Well, its been several weeks and I still don't feel completely at home back in Gainesville. Last weekend I ran off spontaneously to New Orleans just to feel like I was going somewhere. I still feel like I am wasting time going nowhere, at least in the back of my mind. I have gotten back into the swing of going to classes and all the stuff that goes with being a college student. I've also changed in many ways in which I don't waste as much time inside and now lead a much richer and active lifestyle. Cooking, biking, running and spending time with friends have certainly become more of a priority for me, where as last year my life seemed to revolve a lot more around finding time for myself and watching tv. This spring, before I left for my trip, I was restless most of the time, discontent without any adventure, feeling trapped in my little bubble world. I think now, I feel a little of the restlessness I felt before. I thought I'd come back too tired with the adventure bug out of my system but now I feel like I am open for anything. The difference between now and then though is that I have the trail to think back on. At any moment I can close my eyes and vividly picture walking along the trail ontop of Little Haystack or through the soft rain falling around me with the fir trees brushing up against me somewhere in Maine. I can feel the gentle cold rush of fording a stream or even the sting on my palms after a slip on the slick rock faces. Almost all of my experiences evoke some sort of positive memory. Once I can picture that, I am instantly calmed. Its a nice feeling to go back to.
Anyways I really wrote this particular blog entry to congradulate every one who has finished the trail this year. Of course there was Shennanigans, Trigger, and the Stooge who finished with me, along with Greenlite and Blue Sky who finished the day before me. Ive congradulated them in person. But also Congrats to Ducky, Mudd, Sneaks, GiddyUp, Joker, Ewok, Tin Man, Gaspard, and everyone else who just reached Katahdin. And congrats to Prarie Dog and Smart Ass Saint Beaver, who are finishing up in two days along with Leon and Halifax wherever they are. I miss you guys more than you could know.
Its time for class, pictures still arent up yet, I really am working on that. Walking off, HULK
p.s. The album Ursus Major by Third Eye Blind is one of the most amazing things I have ever listened to. Just a suggestion.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
COMPLETED!
Hi readers, Im all done. Im also very sorry I didnt write sooner but its been one of the most hectic weeks of my life. The trip to Mt. Katahdin was incredibly hard. I got sick off of some bad ramen my first night in the wilderness and it slowed me down some. It's not easy to hike when you are throwing up every couple hours. Because of this I got really dehydrated and with the heat we faced in Maine in the 90s which made hiking even 15 feet a challenge. "One step at a time" is what I had to keep telling myself as my stomach perculated draining me of all energy.
However I perservered and after fording several rivers and climbing the last of the rigorous mountains of Maine, Katahdin, the holiest of mountains to all hikers was in my sights. Katahdin, when spoken sounds like a quiet prayer. I could finally see the fruits of my labor in sight as I neared the northern terminus. It felt like nothing else I had ever felt before, like I was living to my full potential or completing some destined task.
I met my dad in Millinocket ME, famous for being where the discovery channel show "American Logger" is taped. Other than that, it is home to the Appalachian Trail Inn and Cafe run by the wonderful Paul and Jamie Renauld. My Dad was generous and loving enough to come complete the journey with me. For the last five miles up the mighty mountain my dad would join the ranks of us smelly, stringy hikers in our glorious quest of completion. From Millinocket we drove (feels like a first) to Baxter State Park and started at the base of Katahdin. To give you some perspective of how hard the mountain was, my father and I started at 7am and finished(total up and down was 10 miles) at 5pm. It was a long day and a hard climb. The most interesting thing about the mountain is that it seems to be a microcosm of the entire trail. It starts out easily enough crossing streams and idling its way under beech, pine and fur trees. The trail further progresses climbing Katahdin Stream Falls and begins a steep ascent with a few technical climbs. Once you make it finally up above tree line, the trail changes from a slantedly horizontal trail to slantedly vertical one where you feel like you are actually climbing a rock wall. Its a hard and steep rock scramble up to the area known as the "tablelands" which is a mesa on top of the mountain filled with more rocks and short grasses. There is one more climb and then the sign is in sight. You can finally see the sign that marks the end of the trail and the end of the journey. A large rock cairn stands next to it for effect. At the end of it all, I ran and kissed that sign at the end of the trail. The weather was beautiful and clear and all around you could see for endless miles of green, lakes, ponds and distant mountains. At the top, people kept asking where I had hiked from and all I could really answer was "you see that horizon, well the end of that." It was an amazing feeling finishing something I had dreamed of doing since I was twelve. And now that everything is said and done, I really feel that I have been changed for the better.
