new bag now, so all is good. It did get into the low 40s a few nights. It feels great to be alive and enjoy the playground that we have in the woods, and I am looking forward to continuing the journey. Again, thank you all for your prayers and support! I will try posting a few more pictures today before the library closes.