Register To ParticipateFrom the Trail
Mission accomplished
Posted on September 19, 2008 by Brad Cook
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Sept. 10-Catfish and Old Buzzard spent too much time in Monson today in the library updating our journals and getting supplies for our walk thru the 100 Mile Wilderness. We also had a fantastic breakfast at Shaw’s, where I slept last night. For just $6.50 you can get all you want to eat. I had 6 home-made pancakes, 6 eggs, 6 strips of bacon, 6 saugages, juice and coffee. It was a killer breakfast and the folks at Shaw’s Boarding House were so kind. Catfish decided we should just walk the 3.3 miles from where we got off the trail to ME15 and then hitch back into Monson for another night and get an early start in the morning. This 23 year old polite young man from GA will be my organizer for the last 115 miles. He is super organized and so laid back compared to Old Buzzard. There are so many opposites in our personalities: I’m the uptight old Northern running on empty and by the seat of my pants, who planned this journey for 33 years. Catfish on the other hand is a kickback young GA boy, organized, and decided 3 months before to hike this trail. We seem to enjoy each others company and get along so well. I am really enjoying hiking with Catfish and after my problem on Sept. 1 really donot want to be alone now.
Here are more photos.
On Sept. 1 (Labor Day) I left Rangley with a full pack and was hiking up a steep section with a young man named Slightly from Maryland. My pack was a little top heavy with food and instead of going hand-over-hand I went with my trekking poles, which stood me up too high. I lost my balance and flew back a good 15 feet in the air and came down smashing my head onto a boulder. Everything went black for a moment and to my wonderful surprise I got to my feet yelling and screaming at myself for making such a stupid mistake. You’d think after hiking almost 2000 miles that a error like this would not be made.
I pulled off my shirt, which had just been laundered in Rangley, and put it over the bloody gash putting pressure on the wound. Neither Slightly or Old Buzzard had anything in the first aid category besides bandaids. I was standing there trying to think of what to do when I suddenly realized I had clean white sockliners, a chamme that I wipe my tent with, and an ace bandage I had gotten out of a hiker box for my screaming knees. Slightly held the bandage of socks and chamme on my head wound while I tightly wrap the ace around my head. Slightly told me he would walk me out to Rt. 4, which luckily was only 4 miles away. I laughed and said I’m fine and told him I was ready to hike on up Saddleback. He couldn’t believe the Old Buzzard wanted to go on and kept asking me questions to see if I was coherent. Let’s Go I got to get those O.S.U. Boys! Slightly told me he would not leave me and we would hike together for the day. Just minutes later I yelled to Slightly that this ain’t workin’. As my heart got pumping the gash opened up and blood kept pouring out.
I told Slightly to hike on and since it was Labor Day I knew I would see day hikers as I got closer to the road if I needed assistance. A mile down the trail I met a Harvard Univ. orientation group taking a break next to a stream. The leader of this freshman group explained he was certified in Wilderness First Aid and if I wanted he would take a look at my head wound. I thought maybe he could patch me up so I could get on hiking. He worked on my head for a good 45 minutes as the other Harvard student gathered around for the lesson on site taking pictures of the whole affair. Once he cut the matted hair away and cleaned up the bloody mess he could view the T-Gash and said this beyond him and I should see a doctor for stitches.
As I hiked out of the woods a family taking a day hike approached me on the trail. As I got closer to them the family stopped looking at me in horror with my white shirt covered with blood and the bloody ace wrapped around my skull. I continued walking by them muttering, “Watch out for the BEARS!”
I spent a second night at the Gull Pond Lodge with Bob O’Brien, who has turned his home on the pond into a hostel for hikers. The Rangeley Health Center was closed due to the holiday and the closest hospital was 46 miles away. The bleeding had stopped and this was not an emergency anymore. A West Point grad and officer, who had done 3 tours in Iraq, was at the hostel and later in the day asked if he would take a look at my head. He explained that this was a deep gash and needed doctor’s attention. He put some iodine on it and taped a maxipad to my head. Maxipad he explained are used in Iraq for gunshot wounds. The next day I went to the clinic where the doctor cleaned up the wound explained it was too late for stitches, put some closure bandages on it and gave me a tetnus shot. I did not hit the trail until Noon, hiked 10.7 mile up and over Saddleback and prayed for no more FALLS.
This bad fall happened with just 216 miles left in the Big Hike and I figured it was best to keep this to myself and not worry everyone at home or even worse they would come and pull me off the trail ending my hike and dream.
Sept. 10 Catfish and I stayed at the Lakeshore House in Monson again resting up for the 100 Mile Wilderness. I am so glad we did. As I was eating my second dinner in the pub Daisey, the 31 year old miner and surveyor from Australia walked in. I had not seen my old friend since Trail Days in VA. It was wonderful to see him again and we talked and traded trail stories into the night. We exchanged e-mails and as he walked away into the night I knew I would never see my old friend again from the “Land Down Under”. Daisey and Old Buzzard got a laugh out of exchanging accents. Hay, Buzzed,sey Fenway Park again. Now do the Maine guy from Rumford Point. We had such a great time together. I’ll miss Daisey.
Sept. 11 Catfish and Old Buzzard hit the trail by 6 AM and walked into the 100 Mile Wilderness with enough food for 5-6 days. The sign at the entrance recommended 10 days worth of food. Good luck I could not carry that much! As we hiked past beautiful ponds, sat by Little Wilson Falls-60′ falls, and forded Little Wilson Stream and the deeper Big Wilson Stream we thought about 9/11 and the past 7 years of war. We discussed the state of affairs in America and the mess this country is in. We went deeper into the Wilderness and discovered its tranquility. The woods were silent and we noticed more so than any other place we had been. It was so peaceful and a glorious and beautiful untouched wilderness. I found out from other hikers that day that I should have been in here 10 years ago when it was even more wild and virgin. It seems that logging roads now have been put thru some of this 100 mile area and Catfish and I crossed a few of these intrusions. We made camp at Cloud Pond Lean-to after a 19.1 mile day of hiking.
Sept. 12 This was the toughest day of our 100 mile crossing in the Wilderness. The hiking was up and down all morning long and then the rain came in. The afternoon saw the Old Buzzard again removing his shoes for sandals and fording the West Branch of Pleasant River. The hiking flattened out, but slippery rocks and roots was the footing until dark. The day ended at Carl A. Newhall Lean-to with 16.8 miles for the day. I just squeezed into the shelter with pouring rain all night long.
Sept. 13 Catfish and I hiked most of this day together and the terrain was more forgiving. We had a great time after climbing over White Cap Mtn. (3654′) the last tough up before Mt. K. I thought of all the mountains I had climbed since GA and found this fact in my thru hikers handbook: “On a hike from GA to ME, a thru-hiker will climb and descend a total of about 91 miles, the equivalent of going from sea level to the summit of Mt. Everest and back more than 16 times!” This is quite a mind boggling fact. All during my hike I kept thinking-just one step at a time Old Buzzard-just concentrate on that one step and nothing else. It is amazing how all those little steps add up! Never in life look at the big picture. It is too mind boggling and frightening. Just live for each step and concentrate on what is happening now. We went by beautiful Crawford Pond with a nice sandy beach. We sat there in silence and just stared at the beauty. We ended the day at Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to for 18.9 miles hiked. The sound of the brook and falls put us to sleep for the evening.
