Littleton, NH !

Here on the home front we have been having computer problems! I will update where the hikers are now, and the pictures later!
They made it to Gorham NH on July 6th....when they stepped off the trail there was a message from brother Larry in the sand by the side of the trail! He showed up shortly after to bring them to the post office and to eat ( of course!). Kel didnt know that he would be there, you can imagine how wonderful it was not to have to hike into town 9 miles! They had hiked so many miles in the rain and hail. The trail was like a river at one point. On the 7th they made it to Imp Campground...very cold weather and again walking in the rain. They met a youth conservation group planting trees...Kel said that they did such a great job that it looked natural even freshly planted! He was impressed by their handiwork. They were excited to be working on the trail The next day they were on toward Joe Dodge Lodge and Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. It was overcast and rainy that day,too. The next day (July 9th) they hiked 8 miles all up hill (they ARE in the White Mountains!). They encountered rain, thunderstorms, rugged terrain, and strong wind gusts...one gust of wind actually turned Kel around and knocked him onto his back! He landed on his pack...wow. hey also have had the opportunity to "WORK FOR STAY" a couple of times. They have defrosted a freezer, made bunks, set tables, pick up after meals, all to stay there for the night. What a blessing!On the 10th they hiked Mt Washington...not sure what view that they saw, but there was no rain! I am hoping that Kelly will email us a few lines...he is in Littleton NH tonight for a day or so. Our good friend Doctor Dave is there, and he picked them up at a local McDonalds after the hikers got off trail and hitched up that way! They are enjoying a dry bed tonight, nice hot showers, and great food and great company! We should be able to catch up a bit tomorrow...the communication has not been good through the Whites...we got cut off a lot. that is about all for now...check back for notes from Kel!



STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/6/07...Friday...On trail at 6:30 AM, made it out to the Hogan Rd. at 1:30 PM, squeaking out 11 miles in 7 hours. When we stepped out onto the Hogan Rd., Faithful noticed a great surprise...a note from my brother, Larry, scratched into the dirt! It said that he would be back at 2:00 PM, just a half hour away, and he was! The day had been fairly tough...and we met only a handful of hikers...or DIDN’T meet some of them...there were a couple more called “Doc”, then there was “Silent Paul”, who didn’t stop to speak to us...a lady strolling along, eating trailmix, who also didn’t stop. And then, we did meet “Sarge”. We were at the top of Mt. Hayes, listening to a lot of rolling thunder, and just starting to go down the mountain. Sarge was just cresting the top, and we stopped for a bit to talk...probably not the smartest thing for us to do, with bad weather coming! It was refreshing for us, though, as Sarge was a Christian. I felt energized as he talked about God’s creation, and how magnificent it is. I’m in total agreement! Spend a few weeks on the trail, and you might be in agreement too! We decided that we’d best get hiking before the weather turned on us. We certainly didn’t want to get caught all the way up on top. We said our goodbys to Sarge, then started down. We hadn’t made much progress, when the weather turned on us, quickly. Buckets of rain fell on us in an instant, and I couldn’t have been more wet if I had been swimming in a lake while drinking a gallon of water! Although our pack covers were on our backpacks, they did no noticeable good in keeping our gear dry...and we never had a chance to get our raingear on. Well, we looked on the bright side, and kind of figured that a good downpour could only get us clean! Besides, how much worse could it be? ...the answer to that, of course, is a LOT worse! The trail became an instant brook that we literally had to wade through. ...and, yes, it CAN get worse than that...The rain morphed into many, many fairly large chunks of hail...that were accumulating quickly, and flowing down our trail/stream. We had been thoroughly drenched by the rain, and now were being pelted with ice as we walked down the trail that had become a giant slushie. We were definitely at the lowest of low points...well, almost...lightning suddenly started striking all around us! We got ourselves down off that mountain as quickly and carefully as we could, and made it out to Hogan Rd.! Prayerfully, Sarge got safely off the mountain, also. We saw brother Larry’s note to us, still etched into the dirt road, and, thankfully, the rain let up. It had stopped raining completely in the next half-hour, then Larry showed up. Off we went to a Mexican restaurant for a nice hot meal, then on a hunt for a motel that was not too pricey.
That didn’t go real well, but we finally found a place that wouldn’t totally break the bank. The sun came out, and we got warmed up a little. Larry downloaded my pictures to his computer, and handed me a food resupply from Cari. FOOD!

David was able to get his mail drop at the Post Office. After saying our goodbys, (and thanks, again!) to Larry, we watched him drive off, and we started to settle in to our motel room. The weather had gotten much better, and I sat out front, getting my soggy boots off of my wrinkled feet. Looking up across the parking lot, I noticed a big red truck. There was a couple trying to cover up the load in the back with a tarp, and get it secured. They pretty much had it under control by the time I got my camp shoes on, but I went over and chatted with them anyway. I found that they were from Millinocket, ME. His name was Jammie, a proud Marine, retired from the military. He had served two years in Vietnam. Thank you, Jammie, for your service to all of us. We talked for a while, then I got to thinking that a friend of mine, Eric Nason, lived up there in God’s Country. Eric had attended school with me, at Madison, and we still see each other when he comes home for a visit. Well, I finally asked if they knew of Eric, and they both said, “Sure, we do!”. They said that they didn’t know him well, but they did know him. It is a small world, and getting smaller everyday, don’t you think? We talked some more, and also about the ScriptureStick ministry. I will be sending him a stick with something military on it, specifically Marines, and try to tie that in with some scripture...He, in turn, will make me a cribbage board. He is known as Mr. Cribbage Board, and has shipped his craft all over the world. Unfortunately, this last winter, they lost their home and business to fire, and need to start over. I really enjoyed these folks, and I pray that they will be able to rebuild everything. The hardest thing is all of the personal things that are lost. The hard part with the business is that the inventory was lost. Let’s pray that God will protect them and bless them! Thank you!... Faithful and I got settled in for the night, and tried to get some rest while our gear dried out. Unfortunately, I only got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I was, shall we say, “not well”. I am not sure of the cause, probably the Mexican food, but it did a number on me. The Immodium A-D seems to be helping, and I got a little rest. Hope I am much better when it is time to start hiking! Signing off for now...God Bless.

