Climbing Springer Mountain 2020

On April 12, 1980 I climbed Springer Mountain to start my 146 day backpacking journey to Mount Katahdin, Maine. It's been 40 years since that journey. The pandemic of 2020 delayed my plans, but I was able to climb Springer again on June 5, 2020 with my son, Joshua Kennedy.
We left my house in McDonough, Georgia early in the morning and had to drop off some stuff at my son's workplace in Duluth, Georgia. That delayed us some, but we were determined to make the trip. About a half hour before we got to Amicalola Falls it began to rain pretty hard. By the time we arrived at the State Park there were rain showers.
We went inside the visitor's center for a little while and took some pictures, including some with the arch at the beginning of the approach trail. The Appalachian Trail actually starts on the TOP of Springer Mountain. The approach trail is about 8.5 miles from the visitor's center to the top of Springer. Back in 1980 I knew that there was a road to the top of the falls and that I could start the approach trail there. That saved me one mile of extremely steep climbing (including a very long set of stairs).
Josh and I drove to the top of the falls and parked there. It was still drizzling rain just a little bit, but we started hiking at about 11:00am. We knew that we had a 15 mile round trip hike to get up and back before nightfall. Within 15 minutes the rain showers stopped and never returned. Our earlier delay saved us from hiking for an hour in that rain storm!
The trail was very heavily traveled and is marked with blue blazes. It is a steep climb up, up, and up! Yes, there are some level sections. There are even some short downhill sections. But most of the trail is going up. Josh and I labored diligently up the trail, talking almost the whole way. We enjoy just being able to spend some father/son time together.
We found a nice spot to stop and eat lunch and rest. The sun came through the trees and it was beautiful. There were some lovely flowers along the trail. Some were white, some yellow, but the most striking were the deep blue flowers. Josh liked to see some of the old trees with bumps and crooks in them. Some were dead and in various states of decay, often with interesting mushrooms growing on them.
We finally reached the summit of Springer Mountain at 4:00pm. There is a view from the top, but it is not as stunning as the views off of other mountains. The summit has lots of trees and a large rock outcropping that bears a metal plaque showing the summit and the beginning of the Applachian Trail. This trail stretches 2,100 miles through 14 States to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. I looked down and saw the first white blaze marking the trail. I remembered following those blazes all the way to Katahdin. 40 years is a long time, but the memories of the Trail stay with you forever.
We stayed on the summit for an hour talking to several other hikers, signing the register, resting, and enjoying the view. At 5:00pm we started to descend. I knew that it was going to take a while to get down and was concerned that we might lose daylight and have to hike using our flashlights. I did put a brace on my right knee before we began the descent (and I'm glad I did). Going downhill can put a lot of pressure on your knees.
We made good time and only took a few rest breaks. By 8:00pm the sunlight was beginning to wane. After it set we could still see the trail in the dusk. An owl began to call out followed by the bark of a dog somewhere off the trail. Gradually the light began to fade and our steps grew faster.
Just before 9;00pm I was thinking about putting on my head lamp when I saw something through the trees. It was the parking lot! Four hours after leaving the summit, Josh and I emerged from the woods and arrived at the top of the falls parking lot. The light was now gone and we could see the twinkle of tiny lights in the valley from houses below.
We drove up to the Lodge and went inside for a little while. The view off of the observation deck is usually stunning, but the dark made it harder to see. We were hoping to get some food from the restaurant, but it was closed for the night. It was time to leave and find some food.
After a wrong turn in the dark (in the middle of nowhere) we finally regained GPS signal and found our way to civilization (before we heard any banjo music!). The yellow Waffle House sign in Cumming, Georgia was a welcome sight! We chowed down on some good food and left at 11:00pm, right when they were closing the Waffle House. Yes, you heard that right. Waffle House closed! Because of the 2020 pandemic a lot of restaurants had shorter hours, including Waffle House.
It was 12:45am before we arrived tired but safe at my house in McDonough, Georgia. The next day I was so sore I could barely move, but it was better in a couple of days.
I was glad to be able to celebrate 40 years of finishing the Appalachian Trail by climbing Springer Mountain with my son, Josh. We hope to be able to climb Katahdin sometime later this summer. Best wishes to everyone and God bless!

