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
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Mt Cube Lean-to
The hikers had a great day in sunny weather to hike today...unlike the past several days (almost the whole month of July) in the rain. All is well as they hike on...Their boots were dry and they made good time. Stickman's camera has stopped working...a problem yet to be solved....but, we are so thankful for no injuries and great hiking weather! Lillian and Dan Barnes (Faithful's parents) met up with them in the Glen Cliff area and hiked with them and brought them to the Rumney area for warm showers and food, and to dry out. They stayed with great people, Chet and Kathy White, wonderful supportive friends of the Barnes'. Tonight they are staying at Mt Cube lean-to. Then, tomorrow they head onward toward Hanover, NH.
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/19/07...Thursday...Got up today with no hurries, no worries, but still planning on a little hiking. We intended to do some “slack-packing” (very little in our packs...), but actually hiked “no packing”, opting to take only water. We got a lift to Rt 25, and hiked in the rain, over to Rt 25C, a distance of 4.9 miles in 1 hr 50 minutes! I took one spectacular fall, tumbling into a big vat of mud. Nothing hurt, not even pride... you learn that this is just the way of the hiker... a dirty, sometimes muddy trail, that you will eventually flounder in. I was, as they say, a chocolate mess! You really have to have a bit of a sense of humor to be out here, and definitely no aversions to being dirty most of the time. ... We met only one hiker, “Taj” like in “Taj Mahal”. We did get to chat for a bit, sharing with him about the ScriptureStick ministry, and giving him a card. Nice to meet you, Taj. We hope your hiking is truly blessed! ... Dan and Lillian showed up about an hour after we reached the road. When we had told them what time they should come meet us, we had grossly miscalculated our ETA. Who knew we could hike so fast! The wait was fine, though, as we were able to rest, and eat some raspberries that were all around us. When we again struck out on the trail, Lillian was hiking along with us. We walked, this time, from Rt 25C to Rt 25A, a distance of 4.8 miles. We were amazed to complete this stretch in 2 ½ Hrs., especially since we were still slogging around in the rain, everything muddy, slippery, and quite dangerous. Lillian did a great job hiking this stretch, which really was quite difficult. We never saw any other hikers... I think it was just too wet for anyone in their right mind to be out there!!! We got to the road, and didn’t wait terribly long for Dan to pick us up. We got back to the White’s, went to the showers, then got all of our clothes washed and dried. We enjoyed a nice, comfy evening, with some company stopping in. A very nice lady, Yvonne, who is a Pastor from Windsor, Canada, came by for a visit. Many things were talked about, and the ScriptureStick ministry being one of them. Yvonne loved the ScriptureSticks, and now has one of them to take with her back to Canada. I also gave her a few cards. Well, it was another nice day, even with the rain. I believe that it is time to turn in for the night, and get rested up a bit. Tomorrow is going to be a “zero” day, get the mail, decide what I want to take back on trail with me, and try to set some kind of a schedule as to where we intend to be, and when. Seeya tomorrow, then... God Bless you, and keep you all in His care!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/20/07...Friday...Today was a big, fat, “ZERO” day, and I loved it! I just relaxed and started to get my gear sorted out for a little re-packing session. We went to Glencliffe P.O., where I forwarded my resupply box on to Hanover, N.H. . The whole day was very relaxing. The highlight of the evening was the speaker right here at Rumney Bible Conference. It was Rev. Paul Veit, the “DinoPastor”, who speaks on creationism. A lot of his subject focus is on dinosaurs and fossils... by the way, someone had brought a fossilized potato to show everyone. Yes... a fossilized potato! It was a very interesting night! I had heard Rev. Paul speak several years ago, back at Crossroads Bible Church, back home in Madison, Maine. I enjoyed him then, and equally enjoyed him this time. He said it would be great if Pastor Val would have him back at Madison sometime... Well, Pastor Val? Probably many of you back home remember Rev. Paul... Hey, Tyler, I bet YOU do!... Still got that FOSSIL!?! Oh, by the way, before he spoke, Kathy White introduced Faithful and I to the attending group, shared an overview of our ScriptureStick mission, and then prayed for us! I can’t begin to say just how much that means to me! Thank you Kathy, you are so very thoughtful!... After the presentation, I spoke for a bit with Rev. Paul, then we all went for a trip to the Snack Shack, where I opted for a terrific strawberry shortcake. YUM! I stayed around a bit longer for a big helping of chit-chat, and when I got tuckered out from talking, headed back to Chet and Kathys. Now I lay me down to sleep... and pray that God is Blessing you all real good!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/21/07...Saturday... Ah, a beautiful, mostly sunny, day! I kicked about a bit this morning, having a light breakfast with lot’s of coffee. I sat on the steps out front, savoring it, and attempted to place a few phone calls. I got through to a few folks, and the rest I left messages with. I do want you all to know that I think of you often, and pray for you. I wish that I had more time to talk to more folks. ... I finished getting ready to go back on trail, and tried to get a couple of pictures, but my camera has finally gone kaput. The display is now non-functioning... I went on up to WalMart to see if there was anything they might do to help me out. There wasn’t. Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, but we’ll see. Cari may be able to get some help on this. Sure hope so. ...I got back on trail at Rt25A after we said our thank-you’s and goodbyes to Chet and Kathy White. Their hospitality was wonderful! One last goodbye to Faithful’s parents, and we were headed downtrail. Although we hadn’t got going until almost 3:30 PM, we were able to trek the 5 or so miles to Hexacuba Shelter in fair time, arriving at 6:30PM. We met three NOBO’s along the way, and they each stopped to chat for a few minutes, taking our card before moving on. ...Hey, Wolverine, Truffles, and Secondwind, we hope you all have a great finish to your hikes! ... As I sit reading the shelter log, I see that John “Huck” Pendolino was here on the 14th. He was hiking NOBO now, heading to Gorham, NH. Huck is the young man that Cari and I met at SHAW’s in Monson, Maine. He is the one who took the awesome picture of the moose, from within his tent. You may remember seeing that picture in our blog... Thanks, Huck, for letting us use the picture. It is great to see that you are still on trail! Happy trails, and God Bless you too, Huck, so sorry we missed you! I see from the log that we are a couple of days behind Brit, Smokey, Yellowbird, and E.T., would sure be nice to see them again. ...Well, time to drift off to sleep. Hope your day was as Blessed as mine was!