Date: 2010-09-20
From: Andover, ME; Pine Ellis Hostel

To: Andover, ME; Pine Ellis Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hi again! SO much has gone on since I checked in with you last! I hope you will all check back once I return home as I intend to enter in my handwritten journal entries! It has been a CRAZY time out here! Ups and downs, mentally and physically! Since reaching WV the states have flown by! PA kicked my butt and was dry, dry dry! NY & NJ were great and also dry! CT, MA, VT-all fantastic and back to plenty of water! NH and the Whites were quite challenging but highly rewarding! I can't believe I actually climbed Mt. Washington!! As you can imagine, it brought tears of joy! As did the Maine line! The day I crossed into Maine went from high to low about 10 times! That was a special moment, at the line, then I fell in a huge mud puddle! I rocked up a tough climb, then found myself waist deep in a mysterious mud sink hole! HA!! The next day I did the 1 "hardest mile on the trail" Mahoosuc Notch which took 3 hours!! Right after that was the 2 mile climb up the Mahoosuc Arm which took another 3 hours! 3 miles in 6 hours! Prior to the Whites I was avg'g 30 min miles, then 60 min miles in the Whites...then the Notch! Yikes! I wound up fulfilling one of my AT dreams later that day though by stopping early at a pond, in Maine, on a really sunny day and just enjoyed it! It was beautiful!! My knees were really appreciative as well!I am so overwhelmed right now, I just don't know where to begin! I still have chores to do so I think I will call it here. Once I get home I will get to work on my pictures and get them ready for you and another gathering! I really look forward to veggin' out for a couple days and easing back into society! Tammy-I hope you'll have another project or some work I can help you with there at KIB! I can't wait to see you all and share, share, share!! After the Halloween campout I will get to planning! I can't wait for all the hugs and catching up with everyone!Until then, this party isn't over and I am still practicing for the big dance!! I hope to summit on 10/9 or before so I have time to get my 2 other sections completed this year! Shags, LB, Ups and Sideways are a day or so behind me and I can't wait to see them again! Our buddy Lowrider is BACK! He is 1-1 1/2 days ahead so I will catch him soon as he'll be doing low miles to start! I really hope we can all work it out and summit together! That would be perfect!Dube's: I think of you often and wonder if we can't figure something out when you trek to Maine, I will try and get you called before I leave town tomorrow AM!Twizzler: Thanks again for the care package, that was so kind and generous!I made it to a Wally World and picked up a 2nd set of thermals and hope that will keep me cozy. Turner is shopping for a down jacket as I may need one of those for Maine! We'll see! Thanks to all the kind words and motivating thoughts from all of you I have my head up high and ready for the rest of southern Maine (Roadrunner, I really like your tip!!) I will also enjoy the flatness and mild terrain of northern Maine before Katahdin! My knees will be glad too! These downs up here are BRUTAL!! I can't believe some of the things I've seen me do! Some of this stuff really seems impossible yet I think how so many before have done and know it is doable...in a matter of seconds, I continue and have done it now too! PRETTY COOL!! I can't imagine what those with preexisting knee issues must be going through though! My feet are sore, but tolerable! I am starting to ramp up the Vitamin I (ibuprofen) consumption, but trying only to take as needed so it continues to work! I gained 6 pounds since Harper's which is great and am eating like mad!!!My thanks also to Turner for keeping you all updated! I wish I could do more, but I am really in the wilderness now so I don't see much computer time until I return to Indy. A blessing in disguise perhaps! This trek will soon be over and the real world awaits. I hope to make the most of every day and every step until then!I love you all and want to thank you again for your constant support! Peace out!