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.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
(Sat. 7/21/12 - Fri. 7/27/12) Kittery, ME (Family Visit/Break From the Trail)
I picked up Brett in Gorham, NH, as previously arranged. I got there early and hiked down the trail a little bit. I found a perfect spot by the creek that followed the trail for a bit and sat on a rock with my feet in the water while I waited for Brett to come down the trail. I was so happy to see Brett after so long (four months since Spring Break) that I cried. It took me a while for my eyes and emotions to get back to normal.
Brett has lost 50 pounds on the trail. He is skin and bones compared to what he was before. For the first few days, every time I saw him or put my arms around him it took me by surprise. It took about five days for me to look at him and not immediately think "He's so skinny!"
Brett also has an almost fully gray beard and looks "so old". Brett is fairly proud of his beard. He says it easily identifies him as a northbound thru-hiker, and he is respected by southbound hikers (who haven't been on the trail that long) or section hikers he meets on the way. I think Brett's beard is one small way to measure everything he has done so far.
It was so nice to have time with Brett. Brett's two goals for his time off were to spend time with the family and rest. So we spent most of our time at my parents' house just hanging out rather than going out or sight-seeing. (Being around crowds is the last thing Brett wants right now!) It was good to be together as a family again, although it may have made it a little harder for Brett to get back on the trail. My parents live on the water, and being on the water also made Brett realize how much he missed it.
Brett took care of some gear issues while he was here. He had a new pack shipped because the frame in his old one broke. He had to do some sewing to make minor modifications, just as he did with his previous two packs. He had to replace his hiking shoes, because sole on one of his shoes started separating. He also had to replace his pillow which wasn't holding air like it should. And of course, he unpacked, washed, and aired all of his gear out. Evidence of Brett was seen in many rooms of the house as well as on both the front and back porches.
I'm hoping the first few days on the trail weren't too tough for Brett. I had thought that the White Mountains in New Hampshire were the toughest part of the trail, but Brett said that the first 100 miles of Maine were supposedly the toughest. So Brett has just begun a very difficult section of the trail with new shoes, muscles that need to be worked back in, and a twinge or homesickness after spending so much time with the family. I know that he will get back into the swing of things soon. I am proud of him, and continue to be amazed at what he has done.
Here are a few Brett photos from our time together. First, a photo of Brett and his shadow (i.e. Ryan) hunting for treasure by my parents' house in Kittery, Maine.
The only tourist-y activity we did: stopping by the fisherman's memorial in Gloucester, Mass., on our way back from a trip to REI (new shoes).
Mending a small tear in his shorts.
First, we watched the lobster boats unload their catch from my parents' house. Then we went and bought the fresh, live lobsters (only $4.00 a pound!). Then Brett played with the lobsters. Later, Brett washed and steamed the lobsters (with no help). Finally, we all ate the lobsters (with step-by-step instruction from my parents).
Following our family tradition, we all wore our "Support Daddy Tie-Dye T-Shirts" on our first day with Brett, on our family outing to REI and Gloucester, and on our last day together.
Only three more weeks 'til Katahdin. We're proud of you, "The Dude".
Brett has lost 50 pounds on the trail. He is skin and bones compared to what he was before. For the first few days, every time I saw him or put my arms around him it took me by surprise. It took about five days for me to look at him and not immediately think "He's so skinny!"
Brett also has an almost fully gray beard and looks "so old". Brett is fairly proud of his beard. He says it easily identifies him as a northbound thru-hiker, and he is respected by southbound hikers (who haven't been on the trail that long) or section hikers he meets on the way. I think Brett's beard is one small way to measure everything he has done so far.
It was so nice to have time with Brett. Brett's two goals for his time off were to spend time with the family and rest. So we spent most of our time at my parents' house just hanging out rather than going out or sight-seeing. (Being around crowds is the last thing Brett wants right now!) It was good to be together as a family again, although it may have made it a little harder for Brett to get back on the trail. My parents live on the water, and being on the water also made Brett realize how much he missed it.