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/19/07...Thursday...Got up today with no hurries, no worries, but still planning on a little hiking. We intended to do some “slack-packing” (very little in our packs...), but actually hiked “no packing”, opting to take only water. We got a lift to Rt 25, and hiked in the rain, over to Rt 25C, a distance of 4.9 miles in 1 hr 50 minutes! I took one spectacular fall, tumbling into a big vat of mud. Nothing hurt, not even pride... you learn that this is just the way of the hiker... a dirty, sometimes muddy trail, that you will eventually flounder in. I was, as they say, a chocolate mess! You really have to have a bit of a sense of humor to be out here, and definitely no aversions to being dirty most of the time. ... We met only one hiker, “Taj” like in “Taj Mahal”. We did get to chat for a bit, sharing with him about the ScriptureStick ministry, and giving him a card. Nice to meet you, Taj. We hope your hiking is truly blessed! ... Dan and Lillian showed up about an hour after we reached the road. When we had told them what time they should come meet us, we had grossly miscalculated our ETA. Who knew we could hike so fast! The wait was fine, though, as we were able to rest, and eat some raspberries that were all around us. When we again struck out on the trail, Lillian was hiking along with us. We walked, this time, from Rt 25C to Rt 25A, a distance of 4.8 miles. We were amazed to complete this stretch in 2 ½ Hrs., especially since we were still slogging around in the rain, everything muddy, slippery, and quite dangerous. Lillian did a great job hiking this stretch, which really was quite difficult. We never saw any other hikers... I think it was just too wet for anyone in their right mind to be out there!!! We got to the road, and didn’t wait terribly long for Dan to pick us up. We got back to the White’s, went to the showers, then got all of our clothes washed and dried. We enjoyed a nice, comfy evening, with some company stopping in. A very nice lady, Yvonne, who is a Pastor from Windsor, Canada, came by for a visit. Many things were talked about, and the ScriptureStick ministry being one of them. Yvonne loved the ScriptureSticks, and now has one of them to take with her back to Canada. I also gave her a few cards. Well, it was another nice day, even with the rain. I believe that it is time to turn in for the night, and get rested up a bit. Tomorrow is going to be a “zero” day, get the mail, decide what I want to take back on trail with me, and try to set some kind of a schedule as to where we intend to be, and when. Seeya tomorrow, then... God Bless you, and keep you all in His care!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/20/07...Friday...Today was a big, fat, “ZERO” day, and I loved it! I just relaxed and started to get my gear sorted out for a little re-packing session. We went to Glencliffe P.O., where I forwarded my resupply box on to Hanover, N.H. . The whole day was very relaxing. The highlight of the evening was the speaker right here at Rumney Bible Conference. It was Rev. Paul Veit, the “DinoPastor”, who speaks on creationism. A lot of his subject focus is on dinosaurs and fossils... by the way, someone had brought a fossilized potato to show everyone. Yes... a fossilized potato! It was a very interesting night! I had heard Rev. Paul speak several years ago, back at Crossroads Bible Church, back home in Madison, Maine. I enjoyed him then, and equally enjoyed him this time. He said it would be great if Pastor Val would have him back at Madison sometime... Well, Pastor Val? Probably many of you back home remember Rev. Paul... Hey, Tyler, I bet YOU do!... Still got that FOSSIL!?! Oh, by the way, before he spoke, Kathy White introduced Faithful and I to the attending group, shared an overview of our ScriptureStick mission, and then prayed for us! I can’t begin to say just how much that means to me! Thank you Kathy, you are so very thoughtful!... After the presentation, I spoke for a bit with Rev. Paul, then we all went for a trip to the Snack Shack, where I opted for a terrific strawberry shortcake. YUM! I stayed around a bit longer for a big helping of chit-chat, and when I got tuckered out from talking, headed back to Chet and Kathys. Now I lay me down to sleep... and pray that God is Blessing you all real good!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/21/07...Saturday... Ah, a beautiful, mostly sunny, day! I kicked about a bit this morning, having a light breakfast with lot’s of coffee. I sat on the steps out front, savoring it, and attempted to place a few phone calls. I got through to a few folks, and the rest I left messages with. I do want you all to know that I think of you often, and pray for you. I wish that I had more time to talk to more folks. ... I finished getting ready to go back on trail, and tried to get a couple of pictures, but my camera has finally gone kaput. The display is now non-functioning... I went on up to WalMart to see if there was anything they might do to help me out. There wasn’t. Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, but we’ll see. Cari may be able to get some help on this. Sure hope so. ...I got back on trail at Rt25A after we said our thank-you’s and goodbyes to Chet and Kathy White. Their hospitality was wonderful! One last goodbye to Faithful’s parents, and we were headed downtrail. Although we hadn’t got going until almost 3:30 PM, we were able to trek the 5 or so miles to Hexacuba Shelter in fair time, arriving at 6:30PM. We met three NOBO’s along the way, and they each stopped to chat for a few minutes, taking our card before moving on. ...Hey, Wolverine, Truffles, and Secondwind, we hope you all have a great finish to your hikes! ... As I sit reading the shelter log, I see that John “Huck” Pendolino was here on the 14th. He was hiking NOBO now, heading to Gorham, NH. Huck is the young man that Cari and I met at SHAW’s in Monson, Maine. He is the one who took the awesome picture of the moose, from within his tent. You may remember seeing that picture in our blog... Thanks, Huck, for letting us use the picture. It is great to see that you are still on trail! Happy trails, and God Bless you too, Huck, so sorry we missed you! I see from the log that we are a couple of days behind Brit, Smokey, Yellowbird, and E.T., would sure be nice to see them again. ...Well, time to drift off to sleep. Hope your day was as Blessed as mine was!
