Hello to all who anxiously await any news of the continuation of the trail hike! We are waiting too! Kelly's leg is not fractured (we do thank God for that!) and it doesn't seem to be shin splints! After xrays (by the way good ol brother Larry went to Vermont to get them!) , bone scans, an appointment with Dr. Curran (orthopedic) it does not look broken but rather perhaps an infection in the soft tissue. After 3 doses of an antibiotic, the swelling and redness is much better and kel walked today to test it out. So far so good. He is still scheduled for an MRI tomorrow morning to see what is causing this and exactly what it is. Exactly what? who knows, but all is not lost! If everything comes together he may be back on trail!!! We are so excited. He says that he wants to be where God wants him to be, so please keep that in your prayers! More later after the MRI tomorrow at 9:30 AM.
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...8/3/07...Friday... My Brothers' Larry and Bill came to Bennington to pick us up today, but not before I had a massive breakfast at the Blue Benn. We had a pleasant trip back to Maine, although my leg is very painful and swollen. Good to see family again... Home sweet Home, and still feeling so Blessed! Please pray for quick recovery, and speedy return to the trail! Later!
God's Blessings on you all!
Stickman
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Bennington, Vermont
The hikers have made good time once again and have had some great weather.They were at the Spruce Peak shelter just south of Manchester Tuesday night. They met "Radar" from Lisbon, Maine there and had a great time sharing stories of the trail. Last night they called from the Novel Naiheim Shelter. The news wasn't great...Kel may have either shin splints or a compression fracture. His shin(s ?) are very painful and swelling. They will hike into Bennington, Vt today and find a place to hold up for a couple of days. Please pray that it is the shin splints and he will heal quickly. It will give them both a chance to get fully rested, too. When they complete Vermont they will have 27 % of the trail done!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/30/07...Monday... Had a wonderful night last night, got up this AM, and scurried to the top of the observation tower... pretty nice view, looking out over 5 States! ... No hurries today, but was up quite early. I made up for that though... headed downtrail towards the trailhead, with intent to go into Manchester, I stopped and chatted with another hiker... for 45 minutes! We finally got to the road, was quickly picked up by a friendly motorist, and deposited in Manchester. We did all of our laundry, chatting with other hikers, giving out cards. We saw Connor and Amanda again, and also talked a bit with Fiesta and Siesta, who we had met way back in the 100 mile wilderness, up in Maine. They are hiking for Charity, I believe it is "Blood and Water", and provide help to Africa. I will have to investigate more later. The charity is backed up by "Jars of Clay", and "Caedman's Call". Gosh!... and while I'm at it, I might just toss in a Golly! What a day! We really enjoyed seeing everyone!
We then walked a couple of miles, (one way...), to go to a recreational facility, where we were able to remove some stink with a nice shower. Although the smell can never be completely removed, I felt much better, and people no longer run away from me... After my shower, I was walking back to a common area, outside, to gather my belongings. I was in my sandals. Some kid left his skateboard at the entrance of the common area. ...I, of course, walked squarely into it! Anybody recollect me talking a while back about one of my toenails that had turned black? Well, it isn't anymore. Oh, no, don't get me wrong! It's still black, and all that, but it isn't on my TOE anymore! When I hit that skateboard, my toenail lifted straight back, or up... WOWZA! ...I had to pull it the rest of the way off. Hurts a bit to walk now... told the young fella he could keep the toenail as a kinda trophy. ... Let's see.. We walked the two miles back into town, so that we could walk back out of town, on the other side, to get back to the trailhead. While we tried for a ride, we met a NOBO Hiker, RADAR, from Lisbon, Maine. Had a good, long visit with him, real nice guy! We eventually got back to the trailhead in style, catching some cooling wind, in a Saab convertible. I could have rode around all afternoon in that buggy! Great! ... We met a couple more hikers who were NOBO, but had backtracked, as one was ill. They were at the trailhead, trying to catch a ride. When Faithful and I started back onto the trail, SOBO, I hadn't gone a great distance when I found "trail magic"! Most of it had already magically disappeared, but the best of it was still there. Fresh Fruit! I grabbed some bananas, and ran back North, got across the road, and gave them to the two hikers. You never know how long you will wait for "the ride", and I thought some potassium might help out the sick hiker. I crossed the road again, slipped through the veil of foliage, and hustled along the trail. As I began to gain elevation, I heard a car pull up for them. I looked back, and finding a small viewing portal amidst the leaves, was able to see that they were getting into a real sweet BMW! Wow, Limo service!
We hiked up in a ways, coming to Spruce Peak Shelter, at about 6:30 PM. Even though it is a beautiful evening, and quite early, we called it a day. We got ourselves some food cooking, and I called my Beloved. I miss her so much, and love to hear her voice! She said that she had recieved a very positive e-mail from a hiker whom I had talked with. He is another who is wondering, seeking... I hope that I was able to be of some encouragement, and that he might find the answer. God is so good!
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13
Well, it really was a wonderful day! Bromley Mtn. to Spruce Peak Shelter was only 5.8 miles. We were short on mileage, long on rewards! It's now after 10:00 PM, so I will call it a night. I hope the mice behave themselves tonight, and let me sleep! God Bless you all!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/31/07...Tuesday... Got out of Spruce Peak Shelter at 8 AM, and made our way to Story Spring Shelter by 6:30 PM, covering 18.3 miles in 10 1/2 hours. We took lot's of mini-breaks to talk to hikers, and one very long break to do the same up on top of Stratton Mtn., elevation 3,936 feet. It was a very fun day, meeting all the hikers. I met "Uncle Tom" today. He is from Maine, and a brother-in law to the lady from Waterville, Maine, who I met on the 29th. I had another memorable discussion with a young lady from down South. She was talking about being in the Bible Belt, and that down there, you would be "well churched", but quite often, not saved. (I believe this to be somewhat true, no matter where you are.) She told me about two hikers that she had met, hiking up from Georgia. Both men had been raised in Catholicism, but one was now agnostic...
AGNOSTIC
n.
1. a.One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b.One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
2. One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.
...and the other was practicing Buddhism...
BUDDHISM
–noun
a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia, holding that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. ...
Although agnosticism doesn't deny the existence of God, it doesn't embrace His existence either. They believe that it is impossible to know if God exists. Buddhists flatly deny God, and practice a religion of "self". ... So, as I see it, both of these gentleman are practicing the same religion, the religion of "self", totally removed from God. ... Now, where was I?... Yes, the young lady hiker discussing folks being "well churched", and unsaved! Well, I suppose that there are too many people out there who practice the Christian Religion, who are also unsaved, and in the same boat with the Agnostic hiker and the Buddhist hiker. Religion will not save anybody, Relationship will! Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can we be saved! It is a sad thing to see folks practice a God-less religion, and maybe a little sadder to see them practice a Godly religion, and leave God out of it. Folks, it doesn't matter to God how many Bible verses we can recite, or how many times we attend Church services, or do good things for our neighbors, if we don't KNOW Him! The "Religion" part of our lives should follow the "Relationship" part of our lives with Jesus! Building our relationship should lead to practicing our religion, to enable us to further build our relationship with Jesus Christ. ... there!... finish the story!... yes, the young lady hiker had good news! Both the Agnostic Hiker and the Buddhist Hiker, within a month of hiking the trail, had acquired Gideon New Testaments, and were carrying them, and reading them, in an attempt to know God, and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ! How Awesome! I hope you will join me in asking in prayer that these young men, (and all the other hikers, too!), will surely come to have a wonderful relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, thanks go out to the wonderful Gideons, who continue to provide New Testaments, all over the world, even on the trail. ...
