Nomad Life - Day 277

For some reason, I woke up much earlier than I normally do (0530).  Feeling wide awake, I started teleworking immediately.  At 0705, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Rodeway Inn (Gorham).  This was the earliest I'd been in the dining area and that made it a bit more relaxing.  However, the waffle iron wasn't hot yet and there was no orange juice.  Oh well!  Back in my room again, I continued teleworking.  Lunch was snacks in the room but then I stayed online (meetings, etc.) until 1630. \ With the work day completed, I cooked and ate dinner in my room and spent time texting with Mollie (she was making progress in her drive towards New England).  By 1700, though, I was ready to go kayaking on Maine.  It was 70 F and sunny when I left the hotel and drove (via US-2) into Maine.  My target was the little town of Gilead and, by 1725, I'd parked at their boat launch on the Androscoggin River (i.e., the Landing at Bridge Street).  As I was unloading "Tequila Sunrise", I realized this was the first day I've really smelled the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.  Within 10 minutes, I'd launched my kayak and was pleased that there were no other people nearby.  However, I soon realized that I was "stuck" in a three-quarter-mile pocket of calm, lower current water.  Put another way: if I tried to go anywhere beyond this "safe" area, the rough water and strong current threatened to ruin my day - paddling would definitely be more difficult (or impossible) during any return if I got sucked downstream.  As a result, I spent almost two hours paddling along the edges of the river inside the pocket.  At times, the water was very shallow and I got hung up on the gravel of the river bottom.  At others, I could get very close to the "rapids" and still maintain my position in the calm water.  For the whole time, I managed to avoid getting swept away.  However, I also wished I'd brought a length of rope...  There were fly fishermen in the distance and, later, I met up with two families (dads & sons) who were fishing along the edge of the section of river where I was.  Throughout, the weather was very nice (sunny, 75 F) and the bugs weren't a problem.  Each time I completed a circuit and returned to the upriver end of the "pocket", I tried to get as far upstream as I could - this turned out to be great exercise.  Along the way, I observed (and heard) several interesting bird species (this is the "Summer of the Red-Eyed Vireo", I think).  My paddling (five miles in two hours) was done at 1935 and I ended up in a pleasant conversation with some locals while restowing my kayak on the roof of my Subaru.  With that step of my paddling day completed, I assessed my options.  At first, I thought about driving into Bethel and/or trying to finish up the Maine portion of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT).  Another alternative was to return to Gorham for a drink at Big Day.  In the end, I settled for crossing the river and driving west (via North Road) to the New Hampshire border.  Along the way, I passed an XNHAT rider.  For my part, I logged another 2.5 miles of XNHAT (from Bridge Street to the border).  Hoping to get a bit more birding, I stopped at the border (1955, 65 F) - there were (like earlier in my visit to the area) good observations.  Beyond that, I made my way back to the west (North Road to Meadows Road) and eventually got back on US-2.  Still in deep thought about what I wanted to do for the rest of the evening, I got jolted back into the present when I was passing by the Appalachian Trail parking lot (Rattle River), with the sun in my eyes, when I saw two hikers hitchhiking.  Even though my car was pretty full with Nomad Life stuff, I decided to stop; they were VERY happy.  While reorganizing the car, I realized that I recognized the two guys - it was "Dozer" and "Fast Cash" from our Hanover Trail Magic last Thursday!  We were all equally stunned at the "small world" scenario and it made for some fun conversations.  After they and their gear were securely inside my car and I was driving them into Gorham, I learned they wanted to go to Big Day Brewing.  Of course, I decided to join them!  They also told me they were going to meet up with a Trail Angel there, so they didn't need much more of my assistance.  After arriving at Big Day, we stayed at the Brewery (they ate dinner but I only had a beer) until the venue closed (2100).  There was some really good conversation and I learned they were both accomplished hikers (they had met on the Continental Divide Trail) and "Fast Cash" was trying to complete the Eastern Continental Trail.  It was great to meet up with them!  At 2115, I said goodbye to my friends and they met up with the Trail Angel they were seeking.  While driving back to my hotel, I called Brenna and we talked for a little while.  The wildfire smoke smell had gotten much worse by the time I parked and the parking lot was full of four wheelers.  In my room again (2130), I spent time packing up (for my departure in the morning), reading, watching YouTube videos (on my phone) and getting settled for sleep.  Unfortunately, there were problems with the Internet again and my phone was not really able to provide the correct bandwidth to continue.  (Actually, the constant requirement to log on, nearly every five minutes, has been frustrating since I arrived...)  Eventually, I gave up on the technology and went to bed (2245).  Very glad my afternoon was full of paddling, trail bagging and AT Hiker camaraderie!

Nomad Life - Day 271

Today was my last planned day in the Upper Valley for a while.  Since I arrived nearly two weeks before, it's been a great visit!  Starting with an early wakeup (0515), I initiated my telework day in order to get a head started on my hours.  I took a break at 0645 to have breakfast in the lobby of the Quality Inn (Lebanon) but then got back to telework.  Meanwhile, outside, the weather was beautiful (sunny, clear, 60s).  Somehow, I stayed online (with only one short break to print things at the hotel Business Center) until 1050.  After that, I packed up my car and checked out of the hotel (1100).  Anticipating a lunch meet up with my friend, Joe C, I drove across NH-120 to The Fort (diner).  Only then did I realized we'd planned to get together about 30 minutes later.  After texting with my friend to confirm we were definitely on track, I ordered lunch.  Joe arrived by 1130 and we had a nice time visiting while enjoying some good food.  The last time we'd seen each other was on the Seacoast back in August 2025 and a lot has happened since then!  We finished up our visit at 1230 and said goodbye.  Next, I drove east on Heater Road (delays due to major construction) so I could add things to my storage unit.  When I finished with that quick task, I backtracked to NH-120 (despite more delays for construction) and drove to Greensboro Ridge Natural Area.  As I'd done back on June 28, I wanted to do some Trail Monitoring (Volunteering) for the Hanover Conservancy.  Before arriving, though, I joined a work telcon (in "listen only" mode) and that continued for a majority of the next hour while I was walking on all of the trails in the Natural Area (1305 to 1345).  Along the way, I found some blowdowns (fallen trees) and later reported them to the Hanover Conservancy Office.  During my pleasant walk, which reminded me of so many times I'd visited Greensboro Ridge while living in Hanover, I was blessed with very nice weather (temps stable in the 70s).  Finished with both the telcon and the hike (1405), I got in my car and started my drive to Coos County.  At about that time, I noticed that my Subaru Outback ("Nessie") had just reached 100,000 miles - wow!  My route, which used to be so familiar to me while I was hiking the Appalachian Trail (through 2023), consisted of using NH-10 to reach River Road, a drive through Lyme along the Connecticut River, crossing over the Edgell Cover Bridge (open again after repairs) and rejoining NH-10 in Orford.  Beyond that, I continued all the way to Woodsville and then joined US-302.  From there, I drove through Littleton (lots of traffic) and continued north until I reached Whitefield.  After turning briefly on to US-3, I used NH-116 (less traffic) to reach US-2 in Jefferson.  The only thing I had to do after that was drive east to Gorham.  The route came back to me easily and I didn't use my Google Maps at all during the drive.  As I approached my hotel in Gorham, I started to encounter lots more traffic again (weekend rush, I guess).  By 1615, I'd checked into my hotel, the Rodeway Inn (a place I used many times while hiking the Appalachian Trail), and had (quickly) unpacked as much as I could in order to get ready for the next day of hiking in the Whites.  Only then did I resume teleworking.  Fortunately, due to my morning work period, I only had to stay online for one hour and, by 1730, I'd finished up my work week.  I used the next hour to get more organized and then ate some "dinner" (leftover snacks from the Trail Magic Day).  Along the way, I also had time to research for my potential climb of Mount Washington in the morning and packing up my daypack (first time in a while).  With a hope of getting in some more exercise, I departed the hotel at 1845 and drove east on US-2.  Almost immediately, I started passing AT hikers who were walking towards Gorham.  After about 25 minutes on the road, I stopped at the pull-off for Reflection Pond (Shelburne), a place I used to stop at (for a break) during many AT Hiking Trips.  By 1910, I'd launched "Tequila Sunrise" and started a counterclockwise loop in my kayak.  Over the course of an hour (under beautiful conditions), I got lots of good views of the surrounding mountains (reflected, as advertised, on the calm surface of the water), enjoyed some good birding (first Alder Flycatcher) and watched a funny beaver (he'd somehow gotten out of the water but was so desperate to return, despite my closeness, that he practically "swan dived" to escape me).  I was finished with my much-delayed (due to other commitments) paddle at 2010 (after 2.5ish miles).  Hoping to complete the farthest eastern section of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail (XNHAT), drove east on US-2 and then followed North Road all the way to the Maine Border.  Somehow, I'd missed this section of the trail during many previous hikes and drives so it was nice to be done.  The border itself, which I found at 2030, was marked only with a blank standing stone.  I got out of the car on the Maine side of the border and did some birding (62 F) before turning around and heading west on North Road.  During this time, I got to talk with Mollie and watch a very pink sunset.  Eventually, I turned south on Meadows Road and made my way back to Gorham via US-2.  In my hotel room again (2100), I continued planning for my upcoming hiking day.  Unusual for me: I didn't watch any movies - instead, I just kept sorting, cleaning and packing until bed time (2300).  I'm glad to be back in the New Hampshire North Country!