40 Years Ago I Started Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Today is April 12, 2020. It is 40 years since I started hiking the Appalachian Trail! I remember that first day very well. It was raining. It rained every day the first week! I started at the top if the falls at Amicalola Falls. Back then there was a road to the top of the falls, but the lodge had not yet been built. I slogged through the rain with a heavy pack (40 pounds with one week's worth of food). I reached the top and saw the marker at the top of Springer. After a brief pause, I continued on until I reached the old shelter. It already had 9 people in it and I made it 10. Of that group, only one was on a short hike. The rest were going to Maine. All of that group made it to Maine, although a few didn't finish in 1980 and had to finish later. Since I was from Georgia, people started calling me "Georgia" and that was my trail name.
The Appalachian Trail changed me for the better. I learned to trust God in ways that I could never imagine. I learned to persevere in spite of difficult circumstances. I learned about the kindness and goodness of people. I was immersed in the beauty and majesty of God's amazing Creation. His Mountains are absolutely beautiful!
I had plans to hike to the top of Springer Mountain this week in remembrance of the 40th anniversary. Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic is still going on and everyone is on lock down until the virus passes. I still plan on making the trip as soon as possible, hopefully this Spring. And I also plan to climb Mt. Katahdin, Maine in the late Summer. Every time I think of the Trail it brings a smile to my face. It changed me, and I'm glad it did!

Celebrating 39 years since finishing the Appalachian Trail

It's amazing to me how fast the years roll by. 6 days ago I celebrated the 39th anniversary of climbing Katahdin and finishing my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Words cannot express the tremendous impact that the Trail has had on my entire life. I'm glad I hiked it as a young man. Whenever I go through difficult times in life, I am reminded that I also went through difficult times on the Trail. I was able to persevere on the Trail and that reminds me that I can also persevere in life. There are countless other life lessons that I learned from the Trail. It's not unusual for me to bring up a reference to the Trail when I am talking to others about all kinds of different situations. My children (now grown into adults) always loved to hear my "stories about the Trail".
I know that this blog was started about 8 years ago to try to capture my memories about the Trail. I also know that I have not finished all of the stories. I'm sure that I will get to it at some point. I hope to consolidate all of the stories, edit them, and perhaps self publish a small book. I doubt many would be interested in it, but I want to do that someday as a reminder to my family (and other interested people) of the impact the Trail can have on a life.
I'm planning to climb Springer Mountain in the Spring of 2020 and Mount Katahdin in the late Summer of 2020 to celebrate 40 years of wonderful memories. If you would like to hike with me on one of these day trips please let me know. God bless!

38 Years Ago..

One more pound gone!

Well it's the new year and I am gradually trying to get back into shape. At my worst last year I weighed 204 pounds (first time EVER over 200). I clawed my way back to the mid 190's and stabilized there for a few months. Thanksgiving and Christmas didn't help much with trying to get the weight off. I have been walking fairly regularly for the past 6 months. That has helped me to feel better and get stronger. Now it's time to push through and get more weight off. I weighed in this morning at 193. I'm going to watch what I eat and try to keep exercising. I'm going to the Holy Land in 4 weeks, so I'm trying to get below 190 and maybe to 185 before I go. Stay tuned for updates!

Gradual Progress

I'm encouraged that I have lost 9 pounds over the last two months! I still have a long way to go, but it is good to make progress. I am finally able to wear my wedding band. Previously my hands were too swollen for it to fit. Now I can wear it during the day (and take it off at night because my hands tend to swell some while I sleep). Hopefully I can get back to wearing it 24/7.
I have been walking (with some short spurts of jogging uphill) over the past 2 months. In August I walked 16 times, burned 5,969 calories, and climbed 2,780.6 feet in elevation (according to my handy dandy Runkeeper app on my phone). Since one pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, I burned almost 2 pounds of fat by exercise and probably trimmed the rest of it off by eating more sensibly.
Starting to exercise takes patience. I did have about 10 days where I didn't walk at all and it allowed my muscles to heal up and stop being sore. I still wear a knee brace on my right knee (and probably always will). It just needs a little bit of support, especially if I jog any.
My youngest Yorkshire Terrier, Izzi, has tons of energy. This week I started taking her on the first half of my walk to help her burn off some of her endless energy. She walked 1.73 miles today and still wanted to play later!

Making Progress

Well, I'm making progress! I've been watching what I eat (but not doing anything crazy). The biggest change is that I have started walking a lot. If I walk my entire subdivision it is 3.45 miles. So most days I have been walking all of that. Some days I walk more. today I walked 4.24 miles and burned 495 calories! A long time ago a personal trainer told me that the only way to get rid of fat is to "burn it off with cardio." That means walking, running, or other aerobic exercise. I can feel it in my legs, sometimes my ligaments are sore. I also usually wear a knee brace on my right knee because it is a little weak.
A friend of mine helped me put new tires on my bicycle and tuned it up. I haven't gone riding yet, but hope to start soon. That's another form of exercise that will hopefully be gentle on my knees. I will keep you informed of my progress.
Speaking of progress, I am down to 198 now, which is a loss of 6 pounds! I'm still shooting for a final weight of 170 and want to maintain it. Once I reach that weight I will probably start working on my one mile run. I have always wanted to run one mile in less than 5 minutes. My best time was when I was at Georgia Tech and it was 5:12 (SO close!). I'm making progress!