Sept. 14 I spent a good deal of this day hiking alone without seeing anyone all day. It started to rain lightly around 11:30, which I welcomed. I enjoyed this day so much and felt like there was no one else on earth. I was alone in the wilderness. It was so quiet and peaceful. Not a single sound I could here, but those of the streams or the wind. I will treasure this day for the rest of my life. I sat alone by Lower Jo-Mary Lake and again for a long time at Nahmakanta Lake where there was a lovely beach that was mine alone. I listened to the gentle waves washing up on the shoreline. I found it so calming and relished in the peace and quiet. Today was easy trail and came to Wadleigh Stream Lean-to just at dark to find Catfish already in his bag. We had hiked another 21.5 miles. I met a section hiker from Concord,NH, who would finish the trail this year after 34 years of hiking. A man, who had his dream of hiking the AT and never gave up. It was interesting exchanging stories with this guy.
Sept. 15 Catfish and I hiked most of this day together finishing at Hurd Brook Lean-to for a 19.6 mile day. We both enjoyed the beauty of Rainbow Lake as we hiked for miles around or near it. We both agreed that the 100 Mile Wilderness was the best part of the whole trail. I have heard rumors of AMC Huts to be built in here and will investigate this more when my hike is over. I will fight to keep this wilderness forever. The Great North Woods of Maine is one of the last areas on the trail to be wild. Let’s keep it this way!
Sept. 16 Catfish and I hiked just over 3 miles in the AM and left the Wilderness. As we crossed Abol Bridge there she was in all her glory. It was just like the postcards we had seen. She looked like a monster that had come out of the ground. It was Mt. KATAHDIN looking down at Catfish and Old Buzzard. This giant of a mountain made us feel so small and nonsignificant. She is called GREAT MOUNTAIN. I can now understand why. It is an appropriate name. We had only seen the monster once from atop Moxie Bald over a hundred miles away. Each of the other view points were clouded in. Catfish and I agreed again that it was more fitting that we had only seen her once from such a distance. We just stood and stared in amazement. After all these months and miles we were now just 15 trail miles from her summit and the end of our journey.
We took manyn pictures and then rushed to the campstore to pig out! We had breakfast and lunch and dessert sitting by the stream gazing at Mt. K. in the sunshine realizing how luck we were to be here. We finally left after basking in our glory for hours to hike on for 13.4 miles. We stopped for some time at Big Niagara Falls. Finally we got to the Birches Campsite and registered at the Ranger Station. The Birches is a thru-hiker only site used the night before going up Mt. K. Zack, who we had not seen for a while showed up at dark and we had our last evening campfire. As I stared into the glowing coals I had a feeling of joy, but also felt sadness that my journey of a lifetime would soon be over. No one slept much. We were full of excitement.
Sept. 17 Catfish is a very intelligent and sensitive young man from GA. He just graduated from Northern Georgia University with a business degree. He took of without me in the AM and told me later that he realized this was a dream of mine that change my direction in life. He could sence that this last mountain to climb in my 33 year journey was better done alone. Three different people were planning to hike Mt. K with me this day. I said no. There would be too many emotions in me this day. Mt. K is the greatest vertical of the whole trail. There is a very steep and dangerous mile or more in this climb. I tried not to think about my fall on Labor Day during this time, but it kept haunting me. One step at a time. Just concentrate on one step nice and easy as she goes. The trail eventually leveled off and then rose gently again. I saw a sign that I was but a mere 1 mile from the summit. I was alone and my mind started going over the past 33 years of my life from the time I met Hiram in 1975 to this moment. My pace slowed. I did not want the 33 years that changed my whole life to a positive vein to come to a close. I missed my family, my wife was waiting, my friends, life. I can come here again. I can go out my back door in Maine and hike the most beautiful parts of this glorious wonderful trail again whenever I want. I thanked God for keeping the Old Buzzard healthy and giving me this chance that so many never have. I looked around to see if I was alone–I busted into tears and I laughed at the same moment. I was the happiest man on earth. I am one lucky person. I touched the sign. 2176.2 miles!!
Out of the woods, into the wilds
Posted on September 10, 2008 by Brad Cook
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It has been difficult to send pics or written word of my journey since leaving Andover, ME due to the fact that I do not get cell service, go thru towns with internet service, or for that matter many towns at all besides Rangeley and Stratton.
I am sitting in the Monson Library alone with the librarian as I type this. It is the smallest library I have ever seen in my life, but obviously they have internet access so I will give you all an update of my journey before I enter the 100 MILE WILDERNESS.
I am about 115 miles from Mt. K as I write this last entry until I hopefully complete this wonderous journey. I am filled with so many mixed emotions I am having trouble sleeping at night. This has been a 33 year dream of mine and I am getting kind of melancholy of the whole dream coming to an end. Sometimes I find myself thinking that none of this really happened at all and I am going to wake up in bed and find out it was just a dream I had one evening. I mean to dream, plan this trip for all these years, and to keep hoping I could stay healthy, keep working out, pray my loving wife and children would let me leave for all this time and commit to this has been overwhelming. I am a very lucky Buzzard to have this chance that so many wish for and I realize this. God has been good to me.
Aug.29 I did not start hiking until after 9 AM from East B Hill Rd outside of Andover, ME. The trail for the first 6 miles was easy with alot of flats and less roots and boulders than Maine is known for and I could cruise down this stretch to Hall Lean-To. This was the first piece of easy trail I had seen since probably some where in Vermont and I got cooking and found myself in one of the most motivated hiking moods of the whole trip. I was loving it! I hit the 6 mile mark in just 2 hours and decided to go for Bemis Mt. Shelter for a 19 mile day. I felt like I could hike right thru the day and night. It was a strange feeling that day. The trail got very tough and I knew what to expect as I had done this section years ago.
Moody Mt. was first and has one of the steepest ascents on the entire trail so much so that I was reading signs 2 miles before I got there to be cautious as with all the past rain there had been a huge landslide. I attacked the mountain as I was in a hiking mood this day. Moody is tough!
Next I skirted around Elephant Mt. and then came another steep one Old Blue. I again attacked and as I went up Old Blue I found the sweat pouring down my face and started to curse the mountain. What kind of name is that for a mountain I thought as I pushed it. Old Blue is a good name of a hunting hound dog don’t you think.
I could feel the fatigue setting in, but still had several peaks coming up in the Bemis MTS. Darkness was setting in and recognized the Bemis ridges and knew I was close to the shelter. I total darkness now I finally found the shelter for the evening rest totally hiked out. All evening my knees again started to scream at me in my bag. I could not seem to stop myself this day hiking and I was now paying for it.
I lied in the shelter until 9 AM and realized I needed an easy day to recover. I was not in a hiking mood at all this day. I only hiked to Rt. 17 just 4.6 miles away and caught a ride into Rangely and crashed with a bag of ice at the Riff-Raff Hostel which was a freebee to stay. It was basically a frat house for drinking and playing poker until 4 AM. I crawled into a walk-in closet I discovered saying The Old Buzzard was to old for all this. I gave $5 to a young hiker I know to bet for me and put my ear plugs in at 8 PM. I guess he lost.
