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Appalachian Trail – Rangeley, Maine

Maine
Rangeley, ME
Saddleback Mtn., 4120 feet
Spaulding Mtn., 4000 feet

“The Earth has music for those who listen.”

- William Shakespeare

Journal Entry 7.29.00
“Coming out of Andover I only hiked 8.7 miles today. It was a misty, cloudy day and it began to pour just when I got here (Bemis Mountain Shelter) for lunch. So I decided to call it a day and I stayed. After hiking so many times in the rain already I decided today that I didn’t feel like doing it anymore. I had already paid my dues. It feels GREAT to be in my sleeping bag and read my book while listening to the rain fall on the tin roof!”

Two-Stepper and L’Escargot

Journal Entry 7.30.00
“17.7 miles today to Rte. 4 at Rangeley. Staying at Bob O’Brien’s Gull Pond Lodge – a beautiful view of the pond. It was POURING this morning when I left the shelter but after that it held off. This place is a deal for $10, including breakfast. Scoop and Lil’ Bit are here. Lil’ Bit started on the same day as me back in March. She made it to Damascus and then flip-flopped. Hard to believe that she’s done 600 miles and I’ve done 1100 miles in the SAME amount of time!”

Sunset at Gull Pond, ME

Journal Entry 7.31.00
“At Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. 18.7 miles today from Rangeley. A great day for me – the first really good day in a long time. The rain held off again today. The hike over the ridge of Saddleback was amazing! I met some cool Sobos today and some not-so-cool flip-floppers (they didn’t want to make room for me in the shelter). Luckily 2-Steps and L’Escargot were here to make space for me. Hopefully tomorrow I will make it to town and hit the post office before it closes.”

Journal Entry 8.1.00
“In my room at Widow’s Walk in Stratton. $13 for a private room – not bad! The rain held off again today. Hoping to head out early tomorrow. Closing in more and more each day! Less than 200 miles to go!!!”

Journal Index

Georgia – Overview And the poop on the Trail Divorce

0 (miles from Georgia) – Springer Mountain, Georgia Whose idea was this again??
87.7 – Georgia / North Carolina Aint no all-inclusive package vacation story…
161.7 – Fontana Dam, North Carolina No Rain, No Pain, No Maine
204.6 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park I My deodorant gets the heave-ho!
268.7 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park II The Food Appreciation Trail
336.5 – North Carolina / Tennessee & Trail Names How the Gimp got her name
390.7 – North Carolina / Tennessee The famous Roan Mountain hitch
452.9 – Crossing into Damascus, Virginia 3 states down, 11 to go!
516.7 – Grayson Highlands State Park Roughin it at Partnership Shelter
573.3 – Bland, Virginia My wonderful trail angels!
665.3 – Pearisburg, Virginia The switch from boots to sandals
767.4 – Catawba / Troutville, Virginia Heat wave in Virginia
839.4 – Montebello / Rockfish Gap, Virginia ‘Hiking with Gimpy Sr.
920.0 – Shenandoah National Park Rattlesnakes, Jack Daniels, and bears – oh my!
988.3 – Front Royal, Virginia Invasion of the Boy Scouts
1001.1 – Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia The mental half-way point
1061.4 – Maryland / Pennsyltucky Y’all done drank enough beer!
1123.8 – Duncannon, Pennsylvania The Half-Gallon Challenge
1208.9 – Port Clinton, Pennsylvania $1 Yuengling drafts and the rocks of PA
1283.9 – Pennsylvania / New Jersey Friends and family visit WonderGimp
1334.2 – High Point, New Jersey Rain, rain, rain, trail magic, and more rain
1440.7 – Bear Mountain, New York Hike Naked Day!
1486.1 – Kent, Connecticut Gimpy Sr. and Barkeater hike with W.Gimp
1543.8 – Great Barrington, MassachusettsWelcome to Mosquito Hell
1618.0 – Massachusetts / VermontPhoton and strobe lights for the 4th of July
1687.3 – Killington, Vermont The Inn at the Long Trail
1738.1 – New Hampshire Live Free or Die!
1794.4 – North Woodstock, New Hampshire Gettin’ above treeline
1814.4 – AMC-land, New Hampshire Entering the White Mountains!
1854.0 – Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire Mooning the tourists on Mt. Washington
1869.2 – Gorham, New Hampshire My first Moose sighting!
1920.7 – Andover, Maine The way Life should be…
1979.3 – Rangeley, Maine Closing in on the end
2015.6 – Kennebec River, Maine Eye of the Tiger!
2095.7 – Monson, Maine 100-mile Wilderness
2152.0 – Abol Bridge, Maine Katahdin is in sight!
2167.1 – Baxter Peak, Mount Katahdin, Maine Goodbye Capilene – Hello Cotton!!

Other Pages:
Map – Yep, 14 states
Gear – What to Bring
FAQs – See for yourself
Glossary (learn the AT lingo)
Links to Additional Info
Trail Injuries Everything from blisters to swampfoot
Trail Privies Bring your own TP
Class of 2000 Katahdin Thru-Hiker Pictures