Little by Little

A couple of weeks ago I went on a much needed vacation. Usually on vacation I eat like a pig and stay away from a scale for a while! But this time I tried to eat in moderation (most of the time). We stayed in Augusta house sitting for my in-laws for 6 days. During that time I decided to start walking. On Monday through Friday that week I walked at least 3 miles each day! Needless to say my muscles were a bit sore. I took off the following Saturday and Sunday. Then on Monday my left knee started hurting. So, I wore a knee brace for a few days and took it easy.
Now that I am back from vacation and my knee seems to be doing better I went walking yesterday (2.76 miles). My goal is not to go fast, but to build up strength & endurance. Today I took my bicycle to a friend's house and we worked on it for 3 hours (putting on new tires, adjusting the cables and tensions, checking the brakes, and cleaning up everything). It has been many, many years since I rode my bike. But now I have bike riding as an option for exercise. That should help my knees and also be enjoyable.
One of the things I realized while walking during vacation is that 3 years from now will be my 40th anniversary for hiking the Appalachian Trail. So I decided that I want to spend the next 3 years getting back into shape. And on April 12, 2020 I will climb Springer Mountain, which is the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. It will be 40 years to the day when I first climbed that mountain on my thru-hike. I also decided that on September 4, 2020 I will climb Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. That will be 40 years to the day of when I completed my thru-hike. I know it is 3 years away, but it is a goal to shoot for!
I also realized that much of the Appalachian Trail can be "day hiked". That means you don't have to carry a backpack with camping gear as long as someone drops you off and picks you up along the way. In order to get ready for the 2020 hikes, I will probably do some day hikes. I did quite a bit of hiking on the Appalachian Trail both before and after my thru-hike. I'm going to go back and reconstruct all of the hikes that I remember. I'm pretty sure I have done all of Georgia in pieces, all of the Smokies, from South of the Nantahala River to Fontana Dam, a week in Virginia, and some other hikes. It's a long shot, but perhaps I could eventually day hike most (or all) of the Trail again in pieces. That would probably take the rest of my life to do!
And a weight check, I'm at 201 right now. I went up a few pounds right after my vacation, but I have already trimmed them back off. I'm making progress little by little!

Time To Start Again!

One of the things I learned on the Appalachian Trail was to never give up! Some days were tough, but I just kept going. It was an important life lesson! For those who read this blog, I have been silent for quite some time. The main reason is because my Dad went into the hospital on Dec 6, 2016 and (other than 9 days at home in March) he was in either a hospital or rehab until June 26, 2017. The good news is that he is finally home and is much improved.
Because of this, I have had terrible eating habits and have put on weight. For the first time ever my weight went over 200 pounds! Last week I started walking again and started trying to eat better. I started at 203 pounds and have lost a grand total of one pound so far. But it is a start. My first mini-goal is to get below 200 pounds (and stay there). But I still want to get back down to a healthy weight of 170. So stay tuned for more updates from time to time. God bless!!

First Injury

So, this morning I thought I would start out easy and go for a walk. I walked 2.1 miles in my neighborhood. Being totally out of shape, it was a work out. Later in the day my left knee felt a little bit weird. All I did was bend down to look at something on the lower shelf at Walmart and I felt it. When I got into the car I could feel it again when I rotated.
Five years ago it was my right knee. This time it's my left knee. So I'm sitting in my bed with my leg propped up and a knee brace on. I took an Ibuprophen. Hopefully it's just a little bit sore. I'll rest it and take it easy the next time!

Getting Back on Track

It's hard to believe that my last post on this blog was almost 4 years ago. A lot has happened since then. A couple of weeks after the last post I hurt my knee. I'm not really sure how it happened, but it hurt too much to run. I rested it for a week and tried to run but it hurt again. I waited two weeks and tried again and it still hurt. I wound up wearing a knee brace for a long time.

In the midst of the knee problems, my Mom decided it was time to move from Arkansas to McDonough Ga. Her house went under contract and I had to help her find a house to buy. I also had to arrange people to replace the flooring on the new house and paint it before she could move in.

Then I had to fly to Arkansas and help her finishing packing (which was a BIG deal). It was difficult for her to move since she had lived in the same house for 35 years. A friend drove the first truck load back to Georgia. I drove the second truck load back to Georgia with my Mom following in her car (with her 4 cats). I got a call on the way that the painting was finished but the flooring guy I lined up bailed on me. He was able to connect me with someone who could finish the job but it was a two day delay. That worked out since technically we had not yet closed on the house! So, we officially closed on a Friday. The floor was finished the next day. And we crammed all of her stuff into the new house.

Needless to say, with all of the chaos and my knee problems my weight loss project was out the window.

My knee eventually healed. A doctor told me that I was probably too old to run on a regular basis (something about being 54 and too much pounding on the knees). Life happened. I got busy and stayed swamped most of the time. The weight loss was something that I was going to get to “sometime”.