I got up at 7 AM and found the younger crowd sleeping all over the floors. A real classic place. I quietly got my gear and caught a ride back to route 17 and the AT. The trail from Rt.17 to Rt.4 is not to tough a 13.1 stetch and knew this sould be another break for my knees. After a wonderful day of hiking alone I hitched a ride back into Rangeley and stayed at the most beautiful Gull Pond Lodge. I met the owner of this hostel, Bob O’Brien, who has turned his home into a place for hikers to stay. Bob, age 77, was one of the nicest people I have met on The Big Hike and spent 2 nights here spending hours listening to this interesting kind man. I will keep in touch with Bob in the future I know.
I had a little set back on Labor Day and needed to spend that second night. I will discuss this once the hike is complete, but for now I will not report on this. I met a West Point grad and his wife at the Gull Pond Lodge and they invited me for dinner my second night in Rangeley. He had spent 9 years in the Army and had done 3 tours in Iraq. He just got out as did his wife and was more than interesting to listen to this vet discuss the state this country is in. All I can say is PRAY FOR AMERICA and good luck to us all.
It is now Sept. 2 and I didnot hit the trail until noon. I hiked 10.7 miles for the day thru the not so easy Saddleback Range. The weather was superb and the views were just spectacular this day. I bumped into 2 kids I had not seen since VA. It was great to see Rock + Roll again. We all met up at Poplar Ridge Lean-To and it was great to exchange happens and catch up on things. I also had now caught back up to Insomnic-WVA and Stumblefoot-VA, two tough coalminers about my age, who have been section hiking this AT for 10 years. They want to finish on Sept. 28 and when it is over I hope I see them at my home in ME. I love these guys.
Sept. 3 was a good day of hiking over or near the summit of many good size mts. I went over or near the summit of Lone Mt., Abraham, Spaulding, and Sugarloaf. All these peaks are between about 3300-5000 feet. I stopped for a while at the bronze plate in the rock signifying the completion point of the AT in 1937 by the CCC. It was an emotional moment standing in that spot alone. I am glad I stayed for a while and day dreamed for a spell. I then took a very steep descent and crossed the south branch of the Carabassett River and mooved on to my tentsite alone for the evening. I built a nice fire after gather alot of wood and sat staring into the glowing coal of my fire thinking of my journey from GA and realizing it is almost over. I am at this point just 195 miles from Mt. K.
Sept. 4 I hiked up the steep Crocker Mts. over 4000 feet and down to the road hitching into Stratton, ME. I spent just 4 hours in town doing laundry, showering, resupplying with food, and eating two dinners. I found a ride back to the trail and continued on up the steep Bigelow Range to Horn Pond Lean-to where I spent the night with Catfish-GA and Zack-ME, two young thru hikers I have been crossing paths with since VT.
Sept. 5 I only hiked 10.2 miles for the day after yesterday’s tough 12.4 miles. I am taking care of my knees now and hiked alone over the Bigelow Peaks realizing I will not be over 4000 feet anymore until I hit the highest mt. in ME Mt. K. I strolled along for the day eating wild blueberries on the ridges and found myself looking back as far as the eye could see on this beautiful clear day at all the mountains I had traversed. It was another emotional time.
Sept. 6 I hiked 17.3 easier miles from Little Bigelow Lean-To to Pierce Pond Lean-To past the enormous Flagstaff Lake, which just yesterday I was staring down upon from the 4000+ peaks of the Bigelows. I also past many lakes and ponds this gorgeous and glorious day. Hiking around both W. Carry and E. Carry Pond was so theraputic and relaxing. This day was like heaven. I sat alone at a sandy beach on E. Carry and again sat there with such joy and happiness for these last months and the chance to do The Big Hike. I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity in my short life. I found myself again with Zack and Catfish at one of the most beautiful shelters on the trail, Pierce Pond Lean-To. We sat right in front of this crystal clear water body setting up a campfire. The temptation was to much for me to resist and I dove in off the rocks dirty clothes and all. We all needed a bath. It felt wonderful to finally get out and stand next to the warmth of the fire. The end of some hurricane hit this evening and just pelted the roof of the shelter putting us all in slumber land.
Sept. 7 started with a short walk past waterfalls with my umbrella to the Harrison Camps for a dynamite breakfast of 12 home made blueberry/raspberry pancakes, saugages,eggs, juice and milk all for just $10. Harrison Camps is a 1930 fishing/hunting camp that I will have to let my son-in-law and son aware of when I get home. I hiked with Catfish all day in little rain, but very wet and muddy trails to Pleasant Pond Lean-To just 9.7 miles for the day and stayed at another great shelter-Pleasant Pond Lean-To and another dive in the pond–heaven.
Sept. 8 it was again a day with the young man from GA-Catfish. His Daddy as he calls him is a lawyer and owner of a 400+ peanut, cotton, soybean, corn farm. I love the politeness and respect this GA boy demonstrates and his low-key mannner. Catfish from GA and Buzzard from ME will hike together the rest of the adventure we have decided. It is only fitting that I mellow out with the GA boy living near Springer and me at the northern terminus and complete my 33 year old dream. He just graduated from college in GA in Dec. and at the spur of the moment decided to hike this trail starting March 23. We are opposites in so many ways, but common also in a lot of things. He is slowing me down now and I am savioring each every moment. Going up the steep Moxie Bald Mt. on a crystal clear day we viewed Mt. K for the first time on the horizon. Seeing my final destination of my 33 year dream brought large tears to my old tired eyes. There it was just 50 miles away on the horizon the way of the flying bird and some 115= miles of trail. We sat there for an hour just resting, snacking and staring. It is coming! We finished our 13.1 mile day at Moxie Bald Lean-To and again I dove into the pond–ah.
Sept. 9 we walked thru pouring rain making to river crossings up to our knees in the rushing river and finally walked into the small town and last town on the trail, Monson. I spent the night at Shaw’s well known on the trail. A shower,a package from Sugar Babes of food, laundry and 3 full dinners this time and we will walk into the 100 MILE WILDERNESS and then MT.K!!!!!!
OLD BUZZARD
A family reunion and it’s off to the Maine mountains
Posted on August 29, 2008 by Brad Cook
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I was off the trail from noon Friday, August 8-Sunday, August 10 to attend my niece’s wedding in Bristol, VT. Thankful for Alissa the weather was beautiful for her outdoor wedding on Sat.
Sugar Babes dropped me off in Killington, VT. To continue my journey North at 11:30 Sunday, August 10. The sun was out and my mood was cheerful, but just one hour of hiking brought back the thunder and soon after the rains started again. My trusty umbrella once again was opened and I hiked on to Winturri shelter for 16.6 miles in just a half of a day of hiking.
As I approached the shelter a young man with a long reddish beard yelled out to me from inside the crowded shelter. Laughing he said, “It’s the Old Buzzard.” I looked him up and down and confused apologized saying, “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember who you are,” “Buzz, it’s me Fred, was his response. It was “Freddie The Freeloader” the young 29 year old kid from CT I started with in GA and had not seen since Hot Springs, NC.
