Southbound!

Many thanks for your constant support of AT for CZC! This has been the most amazing journey, and I am so thankful for having met so many good people along the way! The past few months on the trail have been a wild ride to say the least. The White Mountains in New Hampshire and the entire state of Maine have certainly put us all to the test. While they have been the most challenging states as the trail goes, they have also been the most fun and the best for hiking! With the days constantly becoming shorter and colder, new challenges have definitely come to pass on the trail. Frostbite and hypothermia were heavy on the mind in the 100 mile wilderness as we had to ford some bone chilling rivers. Slipping and falling were also an everyday thing in Maine as we passed through during the mud season. All in all, Love Maine, Love Mud, Love Whoopie Pies! There is a long list of people I would like to thank. Most importantly, I would like to thank Lightning Jack, Soleman, Traveler, and Far East Coast! I am so grateful to have met and traveled with you guys. You guys truly showed me how everything is better when shared. From sharing every material possession that we carried to all the experiences along the way, I am glad that I shared them with you guys. To think of all the feasts that came from the hat! Lightning Jack and I started hiking together after meeting at Tom Levardi's in Dalton, MA. Having met Soleman and Traveler through the Smoky Mountains, it was great to reunite with them in Hanover, NH. Far East Coast then joined our tribe in Gorham, NH, and together the 5 of us hiked north to Katahdin. I would like to give a HUGE shout out to Angela Tilley! Thank you so much for being so awesome! Over the course of our 281 mile trek through Maine, Angela was always there, meeting us at unknown roads with food, clothes, smiles, and anything we needed. Thank you Angela! Where to go from here... Tomorrow, Mike will be driving me to Fort Montgomery, NY where I plan to get back on the trail with long lost friend Houdini. Intentions are to begin hiking southbound to Harpers Ferry to complete the thru-hike around Thanksgiving time. AT for CZC continues. Put it in the hat! -Ewok

At Long Last

He did it! At long last, AT for CZC has arrived at Mt. Katahdin, Maine. After almost 180 days on the Trail, Matt and his hiking partners have successfully journeyed from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. And though he plans to circle back and hike the portion he skipped in Pennsylvania, what a tremendous accomplishment to have come so far.

Much like a good deal of this hike, besting Katahdin was done without much fanfare. Matt reports that the five mile trip was "quite a challenge," nearly straight up hill. Additionally, he reports that it was beautiful, "without a cloud in the sky." He took a ton of pictures, so be sure to check back in to see them in the near future.

Looking ahead, he is currently back in Monson, Maine, celebrating with his co-hikers before he begins to make his way south. I'll be in touch with him over the weekend to plan a visit to see me here in Rhode Island. I look forward to hearing more of his stories and am sure that he will use this blog as a place to reflect on some of his experiences on the Trail.

Made it to Millinocket

I'm happy to report on this cool and crisp Wednesday morning that Matt and his hiking partners have made it safely through the 100 Mile Wilderness and rested comfortably in a motel room last night in the town of Millinocket, Maine. While there was some debate last night as to whether or not they would attempt to hike Katahdin today, he wanted to report that all was well and that they were staying warm. He told me on the phone last night that he would call this morning if they chose to attempt Mt. Katahdin today; they were debating whether or not to hike the nine mile approach trail or obtain a ride before attempting the five mile hike from base to summit. Haven't heard from him yet this morning, though I'm sure we'll hear soon!

As I spoke to him last night, he was in the midst of cooking what he called a "big sausage feast" for himself and his hiking partners. Using a notorious cooking pot that has doubled as his hat over the past couple of months, he was in high spirits and excited to "be done with Maine." While Maine has offered some of the "most beautiful hiking on the Trail," the 100 Mile Wilderness was flat, very boggy, and cold. Due to the cold and rainy conditions over the past couple of weeks, the hike through the wilderness took eight days for the group. Unfortunately, the hikers had anticipated and packed food for only five days worth of hiking, and so had been pretty miserable and hungry while eating smaller rations.

Matt reports that the foliage is all down now. Peak foliage was seen in the beginning of Maine. The views have been spectacular, but it's nearing the end of the hiking season up north, and he has already experienced some snowy conditions on the Trail. Brrrrhhh! Additionally, he did not feel the earthquake that rocked Southern Maine yesterday evening; in fact, he hadn't even heard about it as of 9:15pm last night.

He continues to hike with a large group that have been together throughout the Northeast, and wanted to mention new friend Far East Coast, a fellow thru-hiker whom will become - according to Matt - only the second person from Singapore to hike the AT once he completes Katahdin.

Looking ahead, he plans to "take a few days off" after completing Katahdin before making his way south via bus. I hope to meet with him here in Rhode Island before he meets with longtime hiking partner, Houdini, whom has gotten back on the Trail and is hiking south through Connecticut/New York. Check back in soon for a final update regarding Katahdin. AT for CZC continues!

Sick in Maine

This post comes a few days late - my apologies for the inconvenience. On Sunday and Monday, Matt took a quick day off with several of his fellow thru-hikers in the town of Stratton approximately 200 miles from Katahdin. Having developed a cold over the past week, and with rainy weather and cold temperatures setting in, a hot shower and night at the Stratton Motel offered a welcome reprieve from the Trail.

He informed me that he was "loving Maine" and referred to it as "Solemanland for sure." While temperatures have been dipping into the 20's in the evenings, the hikes during the day have been comfortable, albeit challenging. The picture below was taken from the Trail on September 23rd. I can only imagine what the views will look like as the leaves continue to change...

Matt did request that any packages/letters that you wish to send be mailed to the town of Monson before the start of the 100-Mile Wilderness. More details to come as he provides them.

I hope to hear from him in the very near future. Unfortunately, our conversation over this past weekend was brief, as he was planning to get some sleep and try to get healthy before returning to the Trail. Check back in soon!