Rangeley, ME

[Tim Rich]

Greetings,

I'm looking to do a section from Rangeley to Monson next month and I'm looking for a shuttle from either Portland or Bangor airports to Rangeley. Anyone available on Sunday, July 18th, or do you have any advice on which airport would be best to get to Rangeley?

Thanks for any help you can provide. I started sectioning at Springer in 1989 and I've done everything sequentially north. A successful trip next month puts me one trip from Katahdin.

Thanks,

Tim Rich
Atlanta, GA

[Tim Rich]

Greetings,

Any thoughts on the best airport to fly in to reach Rangely - Portland or Bangor?

Thanks,

Tim

[attroll]

Tim

Portland is the best one to fly into. I can not predict what I am doing that far in advance right now. I would like to help you out. I can let you know when we get closer. But I can not make a commitment right now. Hopefully someone else will jump in and help you. So don't count on my right now.

[Tim Rich]

I'd appreciate any help. I believe I'll plan in flying into Portland and back from Bangor.

Thanks,

Tim

[attroll]

Like I said. I will not commit. But when you get a flight number and the time you are arriving let me know. I will make a not on my calander. I have something going on in the middle of July with work. But I don't know which weekend it is yet. As of right now it is on Saturday but I can not remember which Saturday.

[Tim Rich]

Like I said. I will not commit. But when you get a flight number and the time you are arriving let me know. I will make a not on my calander. I have something going on in the middle of July with work. But I don't know which weekend it is yet. As of right now it is on Saturday but I can not remember which Saturday.

No problem, no commitment necessary. I'll be coming into Portland on Sunday, July 18th on Delta 5547 scheduled to arrive at 12:54 p.m.

Thanks,

Tim

[attroll]

OK. I wrote it on my calendar. I will let you know as we get closer if I can help out.

[WalkinHome]

Hi Tim,

Keep in mind that Earle Towne (Bear) at the Cabin in Andover does shuttles all over-I think he also goes to the airport if needed. Course there is a charge but you might want to check it out. 207.392.1333 or www.thecabininmaine.com

Be safe and good luck

[Mountain Dew]

Hey Tim, isn't that college roommate of yours going as well ? Good luck you two !!!!

[Tim Rich]

Hey Tim, isn't that college roommate of yours going as well ? Good luck you two !!!!

Good to hear from you, MD! David's coming along, just like the last 1,951 miles. Terrain wise, I guess we're in for more of the same that western Maine had for us last year, at least through Stratton. We're looking forward to it, two out-of-shape country boys stumbling through the woods.

Take Care,

Tim

[The Scribe]

Hey Tim

I live only 20 minutes or so from PWM. I will pencil that date and time in as well and would be more than happy to get you to Rangeley.

Between Attroll and myself, you will get there.

pcm

[Tim Rich]

Hey Tim

I live only 20 minutes or so from PWM. I will pencil that date and time in as well and would be more than happy to get you to Rangeley.

Between Attroll and myself, you will get there.

pcm

Thanks, PCM!

[MedicineMan]

How long have you been sectioning the AT?
How long are the sections you usually do?
How many times a year?
etc.

[Tim Rich]

How long have you been sectioning the AT?
How long are the sections you usually do?
How many times a year?
etc.

I started sectioning in 1989 from Springer with my old college roommate. At the time he was in Alabama and I was living in Knoxville. We did several sections the first year, ranging from 20 mile weekenders to 65 miles. After we got through the Smokies, we settled in to two trips a year of 75 to 120 miles, generally in Feb/April and Oct/Nov. Each time, we'd drive to where we would finish and get a ride back to the beginning. Once we started flying to the trail, we dropped back to one trip a year beginning with a 170 miler from Carlisle/US 11 to Delaware Water Gap. That's been (and will be) our longest section - I believe the next longest was about 130 miles. We now generally try to go about 100 miles per trip. We've done everything sequentially north to Rangeley, which sets us up for about 102 miles to Monson and 117 to Katahdin.

Our section hikes have been a great experience. When we started in February 1989, we hiked along with aspiring thruhikers. During our first few late fall hikes we met seasoned SOBOs. As we progressed into Virginia, we saw fewer thruhikers, and people in general. Our hike last year afforded us the opportunity of hiking for several days with Baltimore Jack, Mountain Dew, and about 40 other NOBOs through the Mahoosucs, in and out of Andover and on to Rangeley.

When we first started, the timing of our hikes revolved around dodging searing heat and bothersome insects. They're now scheduled around business, kids' sports schedules and other family commitments; however, the feel of a section hike never changes - as soon as we take our first few steps, picking up where we last ended, it's like we never left.

Take Care,

Tim

[MedicineMan]

You are an inspiration and I would dearly love to see your notes on pickups, droppoffs, shuttlers, cities flewn into and the like. For many years I hiked our area and suddenly three years ago got a wild itch to see what was on the other side of the mountain. It looks like I am following your footsteps now and many others in slowly sectioning the AT, I would certainly do it this way again-enjoying each section and the anticipation/planning that it takes to get set up for the next hike/adventure. Also like you I accomodate kids in the mix but will loose one soon as the oldest is going off to school this fall. That leaves 9 years until the youngest follows in her footsteps and I hope to have the AT complete by then. If so I think after she is in college I might leave the worksite for 7months and due the PCT as a thru just to constrast that with sectioning the AT.
OK and thanks again. Also congratulations on your achievement, quite an effort you and your college chum have made.

[Singletrack]

Tim, Met you and your partner at Sutton s in Manchester Center, Vt. in 2000. You had just finished your hike and were heading home. You guys are amazing. How consistent, and persistent you are. Have a great hike!

