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-

 

Closing in on Maine!

The White Mountains of New Hampshire

Silas will hike about 100 miles through these mountains.

Total Ascent:     32130.6 ft.

Total Descent:   32185.4 ft.

Total Grade:      654.8 ft./mile

The White Mountains are one of the last major hurdles to clear before reaching the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.  The trail is rocky and steep and the weather is unpredictable. Silas and a few friends started the day's hike around 3:00am. They wanted to get ahead of bad weather that threatened to close the trail over Mt. Lafayette. 

New Hampshire is considered one of the most challenging states but also one of the most rewarding.  The rigorous climbs give way to spectacular views. The terrain and vegetation are quite different than the southern mountains where Silas began this walk. He is now in the Krummholz zone where the trees are stunted in their growth due to the extreme wind and weather. Peaks like Mt. Washington can experience snowfall any month of the year. 

Silas has hiked nearly 1800 miles and has less than 400 miles left to go.  He has worn out a few pairs of hiking shoes and socks.


Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.
-Thomas Jefferson- 

Enter the "Whites".

Silas has crossed the Connecticut River and entered into New Hampshire.  He logged a record single day hike of 50 miles which included a long stretch of night hiking. In a couple of days he will enter the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This is a notoriously tough section of the Appalachian Trail with several tall peaks including Mt. Washington.  The Trail crosses the summit of Mt. Washington as it winds through the Presidential Range of the Whites. This peak is famous for it's erratic and extreme weather. It holds the sustained wind speed record of 231 mph not associated with a tropical storm or tornado. 

Silas is currently taking a few zero days in Hanover, New Hampshire.  It is one of the favorite "trail towns" among

 Thru-Hikers. It's a small college town, home of Dartmouth College. The Dartmouth Outing Club welcomes hikers and provides a variety of services for them. 

The Dartmouth Outing Club
Silas has 442.2 miles left to go. On it's face this sounds like a long way to walk, but with 1700.5 miles behind you and trail legs beneath you, it is but a stroll....... HaHa!


You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. -Jack London-
 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SILAS!

Still smiling after 126 days on the Appalachian Trail and over 1600 miles hiked.

I don't think your New Mexico Tee Shirt will go the distance but you will.

We will see you at the base of Mount Katahdin soon. 

It's North you may run to the rime-ringed sun
Or South to the blind Hom's hate;
Or East all the way into Mississippi Bay,
Or West to the Golden Gate --
Where the blindest bluffs hold good, dear lass,
And the wildest tales are true,
And the men bulk big on the old trail, our own trail, the out trail,
And life runs large on the Long Trail -- the trail that is always new.

-Rudyard Kipling-

NOBO's and SOBO's

Silas has entered Vermont. He has walked more than 1600 miles since starting in Georgia on April 1st.  Each day now Silas is meeting South Bound hikers who started in Maine.  They are the SOBO's or South Bounders. Silas is what's known as a NOBO or North Bounder.  The reason these two groups don't meet around the 1100 mile halfway point is because SOBO's can not start as early in the spring as NOBO's, due to snow.  The northern trail terminus atop Mount Katahdin is snow bound until June 1st at the earliest. This makes for an interesting encounter. the NOBO's have been on the trail for at least twice as long and walked over twice as far. They are a hardened and weathered group. The romance and idealistic expectations of "Hiking the A.T." have long since been replaced with a somewhat grim determination to "finish".  There is also a certain number of SOBO's who will fall by the wayside and not complete the hike. Most of the NOBO's who are still on trail will make it to Katahdin. They have come too far to be denied and baring injury or illness most of them will finish.

 

Silas will only have three states left to travel through. He has set foot in 11 states. Here is the list and the miles hiked in each state.

1. Georgia                         79 miles
2. North Carolina              95.7 miles
3. Tennessee                     94 miles
4. Border N.C. / Tenn.      224.7 miles
5. Virginia                        554 miles
6. West Virginia               4 miles
7. Maryland                      41 miles
8. Pennsylvania                229 miles
9. New Jersey                   72 miles
10. New York                     90 miles
11. Connecticut                  51 miles
12. Massachusetts              91 miles

Silas has had a few challenges lately that have made the last few days a bit difficult.  An eye infection that required a trip to an urgent care clinic and a stomach bug that has made walking the trail miserable.  The weather is starting to change as well. The evenings are getting cooler and soon he will need some heavier clothes to wear. It will not be long before he wakes up to frost on the ground at higher elevations.  The last 500 miles are also more rugged and remote than the middle section of the trail has been. Silas has some beautiful yet daunting hiking ahead.  Keep him in your prayers as he pushes to finish strong.

 

 “As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where there was a Den: and I laid me down in that place to sleep: and as I slept I dreamed a dream.”
― John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress