DawnTreader
03-16-2006, 04:28
I havn't been hiking all winter. Before you start calling me crazy, I do have a job, unlike some of you career wonderers, god I'd love to be one, and I am trying to earn a college degree, Outdoor Recreation (can you believe thats a major?? me neither!) I also live in the Michigan suburbs... not many hiking opportunities. After a long cold winter, I am ready for the trail, infact I am itching for it. It's like athletes foot, it dosn't go away until you give it the powder, the tough actin' tinactin. I bet you've never heard the AT compared to anti-fungal powder before, but there you have it all the same. Although I am not a seasoned vetran on the AT, I have conquered some difficult stretches in New Hampshire and Maine. And a friend and I traveresed the presidentials on one of our off days. For the last three summers I have worked as a trip counselor at a summer camp, twenty minutes away from White Mountain National Forest on the New Hampshire, Maine border. Needless to say, I was surrounded by excellent hiking, albeit with small groups of teenaged girls. I led two trips on the AT. One through the mahoosucs, and one through the SaddleBack range. Both were extremely difficult for the kids, but their pride and determination got the job done, despite the misserable weather, with minimal complaining. I learned a lot from them, and I know that they took away many lessons from their beautiful surroundings on the trial. The effects of these trips for the kids will be extremely important for them later in life, and I am glad to have been a part of that. Anyway it was a great job, and I would recomend it to anyone.
I have hiked many trails, but none could compare to the overall experience that I felt on the AT. The people we met were fantastic, I met only one hostile thru hiker, and most were great with the kids. They answered questions, taught trail tricks, shared stories, and company. We on the other hand, were more than happy to share some of our extra food load with the thru hikers. Live and learn. There were rice feasts, and canned chicken banquets. There were corn bread pancakes and chinese stir fry, smores and more smores and one apple pie. . .we had tons of beef jerk,boy was it tough, and everyday for lunch it was marshmallow fluff.y(i always freaked out about food supply with all those kids.)
Our first leech was a truly horrifying experience for one camper. Another girl noticed the worm like creature dangling at least 3 inches off of her friends ankle.. it took some tugging, but my trusty leatherman got it to release. She screamed bloody murder, and it was at this point in the trip that I regretably realized that I would not be seeing any bears this time out.
Trail crews were alive on the trail in Maine. Working in the rain, on a 45 degree slope, with chainsaws, and sledges the size of our smallest hiker, plugging away, clearing trail.. wonderfull people. I had to hitch to town one day, pouring rain, sick camper, needed a pickup.. anyway, I was alone on highway 26( I believe it was 26), and only had to wait for one car to pass, the next, a rough neck local Mainer slammed to stop, took me in and drove me to Rangely. Never had a better tasting french vanilla cappachino in my entire life. Getting back to the trail head was easier, I walked to an old dude hopping in his pickup, explained myself, and presto, AT!
It's that season again, backpacking season, and I have decided to put some notches in my sword. One day I will thru hike, but college now, thru hike later. So I will begin at Kahtadin, which has so bitterely elluded me for the last 3 years. I have been so close. In baxter, in millinocket, on the penobscot,, but never up Katahdin, and I will hike until Gorhm New Hampshire. I can't wait for the trip. I have been collecting gear like crazy. Cutting pockets off of my pack to save weight, paranoingly juggling base layers and out layers, self inflated or walmart foam, tent or tarp, MSR or REI. and so on until I make a decision, only to change it again later. I have always slept in a tent, well, once rolled in a tarp, but that's a long story, I have a light tent, so why not bring a tent, thats settled. So you get the point.
I look forward to waking up next to that perfect pond, marching that painstakingly long walk from valley to summit. I don't look forward to the black flies, the noceums, the hail, or the shivers, however I have seen the spectacular trade off, I have met some excellent people, I have felt the blisters, and they are heaven.
If by chance you are still reading this, I can't do this trip alone. I need your help!! Past Southbound hikers, what is the most sure fire way to get to Baxter State Park from Millinocket the night before I start??
until next time.. happy trails...
-Nathan
I have hiked many trails, but none could compare to the overall experience that I felt on the AT. The people we met were fantastic, I met only one hostile thru hiker, and most were great with the kids. They answered questions, taught trail tricks, shared stories, and company. We on the other hand, were more than happy to share some of our extra food load with the thru hikers. Live and learn. There were rice feasts, and canned chicken banquets. There were corn bread pancakes and chinese stir fry, smores and more smores and one apple pie. . .we had tons of beef jerk,boy was it tough, and everyday for lunch it was marshmallow fluff.y(i always freaked out about food supply with all those kids.)
Our first leech was a truly horrifying experience for one camper. Another girl noticed the worm like creature dangling at least 3 inches off of her friends ankle.. it took some tugging, but my trusty leatherman got it to release. She screamed bloody murder, and it was at this point in the trip that I regretably realized that I would not be seeing any bears this time out.
Trail crews were alive on the trail in Maine. Working in the rain, on a 45 degree slope, with chainsaws, and sledges the size of our smallest hiker, plugging away, clearing trail.. wonderfull people. I had to hitch to town one day, pouring rain, sick camper, needed a pickup.. anyway, I was alone on highway 26( I believe it was 26), and only had to wait for one car to pass, the next, a rough neck local Mainer slammed to stop, took me in and drove me to Rangely. Never had a better tasting french vanilla cappachino in my entire life. Getting back to the trail head was easier, I walked to an old dude hopping in his pickup, explained myself, and presto, AT!
It's that season again, backpacking season, and I have decided to put some notches in my sword. One day I will thru hike, but college now, thru hike later. So I will begin at Kahtadin, which has so bitterely elluded me for the last 3 years. I have been so close. In baxter, in millinocket, on the penobscot,, but never up Katahdin, and I will hike until Gorhm New Hampshire. I can't wait for the trip. I have been collecting gear like crazy. Cutting pockets off of my pack to save weight, paranoingly juggling base layers and out layers, self inflated or walmart foam, tent or tarp, MSR or REI. and so on until I make a decision, only to change it again later. I have always slept in a tent, well, once rolled in a tarp, but that's a long story, I have a light tent, so why not bring a tent, thats settled. So you get the point.
I look forward to waking up next to that perfect pond, marching that painstakingly long walk from valley to summit. I don't look forward to the black flies, the noceums, the hail, or the shivers, however I have seen the spectacular trade off, I have met some excellent people, I have felt the blisters, and they are heaven.
If by chance you are still reading this, I can't do this trip alone. I need your help!! Past Southbound hikers, what is the most sure fire way to get to Baxter State Park from Millinocket the night before I start??
until next time.. happy trails...
-Nathan