Nomad Life - Day 245

After another restful New England night with the window open, I woke up (at 0630) at Jack and Shelagh's house in Essex.  I had time to do some reading, puzzles and Duolingo before getting ready.  After packing my bags in the car, I did some birding on Shelagh and Jack's screened porch (0730) - there were probably 30 species, including my first sightings of a Black-and-White Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  During this window, I made a hotel reservation for the Seacoast of New Hampshire while eating breakfast (tea & scones) with the family dogs (Ollie and Skye) lying under the table.  At about 0815, Shelagh took me on a drive on the family four wheeler (to explore more of their 30 acres).  Jack had told me last night that he first bought the land before he was married to Shelagh and had added to it over the years.  The home was a labor of love for his new family.  This morning's expedition was foiled by downed trees on the property "forest road."  Back at the house again, I laughed to see the golden retrievers chasing the tractor.  Shelagh then took me for a ride in her convertible to explore prominent locations around Essex County.  Initially following MA-133, we drove out into a salt marsh area so we could get views of Choate Island (site of the 1996 filming of "The Crucible") and then headed southeast to "downtown" Essex, where their boat was moored.  Along the way, Shelagh told me about the family's time in the area (schools, homes, churches, friends).  Passing beyond the town and on to Essex Avenue, Shelagh drove me to Conomo Point, which was swanky by itself but had views of a nearby island from "Front Beach".  To the north, there were some buildings (including a stony ruin of something that looked like a castle) - Shelagh told me that one family owned most of the land on the opposite side and that it could only be reached by a family "water taxi".  Very pretty!  During this time, I realized that I could wear my ball cap in the convertible without losing it.  This was good because the sun continued blazing down from above...  We then made our way (via Southern Avenue) to Manchester-by-the-Sea.  Shelagh pointed out all the people who had ridden the train from Boston and were carrying their floaties along the sidewalk to the beach.  We stopped to see the Harbor and Singing Beach - very pretty!  Backtracking towards the northwest, we drove back to Shelagh's home (arrived at 0945).  Once we'd put the car away, we met up with Jack and coordinated for future family meetings.  I might have stayed longer but it was clear that Jack's health and the fact that it was Father's Day weighed heavily on Shelagh's mind.  Taking the hint, I said goodbye and departed for New Hampshire at 1005.  I followed MA-133 to the nearby town of Ipswich.  IN some sort of "we were here first" tug-of-war, Ipswich and Sandwich are in a never ending competition for the oldest homes in New England.  There wasn't time to go looking for these but I did pass the "John Brewer Home" (built in the 1680s) before I finally reached I-95.  I listened to audiobooks as I drove through the overcast (75 F) weather towards New Hampshire.  After crossing the border (1040), I exited the Intestate at NH-107 and drove east to US-1.  Since there were still many hours before I'd be able to check into my hotel room, I stopped to do some shopping at a Walmart in the town of Seabrook.  After getting my supplies (1110), I walked over to a Panera Bread and ordered some lunch.  When it was ready, I ate in the restaurant and made plans to continue walking on the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway.  At 1200, I parked on Depot Road ("Residents Only" Lot) in the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary and started north on an unfinished section of the Greenway.  Along the way, I had lots of birding opportunities, saw many people walking their dogs and encountered bikers who'd started riding in Newburyport (MA).  I plodded along and kept meeting the bikers when they paused for breaks.  I walked through groves of trees and (barely cut) bushes - at times, it was hard to follow the correct trail.  Occasionally, the sky dropped some rain on me and I really regretted not bringing an umbrella...  Eventually, I reached the southern terminus for the completed trail and found lots of nice gravel and signage.  Wonder if they will ever build the trail all the way out to MA?  After walking about three miles, I arrived at the Hampton Airfield (where I'd eaten lunch with Joe C back in AUG 2025).  I started my backtrack there as the temps rose and walked back towards my car.  Before long, I started smelling a strong cigar smell and found an old man walking his dog.  As I reentered the Estuary area, I noticed that the tide had risen significantly since my past passing.  In the distance, I saw lightning and heard ominous thunder.  I could also see the old Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.  Even though I was was tempted to continuing south on the unfinished trail when I reached my car, I decided to finish my walk at 1410.  By then, I'd hiked about 6 miles (nice).  After driving back to US-1, I drove a short distance to the Best Western Plus (Hampton) and was able to check into my room at 1425.  I got my computer set up and worked on my blog and made eBird entries for a little while.  Later, I responded to (lots of) Fathers Day messages I'd received.  Outside, it rained hard!  At 1600, I left my hotel and drove (via US-1) to Portsmouth so I could attend 1630 Mass at Corpus Christi Parish (Immaculate Conception Church), located near Goodwin Park.  (It had stopped raining by then.)  After all my travels, being back in the Manchester Diocese made me wonder if I'd hear lots of Latin and elaborate songs.  In the end, the service ended up being almost all in English and was accompanied by familiar songs from my youth.  I departed the church at 1710 and drove (through the center of Portsmouth) so I could cross the Piscataqua River into Kittery, Maine.  I had hoped to return to Definitive Brewing Company Tasting Room (see AUG 2025) but was stymied by Google Maps (not available as a search) and had to "settle" for a stop at Tributary Brewing Company, which had been closed on the days when I visited last time.  I later learned that Definitive had removed to Portland - in fact, I learned that almost all of the Kittery Outlet stores were closing up shop,  My stop at Tributary was well worth the effort and I tried a satisfying flight of (four) beers, starting at 1720.  There were lots of friendly locals and a nice bartender.  I wrapped up my visit when they closed (1800) and then drove a short distance towards Eliot to do some birding (1815 to 1830).  Beyond the birding, I returned to New Hampshire (via US-1 Bypass bridge),  Back on US-1, I drove back to my hotel (arrived at 1845) and began my slow retirement for the day.  I checked in with some friends who are usually in the area (Joe C and Dwight) but learned that I'd miss seeing both of them while I was on the Seacoast. I had a nice call with Brenna and then watched movies until bed time (2230).  Even though I wasn't with my daughters today, I still had a great Father's Day!

Nomad Life - Day 17

I slept OK in the "Shack Hilton" - the temps dropped into the high 50s overnight but I had plenty of cover.  The only real distraction overnight, especially when I first started trying to sleep, was the loud trucks that drove by on the newly paved road.  Fortunately, it got quiet after midnight and I made it all the way to 0600 without needing to leave my bed.  With WiFi working great in the morning, I did my usual reading, Duolingo and games and also took care of some additional travel planning.  By 0700, I was packed up and almost ready to go - the accommodations didn't have a shower so my normal routine was slightly disrupted.  Peter (the proprietor) came out of his house (across the street) in his bare feet to bid me farewell and we ended up talking for a while again.  He insisted I take some snacks and water for the road and I took him up on that offer.  The birds were quite boisterous and the air was quite pleasant (60s).  By 0740, I was in my car and on my way west.  I ate breakfast (donut from Shaw's that I'd gotten for free the previous day) and listened to audiobooks as I made my way back into Bridgton and got on US-302.  From there, I continued towards New Hampshire and enjoyed all the interesting scenery (lakes and hills) all the way to the border.  After Fryeburg, Google Maps took me around the messy traffic of North Conway and I was soon motoring south on NH-113.  The only delays along the way were from (literal) Sunday drivers, who didn't seem to be in a hurry going anywhere and stopped suddenly for turns at gas stations and donut shops.  I'll admit that my frustration level rose dramatically as I followed them - every time I shed a slow driver, I picked up another one soon afterwards...  Eventually, I was on NH-25 and used that to cross the Lakes Region and reach the town of Center Harbor.  I then cut west (NH-25B) to US-3, which took me along the shores of Squam Lake - pretty!  I used NH-175 to get to I-93 and then was only on the Interstate for one exit (just over a mile of four lane highway).  After this point, the directions were very familiar: NH-25 to NH-118 to US-4.  It had actually been a while since I'd taken this route and it was good to see different landmarks I used to pass all the time.  Departing New England will be a major change in my life...  My reason for heading in this direction was serendipitous - my hotel for the coming night was in Ticonderoga, NY and Google Maps took me right through Lebanon.  This allowed me a chance to stop at my storage unit for some long-awaited (and much needed) gear swap-out.  Arriving at the storage facility just after 1000, I figured I'd only be there for an hour or so.  Instead, I spent nearly THREE HOURS there, packing and repacking, clambering over boxes to reach essential items, etc.  The temps rose into the high 80s during this time (ugh...) and I eventually had to change my shirt to avoid feeling like I'd taken a shower in my clothes.  I ate lunch (snacks) while working and eventually got to a good equilibrium.  Fingers crossed, this will be my last visit to the storage unit in 2025! During this time, I tried to hydrate but it seemed like a losing battle...  Just after 1300, I closed up the car and got back on the road (I-89), headed for Vermont.  I managed to reach Mollie on the phone during this rare moment of cell service but was unable to get in touch with Erin or Brenna.  Continuing on the Interstate until the Bethel exit, I started to learn the new handling characteristics of Nessie, who now had a completely filled roof-top-carrier and lots of other stuff in the back.  At one point, I started to wonder if the brakes were going to be a problem in the Green Mountains... [Note - they worked just fine but I had to plan a bit further ahead to avoid mashing on them at the last second.]  My route through Vermont was mostly familiar, which Camp Brook Road, Bethel Mountain Road and VT-100 appearing as usual.  At the latter road, though, I went south for about a mile before getting on VT-73, which I used to cross Brandon Gap and reach my target: Mount Independence State Park.  I arrived there at 1445 and, after learning that the entrance fee for the trail system was waived for disabled veterans, geared up for a hike to the historic ruins.  This spot, along with Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Defiance, featured in my reasons for driving to the extreme southern end of Lake Champlain - it was great to be able to start my visit with some outdoor activity.  As I was getting ready to go, though, I was startled by the change in the weather - it had been clear and hot all the way across the state but, as I reached the eastern edge of the lake, the wind kicked up tremendously and I heard distant rumblings of thunder.  Also, the temperature had dropped over 20 degrees (into the high 60s).  Determined to see as much as I could before being prevented by the elements, I headed north into the woods (1500).  The trail system was quite well marked, with lots of interpretive kiosks and signs.  I could see Mount Defiance and Fort Ticonderoga at times and was impressed by the whitecaps on Lake Champlain.  There were ruins and lots of history to learn and I was surrounded by birds as I walked - but absolutely no people (I guess that's understandable).  I'd been warned that it might take two hours to travel through the whole system but I only ended up needing 90 minutes to finish the four miles.  Fortunately, the weather stayed like it was at the beginning and I only ever felt some raindrops at the very end.  Before departing, I checked out the Visitor Center exhibits (nice) and then drove back towards VT-73 and later got on VT-74.  With the winds still very strong, it was amazing to watch hundreds of soaring birds (including some big raptors) in the nearby farm fields.  My mission was to get on the Ticonderoga Ferry, which was advertised as being open until 1800 - since it was only 1645 when I was going to arrive, I thought I was all set.  Previously, my experience with the Lake Champlain Ferry system is that it is always running, even in weather that seems "unsafe" to the casual observer (see DEC 2023).  When I arrived at THIS ferry, though, there was no activity on either side of the lake (maybe three hundred yards across?) and the whole place seemed to be closed.  But there was no sign of the status!  Recalling that the ferry had a Facebook page, I went online to see if there were any notices posted there - sure enough, the owner had secured the ferry for the day about an hour before I arrived.  Oh well.  Unfortunately, now I was faced with 35 miles to drive only about 8 as the crow flies...  To add insult to injury, it started raining - the drive was not going to be easy.  I took my time, since predicted arrival at my hotel (Super 8 Ticonderoga) was still going to be before 1800 (my planned arrival time).  After a short drive to the north on back roads, I found myself on VT-125, which I've used many times before to cross the Lake at Crown Point.  Once in New York, I followed Lake Drive to NY-9D and made my way south again.  When I got into town, I was relieved to see all the businesses close to the hotel I'd chosen - after about 15 minutes of check-in and unloading of my car, I was comfortably settled in my room.  I was tempted to go out again - for dinner or a drink - but, feeling like I needed an evening to rest and relax, I made food in my room (single serve meals from the Shack Hilton stash).  Actually, this was the first time I'd had a chance to use a microwave on the trip - I've got lots of plans for that in my Nomad Life future but I hadn't had luck up to this point.  For the next few hours, I read, blogged and got organized for my upcoming work week.  I managed to stay awake until about 2245 and then fell asleep.  New adventures tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 16