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/7/07...Saturday...On the move at 10:15 AM, leaving the motel. We went to the outfitter, where I was able to get a new filter for my water purifier. The old filter was kaput, and I was really lucky to be able to purchase the last cartridge that was in stock. Next was a stop at the Post Office. I asked to have my pack weighed, and then regretted asking...with my recently acquired food resupply, it tipped the scale at 48 pounds...YIKES!!!...and “THE WHITES” are looming before me!!!...oh well, I’ll just eat the heavy foods first. We then walked down Route 2, trying to hitch a ride to Hogan Rd. Eventually, after rejection by numerous vehicles, a young lady in a pickup truck pulled over. She had her baby with her, and asked if we would mind riding in the back...Not at all!!! She brought us to the exact spot we needed to go, and we both thanked her very much! We proceeded to hike up to Imp Campsite, which was 9 miles away. Of course, it had to rain! We had our rain gear on, but my pack still got wet, even with the pack cover. On the way up, we stopped at Rattle River Lean-to, and talked with a group from Manchester, NH. They were with the Youth Conservation Association, and had done some amazing work! They had done some replanting in some well worn areas around camp and by the river. Good job! It looks so natural, it was hard to believe. We thanked them for all of their hard work, then were able to share the details of our hike and mission. We gave out several cards, wished them well, and headed out.
(CRITTER!)
Peace out?... VICTORY!






















...think I'll take my picture...









...little foggy!

(MORE CRITTERS!)Later, at Imp shelter, we were again able to hand out many cards to another group of young hikers.

Their leader, Chris,

(Here's CHRIS, in the rain, cooking me BURGERS!)

shared their hamburger with us, and also supplied me with a couple of large, heavy duty plastic bags, to help in protecting my gear from all the rain we encounter. Thanks, Chris, you’re a special person. You set a fine example to the youth in leadership and in fellowship! We had gotten into Imp at about 6:30 PM, cold, wet, and tired...the warm food and kindness was a real blessing! ...Looks like we have covered 9 miles today...in about 8 ¼ hours...and that includes the stop at the outfitter, and the hike out of town. Not too bad. But that isn’t the good news. The good news is that I was able to give out at least 30 ScriptureStick cards...one to EVERY person I met! God is good! May He bless your day, too! Good night, everybody...

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/8/07...Sunday...Raining...Trying to plan the day. What I am sure of, is, it will include hiking, just not sure how far, or when. No hurries today...Good news! Eric, “E.T.” is in shelter with us since last night.
Eric "E.T.", w/Chris

Cari and I had met him in Monson. Real nice guy, and very helpful. He is planning to take it slow today, also. ...back to log later...I’m back...We got out of the shelter at 10:45 AM, in the rain, and hiked 13 grueling miles. I hiked in my sandals for the second day in a row, as my boots, and everything else, are soaked to the point of becoming mushy.
ONE!TWO!


THREE...YIPEEE!

After the first 7 miles, we got to Carter Notch Hut.
(See it in the valley?) That is one of the Huts of the AMC’s Hut System. Our plan was to stay there for the night...


...not so! Our stop was brief, with our moving on after being told that it would be $90+ dollars EACH to stay in a bunk, dinner and breakfast included... Two young ladies, that were working as caretakers of the hut, told us that we could do “work for stay” (and meals) at some of the huts...but they couldn’t let us, because someone else had done work for stay yesterday. We pleaded with them...no. We were soaked to the bone, and the fire felt incredibly good, but Daddy Warbucks I’m not! Out we went, to trudge another 6 miles... The last couple of miles were steep downhill,

and rugged, and we had to use our headlamps towards the last of it.

We arrived at the Pinkham’s Notch Visitor Center at 9:45 PM, making 13 miles in 11 hours. Located beside the Visitor Center is the Joe Dodge Lodge. Although it was late, Faithful and I took a chance. (Eric had gotten ahead of us...). I rang the bell, to summon the desk clerk, and “poof!”, he was there in a flash! He wanted to know if we had reservations. “Oh, oh!”, I thought, as my heart sank. I shivered from being soaked all day, and as I looked down, I realized that my feet were bleeding nicely. I guess it was a bit rougher than I thought, coming down the mountain. I explained to him that we were attempting a SOBO hike, had no reservations, and were hopeful that they might be able to give us some “work for stay”, or provide some discount. He explained to us that they didn’t do “work for stay”, the charge for a night was almost $70 each, and he figured that the only thing that he could do for us would be to give us a free nights stay...WHAT?!?... I couldn’t believe it! He was also going to give us vouchers for the AYCE breakfast, but I insisted that we could cover the $7 each for that! God is good, and placed this young man, Charles, in the place where we needed help so badly...I’m amazed. He may indeed have been an angel! He set us up in our own room, with bunks, heat, reading lights, etc., and directed us to an adjacent bathroom/shower facility. After a wonderful, relaxing, shower, I headed down to the lounge area, where there was a huge fireplace to enjoy. There was no one else up at this hour, so I went and got my boots, and dried them by the fire. I know that I will sleep like a baby tonight, and walk with happy feet tomorrow! Thanks, Charles, for giving us a much needed and much appreciated break. I asked Charles to drop Cari an E-mail with his address, and we would send him a ScriptureStick. He seemed interested in checking out the site, and I hope to hear from him. He was the definite highlight of our day! ...We saw no other hikers at all today. Most likely, they were not on the move because of the constant rain. They should be out and about tomorrow. God has richly blessed us on this day, and I pray He blessed you too! Time for some shuteye! Good night...

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/9/07...Monday...Up early this morning, packed, out of our rooms, and into the AYCE breakfast by 7:30 AM! It was a wonderful time of eating...and eating...and eating. We got to do some chatting with a few other hikers after we ate, and to our surprise, E.T. showed up. We thought he must be long gone down trail, and were happy to sit with him while he ate. It also gave me good cause to sip on another cup of coffee. E.T. had gotten in to Pinkham’s Notch about an hour or more ahead of us last night. He had found a decent place to pitch his tent, out in back of the Visitor Center, on an old X-country ski trail. He said that he was comfortable enough through the night, but sure wished he had checked into the Joe Dodge Lodge with us. As we sat there planning the day, it started to rain...hard! The vote was unanimous...we would wait for it to pass. We checked on the weather in the Visitor’s Center, and it didn’t encourage us. So, when there was a break in the storm, we all decided to get ready to go. We didn’t get started out as a group, and we figured that E.T. had gotten a jump on us...hopefully we would see him later! We were able to get on the trail at 9:45 AM, going up past Osgood Tentsite, and put a good push on, to get over Mt. Madison, to Madison Springs Hut. (The elevation of the floor at Madison Springs Hut is 4,804 ft.). We arrived at the hut at 4:30 PM, and actually covered a distance of 8 miles in 6 ¾ hours. That was quite amazing, as we had to battle rain, lightning, and high winds. We had slowed our pace on our climb, hoping that the rain, or at least the lightning, would stop before we got above treeline. Well, it let up, and cleared a little, and the lightning had stopped, so we went for it. It was taking a bit of a chance, as we still had to make about three more miles, up and over Mt. Madison, and we would be fully exposed to the weather. It actually got better for a bit, and we were able to get a couple of pictures. We met some folks along the way! Here's some pic's of them... and us!