On a totally different subject, I have been having some difficulty with my right leg. The lower leg is quite swollen, and painful to walk on. It acts like shin splints... what are shin splints, anyway???
shin splints
–noun (used with a plural verb) Pathology.
a painful condition of the front lower leg, associated with tendinitis, stress fractures, or muscle strain, often occurring as a result of running or other strenuous athletic activity, esp. on a nonresilient surface.
Origin:
1940–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006
Oh... Well, it made for an awful tough day of hiking, and prayerfully, it will begin to get better. As for now, I am completely worn out. I will rest the leg tonight, and prepare to attempt 18 more miles of hiking tomorrow. Meanwhile, I sleep... Good night all, God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...8/1/07...Wednesday... Got up and going awful slowly this morning. We never hit the trail until 9 AM. My leg is still swollen and sore, but I made the best of it, hobbling along until I reached Melville Nauheim Shelter at 6:00 PM. I somehow made it through a 9 hour day of hiking, and completed an amazing 17.4 miles! I had to make a couple of extended rest stops to try to get the pain and swelling to ease up. I lost a good 1 1/2 hours of hiking doing that, but was happy to be able to continue walking. I'm pretty concerned at this point, as I don't want to make matters worse, and have to give up the hike, and the trail ministry. I am considering going into Bennington, Vermont tomorrow, and get a room. I really hate to spend the money, and it will set us back a bit, trailwise. Also, our next maildrop is in Cheshire, Massachusetts. We would end up there on Sunday, instead of Saturday, if we take a break. Well, maybe losing two days is what is needed. God always has a plan, and I will pray for direction.
We only saw a handful of hikers all day, as everyone had literally run off to Bennington yesterday and early this morning, to take advantage of a big, free, hiker's bash that was going on there today. At the shelter tonight, we have been blessed by more good company, a NOBO, and another hiker who tented off just a ways. I continue to be encouraged by all of the opportunities I have been given to meet these hikers. I just pray that my health holds up, so I can keep on trail...
Hmmm.. only 9:30 PM, but I think it would be wise to get all the rest I can tonight. So, see you tomorrow! God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...8/2/07...Thursday... Well, here we are at Bennington, Vermont. We checked in to a motel, and I have spent some time in the pool, and elevated my leg to rest it. My brother, Larry, is going to come pick us up tomorrow, bring us back to Maine. That is a 6 hour trip, each way, and I am thankful for him, grateful that he would do that for me. He has been there for us at every stage of this hike!
We got to talk with folks around the pool, also Teapot and Dreamer were here. We also had a wonderful meal at the Blue Benn Diner, and did a lot of relaxing.
I am not sure what to say right now, my mind is all over the place... although a little sad that I will have to stop the hike, I remain optimistic that I may heal up, and be able to return. One thing is for sure... in looking back over these last days and miles and people, God has truly Blessed me. He is continuing to Bless me now, even if I can't see it. I have His assurance that He will Bless me tomorrow! Yeah, God STILL Blesses, and I pray He is Blessing you!
Good night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/30/07...Monday... Had a wonderful night last night, got up this AM, and scurried to the top of the observation tower... pretty nice view, looking out over 5 States! ... No hurries today, but was up quite early. I made up for that though... headed downtrail towards the trailhead, with intent to go into Manchester, I stopped and chatted with another hiker... for 45 minutes! We finally got to the road, was quickly picked up by a friendly motorist, and deposited in Manchester. We did all of our laundry, chatting with other hikers, giving out cards. We saw Connor and Amanda again, and also talked a bit with Fiesta and Siesta, who we had met way back in the 100 mile wilderness, up in Maine. They are hiking for Charity, I believe it is "Blood and Water", and provide help to Africa. I will have to investigate more later. The charity is backed up by "Jars of Clay", and "Caedman's Call". Gosh!... and while I'm at it, I might just toss in a Golly! What a day! We really enjoyed seeing everyone!
We then walked a couple of miles, (one way...), to go to a recreational facility, where we were able to remove some stink with a nice shower. Although the smell can never be completely removed, I felt much better, and people no longer run away from me... After my shower, I was walking back to a common area, outside, to gather my belongings. I was in my sandals. Some kid left his skateboard at the entrance of the common area. ...I, of course, walked squarely into it! Anybody recollect me talking a while back about one of my toenails that had turned black? Well, it isn't anymore. Oh, no, don't get me wrong! It's still black, and all that, but it isn't on my TOE anymore! When I hit that skateboard, my toenail lifted straight back, or up... WOWZA! ...I had to pull it the rest of the way off. Hurts a bit to walk now... told the young fella he could keep the toenail as a kinda trophy. ... Let's see.. We walked the two miles back into town, so that we could walk back out of town, on the other side, to get back to the trailhead. While we tried for a ride, we met a NOBO Hiker, RADAR, from Lisbon, Maine. Had a good, long visit with him, real nice guy! We eventually got back to the trailhead in style, catching some cooling wind, in a Saab convertible. I could have rode around all afternoon in that buggy! Great! ... We met a couple more hikers who were NOBO, but had backtracked, as one was ill. They were at the trailhead, trying to catch a ride. When Faithful and I started back onto the trail, SOBO, I hadn't gone a great distance when I found "trail magic"! Most of it had already magically disappeared, but the best of it was still there. Fresh Fruit! I grabbed some bananas, and ran back North, got across the road, and gave them to the two hikers. You never know how long you will wait for "the ride", and I thought some potassium might help out the sick hiker. I crossed the road again, slipped through the veil of foliage, and hustled along the trail. As I began to gain elevation, I heard a car pull up for them. I looked back, and finding a small viewing portal amidst the leaves, was able to see that they were getting into a real sweet BMW! Wow, Limo service!
We hiked up in a ways, coming to Spruce Peak Shelter, at about 6:30 PM. Even though it is a beautiful evening, and quite early, we called it a day. We got ourselves some food cooking, and I called my Beloved. I miss her so much, and love to hear her voice! She said that she had recieved a very positive e-mail from a hiker whom I had talked with. He is another who is wondering, seeking... I hope that I was able to be of some encouragement, and that he might find the answer. God is so good!
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13
Well, it really was a wonderful day! Bromley Mtn. to Spruce Peak Shelter was only 5.8 miles. We were short on mileage, long on rewards! It's now after 10:00 PM, so I will call it a night. I hope the mice behave themselves tonight, and let me sleep! God Bless you all!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/31/07...Tuesday... Got out of Spruce Peak Shelter at 8 AM, and made our way to Story Spring Shelter by 6:30 PM, covering 18.3 miles in 10 1/2 hours. We took lot's of mini-breaks to talk to hikers, and one very long break to do the same up on top of Stratton Mtn., elevation 3,936 feet. It was a very fun day, meeting all the hikers. I met "Uncle Tom" today. He is from Maine, and a brother-in law to the lady from Waterville, Maine, who I met on the 29th. I had another memorable discussion with a young lady from down South. She was talking about being in the Bible Belt, and that down there, you would be "well churched", but quite often, not saved. (I believe this to be somewhat true, no matter where you are.) She told me about two hikers that she had met, hiking up from Georgia. Both men had been raised in Catholicism, but one was now agnostic...
AGNOSTIC
n.
1. a.One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b.One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
2. One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.
...and the other was practicing Buddhism...
BUDDHISM
–noun
a religion, originated in India by Buddha (Gautama) and later spreading to China, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and parts of southeast Asia, holding that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. ...