Last week my wife and I celebrated our 28^th wedding anniversary with a week long trip to Pigeon Forge, TN just outside of the Smoky Mountains. We rested a lot. We ate a lot. And we had fun. I’m afraid to step on a scale right now because I’m sure I put on more weight. Before the trip I weighed in at 196 pounds.

Now it’s time to start getting back in shape again. Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge for a lot of people. I’m certainly not “obese”, but I do have a gut that needs to be trimmed down. And my heart will probably benefit from some regular exercise. I will have to get creative about the kind of exercise to save my knees. I’m thinking bicycling, walking, light weight lifting and perhaps some swimming. And of course I will have to watch what I eat. I’ve done it before, I can do it again!

The last day of our trip we drove through the Smoky Mountains. We stopped by the mountain stream at the Chimney’s picnic area. We stopped at Newfound Gap (over 5,000 feet high) and took in the views. The Appalachian Trail crosses through that area and I walked up the trail for a few minutes. I took a picture of the sign which shows the distance to Mt Katahdin, Maine as 1,972.0 miles! It’s hard to believe that I backpacked that whole distance in 1980! On the way down we saw a herd of elk grazing in a field and a large flock of turkeys in another field. It was great to get back out into nature. Stay tuned for more updates as I am able to post!

Running Out of Food Is NOT Fun!

I began to hike through some rugged trail. Well, all of the trail is rugged, but this section was particularly difficult. When I was in Virginia I could put in a very long day and walk 20 miles. But in this section I put in very long days and barely made 15 miles. It was tough!

Hikers are always hungry and I had a standard supply of food designed to last for one week. For several months this worked out, but I found myself in a very unusual situation. I looked at the miles to my next re-supply point and then evaluated my food. For the first (and only) time, I had more miles left than food. At my current rate I would be one day short of food. In the deep wilderness, on foot, miles from any road (and who knows how far from a store), this was a crisis!

I looked at the food supply long and hard. Was there any way I could walk faster? A detailed study of my mileage data book showed that it was not possible. The only solution was to eat less and “stretch” the food to last. I began to eat less. And, for the first time, I was truly hungry. Oh, sure, I was always hungry and could demolish a plate of food in short order. But now I was hungry all of the time. As I laid down to sleep, I felt the gnawing pains in my stomach. I was miserable. How many days would this last? Just a few more I told myself.

The next day was equally miserable. All I could think about was food. Toward the end of the day I found something. No, it wasn’t food. It was a paved road. I decided to hitch-hike until I found a store. It didn’t take long before a logging truck stopped and picked me up. In a few miles I spotted a small store on the side of the road. Shouting my thanks to the trucker, I dashed in and drooled over the shelves packed with food. Well, if you saw it then you would have thought that it was a tiny “hole-in-the-wall” store with limited inventory. But for me, it was a bonanza!

I honestly don’t remember what I bought and ate at that store. I do remember buying a 2.5 pound can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and a large package of Oreo cookies. I hitch-hiked back to the trail and carried my treasures with me about a mile until I found a shelter. I pulled out my stove and very quickly it roared to life. My large pot was soon filled to the brim with the ENTIRE 2.5 pounds of the Dinty Moore Beef Stew. Steam wafted from the pot as my large spoon began to shovel the tasty meal into my hungry belly. In short order the pot was empty and licked clean. Now it was time for the Oreos. One by one they disappeared as I savored the sweet taste of victory. When nothing was left but an empty container, I sat back satisfied for the first time in what seemed like years.

I slept soundly that night and woke refreshed. I was back on “normal” eating and ready to continue my quest for Mt. Katahdin in Maine. I knew that I was going to make it!

The Hardest Mile

   J.R.R. Tolkien wrote "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (which I have read several times). While writing these books, Tolkien reached the point where Frodo and his companions were in the mines of Moria and had just reached Balin's tomb. Readers don't usually know this, but Tolkien paused for about a year when he reached this point in writing. I can understand that. It's been about 9 months since I have posted on this blog. Life happens, and there are many distractions. But I remember learning in kindergarten, "if you start something, finish it!" And so, after a long pause, I am going to try to finish this blog. So, dear readers, here we go:

   All of the Appalachian Trail is physically challenging. Some sections are harder than others. In Virginia the trail follows a lot of ridges which makes for easier walking. Other places have lots of steep ups and downs. But there is one mile on the Trail that is the hardest. It's called Mahoosic Notch. I'm pretty sure that it's in New Hampshire, but it is very close to Maine.

   What makes Mahoosic Notch the hardest? Imagine a narrow valley with steep sides. Now imagine giant boulders the size of small cars fills the bottom of the valley. That's Mahoosic Notch! Hiking through a giant boulder field with a full pack is not easy. I had heard stories from other hikers, so I knew what to expect. Some hikers would take a long time to traverse this mile, exploring the remnants of ice still present under the rocks even though it was past mid-summer. When I got there, I was by myself so I knew that I needed to be careful. But I also love challenges. I decided to see how quickly I could get through this one mile stretch.

