Bye for Now

I had the pleasure of taking the fundraising check down to the Frazee Dream Center today.  Thank you to all those who contributed to the campaign.  We raised over $3,000 collectively.  The money will go to support the great mentoring, tutoring and role modeling that the Frazee staff and volunteers offer to inner city youth.

I have healed up nicely in the little over two months since I finished the hike.  I was actually very surprised that I felt as achy as I did when I finished hiking, since I really felt pretty good all the way to the end of the hike itself.  I guess my mind must have been "willing" my body to keep together through the end of the hike.  When I stopped hiking my ankles swelled and my knees hurt.  At any rate, I am pretty much back to normal now.  I have put my weight back on, plus a little extra.  I am gradually learning that I cannot eat everything I want to now that I have stopped hiking.

As I have put a little distance - time-wise - from my hike, I have grown to appreciate the whole experience.  Here are some thoughts that I hope to remember going forward:

• We tend to make life much more complicated than it needs to be.  We can carry everything we need to live in a 35 pound backpack.
• Getting outdoors - especially "way outdoors" away from the hustle and bustle can be incredibly healing.
• A good meal involves shared tasks, good conversation, and wholesome food.  (And I missed that often on the trail.)
• To the extent it is possible, do the tough climbs in the morning.  That probably applies to any task in life... do the tough one first.
• Avoid using the words "should have".  Live in the present.

Signing off for now. 

Hannah Swoap receives our contribution check from Tom

It Is Finished!

 

Wow... we did it! I have been home for about 24 hours now, amazed at the luxury of modern civilization.  I am reflecting on how grateful I am for the experience of hiking the AT and for all the support I received along the way.  Thanks, trail angel Anne, and Kevin, and Phil and family, and friends of all of us who supported me with your thoughts, prayers and advice.  Thanks to all the people who provided trail magic along the way, to keep me going when I was tiring.

It will take a while for me to process what I have been through, but I wanted to get this note out with thoughts I have for the kids at the Frazee Dream Center, and remind those of you who have followed along on my hike that you are invited to make a donation to the Frazee Dream Center if you share my desire to help provide positive mentorship to needy children in our city.  You can find directions for donations at the upper right of my blog at: http://mexbuki2014.blogspot.com.

For the kids at Frazee: I have realized for a while now, as I have been hiking, that a long distance hike is a metaphor for life itself.  That means that a hike can represent life itself in many ways. These are the thoughts that occurred to me about hikes and life.

• It is good to start with a destination in mind.  Know where you want to get to.  Don't be afraid to dream big.
• Once you know where you want to get to, start taking the steps that will lead you to that destination.  Keep walking - don't go backwards.  There will be pleasurable days where the steps seem easy (sunny days with gentle paths).  There will be hard days where you won't feel like walking (muddy days where the trail is full of rocks and roots, and hard climbs and descents). 
• You are stronger than you think you are.  Trust that spirit within you that leads to love, joy, peace, patience and self-control.
• Accept gratefully the help that people who want you to reach your goals, like your mentors, provide you.  (They are trail angels.)  Avoid people who are "dream killers" - who tell you that you cannot reach your goal.
• Enjoy the journey.  Celebrate when you reach a milestone - like a beautiful view at the top of a mountain.

I will be getting a few more posts out in the next week or two as I continue to process my hike.  For now, I'll just say it was great having Kevin join me for the conclusion of the hike and I am appreciative of Moose, Teton and Superman, who were the other three thru-hikers that were crazy enough to do the Katahdin climb with us on a gnarly weather day.  I have added a few more pictures below.



Just another beautiful Maine view

Kevin successfully joined me in the 100-mile wilderness

Kevin experienced some sunny days - here taking a swim









And of course he experienced some rain



Ironically, right after we got back off Katahdin the sun came out

 





Photos October 5-8 Tom and Kevin and notes

T

Kevin's first view of Mt Katahdin




At The Penobscot River



We did it! October 8, 2014 Mt Katahdin



The four thru hikers-Moose, Teton, Superman and Mexbuki

             Here are some things that Tom has told me about their time together so far.