Then, just before the top, the winds became severe, and we also got completely clouded in. We weren’t soaked, just very damp. Faithful was hiking in his raingear,
I was still hiking in shorts and a light shirt, as I wasn’t too cold. As we crested, the winds got much worse, with some incredible gusts.
At one point, I placed my hiking poles apart, and braced, with my legs apart, also. I got as low as I could, still on my feet, in a four-point stance. It was to no avail...I was having quite a time trying to stay put, when, all of a sudden, a big gust caught me broadside. It lifted me off of my feet, turned me almost 360 degrees, and landed me on the rocks! Wow! What a ride! Fortunately, Faithful was pushing on, and was a little bit further downhill, and avoided getting hit full force with that one. We continued making our way downward, and when I saw the




















hut below, I was overjoyed. I couldn’t wait to get out of the wind, but the best part, I thought, was that I was still relatively dry! Yippeee! ...Ah, the mountains! They can NEVER be trusted...I was almost to the hut, maybe a hundred and fifty yards, or less, when the sky let loose on us. We were hit hard, again, with high winds, pea soup clouds, ...and some mighty wicked rain. I was instantly soaked, like being thrown into a pond. Oh, well, not too far to go...I heard something behind me, another hiker. I turned, and to my surprise, it was E.T.! He had actually left after us, not before.



We all walked into the crowded hut together.


There were about 50 people there, by my count, and that didn’t include the Hut Crew.










(Pics of HUT CROO putting on a skit!)


We talked to one of the crew, Brian, who, we found out, attended Bates College in Maine. He did a quick check with the Hutmaster, and to our surprise, said that we could ALL work for stay! YIPPEEE, AGAIN!!! Now, these folks, they were very thruhiker friendly! First, they spelled out the rules...we would be eating after everyone else, with the crew. Also, we didn’t get to have a bunk. We would be sleeping on the dining room floor. And, of course, we would all do some chores. First, we got to set up all the tables with dishes, bowls, flatware, condiments, water, juice, and the like. That was actually a good time, as we got to work as a team, and get to know each other. It was fun setting up, and although we are all “roughing it”, it was stressed that it was of utmost importance to correctly set the table. As one of the crew said, “We are not savages!!!”. After table set up, one of the crew offered up another job. He didn’t say what it was, but did say it would be cold. We all looked at each other, with some trepidation, as we were already cold and wet. There were four of us standing there, hoping someone would volunteer. No one in their right mind would WANT to be more cold! So, I decided that I was probably the man for the job. I said that I would do it, and I was led, outside, to a small building. Inside was a good-sized freezer. It needed to be defrosted. I took all of the food out, and got started, scraping, gently, all of the frost from it’s interior. After I was done, I put the food all back, reorganizing it for easy access. The great thing about my task...aside from having your arms inside a freezer, the inside of the building was really quite warm...warmer than the hut. When I was done, I was told that I had done my share, and that I was free to leave in the morning, whenever I wanted. I am welcome for breakfast, though. I plan on helping the others clean up after breakfast, then we can all hike out together, and try to hike on over to Lakes of the Clouds Hut. I got to have some wonderful conversation with some wonderful people today. I even got to share a bit about Christianity, and gave out several cards. Well, it was “lights out” at 9:30 PM (Hut rules), and headlamps only, after that. It is now 11:00 PM, and I need to be up at 5:00 AM to get my gear up off the dining room floor, so people can eat. The saga continues tomorrow! God Bless you all, especially all you Trail Angels. Good night.

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/10/07...Tuesday...Hoping it's sunny on top!




We got out of Madison Springs Hut a little late today, as we stayed to do a few more chores. We were on the trail about 9:30 AM, and faced a rugged hike, all rock scramble.(Looking forward...)











(Looking back...)
















Which way???


"FAITHFUL"







That way!





Croo member Brian, hiking to next hut in the hiking fashion of the day!



FAITHFUL on rocky ground...



Hello, E.T.!











As you hike along, you will occasionally come across a brass plaque, or other marker, commemorating an event, or honoring a person...








Group of hikers, and FAITHFUL




We did, however, make it all the way to the top of Mt. Washington, with NO RAIN! We had hiked almost 6 miles, with many great views.


(We HIKED up here!?!)


Mt. Washington was magnificent, standing tall, at 6,288 feet in elevation. I was able to get some great pictures, including some of three of the trains of the old cog railway.














That's a REALLY old trail!




We have a long way to go!









But we've come a long way!!!




Up at the top, we got ourselves some food, checked the weather, and purchased a few postcards to send out. I sat by the window, enjoying the sunny view, and when I finished making out my postcards, I walked to the next room to mail them. When I walked back into the dining room, I was astonished to look out the window and see lots of rain, turning to hail, then into a fantastic thunderstorm. Our friend, E.T., had left already, to try to make it to Mizpah Hut. We were concerned, as he certainly was caught in a dangerous situation. We waited it out, and were treated to a superb rainbow show!


We did a quick weather check, and were told that we had a very small window before the next round of bad weather. We grabbed our gear and headed for the door. By the time we got outside, we were in a cloud again, and could only see three or four feet in front of us. We couldn’t find the trail.

Soggy hikers!


Someone appeared out of the cloud and I asked how to get to the trail. They said that it was by the towers. I couldn’t SEE the towers...or buildings...or anything else. We walked cautiously until we came to a building. There was a big sign on it that told us where the trail was. We guessed the correct direction, and passed by the base of a tower. Piece of cake! Once we actually found the trail, we started to go down-mountain, walking in another one of those stream-trails. We soon got below the clouds, and things were a little easier. We made a mad dash for Lake of the Clouds Hut, which was 1 ½ miles down.

