Hiking Matt

Had a wonderful time at Shaw’s…blueberry pancakes..the best! Filled up on those as well as homefries and OJ.

Picked up my last drop box at the post office (thankfully there) and packed up to head out.

Now, now I am at the trailhead for the 100-mile wilderness and doubt that I’ll have any signal..so, seeya in Baxter State Park!

mattbob

Quick update…right now I am in Monson, ME. This town is the last one before the famous “100-mile wilderness,” right before you climb Katahdin. Truth be told, I wish I could zero here tomorrow but Feedbag, SkunkApe and Daddy Long Legs keep pushing harder and loner miles, jerks.

Don’t wanna jinks myself but for the next 7 days we’re supposed to have really good weather so I’ve decided that moving forward is the best way to celebrate this gift from Mother Nature.

mattbob

Finally.. unbelievable.

That means, I only have 281 miles left, whoo hoo!!

mattbob

I’ve gotten numerous messages from a ton of people wanting to know how things are going.. they are going great and I cannot wait to share.. however, for the security of the people I will be writing about, I have chosen to delay the release of the journal.. lucky you, the first entries will be coming in mere days..

Please understand that I don’t ask/tell people that I am or could be writing about them.. and with the power of the internet, people who may not want others to know exactly where they are or will be (some females),  I owe it to all to just delay the postings for a bit..

mattbob

Woods Hole Shelter (entrance) to Neels Gap
Miles hiked: 3.7
Total Miles: 30.7

Woke up periodically throughout the morning, 2:30am seems to be the norm.  I had my hang down (hanging my hammock), it was looking good, felt good but just was having a hard time sleeping.  At some ungodly hour, I finally broke my MP3 player out and listened to it for awhile, more crazy dreams.  This was also the first time in many, many years where I can remember more than one dream.  Finally at some early hour, my body said that I needed to go relieve myself.  Since such activity is such a ‘chore’ in the outdoor world, I went back to sleep.  When I woke up again some time later, I really had to go and figured that if I tried to avoid this once more, life would potentially be embarrassing and unpleasant.  Now, I know what you’re thinking, why the need to share?  Because this means I am finally getting enough water in my system.  After the circumstances yesterday, this was a positive sign.  This lesson has definitely been learned.

Crawled outta bed around 8 and packed up..can you believe that the gnats were up and waiting for me this morning, bastards.  Bee Chucker came over said that he was heading out and that a water source  was about 1/2 mile or so up the trail…excellent.  Shortly thereafter, I found myself heading north up the famous Blood Mountain.  Was almost finished filtering at the watering hole, and lo-and-behold, Phoenix shows up!  She had stopped 2 miles back from Woods Hole at Jarrards Gap spending the night there with Groove after he too had an exhausting day.

The gnats were awful at the creek, after filling up, quickly caught Phoenix Rising on the climb as well as many others.  Surprisingly, a lot of people had camped on the south side of the mountain at the Slaughter Creek Campsite.  It was another great weather day but this number of people is bordering on ridiculous.

The climb up to Blood Mountain (3895’) was surprisingly easy with numerous switchbacks with a few rocky trail ups so it didn’t take long before I was at the top.  Not only were there some nice views greet us, but it was difficult for me to enjoy them as thick swarms of black-flies were also there to eat  anything with a pulse.  The only reprieve that I had was inside Blood Mountain Shelter, where it was a bit cooler.  Since I was in there, I checked out the shelter register.  It appears that Missing Person had made it up here last night and promptly lost his food bag.  His entry said; “HIKERS BEWARE – Lost my food bag to a bear last night .  Hung it from a tree in front of the shelter. Oh well.”   That sucks.

Phoenix was finishing her climb up as I was headed down the mountain, south on the AT.  She told me I was headed in the wrong direction and that if that wasn’t silly enough, I didn’t have a pack either.  I pulled my TP out of my pocket and said I was headed in the right direction with the right gear. 
Phoenix Rising and I hung out briefly by the shelter, she chatting with Mike and Vanessa and I trying to avoid flies.  Phoenix had met Vanessa from Facebook or some other social networking site right before coming out on the trail.  Always a funny thing to watch people try to figure out how they know you and from where.