Fred had his pack stolen in Rutland, VT and had been off the trail resupplying for 3 days. It was great to see him and we spent the next hour catching up on events, people and happening on the journey.
I hiked mostly alone or with Meatbag and Doxie thru NJ, NY, CT, and MA. Now here I was trying to squeeze into a crowded shelter. Getting infected by the deer tick as I hoped had some positive results, being, off the trail brought many people behind the chance to move up the trail. It is great to see some of the characters and friends I met down south again. I usually hike all day alone, but at the end of a long and tiring day it’s so wonderful to see friendly faces again.
Mon. August 11 I was back hiking or I should say chasing my old hiking partner, Fred again. This was a miserable day of raining, mud, wild river crossings and soggy sore feet. I hiked into W. Hartford, VT to the village store and sat there eating sandwiches, chips, French fries, and whatever else I could get my hands on from 4-6 p.m. and finally left with the sun coming out. I made it to Happy Hill Shelter for a 20.4 mile day.
Fred, Wookie, Freefall, Circumstance, CC Rider, Neon and others were there for the evening. Wookie started a fire and we all tried to dry out our shoes, etc. My feet keep pruning up and to avoid losing layers of skin from the bottoms of my feet I continue to put baby powder and anti-fungal cream on them. This seems to be the big challenge now on the trail in VT, which is breaking records for the rainfall.
8/12 Tues.-I walked across the CT River into NH telling everyone that NH was going to be great. I got bitten by the deer tick in CT, hiked thru the hot, humid, and bugs in the “MA Jungles”, the typhoons of VT and NH was going to be sunny and great. Oh, how I looked forward to coming home to New England.
As I sat in Thayer Dining Hall on the Dartmouth College campus eating AYCE for $8.95 I saw the rain stop and this yellow ball brightly shining in the sky-THE SUN! Fred and I resupplied at the CO-OP in Hanover and I entered the woods with Catfish from GA. It started to pour with the sun shining-I looked skyward and Catfish was startled by my screaming to the sky. Suddenly the rain stopped and the sun won out. It was beautiful. I ended the day at Moose Mt. Shelter, which was so full of hikers I had to set up my tent finishing a 16.8 mile day.
8/13 Wed.-This was a beautiful sunny clear day with great views. I set out with Catfish but he spent time sitting on ledges taking in the views and I hiked on up and over Smarts Mt. This mt. has a beautiful tower to climb on the summit and the views were great. I finished 17.7 miles thru wet and muddy condition to stay at the Hexacuba Shelter with Freddie The Freeloader and others for the night.
8/14 Thurs.-“Freddie The Freeloader” and I hiked the 14.7 miles to Glen Cliff Hostel and took showers. Fred’s mom and grandmother were to pick him up there to take him to dinner and spend the evening at a B+B in Haverhill, NH. I was invited to join them. What a wonderful young man and I enjoyed meeting his mom and grandmother. It feels so wonderful to sleep in a bed and take a shower. Besides my family these 2 things I miss most.
8/15 Fri.-After a breakfast at the B+B I kept eating in the car to Lincoln, NH. Those B+B’s don’t feed you enough. Fred had to get some needed supplies and I had a new Big Agnes mattress waiting at the P.O. Mine had a slow leak in it since NY and I would blow it up 4 times each night trying to sleep. I finally called Big Agnes from Hanover and they sent me another one free as long as I mailed back the other. Dumb me-I could have had this back in NY.
Fred and I did not get back on the trail until 1 p.m. and we hiked up 4802-Mt. Mooseilauke. We were beginning our journey thru the White mats. I prayed for clear skies thru the whites. If the weather remained clear my plan was to move right thru here. I had hiked the entire trail in this beautiful territory during my years of hiking and know it well. Weather is everything above treeline. If it is clear go. If not sit on it.
Fred and I settled in at Beaver Brook Shelter 1.6 miles from Rt. 112 where we heard there would be Big Magic tomorrow in the parking lot. At the shelter I found K-Bomb, Mocassin, and Enoch who I had not seen since Maryland. I am bumping into so many of my old hiking buddies again. It is great to see them.
8/16 Sat.-Fred was psyched up to put in a big 17.7 day going down the steep descent of Moosilauke and hiking the tough Kinsman’s and staying the night at Chet’s Hostel in Lincoln. I entered the Kinsman’s after pigging out at Rt. ½ alone. I had done this stretch years ago and forgotten how tough they were. I struggled with the rugged ups and downs and kept thanking god for no rain. This section would be so dangerous in wet conditions. I have said right along that one bad fall and this trip is over. I seem to be getting more paranoid as I get closer to Mt. K. Don’t fall anymore! I hit Lonesome Lake Hut at 15 miles and bailed out for the day. The AMC Hut let me do a work for stay and fed me all I could eat for dinner! I ate more turkey than I ever at in my life. I spent the night with Icarus from Italy another AT hiker I had not seen for months. I tried to sleep on a picnic table for the night as my knees kept screaming at me.
8/17 Sun. - I left under clear skies and once I started moving my knees hurt less. I hiked 15.9 miles doing the Franconia Ridge traverse to check in at 6:45 p.m. at Galehead Hut just 359.7 miles from Mt. K. I did another work for stay with Fred, Bones and Low.
8/18 Mon.-This was another beautiful sunny clear day and the miles were easier hiking over South and North Twin Mt. and Zealand Mt. I had lunch w/the boys at Zealand Hut and washed some more dirty socks in a stream. I hit Rt. 302 in Crawford Notch and hitched a ride down to Crawford Notch General Store+Campground and stayed the night in the bunkhouse for $20 w/the boys again. For three quarters I could take a much needed 9 minute shower. I also washed my shirt and shorts. It was great to sit on the porch of the General Store and EAT! Thunderstorms hit this night and it poured into the morning. I needed the rest anyway and lied in the sack until 10 a.m. Finally the rain stopped.
8/19-We did not hit the trail until noon and had a tough steep climb to start out. Hiking up the Webster cliff in Crawford Notch is steep. You start at 1280 elevation and go over Webster Cliff, Mt. Webster and Mt. Jackson (4,052’). I continued on from Mizpah Springs Hut where Fred, Bones and Low stopped for the night. I climbed up and over Lake of the Clouds Hut (5,040’) at 7 p.m. for another work for stay.
The wind whistled thru the building all night long and in the morning I could see my breath. The crew got the weather report from the summit of Washington and welcomed us to the first day of winter. The forecast read 31 degrees f, 60 mph winds with gusts to 85, wind-chill at 16 degrees f and fog and ice forming on the rocks. I had no gloves and poked around the shelter looking for something. Finally a member of the crew. Gave me a pair of dish washing gloves. I left Lakes at 9:45 after sweeping out the building.
The 1.4 miles to mt. Washington summit (6288) was a struggle. The wind actually at one point gusted knocking me to the ground. As I struggled to regain my feet on the ground I thought I must start eating more to keep me planted. My fingers numbed as I finally reached the summit and got into the summit cafeteria.