I woke up early this morning but tried to prolong the night.  In the end, I couldn't fall back to sleep and, instead, started reading and doing other online games/puzzles.  I skipped breakfast.  At 0800, I felt ready to get up and decided to head outside to repack my car (in anticipation of the storage building swap-out that would be happening the next day).  I spent about an hour at this task and then used the rest of my available time in the Motel 6 making plans for the rest of August.  I found things to do along the way to my next hotel and got myself to a comfortable place in terms of departing Portsmouth.  Just after 1000, I checked out and drove across Gosling Road to recycle a spent printer cartridge at Staples (1020).  Next, I drove around to the back side The Crossings Mall and parked on the north side of the Fox Run Mall so I could walk around inside until the Texas Roadhouse opened.  In the end, I got almost two miles worth of steps in the air conditioned building and had built up an appetite by the time I could get inside the restaurant (1130).  Once again, as I had the previous two days during the week, I sat at the bar and used the gift card my sister (Katie) had given me - it was great that I could eat three different meals with the $50!  This time, my lunch consisted of chicken strips and a Caesar salad - again, the food was good.  The manager came by at one point and I raved to her about the food and service I'd received all week.  At 1215, I departed the Newington area and crossed the Great Bay on NH-16 (Spaulding Turnpike).  I exited from the four (plus) lane highway early and drove north through the town of Dover.  My goal was to first try to get some free items (before they ran out of them) at the local Shaw's and I was successful in this endeavor (done by 1250).  Next, I backtracked into the center of Dover and started looking for a place to park so I could finish walking the Dover Community Trail.  Fortunately, I found a quiet neighborhood (Fisher Street) and a trailhead parking lot with open spots.  Starting at 1300, I walked south to check off another rail trail on the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge.  Along the way, I enjoyed seeing a scale model of the entire Solar System (very well done).  The trail was also paved and mostly shaded.  I turned around at Rutland Street (southern terminus) and walked north until I reached the Dover Transportation Center (railroad depot) - I just missed seeing (I heard it only) the Downeaster Amtrak train.  The last half mile in this direction crossed over the Cocheco River - very pretty!  Backtracking to my car, I completed the trail (I'd walked the northern section in JAN 2022) and two miles of walking (along with my 10K steps for the day).  Throughout, the temps weren't too bad (high 70s) at this point and I felt good fitting in the walk before my drive to the next hotel.  I headed out of town on NH-4 and was just about to cross the Salmon Falls River when I noticed a great price for gas at the Rollinsford Cumberland Farms.  Filling up my tank (1405), I resumed my drive to the north on ME-4.  Google Maps kept me on lots of back roads, all the way to my destination: Bridgton.  I passed through lots of little towns (Berwick, Sanford, Alfred, Limington and Sebago) - I thought about stopping but realized that I might be able to attend Mass before I ate dinner or checked into my lodging and, therefore, didn't stop.  Listened to audiobooks on the way.  After many miles of flat land driving, I came across a big hill (very noticeable) at one point and, from the top of a few rises, could see lots of blue spots (ponds, lakes) and distant mountains.  This area of Maine was almost completely foreign to me but I recognized a lot of the same feelings for the hills and lakes of the Pine Tree State.  Just before I drove into Bridgton, I came across St. Joseph Parish (1545) and went inside the church to prepare for Mass.  I very much enjoyed the service and it was over in less than 45 minutes.  Next, I drove the last mile into town and drove back and forth on the main street (US-302), looking for a place to eat.  After a few aborted attempts (closed for Saturday?), I settled on a place called the Standard Gastropub, which had both food and beer (1720).  For the next hour, I enjoyed a Wagyu Chili Dog and some beers (on tap) from the Russian River Brewing Company.  The place was great and I only stayed until about 1800.  Next, I walked down to the Maine Street Creamery and got a small scoop of their Moose Tracks ice cream (mmmmm...).  On the advice of one of the bartenders at the Gastropub, I next explored the east side of Highland Lake (which gets very close to Bridgton) and took a short walk on the Highland Beach (1830).  Finally, I decided it was time to make my way to the lodging I'd set up on Booking.com.  After a short drive on US-302 and some back roads, I found the Shack-Hilton (basically, a rustic cabin in a farm shed) and started to perform the check-in procedures that I'd gotten online (1900).  Just then, the proprietors (an older couple named Peter and Karen) came out to greet me and we spent almost an hour talking about AT Trail Magic (they were planning some for Andover, ME), family, travel, etc.  It was interesting to learn that they both attended Paul Smiths College in the North Country of New York (where I've skied at the VIC).  They were very nice and I almost had to beg for a chance to get inside my little room (I was in there by 2010).  It took me a bit of time to get settled but they had WiFi and I was soon getting myself more organized and making plans for the next day.  I mentioned to them (and I really meant it) that I felt like the accommodations were like the guest house of a long-time friend.  For the rest of the evening, I did some reading, worked on my blog and checked on how I was doing with my finances.  At the mid point of my first Nomad Life month, things are looking pretty good!  After figuring out how the composting toilet worked (across the open air "hallway" from the shack), I headed off to bed (2300).  Heading west tomorrow!

Nomad Life - Day 15

I woke up at about 0615 this morning and immediately started teleworking.  After two days of eating snacks for breakfast, I thought it was time that I get something more substantial.  So, at 0730, I departed the Motel 6 in Portsmouth and drove across the Piscataqua River (I-95) so I could get some food at a little place I'd seen on the Kittery Rotary called the Bagel Caboose.  It wasn't too busy and I was able to quickly order a Canadian Tuxedo (0740) - I added some orange juice (all to go).  With breakfast in hand, I decided to check out a little harbor to the west of the I-95 bridge (I later learned it was called the Spinney Creek Causeway).  From there (Great Cove Boat Club in Elliot, I got a great view of the bridge and lots of fishing boats.  The weather was much nicer than the previous few days (mid 70s, sunny) and I would have liked to tarry longer,  Instead, I reluctantly returned to the New Hampshire side of the river (via I-95 again) and resumed my work day at the hotel (in my room again by 0755).  For the rest of the morning, I took are of some small projects and had one meeting of importance.  My friend from Lebanon (NH), Joe C., had asked if we could have lunch and I eagerly accepted the offer.  I didn't realize when he mentioned meeting me in Portsmouth that he'd be leaving from his house to visit the Seacoast for the day - that meant he was at the mercy of traffic all the way down I-89, I-93 and NH-16 (US-4) into Portsmouth.  And, he was using an old GPS in his car and it wasn't able to find my hotel.  As a result, our 1230 plans ended up being 1315 (with me jogging across Gosling Road to find him at the McDonalds).  Joe then drove me to one of his favorite lunch spots in the area: the Airfield Cafe in Nort Hampton.  What a great choice!  The restaurant had various RC aircraft models flying overhead (on a track that was continuously moving) - one was even a Navy Trainer, complete with orange and white markings.  Even better, though, was that we got to watch flight training taking place at the Hampton Airfield (a stone's throw away from our table).  The whole place had a great Aviator Vibe and I really enjoyed eating there.  Our lunch was good too (mushroom burger and side salad).  Afterwards, Joe and I went as close to the flight line as we dared and got a front row seat for the action.  Spotting the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway (located just beyond our parked car), I convinced Joe to take a walk with me for about half a mile.  The weather was still very pleasant and it felt good to get some more rail trail miles.  In this case, the section we were on was close to the 6.5 mile marker - we actually found the southernmost completed part.  Apparently, the next phase (through Hampton) will be completed later in the year.  Satisfied that I had found the parameters of the Greenway since arriving on Sunday, I now know how I might be able to finish walking the rest...  After getting back in the car, Joe drove us back to my hotel, following the crazy GPS - it absolutely had no idea where to go to find my hotel.  Fortunately, I had driven back and forth enough times to guide him.  Along the way, we experienced our first real taste of road rage, which seemed completely ridiculous for the ubiquitous beach traffic in the area.  Oh well - some people just suck...  Joe dropped me off at the Motel 6 by 1515 and I went back to my room for some more teleworking (Joe, meanwhile, went to Odiorne State Park).  I continued working in my hotel room until 1800.  Afterwards, I did some repacking in my car and then got ready for another walk on the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway.  About 20 minutes later, I left Newington (the area where my hotel was located) and drove to the town of Greenland, looking for a parking lot for the rail trail near the Breakfast Hill Country Club.  I found it at about 1845 and, after locating a nearby mile marker (it said 10.0), decided I should walk north to the place where I turned around on Monday (Banfield Road).  The weather was still wonderful - mid 70s, breezy and clear - and I had a great walk of about two miles north and then two miles back to my car.  In one mile, I walked through the towns of Greenland, Rye, Greenland again and then Portsmouth.  I saw (and heard) lots of birds, encountered local dog-walkers and cyclists and generally enjoyed my time in this rather remote area.  I wrapped up my four mile walk at about 2000 - a good pace - and noticed it wasn't yet dark.  Hoping to find a spot to watch the sunset over the Great Bay (nearby), I drove north to NH-33, crossed the busy road and then made my way along the eastern edge of the bay (on Newington/McIntire Road).  The sun kept slipping below the horizon but the sky was a brilliant orange-red - I wanted to find a parking place so badly but kept getting stymied by private roads, construction at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge and then the time.  The homes in this area were wonderful, with large lots, pretty designs and amazing waterfront views.  Still, I knew they probably didn't want to share those views and I kept getting my hopes dashed by "private road" signs.  I'd almost given up hope when I found (after taking a chance on Little Bay Road) a private parking lot (with boat launch) near the northern tip of Fox Point.  A sign said I'd be towed if I didn't live there but I quickly clambered down the embankment to the edge of the water and caught a last glimpse of the sun.  By this point, it was very difficult to see much - I could, however, make out the silhouettes of fishing trawlers in the channel.  I don't think they were permanently moored but maybe I'm wrong.  Wistfully, I returned to my car and backtracked towards the Portsmouth International Airport.  Using Nimble Will Road, I returned to civilization and NH-16 - from there, it was just over a stone's throw back to my hotel.  In my room again (2045), I found a good movie to watch, recorded my birding results (three locations today) and got started on packing up my gear.  I went to bed just before 2300.  It's been a great week - I'll be departing tomorrow...