Although agnosticism doesn't deny the existence of God, it doesn't embrace His existence either. They believe that it is impossible to know if God exists. Buddhists flatly deny God, and practice a religion of "self". ... So, as I see it, both of these gentleman are practicing the same religion, the religion of "self", totally removed from God. ... Now, where was I?... Yes, the young lady hiker discussing folks being "well churched", and unsaved! Well, I suppose that there are too many people out there who practice the Christian Religion, who are also unsaved, and in the same boat with the Agnostic hiker and the Buddhist hiker. Religion will not save anybody, Relationship will! Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ can we be saved! It is a sad thing to see folks practice a God-less religion, and maybe a little sadder to see them practice a Godly religion, and leave God out of it. Folks, it doesn't matter to God how many Bible verses we can recite, or how many times we attend Church services, or do good things for our neighbors, if we don't KNOW Him! The "Religion" part of our lives should follow the "Relationship" part of our lives with Jesus! Building our relationship should lead to practicing our religion, to enable us to further build our relationship with Jesus Christ. ... there!... finish the story!... yes, the young lady hiker had good news! Both the Agnostic Hiker and the Buddhist Hiker, within a month of hiking the trail, had acquired Gideon New Testaments, and were carrying them, and reading them, in an attempt to know God, and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ! How Awesome! I hope you will join me in asking in prayer that these young men, (and all the other hikers, too!), will surely come to have a wonderful relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, thanks go out to the wonderful Gideons, who continue to provide New Testaments, all over the world, even on the trail. ...
On a totally different subject, I have been having some difficulty with my right leg. The lower leg is quite swollen, and painful to walk on. It acts like shin splints... what are shin splints, anyway???
shin splints
–noun (used with a plural verb) Pathology.
a painful condition of the front lower leg, associated with tendinitis, stress fractures, or muscle strain, often occurring as a result of running or other strenuous athletic activity, esp. on a nonresilient surface.
Origin:
1940–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006
Oh... Well, it made for an awful tough day of hiking, and prayerfully, it will begin to get better. As for now, I am completely worn out. I will rest the leg tonight, and prepare to attempt 18 more miles of hiking tomorrow. Meanwhile, I sleep... Good night all, God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...8/1/07...Wednesday... Got up and going awful slowly this morning. We never hit the trail until 9 AM. My leg is still swollen and sore, but I made the best of it, hobbling along until I reached Melville Nauheim Shelter at 6:00 PM. I somehow made it through a 9 hour day of hiking, and completed an amazing 17.4 miles! I had to make a couple of extended rest stops to try to get the pain and swelling to ease up. I lost a good 1 1/2 hours of hiking doing that, but was happy to be able to continue walking. I'm pretty concerned at this point, as I don't want to make matters worse, and have to give up the hike, and the trail ministry. I am considering going into Bennington, Vermont tomorrow, and get a room. I really hate to spend the money, and it will set us back a bit, trailwise. Also, our next maildrop is in Cheshire, Massachusetts. We would end up there on Sunday, instead of Saturday, if we take a break. Well, maybe losing two days is what is needed. God always has a plan, and I will pray for direction.
We only saw a handful of hikers all day, as everyone had literally run off to Bennington yesterday and early this morning, to take advantage of a big, free, hiker's bash that was going on there today. At the shelter tonight, we have been blessed by more good company, a NOBO, and another hiker who tented off just a ways. I continue to be encouraged by all of the opportunities I have been given to meet these hikers. I just pray that my health holds up, so I can keep on trail...
Hmmm.. only 9:30 PM, but I think it would be wise to get all the rest I can tonight. So, see you tomorrow! God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...8/2/07...Thursday... Well, here we are at Bennington, Vermont. We checked in to a motel, and I have spent some time in the pool, and elevated my leg to rest it. My brother, Larry, is going to come pick us up tomorrow, bring us back to Maine. That is a 6 hour trip, each way, and I am thankful for him, grateful that he would do that for me. He has been there for us at every stage of this hike!
We got to talk with folks around the pool, also Teapot and Dreamer were here. We also had a wonderful meal at the Blue Benn Diner, and did a lot of relaxing.
I am not sure what to say right now, my mind is all over the place... although a little sad that I will have to stop the hike, I remain optimistic that I may heal up, and be able to return. One thing is for sure... in looking back over these last days and miles and people, God has truly Blessed me. He is continuing to Bless me now, even if I can't see it. I have His assurance that He will Bless me tomorrow! Yeah, God STILL Blesses, and I pray He is Blessing you!
Good night!
Stickman
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Bromley Mountain in Vermont
The hikers called from a cabin on top of the mountain to say that they went about 16 miles, met a women from Waterville maine and one from Embden! They were excited to meet them...they met and spoke to a lot of people...they are almost a quarter of the way! Hope to have new pictures on site soon.
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/27/07...Friday... As always, morning brings good things! I checked on mileages, and it looks like we actually hiked over 13 miles yesterday! We also need to hike just about 19 miles today!
We got a late start today, at 7:45 AM. Faithful is not feeling well, with an upset stomach and a tender knee. He was willing to try and push on, so off we went. We got up and over Killington Mtn., with much effort! Then, it was onward, trying for Minerva Hinchey Shelter, a mere distance of 19 miles. On our way, we met a dozen or so hikers that we were able to speak with. We were also pleased to come across some "trail magic", not once, but twice!The first time was a cooler full of Coca-Cola, and a box full of cheese/peanut butter crackers. That was extra special magic, as it included a note to the SOBO hikers that they should celebrate their 500th mile of hiking! Sure enough, as we left the cooler to resume hiking, we stepped, shortly, onto a road, where we saw that the magician had left another message. He had artfully placed stones to say "500!". That was SO THOUGHTFUL, and lifted our hiking spirits greatly!
We eventually made the miles that would bring us to Minerva Hinchey Shelter, at 8:15 PM. That's 19 miles in 12 1/2 hours, even with our breaks! Not bad... the last 4 1/2 miles were hiked in the rain and thunderstorm, but we made it...wet to the bone. Upon arriving at shelter, we were pleasantly surprised to find Connor and Amanda here. We had met them in Monson, Maine, at "Shaws". We had a great time with them tonight, and now everyone is asleep, except me. It is now 11:00 PM... and I should probably turn in. We have another big day tomorrow, as we need to get to the Post Office in Wallingford, for a resupply. ...and we also need to wash our stinky clothes! We will need to do a quick hike of a little more than 4 miles to get to the trailhead, then hopefully hitch a ride to town. Looks like thunderstorms are forecasted as the weather of the day, so please pray for everybody out on the trail.