Stickman
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Glen Cliff, NH
Finally an update! Stickman and Faithful were able to warm up and heal their weary feet a couple of days up Littleton way with Doc Dave, a close friend living there. Hiking through the Whites has been very wet, and the hikers were grateful to be able to get dry and rest . After doing laundry, eating, and visiting, they hiked back to the trail. More rain and mountains.... Kel and Dave were so pleased to be able to "work for stay" several times at several huts as they hiked thru . They met great people at the huts there, and Kel even learned a few banjo runs from one of the other workers. The hikers are as far as Glen Cliff today!... Dave's parents, Dan and Lillian, have traveled down to that point to bring provisions, more walking sticks, and to hike part of the trail with them. They should be in Hanover in about a week and then over the state line into Vermont. We should have some great updates once the Barnes' come back home!
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/12/07...Thursday...Not where I thought I would be this morning...I’m in the little town of Bethlehem! Come to find out, this is where Dave lives, not Littleton...but close...he works in Littleton. My day was filled with resting up, downtown walks, meeting the good folks of Bethlehem. The evening was awesome! Dave treated us to dining at Rosa Flamingos’. Thank you so much for your generosity! It is so good to spend time with a good friend. Dave took us for a grand tour of the area, then back to rest, converse, then top off a great day with a little light reading...and sweet, restful sleep...g’night, God Bless.
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/13/07...Friday...Pretty much a continuation of yesterday! Enjoying the downtown, and shopkeepers, was a highlight. I especially enjoyed Melissa at Maia Papaya’s, a coffeeshop. The WREN (Women’s Rural Entrepreneur Network) was also fascinating. I wandered into a couple of antique shops, which I always enjoy. I was blessed with another kind evening with my friend, Doc Ferris. So nice to be able to sit and talk with you my friend! Wish my wife, Cari, could be here too! She would enjoy this time too! Well, I think I shall have another restful night...God Bless you all!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/14/07...Saturday...Yawn...Up at 5:30 AM to get ready for the trail...The rest has done wonders! We all went down to Maia Papaya’s to get a good cup of coffee and I also got a delicious bagel topped with a cream cheese and herb spread. Yum’s the word. We had a pleasant visit with the owner, Melissa, then headed off to the grocery store to pick up a few “trail goodies”. It was then back to Rt. 302, Crawford Notch, and after a somewhat reluctant farewell to my good friend Doctor Dave, started up trail at 9:00 AM, or thereabouts. Thanks, again, go out to Brave Dave. Taking us in on short notice, and treating us so well...we we’re truly blessed. Some things will always stand out in my memories of this trip. Thanks for making a great memory for me! ...Today, the ultimate goal was to attempt the 14.5 miles between where we were, and Galehead Hut, and secure a spot on the “work for stay” roster. Things moved along quite well, a brisk pace set, which we broke only when we had an opportunity to share our mission with a fellow hiker, (or at least hand them a card). One hiker was “Steve T.”, and he was accompanied by his “cajun wonder dog, Thibodeau”. We did have a nice conversation with him, and he shared that his brother used to Pastor a UCC Church in Andover, ME. Now, we don’t always get folks names, or trail names, and when we do, we sometimes forget exactly what it was by the end of a long day. Then again, some names stick out. Like the couple that we met named Patrick and “Hellbender”. Not being sure of the intended impression of that particular name, I asked for some enlightenment. So...if you might find that name offensive, there is no need...It is the name of a giant salamander that makes it’s home down South! Now...I made a statement just a bit ago regarding an “ultimate goal”. Well, what I was referring to was in regards to “hoped for trail progress”. The real “ultimate goal”, or the IMPORTANT one has nothing to do with mileage, and everything to do with meeting other hikers...and gently being a witness for the Lord. We had ample opportunity to meet others on the trail today, speaking to many of them, and giving out at least 20 cards. We pray that folks will not only read the blog, but go to the website, and be blessed by their visit. Yes, praise the Lord! WE were BLESSED today! Okay...now for a bit of humor... hmmm...humor...well, it depends on who you are...and your perspective in this story. Sometimes, for some involved, it doesn’t get real funny until the day is over. But, it was “my bad”, and it is time for me to ‘fess up. Let me set the stage, and roll with ACT ONE. A trail...sunny skies...beautiful scenery...two hikers, “Faithful” and “Stickman”, who have been cruising right along today. Suddenly, there was a sign! At an intersection! Well, actually, there were a couple of signs. One sign