Brett took care of some gear issues while he was here. He had a new pack shipped because the frame in his old one broke. He had to do some sewing to make minor modifications, just as he did with his previous two packs. He had to replace his hiking shoes, because sole on one of his shoes started separating. He also had to replace his pillow which wasn't holding air like it should. And of course, he unpacked, washed, and aired all of his gear out. Evidence of Brett was seen in many rooms of the house as well as on both the front and back porches.
I'm hoping the first few days on the trail weren't too tough for Brett. I had thought that the White Mountains in New Hampshire were the toughest part of the trail, but Brett said that the first 100 miles of Maine were supposedly the toughest. So Brett has just begun a very difficult section of the trail with new shoes, muscles that need to be worked back in, and a twinge or homesickness after spending so much time with the family. I know that he will get back into the swing of things soon. I am proud of him, and continue to be amazed at what he has done.
Here are a few Brett photos from our time together. First, a photo of Brett and his shadow (i.e. Ryan) hunting for treasure by my parents' house in Kittery, Maine.
At a rest stop in the White Mountains on the way to dropping Brett back off on the trail (before the emotional good-byes hit). The peak of Mount Washington was covered in clouds. We had rain on the three-hour drive there, but I think most of it had passed by the time we got to the trail.
Only three more weeks 'til Katahdin. We're proud of you, "The Dude".
Friday, July 20, 2012
(Tue. 7/3/12) Manchester Center, VT (Phone Update)
The text that I received from Brett on Mon. 7/2/12 is typical: "I should be able to call tomorrow. Terrible cell coverage in VT." Of course, we traded texts back and forth on Tuesday trying to figure out when we would be free to talk. I was spending the morning with family at a hot air balloon festival when he called. Brett was in the middle of eating lunch when I returned his call. We traded a few more texts working out our schedules and finally talked that afternoon.
Brett said the Green Mountains in Vermont were really nice. He had a few tough days of exhaustion where his muscles just didn't seem to want to work any more. So he planned on taking it easy and resting a bit.
He was staying at Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester, VT. He said it was a really nice place. In fact, it was the nicest place he has ever stayed in on the trail. They give all of their guests a free pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
My parents were able to meet up with Brett the day before. They went out for dinner and took Brett to a grocery store to resupply. I asked Brett if they said anything about his appearance. I had told my parents that Brett had not cut his hair or shaved his beard, that he had lost a lot of weight and generally looked homeless. Brett said my mom's words were, "I just didn't expect it to be this extreme." Brett said he has a whole mountain man beard. My mom took one snapshot of him which I have now seen. He really doesn't look much like the man I last saw four months ago.
Brett said that he is "seeing the light". He is getting more enjoyment out of the hike, though he still has a lot of hard hiking ahead.
There was a tragedy on the trail a few weeks ago. Brett said that this far along on the trail, all the thru-hikers know of most all the other thru-hikers for that year. They may not have met them all, but they are aware of most of the AT Thru-Hikers Class of 2012. One of the thru-hikers in the class, a younger kid named Parkside died 50 miles from Katahdin. He dove into a lake, and the word is that his body instantly cramped up and he drowned. Five fellow hikers left the trail to attend his funeral. They were now carrying his ashes the rest of the way to Katahdin. He said the tragedy was felt strongly by everyone in their "class".
Brett said he can't really feel his big toes anymore. They are almost totally numb. He also thinks he'll always have a lingering limp from stress of the trail. And he has really big calf muscles. I asked Brett if having minor, but permanent damage to his body would be worth it in the end. His response was, "Totally".
Brett said the Green Mountains in Vermont were really nice. He had a few tough days of exhaustion where his muscles just didn't seem to want to work any more. So he planned on taking it easy and resting a bit.
He was staying at Green Mountain House Hiker Hostel in Manchester, VT. He said it was a really nice place. In fact, it was the nicest place he has ever stayed in on the trail. They give all of their guests a free pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.
My parents were able to meet up with Brett the day before. They went out for dinner and took Brett to a grocery store to resupply. I asked Brett if they said anything about his appearance. I had told my parents that Brett had not cut his hair or shaved his beard, that he had lost a lot of weight and generally looked homeless. Brett said my mom's words were, "I just didn't expect it to be this extreme." Brett said he has a whole mountain man beard. My mom took one snapshot of him which I have now seen. He really doesn't look much like the man I last saw four months ago.
