Date: 2002-08-04
From: Mt. Katahdin

To: GA
Miles today: 12.0

August 4, 2002Broke camp about 6:15 this morning.   Blisters are TERRIBLE. I hoped they would turn into calluses. Like when I used to be a kid and did carpenter work. I would be out there shoveling sand everyday and the blisters would get bad from hammering on my left hand and then shoveling on both hand and would bleed raw adn they would turn into callus¢s. Just tough it out. But I don't know. Last night Locomotive and Asirite came in. Aserite was late. She was having a tough time and she is traveling with locomotive and she came in 2 hours after he did. Met a guy named Flip-Flop. He started in Harpers Ferry and going up to main and then flying back to Harpers Ferry and go south again. This morning I had to climb white Cap Mountain. Took me about 1 hour and 15 minutes, straight up but beautiful. Used up a roll of film. Going to change film and head down the mountain.   Down the mountain and am taking a break and having a power bar. Met several north bounders about done with the hike and they all say, ¢Oh, you¢ll toughen in, you¢ll toughen in. and he said he had blisters and they turned to callus¢s.¢ So hopefully I will. I think about home a lot, think about Mary and the grandchildren.   I¢ve always been sort of a homebody, homesicky. Seems when I get away from home then I want to be home.   But this time I am going to try to tough it out, because I remember when I was in the Navy. Boy I remember I just wanted to be home. I just couldn¢t¢ stand to be away from home. Same way when I went to CA at Dale and Arlene¢s. I was there about 2 weeks and then I wanted to come home. I have got to conquer that. I have got to get over that. I know I have always regretted not staying in the Navy. Always, just seems like everyday I regretted not sticking it out. So barring any injury or anything I am hoping I can stick this out and my mind won¢t play trick on me.   Thought about Church this morning and all things that go on the routine, I miss it. I just need to do this. Met a lot of northbounders coming up the line. Talk to Trailblazed and there was Windy and Challenger and Zion and it¢s hard to remember all their names but what great group of guys. So enthusiastic, of course they are just about done with their hike too. I am now at the Carl Newhall Lean too. It¢s 2pm; I was going to stay here but think I will keep going on to the Hermitage. They say there is a campground somewhere near there about 700 feet off the trail.   So I will try that, can¢t see burning this daylight sitting here. But I am tired and my blisters are terrible. I just tried to dress them up again. That moleskin just keeps working off. But when I get to Monson will get some stuff. I am going to travel on. I am having a lot of second thoughts about the trip right now but will keep going on. Tough it out. Met a man who was coming up the mountain who was hiking with his son. Name was Iceman and his son¢s name was Madman. Son is 9 years old and is hiking with him from Monson to Katahdin it¢s 110 miles. Dad started at Springer.   I don¢t think his son liked it too good. Looked like he just soon be somewhere else.   But the old man seemed like he was determined and wanted to know if there were any bugs. I said, well, there¢s a few, depends on whether they bother you or not. I have put some stuff on a few times.