We made it!


We didn’t feel as though we should try for Mizpah Hut, as that would be another 4 ½ miles, and there was another storm cell on its way. We were offered work for stay again, and will gladly take our place on the dining room floor tonight. We are also overjoyed to spend time with another lively CROO! Here they are, in the kitchen!






Look closely... they aren't just cooking!










They're making MUSIC!




We were very happy to finish 7 ½ miles today, and if my feet hold together tomorrow, we will try to do 11 miles, out to Rt. 302, Crawford Notch. If we can get there, I will try to get in touch with Brave Dave, up in Littleton, NH, and see if he might put us up for a night, if we can get a ride there. He is on call until Friday night, so he won’t be able to come get us. Brave Dave, also known as “Doc” Ferris, was my Doctor, back in Madison, ME. More importantly, he is my friend, and we have had some great times together! Sure hope to see him! Anyway, I need to get my feet healed up just a bit. They are pretty raw as of the moment, and the abrasions aren’t getting a chance to heal. They are pretty torn up and blistered from days of wet boots, and having to come down Wildcat Mtn. in sandals because my feet couldn’t take being in soggy boots anymore. I’m sure that I will heal up just fine, eventually, but I desperately need to dry out my feet for a day or two...and I need to wash my socks and such. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We have had a pleasant evening with all sorts of folks, some section hikers, some here for the Whites, and some thru-hikers, We even have some hikers here that we had met while we were in Northern Maine, Warraghiyagey and Brit. Also, Smokey, who we met at Chairback Gap, is here. So nice to see these folks again! I got to share our ministry with some of these people, and gave out a few cards. I pray that this ministry is effective, and that at least one person would be moved to seek the Lord! I’m feeling pretty blessed these days...hope God is blessing you too! Now, I’m waaaay tired, so good night to all of you...

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/11/07...Wednesday...I got up at 5:30 AM, tried to spend a little time giving my feet some TLC and first aid. I am SO not looking forward to walking today, but I don’t have any other option. I got all of my gear and sleeping bag picked up from the dining room floor, where the “work for stay” thru-hikers sleep. After the breakfast is served to the guests, the “Hut Crew” have their meal, then the “work for stay” folks get to eat (feast) on all of the leftovers. I guess it is some sort of “food chain”, don’t you think? I would be a bottom feeder...Seriously, though, the crew treat us SO well, it is incredible...and not having to pay the $90 or more a night is wonderful! Thanks crew!... For our part, after we are finished eating, we do all of the chores asked of us. Today, they asked us to sweep the dining room and fold all of the blankets in the bunks. We all pitched in, even those that had already done their chores. Faithful and I swept the entire building! ...dining room, common areas, bathrooms, bunkhouses, kitchen, and every other place we could find to sweep. The croo couldn’t believe it...they told us that that much work was not expected from us, that nobody ever did such a good job! At the same time, Warrhigiyaggy folded all of the blankets, by himself...and we all felt it was the least we could do. Before leaving, we were sure to tip the croo for their kindness to us, then Beth, the “croo leader”, wrote a note that I was to carry to Mizpah Hut for her. I believe it was a request that we would be provided with a “work for stay” spot, if needed, and to treat us well! Thanks to Beth and Croo, and to all the good folks at all the Huts...you folks are AMAZING!...We did finally get on trail at about 10:00AM,


(met some friendly hikers)



and trekked from Lake of the Clouds Hut to Mizpah Hut, where we relaxed, and I got to have a nice cup of coffee. Pyro, Brit, Warrhigiyaggy, and E.T. had arrived shortly before us, and we lingered together and chatted a bit. Then, it was onward, heading for Rt. 302.


Here, we meet a group of teachers... some retired, who get together for an adventure every year! Let's step aside, ladies first!





I had the distinct pleasure to hike for quite a while with “Brit”, a wonderfully kind man (from England, of course), who can only be described as a devout adventurer. He shared his knowledge of hiking techniques, breathing, pace setting, injury prevention, and other strategies with me. Thanks, Brit! I have gained so much knowledge from Brit, and others, on nearly a daily basis, and I feel like it is all “coming together” for me. Yup, there is a lot more to distance hiking than hiking! ...Brit and I eventually got separated...which basically means that I could no longer keep up with his swift and fluid pace! Thankfully, though, Faithful slowed his pace, and dropped back a bit to hike more closely with me. He certainly has been Faithful.

Here's Faithful!


We pushed on, in an 11 mile descent, to find Rt, 302 waiting for us at the bottom. We arrived there at about 5:30 PM, having made 11 miles in 7 ½ hours. Whew!


Today, the trail held many ups and downs...including Mt. Monroe, Mt. Franklin, Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Clinton, Mt. Jackson, and Mt. Webster. Did I leave anyone out?!? We didn’t summit all of these, some of them were “near summits”, with the trail playfully going close to, then around the summit, rather than over. Truthfully, we were not at all disappointed!

Our “Grand Finish” was a very steep 2 mile downhill off of the spectacular Webster Cliffs, ending at Rt. 302. To our surprise, Warrighiyaggy was there, waiting for us to show up. (Sorry about the variations in spelling your name...I don’t quite grasp it yet!). The others had gotten a ride to Dry River Campground, where they would stay for the night. He had stayed behind to let us know, in case we wanted to catch a ride that way, too. Thank you, my friend, you are so kind, and thoughtful! There are so many good things in this hiking community...and you are a shining example of that goodness!

