Update

6/19

(start 8:15. Finish 6:00 at limestone spring shelter. 12.8 miles)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.98045,-73.39252&ll=41.98045,-73.39252&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

This is the kind of day I live for. I walked into a cute lil hick town and ate at a country cafe where the owner was the cook, the food was fresh and delicious. Then after that great meal, i came across a huge waterfall where a lot of locals were hanging out, swimming, sun bathing. I jumped off a 15 foot cliff into the water. I know thats not high, but I don't like heights and it was fun. Then a lady gave me 3 menthol cigarettes. There was a cute chick I was talking to too and I got the impression was feeling me. Only god knows why, I'm sure I looked terrible and smelled worse. Not to mention it was an absolute beautiful day weather wise. If I believed in god, I'd be thanking him right now. But I don't, so I guess I finish typing, eat my dinner and smoke one of those cigarettes.

6/20

(start 7:30. Finish 9 AM. Salisbury 3.9 miles)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.98556,-73.42352&ll=41.98556,-73.42352&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Walked into town of Salisbury. Staying with Maria Mcabe, hostel. Resupply. Shower. Wash clothes... On the short hike in this morning I saw a bear. It was awesome. The instant adrenaline rush is the natural drug. I didnt get a good picture of him tho. The terrain didn't allow me chase him down for a pic. He was small and just leisurely walking about.

6/21

(start 9:40 Finish 6:20. @ Hemlock shelter. 14.1 miles )

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=42.10995,-73.42844&ll=42.10995,-73.42844&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE. Longest day of the year! And also HIKE NAKED DAY ON THE TRAIL.

Today was an amazing day. It was a very difficult day of hiking because I had to go up and down 3 mountains (elevation change of 5600 ft ). It was amazing because I felt so strong. I never felt tired or that I needed a break. That gives me high hopes that in a week or two I'll be in pretty good shape.

I didn't hike naked today because no one wants to see a fat, hairy man's body. And it's a good thing too, because I saw lots of day hikers and a group of 8 teenagers.

After the resupply, I'm carrying 5 days worth of food. I plan to resupply again in Dalton Mass in five days (70.2 miles). Today I thought my pack was going to feel heavy, but it really didn't. It was great the past few days on the trail bc most of my food was gone so my pack was very light... When I started my pack was 31 pounds with 4 days of food and 2 liters of water.

I'm really going to try not to stay at another hostel or at least not for a long time. I don't want to stay in civilization and I also dont want to spend a lot of money.

Oh yea and I crossed into MASS today. I'm wicked syked to pahk a cah at a hahvad bah and f*ck up some smaht kids.

This is the second night so far I'm all by myself. It's very quiet!!!!

6/22

(start 10:30 finish 6:30. @ Tom Leonard shelter. 14.4 miles )

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=42.16496,-73.30597&ll=42.16496,-73.30597&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

It was tough leaving the shelter this morning. It was raining pretty heavy and starting the hike wet really sucks. I waited a little bit in hopes of the rain passing but to no avail so I just got after it. It rained the whole day and I had no shelter from it. I ate lunch in the rain, took breaks in the rain, hiked in the rain.

I'm in a shelter with a bunch of nubes: weekend hikers who have no clue what they're doing. They take up way too much room in the shelter. I kind of wished this on myself. While approaching the shelter I was hoping it wasnt going to be empty. I didn't want to spend back to back nights alone. Well there is 12 people now and I'm wishing I was alone. Oh well.

Dude a purcipine just passed through. I had the perfect picture of him and just as i was about to snap the picture, it said replace battery. By the time I switched batteries he ran off, weak!!!

I can't stop eating. I'm eating beyond what I was calling a days supply, so I'm gonna try to hitch into town tomorrow to pick up some extra food.

I was a little tired today. My feet were pretty sore towards the end of the day. My legs muscles are doing ok. No joint pain. And my anaerobic endurance is already improving so much (going up hill). I'm planning a 11 mile day tomorrow to take it easy then an 19 miler the next day.

6/23

(start 8. Finish 5:30. Shaker campsite. 11.2 miles )

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=42.25212,-73.22449&ll=42.25212,-73.22449&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

I had an interesting hitch hiking experience today. I decided i didn't have enough food so I planned on a quick hitch for some food. Well a very older gentleman picked me up. I had a choice- east 4 miles to a general store or 4 miles west to a town. Because the book had listed the east first, I choose that direction and little country stores have been awesome in the past. So I get in his car and he takes me east. Halfway there he tells me that the store had closed down. So now Im heading in the wrong direction. So the guy tells me that he just has to stop at his house then he'll take me to the town west. Cool. So when the guy gets out of his house, I tell him I love the neighborhood. It was a great little neighborhood in the mountains. SO the guy proceeds to show me all around his town. Look at this, look at that. I'm thinking great dude, I'm hungry and I still have 9 miles to hike today, but whatever. Then I look at his gas gauge and it's below empty. I'm like SHIT. I'm gonna get stuck in the middle of nowhere, miles from the trail with some poor old man. So I tell him about the gas issue and he's shocked. Now hes on a mission to get to a gas station. Well it only took one turn for him to forget about the gas issue and start showing me more real estate and also pulling into any farm to see if they have a market so I could buy food. I had to politely keep reminding him about getting gas. It was painful. He was sweet. I didn't want to be mean. So then he finally finds a gas station and tells me good luck. Like thats where hes dropping me. I almost said something like dude after all that time you can't take me another 3 miles to town? But I felt too bad and just started hiking to town. I caught one hitch into town but she couldn't take me all the way in either so I walked most of the distance.

IT WAS WET!!! it rained pretty much all day. All of my stuff got wet. I pushed hard to get to the campsite so I was pretty tired when I got there and all I could think of was eating. It was still pouring at this point so I set my tent up in the rain. I set it up and ATE like a champ. As soon as i finished it stopped raining. So all my stuff got wet for no reason. But at the same time I had no reason to believe it would stop raining bc it didn't start all day. I really must love it out here bc through all this gloomy rain, constant wet feet, constant wet crotch, smelly clothes I haven't thought of quitting yet. There have definitely been tough times. The miles are tough, my feet have been hurting and Maine is still 650 miles away. But everyday brings something new and I love that. Everyday I se new things, I eat lunch and dinner in a new place. It's awesome.