As I waited out this weather at the summit I fell asleep in a chair. Fred and Low arrived after about 2 hrs. The fog lifted and bright sunshine emerged. We set out on a beautiful ridge walk over Madison Hut. We all took many pictures during our trek thru high winds. It was one of those beautiful days you hit a few times a year there was no reason to hurry-just taking in the splender+beauty of the whites. I was assigned to clean out the freezer at Madison during the evening so I could get an early start in the morning.
8/21 Thurs.-I was hiking by 7:20 and went over Madison (53625’). The winds had died to 30-40 mph and it was another beautiful sunny clear day. The AT brought me down into the Great gulf Wilderness area and I finally arrived at Pinkham Base Camp at Rt. 16 where I had lunch before I tackled the steep and rugged Wildcat Ridges. I finally hobbled into Carter Notch Hut after Fred and Low and spent a sleepless night as my knees were screaming at me. I took 1200 mg of vitamin I during the evening with no results.
8/22 Fri.-I left at 7:30 and hiked slowly and cautiously 15.2 miles to meet Sugar Babes at 6:30 p.m. I noticed at Imp shelter where I stopped for lunch that the O.S.U. Boys are now only a day ahead of me. This was another sunny day and nice climbing over Mt. Hight (4675’) and the Carters, with Carter Dome at 4832’
I will not be back on the trail until Monday (8/25) as I am spending the weekend with my family in Maine. I am in Gorham, NH on the trail just 16.5 miles from Maine and 297.9 miles from Mt. K. I am getting closer, but must hit the tough Moahoosuc Range next. Don’t fall!
I have section hiked the AT from Rutland, VT to Monson, ME over the years in preparation for THE BIG HIKE, but never in a straight shot. I now can look at this TOUGH section thru the White Mts. and Mahoosuc Range in the NH-ME border area and rank each hiking section on level of difficulty.
The Old Buzzard ranks #1-The Mahoosuc Range, #2 Kinsman Notch, #3 Wildcat Ridge (from Rt. 16-the Gondola Lift). My knees have been relatively okay until I pushed thru these areas. Now that I am thru this tough section my recommendation is to back off in here. I am having difficulty sleeping at night as my knees keep screaming at me. They do not bother me that much when I am hiking, but keep me up at night, which in turn makes my day exhausting.
Sugar Babes picked me up in Gorham, NH @ 6:30 P.M., Fri.,Aug. 22 and I spent Sat. and Sun. with all my children, son-in-laws, my dog, Luke and of course Sugar Babes. It was great to be with everyone and all weekend was I+I (ice and ibuprofen).
I was back on in Gorham Mon., Aug. 25 at 1:00 P.M. and hiked the 11.8 miles to Gentian Pond Shelter where I spent the night. Tues., Aug. 26 was a KILLER. I hiked for 10 hours thru the Mahoosuc Range beginnings for just 9.6 miles to Full Goose Shelter. I met 2 coal miners from VA + WVA, who have been section hiking this trail for 10 years and want to finish this year. Great guys I have gotten to know over the past few days.
Tues.,Aug. 26 is in my opinion the toughest hiking day of the whole journey 9.7 miles took 11 hours for this Old Buzzard. I did this section last year southbound. Hiking thru Mahoosuc Notch and on up the steep long granite slabs of Mahoosuc Arm is not a cake walk and a place I would not want to be in RAIN! I spent the night in the woods in my tent at Rt. 26 in Grafton Notch. I kept telling hikers from Florida and other southern areas–Maine the Way Hiking Should Be–no one thought it was funny. I could not sleep again as my knees kept me up all night even with 1200 mg. of vitamin I in me.
You can not fight your body and the Old Buzzard knew it was time to back off. I hiked from 8 A.M. to 2:30 and called it a day. I also took a bad tumble #10 coming down the steep section off Little Baldpate Mtn. I survived fall #10 just bruising my arm and twisting my gimpy left knee. NO MORE FALLS PLEASE! The terrain was easier and I finished 10.3 mile for the day and caught a hitch in the back of a pickup on East B Hill Road and am spending the night at the Pine Ellis Hostel. The place has been servicing hikers for 20 years, but had no more vacancies so I am in the old trailor in the back field behind the house.
I had a chicken dinner, a meat ball sub (special on Thurs.), 2 liters of Dr. Pepper, and for dessert a half-gallon of Moose Tracks ICE CREAM! There is nothing like having dinner at the General Store. I resupplied at the same place, took a well needed shower and laundry. Next stop Rangley just 36 miles north. I hope my knees calm down so I can start moving again–Fall comes early up here.
Old Buzzard
Closing in on New Hampshire
Posted on August 13, 2008 by Brad Cook
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Gifford State Park, Vermont, Aug. 8
I was off the trail from July 22-July 31 (9 days) and it was great to get back on August 1 where I left off in Cheshire, Ma. They say the most dangerous animal out here is the deer tick and I agree.
I did not know what to expect after this sickness and time off and started hiking at 1 p.m. Fri, Aug. 1 under beautiful blue skies and sun. I was hiking alone up Mt. Greylock the highest peak in MA and did so with more caution than usual wondering how the old machine would be working. I am on doxycycline for 3 weeks for the tick bite and the doctor warned me about burning up in the sun as this med causes great sensitivity. I am wearing now a long sleeve shirt, safari hat, have sunblcok and my trusty umbrella for protection.
I hiked 11 miles to the Wilbur Clearing Leanto after great views atop Mt. Greylock. I felt like I hadn’t lost my step and spent the night here realizing I was now 599.9 miles from Mt. K and I would cross into VT. Tomorrow. The Old Buzzard was back!
Aug. 2 I only had to hike 3 miles to Rt. 2 and hiked the short distance down the road to a Stop&Shop to buy food and also sat on a bench outside for an hour eating a yogurt, a large raisin bagels, and a qt. of strawberries, banana, 4 pieces of whole wheat bread, handful of raisins, 2 liters of Dr. Pepper and moved on to hike VT.
As I left the parking lot I saw dark clouds moving in. As soon as I hit the VT border at noon the skies opened up. It poured so hard my umbrella could not keep up with the floods. I do not mind the rain itself, but the danger is the footing and trail conditions it creates. I slipped on a slippery rock and fell hard down on my ulna on my right forearm. I lied in the mud thinking I must have broken my arm, but to my surprise my Old Buzzard bone was okay and moved on to Congdon Shelter in the rain ending a 17.1 mile day.
Aug.3-I hike 18.7 miles thru pouring rain to Kid Gore Shelter and am now 563.5 miles from Mt. K. The rivers are getting so full and running so fast with rapids, crossing rivers is getting dangerous and footing is slippery (rock+mud).
Aug. 4-I hiked from Kid gore up and over Mt. Stratton. The sun popped out and I stopped at a stream to wash out a pair of socks+clipped them to the back of my pack to dry, but a half hour later it was raining again. The sun and rain teased me all day and I ended up at Stratton Pond Shelter (15.1 miles) to find a lot of thru-hikers. My 9 days off gave a lot hikers a chance to catch me. I seem to have been in a pocket of no one accept Meatbag and Doxie all thru NJ, NY, CT, and MA. I saw people I had not seen since VA and found out that Freeloader Freddie is only a day ahead. I have not seen him since Hot Springs, NC. I also learned that K-Bomb, Mocassin, and Enoach are just 3 days ahead. The O.S.U. Boys-Pathfinder, Quiet Riot, and 10’ o clock who I have not seen since Trail Days in May are still on the trail and a week in front of me. I love hiking with these kids and the Old Buzzard is going after this bunch and figure I’ll pull them in by the ME border. It would be great to finish with these guys.