Our plan, however, was to go the opposite way,

and try to catch a ride to Littleton. He got his ride, and we said our “goodbyes/see you down the trail”. Our immediate hope was to catch a ride into Littleton, and see if my friend Doc “Brave Dave” Ferris might take in a couple of strays on short notice. I thought I might be able to get a call to him, but “rats!”, no reception. So...on Faith, we decided to go there anyway! We didn’t even know if he was in town. Our hitch-hiking attempt seemed futile. Several cars had passed us by, most likely because we had been hiking in the rain. Then, a wonderful lady named Juliet, who had just passed us by, had a “change of heart”. She turned around and came back to pick us up. She said that she wasn’t sure what made her come back, but she did, and we are thankful for her. She was headed to a conference in Toronto and was in quite a hurry, needing to cover a lot of highway in a short time...but she kindly went out of her way, not just stopping for us, but getting off the highway to deposit us in the Town of Littleton...at a McDonald’s. Yes, Juliet, if you should ever doubt, you ARE WONDERFUL! I wish you all the best with your Chiropractic career, and ask for God’s Blessings for you and your new son. Well, after much thanks, and a quick prayer for safe travel for Juliet, she was on her way to Toronto, and we were at MickyD’s!
Sounds like a good opportunity for a little snackeroo! We placed an order, and having phone reception, I also placed a call to my buddy, Brave Dave...no answer...so I left him a message, got our meal, and relaxed. Dave did get back to us, saying that we were more than welcome to stay with him, and that he would come and get us. Hooray! We warmed up, enjoying our meal, and waited.

While we waited, we got to meet a nice Christian family from Pensacola, Florida. They will be in touch through the website, and maybe we can have their youth group give out some ScriptureSticks. (Note: send him stick...”I can do all things...”). We enjoyed our conversation with them, and time passed quickly.

Then Dave showed up, and we had a bit of a reunion! It has been so long, yet in some ways, just yesterday that we had seen each other. It has been close to 10 months, but when you think of someone often, they stay close. Dave treated us so well! Warm showers, clean clothes, soft beds. But mostly, it was just great to see him! Thank you, Dave, for your kindness, compassion, and great company...we will enjoy some more time with you tomorrow night! Thanks again, Dave...and thanks again to Brit, Warrighiyaggey, “the croo”, Juliet, and all the rest of you that were part of our path today. God Bless you all!

Stickman

Almost to Gorham, NH

Kelly left a message at about 4:30pm to say that they are almost to the Gentian Pond Campsite. From there, they are about 12 miles or so from Gorham New Hampshire! They will hike into town to the post office to get a package there for Dave...they will be in their second state!!! Only 12 more to go!

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/5/07...Thursday...We were out on the trail by 8:30 AM, with threatening skies. We were hopeful to do a few extra miles today, but from Full Goose Shelter to Gentian Pond Campsite was about all we had time to do. We got to Gentian Pond at 5:30 PM, having hiked just over 9 miles in 9 hours. There isn’t much in the way of “flat”, or easy hiking. It’s pretty much a hard, steep climb, followed by a harder, steep, descent. And I’m sure that we would have enjoyed the days hiking much more if we’d had a little less clouds and a lot more sun. We certainly didn’t get to see much in the way of views...For that matter, we didn’t get to view many hikers, either. There was one group of High School aged girls out doing a section hike, sponsored by a college located in Massachusetts. There were also a couple of other sectioners. Tonight, we enjoy the company of two NOBO’s, Doc and Compass. They are getting anxious to reach Katahdin. I had a pleasant conversation with them both, and Compass and I talked a bit about our beliefs. Thank you, Compass, for being candid with me. (I don’t believe that he will mind my writing down a brief profile of his thoughts, as they are not different from so many others that we meet)...here goes...He considers himself an agnostic, or someone who doesn’t believe that there is a knowable God. He, therefore, does not claim that there is a God. He also cannot, and does not claim that there is no God. He was raised in Church, and says that he holds no bitterness regarding religion in his upbringing, but rather considers that a part of his base of knowledge. He is a very well read person, and has some knowledge of the Bible. He is capable of quoting scripture, but refused a gift from me of a New Testament. He likes the wisdom and teachings of the Dalai Lama (the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism), as he considers those teachings to be of a “straightforward” nature...Thanks, again, Compass, for sharing yourself with me. Many people don’t, including some that would claim to embrace Christianity. I decided to write this down to illustrate to you all what one hikers’ view might be. It is all quite typical, out here, and back in the “real world”, where you all are. Perhaps this is a reflection of yourself, before becoming a Christian. So, anyway, Compass, my prayers go with you, as you continue on to Katahdin, and as you walk the journey of life. God Bless!... By the way, Compass and I agree in at least one area. If the “real world” was more like the “trail world”, everyone would benefit. I hope to bring back some of the good, positive attitudes that are found along the trail.

Not much else to write...I was going to try to phone home, but the cellphone battery is low. I will have to get a recharge in Gorham, NH...Oh, yeah! We are actually IN NH TODAY! It was great to get Maine under our belts, felt so good. We will have to do 12 miles tomorrow, if we are to get into Gorham. Faithful has a maildrop there, so we need to try to make it to the Post Office before it closes. We will try to get up earlier in the AM, and try to get a good jump on the day. We will have three prominent uphill elevation changes to conquer, with three drops. It looks like the elevation changes are 800’, 600’, and one at 1700’. It looks like a fairly easy day, but not if I don’t get any sleep. Looks like it is only 8:30 PM right now, so I could get a real good nights’ sleep if I start now...Good night, God Bless!

Stickman

They Are on The Trail Again!

As of Tuesday morning Stickman and Faithful are on the trail again! Dave and his parents drove down Monday night and stayed with Pastor Al and Margaret in Andover, Me. Larry drove Kel down Tuesday morning to join them. They were on the trail about 10:45 with Dan and Lillian along to hike to the falls...a spot that they had hiked with Dave and his brother Jonathan when they were small! Just think....all these years later and here they are again! So Cool.
Now, here it is the 4thof July and we just received a call at about noon that they are up on top of Old Speck Mountain at Grafton Notch, Me. Old Speck is the 3rd highest peak in Maine, with an elevation of 4180 feet. It is located in the White Mountain National Park, with a 360 panoramic view of the Maine and New Hampshire countryside. I can only imagine how beautiful it is there...and, we WILL see pictures! Can't wait. The views do inspire me...I may become more of a hiker...it is so tempting!