   Under normal circumstances I could hike about two to three miles per hour (as long as I had some rest stops along the way). But this was not your normal trail. I quickly discovered that my hiking staff was no use, so I put it in my pack which freed up both of my hands. Following the white blazes that marked the trail, I scrambled up and over the boulders. A few times I had to squeeze through narrow holes between boulders. The challenge was on and my stopwatch was ticking away. When I finally reached the end of the one mile boulder field, I laid on the ground utterly exhausted. How long did it take? Right at one hour.

   I was through the hardest mile of the Appalachian Trail, but I still had many miles to go. I knew that if I kept going I would eventually make it to Mt. Katahdin in Maine and stand on the summit in victory. Onward and upward!

Lonely Thoughts

   Morning broke quietly in the halfway house on the slopes of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. The old abandoned building was boarded up. It kept the wind out but also blocked most of the light! I remember cooking breakfast by the light of my little flashlight (a first for me, since I have never been an early riser). Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers wolfed down their breakfast too. We loaded up our gear and squeezed out of the window by pushing on the lose piece of plywood. I half expected to see the park rangers waiting to arrest us, but the coast was clear.
   In the light of day we were able to look back at the summit of Mt. Washington and see how far we had walked the night before. The mountain towered above us and was very impressive. It was the last gigantic mountain I would see before reaching Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Yes, there were lots of other mountains to climb, but not like that one!
   We started walking down the road and made good time. Before lunchtime we reached the base of the mountain and civilization. There was a hostel near the road and we went in to take a break. I need to clarify this statement. "Take a break" for me meant a half hour or maybe an hour. But "Take a break" for Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers meant that they checked in for the night! Their next thought was where they could find a beer. I was invited to stay, but I politely declined. We were past the most dangerous part of the White Mountains. I appreciated their companionship, but my goal was Katahdin in Maine, not a party.
   The climb up the next mountain was not terribly difficult, but it was different. For one thing, I was now hiking through forests (a welcome change after all that hiking above tree line). But the biggest difference I felt was solitude. The constant banter of Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers was suddenly gone. I stopped and listened to the silence. It was peaceful, but a bit lonely.
  After a brisk climb, the trail came to a rock outcropping. It was a great place to take a break and soak in some sun. The temperature wasn't very cold, but still a bit cool because of the elevation. Sitting on that rock I began to think about being alone. It had been months since I left home. I had less than 400 miles to go before reaching the final mountain in Maine. I knew that I would make it. I also knew that I would see other hikers soon, even if I never saw Ted the Head and the Strohs Brothers again.
   I sat with my lonely thoughts, soaking up the sun and resting my tired muscles. But then there was something....a tiny noise. The trail has lots of sounds if you pay attention. But this noise was a bit unusual. It sounded a bit like scurrying. I looked around to see the source of this unusual disturbance. Much to my delight I spotted a small chipmunk. I was scurrying across the rock, oblivious to my presence. At that moment I laughed inside, realizing that I was not really alone!
   My new friend was busy going to and fro. I pulled out my camera and tried to get some photos. Have you ever tried to take pictures of a chipmunk in a hurry? Well, if you have then you know what I went through. If the light was right for a shot, the chipmunk ran too fast. When he was still, the light was too dim to capture the moment. By the time I got close enough to get a really good shot, he saw me and dashed away.
   Isn't that just like God to send me a tiny friend when I needed him most? My dark mood was gone. With a smile on my face, I hoisted my backpack and continued walking on the trail. I had miles to go before I would sleep.

I Did It!

   I did it! On April 12, 2011 I started out to reduce my weight to 165.0 pounds. I started out at 186.8 pounds. Now after 157 days I finally reached my goal. As of today I have lost 21.8 pounds. That is about 2.2 ounces per day or about one pound per week.
   It wasn't easy. Sometimes I lost weight and sometimes I put weight back on. But through it all I kept focused and continued to persevere. I changed a lot of my eating habits, but I refused to starve myself. I started jogging, then running. I had to deal with severe cramps in my calves which were major setbacks. But after my body healed, I kept on going. My daughter gave me the nickname "sweaty man" because I would come home from runs soaked in sweat.
   My clothes aren't tight anymore. And I was able to take some clothes down from the top of my closet and actually fit in them! My blood pressure is normal (and I don't take any medicine). I have a lot more energy now and I haven't been sick since I started exercising (probably a stronger immune system).
   And of course I have written many blog posts about the Appalachian Trail. As a matter of fact, this blog post is number 100! It is also the first that doesn't have a trail story in it. I haven't quite finished telling all of the stories about the trail, not yet! So, from this point forward I will just write about the trail until I finish the stories. I appreciate you, the reader, and your encouragement. You are welcome to leave comments if you want. I'd love to know your thoughts about this journey.
   Moving forward I intend to keep on exercising and trying to eat right. If I ever get above 170.0 pounds in the future, then I will immediately go into diet/exercise mode until I get below 170.0. I have other goals in life that I hope to pursue. One is to run one mile in under 5:00. My best time when I was a student at Georgia Tech was 5:12 (then I had mid-terms and lots of homework followed by finals!) I may start working on that project next.
   As for the trail stories, it has been good to write them down. Some folks have encouraged me to put them in book form. I am considering that, although it would need to be edited some. Don't worry, I won't leave you at the "halfway house" just below Mount Washington in New Hampshire. I will make sure that you get the stories all the way to the final mountain, Mount Katahdin in Maine. Onward and upward!