said “Zealand Hut, 0.2 miles”, and pointed up a VERY steep path. The other sign gave various trail names and distances, and had little arrows pointing out the direction of travel. The top listing was for the trail that we intended to take, and showed us, in magic marker, that we were to continue in the direction in which we were headed, and NOT up past Zealand Hut. (Cameraman pans the scene, stopping briefly to show the various trail options, and the STEEPNESS of the trail leading to Zealand Hut. Cameraman ends the scene with a panoramic 360 degree shot, coming to rest on “Stickman”. The shot clearly shows a weary traveler, red-faced and sweaty, then ZOOOMS IN...on the eyeglasses dangling around his neck). ACT TWO ...There is a HUGE boulder at this particular intersection ...Faithful and Stickman are engaged in a conversation revolving around lunch. They are discussing options ...sit up on the rock to eat, and then try to get some more quick miles in...take time to scale the looming 0.2 mile cliff to Zealand Hut, relax, and possibly enjoy a nice coffee with lunch ...keep on hiking! Do the miles, THEN do lunch! That seemed appropriate! The course is set! Fade...ACT THREE ...Entering the scene from behind them is “Yellowbird”, saying “STICKMAN!”, “FAITHFUL!”. We were surprised and pleased to see her! We had met Yellowbird and her mom, Grey Goose up in Maine, in the stretch between Caratunk and Monson. We had hoped to meet again, but until now had hiked around each other. She is a fast hiker, and had been ahead of us until she took a few days off trail ...thus, now coming up behind us. We chatted for a minute, then she asked what our next plan was. I glanced over my shoulder, looking briefly down trail. I stuck my thumb out in that direction ...”Keep hiking South!”, I said, with great confidence. The camera pans 360 degrees, stopping for an instant on each happy face, before resting on Stickman ...ZOOOOM ...to the eyeglasses hanging from his neck ...pull back, swing to the sign with the little magic marker arrows ...omigosh! ...THE SIGN!!! ...LOOK AT THE SIGN!!! ...the little arrow DOES show SOUTH trail IS the ZEALAND HUT TRAIL!!! LOOK! PLEEEEZE LOOOOOOK!!! ...fade... ACT FOUR ...STICKMAN offers to let YELLOWBIRD lead the sheep downtrail, as she is certainly the fastest hiker, and will set a nice pace. We certainly didn’t want to slow her down ... After a mere 15 minutes or so, of superfast hiking, Yellowbird was well ahead of us, and in fact, was just ...going ...out of sight. ...fade... ACT FIVE ...We hiked onward, covering about 1 ½ to 2 miles, (the wrong way), and not catching up to Yellowbird. Suddenly, Faithful says “BLUEBLAZE!!!”. Now, that is NOT good news, as the A.T. is marked with white blazes. Can’t be true... Stickman looks curiously at the blue blaze ... reality is beginning to seep into his overheated brain... yup ... wrong trail... ... ...and where is Yellowbird?!? She was somewhere down trail... way down trail. Or, to be a little more honest, way down the WRONG trail! I had led her astray, and had no way to stop her. Even without my pack I doubted that I would catch up to her for a long, long time. AARRRGH! I hung my head in despair...and shame...fade...FINAL ACT...As Stickman lifts his head to gaze miserably down the trail, his eyes behold Yellowbird zipping up the trail towards him. She is saying something, loudly...oh, yes!, she is saying “BLUE BLAZE!!!”. I was immediately inundated with a range of emotions that...well, they were all mixed up! Happy, sad, embarrassed, fearful, relieved, and the like. How could I ever apologize enough to redeem my miserable self. As she got into range to be able to hear my sincere regrets, I began with my very nervous apology. Boy, was I ever surprised with her reaction! Yellowbird was SO kind, much more kind than most would be. She had a nice big smile, laughed, and said, “It was a very nice walk, and a real pretty area!”. She was determined not to have her day spoiled, and was able to see humor and beauty in the moment. Thank you, Yellowbird, for being so nice about it, and for letting me off the hook so easily. It was a wonderful example of grace and forgiveness on your part. I assure you, I will take more care from now on, and just might put my glasses on from time to time! ...Next stop was up at Zealand Hut! We all took time together to grab a meal before moving on. We made our way to Galehead Hut, a little late, and a little long in mileage. We arrived at 7:30 PM, and, by way of my mistake, had covered a distance of 18 ½ miles, in 10 ½ hours. That was our longest miles per day so far! OOPS! The “Croo” at Galehead Hut were very nice to us, allowing another opportunity for “work for stay”, even though we had gotten there late. They fed us a great meal, and tomorrow, after breakfast, we will do whatever work is asked of us before we leave. There is rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so the hiking may be tough. It is only about 13 ½ miles to Franconia Notch, but it is 11:00 PM, and if I don’t get some shuteye, I might not make it. So... good night, and God Bless all of you. Special Blessings are prayed for for Yellowbird, a very special person.
