Brett called me fairly late tonight, exhausted and DONE.
Brett said that the hike to the top of Katahdin was the toughest 5-mile section on the trail. It was a good challenge, worthy of the ending of the Appalachian Trail. Brett said that it was quite a scramble climbing up, and equally difficult coming back down.
However, Brett didn't feel the difficulty of the climb. He was so full of emotion he couldn't feel anything. The weather was a perfect day for being at the summit, but Brett doesn't remember any of the views.
Brett spent a couple of hours at the top. After climbing back down, Brett went to Millinocket with Coconut and Tailwind where they are staying in a hostel tonight. Tomorrow they will set out early to finish hiking the 10-mile section they skipped in order to summit on a good-weather day. Brett said that Coconut and Tailwind wanted to go back, and because it is an easy and flat section they should be able to finish hiking around Noon. Then they'll be heading south by car.
Brett will spend Tuesday getting cleaned up and reorganized. He said he was even planning on going to the store to maybe buy some clothes. He'll start looking for a flight home and with luck, should be home on Wednesday.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
(Sun. 8/19/12) Katahdin, ME
My e-mail to Brett today:
Dearest Brett,
I can’t stop thinking about you this weekend. This is it! You are at Baxter State Park
Apparently, Brett tried calling me while I was at church. (I hate missing his calls!) His cell phone is out of juice, so he was borrowing someone else's. He was able to get in touch with his dad who let me know that Brett was at the top of Katahdin. Brett's dad said that Brett was very emotional as he finished his six-month, 2,180-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail. I don't doubt it. I don't think any of us have the faintest idea of what Brett's experience has been. I think you would have to be on the trail for a solid month to really have a clue. I will admit to being clueless in my understanding of Brett has gone through to make it to Katahdin. But I will reiterate what I wrote to Brett: I am so proud of him. I never doubted that he would finish.
And now I can't wait to have him back.
(Thu. 8/16/12) White House Landing Wilderness Camps, ME (phone call)
Knowing that Brett was in the Hundred Mile Wilderness, I really didn't expect to hear from him again. Brett surprisingly had some cell service and was able to call home. He just doesn't have a way of recharging his phone. He is staying in a hostel in the middle of nowhere which has no electricity. They cook and run everything (including lights and refrigeration) on propane gas. The hostel is right on a lake. You blow an air horn when you get to their dock, and they come by boat to pick you up.
Brett said there are lakes everywhere. Katahdin may be only about 15 miles as the crow flies, but the trails twists and turns around the water. You see planes flying everywhere.
Brett hiked 3 miles to the hostel, leaving him only 46 more miles to go. The weather is terrible. Brett said that it has rained five of the last seven days. "Even my bones are wet." Brett, and quite a few other hikers (the hostel is full with 12 people), welcomed a chance to get out of the rain and stay in a hostel. Brett plans to hike the summit of Katahdin on Sunday, weather permitting. Sunday had the best forecast, and Brett may have to skip up to 10 miles in order to be at the top in decent weather--a sacrifice that Brett will gladly make.
The plan for Brett's return is that Coconut and her dad (whose name I finally discovered is Tailwind), as well as fellow hiker, BP, will drive down I-95 and drop off Brett in Kittery. Brett said he is ready to go home and sleep.
I asked Brett about Buzzkill, who started hiking the A.T. when Brett did, and whom Brett has kept up with almost the entire time. Brett saw Buzzkill a few days ago. They talked about summitting together, but Buzzkill got ahead of Brett and was ready to be done and get home.
Brett came into the hostel with an almost empty food bag. The hostel has a pantry for hikers to resupply. After this there may be one more "supply pantry". But Brett is starting to throw away some of his food containers now as he finishes them. He has only about one more meal on the trail. Then one last guilt-free meal in Millinocket (the town closest to Katahdin where Brett will probably stay after he summits).
Brett has only one more page of "The A.T. Guide" left. This is the book that has given him all the details of the trail along the way. He would rip out one page at a time, keeping it in his pocket for easy reference as he hiked. Then, when he finished that section he would throw it away and tear out the next page to carry. Now all that is left is one page.
Brett said that he is ready to be done. He is ready to be home. But, he is still enjoying this last section of trail. I hoped that Brett wouldn't be so focused on getting it over with, that he missed enjoying the finish. It sounds like he will enjoy the finish as well as being finished.
Brett said there are lakes everywhere. Katahdin may be only about 15 miles as the crow flies, but the trails twists and turns around the water. You see planes flying everywhere.
Brett hiked 3 miles to the hostel, leaving him only 46 more miles to go. The weather is terrible. Brett said that it has rained five of the last seven days. "Even my bones are wet." Brett, and quite a few other hikers (the hostel is full with 12 people), welcomed a chance to get out of the rain and stay in a hostel. Brett plans to hike the summit of Katahdin on Sunday, weather permitting. Sunday had the best forecast, and Brett may have to skip up to 10 miles in order to be at the top in decent weather--a sacrifice that Brett will gladly make.
The plan for Brett's return is that Coconut and her dad (whose name I finally discovered is Tailwind), as well as fellow hiker, BP, will drive down I-95 and drop off Brett in Kittery. Brett said he is ready to go home and sleep.
