Off the Trail!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am off the trail and safe now! Many thanks to all that supported AT for CZC! This has been the most defining experience in my life, and I have learned and grown so much throughout this journey. I am currently working on a slideshow to reveal the "full story". I will send the link to the slideshow directly to your email once completed and will post on the blog as well. AT for CZC began long before my feet started walking the trail (November 2011) and will end once I have had the proper time to reflect and hopefully share all that I can about this incredible journey. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for your love and support! AT for CZC continues off the trail, always in my heart right there from the start! Last of all, I know that I don't have to mention this but I would like to thank Houdini for sticking it out with me on the trail. We got by together, couldn't have stayed on the trail or survived getting off the trail one without the other. If there ever was a hiker that lived true to his name to the last day on the trail, I don't even have to mention it. But my sincerest thanks goes out to Houdini. For all that we have been through, for all that we have endured, for all that we have learned, and for all that we now have to live for I wouldn't change a thing. In our final moments on the trail, I was able to come to a true understanding of many things. Most importantly, the truest and realist appreciation for being alive and for the living, the power of choice, and the hope for change. Never forget that life is the most precious gift we were given. Never take it for granted. AT for CZC continues off the trail. Stay tuned for the slideshow! -Ewok

Happy Thanksgiving from Boiling Springs!

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody that has helped get me here! I have struggled with words and putting this journey into words. This is the best I can do for now. Houdini and I hiked into Boiling Springs yesterday afternoon and stayed the night at the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. I have absolutely loved the entire state of Pennsylvania! It has been incredible how much support we have been given by everyone that we have met on and off the trail. While the past month has been the most challenging and has pushed us mentally to our limits to stay on the trail, we have also come across some very important realizations. Putting all that has changed within myself and within this hike into words is finally becoming a little easier. If there is one message the trail teaches, it is to share all that you have. Never stop giving, and even when it seems you have nothing to give, you can still give your time and your love. Yesterday marked 7 months to the day since I left from Springer Mtn, GA. What a long journey it has been! I have been given more than I ever dreamed of in the past 7 months, a new life, a new lifestyle, and most importantly of all, a new vision of how I see the world around me and my place and purpose here. All that remains is 100 miles to Harpers Ferry, and Houdini and I plan to be done before December. We will be spending Thanksgiving with the Clancy family and we are so grateful for their hospitality in inviting two complete strangers who just came out of the woods into their home for the holiday. We certainly have developed a rocky relationship with the rocks in PA! But we can thankfully say that the worst of the rocks is over. And even so, we are grateful for rocks because that is the only way to keep warm at night. By heating rocks in the fire and using them to heat our sleeping bags we are able to at least get some sleep at nights. While the majority of our gear is all but breaking down and insufficient for cold weather camping, our 20* bags failing to insulate, down jackets losing feathers, etc., we must push on to keep warm and we are so close to being done with this journey at this point. The cold has been something. Dealing with the constant cold is harder than any climb and anything that I have experienced on the trail. While the trail has not been terribly challenging in PA (PA is pretty flat with relatively short climbs and decents), going cold gives a whole new meaning to what it means to have shelter and a home. Not just that, but the importance of opening up your home to others who are without. Just as the constant hunger in New Hampshire and Maine forced me to realize how much we waste and how important it is to be more conscious of our own waste. We all can certainly live with a little less because there will always be someone with greater needs than our own. To give when we are able is a must for a hopeful future. I don't think the gratitude that I feel can possibly be put into words for all those who have helped to get us to this point and for all that we have been given. I now know all that I need in my life which is my family, the few possessions I have carried in order to survive, and my own ability to give and make a difference. If we can broaden our visions and see the entire human race as our family or even a step further and embrace all that is alive as our family, and this world our home and not merely the shelter over our heads, we can see that there is hope and that this is a sharing and caring world. There is so much more to be said, and still so much more to be learned from the Trail. Today I find myself thankful for many things; I am thankful for my family who loves and supports me endlessly, I am thankful for Comfort Zone Camp and for all that camp provides for its campers, and I am thankful for the Appalachian Trail. I am thankful for all that I have learned in living in the woods. I am thankful that Houdini and I dare to stay on the trail even when nature is telling us it is time to get off. I am thankful for having met and traveled with Jay-Bird, Crazy Beard, Low Profile, Too Tall, Lightning Jack, Soleman, Far East Coast, and Traveler who have all changed my life so dramatically. The dependence we have found and the lifestyle we have lived has meant so much to me. There is so much more to say, and in time, I hope that I can find the words to do justice to the goodness that I have found on the AT. Happy Thanksgiving to all! AT for CZC reaches the last 100 Miles and SOBO we shall go! -Ewok