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/15/07...Sunday...Up and at it nice and early, and got packed up so that folks could have their breakfast when they got up. When they were all done chowing down, the Croo fed us quite well. Then we swept through the building, and folded the blankets, to boot! Big thanks to the Croo, you all treat us so wonderfully! As suspected, we got rain, but it eventually stopped, as we made our way. We met a few groups of hikers, and I again was able to give most of them my card. Many of them also listened as I told about our missions trip. It was a great day! ...We ended up also enjoying a wonderful ridgeline hike that must have been two to four miles long. I had also been trying to call home when I had reception, to check on our son, Josh, and Shanty, to see if they were proud parents yet. I finally got the good news that they were, and that Cari and I were now proud parents of a beautiful little girl. Shanty delivered her at 3:58 PM, as I was starting my hike down Franconia Ridge. Her name is Lilliana Elizabeth Hibbard, 8 lbs 8 oz., and 21” long. She has a full head of long, wavey, dark hair, and she is definitely the delight of my day! ...We continued on, making our way down to the Flume Visitor Center, where Dr. Dave again met up with us... this time he was toting cold sodas and Italian sandwiches ...making him VERY appreciated! So nice of him to do so much for us. He is the definition of friend. We went back to the house for the night, and to repack all of the stuff that we didn’t carry with us on this last leg of our journey. I got to sit for awhile and spend a little more time with my good friend, topping off what was already a superb day! Now, it is off to sleep, with great anticipation for the coming day. How could I be any more blessed! I hope you are all well blessed these days, too. I do ask for special blessings for Josh, Shanty, and children... yes, God Bless, and good night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/16/07...Monday...Got up early-ish, said goodby to Doc, then we finished getting all of our stuff ready. We stopped in town for a bagel at Maia Papayas, and said thank you and goodby to Melissa. We needed to catch a ride to get back to the Flumes Visitor Center, so we headed for the edge of town to try our luck. We stood for more than 2 hrs., with high hopes... Finally, a young fella came to the rescue... and took us part way there! I thanked him, and left a card with him, then resumed the waiting game. The next ride was a long time in the coming, but a lady hiker, named Nancy, did stop, and brought us the rest of the way to the Flume. I gave her a card too... thank you Nancy! We stopped in to the Visitor Center, where I found the perfect postcard to commemorate the birth of my grand-daughter, Lilliana. It was a nice picture of the Franconia Ridge, right where I was when she was born. I was also fortunate to get a Franconia cancellation, which I was able to back-date to yesterday, and hand cancel myself. I dropped it into the mail, sent to Cari, and wandered back to the trail at about 2:30 PM. It was an awful late start for the hiking day, but off we went. We met just a handful of hikers, but it was a good day, all in all. We finally got in to the Eliza Brook Lean-to about 9:30 – 10:00 PM. I was just able to squeeze out a little space to get in out of the weather, so am fairly comfortable for the night! Pretty ragged and worn out, so no eats tonight, just sleep. Sleeeep Sleeeeeep. God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/17/07...Tuesday...Up at 5:30 AM, trying to catch Yellowbird. I was pretty sure that she was in the Lean-to for the night, but wasn’t positive... hard to tell late at night, and if you don’t remember a hiker’s gear, you’re not likely to figure out just who is who. At any rate, I knew she was an early riser, and as I looked about, several hikers were in the process of packing their gear. Yup, there was Yellowbird, almost ready to hit the trail. I caught her, and gave her a note and a cookie, that a friend of hers at Lonesome Lake Hut had asked me to give her, if I caught up. The deed being done, I wished her a nice day, and off she went, “on the fly” again. I got to my packing, had a quick, cold snack, and went to check on Faithful, and his progress. We managed to get on trail at about 7:00 AM, and by 3:00 PM we had found our way to Beaver Brook Shelter, located on the very steep side of Mt. Moosilaukee. We had a tough day, but a pleasant one, very beautiful. We only saw a few hikers today. I don’t know where they could be. When we got to Rt. 112, there was an older couple in the parking lot, and they asked us a lot of questions. We were happy to stop and share some time with them. They also were happy to share with us! They gave us a big bag of cherries, two bottles of H2O, and some soda! We thanked them kindly for being Trail Angels, and gave them a card. Thanks SO much, we enjoyed the magic! Shortly after our visit, we started our climb of Mt. Moosilaukee. It is beautiful... and STEEP! We walked, and climbed, along the “Cascades”, a series of waterfalls and rushing waters, that must have been 2 miles long. WOW! We had to use ropes, ladders, and steps, some of which were missing, as they were in the process of being replaced. When we got to Beaver Brook Shelter, we were bushed! We had a bite to eat, then Eric “E.T.” showed up. Great to see him again! A NOBO, “Achilles”, also arrived in camp, and as always, the conversations were enjoyable and refreshing. I foraged for firewood, and E.T. and Faithful built a super sweet fire. Two Brits just came in, too. I was able to share my ministry with everyone, and gave out cards. Everyone is turned in and settled down for the night now, so I guess that I will try to sleep too. Good night, God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/18/07...Wednesday...I woke up to lot’s of rain today, at 5:30AM. That was wonderful, because I really need to take a shower on occasion! Hiking is temporarily postponed for rain delay. I sat in the shelter, watching the rain, and waited, as everyone else eventually came to life. We sat in semi-quiet, watching the rain, and engaging each other in light conversation. I’m not sure when Achilles decided to make a break for the trail, but off he went, heading North, and having to navigate the extremely slippery and steep Cascades. I silently said a prayer for his safety as he walked away from camp. Faithful and I finally saw fit to give it a go at 8:30AM, and were able to reach Rt. 25 at 12:00 Noon. We had walked in a steady rain, and as we had gotten to the top of Mt. Moosilaukee, it got quite cold and windy. We were pelted, relentlessly. I did manage to get a picture of Faithful at the summit, even though we were in the middle of the clouds. We then hurried down the mountain, reaching Rt. 25, somehow managing to cover 8 miles, in the rain, in just 3 ½ hrs. At Rt. 25, we found a hikers’ hostel, and went in to try to dry off a bit and get a bite to eat. All of the hikers that we saw there were NOBO’s, and we took some time to talk with them a bit. Faithful went off to give a call to Chet and Kathy White, with whom we would be staying. Faithful’s folks, Dan and Lillian were going to be there to spend time with us, but had not showed up as of yet... so ...Chet drove over from his house, located at Rumney Bible Conference, to pick us up. He was an immediately likeable guy, and graciously brought us to a diner, where we dried out, warmed up a little, and were treated to a nice hot meal. Thank you, Chet, you are way too kind to us! We got back to their house, and found that Dan and Lillian had safely arrived. Faithful and I both took a quick timeout from visiting, to get nice hot showers and some dry clothing on us. I feel human again! We spent a nice evening with everyone, and met a few folks. Donna, who lives with the Whites, is very nice, and we also got to meet Chet’s mom, who is also wonderful. Chet also gave us a quick tour of Rumney Bible Conference, which was very nice of him. It looks to be a great place for a men’s retreat (or womens...). Well, looks like everyone is about ready to bunk down for the night, so I will close for now, praying God’s Blessings on all of you. G’night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/12/07...Thursday...Not where I thought I would be this morning...I’m in the little town of Bethlehem! Come to find out, this is where Dave lives, not Littleton...but close...he works in Littleton. My day was filled with resting up, downtown walks, meeting the good folks of Bethlehem. The evening was awesome! Dave treated us to dining at Rosa Flamingos’. Thank you so much for your generosity! It is so good to spend time with a good friend. Dave took us for a grand tour of the area, then back to rest, converse, then top off a great day with a little light reading...and sweet, restful sleep...g’night, God Bless.