For now, good night to you all, God Bless!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/28/07...Saturday... Up and at'em this morning in good order. We were on trail at 6:30 AM, and happy to hike only 3.6 miles to the trailhead. I know that yesterday I said it would be 4 miles... so... you might ask, "What's the difference? Why even mention that it is 3.6 miles? Doesn't that just round up to 4 miles?". Well, yes, it does indeed round up to 4 miles, on paper. On trail, it doesn't round up at all. It is 3.6 miles. Hiked. So, the difference would be... let's see... 0.4 miles! There are times when a tenth of a mile or so is not significant, and rounding up, or down, is OK. Examples of those times would be when it is sunny, and evening has not come, and you arrive at shelter early... OK to round off miles. Nobody is counting. But, when it is in the middle of a thunderstorm, or it is late at night and your headlamp is getting dim, then it becomes significant. Not having to hike 0.4 more miles becomes VERY significant! Yup! It was 0.4 miles less... but it seemed like 0.4 miles more... so it all works out!?! The climb out of Minerva Hinchey Shelter somehow took us down first, then up and over Bear Mtn. ... Now, I don't think Bear Mtn. got its name from being big, but rather, tough... bear tough... tough as a bear. It is only 2,220 ft. high, but STEEP! ...We got to the trailhead and were fortunate to quickly be picked up by a nice man in a worktruck. We couldn't have been waiting more than ten minutes. The man was a building contractor, and chatted with us as he kindly brought us into town. We were able to pick up our resupplies at the Post Office (Thanks, Cari!), then had a nice lunch. There is no laundry in town, so I guess we will hike dirty for a bit longer. I got to talk about the ministry with several folks in town, and gave them all cards. That included the store clerks in three different stores, the Postal worker, and some folks in the parking lot who asked where we were headed. We had a wonderful time! Then, it was time to try to get back on trail. We were again blessed to have another contractor offer a ride. We piled in to the back of a Suburban, and said our hellos to Jack's wife and two children. They were so nice, and (Michelle?) said that she would contact Cari via e-mail. So nice! After we said good-by at the trailhead, we looked up and realized that we were faced with yet another steep climb. It had an elevation gain of about 1300 ft., and it was a very quick gain. Off we went, and (PHEW!), we eventually made our way to Little Rock Pond Shelter, at about 6:00PM. We had been able to do all of our town business, eat, talk to lots of people, and still travel 9.5 miles, so it really was a great day!
We were blessed with the company of a young couple at the shelter tonight, Magnolia and Dudeman, and they were lot's of fun. They were ecstatic when I gave them a whole bag of marshmallows that I had carried up from town! Magnolia proudly made her first ever campfire, and they had a fine marshmallow roast. It was a happy time, with only one moment of near-marshmallow cooking-disaster! Magnolia had one of her treats burst into flame, and as she gently tried to whip the flames out, the little puff flew off of her stick, careening through the air like a miniature meteor, and crashed onto Dudemans foot... DUDE!!! Fortunately, and somewhat miraculously, it never hit flesh, but quickly burned itself into the sandal strap, where it will remain for eternity. As the bellies became filled, the roasting slowed down. The fire had become a wonderfilled ember-glow, and we chatted a little longer. We all decided that it was time to retreat to our sleeping quarters, and I told them to take the rest of the bag of mallows with them on their hike tomorrow, so they can try it again. They said they would love to, and that they would start a tradition of bringing marshmallows to other hikers, whenever they hiked. How neat!
Well, it certainly has been a long day, hasn't it? My watch says it is now 12:02 AM, so it is really tomorrow already. Time to SLEEP! Good night to some of you, good morning to the rest of you, and God Bless to ALL of you!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/29/07...Sunday... Ouch! Rough start... didn't even wake up until 9:00 AM, never got on trail until 10:15 AM. Even so, we began hiking with a mindset to get, somehow, all the way to Bromley Shelter. That was asking alot from both of us, as the distance is 18.2 miles. There were also threats of thunderstorms, but we decided to give it a shot. Fortunately, the day ended up not being about where we would end up, but about seeing and talking with people! We talked with so many people that my mind is still spinning tonight. We stopped, on trail, several times to talk, enjoyed frequent shelter breaks to talk, and enjoyed our lunch and many rest breaks to take time with several other hikers. ...WOW! I had some great conversations and gave out plenty of cards. Folks stopped to chat, share pictures, and talk about anything and everything. It was so much fun! One interesting meeting was with two women at a shelter. One was from Waterville, Maine, and the other had moved, about two years ago, to Embden, Maine. For those of you who are from away, those two towns are very close to my hometown, Madison, Maine.
OK, time to wrap it up! We never made it to Bromley Shelter, as we spent so much time talking with folks today. Good trade-off! Somehow, though, we managed to drag ourselves to the top of Bromley Mtn., which has a nice skiers warm-up building there. They are very kind folks, and leave the building open for hikers.
Although we talked... and talked... we somehow managed to still tear up 17.2 miles of trail today, and arrived here at 9:15 PM! Although the hiking was great, the hikers are better, and I can't begin to mention all that we talked with. We did run into Rambo and Dreamer, two girls we had met in Maine, between Moxie Bald and Monson. Teapot was with them, and we had a brief, but nice visit before they went on. I did get to talk more at length with Teapot, when he, Faithful, and I shared an outcropping and a beutiful view during lunch. Real nice guy! Also, a shout out to "Life Traveler", up there on Peru Peak. I really had a good time talking with you!
As always, getting a little late, getting a little tired, need to turn in. God Bless all of you wonderful people... Good night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/27/07...Friday... As always, morning brings good things! I checked on mileages, and it looks like we actually hiked over 13 miles yesterday! We also need to hike just about 19 miles today!
We got a late start today, at 7:45 AM. Faithful is not feeling well, with an upset stomach and a tender knee. He was willing to try and push on, so off we went. We got up and over Killington Mtn., with much effort! Then, it was onward, trying for Minerva Hinchey Shelter, a mere distance of 19 miles. On our way, we met a dozen or so hikers that we were able to speak with. We were also pleased to come across some "trail magic", not once, but twice!The first time was a cooler full of Coca-Cola, and a box full of cheese/peanut butter crackers. That was extra special magic, as it included a note to the SOBO hikers that they should celebrate their 500th mile of hiking! Sure enough, as we left the cooler to resume hiking, we stepped, shortly, onto a road, where we saw that the magician had left another message. He had artfully placed stones to say "500!". That was SO THOUGHTFUL, and lifted our hiking spirits greatly!
We eventually made the miles that would bring us to Minerva Hinchey Shelter, at 8:15 PM. That's 19 miles in 12 1/2 hours, even with our breaks! Not bad... the last 4 1/2 miles were hiked in the rain and thunderstorm, but we made it...wet to the bone. Upon arriving at shelter, we were pleasantly surprised to find Connor and Amanda here. We had met them in Monson, Maine, at "Shaws". We had a great time with them tonight, and now everyone is asleep, except me. It is now 11:00 PM... and I should probably turn in. We have another big day tomorrow, as we need to get to the Post Office in Wallingford, for a resupply. ...and we also need to wash our stinky clothes! We will need to do a quick hike of a little more than 4 miles to get to the trailhead, then hopefully hitch a ride to town. Looks like thunderstorms are forecasted as the weather of the day, so please pray for everybody out on the trail.
