Date: 2017-06-29
To: I'm finally in Maine!
Miles today: 65.0
Weather: clear sky

06/22/2017 - Full Goose Shelter..... 10 mi Well, I'm finally in Maine! Did 10 hard miles today...I wanted to get thru Mahoosuc today (the hardest mi on the AT) but I also wanted to have fresh legs when I did it since I've no idea what to expect. I held up 1.5 mi short. In the morning I'll be ready! I Hiked today with a nice young man who returned to the trail today to finish his hike. He got Lyme disease and had to end his hike in NH last year... this is day 1 so he is struggling. We will do the Mahoosuc notch together then he will go off trail for resupply and I'll move on. My resupply is in Rangeley 2 days later. The pics today are crossing into Maine and the other showing hand holds in the rocks... sometimes you just need a little help. 236 mi left!!!¢¦¢¦ Well, when Andy showed up at the shelter before the notch he was feeling better so l packed my bag and of we went. We knew he didn't have legs for the shelter after the notch so we planned to set up camp right after we got thru the Mahoosuc boulder field.... IT WAS TOUGH. We went over under thru just like they said we would. Some places we pushed or pulled our packs thru ahead or behind us, It took us two hours to go 1 mile. You would have to do it to believe it... crazy insane! I'm wiped out, my tent is up... Goodnight!!!06/23/2017 - Baldpate Shelter... 10 mi.Stealth camping after doing the Mahoosuc notch seemed like a good idea at the time. It poured rain all night, everything is soaked. Ever try to sleep in a wet sleeping bag? It's awful! It rained most of the morning before stopping, everything is still wet. My legs are spent so only 10 mi today and it's supposed to rain tonight. I think l can still make Rangeley in two days for my resupply. I'm running out of food but I'll eat less¢¦ it's not like I need it for anything!!! Heather thank you for the cookies, they are awesome.I'm in the shelter and it's filling up tonight¢¦ planning for bad weather. At the moment I'm missing my solitude!!!06/24/17 - Hall Mountain Shelter...14 mi.It poured again last night and well into the morning. At least l was in a shelter for the night. I did my best to protect everything before I pushed out into the rain. Today the trail threw everything it had at me all day long. I slogged along and at 6 pm rolled in. Endless bogs, rain, wet rock faces, rocks, roots¢¦ it is slow going in southern Maine. Again bad weather so the camera was packed tight.... I took a couple pics at the shelter... The first is of the shelter, and the second is my first time using my medical kit. I tried to sit on a rock for a snack. When I sat down my pack weight pulled me over and I fell off the rock... a root took a slice at me. Nothing fatal.06/25/2017 - Bemis Shelter.... 13 miSolo again today, lots of mud and it¢s starting to take a toll on my feet. Blisters are starting to form... my feet have been wet to long. I need to get into Rangeley to take care of my feet but 18 mi thru this kind of trail will be too much. It¢s going to be 2 more days. Pushing my goal of July 15 to the limit... l don't know. Pics... couple views and the trail. Goodnight.06/26/2017 - Sabbath Day Shelter....8 mi.The weather was nice today so I took a short hike and stopped early to dry out all my wet gear. I¢ll make Rangeley tomorrow... probably in the rain but I'll be inside at night and I'll have real food again. The southbound hikers are flooding by everyday now and filling the shelters... it's nice to meet as many as I can. They are all different in their own ways... all full of stories and goals. It's fun to hear them. They all have many questions about what's coming... I tell them all to go home now...LOL. Not really, many have already left the trail just like those heading north do. All kinds of issues... I'm getting more anxious each day for myself. I will zero in Rangeley to get ready for my push to Monson, gateway to the 100 mile wilderness. Pics today, a beautiful setting of lakes and the rain clouds that plaque me almost daily. The other¢¦ LOL my feet after a day of bogs soaking thru my boots!!!06/27/2017 - Rangeley......10 mi.Up early and on the trail at 6am, expected rain but it turned out they were wrong... Beautiful hike average 2.5 mph...I was flying. I got into Rangeley at 11 am after a 12 mi hitch. Got my food resupply and checked in to the Rangeley Inn where I will enjoy a zero tomorrow. I wanted to mention that if you are interested in pics of Mahoosuc Notch, google it to see better pics than I could ever get. It's worth the effort. Since I expected rain I didn't have my camera so all I have is where I'm staying tonight. Back on the trail Thursday.