Brett said that he is "seeing the light". He is getting more enjoyment out of the hike, though he still has a lot of hard hiking ahead.
There was a tragedy on the trail a few weeks ago. Brett said that this far along on the trail, all the thru-hikers know of most all the other thru-hikers for that year. They may not have met them all, but they are aware of most of the AT Thru-Hikers Class of 2012. One of the thru-hikers in the class, a younger kid named Parkside died 50 miles from Katahdin. He dove into a lake, and the word is that his body instantly cramped up and he drowned. Five fellow hikers left the trail to attend his funeral. They were now carrying his ashes the rest of the way to Katahdin. He said the tragedy was felt strongly by everyone in their "class".
Brett said he can't really feel his big toes anymore. They are almost totally numb. He also thinks he'll always have a lingering limp from stress of the trail. And he has really big calf muscles. I asked Brett if having minor, but permanent damage to his body would be worth it in the end. His response was, "Totally".
(6/2_ /12) Great Barrington, MA (Phone Update)
Ugh. I was able to chat with Brett for a while, but I was so busy taking notes of his activities that I never wrote down the date of this phone call.
Brett had pushed himself the day before, hiking 26 miles. He said it was too much and he was hurting because of it. He had blisters from his new shoes. He hiked only a few miles and arrived at a hostel that morning-what they call a Nero day (near zero). His goal was to hike 20 miles the next day.
He was spending the day at the hostel taking care of errands-phone calls, laundry, and a shower. He planned on ordering pizza for dinner.
Brett said he hiked all through Connecticut without really seeing other hikers. He was in kind of a weird bubble. Some hikers were about a day ahead, some about a day behind, but he was really hiking alone.
They had record heat the previous weekend. Brett said the smell has gone up to a whole different level. He sat in a creek pouring water over his head to cool down his core temp. He said to himself, I could handle some rain. Not much later he was stuck in a thunderstorm with hail the size of a cherry or grape, with nowhere to go. It was June and there was an inch of ice on the ground. He from hot to freezing in about 15 minutes. The hail was smooth and round, making it difficult to walk over. Brett said you have to be careful what you wish for. Brett said it was raining again; another grey day.
Brett was in Massachusetts and said that the mosquitoes were the worst he's ever seen. They continued biting even while he was moving.
On the positive side, Brett said there were wild blueberries all over the place. He was out of the range of the wild raspberries, and the huckleberries weren't ripe yet. He passed by a small, out-of-the-way, but busy creamery. I told him folks know how to do ice cream in New England.
Brett was in Great Barrington, MA. He planned to resupply in Lee.
I didn't hear much about it, but Brett was able to have visitors along the way. His friend Nancy and her sister were able to hike with him for a couple of days. Although I think Brett had to significantly slow down his pace, it's worth it to be able to have good company for a little while.
Brett had pushed himself the day before, hiking 26 miles. He said it was too much and he was hurting because of it. He had blisters from his new shoes. He hiked only a few miles and arrived at a hostel that morning-what they call a Nero day (near zero). His goal was to hike 20 miles the next day.
He was spending the day at the hostel taking care of errands-phone calls, laundry, and a shower. He planned on ordering pizza for dinner.
Brett said he hiked all through Connecticut without really seeing other hikers. He was in kind of a weird bubble. Some hikers were about a day ahead, some about a day behind, but he was really hiking alone.
They had record heat the previous weekend. Brett said the smell has gone up to a whole different level. He sat in a creek pouring water over his head to cool down his core temp. He said to himself, I could handle some rain. Not much later he was stuck in a thunderstorm with hail the size of a cherry or grape, with nowhere to go. It was June and there was an inch of ice on the ground. He from hot to freezing in about 15 minutes. The hail was smooth and round, making it difficult to walk over. Brett said you have to be careful what you wish for. Brett said it was raining again; another grey day.
Brett was in Massachusetts and said that the mosquitoes were the worst he's ever seen. They continued biting even while he was moving.
On the positive side, Brett said there were wild blueberries all over the place. He was out of the range of the wild raspberries, and the huckleberries weren't ripe yet. He passed by a small, out-of-the-way, but busy creamery. I told him folks know how to do ice cream in New England.
Brett was in Great Barrington, MA. He planned to resupply in Lee.
