Date: 2007-06-21
From: Stratton,ME

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Greetings again Everyone!I know I keep saying this, but thanks so much for the feedback and positive words on my guestbook. I wish I had the time to email each of you individually and say thanks, but it's a fight sometimes to steal minutes on the internet. I just finished hiking over the Bigelows here in Maine. After pushing pretty hard on through the 100 Mile Wilderness, I took a few days to slow it down and really concentrate on enjoying my hike. Afterall, it is not a race to Georgia. That said, I can definetely tell that my legs and lungs are getting stronger. I am slowly finding the balance between putting on decent mileage and taking time to smell the roses----in other words, hiking my own hike. I hopped off the trail this morning around 9am after doing about five miles with plans to head to Stratton. But apparently my thumbs are either broken or they can smell my grubby stank from far away because there was not a sympathetic soul on the road. I ended having to walk about 5 or so miles into town. Not a big deal, but I was looking forward to getting to town earlier. Thanks to all my friends from Korea---I got your package alright. Yay for Korean Ramen. Coming through the Bigelows, which was actually kind of tough, I found myself in my first real rainstorm of the journey. It was bound to happen though. I had almost two straight weeks of sunshine and clear skies, so I was due for a dousing. The rocks were a bit slippery, but I went slow and managed to only fall twice. Not bad considering my track record. As much as I love, and I do mean love, my hiking poles, sometimes they get jammed in a nook and throw me off balance. But it's a small price to pay for an extra set of limbs going up a mountain. I just finished inhaling a greasy burger at the diner across the street, complete with onion rings and a tall milkshake. I think that when I started the hike I weighed in somewhere just under 200lbs and am now at about 175-180 (if the scale here is correct). But don't worry. Two days in a town and I can put on ten pounds easily. The people in these small Maine towns are absolutely amazing. Most welcome hikers with open arms---probably because they know we are ready to drop large sums of money on anything that is not chicken ramen or oatmeal---and it's just extraordinary to feel so welcomed after a few long days in the woods. I will say this also to all those who were very concerned with my hiking alone. On the trail there is great sense of community and comraderie. It's like we are all neighbors but on the move---like gypsies perhaps. My point is that I don't want people to worry because even if I am hiking alone for the day, there are pockets of people in front and behind me at any given time. Just wanted to put some at ease. Anyway, I should get going and make an attempt to scrub off the film accumulating on my skin. As funky as I am, I am surrounded by people with stanks far greater than mine. Plus, you kind of get used to it after a few days---suprisingly enough. Hope all is well with everyone! Thanks again for the notes and quotes! Love you Lots!!!SEan