For now, good night to you all, God Bless!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/28/07...Saturday... Up and at'em this morning in good order. We were on trail at 6:30 AM, and happy to hike only 3.6 miles to the trailhead. I know that yesterday I said it would be 4 miles... so... you might ask, "What's the difference? Why even mention that it is 3.6 miles? Doesn't that just round up to 4 miles?". Well, yes, it does indeed round up to 4 miles, on paper. On trail, it doesn't round up at all. It is 3.6 miles. Hiked. So, the difference would be... let's see... 0.4 miles! There are times when a tenth of a mile or so is not significant, and rounding up, or down, is OK. Examples of those times would be when it is sunny, and evening has not come, and you arrive at shelter early... OK to round off miles. Nobody is counting. But, when it is in the middle of a thunderstorm, or it is late at night and your headlamp is getting dim, then it becomes significant. Not having to hike 0.4 more miles becomes VERY significant! Yup! It was 0.4 miles less... but it seemed like 0.4 miles more... so it all works out!?! The climb out of Minerva Hinchey Shelter somehow took us down first, then up and over Bear Mtn. ... Now, I don't think Bear Mtn. got its name from being big, but rather, tough... bear tough... tough as a bear. It is only 2,220 ft. high, but STEEP! ...We got to the trailhead and were fortunate to quickly be picked up by a nice man in a worktruck. We couldn't have been waiting more than ten minutes. The man was a building contractor, and chatted with us as he kindly brought us into town. We were able to pick up our resupplies at the Post Office (Thanks, Cari!), then had a nice lunch. There is no laundry in town, so I guess we will hike dirty for a bit longer. I got to talk about the ministry with several folks in town, and gave them all cards. That included the store clerks in three different stores, the Postal worker, and some folks in the parking lot who asked where we were headed. We had a wonderful time! Then, it was time to try to get back on trail. We were again blessed to have another contractor offer a ride. We piled in to the back of a Suburban, and said our hellos to Jack's wife and two children. They were so nice, and (Michelle?) said that she would contact Cari via e-mail. So nice! After we said good-by at the trailhead, we looked up and realized that we were faced with yet another steep climb. It had an elevation gain of about 1300 ft., and it was a very quick gain. Off we went, and (PHEW!), we eventually made our way to Little Rock Pond Shelter, at about 6:00PM. We had been able to do all of our town business, eat, talk to lots of people, and still travel 9.5 miles, so it really was a great day!
We were blessed with the company of a young couple at the shelter tonight, Magnolia and Dudeman, and they were lot's of fun. They were ecstatic when I gave them a whole bag of marshmallows that I had carried up from town! Magnolia proudly made her first ever campfire, and they had a fine marshmallow roast. It was a happy time, with only one moment of near-marshmallow cooking-disaster! Magnolia had one of her treats burst into flame, and as she gently tried to whip the flames out, the little puff flew off of her stick, careening through the air like a miniature meteor, and crashed onto Dudemans foot... DUDE!!! Fortunately, and somewhat miraculously, it never hit flesh, but quickly burned itself into the sandal strap, where it will remain for eternity. As the bellies became filled, the roasting slowed down. The fire had become a wonderfilled ember-glow, and we chatted a little longer. We all decided that it was time to retreat to our sleeping quarters, and I told them to take the rest of the bag of mallows with them on their hike tomorrow, so they can try it again. They said they would love to, and that they would start a tradition of bringing marshmallows to other hikers, whenever they hiked. How neat!
Well, it certainly has been a long day, hasn't it? My watch says it is now 12:02 AM, so it is really tomorrow already. Time to SLEEP! Good night to some of you, good morning to the rest of you, and God Bless to ALL of you!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/29/07...Sunday... Ouch! Rough start... didn't even wake up until 9:00 AM, never got on trail until 10:15 AM. Even so, we began hiking with a mindset to get, somehow, all the way to Bromley Shelter. That was asking alot from both of us, as the distance is 18.2 miles. There were also threats of thunderstorms, but we decided to give it a shot. Fortunately, the day ended up not being about where we would end up, but about seeing and talking with people! We talked with so many people that my mind is still spinning tonight. We stopped, on trail, several times to talk, enjoyed frequent shelter breaks to talk, and enjoyed our lunch and many rest breaks to take time with several other hikers. ...WOW! I had some great conversations and gave out plenty of cards. Folks stopped to chat, share pictures, and talk about anything and everything. It was so much fun! One interesting meeting was with two women at a shelter. One was from Waterville, Maine, and the other had moved, about two years ago, to Embden, Maine. For those of you who are from away, those two towns are very close to my hometown, Madison, Maine.
OK, time to wrap it up! We never made it to Bromley Shelter, as we spent so much time talking with folks today. Good trade-off! Somehow, though, we managed to drag ourselves to the top of Bromley Mtn., which has a nice skiers warm-up building there. They are very kind folks, and leave the building open for hikers.
Although we talked... and talked... we somehow managed to still tear up 17.2 miles of trail today, and arrived here at 9:15 PM! Although the hiking was great, the hikers are better, and I can't begin to mention all that we talked with. We did run into Rambo and Dreamer, two girls we had met in Maine, between Moxie Bald and Monson. Teapot was with them, and we had a brief, but nice visit before they went on. I did get to talk more at length with Teapot, when he, Faithful, and I shared an outcropping and a beutiful view during lunch. Real nice guy! Also, a shout out to "Life Traveler", up there on Peru Peak. I really had a good time talking with you!
As always, getting a little late, getting a little tired, need to turn in. God Bless all of you wonderful people... Good night!
Stickman
Thursday, July 26, 2007
5 Miles to Killington Peak
Yesterday the hikers saw beautiful views from the Cabin Rd...met Ski Man and Ketchup on the way, and made about 12 miles. It is still incredibly hot and humid with a lot of ups and downs but a fairly smooth trail...tonight they were able to call and report more hot and humid weather....they were about 5miles from Killington Peak...staying at the Churchill Scott Shelter....visited with a pot belly pig and sheep at a stop today (that would be the latest wild life!)...met up with Mr Cowpie ( please pray for his knee, he has injured it) and daughter Jessie who are hiking with Tengu. Kel was pleased to meet up with them again, as Tengu was at the Caratunk shelter when he stayed there. They again made about 12 miles today....the humidity is slowing them down. They hope to make Wallingford Saturday to pick up the next drop box.
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/26/07...Thursday... Woke up this morning at Stoney Creek Shelter at 5:30 AM. Although I had little sleep, I had much rest. Before my eyes were able to open, my ears were attuned to the crackling, popping, and hissing of a friendly camp fire. "Stealth" had risen quietly before the daylight, and kindled the beginnings of another wonderfully blessed day. Thank you, Stealth, you made my day! We all moved somewhat slowly, pacing the grey area between waking and hiking. Eventually, Stealth and Megaphone were headed towards trail, amidst thank-yous and good-bys.
After they departed, I looked around the shelter a bit, as it was a little too late last night. I always look forward to the shelter log, placing an entry, and checking up on other hikers. The first thing I saw today, however, was a small book, placed up on a shelf with a few others. ... This book stood out from the others, as it was about 1/4 burned. I new immediately, without further investigation, that it would be a NEW TESTAMENT. Such a shame... For some, it is the most cherished book, for others, most hated. And, sadly, many of those who hate it so strongly have never taken time to open it. I replaced it with a new one, in which I wrote a request... I asked that the next person who would like to burn it was welcome to do so, but ONLY AFTER READING IT COMPLETELY. Hopefully, it will not be burned. Prayerfully, a hiker will come to know Christ as his Savior.
Well, again, it was a hot and humid day. We started a little later than what we wanted to, took frequent breaks, and still managed to get to the shelter a bit after 7:30 PM. ...It was, of course, not the shelter we were trying to get to... that one was 5 miles downtrail and uphill, on top of Killington Mtn.! ... We only walked on 12 miles of trail today, which means that tomorrow needs to be a big hiking day... about 24 miles big! I'll have to check my maps tomorrow, for mileages... maybe (hopefully), I'm mistaken.
We have good company again tonight, four other hikers. We have had several times today that we shared with others about our missions trip. We have met a very diverse group of people along this journey, and pray that we can be part of a positive difference in their hike and in their lives.
Hmmm... the clock has ticked off to 10:30 PM, and beyond, and everyone is fast asleep except Faithful and I. If I close my eyes, will sleep quickly pursue me? Let's see!