We took photos away from the masses of flies and continued walking down Blood Mountain.  Even though it did not take long to make our way down to Neels Gap (again, passing numerous day hikers going up the mountain) I was glad to be going north instead of south.
Upon arriving at Mountain Crossings (outfitter) at Neels Gap, we found out that the Trail Dames were doing their annual Hiker Feed!!  What luck!! Again!!

Met up with BeeChucker, Matt from CT (M2), and many other familiar faces sitting around the rock wall and picnic tables.  Hikers were absolutely everywhere, in and out of Mountain Crossings, buying gear, sending gear/weight home, chatting, picking up maildrops…everywhere!  One reason was due to the fact that the grill was not working very well.  It was a bit breezy and the flame kept being blown out.  A couple of the Dames with the help of hikers, moved the grill to the side of the stone building and were able to commence grilling and feeding hungry hikers.  Lucky for me, one of the Dames was a vegetarian herself which means that they had Boca Burgers! YAY!      

Groove, Phoenix, BeeChucker and myself were sitting on the wall trying to figure out what our plans were.  It was mid-afternoon and other hikers appeared to be eating and trying to figure out their plans as well.   We decided to split a cabin just down the road (.3 miles)  and enjoy the rest of the day.  While we hammered out the details the vegetarian Trail Dame came back over to me on the wall and asked if I wanted another burger.  Awhh, how cool is that?  Of course, without hesitating, I said “absolutely, if you don’t mind” and hopped down to retrieve my prize.  She stopped me, saying that she would bring it over to me when it was done.  Sah-weet.  Even my fellow hikers were slightly envious..free, good, healthy, hot food and service?  I was being spoiled.

Since Phoenix Rising had known a few people from her days of being a Trail Angel herself, she was able to secure a ride for the four of us down to the cabins with her friend Ramblin’ Man.  So, we all hopped in the back of his blue pickup truck and were whisked down to our home for the night.

It was nice to be in a structure with four walls.  Ours was called the Rabbit Cabin and we were ecstatic.  A small kitchenette meant that we were not going to be using our stoves and doing cleanup.  Also, there was a beautiful creek babbling right behind our cabin and while the threat of rain was looming, it never really did anything.

First task, laundry.  Phoenix Rising went to her room (she got the queen bed) and the rest of us just unloaded everything else in the main room. After Bee Chucker took our dirty laundry up to be washed, Groove went to task unloading unnecessary weight. BeeChucker and I had a great time watching him go back and forth from one side of the room where is pack was to a new pile on the other side of the room that was going to be mailed home. Sewing kits, mallet to tap in tent stakes, first aid kit were just a few of the items in the pile.

At one point, everyone seemed to be on their phones as we finally had good/decent service. My first call was to my friends Figgy and Stitch out in LA. They thru-hiked in 2007 and since I had tried to get a hold of them on April 1st on top of Springer Mountain, I thought to try again.

Ring-ring!

STITCH!  Hey, what’s up?…. Ohh, not much…. Guess where I’m at?  Nope, Neels Gap.  Yeah, Neels Gap, started the trail on April 1st.

It was an awesome conversation, I think I’d blown Stitch’s mind for a bit. He had known the troubles and lengths I’ve gone through to try to be able to hike the AT and here I was finally giving it a go.  Figs was not available but he told me he’d fill her in.  It was so great to talk to him again.

Phoenix Rising and Bee Chucker were able to pick up dinner provisions at the little general store for the campground and my task was to cook up our spagetti dinner.  We had lots of laughs over dinner and enjoyed sitting at a table together… very novel.  Groove was gracious enough and insisted on doing cleanup.  Who am I to stand in this man’s way?

I slept on the floor (on top of my Thermarest), Bee Chucker slept on the futon, Groove was upstairs and Phoenix got the best sleep in her room. Windows were open, more as a formality.. we were all tired, very full and very very happy.

Day 5 Photos – Neels Gap

mattbob

Gooch Gap Shelter to Woods Hole Shelter (entrance)

Miles hiked: 11.9
Total Miles: 27.0

Gorgeous  day for hiking.  Stayed nice and warm in my hammock overnight and as a bonus, the forest didn’t burn down from last night’s neglected fire.

