Date: 2004-07-19
To: Thanks
Miles today: 0.0

It is one week since I finished the final part of my AT hike. I have returned to work, mowed the lawn at home, sprayed the apple and peach trees in my orchard, weeded some in the vegetable garden I share with my son, and started getting back up to speed on my soccer responsibilities. The final nine days are transcribed into TrailJournals.com and some of the many photos I took have been put on the site. I even did a Mt Monadnock hike yesterday in order to stay in some type of hiking shape. My biggest challenge is to cut back on my calorie intake so I can keep off the 15 pounds lost during the last four weeks of hiking. This last 313.2 miles of my hike were most difficult. They started in what I believe is the most demanding part of the AT, ie, the mountains in southern Maine up through the Bigelow Range. I worked to get in shape but as all AT hikers know true hiking shape is only attained by being out on the trail for weeks. In my fourth week I felt that I was getting into reasonable condition -- when I was able to do 15 plus mile days with time left over at the end of the days. I also managed to hike through a number of injuries, including the usual blister problems at the start, a nagging ingrown toenail, a right knee problem that persisted from an injury four months earlier and not completely recovered, a series of back attacks that consistent use of yoga exercises seemed to help, and bruised left ribs that made the left arm not useful in climbing. It was indeed fortunate I got through Mahoosuc Notch before the rib injury and that it had 3 weeks to heal before the climb up Mt Katahdin. I thank the hiking gods for help during these difficulties. Time will now let these injuries really heal, will permit the numb hiker toes regain their feeling, and the leather on the bottom of my feet to soften back to ¢normal.¢It has been a great adventure during the six months last summer and the four weeks this summer. I have met and hiked with many wonderful people ¢ the hikers, the trail angels, the hostel providers, people in the towns I passed through, and the Trail maintainers. It is refreshing to live in an environment where everyone has the same basic goals and the same basic obstacles to overcome -- and where people are willing to help each other to achieve their goals and overcome their obstacles. The AT is a very nice world. To my family, my work and soccer colleagues, and the many friends I made on the Trail, thanks for the encouragement, support, hiking guidance, and understanding while on my adventure. Also thanks to all the southbounders and others I met who congratulated me in the final 200 miles of the trail. Those words helped sink home how close I really was and kept me going even when it was tough (as was all of Maine). I want to particularly thank my Journal Transcribers (my daughter and son-in-law), my Journal Editor in Chief and Mail Drop Sender (my wife), and my mentor, Highlander II (my son). Their efforts have been tremendous, they made the hike and hike reporting go very smoothly, and they are very much appreciated. It has been a great experience being out on the Trail but now I am back in the real world and look forward to renewing all my friendships there.