Byron "Crocs" Van Buren Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike 2017: Postscript

POSTSCRIPT: October 10, 2017

Epilogue

On Monday September 25th, after leaving the terminus Baxter Peak around 4PM, I saw a direction sign at Thoreau Springs: the Hunt trail was 4.5 miles down and the Abol Trail was 3.4 miles down according to the trail sign.
Although my wife Terrie was at the bottom of the Hunt waiting for me, it would take me three hours or more to get to her and the Katahdin Campsite and so I could be coming down the mountain climbing boulders in the dark.  Saving time was the determining factor in my mind when there was no cell service as usual.

So I took the Abol Trail.  It was a rough one at the top, with a mile of huge granite boulders fallen down the hill. In fact, I came across a note on a rock: "Kim. We have turned back. We feel that it is too dangerous to go further. We will meet you back at the campground."
And it was a long slog from the top and I found myself using both arms to swing down between boulders. I was worried that I had made a mistake choosing this trail. Fortunately it was not that way the whole 3.4 miles: around two miles into it the trail it actually turned into a path that you could walk on as opposed to walk through.
Close to seven, the sun's red light filtering through the woods, I arrived at the ranger station at Abol Campsite and was taken the twenty minutes to Katahdin Campsite. Terrie was glad to see me and I her.

That night we had a nice dinner at the restaurant in Millinocket and met RV and Five Year Plan and Trapper John and Mile Back and his parents there.
RV said that when he and five Year Plan got to Baxter Peak around 11AM there were loads of hikers there, all walking about waiting to get their picture taken at the sign.  He was disappointed; it was like Gatlinburg, Tn. or something, he said.
When I got there around 4, I said, there were four people up there. Two left and I was greeted by a naked woman who took my picture standing on the Katahdin sign.
That is a bunch of Crock --Crocs, RV said.
And Five Year Plan said, I believe him.
Why do you believe me, I asked, enjoying this.
Because I know you, he said.
I guess that was a compliment.

Trapper John told Terrie and me that he had a few hundred dollars and would be taking a bus back to Winston-Salem, NC. Terrie told him that she was independently wealthy (she's not BTW) and would pay for his plane ticket if he was willing to catch the plane with us tomorrow. Mile Back looked at Trapper and said, "What are you waiting for? Say yes."
Terrie was grateful to Trapper for assuaging her fears when I was coming back down Katahdin, telling her that I was an hour or two behind him and that I would be back between 6:30 and 7. And he was right about the timing.
I was glad she could help 23 year-old Trapper: he is a smart, kind and sensitive guy and a good trail companion.

It was Trapper's second or third plane ride and he was excited to be on one. We left him in Philadelphia and he texted us later to say that he had made it home ok.
Terrie and I did an easy flight magazine crossword puzzle and soon we were back in Nashville, where I met a new house dog and a house that looked strangely familiar. It was going to be an adjustment.
           
It's been over two weeks at home now and there are many nights I wake up in the woods and realize that I am at home in a house in bed.   And although my knees and feet still ache they are getting better every day and I soon expect to be hitting the pavement again.

The AT Through Hike has been the most challenging thing that I have done in my life and I am very grateful that I had the chance to hike it.

Some Things the Trail has Taught Me

A hike is like living a life. The trail is like living a marriage.
Everybody's hike is different from another's hike. Hike your own hike.
A hike is not a race. There are no winners.
You adapt to the trail. The trail does not adapt to you.
The trail will teach you what you need to survive.
If one keeps one's eyes and ears open than the trail will provide.
You will slip, stumble or fall at some point on a long hike or on a long trail. Keep moving on.
The first half of a hike is usually easier than the last half. But the last half is where your pain and weariness and experience lead you to acceptance and resolution.
Less is more and gratitude comes with enjoying less.

The Summing Up

Last summer, while I was kayaking up the Shenandoah River on a fine lazy day, a blue dragonfly landed on the bow of my boat. I rowed steadily and calmly up the middle of the river and the insect just sat there looking forward.
Then I rowed near the Eastern shore, thinking that that he might like to leave while we passed under the boughs of trees. But he did not apparently. So I went back toward the middle of the river and even then, still he stared ahead not moving.
After a time I thought my friend might like the Western side better and headed toward that, taking a glance back momentarily.
But when I turned my head back to the bow, my beautiful blue friend had disappeared.
And now you too. Well. Thanks so much for dropping in my friend. Have a nice flight.


Disclaimers
Some of the names used in this blog have been changed to protect the persons identity.
As to places and dates, I may have a few things wrong but it wasn't intentional.

Acknowledgements

There are so many people that made my AT experience a better one that I want to acknowledge them.

First, and foremost,  I want to thank my steadfast wife, Terrie,  who has supported me both emotionally and financially when times got rough. She is amazing.
I also want to acknowledge the support of family and friends who followed my blog and my trip for almost six months. Thank you.
I'd like to thank Karen and Byron for sharing their wonderful home with me.
I also want to acknowledge all the churches and spiritual centers whose generosity provided my fellow hikers and me shelter and many times food and a hot shower. God bless you.
Also, to the hundred or so people who happily fed the tired and hungry hikers trail magic, food and drink, as we came into a parking lot or on a dirt road: thank you for your kindness. I'd also like to thank the hostel owners who opened their homes to hikers and provided wonderful service. Some of that service included all the shuttle drivers and those drivers who picked up hitching hikers when we got to roads distant from towns. Thank you.
And importantly, to all AT hikers, are the ridge runners and the trail maintainers and hiking clubs all along the Trail who Voluntarily made hiking so much easier with their dedication to cutting and pruning , hauling rocks, making steps, maintaining privys and shelters and making a challenging hike much more pleasant as a result.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the Public Librarians in all the towns along the AT who kindly provided wonderful service to hikers such as myself who were always running late and pressed for time.  Support your local Public Library.