Coyote Sighting in Palmerton

AT for CZC is back on the move this week after a few days off the Trail last weekend. I spoke with Matt yesterday afternoon while he was resting at the Jailhouse Hostel in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. Click here to see his location as of 7am this morning.

Matt reports that all is well on the Trail. Despite the cold weather, shorter daylight and rockier than expected conditions, he and Houdini are making good time and hope to finish the rest of the hike near Harper's Ferry before Thanksgiving next week. The Trail is fairly flat at this point, definitely a blessing after the rocks and streams of Maine.

Matt reports that they saw a coyote near the Trail on Wednesday afternoon, which was "pretty cool." They also saw a house/barn burning in the distance, giving them something to talk about as they made their way south that day. Finally, Matt also has been struck by how much trash and food waste he has seen in this region.

Check back in soon for more updates from the Trail. Be sure as well to check in over Thanksgiving as Matt will no doubt spend some time reflecting on his experiences over the past six months. Happy Friday!

Pictures from the Trail

Lots to report over the past couple of weeks. AT for CZC has soldiered on over the past couple of weeks despite cold temperatures and the challenges presented by Hurricane Sandy. Upon completion of Mt. Katahdin, Matt took a bus south to Providence, RI, and stayed here in coastal Rhode Island with Steph and I for a couple of days before heading south. Before heading out, we dumped a ton of pictures from the Trail on my computer. Click here for a link to the full gallery of pictures taken on the Trail during September and October.

On Friday, October 26th, I drove him south to Fort Montgomery, New York, a few minutes outside of West Point. There, he met with fellow thru-hiker Houdini and the two hit the Trail bound for the Delaware Water Gap.

With Hurricane Sandy looming in a couple of days, the two hatched a plan to camp out in the William Brien Memorial Shelter, approximately a ten mile hike from Fort Montgomery. After resupplying in a nearby town and obtaining a weather update, they purchased some tarps and prepared for the storm. Over the next couple of days, they hunkered down and waited for the hurricane to pass. Matt reported during this time that storm did not hit their location very hard despite being fairly close to New York City.

After the storm had swept through, they got back on the Trail and have been braving the elements since, hiking as much as possible each day despite the cold weather. See below for their locations over the past week and a half:

October 31st, 9:39am
November 2nd, 9:42am
November 4th, 4:52pm

They reported yesterday morning that they had successfully arrived at the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey/Pennsylvania. They have hiked a little over 100 miles since Hurricane Sandy.

Looking ahead, with temperatures continuing to drop and Winter Storm Athena hitting the East Coast today and tomorrow, they have elected to leave the Trail for a few days and rent a car southbound for Harper's Ferry and Washington DC. After speaking with Matt this morning, he reports that they have been staying at the Church of the Mountain Hostel near the Delaware Water Gap.

He reports that the weather is affecting their plan dramatically and that they have been rethinking how best to complete the final 250 miles south. Matt suggested that they might start building their hikes around the hostels/places to stay. Under this plan, they would leave their packs at the hostels, hitch north or south out of town, and then hike back into town each day, ensuring that they have a warm place to stay each night that is off the Trail.

Matt reports that he is continuing to learn more about himself and about the Trail each day. To keep warm, they have been building beds of leaves each night and warming stones in large campfires before wrapping them in their clothing and using the stones as foot warmers / pillows.

They plan to stay with a friend in Washington DC this evening and will plan the remainder of the hike over the next couple of days. Houdini plans to attend a concert in the Baltimore area before they get back on the Trail no later than Sunday or Monday.

Check back in soon for more updates from the Trail. AT for CZC continues!

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!