Pics coming soon, signing off,
HULK
However I perservered and after fording several rivers and climbing the last of the rigorous mountains of Maine, Katahdin, the holiest of mountains to all hikers was in my sights. Katahdin, when spoken sounds like a quiet prayer. I could finally see the fruits of my labor in sight as I neared the northern terminus. It felt like nothing else I had ever felt before, like I was living to my full potential or completing some destined task.
I met my dad in Millinocket ME, famous for being where the discovery channel show "American Logger" is taped. Other than that, it is home to the Appalachian Trail Inn and Cafe run by the wonderful Paul and Jamie Renauld. My Dad was generous and loving enough to come complete the journey with me. For the last five miles up the mighty mountain my dad would join the ranks of us smelly, stringy hikers in our glorious quest of completion. From Millinocket we drove (feels like a first) to Baxter State Park and started at the base of Katahdin. To give you some perspective of how hard the mountain was, my father and I started at 7am and finished(total up and down was 10 miles) at 5pm. It was a long day and a hard climb. The most interesting thing about the mountain is that it seems to be a microcosm of the entire trail. It starts out easily enough crossing streams and idling its way under beech, pine and fur trees. The trail further progresses climbing Katahdin Stream Falls and begins a steep ascent with a few technical climbs. Once you make it finally up above tree line, the trail changes from a slantedly horizontal trail to slantedly vertical one where you feel like you are actually climbing a rock wall. Its a hard and steep rock scramble up to the area known as the "tablelands" which is a mesa on top of the mountain filled with more rocks and short grasses. There is one more climb and then the sign is in sight. You can finally see the sign that marks the end of the trail and the end of the journey. A large rock cairn stands next to it for effect. At the end of it all, I ran and kissed that sign at the end of the trail. The weather was beautiful and clear and all around you could see for endless miles of green, lakes, ponds and distant mountains. At the top, people kept asking where I had hiked from and all I could really answer was "you see that horizon, well the end of that." It was an amazing feeling finishing something I had dreamed of doing since I was twelve. And now that everything is said and done, I really feel that I have been changed for the better.
Pics coming soon, signing off,
HULK
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Into the Wilderness
Rob is in the 100 mile Wilderness and I hope to meet him on the other end at Baxter State Park on Thursday night. Pray for his health, strength and endurance on this last section. I am sure he will want to give you all the details then.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Maine
Hey there readers,
well as my father said, I am in Maine. I got hailed on all day yesterday which was absolutely miserable and it has been unbearably cold(at least for this florida boy) with highs in the 40s and 50s. The terrain has also been the hardest we have faced so far. We( Trigger , Larry the Stooge and I) hiked a section yesterday called the Mahoosic Notch which felt like we were on some kind of obstacle course. We climbed boulders, ducked through caves and leaped over deep crevices with ice at the bottoms of them. The miles have been slowing us down but we are pushing on as hard as we can to be at Katahdin on the 21st of August. The good side of Maine is its extreme beauty. The views off of every cliff or ridge have been incredible, undescribeable in so many ways. The mountains up here have such grandier and regal beauty. I have such a love hate relationship with it. Im completely ready to get back to Florida, but reflecting on this journey; it really has been the best experience of my life. Hope everyone else is doing well.