God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/26/07...Thursday... Woke up this morning at Stoney Creek Shelter at 5:30 AM. Although I had little sleep, I had much rest. Before my eyes were able to open, my ears were attuned to the crackling, popping, and hissing of a friendly camp fire. "Stealth" had risen quietly before the daylight, and kindled the beginnings of another wonderfully blessed day. Thank you, Stealth, you made my day! We all moved somewhat slowly, pacing the grey area between waking and hiking. Eventually, Stealth and Megaphone were headed towards trail, amidst thank-yous and good-bys.
After they departed, I looked around the shelter a bit, as it was a little too late last night. I always look forward to the shelter log, placing an entry, and checking up on other hikers. The first thing I saw today, however, was a small book, placed up on a shelf with a few others. ... This book stood out from the others, as it was about 1/4 burned. I new immediately, without further investigation, that it would be a NEW TESTAMENT. Such a shame... For some, it is the most cherished book, for others, most hated. And, sadly, many of those who hate it so strongly have never taken time to open it. I replaced it with a new one, in which I wrote a request... I asked that the next person who would like to burn it was welcome to do so, but ONLY AFTER READING IT COMPLETELY. Hopefully, it will not be burned. Prayerfully, a hiker will come to know Christ as his Savior.
Well, again, it was a hot and humid day. We started a little later than what we wanted to, took frequent breaks, and still managed to get to the shelter a bit after 7:30 PM. ...It was, of course, not the shelter we were trying to get to... that one was 5 miles downtrail and uphill, on top of Killington Mtn.! ... We only walked on 12 miles of trail today, which means that tomorrow needs to be a big hiking day... about 24 miles big! I'll have to check my maps tomorrow, for mileages... maybe (hopefully), I'm mistaken.
We have good company again tonight, four other hikers. We have had several times today that we shared with others about our missions trip. We have met a very diverse group of people along this journey, and pray that we can be part of a positive difference in their hike and in their lives.
Hmmm... the clock has ticked off to 10:30 PM, and beyond, and everyone is fast asleep except Faithful and I. If I close my eyes, will sleep quickly pursue me? Let's see!
God Bless!
Stickman
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Vermont...very hot and sticky but beautiful
Last night the hikers called us from the woods of Vermont. The weather has made this hike tough with yesterday's humidity and heat a challange. They had hiked 14 of the 20 miles that they had wanted to hike in the day. Kel called at night from the edge of a clearing...making his shelter under the low hanging boughs of a tree. No rain but the heat was lingering. It was dark and their headlamps were attracting moths galore! they are catching up to hikers that they met in Maine, and have met many that have lived in Maine at one time in their lives or another, making interesting conversation. They hope to catch up to "Tengu" again. He was one of the hikers that they shared the Caratunk Shelter with. No large wild life siting to report...please do leave a comment and list the questions that you have concerning this trip. I am mostly reporting their progress quickly as I jump from one task to another here at home. Your questions will add interest to this post! I, myself, can't imagine walking through the wilderness day after day with breathtaking views, sweating, and collecting bugbites and not showering, but that isn't all there is to thru hiking...although you hear a lot about the hiker smell...and, I can tell you it is different. So....email or leave questions on the comments...PLEASE! Clint, our hiker friend here at home ,was hiking in the Stratton area recently and he met hikers there that had met "Stickman & Faithful" on the New Hampshire border. How Cool. Hope to hear from you all (y'all for our southern friends) soon. About 1702 miles to Georgia!!!!! They have gone about 475 miles!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/25/07...Wednesday... Another hot, humid day today. We managed to get on trail at 7:30 AM, and made our way to Stony Creek Shelter by 9:40 PM, a fairly long hiking day! We also were able to cover 17.0 miles of trail in that time. Had to do a bit of night hiking to get there, but everything worked out in the end. I find that I enjoy doing a bit of night hiking, as long as the L.E.D. headlamp holds up. We initially couldn't find the shelter, as it had not been marked out properly for SOBO hikers. Oh well, it was a nice night for an evening walk! We arrived at the shelter to the warming glow of a fine fire crackling in the pit. Stealth and Megaphone were our campfire benefactors, and they had done a great job of building it and gathering extra fuel. I went about collecting a bit more wood, wanting to contribute to their efforts, and, by participation, more closely share the fellowship of hikers around the fire. We spent a nice hour socializing, while I nibbled away at a packet of salmon for my evening meal.
Now, I have found my way into my sleeping bag... Although it is late, I pleasantly replay the days events in my mind, as I attempt to jot a few notes into the trail journal. Strange how these actions oppose each other... The act of journaling requires that I remain awake to pen my thoughts... the reminiscing of the day softens the hard floor of the shelter, and pulls my mind deeper into a featherbed of sleepy dreams, where the happiness of the day would be content to remain a memory. ... I will try to go on...
The day was quite warm, so frequent waterstops were the call of the day. It was not a day to pass up opportunities for water. At each water source I would drink up, while filling my bottles, then drink a bit more, before filtering the last bottle to the top. We also moved a bit more slowly, taking advantage of any stop that would rest us enough to "go a little ways more". We made one stop that was very refreshing. It felt as though we may have walked into an oasis! There was food and fellowship! It was the ON THE EDGE farmstand, where they had a nice selection of fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, ice cream, and pies. ...plus, all kinds of other things! I purchased a small strawberry-rhubarb pie and a coke. YUMMY! I also bought a nice chunk of cheese to help sustain me on trail. Aside from food and rest, the most refreshing aspect of our stop was the great time we had conversing with other hikers. Feeling, once again, capable of placing one foot in front of the other, we resumed hiking.
Near the end of the day, we had a great surprise! A sighting! No... not moose, deer, bear, or the like... We had just crossed a stream, and were walking quietly and respectfully through a fairly large group of hikers that had set up camp for the night. Some were by their fires, others walking about, some lying down, relaxing after a hard trail day. Suddenly, one saw me, and said, "Stickman!". It was MR. COWPIE! We had not seen Mr. Cowpie and his daughter, Jessie, since Avery Peak, in the Bigelows, in Maine! Then, here comes Jessie, (now TWISTED SISTER), along with TENGU! We hadn't seen Tengu since Pleasant Pond Shelter, in Maine! We had a wonderful reunion! It was so good to see them, and I am sure that they might pass us by, within the new day. They invited us to set camp with them, but we regretfully declined. As we parted, Tengu said, "See you down South!". ... which, of course, could be ANYWHERE South of where we were now standing! I had to chuckle!
I guess I'd better close for the night, (before the sun comes up!), but in closing I would pray, and ask for your prayers, for MR. COWPIE. He is trying to heal from an injury, and I pray for his healing, and good, safe hiking. Thank you all for your prayers!
God Bless you all, good night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/25/07...Wednesday... Another hot, humid day today. We managed to get on trail at 7:30 AM, and made our way to Stony Creek Shelter by 9:40 PM, a fairly long hiking day! We also were able to cover 17.0 miles of trail in that time. Had to do a bit of night hiking to get there, but everything worked out in the end. I find that I enjoy doing a bit of night hiking, as long as the L.E.D. headlamp holds up. We initially couldn't find the shelter, as it had not been marked out properly for SOBO hikers. Oh well, it was a nice night for an evening walk! We arrived at the shelter to the warming glow of a fine fire crackling in the pit. Stealth and Megaphone were our campfire benefactors, and they had done a great job of building it and gathering extra fuel. I went about collecting a bit more wood, wanting to contribute to their efforts, and, by participation, more closely share the fellowship of hikers around the fire. We spent a nice hour socializing, while I nibbled away at a packet of salmon for my evening meal.