I didn't hear much about it, but Brett was able to have visitors along the way. His friend Nancy and her sister were able to hike with him for a couple of days. Although I think Brett had to significantly slow down his pace, it's worth it to be able to have good company for a little while.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
(Thu. 5/31/12) Shy of the 501 Shelter, PA - Phone Update From Brett
Brett called me while eating his lunch on the top of a mountain. He had good cell phone reception and wanted to call me while he had a chance (didn't want to miss my birthday). Lunch was a tortilla with tuna fish and hot sauce.
Brett said that is was a nice day, the first nice day he had in over a week. He was enjoying an absolutely clear sky. It had cooled down to 60 degrees the previous night and was supposed to go down to the 50's that night. With a light breeze on the mountain, dry air, and a slightly wet shirt, Brett was almost chilly. He said he was looking forward to snuggling up in his sleeping bag instead of laying naked on top. The weather in Penn. has been unseasonably hot with high humidity. He said he was hearing locals complain about the weather, and didn't think they were used to is.
Brett said they got some of the tail winds of Albert, a tropical storm that came through. It rained for about a day and a half.
Brett woke up to a clear, bright sunny morning and started hiking early. He finished 10 miles by lunch and only had 6 more miles to go before his goal of reaching the 501 Shelter. The 501 Shelter is close to the road. You can order pizza there, and there is also a place to charge cell phones.
Brett said people easily recognize him as "The Dude". While I was on the phone with Brett another hiker said, "Oh, you must be 'The Dude'." I asked Brett how this hiker would know that if they had never met before. Brett said if the hiker had seen his name in a log, it would be easy for him to match the name with the right person. Recently another hiker said to Brett, "I sure hope your name is 'Lebowski' or something like that." When Brett told him that it was "The Dude", this hiker replied that Brett had one of the most fitting names. I have never seen the movie this is from, but apparently the resemblance is striking.
Brett had complained about his knee hurting. When I asked him about it again, Brett said that it is not bothering him anymore, but that it did take about a week for the pain to go away. Now his has a cramp in the bottom of the foot. He's not the only one who is feeling the aches and pains. He said everyone walks with the Hiker Hobble. Your body stiffens up after any kind of break. Brett did say that the hills are almost getting easier. Brett has consistently complaining about going uphill, so this was good new to hear.
Brett got some poison ivy. He said that is bothering him. When treated, it heals faster. But Brett said it would probably take a couple of weeks for the rash to completely clear up.
Brett said that he had a nice visit with his friend Don. Brett could have stayed longer, but he felt like he needed to get going. He didn't want to sit around too much. Brett and Don worked together on an out-of-town project in GA some years ago, but Don is friends with a dentist her in Niceville. Another case of It's a Small World.
Brett said that is was a nice day, the first nice day he had in over a week. He was enjoying an absolutely clear sky. It had cooled down to 60 degrees the previous night and was supposed to go down to the 50's that night. With a light breeze on the mountain, dry air, and a slightly wet shirt, Brett was almost chilly. He said he was looking forward to snuggling up in his sleeping bag instead of laying naked on top. The weather in Penn. has been unseasonably hot with high humidity. He said he was hearing locals complain about the weather, and didn't think they were used to is.
Brett said they got some of the tail winds of Albert, a tropical storm that came through. It rained for about a day and a half.
Brett woke up to a clear, bright sunny morning and started hiking early. He finished 10 miles by lunch and only had 6 more miles to go before his goal of reaching the 501 Shelter. The 501 Shelter is close to the road. You can order pizza there, and there is also a place to charge cell phones.
Brett said people easily recognize him as "The Dude". While I was on the phone with Brett another hiker said, "Oh, you must be 'The Dude'." I asked Brett how this hiker would know that if they had never met before. Brett said if the hiker had seen his name in a log, it would be easy for him to match the name with the right person. Recently another hiker said to Brett, "I sure hope your name is 'Lebowski' or something like that." When Brett told him that it was "The Dude", this hiker replied that Brett had one of the most fitting names. I have never seen the movie this is from, but apparently the resemblance is striking.