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/3/07...Tuesday...We’re back on the trail again, today. I had a hard time leaving home, will miss my wife and kids (adult kids, but still kids!), and the birth of our next grandchild. All will be OK, though...Larry brought me back over to Andover, ME, to meet up with Faithful. He and his folks were already over there, at Pastor Al’s place. Thanks, Larry!...I think that we had gotten back on trail at about 10:30 AM, and Faithfuls parents, Dan and Lillian, hiked in with us. We all hiked together up to Dunn’s Falls, a place very familier to the Barnes family, and then Faithful and I continued on alone. We had another pleasant day of hiking, and reached Baldpate Lean-to, at a distance of a little over 8 miles. Our hiking time was just under 8 hours, as we stopped hiking at 6:15 PM. It had been a pretty tough day of hiking. The initial mile was mostly downhill, then a three mile climb up over Surplus Mtn., and a steep ½ mile after that. Next on the plate was a very steep two miles up to the east peak of Baldpate Mtn., and a quick, one mile, “down and up”, that took us to the top of the West Peak. The rest, as they say, was “downhill all the way”, and I do mean downhill! After working our way downhill for the last mile, we put the brakes on, and finally stopped at Baldpate Lean-to. My feet and knees were having a tough time with it all, but we made it, and the views were fantastic!...Again, we had the opportunity to meet some great people out here. Most of our encounters were very brief, but we still had many hikers stop long enough to say hello, and accept a card from me. I pray that they will take a moment to visit the website when they get to civilization....Spent a little time at camp conversing with “New Hampshire Mary” and her hiking partner. Oops!, sorry, the name escapes me. Sure wish I had a tad bit better memory...Got a sweet fire going this evening, and found it quite fit for cooking on. Why is it that even boiled water tastes better when boiled over a campfire?!? Sure seems that way, doesn’t it!? Just add Ramen Noodles, and SHAZAM!!! Life seems to be so much better when lived so much more simply...Well, the belly is full, and the eyelids are getting heavy, dancing to the flicker of the waning fire. Must be that time...LIGHTS OUT!...and of course, may God richly bless all of you...g’night!

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/4/07...Wednesday...Up and about at 6:30 AM, and rolled out onto the trail at 7:45 AM. Put in a fairly tough trek today, but legs and feet are feeling fine. We managed 12 miles today, in 12 ½ hours, ending the day at 8:15 PM. What we were able to tackle today was awesome! Initially, we dropped down from Baldpate Lean-to to Rt. 26, then went up the enormous, (and steep), Old Speck Mtn., which crests at a little better than 4000 ft. There were some bumpy ups and downs while we were up there, finally cresting the Mahoosuc Arm, and coming back down to struggle in the Mahoosuc Notch. That stretch extends for a mile or more, and seems to live up to it’s reputation for being a major challenge. Some say that it is the toughest mile that will be encountered on the whole distance of the AT. I hope so! WHEW!!!...We passed by a moose carcass in the Notch. We had been getting several reports on it’s status, and it finally expired not long before we passed by it. It had taken a bad fall, into one of the many voids in the boulder field, and although it was not a very deep hole, it was unable to get back up on it’s feet. The poor moose had a large gash on it’s neck, and, I suspect, at least one broken leg. We sure hated to see that, and certainly didn’t like the fact that the animal had suffered greatly...but that is the way of the wild. It was a harsh reminder to all of the hikers that passed by, as to what one good fall can do...At any rate, the Notch was quite a rock scramble, with a lot of climbing over, and crawling under. It was kind of scary and fun at the same time! We also saw lots of ice caves, and other neat features...As the weather was starting to turn on us, we pushed to finish that stretch, and then got up and over Fulling Mill Mtn. That put us at Full Goose Shelter, and it started to rain...hard...just made it! Got our water, cooked up a meal, then crawled into our bags to get warmed up, and stay dry. We met quite a few NOBO’s today and yesterday. We met a Brit who was doing a section hike, and others, including Tricycle and Salamander. Lot’s of hikers stopped to talk, and take a card, but others, mostly the NOBO’s, were in a bit of a hurry...they’re gettin’ the itch for Katahdin!...Well, it’s quite late, and I need to recharge...so I will close, with a big God Bless to all of you!

Stickman

A few days off

The hikers made it!! Katahdin! They have hiked some 256+ miles in about 3 weeks, and they made it up and back down the mountain on Wednesday! Larry met them at the Katahadin Stream Campground Tuesday night,with more good food of course, and had a great time catching up. After a good night's sleep, they headed out at about 6:45 am. Larry drove around to the trail's end and spent the day at the base of the mountain, doing computer work, reading,took a swim,and chatting with Rangers and hikers. They climbed the Hunt trail and decended on the Saddle Trail to Chimney Pond, to Roaring Brook Camp. What a climb! They met so many wonderful people from all over...Illinois, Maine, Montreal, Germany,England, New Hampshire, and more. Larry drove them home through thunder storms (almost lost the kayak off the truck because of the high winds). They will be off trail for a few days visiting friends and family and plan to be back on the trail next week. Kelly will be adding a few trail notes while he is home, so check the past posts next week!

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...6/28/07...Thursday...through 7/2/07...Monday...Getting some “zeros” in...I’m getting as much of Chris Roy’s “Kennebec Ice Cream” into me as is possible, and when I’m not eating ice cream, I’m trying to hook up with a few friends, and get a few ScriptureSticks sanded. All of you take care, and God Bless!

Stickman

Katahdin!

The hikers have made great time and have enjoyed the remainder of the hike through Maine. Today, Wed., they plan to finally hike "The Mountain....Katahadin", in Baxter State Park! Larry traveled up Tuesday to greet the hikers and spend the evening catching up, feeding them, and hearing their stories of the trail. Today is a very exciting day! We are praying the threatening thunder storms will stay away. Kelly reminded me that the mountains have their own weather and who knows if they will be able to even hike it. Lillian (Dave's mom) will be heading up this morning with a couple of gals from the youth group to do some hiking and be there to meet the hikers . If all goes well, they will be home late tonight and will probably be back on trail in Andover on Monday. WOW. What a journey...and they will be heading south for more adventure. Kelly will blog trail notes while he is home, so we will get more information on the actual hike. Pray for good weather!!!!!!
By the way, Huck took the picture of the moose...it was peering down at him in his tiny backpacker tent, possibly wondering what the strange creature there on the ground was! What a great pic! Huck, you were so brave!

