Through Thru-Hiking.......

On the way to the top. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine.



The end of the trail.


"No phone, no pool, no pets, no worries and best of all not a single regret.  I've been a lot of places and seen many things but the heart of my adventure will always be the friends I've made along the way"
-Silas (Pepper)-

The climb to the summit of Katahdin was one huge, horrible, terrible, awful, rock scramble. At least that was my opinion.  Silas seemed to take it in stride as if he had been doing this sort of thing for the last several months. 

"Are you sure this is the trail"?

Silas always seemed to be ahead and waiting on the rest of us.

There are a lot of great pictures of Silas along with Jake and Maria.  Rest assured I was in the background.......... way back. My assigned task on the ascent was to pick up anything they dropped along the climb and watch for bears sneaking up from the rear.

Here is a nice shot of me! It was a beautiful day to climb.

Silas and Jake enjoy a celebratory cigar at the top!

Just a great pic.

Just some photographic evidence that I was on the Mountain!

I was .2 miles from the top before we had to begin our descent. My heart and mind were willing but my legs and the clock said no.

My loyal family taking a nap while patiently waiting for me at the summit.

Yes, that white blaze painted on the rocks is the trail...

Going down must surly be easier...... actually no.

A Mom kiss for luck! 

We look fresh and rested before we set out bright and early. We would have taken a picture at the end of the climb but

it was DARK!!!

The view from the top of Katahdin.

This marks the end of a great trek for Silas along the Appalachian Trail.

 167 days, 2190 miles, 14 states.

Silas has met some interesting folks and made a few great friends.

It has been fun for us as his family to follow his adventure and cheer him along.  Some of us got to join him on the trail for a few miles and it was a joy to walk with him a bit.  Although I wasn't able to reach the summit of Katahdin with Silas it was a thrill to make part of the climb with him. As I sat on the windy slope just below the top and watched Silas, Jake and Maria celebrating together in the distance, a deep sense of contentment filled me.  Watching your children reach greater heights than you are able to reach is a good thing. 

I love being with my family. God has blessed me greatly with a loving and patient wife, five kind and courageous children, and a new daughter (Jake's wife Maria) who is willing to venture forth and conquer mountains along with the rest of the Schroeder's.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it.......

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them!

-Psalm 127-

I am a Happy Man.

5.5 Miles to the top....

KATAHDIN !!!!!!!


Silas has reached the base of Mount Katahdin and is patiently waiting for us to arrive.  Jake and I saw him off in Georgia last April 1st and said we would meet him in Maine at Katahdin.  Silas has had an epic journey since then and we are ready to hold up our end of the bargain.  If all goes as planned we will summit on the 15th and celebrate with a fresh Maine Lobster on the 16th. 

I am looking forward to camping in Maine for the first time. I want to see a Moose, hear a Lake Loon call, and drink a cup of coffee around a New England campfire.  We will be a bit too early to see any fall leaves but the weather should feel like fall. 

Silas only has 5.5 miles left to go.  That last few miles will be an uphill climb to the summit of Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park.  It will probably be an emotional finish for him. Silas has been seeing the sign posts along the trail for the past five months with the word "Katahdin" carved into them. 

 

 

To finally find yourself waiting at the base of the mountain after walking towards it for 2189 miles and 165 days must be exciting. Silas, we will fully understand if you suddenly dash to the top before we arrive. 


What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-
 

Into the Wilderness.

Silas is nearing the end of his walk through the woods. Today he will see the remaining miles drop to double digits.  He has entered the 100 mile wilderness. We are excited for him and will be glad to have him home for a while.  It is fun watching our children grow into adults and venture out into the wild.  Life is an adventure and we have tried to raise fearless explorers.  Silas will have some great tales to tell when we next gather together as a family.

This picture was taken years ago when our explorers were young.

A recent picture of our fearless crew.

As the youngest of 5, Silas was usually "bringing up the rear" so to speak.  I think he has taken the lead in the "miles hiked" category!

Keep on hiking Silas. We are all cheering for you.

These are the numbers for those who like numbers.

159 days on trail

1210.5 miles

14 states

4 pairs of boots

countless pairs of socks

hundreds of tales to tell.

Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.

