(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.

(Fri. 6/8/12) - Sunfish Pond, NJ (Phone Update)

Brett called me while stopping for lunch on the trail. He found the perfect place to stop and enjoy the view at Sunfish Pond in NJ. I was told it was the southern-most glacier-formed lake (in the U.S.? on the trail?). Brett said it was an absolutely beautiful alpine lake. He found a nice boulder to sit on. What started out as a lunch stop turned into an hour-long (at least) break of enjoying the scenery.

A few other other hikers stopped by while Brett was on the phone, and I was able to say hello to Hawkeye and one other (I can't remember now who it was). It sounds like Brett has met a few nice guys who have continued to pass each other (leap-frog) and keep up with one another since they started in February.

(Tue. 5/29/12) Duncannon, PA - E-mail From Brett

I am past Duncannon in another shelter as a big thunderstorm is in for the evening.  I have poison ivy on my arm. The weather is the hottest that it has been so far for the last few days. It is hot even for the Florida boy. Water has been scarce. I am carrying a lot of extra weight, because I do not want to run out. I miss you, it seems like more each day. It feels like it has been so long since I have seen you--much longer than it has felt for you, because time goes by slower on the trail.  I know your birthday is coming up. I never know if I will have service the next day, so happy birthday if I do not have service. I do not know what town I will be in next, but I will figure it out in a day or two and let you know my plan.

(Sat. 5/5/12) Montebello, VA - Email Update From Brett

I am at Dutch Haus B&B. No cell service, but I have Internet. I should be in Waynesborough on Tuesday. I have a new backpack being sent there. I am just about done with the Blue Ridge Pkwy. There is no way that we could have worked out a way for Dad to meet me. It was just not what I thought it would be.

I am having some medical issues that I am worried about but will talk to you about those later. I am in for a good rest today and should be back on the trail tomorrow afternoon. Things are still going well. Once I get to Shenandoah NP it is rumored that the terrain will get easier. I am looking forward to that.

I may not be out of the so-to-say "blues," but I do feel better again about what I am doing. I do believe that I can do this. It is just tough and somewhat monotonous. Someone I was talking to a few days ago said something to me like, "Either you think it is worth the effort [and tough it out] or you go home. It is that simple." I thought that was a good way to put it simply. It really is that easy of a choice. I know it is worth the struggle. I am the one who is making myself climb this stupid hill and cuss it the whole way. I am deciding to do this, and I can decide to quit whenever I want to. I know that it is worth the effort. What is keeping me going right now is that it will get easier soon.

I am still taking pictures, but I have to say they are tapering off, because there is not as much to see. Anything that is worthwhile I do take a picture of.

I crossed the James River the other day and was told that it was a tradition for a thru hiker to jump off the bridge. So I had to do that twice. The first time I had to see if I would survive, and the second time I jumped to get it on video to show everyone else how stupid I am. It would be like jumping off the top of Shalimar Bridge. Scary as hell to actually let go of the rail the first time. Then it was fairly easy. Gravity took over and did the rest. The water was cold but felt refreshing after a few.

We have had a few 90 degree days. It really takes a toll on hiking up hills. I think I came close to drinking 3 gallons of water the other day, and I really did not pee much.

I should be able to call in a few days. Until then, love you Hun.

Email from Brett later in the day:
If the scale here is right, I am now below 200 pounds. That is over 40 pounds lost.