Nomad Life - Day 14

My telework day started early again (0600) and, once again, I didn't leave the hotel room all morning.  Instead, I had a series of meetings that required me to assist or facilitate.  At one point, I actually had two meetings simultaneously and my two computers worked splendidly for multi-tasking.  I did have a few distractions during the work day, though: the hotel staff thought it would be a good idea to shampoo the hallway carpets (very loud) and a dog in a nearby room barked continuously for several hours.  Meanwhile, the temperatures outside were VERY hot (90s!).  Just after 1400, I decided that I wanted to get some lunch (or, really, an early dinner) - I departed the Motel 6 and drove to the nearby Texas Roadhouse to get food.  Unfortunately, I figured out only then that they didn't open until 1500.  To pass the time, I ended up walking a few laps inside the Fox Run Mall - it was air conditioned and not very busy.  Right when the restaurant opened, I was at the front door!  My meal consisted of some delicious salad, Chicken Fried Chicken and mashed potatoes - on the latter two items, I tried both the cream gravy and the brown gravy (both were good).  Since it was 5:00 somewhere, I also had a small margarita.  Afterwards (1545), I decided to drive to Peirce Island so I could take swim in the municipal pool.  When I arrived (1605), I noticed that people were starting to leave - the pool was closed!  Just as I was going to ask why, I noticed ominous, dark clouds to the west (they'd been at my back while I was driving).  If I saw those in Mississippi, I would have thought a tornado was coming!  Since it wasn't raining, I decided to walk a short distance across the little bridge that connected the island to the mainland to visit an old cemetery I'd seen a few days earlier.  When I got there, I found burials from the late 17th Century (!) - it was really interesting to read some of the stones.  It still wasn't raining, so I made my way back into the heart of Old Portsmouth, looking for historic markers and homes that I'd missed during my last visit.  I saw several points of interest for the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire in the city (note: I later saw another marker in Kittery).  At some point, I remembered that I'd seen the location of the Thirsty Moose Taphouse on a map and determined that it was nearby.  Since it had been recommended by my Navy friend (Dwight) on Sunday, I thought I'd check it out while I had a chance.  Just after I found it and stepped inside the door (1630), the skies opened up and it started pouring!  Plunking down at the bar, I ordered a pint of a local beer and decided to wait out the weather.  When I checked in on the "Untapped" app, I noticed that my name popped up on their interactive screen - that was a nice touch.  Another patron (a younger man sitting a few seats down the bar from me) asked if it had been raining when I walked over.  When I replied that it hadn't started until I arrived, he explained that his friend had been afraid to come to the pub because of the threatening weather and added "now I'll have to wait until he is willing to come out."  Eventually, we started an interesting conversation about his life on the Seacoast.  What I found especially interesting was how he'd recently moved from downtown Portsmouth over to Kittery and walked to work every day across the drawbridge down the street from our current location.  His name was Parker and he reported that the weather crossing the Pisataqua River was usually pretty mild, with a nice "wind-tunnel" effect on the bridge during the summer and very rare snow in the winter.  We talked about places I'd seen during the week, his relative's recent move to the Upper Valley (he asked me a lot of questions about that area) and his job as an accountant at a small, local, multi-national corporation.  It was a conversation and I enjoyed my time in the Tap Room until the worst of the weather lifted (1715).  Hoping that the pool had re-opened for it's late session (1730 to 1815), I retraced my steps through Old Portsmouth until I was back on Peirce Island.  Unfortunately, I found the pool had completely closed - no swimming (sad).  Getting in my car, I decided to cross the river and try to visit Fort McClary State Park, which I'd noticed (last night) had some limited parking outside the gate when it was closed for the evening.  This strategy turned out to be a good one and, after parking (1745), I enjoyed a nice walk on the grounds of the (closed) park.  From the fort, I was able to see nearly every location I'd visited during the previous few days.  To the east, I saw Fort Constitution and the Portsmouth Harbor Light and also saw (further to the north east) some of the coast of Kittery and Gerrish Island.  By this point, I'd almost forgotten about the rain storm and realized the temperatures had dropped down into the low 80s.  After about 30 minutes, I got back in my car and returned (via NH-103, NH-236 and I-95) to my hotel in Portsmouth.  Back in my room (1845), I did a bit more teleworking (to round out my hours for the day) and then started making lodging plans for the coming weekend and early part of the following week.  Before I was finished, I also did preliminary planning for the last week of August but didn't finish that research.  The rest of the evening was spent with puzzles, Duolingo and movies again.  I didn't realize how late it was getting (no clock in the room except my phone) until it was after 2245 - after that, I settled off to sleep.  Even though the day was busy for work, I am glad I still found time to do some exploring and being active outdoors!

Nomad Life - Day 13

Almost like a habit, I woke up at about 0600 this morning and started teleworking.  Unlike the previous few days, though, I didn't leave the hotel room at all until after my entire work day was complete.  Instead, I ate breakfast (snacks), had lots of meetings, coordinated some visits with friends/family for later in the month and ate lunch (snacks).  It was hot outside again (mid 80s) but I avoided the worst of that - my car was also parked under the hotel entrance portico.  Finally, at 1615, I was ready for an afternoon excursion!  Feeling hungry, I headed to the nearby Texas Roadhouse (at the Fox Run Mall) that I'd last visited in early 2022.  Before this trip, I found a gift card (from my sister, Katie) and was eager to use it.  Between 1630 and 1715, I enjoyed some dinner (Texas chili, tasty buttered bread) and a beer - it was a nice meal.  After getting done, I departed towards downtown Portsmouth.  Crossing the Piscataqua River on I-95, I made my way back towards the far eastern side of Kittery - I wanted to explore more of York County!  While I was unsuccessful yesterday in finding a place to park my car and visit any beaches in that area, I found a public (and free) lot on Cutts Island (north of Gerrish Island) today.  Though it was almost full when I arrived, I was pleased to be able to get a spot and took a short walk to Seapoint Beach (Crescent Beach was just a little farther away to the south).  Before long, I was standing on the edge of the sand - yes, there really was some!  And there were a lot of birds, hardy locals and several dogs - I learned that they are allowed on the beach any time outside of the hours of 10 AM to 5 PM.  That's better than Cape Cod...  By this point (1730), it was starting to turn a bit overcast to the west, the wind had kicked up and the temperature had already begun dropping into the low 70s.  Unwilling to get too sandy and, instead, hoping to do some hiking on the Cutts Island Trail (in the Rachel Carson NWR), I backtracked down Seapoint Road to an extremely small parking area.  Once I was out of the car, however, I was happy to see that the trail complex was quite extensive, going deep into the woods and following the edge of several inlet marshes.  In the end, I walked almost as far as the edge of Brave Boat Harbor, almost two miles from the road.  At times, the trail was very easy to follow.  At others, I wasn't exactly sure where I was and had to backtrack to stay within range of my certainty.  The mosquitos were out in force but I was able treated to the sight of several interesting birds: ibises, herons, egrets, herons, jaegers and a strange looking owl (I learned later it was called a Northern Saw-whet Owl).  It continued to get darker (from the incoming inclement weather) and the temperatures dropped.  In the distance, I heard the rumble of thunder - with that, I started my backtrack towards the car.  The trail continued to surprise and I encountered an eagle and osprey, along with several kinds of gulls before I was back at the car (1915).  Altogether, I managed to walk almost four miles in the woods and felt really good about that exercise after a long day in front of a computer... Next, I drove back to my hotel (via ME-103, US-1 and NH-16), arriving at around 1930.  Just then, it started to rain...  Fortunately, I was inside very soon (even though I got no "rock star" parking after my late return) and spent the rest of the evening reading, blogging and watching movies.  I ended up going to sleep at 2300, feeling glad to have gotten some time outdoors before the rains came.