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...6/24/07...Sunday...AHHH!, What a wonderful day! We had no expectations for the day, no big miles either...We took our time, and our day was blessed. We got up and got our packs together, then headed up to the lodge to have breakfast at 8:00AM. We had a wonderful conversation with Bill, as he cooked, and we ate. Delicious! Bill gave us a bit of a rundown on some of the history of White House Landing, and other interesting tidbits. His wife, Linda, and son, Ben, also showed up while we were eating. We had a good time with them, then readied ourselves for the boat ride back to the opposite shore. We had a lot of walking before us, and Bill and Linda were needing to prepare for 11 visitors who were to be arriving soon...(and probably a few more hikers will show up, if we did a good job of convincing them as to what a great place it was!). Our stay was very relaxing, and I would hope to have the chance to visit again, someday. We took our time today, leaving White House Landing for the trail at 9:30 AM. We met very few hikers for quite a while, many of them may have bypassed us while we were having breakfast. We stopped at Nahmakanta Lake for awhile, and just relaxed. We snacked a bit, and I cooled my feet in the water. Then this fella, Don showed up, with three of his children. We chatted some about fishing, (there are some BIG fish in the stream!), and about his children, being involved with sports, etc....they were from Dover, Maine, and I mentioned that we, (Madison), used to play against Dover-Foxcroft Academy, during the football season, and maybe still did. He thought that we played against each other, too, and commented that D-F Academy had been a powerhouse in recent years, under the coaching of Paul Withee...Now, I had found a connection! Paul is a Madison native, and my wife and I had attended school with him. I asked Don if he ever sees Paul, and he figured at least twice a week. I gave Don a couple of my cards, and asked him to pass one along to Paul, and let him know that we think of him fondly. We got to talk a bit longer, then we hit the trail again, headed for the crest of Nesuntabunt Mtn. . ...Beautiful hike! The trail is interesting and difficult, and interspersed with wonderful views of the “Big K”...No, not ME, Katahdin!!!...It was beginning to get on in the day, so we started on our way down....OOPS! Oh yes, can’t forget the hikers that we met at Wadleigh Stream Lean-to, and at the base of the mountain that we had just begun to climb...There was the “Mississippi Three”, John and his two friends, that are finishing the section at Katahdin. We stopped to chat, and wished them well, and a great hike...As we began to pick our way up Nesuntabunt, we met Scott, and chatted with him, also...then, we started up the mountain. After hiking a bit, I thought I heard singing...sometimes it is “only in my head”, so I listened hard! It got louder! All of a sudden, we happened upon the singer, Tina, who was doing a SOBO hike. I think that we may have startled her a bit, as she was singing along to her MP3 player, and couldn’t hear us. I verified that, in fact, she had been singing, and that the song being sung was “ ‘tis so sweet to trust in Jesus”. We shared that we were all Christians, and told her about our missions trip. I gave her our card, and she will be in contact. Then, she shared with us the details of her hike. She is hiking to raise funds for a woman’s shelter...AWESOME! She was going to stay at Wadleigh tonight, and I suggested White House Landing as a destination for tomorrow. With her funds being way limited, she didn’t think that she should...so I made a small donation to the cause, to help her out with the costs...I hope she has a wonderful hike, and that she is able to raise the badly needed funds for the ministry that she is involved with! Thank you, Tina from Tennessee, you were a bright spot in my day!...Hiking on, it was getting pretty late. We still had about 7 ½ miles to go to get to Rainbow Stream Lean-to, hopefully before it was too dark. We did well, arriving at 9:00PM, with me just at the point of having to turn on my headlamp. We were able to do 17 miles in 11 ½ hours, and pretty much had taken our time doing it. We were dead tired, though, and called it a night, with no cooking, just a light snack. It’s lights out, John Boy...good night and God Bless!!!

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...6/25/07...Monday...Dragging our feet a little bit on this fine morning? You bet! We got up a little late, then chatted with “Sapra”, who had tented nearby. His name is Peruvian for “Beard”. He had spent a couple of years there in the high Andes, with the Peace Corps, and was the only person there having a beard. Real nice guy, hope he has a wonderful hike. In the shelter were a few odds and ends that someone had left, to be picked up by other hikers. Apparently, it is very common that a hiker will leave the trail, or just lighten their load, and leave the goods at a shelter, to the benefit of a fellow hiker. One of the items that had been left was a very nice headlamp...much nicer, and brighter than the one I was carrying. Sapra suggested that it would be good etiquette if I was to take the lamp, and leave my lamp in its’ stead. I was about to do just that, when a better opportunity presented itself. Bobby Lee, from Nevada, had just showed up with a lady hiker, (sorry, forgot name)...Seeing as Bobby Lee had no light at all, I kept my old one, and gave him the new one. God always seems to provide, and has helped me many times to show some small act of kindness. Bobby Lee was an entertaining character, and we enjoyed his company very much. As we were finally leaving camp to jump back on trail, we received a nice thank you from Bobby Lee, and he said that he hoped that God would bless our trip...He just did, Bobby Lee, He just did! ...Later, we came across “Smiles”, a young man who recently had left the Army...(By the way, Smiles, if I did not thank you for your service to me and the rest of the country, please accept my apology. I am so grateful to you, and to all of our servicemen and women!)...Now, you can probably figure how he got his trail name...he SMILES! And, that makes everyone else smile! It’s infectious! Try it sometime!!! Now, here is the real interesting part of our meeting...Smiles was heading SOBO, but stated that he had completed more than 800 miles...that just didn’t make sense to me, unless he was flip-flopping, which he wasn’t! Here’s the deal...He had gotten out of the Army in March, and started hiking in April. Yeah...from Indiana to Maine. That was his “warm-up walk”, so to speak. 800 miles. It seems that when he was hiking East, he came upon the Trail, took a left, and headed North to Katahdin. After he summited, he started hiking SOBO, heading for Georgia. I asked what his plans were when he got to Springer Mtn., Georgia, and he said that he thought that he might just as well keep going. He thought that he would head West, maybe taking a dip into Mexico for a time. If he is up to it, eventually complete the circuit by hiking North, then East again. No doubt he can do it! Hope all goes well, Smiles, may God bless your travels!...Met a man from New York, who was hiking with his young son. They appeared to be having a bit of a hard time on the trail. I asked how far they were planning to hike, and he said that he hoped to make it back to New York. Not that I have figured out the finer points of hiking, and what to carry, I assessed some of their gear, which was quite plentiful, and heavy. I told them that I had no doubts that they could complete their hike, and even go further, but that it might go well if they were to lighten the burden a bit. I encouraged them to stay at it, and folks along the way would help them get it all manageable, and they would be fine. Hopefully, they will not give up yet, as it has only been a couple of days of hiking for them. It is a general “rule of thumb” that even after making the decision to leave the trail, a hiker should remain on trail for at least three days before actually stopping the hike. Things often change for the better in three short days...Arriving at Hurd Brook Lean-to, we met Rebecca, a young ER Nurse, and a young man named Eric. They are both from the West coast, she from Washington, he from California. They actually met here in Maine, and are hiking together, for the present time. We had a nice evening talking with them. We discussed lot’s of things, including gear, food, hiking light, and the like. Eric is already pretty light, carrying 35 lbs., or less, including his water and food (enough to get him through ten days of hiking). He talked about other things that he planned on getting rid of, some small, like his compass/whistle, and some large, like his lightweight tent. There were many other items, also, and I started, jokingly, to refer to him as “Naked Man”, as he was obviously a “bare necessity” hiker. I don’t believe that name will stick, nor would I want it to, but it did get a good chuckle out of him...They are early risers, usually hiking by 5:30 or 6:00 AM, so they have turned in, and are fast asleep. I will close shortly, also, and get some rest. We didn’t start hiking this morning until 10:45 AM, and stopped early, at 5:30 PM. That’s 6 ¾ hrs. of hiking, completing 11 ¾ miles from Rainbow Stream Lean-to to Hurd Brook Lean-to. Tomorrow, we will try to cover the 13 ½ miles between us and Katahdin Stream Campground. That will set us up nicely to climb to the top of Mt. Katahdin on Wednesday. Here’s hoping that the weather holds up! Love to you all, God Bless!