It would appear that I am still having a hard time getting going in the morning.  Bee Chucker had a nice head cold going for him and decided to head out early.  I tinkered with a bit of breakfast and packing up, all the while enjoying the blissfully weird Lil’ asking people if anyone has something to spare or to pass something of hers over to her from afar.. then there was the constant inquiries from a young SkunkApe.

Leaving them, I finally headed out a bit after 9am.  The weather has really been quite nice the past couple days and this one looked to be another awesome day.  Shortly after leaving the shelter, I had to pull off for a pebble in my shoe at Gooch Gap.  Phoenix Rising and Missing Person pass by but stop just across USFS 42.  As I approach, I see a cooler with a bag (for trash) next to it.  TRAIL MAGIC!  Pepper and Freckles (both former Thru-hikers) had left a cooler of different varieties of small sodas (thank god there was a Dr. Pepper in there) and beer, specifically, Yuengling.  Phoenix Rising said that it was hiker’s favorite beer because it’s cheap, good and a domestic brew from Pennsylvania.  Let’s see, it’s 10:30am, of course I can have second breakfast..Yuengling it is!  Oh yeah, there was a box of Krispy Kreme donuts there, unfortunately they were completely covered in bugs, no thanks.  I tried to share the beer with Phoenix but she only took a couple polite sips.  Guess it was either too early or not hot enough out.

Did I mention it was a beautiful day for a hike?  My pace seems to be a bit quicker than Phoenix and Missing Person had already pushed on at Gooch Gap, so I spent the morning walking mostly alone, which was cool.  Then, early in the afternoon, my day was about to get a hell of a lot better, I saw a sign duck taped to a tree, Trail Angels Ahead – Free Food – Nancy & George – Cheryl & Hal.  Two, in one day, c’mon, this is bordering on silly!!  I’ll happily take it.  Nothing perks up your step than knowing you’re about to get some “Free Food.”  Sweet!!

It was such a nice day that there were a ton of people hanging out in the road side park areas (both sides) of Woody Gap .  In fact, there was so many people, that initially it was kinda hard to actually find where the Trail Magic was located.  From the east side of the gap, I could see Bee Chucker, Bojangles and Missing person next to a truck with table of food with coolers all around.  Nancy and George as well as Cheryl and Hall welcomed me to help myself to any and everything.  One of their sons (Triple Deuce) had completed a thru-hike in 2007 and they were out to help give back to the community that supported him during his time on the trail.  There was cheese, crackers, cookies, chips, fruit and some really wonderful smelling chili.  I opted out of the chili for diet reasons but took full advantage of everything else they had to offer, including some Dr. Pepper.

Since Bee Chucker and the rest had been their awhile they eventually pushed on.  I myself decided to wait to see how Phoenix Rising was doing.  I didn’t think she’d be too far along.  While enjoying this smorgasbord and looking back towards the trail, I noticed a very familiar dog.. Pepper!  Sprite and Freckles were making their way across the road and we chatted for a bit.  I thanked her (and Freckles) for that awesome breakfast trail magic.  She enjoyed the little note I left her;
“You, me and Pepper.. we’re even now.”

Where the hiker feed was today has a bit of history to it in the “Appalachian Trail Guide – North Carolina-Georgia.”  It’s a book with information regarding water sources, shelters, various trails crisscrossing the AT, profile layouts and more.  One additional feature is the history of some of the trails, roads, mountains and in this case, Woody Gap (3150′).  I’d love to paraphrase the history of this particular spot but the book does such a good job at it, I’ll cite it instead;

Arthur Woody was the state’s first ranger (often called the “barefoot ranger” because of his tendency to leave off his shoes).  It is said that he saw his father kill the last deer in the forest, during a time of little respect for wildlife and deteriorating conditions of mountains and forests.  Woody vowed that he would some day put back what the mountain men of his time had taken away.  In time, he began to restock the forest with deer and the streams with fish.  His outstanding achievements in forest-fire prevention, game restoration and preservation, land reclamation and timber management paved the way for today’s advanced methods used by the Forest Service.  Woody was a large, round, mountain man; the story is told that he asked the federal government to build a road over the mountain from Suches to Stone Pile Gap but was told the government did not build roads, they only improved them.  So Woody “scraped out a trail through the mountains” and then told the government, “I have my road.  Now, you come and improve it.” Ga.60 is that road.