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/13/07...Friday...Pretty much a continuation of yesterday! Enjoying the downtown, and shopkeepers, was a highlight. I especially enjoyed Melissa at Maia Papaya’s, a coffeeshop. The WREN (Women’s Rural Entrepreneur Network) was also fascinating. I wandered into a couple of antique shops, which I always enjoy. I was blessed with another kind evening with my friend, Doc Ferris. So nice to be able to sit and talk with you my friend! Wish my wife, Cari, could be here too! She would enjoy this time too! Well, I think I shall have another restful night...God Bless you all!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/14/07...Saturday...Yawn...Up at 5:30 AM to get ready for the trail...The rest has done wonders! We all went down to Maia Papaya’s to get a good cup of coffee and I also got a delicious bagel topped with a cream cheese and herb spread. Yum’s the word. We had a pleasant visit with the owner, Melissa, then headed off to the grocery store to pick up a few “trail goodies”. It was then back to Rt. 302, Crawford Notch, and after a somewhat reluctant farewell to my good friend Doctor Dave, started up trail at 9:00 AM, or thereabouts. Thanks, again, go out to Brave Dave. Taking us in on short notice, and treating us so well...we we’re truly blessed. Some things will always stand out in my memories of this trip. Thanks for making a great memory for me! ...Today, the ultimate goal was to attempt the 14.5 miles between where we were, and Galehead Hut, and secure a spot on the “work for stay” roster. Things moved along quite well, a brisk pace set, which we broke only when we had an opportunity to share our mission with a fellow hiker, (or at least hand them a card). One hiker was “Steve T.”, and he was accompanied by his “cajun wonder dog, Thibodeau”. We did have a nice conversation with him, and he shared that his brother used to Pastor a UCC Church in Andover, ME. Now, we don’t always get folks names, or trail names, and when we do, we sometimes forget exactly what it was by the end of a long day. Then again, some names stick out. Like the couple that we met named Patrick and “Hellbender”. Not being sure of the intended impression of that particular name, I asked for some enlightenment. So...if you might find that name offensive, there is no need...It is the name of a giant salamander that makes it’s home down South! Now...I made a statement just a bit ago regarding an “ultimate goal”. Well, what I was referring to was in regards to “hoped for trail progress”. The real “ultimate goal”, or the IMPORTANT one has nothing to do with mileage, and everything to do with meeting other hikers...and gently being a witness for the Lord. We had ample opportunity to meet others on the trail today, speaking to many of them, and giving out at least 20 cards. We pray that folks will not only read the blog, but go to the website, and be blessed by their visit. Yes, praise the Lord! WE were BLESSED today! Okay...now for a bit of humor... hmmm...humor...well, it depends on who you are...and your perspective in this story. Sometimes, for some involved, it doesn’t get real funny until the day is over. But, it was “my bad”, and it is time for me to ‘fess up. Let me set the stage, and roll with ACT ONE. A trail...sunny skies...beautiful scenery...two hikers, “Faithful” and “Stickman”, who have been cruising right along today. Suddenly, there was a sign! At an intersection! Well, actually, there were a couple of signs. One sign said “Zealand Hut, 0.2 miles”, and pointed up a VERY steep path. The other sign gave various trail names and distances, and had little arrows pointing out the direction of travel. The top listing was for the trail that we intended to take, and showed us, in magic marker, that we were to continue in the direction in which we were headed, and NOT up past Zealand Hut. (Cameraman pans the scene, stopping briefly to show the various trail options, and the STEEPNESS of the trail leading to Zealand Hut. Cameraman ends the scene with a panoramic 360 degree shot, coming to rest on “Stickman”. The shot clearly shows a weary traveler, red-faced and sweaty, then ZOOOMS IN...on the eyeglasses dangling around his neck). ACT TWO ...There is a HUGE boulder at this particular intersection ...Faithful and Stickman are engaged in a conversation revolving around lunch. They are discussing options ...sit up on the rock to eat, and then try to get some more quick miles in...take time to scale the looming 0.2 mile cliff to Zealand Hut, relax, and possibly enjoy a nice coffee with lunch ...keep on hiking! Do the miles, THEN do lunch! That seemed appropriate! The course is set! Fade...ACT THREE ...Entering the scene from behind them is “Yellowbird”, saying “STICKMAN!”, “FAITHFUL!”. We were surprised and pleased to see her! We had met Yellowbird and her mom, Grey Goose up in Maine, in the stretch between Caratunk and Monson. We had hoped to meet again, but until now had hiked around each other. She is a fast hiker, and had been ahead of us until she took a few days off trail ...thus, now coming up behind us. We chatted for a minute, then she asked what our next plan was. I glanced over my shoulder, looking briefly down trail. I stuck my thumb out in that direction ...”Keep hiking South!”, I said, with great confidence. The camera pans 360 degrees, stopping for an instant on each happy face, before resting on Stickman ...ZOOOOM ...to the eyeglasses hanging from his neck ...pull back, swing to the sign with the little magic marker arrows ...omigosh! ...THE SIGN!!! ...LOOK AT THE SIGN!!! ...the little arrow DOES show SOUTH trail IS the ZEALAND HUT TRAIL!!! LOOK! PLEEEEZE LOOOOOOK!!! ...fade... ACT FOUR ...STICKMAN offers to let YELLOWBIRD lead the sheep downtrail, as she is certainly the fastest hiker, and will set a nice pace. We certainly didn’t want to slow her down ... After a mere 15 minutes or so, of superfast hiking, Yellowbird was well ahead of us, and in fact, was just ...going ...out of sight. ...fade... ACT FIVE ...We hiked onward, covering about 1 ½ to 2 miles, (the wrong way), and not catching up to Yellowbird. Suddenly, Faithful says “BLUEBLAZE!!!”