Aug. 5-I hiked all day thru mud and wt trail and after 11 miles came to a road crossing. I hitched a ride down to Manchester Center to resupply and get food to eat. I sat in the parking lot and ate ½ gallon of Friendly’s Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Swirl ice cream, a banana, pt. of strawberries, apple, liter of Dr. Pepper and after an hour and a half of eating attacked Mt. Bromley and Peru Peak. This was the 7th ½ gallon I have consumed since leaving Springer, but the first time to do this and then hiking. BIG MISTAKE- I will not describe what happened during the hike from this point. I did 20.7 miles for the day and stayed at Peru Peak Shelter. I spent the night with C.C. Rider and Neon, who I had not seen since PA.
Aug. 6-This had to be the toughest, most miserable, dangerous, and most frustrating day on the trail thus far. I had planned another 20 + day seeing that I had no challenging climbs and relatively flat trail. I’m going after the O.S.U. Boys (Ohio State). We all woke up to pouring rain and just sat in our bags at Peru Peak Shelter staring into the flooding rains realizing this was going to be one horrible day of hiking.
I was last to leave the shelter with my feet in wet socks + my feet in Wal-Mart bags inside my shoes. I found trail conditions the worst I have ever seen in my hiking life. The trail was a river of rapids going up or down hill and on the flats you were walking thru ponds of water. I kept trying to jump from rock to rock in an attempt to keep my feet + shoes somewhat dry. At noon in the pouring rain I again slipped on a rock and fell to the ground in a lake of mud. I again escape tragedy and gave up rock jumping and spend the rest of the day walking thru water up to my shins in spots. Plowing thru lakes and mud was no fun for the rest of this flash flooding day. Two stream crossing became very dangerous as these streams were now rushing rivers of rapids. I stopped and walked up and down one of the rivers trying to find a safe crossing. I was alone and one false step could mean disaster. One of these dangerous crossings had a waterfall with a good thirty foot drop. I finally found a fallen tree upstream and cautiously crawled across and made it, thank god.
I finally ended the day after 14.5 miles at Greenwall Shelter with a young ultra-marathoner doing the LT. I took off my shoes to discover the bottom of my feet bright white in color and pruned up. This young hiker told me to get my feet dry as skin will begin to peel off. I carry a chami to dry my feet, baby powder and anti-fungal cream. I went to work on my sick looking puppies.
I settled in for the night depressed, discouraged and never wanting to get up in the morning. I had had it!
Aug. 7-I left at 8 a.m. in mist wondering how bad the trail would be this day. The ups and downs had less rapids and the trail had much improved. The flats had lakes to walk around, but the rain held off and in wet sogging shoes my mood improved as I hiked on and I decided to put in a long hard day.
I went over the rest of the high peaks in VT including Killington and Pico. My spirits and motivation was back and I rushed thru the mud and water for a big hard day. I hiked from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.-12 hours with short breaks for 23.3 miles to settle in for the night at Churchill Shelter. I was happy and proud of my effort and how I went from one of the lowest points to another high. I am 489.9 miles to Mt. K. The day was cloudy and no worries about keeping out of the sun. As I approached darkness and Churchill the skies opened up again with rain. I met another hiker I had not seen since Maryland.
Aug. 8-Today I only hike 5.2 miles thru mud to Rt. 100 at Gifford State Park where Sugar babes picked me up to attend my niece’s wedding in VT. She was horrified with my condition and looks. I sat on a towel and the windows were opened until the pouring rain came again. Our first stop was the laundry mat. Sugar Babes tried to put me in the washing machine, but I didn’t fit. A shower and shave was next in line.
The wedding was wonderful on the 9th and I am back on the trail the 10th at noon. Only 42 miles to NH. The O.S.U. Boys have 2 more days on me, but I’ll catch em’! The sun is out now, but the forecast again is RAIN!!
OLD BUZZARD
The Cheshire cat
Posted on July 29, 2008 by Brad Cook
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View Larger Map
Check out this slideshow of my trip so far.
Coverage from The Patriot Ledger and The Enterprise
As I sit alone in the basement of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Cheshire, Mass., sheltered from the fury of the thunder and lightning storm I have time to sit and reflect on my adventure thus far. I have put one foot in front of the other for 1,566 miles and have yet 610 tough miles to go. This I know from examining my “Thru-Hiker Handbook,” but more importantly is what this journey has given me.
The wonderful, strong spirited, and adventurous characters I have met on the trail and the helpful, down to earth, trusting people I have come across in the towns and road crossing has rekindled my hope for America. I our regular day to day shuffle it is easy to fall into the trap of despair, to be untrusting of others and the world and hide behind 4 protective walls with our alarm on. There are a lot of wonderful people out here and this is one of the greatest inspirational highlights of the BIG HIKE for me.
The small towns from GA on up north to New England are filled with the true heart and soul of this country and what many have lost in the past 50 years. It seems the old American spirit of neighbor helping neighbor is still alive and strong. The “Trail Magic” I have been lucky enough to come acrossed on the walk will be one the pleasures I will return in the years to come to other “Thrus” struggling to make it to Mt. K. This I know for sure.
Sugar Babes and I hooked up for a couple of days once I hit the New England border in CT. She also brought Luke, our black lab, my best friend and old hiking buddy (12 years=84 dog years) with her. It was great to see old Luke again.
In Dec. 2000 Luke and I stood on the summit of the 2nd highest peak in the Northeast (Mt. Adams) in 80 mph winds with nothing underfoot, but snow, ice and rock. This dog was a real tough mt. goat and it is so sad to see him now. I’m also looking at the Old Buzzard’s future, but I’m not done yet. I’m a shell of my former self or maybe I should rephrase it as a skeleton of my former self as I have lost a good 10 lbs. on my walk so far.
Sugar Babes brought me some dress shorts (waist 33″) so we could go to dinner in a nice place. They slid down off my waist so we had to pin them up so I could get into the restaurant. I ate 2 dinners as I have been doing alot once I hit a town. It seems eating half gallons of ice cream and drinking olive oil just can’t keep up with the caloric demands of the body, but I keep trying. What I really need is my sister-in-law, Janet’s, brownie, vanilla ic cream and chocolate hot sauce. Maybe a pan of brownies, a half gallon of ice cream, and a pint of hot sauce would help each day. I just keep nibbling!
Loneliness of the long-distance hiker
Posted on July 21, 2008 by Brad Cook
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July 9, wed, Day 93- I called my son Tom, and sang Happy B’day to him. I miss him. The hardest part of this whole adventure is the absence of my family. I did not leave the church hostel in Vernon, N.J. until late as I had to hand write an update my adventure as I cannot get to a computer. I had to walk a half mile to the P.O. to mail it home for my son + daughter to type.