Nomad Life - Day 12

The day began much like the previous one, with an early start to my teleworking day (0545).  At 0745, I walked across the road to pick up breakfast (Sausage McMuffins) at McDonalds and then started a series of meetings that lasted until after noon.  Again, I ordered lunch (tuna sandwich) from Panera and picked up my order at 1230.  Returning to my room, I spent the next 2.5 hours teleworking (more meetings).  This was a good thing, though, because (by local standards) the day was a "scorcha" (high 80s).  By 1500, it seemed to have cooled a bit and I was ready to go out exploring.  Like yesterday, I headed to the Definitive Brewing Company tasting room in Kittery (arrived at 1515) - today, though, I got to enjoy the happy hour prices.  Unfortunately, the nice bartender from yesterday was not there; instead, there was a cynical, bitter older lady who spent most of the time talking to a specific patron.  After sampling a new beer (and getting a pint of one I tried yesterday), I departed (1600).  Driving a bit farther north on US-1, I then cut east towards the Maine Coast on a series of narrow roads.  Reaching the bridge (over Chauncey Creek) to Gerrish Island, I explored a bit - first on the north side (fancy residences along the Gulf of Maine) and then the south side (blocked by a $25 per car entrance fee for Fort Foster.  Backtracking to the bridge, I followed Chauncey Creek until I was able to follow the coastline to the west - I soon reached the little village of Kittery Point and started searching for signs for For McClary State Historic Site.  When I located the landmark, I was disappointed to find they were charging an entrance fee for non-residents.  Instead of staying, I continued west on ME-103, all the way into the center of Kittery.  Turning south on to US-1, I crossed the Piscataqua River again, pausing for a short tour around Badger's Island, and arrived on the New Hampshire side and downtown Portsmouth.  After that, I navigated my way through a maze of one-way streets until I was able to get on NH-1B.  Following that across a series of tiny islands, I soon reached New Castle - a bit later, I located the Fort Constitution Historic Site (1700),  Here, I got lucky that there was a public parking lot (with a warning that it was not to be used for the beach) and was able to walk around nearby.  There was definitely a lot of history from the Colonial Era, as well as the War of 1812, and I kept busy reading and snooping around near the Coast Guard Station (Portsmouth Harbor).  Towards the end of this stop, I did find the beach and, even better, the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.  The rocky coast was covered in seabirds and the harbor channel was full of boats - classic Seacoast!  Heading south after this, I passed through the Ritzy area of Wentworth, a corner of the town of Rye and ended up in on NH-1A as I crossed Sagamore Creek (small world, Cape Codder...).  Gradually, I made my way back into downtown Portsmouth and started looking for a place to park.  Almost everywhere had signs about local stickers or payments.  Fortunately, I was persistent and found a small neighborhood (one-way) street with neither.  Once I was parked, I explored Haven Park and then walked (via Hancock Street) down to the Strawbery Banke Museum.  There was an outdoor concert happening there (1745) but I didn't join or enter the park.  Instead, I next walked north to Prescott Park and explored nearby.  There were even more historical markers (again from the Colonial Era and War of 1812) and a beautiful garden in this area.  Across the harbor, I could see the Naval Shipyard.  When I think about it, almost all of my driving during the whole afternoon was within visual range - maybe about 2 miles as the crow flies.  But, "you can't get there from here" without a boat (or lots of time to drive all the way around)!  Throughout this area, I noticed signs for road and parking spot closures for Friday (August 15) - seems like a good idea to avoid Portsmouth on that day...  During my ramblings, I spotted a small bridge that seemed to head off towards something interesting.  So, after returning to my car, I drove over to what I later learned was Peirce Island.  The remote and isolated location appeared to where locals hang out during the Summer,  with no tourists the wiser.  There was a big marina, a huge swimming pool, walking trails, volleyball courts and other recreational perks.  On the far end of the island, though, was a water treatment plant - perhaps this deters the tourists?  I didn't care, though, and I spent the next 45 minutes (1815 to 1900) walking all over the island and even took a detour to Four Tree Island (and a monument to the town's sailors who were lost at sea).  The sea birds were plentiful again and, combined with the tide going out, really put on a show - terns, gulls and cormorants were diving, swooping and raising a ruckus!  By this point, the heat of the day had been greatly reduced and I really enjoyed getting the rest of my 10K steps there.  As the sun began setting in the distance, I returned to my car and drove back to the Motel 6 (it only took about 10 minutes with all the back roads I found, under the bridges and over to the USS Albacore).  In my room again, I talked with Mollie, did some blogging and reading and then watched some movies. Finally went to bed at 2245.  Feeling good about my choice of Nomad Life Week!

Nomad Life - Day 11

This morning, I woke up rested and ready for a new work week.  After waking up early, I was online by 0600 and had time for some reading, puzzles and Duolingo before the rest of my colleagues joined me.  I also took a short break to walk across the street from the Motel 6 to get breakfast (Sausage McMuffins) at McDonalds (0720).  Instead of going to lunch, I worked through the mid-day (snacking occasionally) so I could wrap up my telework by 1500.  At that point, I got geared up for a walk on the Seacoast Greenway (nearby) and departed the Motel 6.  It was VERY warm (high 80s) and this deterred me from immediately heading to the hiking trail I'd wanted to visit.  Instead, I stopped to pick up an early dinner (half turkey sandwich and half macaroni & cheese) at Panera (1530) and ate in the restaurant.  By 1600, I drove to I-95 and crossed the Piscataqua River into Maine.  Strangely, I determined recently that I'd not visited the state in two years - and this after many years of hiking the AT there.  So, it felt good to be back, even if I was not as familiar with this part of the state.  I checked out some minor landmarks under the Interstate bridge and then made my way through the town of Kittery to the entrance of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  I'd always thought that this base was in New Hampshire but is is only accessible by car from Maine and falls within that state's borders.  I didn't have any trouble getting on post but the strange road layout made finding anything quite difficult.  Eventually, I stumbled across the Sound Basin Marina (full of boats) - it was located on the southeastern corner of the island and was connected to tiny Clarks Island by a jetty.  Parking near the marina entrance, I explored the area and talked to one boater (I presume he was a retired CPO, based on some comments he made) about landmarks that were visible nearby.  The place was crowded with seabirds of all kinds and the nearby channel (which I later learned was still the Piscataqua River) was full of myriad watercraft.  The breeze off the water made walking a bit better than I'd expected and I marveled at several good views of the Maine and New Hampshire coastline (both sides of the island on which the Base was located).  I explored the historic old prison and learned some more about early New Hampshire history: Portsmouth began its days as "Strawbery Banke" in the 1630s.  After nearly an hour of exploring, I went in search of the USS Thresher Memorial Roundabout (and even risked my life to cross through traffic on foot) to learn that it was just two signs of granite.  During this drive, though, I was impressed by all the businesses (pubs, restaurants, breweries, outlets) I found that seemed like they'd be interesting to visit.  Feeling like it was a good time for a drink (still hot and plenty of daylight left), I drove a short distance north on US-1 to the Definitive Brewing Company Tasting Room.  Unfortunately, I arrived just after they'd ended their happy hour (1700).  Undeterred, I ordered a flight of four beers (all made at their main location in Portland) - they were pretty good!  The bartender lady (rather young) was very nice and told me the history of the Brewery.  After about 30 minutes, I departed for New Hampshire; I crossed on the US-1 drawbridge and narrowly missed getting caught as the bridge opened just after I passed the middle.  As I descended the span, I noticed a beached submarine and decided to stop.  The USS Albacore was easy to access, although you'd need a ticket to get inside the museum and ship and those were closed for the day.  Next, I drove through Portsmouth in search for the parking lot for the northern end of the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway.  After parking on a tiny dirt pad next to Barberry Street, I found my way onto the nearly straight cinder pathway that, apparently, will eventually connect this terminus with the Seabrook-Salisbury Connector and Seabrook Rail Trail that I walked the previous day (roughly about 14 miles of rail trail overall).  The project of completing the entire trail system appears to require another 10 years of construction.  Unfortunately, I can't wait for them... Between 1750 and 1920, I walked two miles south (to the crossing of Banfield Road) and back - earning me another four miles for the New Hampshire Rail Trails Challenge.  For a lot of this time, I joined my Knights of Columbus Council meeting via Zoom).  Overall, this walk was quite pleasant and not nearly as warm as it might have been if I tried it earlier in the day...  Returning to my car, I drove back to the Motel 6 and wound down my day with some reading, Duolingo and blogging.  Wanting to watch some movies, I managed to figure out how to connect my tablet to the TV and then accessed my streaming services.  Bed time was at 2230.  Nomad Life is good!

Last AT Section Hiking Trip - Day 4

It rained a good bit overnight and I had trouble sleeping.  As a result, I was awake (still at Super Walmart in Skowhegan) before 0400 and passed the time with games on my phone - I also answered lots of congratulatory messages on social media.  Dad didn’t get up until almost 0630 and then ate breakfast in the RV.  After we had packed up the camper (0725), my dad surprised me by saying that he wanted to go to McDonalds (across the street) to pick up more food!  After eating, we got gas at the nearby Irving (0730).  From there, we used side streets and US-201A to reach US-2.  As we drove west, we passed a few Amish buggies and navigated through some construction zones.  Just before arriving (on US-2) in Farmington, we got on ME-156 and toured through some smaller towns before arriving back at US-2.  We continued finding more construction all the way to the border of New Hampshire but never really had to slow down a lot.  I thought we might stop in Gorham but my dad was feeling energized.  We encountered more construction on US-2 before we reached NH-116 but had an uneventful drive to Littleton.  After that, it was easy driving on US-302 and NH-10.  We finally stopped for gas at Citgo Station in Piermont (1445) and then continued (on NH-10) to Hanover.  We arrived at my condo at 1330 and I quickly unloaded the RV.  I thought Dad was going to stay until dinner time (we'd talked about going to a celebratory dinner at Jesse’s Steakhouse) but he surprised me again by saying he wanted to drive home to the Cape.  Of course I thanked him for all the help he'd given me during the previous few years - telling him I'd never have been able to reach the end-goal without his assistance.  After he was gone, I thought about what I'd accomplished: AT finished!  Lots of weekends, vacations and "I'm nearby so I'll just try to squeeze in a hike before I have to leave." Got myself in better physical shape, exorcized some personal demons, got quality "me time", encountered amazing animals, saw some spectacular views and met many wonderful people. I also recovered/returned after some especially bad hikes - fortunately, I was successful in taking each small section as though it was the entire trail. It took me 304 hikes (average about 7.2 miles), mostly heading outbound from my car and then returning the same distance inbound. As a result, I probably hiked an extra 2000 miles of AT - but I also saw lots of things during the backtrack that I’d missed earlier in the day. For most of the first seven years, I was an all season hiker and often had the Trail all to myself in leafless areas or deep snow. It’s much harder (though not impossible) to hike all year in NH and ME… Towards the end, I did more shuttles and backpacking but there were really only a few places where I couldn't have stuck with day hikes. With all the logistical challenges I faced (I didn't hike the trail in order), it feels strange to no longer have some gap of mileage that I need to close... Other people thought I was crazy to even try this but I wouldn't have missed this experience for anything!