We knew that it would be very risky to keep going down the trail since nightfall was not far away

   We continued our climb up Mt. Washington. Before long we passed the tree line. The wind began to kick up. We passed giant boulders and some small pools of water. The trail kept going up and up. When we reached one of the huts it was getting late in the afternoon. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers tried to talk the hut keepers into letting us stay the night, but they insisted that they were full. We tried to get permission to sleep on the floor of the common room but were also turned down. The only solution was to keep on going.
   We kept on climbing. It was August, but we were cold even though the sun was out on this summer day. After a long climb we finally reached the 6,288 foot summit, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States! At the peak is a giant observation tower and weather observatory. At this location, the highest windspeeds in America were recorded (231 mph on April 12, 1934, exactly 46 years to the day before I began my hike of the Appalachian Trail).
   We also saw lots of tourists at the summit. There is a road that leads to the top and many vacationers drive up to the top. It was interesting to suddenly enter a place that looked like Disney! Now it was REALLY getting late in the day. We still had a lot of miles above tree line before the trail dropped in elevation. There was no way that we could get below treeline for the night. We tried to get the rangers to let us camp inside the weather station (it is very large and has lots of room). Again, we were flatly refused.
   Now we were stuck. The light would fade soon and we had to camp somewhere. Were weren't about to go back, there was no place to camp in that direction anyway. We knew that it would be very risky to keep going down the trail since nightfall was not far away. The chance of missing the trail in the dark could be disasterous! There was only one solution. We began to walk down the road. Almost all of the tourists had already headed down the road so we had it to ourselves.
   On a rare occasion every thru hiker takes a different route, sometimes a road. The point is that we walked the entire way. Yes, we missed a few miles of rugged trail, but that was minor in comparison to the over 2,100 miles that we walked. And safety is always important. I kept remembering the sign we saw before we climbed Mt. Washington warning of extreme conditions that could lead to injury or death. They weren't kidding!
   We kept walking down the road. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers kept up a constant banter as we walked. Night fell and we were still above treeline but we were making progress. After a while we saw an old ramshackled house on the side of the road. This was called the "halfway house", not because it was a place for ex-convicts to live! It was about halfway from the base of the mountain to the summit.
   Ted had a "great idea". We could camp inside this old, abandoned house. I was quite skeptical. It was locked and boarded up. It looked like a stiff wind would knock it down. Ted the Head & the Strohs brothers began looking for a way to get into the house. I imagined that they had practice in this art when they had locked their keys in their own house! Suddenly I heard a shout. A way in had been found. One of the sheets of plywood over a window was loose. We were able to squeeze in!
   Or flashlights cut beams through the dusty interior of the old house. We were amazed at how much warmer it was inside. It wasn't actually warm, but we didn't realize how cold the wind was outside! Before long our campstoves were cooking hot supper and hot tea. We snuggled down into our sleeping bags, glad to be in a warm, dry place, and slowly drifted off to sleep. Mt. Washington was tough, but we had made it. There would be many more challenges ahead, but none that compared to the extremes of this giant mountain. We dreamed of good food, home, and standing on Mt. Katahdin in Maine. The final mountain was getting closer and closer.

   2011 update:  Today I weighed in at 166.8 pounds. That is (drum roll please) 20.0 pounds that I have lost! It's been a long journey, but worth it! I'm so close to my goal of 165.0 pounds. So, I'm getting radical. I'm going to hit that number tomorrow. All I had to eat today was my regular bowl of oatmeal, two almonds, a big bowl of salad (with one carrot and almost no fat free dressing). I went running this morning. Then I went running again tonight. After I run tomorrow, I will have run over 10 miles in 24 hours (a lot for me). So, tomorrow is the big day. Say a prayer for me that I make it!

I Meet Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers

As I continued to hike through the rugged White Mountains I started to get concerned. Hiking by yourself is ok in lower elevations, but in the Whites it's not a good idea. I stopped for a rest and was pondering what to do when I heard the familar "clomp, clomp, clomp" of hiking boots on the trail behind me. I was not an Indian tracker, but I could tell that it was more than one person, so I waited. 