I was lucky to get an easy hitch back to the trail and found “Meatbag” and “Doxie”, a young couple from GA, I have seen off and on since VA coming across the road as I got back to the trail. The three of us hiked together on this hot + humid day. With the late start I was lucky to do 17.1 miles. At a road crossing just 2 miles from Wildcat Shelter we hit Bellevalle Farms for some homemade ice cream. We were now in N.Y. I have become concerned about my right ankle as it twisted out again and I fell flat on my face just missing another disaster. This has happened 4 times without warning and I have become most concerned with it.
I met Sampson from N.C. at Wildcat. A nice young thru hiker and talked with him for some time. The bugs were bad and as I was in the shelter being eaten while I tried to rest in the A.M. decided to just get up and hike. I was on the trail by 6 A.M. and with the early start hiked 19.6 miles alone (July 10). This was rugged terrain in N.Y. with some hand over hand sections and a lot of ups and downs. I found myself out of water and alone at the William Brien Memorial Shelter. I have decided to sleep in my tent now due to the increase in bugs.
I have lost my glasses, am also out of aquamira (my chemical system to purify water), lost my sunglasses, have no pages left in my thru hiker book, and have a contact just for my left eye. This is my buzzard eye so I’m all set. I had called Sugar Babes to send new supplies to Fort Montgomery P.O. which I hoped to get tomorrow.
I left very concerned for water on July 11 and decided to hike slower trying not to sweat too much. I also took off early as it was cooler. After 3 hours I ran into a day hiker who gave me 8 oz. of water.
Finally I made it to the summit of Bear Mt. all I had was a $10 bill and found a soda machine that took singles. This is a mountain with a road to the summit and kept asking tourists for change. An older gentleman gave me a $5. - And 5 ones. After 4 Dr. Peppers to rehydrate the gentleman offered to drive me to the P.O in Fort. Montgomery + then back to Bear Mt. summit for my continued hike. This whole day changed quickly with this “Big Magic”
I was on my way down Bear Mt., hiked across the Hudson River and on to the Gray moor Friary. I only did 15.2 miles today but was most thankful to get supplies and WATER!!
I wanted to speak with one of the monks, but I was told they were too busy meditating. I took a cold shower down at the ball field pavilion where thru-hikers are allowed to stay, set up my tent and spend the night alone there.
July 12 was very humid and hot and I struggled to hike 18.9 miles drinking 9 liters of fluids during the day. I had heard there was “Big Trail Magic” at the RPH Shelter and pushed to make it here by 6:15 P.M. A former thru-hiker puts on a huge feed one weekend a year here and I hit it just in time. I had barbecued steak, chicken, pork chops, and liquid refreshment. For dessert I was blessed with strawberry shortcake. I tented for the evening and passed on the steak and eggs breakfast figuring I better force myself to move on or I’d never get out of the RPH party.
July 13 was a great day for hiking, probably the best in a month. It was less humid, cooler, and windy and the trail provided great footing. I hiked 21.9 miles and set up my tent at the edge of the woods in a farmer’s field. It rained all night on my little tent, but tomorrow I walk into CT and will see my Sugar Babes and Luke, my dog, who I have not seen since I left in April. I will be in New England and closer to my home and family, who I miss so much.
July 14 Sugar Babes found me at the Bull Bridge Country Store eating another ½ gallon of Forbidden Chocolate ice cream. It doesn’t get any better than this.
_____________________________________________________________
Blogging the old-fashioned way
Posted on July 21, 2008 by Brad Cook
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Well it’s great to be done with Maryland and PA. About 40 miles of trail in Maryland and 230 in PA. The AT in this 270 mile stretch is UGLY.
This is not what I define as hiking. The challenging climbs were not there with the reward of a beautiful vista. Most of the day you were on flat ground, with now views, climbing over boulders + cliffs or walking on sharp rocks. PA is infamous for rocks.
The joke is that early each spring some sadistic character comes out to sharpen all the rocks for the AT thru-hikers. Walking on these jagged rocks all day was like putting your feet thru a meat grinder. To top this all off the trail in many areas was lined with poison ivy. I want to check and see if this is the state plant of PA.
Port Clinton, PA is considered the “Buzzard” capitol of the Northeast. This town named in my honor was a huge let down. I climbed into town and asked some young boy where I could get a soda. He explained 3 miles away in the town of Hamburg. Confused, I asked him where a store would be. Hamburg he said again. Next question, “Where’s the main street in town.” He said, “You’re looking at it.” PA61 a highway that goes thru the center of town.
Well I thought maybe I could go to a library + get on the computer. Last question, “Where is the library in town?” Answer: “We don’t have one.”
I finally found an outfitter and asked him if they have a parade or some event to honor the buzzard. Negative. He did have fudgicles and I wolfed down an even dozen, (50 cents apiece).
I cannot seem to get to computer as of late and am sending letters to my dear daughter, Samantha, to put this on the site. (This was actually typed by his “DEAR” son TOM…Samantha is very busy with Frankie and handling work.)
July 1 (day 85) I left Port Clinton and hiked 15.2 miles to stay at Ekville Shelter and had gravity fed cold shower and met the Gator from Tampa, FL, who grew up in Scituate, MA.
July 2 (day 86) I hiked 17.4 mi. to Bake Oven, probably the best view in PA.
July 3 (day 87) I only hiked 7.7 miles of the trail and then walled 2 miles on road to Palmerton, PA and met “trail angel” Billy Degan, Jr. who works in Philly with the U.S. Marshalls. Bill and I spent the day together having lunch, etc. I did my laundry and stayed the night at the Jailhouse Hostel in town. Billy brought me all kinds of gear and food. Thanks Bill! He also told me G.R.E.A.T. is going national.
July 4 (day 88) I left Palmerton and hiked 20.4 miles in rain on punishing PA rocks and tired and worn…spent the night in Wind Gap at the Gateway Motel.
July 5 (day89) I again hiked thru punishing rocks to finish my hiking in PA!! PRAISE THE LORD! There were rattlesnake warning in Wolf Rocks (very cliffy), but saw none due to no sunshine. There was a beautiful view of the Delaware River and the last 2 miles to finish PA. I stayed at the church hostel in Delaware Water Gap for the night.
July 6 (day 90) I crossed the Delaware River and was in N.J. and had the thrill of seeing a big rattler lunching down a chipmunk. I got some close-ups as I knew he was going to let that chipmunk go to bit me. He just kept rattling as I snapped some good pics. This was a long day of 24.8 miles and I saw “Newt”, a great young man who graduated from Brown U., in ’06, who I had not seen since the breakup of Trail Days, in Demascus, VA on May 18.
July 7 (day 91) this was one of the toughest days on the trail. It was hot and humid and I went thru 8 quarts of water filled with salt to hike up and down ridges all day for 19.6 miles and slept at High Point Shelter.
July 8 (day 92) this was another miserable day of heat and humidity and it kept raining off and on, but the humidity never left. I hiked 18.9 miles and 2 miles down N.J. 94 stayed at the church hostel in the town of Vernon alone.
Today the 9th of July I will climb a steep upgrade from 94 and 5.1 miles down the trail I will be in NY.