*****

AT Stats for "Workaround":

- First step on the trail: Summer of 1976, Mount Washington (NH)

- First section hike on the trail: January 20, 1992, Shenandoah NP (VA)

- Started counting AT miles: October 30, 1994, Great Smoky Mountains NP (NC/TN)

- Pre-2014 mileage = 4.5 miles

- Published AT distance in 2014: 2185.3 miles

- Began concerted effort to finish AT in sections: May 3, 2014 on Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke (VA)

- Summited Springer (GA): May 14, 2014

- Summited Katahdin (ME): October 7, 2014

- Completed entire length of AT in sections: August 20, 2023 near Abol Bridge (ME)

- Published AT distance in 2023: 2198.4 miles

Last AT Section Hiking Trip - Day 3

This morning I awoke with an intense feeling of anticipation of reaching a long-sought goal.  After 9 years of continuous effort (plus many more of casual hiking prior to that), I was within striking distance of the end of my AT Journey!  I slept OK, with lots of white noise of water flowing over the dam, but woke up a few times as it started to rain again.  Water came in the tent!  Somehow, though, I fell back to sleep until 0530, when I had to make the decision to pack up while it was still raining.  This task took over an hour because it was so hard to find a dry place - I ultimately had to use some overturned boats to finish (I also used my backpack cover for the first time ever).  After that, I filled up on water from the lake/river.  I eventually (0645) left my campsite (still in the rain) and hiked back to the AT.  I then walked almost two miles, in mud and flowing water, to reach the Rainbow Lake Campground.  I'm VERY glad that I didn't try to get there last night!  When I arrived, I encountered the only people I saw all day: a mom, dad and little kid who were hiking the HMW southbound.  After a snack break there, I continued NOBO (east on the compass) on the AT along the shore of Rainbow Lake.  The trail was the worst of the mud, rocks and roots that I’ve been experiencing all around Maine.  Meanwhile, the rain continued intermittently...  By this point, I was soaking wet and my clothes started chafing - this is something I've mostly avoided over the years but it is impossible to stop when you can't get dry.  I stopped several more times for snacks and to relieve my aching shoulders.  During this part of the hike, I had to make a lot of more bridge-less river crossing and got quite wet a few times.  One thing I didn't have to do all day, though, was to take off my boots (first time in many months of hiking in Maine).  I passed several places where the AT actually didn’t cross a little hill for no reason and wondered why the Great Trail Designer had missed the PUD...  Otherwise, there were lots of places where I got to the edge of water and then had to climb back uphill.  As usual in these conditions, I saw many frogs and toads.  Another challenge, I had to maneuver around several huge (one to two feet in diameter) downed trees lying across the trail.  Finally, after leaving the eastern corner of the lake, I started a steady climb to the top of the Rainbow Ledges.  For most of this ascent, I was in an actual river.  Surprisingly (or annoyingly?) the sun came out in time for me to lose tree cover.  When I reached the bald top, I wasn’t impressed by the limited views - I will admit that it was possible to see some of the highlands from the previous day but there were also trees in the way in the optimal directions.  There was one place with a view of Katahdin but I thought "meh" after the climb I'd just completed.  It also started getting hotter and I eagerly sought a quick route back into the trees.  Once I was there, I felt much better with shade...  During this phase, I started noticing that I was fighting a losing battle with nutrition and hydration - this has been a growing problem over the years and only large amounts of sugar seems to resolve it.  Trying to limit intake, though, I tried to find an equilibrium so I'd be able to continue.  From the Rainbow Ledges, the AT started downhill towards the Hurd Brook Lean-to.  Just before I reached that landmark, however, I had to make one more (major) river crossing with limited stones to stay dry.  Somehow, I barely made it across without falling into the deep water - whew!  I took a long break at the Lean-to, taking off all my clothes in an effort to dry off (partially successful).  By this point, I was shocked that I still hadn't seen any other hikers all day.  I'd hoped to have an entourage on my last AT Section but I guess it wasn't meant to be...  After about 30 minutes of snacking (including eating the orange I’d brought) and resting, I departed the shelter for the last three miles of my AT journey.  This part of the hike involved another climb and a series of roller coaster hills.  By this point of the day, I found this rather annoying.  Still, I managed to navigate OK before beginning a big descent towards Golden Road.  I tried to send a text to my dad when I finally (for the first time since leaving his camper) had cell signal but it didn’t work.  Thinking a lot about my nine miles of AT hiking during this phase of the hike - it was really hard to believe it was almost done...  The trail conditions improved tremendously as I got closer to the road.  The AT had one more surprise in store for me, though: I accidentally stepped off boardwalk, knee deep into the mud!  I left lots of footprints on the boards after that...  Soon after that, I reached the HMW warning sign and knew I’d made it to the end!  I felt even better when I saw the Trail Magic sign that my dad had left at the trailhead.  Coming out of the woods, though, I noticed that he wasn’t actually parked at the trailhead.  As a result, I had to walk east on Golden Road to find him (1515).  I was happy that my 13ish mile day was finished but was even more pleased that the entire AT (2185.3 miles) was completed after 9 years, 3 months and 17 days.  My dad was sitting under the awning of the RV and graciously got up so I could rest in his chair.  Bonus: he handed me a beer!  After a break, I changed out of my wet, muddy clothes.  Before long, I was ready to leave for home.  I think that surprised my dad, who had to pack up the RV before we could leave.  I took Ana for a walk while he was busy and we retrieved Trail Magic stuff  - I was glad to see that some of the items were gone.  My dad picked me up and we then drove to the Abol Bridge for photos.  I'd brought my "Every journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step" AT sign (a gift from sister) and we were able to capture Mount Katahdin in the background.  After that, we headed out of the area on Golden Road.  After a long, slow drive on the washboard surface (my dad said he'd had lots of trouble when he was driving to meet me), we were able to switch to the Baxter Park Access Road.  This was much better and we were able to easily drive into Millinocket.  From there, we used ME-11 and ME-6/16 to reach Dover-Foxcroft (arrived at 1830).  Parked in the Shaw's again, we ate dinner (turkey sandwich, potato salad, beer) that my dad made for me.  I posted on social media that I was finished with AT and got lots of good feedback.  Later, my dad drove us further west on ME-6/16 until we could get on ME-150.  We ultimately had a good drive (even though it got dark) all the way to Skowhegan.  We set up again at the Super-Walmart at 2100 and I spent the rest of the evening reading, playing games and managing social media responses.  Bed time was at 2145 after an amazing day!  AT Today = 12.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2185.3 miles / AT Left = 0.0 miles

Last AT Section Hiking Trip - Day 2

I woke up by 0530 (still in RV in Dover-Foxcroft) and spent some time (while my dad still slept) reading.  After Dad was awake and packed up the RV to his satisfaction, we walked across the parking lot to eat breakfast at McDonalds (0630).  We then drove a little bit east to get a gas fillup (0650).  After that, we continued east on ME-6 to ME-11.  It was nice day!  Along the way, I saw a moose but Dad didn’t (bad luck?),  After getting off the blacktop on Joe Mary Road, we drove to the Jo Mary Checkpoint for the KI / Jo Mary Multi-Use Forest.  While my dad and I were inside, paying the entry fee, Ana ate the uneaten McDonalds breakfast sandwiches (what a scamp!).  Next, my dad drove me all the way to Nahmakanta Lake (there was an AT Trailhead there where I'd last hiked in 2022).  We arrived at 0915 but, even though I'd already spent plenty of time getting ready during the last 24 hours, I did yet more backpack prep before I was ready to leave the RV.  Dad made me a big turkey sandwich for the road.  As I was departing, we noticed a hummingbird nearby - seemed like a good omen.  I was finally hiking (NOBO) by 0935.  As usual, it was quite muddy - not really a surprise, though.  I had only gone about half a mile before I encountered a Trail Angel in a campsite along the trail - he was giving hikers candy and I did not pass up the offer!  While there, I met “Doodles” (AT NOBO Thru Hiker) and heard about other members of his "Bubble."  After a short visit, I continued north through lots of standing water on trail (I was walking very close to the lake).  One positive thing about this part of the hike, though, was the many good views of the lake.  Overall, though, the terrain was quite frustrating.  I stopped a lot and had to navigate many stream crossings, some of which were quite sketchy.  Doodles blew by me with plans to make it all the way to Abol Bridge by dark - yikes!  For my part, I hoped to reach the Rainbow Lake Campsite (about 15 miles from my starting point) but this goal was not set in stone.  Later, I encountered a Boy Scout Troop (from Yarmouth, ME) but passed them without much commentary.  When I stopped at Wadleigh Stream Lean-to, however, we talked a lot more about their reasons for being on the AT (merit badges, leadership training).  It seemed like they may have underestimated the challenge of the section but I kept that thought to myself...  After saying goodbye to them, I continued north by myself.  It was at around this time that I started to have trouble following the trail - there were lots of blow-downs and places where the creek that paralleled the trail had washed away the obvious trail cues.  Also, there were few white blazes.  Still, I kept going until I found myself in a larger-than-normal (for today, anyway) climb towards the top of Nesuntabunt Mountain.  On the way uphill, I caught up to an older guy (NOBO Thru) and two MYTHs (ladies who had been working on section hiking the trail for 23 years).  When we finally found the summit, we all took a break at an overlook - it had great views of Katahdin and the remaining mileage of the section.  The latter images made me think the advertised "easy" moniker on the section might not be accurate...  The three hikers I'd just encountered left me in the dust soon after we resumed hiking but that didn't matter to me because I was just focused on making it to the end in one piece.  I passed a few SOBO LASHers who gave me some intel about their hike from Abol Bridge.  Of course, reports of "lots of mud" were not unexpected or surprising; by this point, I was covered in mud anyway...  I also encountered a young lady with a friendly dog and talked with her for a bit.  Despite my "lollygagging", however, I eventually caught up to the three NOBOs I'd last seen at the overlook and passed them.  This was because the trail took a dramatic downhill direction and everyone's knees became a concern.  As a result, the three of us leap frogged several more times throughout the afternoon.  Even so, I was alone a lot of the time and used my mental and physical energy to fight with lots more mud, roots, wet rocks and annoying PUDs.  My foot started hurting again and I started to wonder if I was going to have any issues finishing with that challenge - there was not much I could do about it anyway, I supposed, since I was miles away from getting off the trail...  In several places during this part of the hike, I passed ponds with lots of boats/canoes on the shore.  As tempting as it was to stop my hike and take a ride/paddle into the middle of the inviting water, I continued north.  Up to this point, most of the day had been overcast.  However, just as a reached a series of pretty cascades along the trail, it started raining - a LOT.  I tried using my poncho but it was not effective.  Miserable and wet, I started to think that I wanted to be done hiking for the day.  So, when I finally arrived at Rainbow Stream Lean-to (11 mile mark) at 1715 but found it full (it only slept 6) of non-Thru hikers (two of the occupants were the two ladies I'd been with all day - the leap frog game had turned into a game of musical chairs, I guess).  Feeling a bit disappointed, I took my time filling up water bottles, talking to people in shelter and trying to decide it I wanted to camp near the Lean-to or continue onward.  One factor that turned in my favor at that point was that it stopped raining.  So, at 1745, I crossed the river on a rickety log "bridge" and walked two more muddy miles.  I passed two SOBOs who had hoped to stay in the Lean-to and had the same reaction as me when I told them it was already full...  At 1845, I took a blue blazed trail to the Rainbow Dam.  When I arrived, I found the place (rated as "the best campsite in Maine" by someone on the FarOut app) was completely deserted.  I set up camp on the lake and noticed that I had a pretty impressive view of Katahdin from there - nice!  After 13ish miles, I was tired and wet.  Fortunately, it stopped raining long enough for me to eat dinner (Good to Go meal) and try to dry my clothing (that was tough.  Before long, it was dark and I decided to retire to my tent.  I tried to hang my bear bag but couldn't really find a good place.  Instead, I took everything inside the tent and hoped for the best... There wasn't much in the way of natural noise at the campsite but I kept hearing airplane noises all evening (Bangor?).  After sunset, I spent the next hour resting in my tent - I finally went to bed at 2100.  Thinking about the day, I must say that I'm glad to have walked almost half way through the 25 miles of the section.  Barring some sort of catastrophe, I should finish the AT tomorrow!  AT Today = 13.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2173.3 miles / AT Left = 12.0 miles