GEAR AND STUFF I WANTED TO KNOW BEFORE I HIKED THE AT
Disclaimer: I am not a hiking expert. Especially when it comes to gear. I had never worn a backpack or set up a tent before I went on the AT.  So I made a lot of mistakes. We all have our different comfort and stress levels; and age and trail experience do matter. But I learned to hike my own hike, and discovered what worked for me and what did not.

Money
A thru-hike usually runs $5000 to $10000 or more. The more time spent on the trail and not in town, spent eating trail food, not buying gear, the less expensive it is. Many people underestimate the cost of a hike from Georgia to Maine.

Camping Gear
I learned that a hiker is on the trail to hike and walk; a camper is out to camp.
So I kept my camping gear to a minimum. A Big Agnes two person tent which I always liked and an REI Radiant 20 degree sleeping bag that was wonderful. During the summer, I bought a fifty dollar 50 degree bag and was happy with it.
I also had a blowup Sea to Summit pillow that I came to like.
I went through a number of sleep mattresses; none were ever comfortable or wide enough and so it didn't help me sleep as well as I wanted to; finally I settled on a relatively expensive and lightweight blow up mattress, the Big Agnes Q Core that I loved (and was envied) and woke up with less morning aches and better rest.

Hiking Gear

New AT hikers talked a lot about gear. Toward the end it was hardly ever mentioned. We had all found what worked for us or what we were comfortable with.

Cellphone
I used an iPhone 7 and I liked it and am very glad I brought it along. I used it mainly for the camera and Guthook and the weather; then for it's phone use and music app. The light app came in handy too. The bigger phone made it easier to keep track of and to read. Verizon was the carrier of choice on the trail.

Backpacks
I went through a number of backpacks because I got the wrong size for my torso and waist. Some retailers didn't know what they were doing either. Don't do what I did. Get your pack fitted before you go out and have it checked out by an experienced hiker.

Popular packs were Osprey and ULA. Cuban Fiber was the pack of choice for the ultra-light packers. The ultra-light types carried around 7--15 pounds with food and water. I carried around 25-30 lbs usually and after a big resupply, I could get up to 35 lbs. Most hikers that I knew carried between 30--35 lbs and after a resupply, between, 35 and 40 lbs.

Mine was a frameless Granite Gear which I liked because it was simple and easy to work with. It didn't have all the pockets and accessories of the Osprey but I like simplicity.

I learned to carry a contractor size garbage bag(s) to keep my sleeping bag and clothes bag dry even though the backpack and my backpack rain cover worked well. Just insurance.
By the end of the trip my pack carried my sleeping bag at the bottom, my tent next, then my mattress and pillow,  my clothes bag and food sack and then a large plastic sack with things in freezer bags and small sacks: toilet paper and hand sanitizer; a paperback, my wallet and a pen; a doc bag with bandages, Neosporin, nail scissors and toothbrush/paste; a snack bag; an electronics bag with headlight, cords, earphones and charger; and my AT guidebook.
My pockets were used to hold my rain backpack cover, my Teva camp shoes, Smartwater bottles and my cellphone (that I checked a few times an hour to make sure it was still there). I don't like things bouncing off my pack or hanging from my pack, so things were inside or in an outside pocket.

Clothes
I usually had three of everything in my sack: socks, shirts, shorts. One pair for sleeping only. Then in the winter I had long pants, a wind jacket that I used as  a rain and winter jacket, and a pair of gloves. Most hikers used a puffy jacket but I found it unnecessary. I tend to have lots of body heat and would just layer up.
Shoes: Most hikers wore trail runners because they were light. I started with sports Crocs! They were great and roomy but the size wasn't right after a while. For my feet, the stability of the Merrells and Brooks Cascadia worked the best. I went from a size 12 to a 13. People with narrow or regular feet liked the Solomon's I noticed.

Food and Drink
I, and most through hikers, ate a lot of crappy food at first: honey buns, snickers, pop tarts, gunny bears, M&M's were favorites. We talked a lot about what food we were going to eat when we got into town or home.
We burned up to 5000 calories a day and we craved sugar to keep our energy going. Cookers ate lots of potatoes and pasta and dehydrated dinners because they cooked easily and fast. I ate from tuna packets (less and less toward the end), deli meat, sardines, peanut butter, honey, tortillas, smashed bagels and dried fruit and nuts (after getting tired of the sugary stuff).
I kept my water in Smartwater bottles in my side backpack pockets. Some hikers had a water tube coming from their pack and I might go that route if I were to do it again.

Favorite Hostels
Sometimes you needed a shower and laundry. Hostels could be nice.
Many young people liked the party places where they could drink and party into the night; few cared what it looked or smelled like. Yet, by the time most thru-hikers got to Maine, there were still drinkers around but very few party animals. We enjoyed our time to rest.

I usually liked the organized clean places with beds, not bunks, laundry and good food available for a good price. But I slept in bunks most of the time to save money.

Some hostels had great hosts or were free or perhaps were located in a nice town, but you slept on a mattress on the floor  or you had to line up for a toilet. Many times I didn't mind. I  was  just glad not to be sleeping in the rain.
Most had no computer access and many no WIFI. Having those things was a bonus. Another bonus was a hostel offering a shuttle to and from the stores for food resupply.

Favorite hostels/inns that I stayed in: Woodchuck Hostel; Cantarroso Farm; Black Bear Resort; the Town's Inn; Green Mountain House; Hikers Hostel at the Yellow Deli; White Mountains Lodge and Hostel; and Shaw's Hostel.