[Tim Rich]

Tim, Met you and your partner at Sutton s in Manchester Center, Vt. in 2000. You had just finished your hike and were heading home. You guys are amazing. How consistent, and persistent you are. Have a great hike!

I remember you - it's good to hear from you. That was the last year we took our annual hike in the late winter/early spring. If I remember, we did that section in May and caught the mud and a few black flies, convincing us that fall was best in New England. The last day was a comedy of errors - I had been well ahead (or so I thought) of David and had ducked out to an overlook to the left. He came flying by and didn't see me. When he got to the road, he thought I had hitched into town without him, which we generally don't do. He hitched in and got to Sutton's Place and found I wasn't there. In the meantime, I got to the road and found out the outlet crowd frequenting Manchester Center weren't much for hitches, so I hoofed it into town, about five miles or so.

We have been at this for so long, it's hard to believe we're close.

Take Care,

Tim

[Tim Rich]

You are an inspiration and I would dearly love to see your notes on pickups, droppoffs, shuttlers, cities flewn into and the like. For many years I hiked our area and suddenly three years ago got a wild itch to see what was on the other side of the mountain. It looks like I am following your footsteps now and many others in slowly sectioning the AT, I would certainly do it this way again-enjoying each section and the anticipation/planning that it takes to get set up for the next hike/adventure. Also like you I accomodate kids in the mix but will loose one soon as the oldest is going off to school this fall. That leaves 9 years until the youngest follows in her footsteps and I hope to have the AT complete by then. If so I think after she is in college I might leave the worksite for 7months and due the PCT as a thru just to constrast that with sectioning the AT.
OK and thanks again. Also congratulations on your achievement, quite an effort you and your college chum have made.

Medicine Man,

Boy, I'm usually on the asking side of the information, but I'll sure tell you about my shuttles. We used family members and coworkers from Springer through upper east TN. My information to the south is terribly dated, but the outfitter's son in Damascus gave us a shuttle when we sectioned from there to Groseclose. David's uncles in Waynesboro and Roanoke got us through southern and central VA. We used a paid shuttler in central VA to southern Shenandoah from the ATC list.

The most adventurous shuttle (i.e. near-death experience) was our shuttle from Sandy Hook, MD (across the river from Harpers Ferry). Our shuttler was an older gentleman who lived in a trailer near the old AYH Hostel there, and had a huge boat of a station wagon inhabited by one of the largest bulldogs I've ever seen. By highway, it was about 80 miles back to our starting point near Pocosin Cabin just off Skyline Drive. What could have involved jumping on the interstate and going about an hour and fifteen minutes turned into a four hour epic down the old two-lane highway. We would travel at a top speed of 30 MPH and slam on brakes each time we met a car, which was about twice a minute. After a while, the stream of headlights behind us went out of sight and drivers began taking some chances to pass us, taking the opportunity to call us everything but children of God.

The last trip we drove on was Sandy Hook to Carlisle/US 11, this time using David's cousin as a shuttle. Our first flying trip was Carlisle to Delaware Water Gap, when we flew in and out of Baltimore, mainly because that's where David's cousin lived. We flew in and out of Newark for DWG to Bear Mountain, NY, getting a shuttle and a night's stay with the caretaker of the Pochuck Mtn. Shelter. We returned to Newark via a cab, Metro rail to Grand Central, and shuttle bus back to Newark. Bear Mtn to Kent, CT was again RT from Newark, this time up the Metro on the Hudson line and back in on the Harlem line. A quick ride from a local shuttler, Mr. Hall, in Kent got us to the Metro stop - I forget the name of the stop but it's by the mental hospital just into NY from CT. We got Mr. Hall's name from the outfitter in Kent. The next section (Kent to Dalton, MA) was done RT from Hartford, CT and Mr. Hall and his son shuttled us from the airport. We flew RT to Albany, NY the next two sections (Dalton to Manchester Center, MC to Killington) and was shuttled by a friend from AT-L. Killington to Glencliff we flew RT Boston, taking a bus to Hanover and using a local shuttle to Killington. From Glencliff, the bus picked us right up and it was a straight shot to the aiport. The Whites (Glencliff to Gorham) were also RT from Boston, again using the bus to get us there. The guy who used to help Bruno (was it Bruce?) at Hikers Paradise gave us a ride to town from Pinkham notch, and we slacked the 21 miles past Carter Notch Hut the next day into Gorham. Gorham to Rangeley we again went RT Boston, taking the bus RT from Gorham. Bruno came and got us in Rangeley, a lengthy drive for him and then the long bus ride back to Boston followed the next morning. Bruno can be a bit gruff, but I really enjoyed the drive with him as he told me his story of getting out of Czechoslovakia after the 1950's Soviet crackdown. An interesting guy when you get past the shell. He was putting the place up for sale, don't know if it ever sold.

I apologize for the length of the post, but at the same time I find it difficult to believe I've distilled 15 years of logistics down to a few paragraphs. Preparation wise, you nailed the sectioneer's edge: you have the luxury of reliving each trip and anticipating the next one. My preparation involves the Companion, Data Book and an older AT Maptech CD with maps and trail descriptions. I paste them into a trip guide, and I also check the most recent Trailjournals.com entries for my section to see if I can gain any current or undocumented information - I've found the journals quite valuable, and entertaining, in recent years. I believe one of the first I followed was back in 97 or 98, Curious George, who pounded out miles in his sandals.

I wish you well in your sections. We chose to hike sequentially due to our location, and to keep us from cherry picking those sections we perceived to be more desirable. In retrospect, every section has been beautiful and provided a fulfilling journey.

Take Care,

Tim