Last AT Section Hiking Trip - Day 1

My dad had set aside another week in August to help me finish section hiking the AT and all the stars aligned today for that trip to happen!  Still, I had work to do in order to be ready for the long drive and necessary overnight stays required.  For this reason, I teleworked all morning and for a few hours after lunch.  My dad arrived just after noon but waited until I was able to end my workday (1430).  I next packed up the RV with all my hiking gear.  When we finally departed (1500), we used NH-10, US-302, NH-116 and US-2 to reach Gorham.  After that, we continued into Maine and eventually stopped for gas (Irving) at Rumford (1810).  We used our normal shortcut to Mexico and then got on US-2, using it all the way to Farmington.  Next, we US-2 towards Skowhegan - on the way, we saw a pretty double rainbow and an Amish buggy.  We turned onto US-201A and then used back roads to reach ME-150.  Passing through some areas with rain as it got darker, we were unable to identify a large wild animal that crossed the road in front of us.  My dad told me he still wanted to see a moose but it hasn't happened yet, despite all of his trips with me during the last few years.  Meanwhile, I've seen several...  We continued on ME-150 to Dover-Foxcroft, getting on ME-6 at the end, and stopped for the night at Shaw’s (2100).  I did some reading and backpack prep before heading to bed (2200).  After nine years of effort, tomorrow is the day when I start my last AT Section Hike! 

Maine Hiking Weekend - Day 2

I woke up at 0500 today with only 26 AT Miles left to hike!  This morning started early as I cleaned up my "car camp" quickly and then began my hike (NOBO) from Bemis Road at 0555.  All I needed to do was walk one mile from the bottom of the Bemis Stream Ravine to Height of Land (scenic pull off on ME-17).  This was easier said than done, though, because I could see the elevation I’d need to ascend from the bottom. *Shudder*... Pushing aside the doubts, I quickly forded the Bemis Stream, only getting my boots (right one still holding together with Leukotape) a bit wet.  At around this time, I passed three of the NOBO Thrus I’d met yesterday - all were still in their tents.  From there, I climbed about 800 feet through mud, roots and wet rocks until I finally arrived at HOL.  This section, which had been so intimidating when I first saw it in 2014, was easier than I’d expected (since I was well rested and energized).  I admired the view of Mooselookmeguntic Lake below and wistfully looked across the gorge towards Bemis Mountain.  It felt great to be done!  Of course, then I had to backtrack... I carefully navigated the wet boulders and slippery mud and was soon back near Bemis Stream.  Before going back to my car, I talked more to the three Thrus.  “Veggie” and I had said “hi” the day before but I found out this morning that he was from Rochester, NH and had started in early April.  “The Voyager” was glad to see that my boots were holding up OK (thanks to his help) and told me he’d started his hike in March but had to leave the trail for two funerals.  The third Thru was a young lady who didn’t open up to me.  Regardless, I told them I hoped they’d be willing to be my own “Bubble” when I head to Nahmakanta Lake in a few weeks in order to finish the AT.  Finishing my hike today at 0725, I had some strange feelings about how close the end of this journey is...  Still, I had to drive home so I could work in the morning.  I got cleaned up quickly and was on the road again by 0745.  After driving back towards Oquossoc on Bemis Road, I used ME-17, ME-4, ME/NH-16, NH-26, NH-16, NH-110A, NH-110, US-3 to reach Lancaster.  Stopping there, I was able to attend Mass at Gate of Heaven Parish (All Saints Chapel) at 1000.  Afterwards, continued south on US-3, listening to audiobooks on the way.  Eventually (in Whitefield), I intercepted my "normal" route home.  That meant using NH-116 to get to Littleton, where I got lunch at Burger King at 1130.  I ate in restaurant and, by 1245, continued south on US-302.  After that, used NH-10 all the way to Hanover.  I arrived at my condo by 1415.  As I unpacked my car, I realized again that I really only have one more hike to claim AT victory - it's hard to believe!  AT Today = 1.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2160.3 miles / AT Left = 25.0 miles

Maine Hiking Weekend - Day 1

My goal to finish the entire trail this year got a boost today when I drove up to the Rangeley (ME) area and found a way into the middle of a rather remote section I’ve had on my radar since 2014.  The first time I saw the multi-peaked profile of Bemis Mountain from Height of Land, I remember thinking “that hike is gonna suck.”  The main reason for this was because it was clear from the viewpoint that the AT followed a “V shaped” profile to cross the huge gorge below.  For many years, I’ve checked maps and other sources in an effort to figure out whether a road or side trail might pass through the valley.  Today, I decided to drive to the area and find out for myself...  I left my condo at 0630 and used I-91, I-93 and VT-18 to reach US-2.  On the way, I listened to audiobooks.  I stopped for breakfast at McDonalds in Lancaster (NH) at 0810 and then got on US-3.  Not long after leaving town, I stopped for a gas fillup at Irving in Groveton (0835).  After that, I continued on US-3 until I reached NH-110 - after that, the route was NH-110A, NH-16, NH-26, NH/ME-16, ME-4 and ME-17.  I began my search for the AT Trailhead by first locating Bemis Road (1030), a dirt track originating just a little bit south of the "town" (hamlet? village?) of Oquossoc.  I’ll admit that I was dubious about whether I could actually park near the AT crossing as I left the pavement… Eight miles later, after ignoring a “private property” sign, I found myself within feet of white blazes!  Since I’d expected to have to walk for a few miles to get on the AT itself, my location boosted my spirits tremendously.  Figuring that my car would be fine if I only did a day hike, I headed SOBO into the woods (1045).  Even though I expected to return in the evening, I brought my big backpack - the climb and distance across typical Maine terrain could possibly require an overnight.  Temps were in the low 60s, the day was pleasantly sunny and there was a light breeze.  The trail surface was, as usual, rocky, rooty and muddy.  I started passing NOBO Thrus almost immediately - none of them really talked to me, though, until #8 (“Racehorse”).  By then, I was tired from the seemingly ceaseless up/down and I spent time learning about his journey.  He made observations about the difficulty of Maine (I did not disagree) and said he couldn’t wait to be finished.  After saying goodbye to him, I continued over a series of 3K+ feet peaks (named “First”, “Second”, “Third” and “Fourth”), some of them consisting of wide open “balds” of granite slabs.  I got some good views of HOL and ME-17 on the opposite side of the deep ravine and also caught glimpses of Saddleback and more distant mountains.  I skipped a stop at the only lean-to on the route, intending to visit it during the backtrack.  Instead, I kept climbing.  I’d just passed NOBO Thru #10 when the sole of my right hiking boot came unglued!  This would not be a good situation at any point on the AT (right, Robert?) but it was especially bad to encounter where I was.  Using some tape I always carry, I did my best to repair the boot.  Unfortunately, the combination of mud, rocks and general moisture did not help.  For the next mile, I stopped repeatedly to retape.  Needless to say, my pace slowed down considerably… I was beginning to despair when I met “The Voyager”, the first NOBO Thru I’d seen who was even close to my age.  He had some Leukotape, something I’d never used before, and it worked wonders!  With a few strips of the waterproof adhesive, I was able to affix my loose sole and reach some peace about getting off the mountain.  The Voyager told me he’d found the tape in a hiker box - so this was basically third hand Trail Magic.  As a result of all this difficulty, however, I made the decision to exit the AT at the nearby Junction of the Bemis Stream Trail (just over six miles since leaving the car).  This alternate trail (the old routing of the AT) had a few decided advantages: first, it quickly descended off the ridge; second, it was far less mountainous, paralleling the AT as it followed Bemis Stream back to my car.  For the next few hours, I made my way on a mossy, untraveled track (lots of trees down) and felt good about my choice.  However, I eventually reached an area that had so much mud and standing water that I began to worry I’d be unable to reach the bottom.  At one point, I had to make a particularly sketchy crossing through deep, black water… So, when I encountered a dirt road (really just an ATV track), I took advantage of the opportunity to walk on a firmer surface.  This decision definitely added distance to my return hike (my backtrack was almost seven miles) but was worth the extra steps.  By the end, I was actually walking on Bemis Road.  I made much better time than I had earlier in the day and reached my car at 1945.  I figured out then that I’d dropped my Mount Lassen bandana on the way - that was a bit disappointing because it was a good souvenir of my trip with Mollie... All told, I’d walked over 13 miles and conquered a difficult section of the AT without having to camp in the mud.  And I was positioned perfectly to resume hiking first thing in the morning.  Speaking of that, I decided not to leave my excellent parking spot and just set up my "car camp" as the sun disappeared beyond the surrounding peaks (2030).  I ate dinner (dehydrated meal) and listened to more of my audiobook until I felt like going to sleep (2130).  Tomorrow, I can finish the last mile in this area and complete my next-to-last AT section hike!  AT Today = 6.2 miles / Grand Total AT = 2159.3 miles