   There are notebooks in almost every trail shelter where people can sign in and write notes. I signed in to almost every one that I saw. I also read what other hikers wrote too. For a long time in the South I had read entries by "Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers". But in Virginia I had apparently passed them while they were off the trail. But here, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, I finally met Ted the Head and the two Strohs Brothers. 

   You can tell by their trail names that they were known for "partying". But they were very friendly to me and greeted me enthusiastically. When they realized that I was alone, they insisted that I hike with them for a while. I was glad to have the company. These guys were quite a sight! One of them yelled, "piss break" and immediately all three of them turned in unison, pulled down their zippers and peed on the side of the trail. I found out how I had passed them in Virginia. They had gotten "some good stuff" and spent several days getting high. That was when I passed them and they were just now catching up to me.

   We kept gaining in elevation as we approached Mount Washington. We passed a sign that warned us of danger. It said that conditions above that point could be hazardous and could result in death in bad weather. All hikers should proceed with caution. We kept on going. It was a nice summer day, but the temperature high in the mountains was a bit cool. At another point we came to a short, shear cliff. A metal ladder was bolted to the rock. Each of us began to climb the ladder. It was harder than you think because we had our backpacks to carry too. One of the rungs was a little damp and I slipped. I didn't fall off the ladder, but I did smack the side of my head against a rock. Boy, did it hurt! Ted the Head & the Strohs Brothers gathered around me to make sure I was ok. I was a bit dizzy for a minute but recovered. I joked about the benefits of having a hard head! I also was thankful that I was hiking with some other guys. Things could have gone very bad for me if I had been knocked out by my slip on the ladder. This was a time of safety in numbers.

   We approached the treeline as Mount Washington loomed high ahead. It was going to be a challenge!

   2011update:  This morning I weighed in at 167.4 pounds. That is 19.4 pounds lost since the beginning of this project. It also means that I am 2.4 pounds away from my goal of 165.0 pounds. If I can hit that weight just once then I will be satisfied. Long term, I have decided that I want to always stay below 170.0 If I pass that weight in the future then I have to immediately go back on strict diet and exercise. Today I ran 3.4 miles. It's time for a salad!

Entering the White Mountains

   On August 8, 1980 I was scheduled to pick up my supply box from the post office in Glencliff, New Hampshire. At this point I was back on schedule so I'm sure that I got the box, but I don't really remember much about the town. Probably because my mind was on the mountains that lay ahead. I was getting ready to enter the White Mountains. In a letter to my sister, Sarah Kennedy, dated August 9, 1980 I said this:

"I'm about to head into the White Mountains. That means hiking above treeline in places. In the Presidential Range 12 miles are above treeline. And Mt. Washington has recorded the worst weather in North America. 60 days out of the year are nice. Last May they had 15 degree temperatures with 45mph winds and 3 inches of snow. That ain't whistling Dixie! Of course the A.T. goes right over Mt. Washington (who wants to miss the fun?). I know, 'Be Careful'. "
 
   The White Mountains are big, majestic, and dangerous. The term "treeline" is the elevation where trees no longer grow. If a storm breaks out above treeline, there is nothing to block the wind. I was glad to have my wool shirt, parka, wool knickers, and long wool socks for this part of the trip. When I entered the White Mountains it was a very steep climb up into the mountain range. Periodically I would pass by "huts" where hikers could spend the night. Unfortunately, you had to have a reservation because the huts were so popular. Being a thru hiker, I didn't have a reservation and had to find other places to camp.
   I remember one evening I kept trying to find a place to camp without any luck. The hut I passed earlier was full (I asked, just in case they had some room). I wasn't above treeline, but I was in an area where you aren't supposed to camp. The vegetation in that area is somewhat fragile because of the harsh environment. I kept going, and going but couldn't find a good place to camp. Finally the sun started to go down. I found a flat spot covered with pine needles that was just big enough for me to stretch out my sleeping bag. So, although it was against the rules, I slept there for the night, underneath the stars and the trees.
   In the morning I got up early and threw my stuff into my pack. Then I hiked about a mile until I found a spot on the trail where I could stop and cook breakfast. I was avoiding the park rangers. If one showed up and asked if this is where I camped, I could honestly say "no". Well, no rangers showed up and I continued on down the trail.
   I don't know if it was the same day or not, but about 11am I came up to another hut, high in the mountains. As I went inside, I saw a sign that said "All You Can Eat Pancakes". Either the hut cook was over zealous, or the hut guests weren't hungry that day. There were lots of left over pancakes. I paid a small fee (I think maybe $2) and ate to my heart's content!
   The huts are amazing places. They are like large cabins with bunk rooms for the guests and a large room for eating & socializing. Hut guests are fed supper and breakfast and can usually get sandwiches to take with them for lunch. Because of their location high up in the mountains, everything must be carried in by backpack and all waste must be carried out. During the summer hiking season they employed people to carry large loads up to the huts. When I say "large", I'm talking about 100 pounds of food and/or supplies! The last thing a guy wants to carry back down the mountain is a bunch of leftover pancakes! The only thing that is not carried out by backpack is human waste. Periodically a helicopter would fly in and take out the tank from the outhouse. All of this is done to protect the fragile mountain environment.
   After my pancake feast, I waddled down the trail with a big smile on my face. Nothing makes a backpacker happy like a full belly of food! I was getting deeper into the White Mountains. The elevation was getting higher. I knew that Mount Washington and the Presidential range was ahead. It was going to be a bigger challenge than I could imagine.
   2011 update:  This morning I weighed in at 168.6 pounds. I went running again in my neighborhood. The 3.4 mile route through my neighborhood is gradually getting easier to run. I just had a big plate of spagetti for lunch. Perhaps it will be a salad for supper! I have 3.6 pounds to trim off. When I look at myself in a mirror I don't see the big gut anymore! Just a little bit of  "love handles" to trim off!