Using his own monies, Woody started buying and rounding up deer, some which he even had names for, in 1927 only to have the state re-open deer hunting 14 years later.   In 1946 “Ranger’ died, having suffered serious depression from the state’s decision.   Hard to imagine such a dynamic character these days.

Soon a weary but well-spirited Phoenix came rolling into the feed with Groove just behind.  She was doing okay, but wasn’t worried as she was actually moving slow to try to protect her arm.  Good.  I pushed on after tossing my trash from my pack away.

There was a nice little climb up Big Cedar Mountain (3737′).  Passed quite a few day hikers going up the mountain and in one case, two guys with two large dogs (breed unknown) who had their own packs.  They said that they were trying to acclimate them to the rigors of hiking with packs.  I wish anyone luck with trying to hike anywhere with any animal.  Once I arrived at the top, an older gentleman had just finished a “really cool story” as Bee later told me, about how his German Shepard (dogs are everywhere anymore) was of Royal decent.  As soon as I get the whole story, I’ll edit this.

Bee Chucker and I hiked together for the rest of the day.  Our paces seem to match quite well and he’s an interesting guy.  Apparently he just moved with his girlfriend to Baltimore, MD.  However, they do not even have a place there.  His girlfriend is staying with her brother and his wife while he’s out here hiking.  Sound like a very cool girl to be able to understand his needs while she does her own thing too.  Very cool.

We pull into Jarrods Gap (3250’) and take a quick break and while there two guys approach us from their little camping area.  They ask if I have any Aqua Mira or some way to treat water.  They were weekenders and had forgotten to bring a water treatment system.  Bee Chucker and I chatted about hiking the AT, Atlanta (where they were from) and other silly topics while I retrieved my ‘emergency’ tablets for them.  After chatting for 20 minutes we moved on, still had another 1 and 1/2 miles to go to get to Woods Hole Shelter for the evening.

Not sure why, but for some reason this last little section seemed to have really done me in.  By the time I got to the shelter entrance (3600’), all my body wanted was more water, so I went to fetch some.  We had earlier decided that if water was near the entrance to the shelter, we’d just camp there to avoid walking the .4 off the Appalachian Trail to the actual shelter.  Apparently lots of other people thought the same thing, including a church group with young kids.  They were nice and ‘well-behaved,’ but I wanted nothing to do with that, too many camping trips with kids around have taught me better.  Bee pulled in just as I’d returned and had started setting up my hammock some 20-30 yards away from the group.  Since Bee is a ‘ground dweller,’ he opted for the easier route and parked himself just north of them.

Once I erected my hammock, I just laid inside for about 90 minutes, dozing in and out of sleep.   I was pooped!  Granted, this was definitely my longest day at 11.9 miles but wow, feeling like this, no good.

Bee came over and told me that I could use his bear line (cool, less work for me to do) and that a Boy Scout troop had pulled into the camping area..so that’s where the noise was coming from when I awoke.. HA!  He was a bit bummed but said that he was just going to put in his MP3 player and go to sleep.

I waited and waited to see if Phoenix and Groove were going to make it.  I had even held off making my dinner (15 bean mix) until dusk so that when they pulled in, I’d have a nice hot dinner ready to go.  They never showed.  So, here I am feeling awful trying to eat about 3 cups of cooked beans.  Again, this process took forever as every couple bites I had to lay down and relax just to keep them down.  Officially, this sucked.

I did my best but didn’t come close to even being able to eat half of my dinner, so I bagged them up, just in case Phoenix and Groove did show.  Cleaned my bowl and hung my food over by Bee where the campers were quite loud for 9-9:30pm, running around and shouting.  Can’t say I felt good, but I fell asleep rather swiftly.

mattbob