 

The schedule was pretty aggressive from Sunday through Wednesday with 15 miles, 17 miles, 21 miles each day before making it to the location on Wednesday morning where they would summit. Mt Katahdin. Each of those days they hiked well past dark with headlamps on. The weather forecast was not good on Wednesday morning as they were leaving Baxter State Park but 3 other thru hikers also were eager to get going so they all hiked as a group. To their knowledge they were the only hikers to try and summit at all that day. There is a sign in and out register system set up by the park rangers to make sure each hiker does come back down safely. It rained so much that their phones got quite wet and Tom's phone with these photos has made a recovery; Kevin is going to try the rice bag trick and see if his cell phone  can come back to life. While they were at the very top I am told that the winds were so strong that Tom was pushed over twice while they were getting the photo.

They spent Wednesday night in Portland, Maine, enjoyed their dry beds, showers and a great breakfast before heading out to explore the area on Thursday. Both guys have pretty sore leg muscles right now. Once they have some better internet access they will be making more entries to this blog. As of Thursday October 9 they are in a hotel in Downtown/ Old Port- Portland, Maine exploring the city for a few days before heading home this weekend. I had Kevin promise to try to eat some lobster with butter dripping off his elbow. Perfect!

 Anne

Mt Katadhin in the rear view mirror Whoo Hoo!

Tom, Kevin and 3 other hikers made the climb up and down Mt Katahdin  today in a stinging  rain storm according to Tom. They decided to hike as a group. Tom his knowledge that was the total for the day that hiked to the summit.  Amazing! Can you believe it?  Several other hikers had decided to wait until tomorrow for a better weather day.


Photos will follow as soon as possible.
Tom called as he and Kevin and "Superman" were enjoying  cups of coffee in " to go cups" not  Nalgene bottles on the way to Portland, Maine to explore a bit in a car out of the rain. He called me on "Superman's" phone who also hiked with them today; his was the only phone among them that could get a signal and he also was going to Portland.  I expect the next few days these guys will be enjoying all that life can offer.
Anne

The Appalachian Trail Lodge for Kevin tonight

I have heard from Kevin and  his flights from Austin, Texas to Bangor, Maine went smoothly and his backpack made it as well. He was driving to the Appalachian Trail Lodge for the night and will meet up with Tom in the morning. The staff at the lodge shuttles hikers to and from airports and the trailheads in the area as well as offer lodging, a café,  laundry, showers and some supplies.

Appalachian Trail Lodge, Millinocket, Maine

The plan will be to summit Mt Katahdin on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the weather.

 

 

 

 

Anne



A text and call from the Wilderness!

I had not expected to hear from Tom at all during these few days and imagine my surprise when I receive this text,
"All good so far in the wilderness.  Crazy trail magic at the end of the day yesterday. A guy had seven of us over to his cabin with a generator and a well. He fed us dinner, let us sleep on his bunks and fed us a great breakfast this morning before we left!"
Wild!
Tom was on a peak and tried to call. We had a short conversation that dropped a few times .  Looks like a rainy weekend for Kevin's arrival he said.

Anne

Maine's 100 Mile Wilderness

If you look at the map below, Monson, Maine is where Tom departed October 1. The goal is Baxter State Park in this next week and soon he will be able to see Mt Katahdin off in the distance.



Mt Katahdin

 

It is estimated that 2-3 million hikers visit and hike a portion of the Appalachian trail each year. In any given year thousands begin the journey with the intention to hike a thru hike. Only about 25% actually are able to complete the trek in 12 months. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recognizes any hiker that completes the entire AT in a 12 month period as a "2,000 -miler." The phrase originated in the 1970's after 10 people completed a thru hike. That year,  Ed Garvey published a book entitled, Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime, after his thru hike.

This year a record number of northbound thru-hikers have passed through the AT headquarters office in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Along with Tom, 1,267 hikers have registered at that midway point as of September 16, 2014, which beats last years total by 137 hikers.

In 2013 the  total number of hikers who completed a thru northbound hike was 875.

If you have an interest in the history or any further information this is the  web site,

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/

 

Anne