I asked Brett about Buzzkill, who started hiking the A.T. when Brett did, and whom Brett has kept up with almost the entire time. Brett saw Buzzkill a few days ago. They talked about summitting together, but Buzzkill got ahead of Brett and was ready to be done and get home.
Brett came into the hostel with an almost empty food bag. The hostel has a pantry for hikers to resupply. After this there may be one more "supply pantry". But Brett is starting to throw away some of his food containers now as he finishes them. He has only about one more meal on the trail. Then one last guilt-free meal in Millinocket (the town closest to Katahdin where Brett will probably stay after he summits).
Brett has only one more page of "The A.T. Guide" left. This is the book that has given him all the details of the trail along the way. He would rip out one page at a time, keeping it in his pocket for easy reference as he hiked. Then, when he finished that section he would throw it away and tear out the next page to carry. Now all that is left is one page.
Brett said that he is ready to be done. He is ready to be home. But, he is still enjoying this last section of trail. I hoped that Brett wouldn't be so focused on getting it over with, that he missed enjoying the finish. It sounds like he will enjoy the finish as well as being finished.
(Fri. 8/10/12) Monson, ME (phone call)
I expected cell phone service in Maine to be terrible. It was still hard for me not to hear an update after Brett told me about his black and broken foot. I was finally able to hear from Brett and get an update.
Brett said the part of his foot that is broken is the bump on the outside of his foot right below his little toe. He said it hurts, "but what can you do?" [The answer that comes to my mind is "see a doctor".] Although it hurts, it doesn't sound like his foot has really slowed Brett down. I hope that Brett will have it looked at when he returns home, but I know he does not want to think about that yet.
Brett said that he had only about a hundred more miles, about one week, left on the trail. Monson is the last town near the trail before the "Hundred Mile Wilderness." Brett's pack is heavy with all the food that he will need. This was essentially his last resupply. I am sure that at this point Brett will be noticing many "lasts".
The weather in Maine has not been very good to Brett. It sounds like there has been a lot of rain.
Brett has continued hiking with Coconut and her dad since Andover, ME. I'm really grateful that I was able to meet them in Gorham, NH, the day I dropped Brett off. They seemed very nice, and I'm glad that Brett has some good companions.
Coconut and her dad even offered to give Brett a ride back to my parents' house. They will be picked up at Katahdin and will be driving down I-95, which goes right through Kittery and Portsmouth. I was given an assignment to start checking out flights. Brett should be home in less than two weeks!
Brett said the part of his foot that is broken is the bump on the outside of his foot right below his little toe. He said it hurts, "but what can you do?" [The answer that comes to my mind is "see a doctor".] Although it hurts, it doesn't sound like his foot has really slowed Brett down. I hope that Brett will have it looked at when he returns home, but I know he does not want to think about that yet.
Brett said that he had only about a hundred more miles, about one week, left on the trail. Monson is the last town near the trail before the "Hundred Mile Wilderness." Brett's pack is heavy with all the food that he will need. This was essentially his last resupply. I am sure that at this point Brett will be noticing many "lasts".
The weather in Maine has not been very good to Brett. It sounds like there has been a lot of rain.
Brett has continued hiking with Coconut and her dad since Andover, ME. I'm really grateful that I was able to meet them in Gorham, NH, the day I dropped Brett off. They seemed very nice, and I'm glad that Brett has some good companions.
Coconut and her dad even offered to give Brett a ride back to my parents' house. They will be picked up at Katahdin and will be driving down I-95, which goes right through Kittery and Portsmouth. I was given an assignment to start checking out flights. Brett should be home in less than two weeks!
(Mon. 8/6/12) Maine (text)
I am truly grateful for you as well. I do think of you often and how lucky I am to have you. I love you, Hun.
Welcome words to hear. But how are you walking on a broken foot?
Welcome words to hear. But how are you walking on a broken foot?
(Sat. 8/4/12) Maine (text, e-mail)
While out and about I received this text from Brett:
Tough days. I have broken part of my foot from a trip and fall. Will update when I have service where I can make a call, but it may be a while.
Later, I received this e-mail:
Feel better from being sick--100 percent recovered. However, I took a fall and think I have broken a part in my foot. It's totally black, and I can barely get a shoe on. I am making slow progress but still going. I have been hiking with Coconut and her dad since we have met up again. No cell reception anywhere. I am slow but still pushing on. Thinking around the 20th.
Nothing like having bad news with no way of talking to Brett!
Tough days. I have broken part of my foot from a trip and fall. Will update when I have service where I can make a call, but it may be a while.
Later, I received this e-mail:
Feel better from being sick--100 percent recovered. However, I took a fall and think I have broken a part in my foot. It's totally black, and I can barely get a shoe on. I am making slow progress but still going. I have been hiking with Coconut and her dad since we have met up again. No cell reception anywhere. I am slow but still pushing on. Thinking around the 20th.
Nothing like having bad news with no way of talking to Brett!
(Wed. 8/1/12) Andover, ME (phone call)
Brett called on Tuesday morning to say that he was feeling a little better and was going to try to eat something. Brett called me back on Wednesday afternoon to say that he was feeling better and was pretty much over the stomach bug. I asked him if he was up to 70/80% healthy-normal. He said that was functioning at 95%. That was great news. I was happy to hear that it was a fairly short illness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)