Now, I have found my way into my sleeping bag... Although it is late, I pleasantly replay the days events in my mind, as I attempt to jot a few notes into the trail journal. Strange how these actions oppose each other... The act of journaling requires that I remain awake to pen my thoughts... the reminiscing of the day softens the hard floor of the shelter, and pulls my mind deeper into a featherbed of sleepy dreams, where the happiness of the day would be content to remain a memory. ... I will try to go on...
The day was quite warm, so frequent waterstops were the call of the day. It was not a day to pass up opportunities for water. At each water source I would drink up, while filling my bottles, then drink a bit more, before filtering the last bottle to the top. We also moved a bit more slowly, taking advantage of any stop that would rest us enough to "go a little ways more". We made one stop that was very refreshing. It felt as though we may have walked into an oasis! There was food and fellowship! It was the ON THE EDGE farmstand, where they had a nice selection of fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, ice cream, and pies. ...plus, all kinds of other things! I purchased a small strawberry-rhubarb pie and a coke. YUMMY! I also bought a nice chunk of cheese to help sustain me on trail. Aside from food and rest, the most refreshing aspect of our stop was the great time we had conversing with other hikers. Feeling, once again, capable of placing one foot in front of the other, we resumed hiking.
Near the end of the day, we had a great surprise! A sighting! No... not moose, deer, bear, or the like... We had just crossed a stream, and were walking quietly and respectfully through a fairly large group of hikers that had set up camp for the night. Some were by their fires, others walking about, some lying down, relaxing after a hard trail day. Suddenly, one saw me, and said, "Stickman!". It was MR. COWPIE! We had not seen Mr. Cowpie and his daughter, Jessie, since Avery Peak, in the Bigelows, in Maine! Then, here comes Jessie, (now TWISTED SISTER), along with TENGU! We hadn't seen Tengu since Pleasant Pond Shelter, in Maine! We had a wonderful reunion! It was so good to see them, and I am sure that they might pass us by, within the new day. They invited us to set camp with them, but we regretfully declined. As we parted, Tengu said, "See you down South!". ... which, of course, could be ANYWHERE South of where we were now standing! I had to chuckle!
I guess I'd better close for the night, (before the sun comes up!), but in closing I would pray, and ask for your prayers, for MR. COWPIE. He is trying to heal from an injury, and I pray for his healing, and good, safe hiking. Thank you all for your prayers!
God Bless you all, good night!
Stickman
Monday, July 23, 2007
Happy Hill Shelter
Tonight at 8:15 pm. the hikers are at the Happy Hill Shelter...a "double decker" type near Norwich, Vt. they hiked 17 miles today...not bad weather...the cellphone reception was terrible! So I couldn't hear more than that! The hikers have hiked about 449 miles with about 1726 to go to Georgia! Yikes!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/23/07...Monday... We got off to a fairly decent start today, getting on the trail at 6:30AM. We left Moose Mtn. Shelter, in New Hampshire, and arrived at Happy Hill Shelter, in Vermont, at 6:10PM. We hiked 16.8 miles in 11 Hours, 40 minutes... from one State to another State in half a day... WAY COOL! ... We stopped at Etna, where I walked o.3 miles (each way), to the little General Store. Faithful opted not to go, resting on the side of the roadway until I returned. I treated myself to some breakfast, then left my card with the nice young couple that own the store. I also found that she makes some pretty serious cookies, so I stocked up on them for the trail. Stomach satisfied, I returned to where Faithful waited, and we jumped back on trail. I only saw a couple of hikers all day, but gave out cards and spoke to everyone we met. I left a card with the man at the Deli, where we ate in Hanover, and also gave one to the postal worker that handled my mail. When we finally left Hanover, New Hampshire, to cross the Connecticut River into Norwich, Vermont, it was raining nicely. It was still almost 6 miles to get to Happy Hill Shelter. It did stop raining eventually, and would alternate between sun, cloud, and rain the rest of the way. We came upon some nice “trail magic” before we left the back road, to enter the trail. It was a nice cooler full of watermelon, banana bread, trail bars, and lot’s of other stuff. The givers of this wonderful gift are “Brain”, and his family. “Brain” is actually out on the trail at this time, so thanks to him and his family, and I pray he has a terrific hike. We also met two ladies on the road as we approached the trail. We had a great conversation, talking for more than a half hour. One of them lived in a beautiful old home, just a little further up the road. It was a very impressive place! It is the second oldest home in Norwich. When she and her husband, who was a Doctor, came to town, she said that someday she would like to live there... As of today, she has lived in the home for fifty years! Amazing! She extended a very generous welcome to us to stay with her for the night, getting us out of the rain, and warmed up. She said that she had never offered before, so we felt pretty special, and quite blessed. We thanked her for her kindness, but declined to take her up on her offer, as we wanted to do extra miles, to the shelter. Kind of wished we had stayed, I suspect we would have had a wonderful evening. But, on we went, and as we entered the woods, we came across a homeless man and his teenaged daughter. We offered some food, but he thanked me, and said they were ok. I slipped the man a few dollars, feeling badly that I couldn’t do more. They were very pleased, and the daughter said that she would look us up online when they could get to the library. We got to Happy Hill Shelter, and it was unique. It is laid up with mortared stone, with the upper portion constructed of logs. It’s name is on the front on a large sign done with mosaic tile. It also has the D.O.C., or Dartmouth Outing Club symbol. There are, at the moment, seven of us here, three of us... oops!, just had a very large, hairy caterpillar fall from the rafters, onto my head... he is now living outside!... let’s see... three of us are up in the loft. It is a little cramped, but cozy. There are four hikers on the main deck, which, I assume, would be cramped, and VERY cozy! Five of us are, or were, from Maine! Everyone but Faithful and I are NOBO’s. I got a chance to tell them what we were up to out here, and received mostly positive responses. They were all nice folks, and as we sat around a super fire, we heard and shared lot’s of good stories. Well, the fire has dried me out nicely, and it is time to sleep. God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/24/07...Tuesday... Ah! The best laid plans!... Thought we could get a 20 mile hike under our boots today. NOT! The hiking was a series of ups and downs. Nothing too severe, just up and down,... repeatedly. Wears you out. Then, of course, we had very high temps and humidity. To sum it all up, the net result of a hike that started at 7:30 AM, and ended at about 9:15 PM, was a journey of about 13.3 miles. WHEW! Putting that all in a better light, let's look at it this way. We had all kinds of good stops, getting to talk with others about our ministry. When all is said and done, we had a great day! One of the highlights of our day was a stop at a little General Store in West Hartford, Vermont, where we had a breakfast that can only be described as terrific! They just opened up the store last Wednesday, and it is the talk of the trail! Their food is top-notch, and the folks are great too. It is a family business, Mom and Pop, daughter, and son-in-law, Josh. I got to talk with Josh a bit, nice young man. They are a Christian family, and were excited to hear about our missions trip. I gave them our card, and they said that they would mention it to their Church, maybe their youth group would like to be involved. That would be great! We spoke at length with several hikers today. With the heat, no one was in a hurry to hike. One hiker really tickled me. Wayne, "the leader of the pack". When I asked where the pack was, he said "on my back". Quite a character! He sometimes wears his wolf hat. Yes, we got his picture! We also had a break with two young couples, at a shelter. One of the guys had attended school at the University of Maine, Orono, and they had lived in Newport. We passed out cards to everyone we saw, and just had a nice day. ...