. Now, that is NOT good news, as the A.T. is marked with white blazes. Can’t be true... Stickman looks curiously at the blue blaze ... reality is beginning to seep into his overheated brain... yup ... wrong trail... ... ...and where is Yellowbird?!? She was somewhere down trail... way down trail. Or, to be a little more honest, way down the WRONG trail! I had led her astray, and had no way to stop her. Even without my pack I doubted that I would catch up to her for a long, long time. AARRRGH! I hung my head in despair...and shame...fade...FINAL ACT...As Stickman lifts his head to gaze miserably down the trail, his eyes behold Yellowbird zipping up the trail towards him. She is saying something, loudly...oh, yes!, she is saying “BLUE BLAZE!!!”. I was immediately inundated with a range of emotions that...well, they were all mixed up! Happy, sad, embarrassed, fearful, relieved, and the like. How could I ever apologize enough to redeem my miserable self. As she got into range to be able to hear my sincere regrets, I began with my very nervous apology. Boy, was I ever surprised with her reaction! Yellowbird was SO kind, much more kind than most would be. She had a nice big smile, laughed, and said, “It was a very nice walk, and a real pretty area!”. She was determined not to have her day spoiled, and was able to see humor and beauty in the moment. Thank you, Yellowbird, for being so nice about it, and for letting me off the hook so easily. It was a wonderful example of grace and forgiveness on your part. I assure you, I will take more care from now on, and just might put my glasses on from time to time! ...Next stop was up at Zealand Hut! We all took time together to grab a meal before moving on. We made our way to Galehead Hut, a little late, and a little long in mileage. We arrived at 7:30 PM, and, by way of my mistake, had covered a distance of 18 ½ miles, in 10 ½ hours. That was our longest miles per day so far! OOPS! The “Croo” at Galehead Hut were very nice to us, allowing another opportunity for “work for stay”, even though we had gotten there late. They fed us a great meal, and tomorrow, after breakfast, we will do whatever work is asked of us before we leave. There is rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so the hiking may be tough. It is only about 13 ½ miles to Franconia Notch, but it is 11:00 PM, and if I don’t get some shuteye, I might not make it. So... good night, and God Bless all of you. Special Blessings are prayed for for Yellowbird, a very special person.
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/15/07...Sunday...Up and at it nice and early, and got packed up so that folks could have their breakfast when they got up. When they were all done chowing down, the Croo fed us quite well. Then we swept through the building, and folded the blankets, to boot! Big thanks to the Croo, you all treat us so wonderfully! As suspected, we got rain, but it eventually stopped, as we made our way. We met a few groups of hikers, and I again was able to give most of them my card. Many of them also listened as I told about our missions trip. It was a great day! ...We ended up also enjoying a wonderful ridgeline hike that must have been two to four miles long. I had also been trying to call home when I had reception, to check on our son, Josh, and Shanty, to see if they were proud parents yet. I finally got the good news that they were, and that Cari and I were now proud parents of a beautiful little girl. Shanty delivered her at 3:58 PM, as I was starting my hike down Franconia Ridge. Her name is Lilliana Elizabeth Hibbard, 8 lbs 8 oz., and 21” long. She has a full head of long, wavey, dark hair, and she is definitely the delight of my day! ...We continued on, making our way down to the Flume Visitor Center, where Dr. Dave again met up with us... this time he was toting cold sodas and Italian sandwiches ...making him VERY appreciated! So nice of him to do so much for us. He is the definition of friend. We went back to the house for the night, and to repack all of the stuff that we didn’t carry with us on this last leg of our journey. I got to sit for awhile and spend a little more time with my good friend, topping off what was already a superb day! Now, it is off to sleep, with great anticipation for the coming day. How could I be any more blessed! I hope you are all well blessed these days, too. I do ask for special blessings for Josh, Shanty, and children... yes, God Bless, and good night!