-John Muir-

 

2000 Miles.......

Silas has passed the 2000 mile mark. In a few days he will pickup his last supply package.

I guess it's time to start thinking about leaving trail life behind.

Silas is pretty sure Maine is one big rock covered with a thicket. Except were it's mud and roots.

Sometimes you just have to wash the Hiker crust off.

Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.
Indeed, he frantically rushes around in vain,
gathering possessions
without knowing who will get them.
 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.

^{-Psalm 39: 6 & 7-}

Will the shirt go the distance?

Thursday, August 24th.
146 days and 1908 miles into the Journey.

Crossing that last state line, Silas sees light at the end of the tunnel.  Now the only question that remains is will the famous New Mexico tee shirt hold together. 

Saturday, April 8th. 
8 days and 85 miles into the Journey.

The shirt and Silas both look fresh and clean.

The Maine Thing....

Katahdin
Baxter State Park
Maine

The border of Maine is only a days hike away.  I think the reality of finishing is beginning to sink in. The trail to Baxter State Park and Mt. Katahdin is by no means an easy stroll through the woods, but it is the last stretch to conquer.  282 Miles of the Appalachian Trail winds through the state.  It is the most remote and wild section of trail. Known for unique wildlife such as Moose and Lake Loons. For hikers there are a couple of features that make this last trek rather daunting. 

 Mahoosuc Notch is considered the hardest mile on the trail!

That is a rather menacing distinction for a hiker who has just walked over 1800 miles of trail.

Maine is also notorious for it's number of river and stream crossings.  Some of these can be dangerous. The Kennebec River is the largest unbridged crossing along the trail and a ferry service is provided. The "service" consists of a 16 foot canoe for hikers to use. 

Then there is the "100 Mile Wilderness", a very remote area just before reaching the end of the Appalachian Trail if you are a NOBO (North Bound Thru-Hiker). 

This stretch of muddy, rocky, wet, buggy, remote wilderness will be the last great hurdle before Katahdin itself.

Silas is determined not to stop. 

With less than 300 miles to go, Silas should finish well before the end of September. 

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.

 -Edward Abbey-
 

Bad Weather, Bears and Ticks.....

Bears, snakes, ticks, falling limbs, serial killers, and now weather,  the short list of things that make a Mother worry.  It is hard for those of us living in the deep south to think about freezing to death in August.  The fact that the mountain peaks in New Hampshire would be considered small hills in parts of the West can lure one into a false sense of confidence.  Silas has climbed 14,000+ ft. mountains in Colorado but he insists that the White Mountains have taken their toll on him these past few days. He uses the word "horrible" quite a bit when talking about the trail through these peaks. He is currently waiting on better weather and resting sore muscles before pushing on over the "Presidentials". 

 There was a time I would have snickered at Silas's  laments and told him to "man up" and get on the trail. 
That was before New York and those "horrible" trails that made me gladly rest my head on a rock. 
I am more sympathetic to his plight and less free with advice. 
 I am now a humble admirer of Silas the hiker.




Respect the burden.
 -Napoleon Bonaparte-

Just a word about "Tramily"....

It has been said that

"adversity is the touchstone of friendship".

Walking 2200 miles through the woods lends itself to adversity and fortunately it also provides great opportunities to discover friends. The short time I spent with Silas along the trail I had the privilege of meeting a few of the friends he has made along the way. 

Silas has used the term "Tramily" to refer to this group of fellow travelers.  After hanging around with them for just a couple of evenings I came to appreciate why "Tramily" is a perfect description.  They have endured the journey together and understand the unique challenges that come with thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. They have seen each other at their best and worst. I got the sense that none of them feel like they could have come as far as they have without each other.

Here are a few more "Tramily" Photos........

Relationships enrich the journey.  Sure there are spectacular views and thrilling moments, but it is the people around you who add jazz and joy to the experience. I have always said it would be a shame to see something amazing alone.  There is nothing finer than reuniting with old friends and reliving past adventures.  I have a feeling the friends Silas has made over the past 150 days and 1800 miles will always be very special.  They met along a trail as strangers but parted at journey's end as "tramily".

"Step with care and great tact, and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act"

.-Dr. Seuss-