It was a wonderful day, and we hiked as far as we could... When we had gone as far as we could, we threw our pads down at the edge of a field. Sheltered from the dew, beneath some low-hanging trees, we crawled into our sleeping bags to get comfortable. That, of course, is where I am now, and my tired body is letting me know that it is surely time to sleep.... almost 11:00 PM... May God richly Bless you and I, both, even as we sleep. Have a wonderful night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/23/07...Monday... We got off to a fairly decent start today, getting on the trail at 6:30AM. We left Moose Mtn. Shelter, in New Hampshire, and arrived at Happy Hill Shelter, in Vermont, at 6:10PM. We hiked 16.8 miles in 11 Hours, 40 minutes... from one State to another State in half a day... WAY COOL! ... We stopped at Etna, where I walked o.3 miles (each way), to the little General Store. Faithful opted not to go, resting on the side of the roadway until I returned. I treated myself to some breakfast, then left my card with the nice young couple that own the store. I also found that she makes some pretty serious cookies, so I stocked up on them for the trail. Stomach satisfied, I returned to where Faithful waited, and we jumped back on trail. I only saw a couple of hikers all day, but gave out cards and spoke to everyone we met. I left a card with the man at the Deli, where we ate in Hanover, and also gave one to the postal worker that handled my mail. When we finally left Hanover, New Hampshire, to cross the Connecticut River into Norwich, Vermont, it was raining nicely. It was still almost 6 miles to get to Happy Hill Shelter. It did stop raining eventually, and would alternate between sun, cloud, and rain the rest of the way. We came upon some nice “trail magic” before we left the back road, to enter the trail. It was a nice cooler full of watermelon, banana bread, trail bars, and lot’s of other stuff. The givers of this wonderful gift are “Brain”, and his family. “Brain” is actually out on the trail at this time, so thanks to him and his family, and I pray he has a terrific hike. We also met two ladies on the road as we approached the trail. We had a great conversation, talking for more than a half hour. One of them lived in a beautiful old home, just a little further up the road. It was a very impressive place! It is the second oldest home in Norwich. When she and her husband, who was a Doctor, came to town, she said that someday she would like to live there... As of today, she has lived in the home for fifty years! Amazing! She extended a very generous welcome to us to stay with her for the night, getting us out of the rain, and warmed up. She said that she had never offered before, so we felt pretty special, and quite blessed. We thanked her for her kindness, but declined to take her up on her offer, as we wanted to do extra miles, to the shelter. Kind of wished we had stayed, I suspect we would have had a wonderful evening. But, on we went, and as we entered the woods, we came across a homeless man and his teenaged daughter. We offered some food, but he thanked me, and said they were ok. I slipped the man a few dollars, feeling badly that I couldn’t do more. They were very pleased, and the daughter said that she would look us up online when they could get to the library. We got to Happy Hill Shelter, and it was unique. It is laid up with mortared stone, with the upper portion constructed of logs. It’s name is on the front on a large sign done with mosaic tile. It also has the D.O.C., or Dartmouth Outing Club symbol. There are, at the moment, seven of us here, three of us... oops!, just had a very large, hairy caterpillar fall from the rafters, onto my head... he is now living outside!... let’s see... three of us are up in the loft. It is a little cramped, but cozy. There are four hikers on the main deck, which, I assume, would be cramped, and VERY cozy! Five of us are, or were, from Maine! Everyone but Faithful and I are NOBO’s. I got a chance to tell them what we were up to out here, and received mostly positive responses. They were all nice folks, and as we sat around a super fire, we heard and shared lot’s of good stories. Well, the fire has dried me out nicely, and it is time to sleep. God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/24/07...Tuesday... Ah! The best laid plans!... Thought we could get a 20 mile hike under our boots today. NOT! The hiking was a series of ups and downs. Nothing too severe, just up and down,... repeatedly. Wears you out. Then, of course, we had very high temps and humidity. To sum it all up, the net result of a hike that started at 7:30 AM, and ended at about 9:15 PM, was a journey of about 13.3 miles. WHEW! Putting that all in a better light, let's look at it this way. We had all kinds of good stops, getting to talk with others about our ministry. When all is said and done, we had a great day! One of the highlights of our day was a stop at a little General Store in West Hartford, Vermont, where we had a breakfast that can only be described as terrific! They just opened up the store last Wednesday, and it is the talk of the trail! Their food is top-notch, and the folks are great too. It is a family business, Mom and Pop, daughter, and son-in-law, Josh. I got to talk with Josh a bit, nice young man. They are a Christian family, and were excited to hear about our missions trip. I gave them our card, and they said that they would mention it to their Church, maybe their youth group would like to be involved. That would be great! We spoke at length with several hikers today. With the heat, no one was in a hurry to hike. One hiker really tickled me. Wayne, "the leader of the pack". When I asked where the pack was, he said "on my back". Quite a character! He sometimes wears his wolf hat. Yes, we got his picture! We also had a break with two young couples, at a shelter. One of the guys had attended school at the University of Maine, Orono, and they had lived in Newport. We passed out cards to everyone we saw, and just had a nice day. ...
It was a wonderful day, and we hiked as far as we could... When we had gone as far as we could, we threw our pads down at the edge of a field. Sheltered from the dew, beneath some low-hanging trees, we crawled into our sleeping bags to get comfortable. That, of course, is where I am now, and my tired body is letting me know that it is surely time to sleep.... almost 11:00 PM... May God richly Bless you and I, both, even as we sleep. Have a wonderful night!
Stickman
Sunday, July 22, 2007
11 Miles from Hanover,NH
The hikers are at the Moose Mountain Shelter, just 11 miles from Hanover! And, 11 1/2 miles from Vermont!They are in the company of "squirrel" tonight in the shelter...he is a northbounder. Stickman's feet are still sore...still has all the toenails..and the tops of his feet are healing. Today they were hiking in dry weather...camera is still toast...more rain in the forcast tomorrow. They will get going early to get into Hanover to get Kel's mail drop and get under cover before the weather gets too bad. They feel the pressure of being 3 weeks behind their original schedule, but realize that they are on less mountainous ground now., and will be able to pick up the pace. Kel also mentioned that they missed Huck, but saw his notes in a log. He was so pleased to see that he was back on the trail (Huck is the one that took the great moose picture).
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/22/07...Sunday... On the trail at 7:30 AM, and at Moose Mtn. Shelter at 6:40PM, some 18 miles from Hexacuba Shelter in 11Hrs 10Minutes. We were only able to speak to a handful of hikers, but they all stopped to talk and take a card. I really feel the need to praise God for all of the hikers that he has given me opportunity to meet, if only briefly. At the end of the day, I had no more cards in my pocket, and could only find a few left in my pack. I dug them out at the shelter, giving them to three NOBO’s that showed up at the shelter late. It was a very pleasant day, hope to start early in the A.M. tomorrow, as it looks like possible rain. Good night for now, and God Bless you!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/22/07...Sunday... On the trail at 7:30 AM, and at Moose Mtn. Shelter at 6:40PM, some 18 miles from Hexacuba Shelter in 11Hrs 10Minutes. We were only able to speak to a handful of hikers, but they all stopped to talk and take a card. I really feel the need to praise God for all of the hikers that he has given me opportunity to meet, if only briefly. At the end of the day, I had no more cards in my pocket, and could only find a few left in my pack. I dug them out at the shelter, giving them to three NOBO’s that showed up at the shelter late. It was a very pleasant day, hope to start early in the A.M. tomorrow, as it looks like possible rain. Good night for now, and God Bless you!
Stickman
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