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...6/26/07...Tuesday...We had a super day today! We finished the 13 ½ miles to arrive at Katahdin Stream Campground! One of the big highlights of the day was when we emerged from the “100 mile wilderness”, walking down the road across Abol Bridge, and seeing the Abol Bridge Store! The owner of the store was there (sorry, ma’am, I’ve forgotton your name), and a sweet young clerk named Olivia. They were both so nice and helpful! We tanked up on food, while sitting at their picnic table, and I made out a few postcards. I wasn’t very hungry, so I only had a roast beef and cheese sub...and an Italian sandwich, ...whoopie pie...bag of chips...soda, crackers, and maybe a couple of other things...It was SO good! After asking the ladies to send out my postcards, we started back on our way to Katahdin Stream Campground, at Baxter State Park. When we entered the campground, I looked off to my right, and could see my brother Larry’s pickup truck parked at one of the shelter sites. We didn’t find him, though, so we continued on to the Rangers’ Office, where Ranger Corrigan got us all squared away with our fees and such. Brother Larry then showed up, and we all had a good chat with the Rangers. They were extremely friendly, and accommodating, and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent with them. We then went back to Larry’s site, where, of course, we had some more to eat. Thanks Larry! Faithful and I were able to set up our bags in the back of Larry’s truck, which made for a comfortable nights sleep. We had thunderstorms, and some rain, through the night, and the truck’s cap proved out to be watertight. We ended up having a great nights sleep in preparation for our climb of Katahdin. We also were able to give out many cards today. They were all accepted, with many of the folks saying that they would check out the website and the blog. I can’t ask for a better day! Time to sign out...God Bless!

Stickman

STICKMANS' JOURNAL...6/27/07...Wednesday...Got up to a bit of a cloudy sky, and wondered if we would be able to climb Katahdin. We decided that we would be OK, and had a bit of food for breakfast, and some nice, hot, coffee. We started along the Hunt Trail (the A. T. route) at 6:50 AM. The weather cleared up a little bit, and we were able to get a few good pictures along the way. Faithful had a great hike up, having no problems in navigating all the rocks, iron bars, and the like. I surprised myself, also having no problems in making the climb. Up at the top, it was very cloudy, wet, and cool. We got our pictures taken at the sign, and then I took pictures for many of the other hikers. I didn’t mind doing that at all, and it gave me several opportunities to start up conversations with them, and tell them about the missions trip. I am not sure just how many cards I gave out, but it was a pile of them! We met people from all kinds of places, and most accepted a card from me. There were a lot of folks from Canada, also some from England, Germany, and Finland. Eventually, we left the mountain’s summit, making our way to the “Saddle Trail”, on which we would find our way back down. We met many more folks on the way down, including a group of young hikers as they made the camps at Chimney Pond. Two young men from England led the way. I took pictures of the group for them, then helped the leaders and one young hiker play a trick on the rest of the troupe. We convinced them that they needed to get their gear stowed in the bunkhouse quickly, so that they would have plenty of time to enjoy the “Hot Springs” at Chimney Pond! (There aren’t any...). Countering one young fella’s insistence that there were no hot springs in Maine, I asked him if he thought the only place was Hot Springs, Arkansas. What about Circle Hot Springs and Chena Hot Springs, both located in chilly Alaska? Of COURSE Chimney Pond was a Hot Spring! Why would they call it “Chimney”, if it wasn’t hot?!? Having convinced them thoroughly, they hustled to get all their gear in order, and Faithful and I went happily on our way! By the way, the pond is strictly protected, and is off limits to swimming, bathing, etc...oops! Onward and downward we went, and I had a bit of a time with it. The trail, initially, was steep, and consisted of a lot of loose rock and the like. My knees took a pretty fair beating, and twice, the right one gave out on me, sending me sprawling on my face. But, eventually, I made it! We got back down to the end of the trail at Roaring Brook Camp, where we found Larry patiently waiting for us. He was sitting on a bench reading. He had also had a great day, getting in a little swimming, reading, and moose watching. Our day had been just grand, even though we didn’t get the “perfect day”. We had made it to the summit and back in just under 10 hours. The Rangers had said that was a good average hike time, so I was feeling pretty good about not just making it, but being “average”, to boot! On the way home, we learned that Lillian and two girls, from the youth group at their Church in Canaan, had come over to meet us, and do a bit of hiking. They were going up Hunt Trail as we were coming down Saddle Trail... OOPS! So sorry that we didn’t connect...maybe we will do this again sometime? We ran into severe thunder storms on our way home, along with some incredibly high winds. We all got home safe and sound, but had reports that Larry’s house on Lake Wesserunsett was damaged in the storm, along with several other camps and homes in his area. A bit of a microburst...Let’s keep them all in prayer, that the damages are not too severe, and there are no injuries. Well, that’s about it for now, time to take a couple of “zero days” before returning to the trail in Andover, Maine. Again, our thanks go out to Larry for all of his terrific support! Night all, and God Bless!

Stickman