Less than 1,000 miles to go but a rocky path ahead
Posted on July 7, 2008 by Brad Cook
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June 28 (Sat) I hiked alone all day and as the day got late I decided to put my head phones on. This was something I said I would not do in rattle snake land, but the terrain did not look rattle snake inviting to me so I started hiking along to the Rolling Stones. BIG MISTAKE! I almost stepped on him while he was curled up sleeping. This rattler was much bigger then the other one I saw. I went back and woke him up to get some pictures. He got very angry. I tried to open him up with a long stick so I could take a picture of his at least 6′ length, but he would just coil back up and rattle. I made it to Ranch Gap Shelter and finished 17.5 miles for the day.
June 29 (sun) I hiked another 17.4 miles thru great humidity and off and on again rain to the 501 shelter. This is more than a shelter being a totally enclosed crude cabin. I also could take a cold gravity fed shower and CC Rider from Ohio and Hiker Dave from North Carolina and I ordered food from a local pizza place. All we had to do was walk .2 miles to Rt 501 and get it. I ate a whole pizza and drank another 2 liter bottle of sprite. Ah, yes life is good.
June 30 was the day my best friend died. Now he was a classic! My two wonderful brothers and I always seem to reminisce about the old times during family gatherings. The Vermount Route 100 story always seems to come up. I really thought this was the end of my short life as a kid when Big Art told us all to get out of the car during a snow blinding blizzard and push the car. We were in the middle of no where on some road that was closed to vehicles during the winter months. Just another short cut and classic adventure with my never a dull moment father. I miss Big Art.
After a trying 23.7 miles battling the rocks of PA I hiked into The Buzzard Capital of the Northeast (Port Clinton) and stayed overnight at the town pavilion. Thru-hikers for decades have stayed in this covered wooden structure. Daniel Boone, born south of here, once got lost and camped overnight on the riverbank of the Schuylkill River, which runs thru town. He was just 12 years old at the time.
It is now July 1st and I have hiked 1,205.3 miles of the total 2,175 mile AT. I have only 970.9 to go. I am under 1,000 miles, but cautiously do this one step at a time. I realize one bad fall and it is over. I am going into the worst footing in PA and rattle snake country. BE SAFE OLD BUZZARD. BE SAFE!
New pictures
Posted on July 7, 2008 by Brad Cook
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Here are some recent pictures.
Pictures of people from along the trail:
Reaching a milestone:
Trying to capture an angry rattler:
A scenic view:
History on the trail:
Too much ice cream, too little sleep
Posted on July 7, 2008 by Brad Cook
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June 23- June 27 - The night at Ironmaster Mansion may have been my most trying evening. A tradition on the trail for thru-hikers is to try to eat a 1/2 gallon of ice cream at the General Store next door to the Ironmaster. Well, the Buzzard ate a 1/2 gallon 4 different times moving north in preparation to go not for the 1/2, but to eat a whole gallon!
After hiking 24 miles to make it to the Ironmaster and arriving at 6 pm I immediately went for the ice cream challenge as they call it. I announced to the store owner that I was going for a whole gallon of Dutch chocolate. I saw a picture on the wall of the store of some 20 year old hiker, who ate a gallon in 33 minutes and asked if this was a timed event. The response was no and explained that I could eat a lot, but I was a slow eater.
The first 1/2 gallon went down easy and tasted great after a long day on the trail, but the 2nd 1/2 was a different story. The last quart became a struggle and I felt like John Candy in the movie when he ate the 96 oz grizzle and all. I finally got it down, but no picture was taken to put on the wall for my efforts. The owner just kept telling all patrons about how this fool ate a gallon of ice cream for 2 days and his mouth went numb.
The gallon was my dinner and later in the evening I was very thirsty and drank 3 sodas, one being a caffeine product. A Harvard M.D. wrote a book called “Chocolate to Morphine” and compares 10 things in common with cocaine and sugar in their reactions in the human body. That evening I learned first hand what he meant. I couldn’t sleep a wink and bounced around in bed all night feeling like I was going to explode. I am also surprised the other 2 thru-hikers in the room didn’t die with the amount of methane gas released in the room.
Shamrock arose at 5:30 am and so did I to hit the bathroom, which I will not get in detail about. Just use your imagination. All I can say is thank goodness they had a plunger available at the Ironmaster Mansion.
I didn’t know if I would be able to hike that day, but after a brunch of 3 cheeseburgers and a Dr. Pepper (more caffeine) I decided to move on. I hiked about 5 miles with a day hiker down here on business named, Art Gazdik. After Art turned back to get to his car I seemed okay looked at my watch and thought maybe If I pushed the pace I could finish the day with 19 miles and make it to Boiling Springs.
I hobbled into the town at dark and went to the ATC building looking into the Hiker Box (Hikers throw what they want to get rid of in these boxes) for anything I could use. I found a can of sardines in mustard sauce and ate that and an unopened Crunch and munch box. After this I hit the sub shop and had a nice turkey sub which I washed down with a 2 liter bottle of sprite.
I asked around where I could stay the night and cheap scrounger Buzzard headed to the FREE campsite area in a field. I set up my tent after 10pm and climbed in for the night exhausted after my trying night at the Ironmaster and the 19 mile day. Boy, it was great to lie on that soft grass. I really needed to get some Z’s.
Suddenly, I was awaken by a train. It was coming down the track right toward me. What was going on?! I started to think if I was on a train track. In the morning I could see that the FREE tent sight was right next to the track. Freight was brought in all night long and a train would come down the tracks every 30 minutes. All trains stopped at dawn. Great another sleepless night and I was hoping to make it to Duncannon to stay at the famous thru-hiker Hotel “The Doyle”. I didn’t leave Boiling Springs until 9:15 am and crawled into the Doyle until 9pm. This was a tough 25 miles day seeing I had 2 sleepless nights. I was beat!
The Doyle was built around 1900 by Anheuser Bushland. Most of the early thru-hiking pioneers stayed here, and many a hiking tale has been told around the bar on the ground floor of this Victorian 4 story hotel. The place is old and is in need of a great deal of maintance, but what a classic. A private room with a bed is just $25.00
I have been trying to get a picture of the elusive Black Bear and of all places to snap a picture of a bear I never thought it would be on main street in front of the Doyle. I called my brother, Steve, to get the phone # of the “Great American Bear.” He only had his email “Bear 1947″ I hadn’t seen this character for 22 years. I emailed him that evening from the Doyle and just signed it “sincerely #3″. He knew exactly, who #3 was and arrived at the Doyle when the bar opened to have a cold one with the Buzzard at the 11:30 opening time.
It was great to see this Great American Bear after 22 years, We had some wild and wooly times back in 1969 on old Cape Cod. I took a zero day and spent the day catching up on the last 22 years with Bear, his wife and brothers. It was just what this Old Buzzard needed-REST. I slept in a very comfortable bed at Bear’s beautiful home about 25 minutes from Dun Cannon that night and drove me back to the Doyle.
I hiked out of town at 12 noon and got hit by thunder and lightening. I pulled into the Peters Mtn Shelter after just 11.4 miles and called it a day.
keep looking »