A Campfire by the Lake

   The miles continued to fly by as I walked North toward Maine. One night I met a couple of college age girls who were camping close to a lake. I had planned on hiking farther, but stayed and visited with them for a while. With their permission, I decided to camp with them by the lake. It was beautiful looking across the still water as the sun set through the woods. The girls asked if I could build a campfire and I obliged.

   You would think that I built a lot of campfires while hiking the whole Appalachian Trail, but I didn’t. I had my tiny backpacking stove which was efficient in cooking everything I needed. Besides, cooking over a campfire put soot all over the outside of my cooking pot. That’s not bad for a weekend, but for five months it’s a pain. But for that night I made a campfire. 

   We sat beside the fire as the light slowly faded away. We talked as the stars gradually made their appearance in the sky and the moon slowly rose to greet us. We could still hear the night sounds of the woods and the lake as the fire popped and crackled in front of us. As the fire died down and began to softly glow, the two girls bid me good night and went into their tent. I stayed by the fire lost in thought as the coals slowly died down into grey ashes.

   I realized that I had a lonely walk, but I was not completely alone. I met many friends along the way, like these two girls at the lake. And I was never completely alone because I knew that God was with me always. As I stretched out in my sleeping bag to go to sleep that night, I looked up into the starry sky and marveled at the wonder of creation and the majesty of The Creator!

My Night In A Vermont Homeless Shelter

   If you can remember, way back when I started hiking the trail I made a friend with Nancy Lee Read (whom I gave the trail name “Southern Belle”). Nancy Lee was from Vermont and she sent me a letter telling me about their hike and how it was going. She also told me when I got to Rutland Vermont that I should get off and go to her hometown. She had already talked with the Pastor of her church and let him know that I would be stopping through. He agreed to put me up for the night and share some hospitality.

   Sure enough, the trail crossed a road very near Rutland. So I went into town and found the church. It was a large, stone building. I asked to speak to the Pastor by his name and was ushered into a waiting area. After a little while I was allowed to enter his office. I told him who I was and that I was a friend of Nancy Lee Read. Yes, he recalled that she was on a big hiking trip. I mentioned that her letter said that perhaps I could spend the night somewhere in town. Certainly, he replied. If I would wait for a little while he would take care of me.

   I did wait for a while and the Pastor emerged with another man. We were briefly introduced and the Pastor said this man would take care of me for the evening. I thanked him for his assistance and went with the man. To be honest, I was expecting to perhaps stay at the home of a church member but the man took me to a homeless shelter for the night. I wasn’t really homeless, but it was too late in the day to find any other place to stay for the night. I reluctantly agreed to stay the night.

   Staying in a homeless shelter was quite a different experience. Most of the guys there were regulars and they knew the rules. They had to explain some of the rules to me and were surprised that I didn’t already know what I could do and what I couldn’t do. They served us a simple meal for supper. I got a bunk to sleep for the night. After a light breakfast in the morning I headed out to get back on the trail.

   A couple of weeks later Nancy Lee came into town. She stayed for a few days and saw many friends. She asked her Pastor about me and he told her that I had come through and he had sent me to the homeless shelter. She was shocked and horrified. Apparently the Pastor misunderstood her message about showing hospitality. Later she apologized to me for the mixup. I told her not to worry about it. Every experience on the trail was different. Staying in the homeless shelter was an eye-opening experience. It’s something that I will never forget.

   2011 Update:  Today I weighed in at 168.8 pounds. I’ve put on more than a pound from yesterday, but weight can vary from day to day. Right now I am eating a home made bean burrito. I went running this morning. My route through my entire neighborhood is 3.4 miles. I think I see a salad in my future!

   **P.S. I got an email today from Nancy Lee Read-Zeller. Yes, from the “Southern Belle” herself! We have not been in touch for a number of years. It’s good to hear from an old friend. She and her family are doing well!