Brett had complained about his knee hurting. When I asked him about it again, Brett said that it is not bothering him anymore, but that it did take about a week for the pain to go away. Now his has a cramp in the bottom of the foot. He's not the only one who is feeling the aches and pains. He said everyone walks with the Hiker Hobble. Your body stiffens up after any kind of break. Brett did say that the hills are almost getting easier. Brett has consistently complaining about going uphill, so this was good new to hear.
Brett got some poison ivy. He said that is bothering him. When treated, it heals faster. But Brett said it would probably take a couple of weeks for the rash to completely clear up.
Brett said that he had a nice visit with his friend Don. Brett could have stayed longer, but he felt like he needed to get going. He didn't want to sit around too much. Brett and Don worked together on an out-of-town project in GA some years ago, but Don is friends with a dentist her in Niceville. Another case of It's a Small World.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
(Wed. 4/18/12) Bastian, VA - Phone Update From Brett
Had a phone call from Brett this day. Brett made it to the small town of Bastian, VA, and resupplied at Trent's Grocery. He was able to take a shower, but didn't have soap or a towel. He set up in the yard of the owner's of the store. (Brett was chased by a duck while we talked.) It had rained all day and Brett was wet and cold. He expected to stay at a hostel south of Pearisburg the next day. Brett had not seen Ed in a few days. Ed was pushing on more. Brett's had about three toe blisters. He asked me to send him his Chaco sandals, saying that his toes want to spread out a bit. There is an outfitter about 100 miles north of Bastian where Brett could pick up a mail drop.
I told Brett that a lot of people ask me, "So, is Brett really enjoying it?" I never know how to answer that question. Brett agreed. Answering "yes" or "no" isn't really accurate. It is hard work. But with that hard work comes a sense of accomplishment. It is personally satisfying. One of the hard things for Brett is going uphill. There are a lot of false peaks, and sometimes Brett is just ready to get to camp. This day Brett crossed 600 miles. That is a lot of miles! Hiking the trail is a good experience. Town is fun. And it is nice living in the mountains for months.
Brett said that the water situation had not been good that week. There had not been any rain until that day.
The trees are really showing the light green of Spring. In two weeks Brett's expects to be in full shade in the mountains from the foliage. Brett saw the biggest toad in the middle of the trail. A huge, two-pound (exaggeration?) toad! He has found tons of ramps, an onion/garlic bulb that grows wild in the mountains. The leaves are strong, but the bulb is mild. Brett picked some and sauteed them with his dinner. He also found a Morel mushroom, but didn't gather or eat that.
Brett has been eating the mess out of fruit roll-ups. He has been able to resupply fairly easily. Most every small town has a Dollar General, which is where he ends up going a lot.
Virginia is pretty, though he has gone through some "dumpy" towns. The lower elevation has a lot of pastures and climbs that aren't as big.
He came across two sisters (and their dog) on the trail who grew up in Pensacola. There were going rather slow.
I told Brett that a lot of people ask me, "So, is Brett really enjoying it?" I never know how to answer that question. Brett agreed. Answering "yes" or "no" isn't really accurate. It is hard work. But with that hard work comes a sense of accomplishment. It is personally satisfying. One of the hard things for Brett is going uphill. There are a lot of false peaks, and sometimes Brett is just ready to get to camp. This day Brett crossed 600 miles. That is a lot of miles! Hiking the trail is a good experience. Town is fun. And it is nice living in the mountains for months.
Brett said that the water situation had not been good that week. There had not been any rain until that day.
The trees are really showing the light green of Spring. In two weeks Brett's expects to be in full shade in the mountains from the foliage. Brett saw the biggest toad in the middle of the trail. A huge, two-pound (exaggeration?) toad! He has found tons of ramps, an onion/garlic bulb that grows wild in the mountains. The leaves are strong, but the bulb is mild. Brett picked some and sauteed them with his dinner. He also found a Morel mushroom, but didn't gather or eat that.
Brett has been eating the mess out of fruit roll-ups. He has been able to resupply fairly easily. Most every small town has a Dollar General, which is where he ends up going a lot.
Virginia is pretty, though he has gone through some "dumpy" towns. The lower elevation has a lot of pastures and climbs that aren't as big.
He came across two sisters (and their dog) on the trail who grew up in Pensacola. There were going rather slow.
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