Maine Hiking Trip - Day 4

I slept OK overnight but had not counted on the drop in temperature - in the middle of the night, the huge rock that had seemed so inviting (due to its flatness) began to get REALLY cold.  I put on all the extra (dry) clothes I'd brought and managed to sleep a good amount of the night, fortunately.  However, the decision to leave behind my sleeping bag and only carry a light blanket almost bit me in the @$$...  At 0300, I was awake enough that I was ready to leave the campsite - however, it wasn't nearly light enough (the view of the stars was incredible).  I managed to sleep until about 0430, when visible light was sufficient, and quickly packed up my campsite, ate some food and steeled myself against the multiple big peaks in the seven miles of AT (plus two more miles of road at Saddleback) I still had to hike in order to meet up with my dad.  The weather was cooler and I was happy with the conditions as I continued my climb out of the Orbeton Gorge.  Still, the appearance of the sun behind me indicated a warmer day than I'd wanted.  Time/temperature appeared to be my enemy as I made my way to the Poplar Ridge Lean-to...  I didn't mention this yesterday but I saw LOTS of frogs, toads and snakes last night and this morning - perfect weather for them, I guess.  I encountered about eight NOBO Thru hikers during this time - they told me they'd all stayed at the Lean-to and that there hadn't been enough room for everyone to camp.  Feeling a bit relieved that I'd camped alone, I continued SOBO.  When I reached the Lean-to, I found a group of four tents with hikers who turned out to be SOBO Thrus.  I spoke with all of them but only the youngest (recent college graduates from UVM, Ethan and Anna) stuck around while I replenished water and ate some snacks.  Actually, I was really feeling thirsty and hungry and needed almost an hour to recover the lost electrolytes from hiking only two miles to start the day.  When I finally did leave the shelter (last place anyone saw Geraldine Largay alive in 2013), the SOBOs accompanied me for a few miles before we began a steep climb up the first (of three) peaks: 3597 foot Saddleback Junior.  The youngsters left me in the dust but I kept on moving my feet, scrambling over huge rocks and avoiding falls - eventually, I came out of the trees onto a flat plateau.  This allowed me a view of where I'd been (back to Sugarloaf) and where I needed to go (Saddleback) for the first time.  I was over half way through the section but didn't feel any more confident that I was going to make it to my dad's RV by sunset...  After a big descent, the next place that I stopped for a longer break was the Redington Stream Campground.  Despite having crossed multiple muddy areas during my hike, the only clean water available nearby (and, for that matter, the rest of the day) was 0.2 miles off the AT.  Since I was nearly out of water at that point, I had no choice but to hike the extra distance.  Fortunately, I met up with Ethan and Anna at around the same time and they told me the walk was worth the effort (cold water).  After wishing them well as they departed, I took the extra time for eating and drinking, still holding the line against getting dehydrated or undernourished.  The next phase of my day was (by far) the most challenging: climbing to the top of "The Horn" (4017 feet) took all of the mental and physical strength I had.  Gradually, I clambered my body (mostly unwilling) to the summit and was rewarded with spectacular views of the entire Rangeley Lakes region and all the higher peaks nearby.  I was finally able to send my dad a text about my progress (note that I'd earlier drafted a "I may not make it there today" message but it failed to send).  While I was only about two miles from the end of my hike at this point, the toll of the two climbs, the hot sun, long balancing act with water/food and sheer exhaustion finally began to hit me in earnest.  Every step was painful and I started to have fantasies about dropping my backpack on the ridge, paying someone to carry me out of the area and, even, hoping I'd pass out at Saddleback so I could get rescued.  Of course, I didn't get to do any of these things and I was left with "I have to get there myself, it's the only way..."  I'd drunk too much water by this point - for the first time in memory, I couldn't stomach anymore and actually vomited up most of the liquids I'd had in the previous hour.  I'm not certain if this was a sign of heat exhaustion or some effect of drinking less-than-clean water over the previous 48 hours but, strangely, I felt much better afterwards.  Somehow (I still can't believe it), I made it to the Saddleback Peak and then hiked an additional few hundred yards to the trail junction for Saddleback Mountain Lodge.  What a relief to get there!  But, unfortunately, I still had a steep descent (and about 1.7 miles) from the nearly 4125 feet where I left the AT and the base of the ski resort.  This walk (mostly on ski trails and gravel roads) was frustrating and even more mind-numbing.  Needless to say, when I finally reached my dad's RV (he was waiting at the Lodge), I wasn't even excited to have tamed the wilds of the AT.  I was so overwhelmed by the relief of not dying that I collapsed and counted my blessings.  My dad was a bit concerned but kept on telling me how proud he was of what I'd accomplished.  I heard everything he said but my internal monologue was yelling at me about how stupid I'd been to try the hike at all.  By the end, though, the positive vibes from my dad won out - I definitely agree that this was a real feather in my cap for the whole AT journey.  Overall, this may have been the toughest section I've ever hiked and I'm not even sure I could have done it when I was much younger.  Getting done was almost completely due to psychological reasons, coupled with the leg strength of nine years of hiking 400-500 miles a year.  When I finally felt ready, we drove back into Rangeley and stopped at the IGA, where my Dad bought me a sandwich and Gatorade (1700).  Both really hit the spot and I was "ready" to start driving home (I had to be on a train to DC in the morning, after all!).  We left Rangeley (via ME-16) and continued west into NH.  We used NH-16 all the way to Berlin, where we fed Ana (1900).  After that short break we continued towards home (via US-2 and NH-116).  In the twilight, we saw a bear cross the road - my dad was very excited about the wildlife encounter ("A real treat!").  We stopped for gas and snacks at Cumberland Farms in Whitefield (2030) and then continued south to Littleton.  Next, we used US-302 and NH-10 to get to Hanover.  It was quite clear that rain was on the way.  The last few hours of the drive were in the pitch dark.  We arrived at my Condo by 2130 and I did my best to quickly unpack the RV (so my dad could go to bed).  After that, I cleaned myself up and went to bed (2300).  What a whirlwind weekend - only two sections left to hike and I'll be finished!  AT Today = 7.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2153.1 miles / AT Left = 32.2 miles

Maine Hiking Trip - Day 3

After a night in a Super Walmart parking lot (full of campers and RVs!) in Showhegan, we woke up early (0600) this morning, ready to make an attempt to solve an AT logistical challenge that has stymied me for three years: hiking from Sugarloaf Mountain to Saddleback Mountain.  The 16 mile section was the very last ones built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (1939) that completed the continuous AT and is almost inaccessible to vehicular traffic.  Actually, there was one exit in the middle but that route takes hikers into the prohibited Navy SERE school property - needless to say, I wasn't inclined to try that route except in extremis...  One other note about the toughness of the section: on July 22, 2013, almost 10 years to the day of my own hike, a Thru Hiker got disoriented on one of the higher peaks and was not found (deceased) for over two years.  During my first full season hiking the AT (2014), I saw her "Missing" sign throughout Maine so was well aware of the unforgiving nature of this tough area...  After spending some time reading and packing, we drove across the street from the Walmart and I bought breakfast for Dad and me (0730).  We next drove to Sugarloaf via US-201, ME-148 and ME-27, arriving in the Resort parking lot at around 0900.  My plan was to ride the chairlift up the side of Sugarloaf and then hike (around two more miles) to access the AT at a trail junction where I'd last hiked nearby in 2022.  My foot had sufficiently recovered from the previous day and it seemed like it was "put up or shut up" time.  My dad parked and started to entertain the "Lookie-Loos" (who always seem to want to buy his RV) while I went off to locate the lift ticket counter.  After asking a few folks for help, I found it at 0930 and got a one-way pass.  After that, I went back to the RV so I could make my final packing effort.  Saying goodbye to my father, I walked over to the chairlift queue area and waited for them to start allowing ascents at 1000.  I was a bit nervous about the plan but also wanted to get started as soon as possible!  The weather conditions were excellent and the morning air was brisk enough that I thought I wouldn't be affected by the forecasted heat (high 70s).  Because of the wait for the lift, much of the cooler morning was lost - oh well...  When I boarded, though, I felt energized, excited and a little daunted to be starting the hike.  At the top of the chairlift, I met one of the employees of the mountain (Mike) who was actually an AT Maintainer.  He had lots of ideas about places to camp and bail out strategies - overall, his attitude was quite infectious.  From there, I walked to the top of the 4231 foot peak, took a photo of the huge expanse of terrain to the west and then hiked downhill to the AT junction.  I'd hoped to be there no later than about 1100 but found it was already past noon.  Any thoughts I had of making up time by walking quickly, however, were dashed by finding the typical Maine trail conditions: mud, roots, rocks...  I plodded slowly SOBO, conserving energy and only making vague plans of where I might stay for the night.  Meanwhile, I passed a series of other hikers - mostly "Peak Baggers" - who told me about conditions farther up the trail.  As I've usually done when backpacking, I don't bring as much water as when I'm day hiking because of the weight impact.  As a result, I spent much of my hike trying to keep ahead of a nutrition/hydration deficit, stopping often to filter water and eat snacks.  There were a few Thru hikers (all NOBO) during this time - I must have seen 10 during the day - but I didn't really talk to many.  During this time, I encountered a Ridgerunner who walked with me for a while and asked me lots of questions about my section hiking experiences.  During this conversation, we started up the side of 4000 foot Spaulding Mountain (although the peak is not actually on the AT).  Also around this time, I tripped and fell, covering myself with Maine Mud (ugh)!  It was only my pride that was injured, however... The Ridgerunner left me at the Spaulding Mountain Lean-to at the bottom of the descent after that and I continued - alone - through the woods.  During this time, I started wondering if I might be able to make it to the Poplar Ridge Lean-to, only a few miles away as the crow flies, but knew that might be challenging due to the descent I had yet to make into the Orbeton Gorge and back out again - not an easy feat!  So, instead of trying to plan that far ahead, I struggled through mud, across rocks and balanced precariously on roots to make sure my body might actually make it to Saddleback Mountain.  The descent was much steeper than I imagined and I had to gingerly scramble down an extreme, steep section to reach the Orbeton Stream itself.  There, I found evidence of the awesome power of the water - a fishing boat was trashed on a little island in the middle of the river and the rapids nearby did not look welcoming.  I spent a bit more time there than I normally do because I could see that the embankment across the river was just as steep - at least the east side had a small beach.  After gearing myself up for the river crossing, I donned my water-shoes and carefully made my way across - the water was just below my knees but I didn't get too wet, fortunately.  After getting back into my hiking boots, I began the arduous climb out of the gorge.  By this point, it was nearly 1800 and I'd been walking for nearly eight hours - this caused me to think that it was quite unlikely that I'd have enough energy (or daylight) to reach the shelter.  Instead, I started looking for a "stealth" campsite along the way.  This was NOT easy!  Most of the AT in Maine passes through dense forest with very little in the way of clearings on either side.  I started to get depressed at one point, wondering if I'd have to walk all the way to the Shelter because there weren't alternatives, but got lucky when I found a viewpoint clearing.  This spot, not intended for camping, had a huge flat slab of rock that looked good enough for a tent - without really thinking about the situation too much, I just set up camp there (1900) and committed to a night alone in the woods.  As a result of stopping short of the shelter, I knew the next day was going to require a lot of work (7+ AT miles, plus the Saddleback descent by road).  I resolved to get up very early the following day.  Other than a few Thru hikers who passed by after I was inside my tent, resting, I didn't see or hear any people for the rest of the night.  By 2000, I was fast asleep - I actually don't even remember anything after I was safely in bed.  I hadn't bothered to hang my food like I normally do - some of my last thoughts were probably "what if a bear comes by?" or "that moose scat was kind of close to where I am..."  After a day with roughly 11 miles of hiking, I was tired enough that neither of these questions really mattered...  AT Today = 9.0 miles / Grand Total AT = 2146.1 miles