Hiking on, HULK
well as my father said, I am in Maine. I got hailed on all day yesterday which was absolutely miserable and it has been unbearably cold(at least for this florida boy) with highs in the 40s and 50s. The terrain has also been the hardest we have faced so far. We( Trigger , Larry the Stooge and I) hiked a section yesterday called the Mahoosic Notch which felt like we were on some kind of obstacle course. We climbed boulders, ducked through caves and leaped over deep crevices with ice at the bottoms of them. The miles have been slowing us down but we are pushing on as hard as we can to be at Katahdin on the 21st of August. The good side of Maine is its extreme beauty. The views off of every cliff or ridge have been incredible, undescribeable in so many ways. The mountains up here have such grandier and regal beauty. I have such a love hate relationship with it. Im completely ready to get back to Florida, but reflecting on this journey; it really has been the best experience of my life. Hope everyone else is doing well.
Hiking on, HULK
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Maine!
The Hulk (Rob) should be in Maine as I write. He left the Hiker's Paradise in Gorham early this morning. Since his last post he has hiked the White Mountains (very hard above the treeline, rainy), restocked in Lincoln and stayed at Chet's One Step At A Time. There was the best hour of the best day on Mt. Lincoln with 40 mile views. There have been high winds at Mt. Garfield and Mt. Washington (tourists make Hulk angry). At Pinkham Notch you go straight up or down over all kinds of boulders, got to the shelter late (work for stay was nice). Rob said he almost fell off when he stood up at the top of Wildcat Mountain. There was a side trip into Gorham for a new shoes and candy mail drop. R.I.P old boots (730 miles of service). Hulk is confident and walking with Larry (Mo and Curly's brother, really, from Holland) who has the remaining 280 miles of the trip mapped out. We are praying for his continued endurance and safety.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Into New Hampshire and into New Challenges
Well Friends, Its been a long 2 and a half months since I've talked to most of you. And believe me when I say, I've missed you all. And then I think to myself that I will see most of you all again in just a short while, approx. 25 days. It seems like I've been out here for so long testing my grit and proving to myself what I am made of. I feel like I have learned so much since I started; matured, toughened up, grown smarter, hopefully more compassionate and I've certainly learned the value of being patient. Well, now comes the real test. It will be more physically, mentally and definitely more emotionally challenging for me than I have ever experienced in my life. The test: to complete 440 miles of the toughest part of the Appalachian Trail in 25 days so that I can climb Mt. Katahdin in Maine, the northern Terminus of the AT with my father on the 20th of August. I honestly do not know if I can handle the schedule before me, but I will try damn hard to complete this and give it my sincerest all to finish up before I have to head back to Gainesville for my Senior Year. But up still ahead of me are the White Mountains, many peaking at over 4500 feet, The Presidential Mountains, Mt. Washington, a mountain infamous for having weather rivaling Everest, the bogs and rivers I will need to ford in Western Maine and then finally the One Hundred Mile Wilderness before I reach Katahdin. This will probably be my last post before I get back as any forms of civilization will be far from reach where I'm going but hopefully my Dad will be able to represent me while I push through this wilderness adventure. I'll leave you all with some photos since its been so long since I've updated those but until I see you all again,
Happy Trails, HULK
p.s. Pics are at the bottom of the page. Some of my favorites.
Happy Trails, HULK
p.s. Pics are at the bottom of the page. Some of my favorites.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
On the heights
The Hulk is now in Vermont! Weather has been varied, cool/cold nights but nice right now. He stayed at Kid Gore Shelter on Sunday and called from Mt. Stratton where he had a view of 7 mountains. His 2nd pair of shoes is breaking up after 500 miles and he keeps wearing out 'lifetime' guaranty socks. The plan is to reach Rutland by Thursday for resupply. After hearing about the lightning we are praying more fervently for his safety across this adventure. (Dad)
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