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/16/07...Monday...Got up early-ish, said goodby to Doc, then we finished getting all of our stuff ready. We stopped in town for a bagel at Maia Papayas, and said thank you and goodby to Melissa. We needed to catch a ride to get back to the Flumes Visitor Center, so we headed for the edge of town to try our luck. We stood for more than 2 hrs., with high hopes... Finally, a young fella came to the rescue... and took us part way there! I thanked him, and left a card with him, then resumed the waiting game. The next ride was a long time in the coming, but a lady hiker, named Nancy, did stop, and brought us the rest of the way to the Flume. I gave her a card too... thank you Nancy! We stopped in to the Visitor Center, where I found the perfect postcard to commemorate the birth of my grand-daughter, Lilliana. It was a nice picture of the Franconia Ridge, right where I was when she was born. I was also fortunate to get a Franconia cancellation, which I was able to back-date to yesterday, and hand cancel myself. I dropped it into the mail, sent to Cari, and wandered back to the trail at about 2:30 PM. It was an awful late start for the hiking day, but off we went. We met just a handful of hikers, but it was a good day, all in all. We finally got in to the Eliza Brook Lean-to about 9:30 – 10:00 PM. I was just able to squeeze out a little space to get in out of the weather, so am fairly comfortable for the night! Pretty ragged and worn out, so no eats tonight, just sleep. Sleeeep Sleeeeeep. God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/17/07...Tuesday...Up at 5:30 AM, trying to catch Yellowbird. I was pretty sure that she was in the Lean-to for the night, but wasn’t positive... hard to tell late at night, and if you don’t remember a hiker’s gear, you’re not likely to figure out just who is who. At any rate, I knew she was an early riser, and as I looked about, several hikers were in the process of packing their gear. Yup, there was Yellowbird, almost ready to hit the trail. I caught her, and gave her a note and a cookie, that a friend of hers at Lonesome Lake Hut had asked me to give her, if I caught up. The deed being done, I wished her a nice day, and off she went, “on the fly” again. I got to my packing, had a quick, cold snack, and went to check on Faithful, and his progress. We managed to get on trail at about 7:00 AM, and by 3:00 PM we had found our way to Beaver Brook Shelter, located on the very steep side of Mt. Moosilaukee. We had a tough day, but a pleasant one, very beautiful. We only saw a few hikers today. I don’t know where they could be. When we got to Rt. 112, there was an older couple in the parking lot, and they asked us a lot of questions. We were happy to stop and share some time with them. They also were happy to share with us! They gave us a big bag of cherries, two bottles of H2O, and some soda! We thanked them kindly for being Trail Angels, and gave them a card. Thanks SO much, we enjoyed the magic! Shortly after our visit, we started our climb of Mt. Moosilaukee. It is beautiful... and STEEP! We walked, and climbed, along the “Cascades”, a series of waterfalls and rushing waters, that must have been 2 miles long. WOW! We had to use ropes, ladders, and steps, some of which were missing, as they were in the process of being replaced. When we got to Beaver Brook Shelter, we were bushed! We had a bite to eat, then Eric “E.T.” showed up. Great to see him again! A NOBO, “Achilles”, also arrived in camp, and as always, the conversations were enjoyable and refreshing. I foraged for firewood, and E.T. and Faithful built a super sweet fire. Two Brits just came in, too. I was able to share my ministry with everyone, and gave out cards. Everyone is turned in and settled down for the night now, so I guess that I will try to sleep too. Good night, God Bless!
Stickman
STICKMANS' JOURNAL...7/18/07...Wednesday...I woke up to lot’s of rain today, at 5:30AM. That was wonderful, because I really need to take a shower on occasion! Hiking is temporarily postponed for rain delay. I sat in the shelter, watching the rain, and waited, as everyone else eventually came to life. We sat in semi-quiet, watching the rain, and engaging each other in light conversation. I’m not sure when Achilles decided to make a break for the trail, but off he went, heading North, and having to navigate the extremely slippery and steep Cascades. I silently said a prayer for his safety as he walked away from camp. Faithful and I finally saw fit to give it a go at 8:30AM, and were able to reach Rt. 25 at 12:00 Noon. We had walked in a steady rain, and as we had gotten to the top of Mt. Moosilaukee, it got quite cold and windy. We were pelted, relentlessly. I did manage to get a picture of Faithful at the summit, even though we were in the middle of the clouds. We then hurried down the mountain, reaching Rt. 25, somehow managing to cover 8 miles, in the rain, in just 3 ½ hrs. At Rt. 25, we found a hikers’ hostel, and went in to try to dry off a bit and get a bite to eat. All of the hikers that we saw there were NOBO’s, and we took some time to talk with them a bit. Faithful went off to give a call to Chet and Kathy White, with whom we would be staying. Faithful’s folks, Dan and Lillian were going to be there to spend time with us, but had not showed up as of yet... so ...Chet drove over from his house, located at Rumney Bible Conference, to pick us up. He was an immediately likeable guy, and graciously brought us to a diner, where we dried out, warmed up a little, and were treated to a nice hot meal. Thank you, Chet, you are way too kind to us! We got back to their house, and found that Dan and Lillian had safely arrived. Faithful and I both took a quick timeout from visiting, to get nice hot showers and some dry clothing on us. I feel human again! We spent a nice evening with everyone, and met a few folks. Donna, who lives with the Whites, is very nice, and we also got to meet Chet’s mom, who is also wonderful. Chet also gave us a quick tour of Rumney Bible Conference, which was very nice of him. It looks to be a great place for a men’s retreat (or womens...). Well, looks like everyone is about ready to bunk down for the night, so I will close for now, praying God’s Blessings on all of you. G’night!
Stickman
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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 thehut 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
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