So, I'm getting so close to finishing Maine I can taste it! The weather has taken a turn for the worse. It has been raining for about 5 days straight now and it is not in the forecast to stop. I suppose if I only had two words to describe Maine it would be muddy and steep. The trails here are mostly runoff paths for rain water so I've been creek walking for an eternity. My shoes will never be dry! I've got a situation similar to blisters across the knuckles of my toes to the point of bleeding. Surprisingly it [View Full Entry]

---

---

So, I am now home. On Monday we went to New Bosaga school. I gave them a soccer ball. I loved it. It a fairly small school. Very poor. Its in old Kampala. We were touring the schools and I was talking with the children. I was bent over speaking with them, and when I stood back up, I heard a crack and a pop in my ankle. Unfortunately, it was raining in the morning so I choose not to were my air cast. I looked at Mary and told her “I think I have a problem”, I took another step [View Full Entry]

---

---

I'm on into the next town (Straton) I had a wonderful trip over Avery peak. The view from the top was incredible! I could see for over 100 miles in each direction. My knee is doing much better and I've been making 15+ miles a day. I figure after I get out of Maine and Vermont I will be able to hit around 20 or so. I've been taking a bunch of photos but I still don't have a cable out here. I stole a few from Stretch (18 year old high school grad that I've been hiking with for a [View Full Entry]

---

---

So after resting in Monson for a few days I'm feeling quite a bit better. Not exactly 100% but getting there. I was able to take off and hike the next 30 or so miles to Caratunk. I've met so many more wonderful people and I seem to be meeting more almost every day! Shawn and Charlene cought up to me and I've been hiking with them again for a few days ( they started on Katahdin the same day as me). Here in Caratunk there is a place called Northern Outdoors Resort. They will rent a beautiful cabin to Thru-Hikers [View Full Entry]

---

---

So before I begin this post it is only fair that it contains a precursor. This is a long post as it contains the remaining portion of our journey from Rangeley to Fort Kent, so make yourself comfortable, go make a nice sandwich and cold glass of your beverage of choice...I'll wait. OK, you back? Did you get a pickle (they compliment sandwiches very well)? No, well, go ahead, I'm not going anywhere (granted the power doesn't go out) as this is just photons bouncing off from your screen to your retinas. Alright, you settled? Ready for the long haul? Here [View Full Entry]

---

---

So much has happened since my last post! I finished moving and riding myself of all my junk at the very last possible moment. On the day before I left for the trail me and my Mom spent the day finishing up moving the last of my crap and cleaning out my place for my security deposit inspection. That afternoon I went skydiving! It was the last possible opportunity to go before my trip (I tried several times but poor weather left me on the ground, week after week) After skydiving in the afternoon, me and Dave headed back to Rochester [View Full Entry]

---

---

So I've made it to Monson! Woooo Hooo. The 100 mile wilderness is complete and I'm well on my way. It's been a hard trip so far and I hope it gets easier from here. I wore my Asolo Fugitive GTX hiking boots for the first 80 or so miles and I think that they may have lead to the severe knee pain I've been experiencing. I was so glad to have Dave Ort with me for the first leg of the trip and I wish I could have convinced him to carry on with me. We parked his car about [View Full Entry]

---

---

July Third A glance at the schedules showed that I only had to be in the computer room for two of five possible periods in the day. Excellent! The only snag was that I was required to supervise campers at other activities for two of the remaining three. Given a free choice, I went to archery where the campers grew bored after half an hour, leaving me and a few more dedicated ones free reign of the targets and bows for the remaining half hour. I was appalling – until we realised I was standing too close to the targets to [View Full Entry]

---

---

Rebecca's parents live in Maine and wanted to throw us an engagement party. Many of their friends wouldn't be able to come to the wedding and Rebecca's mother wanted to properly celebrate. Sounds good to us! The party was scheduled for July 5th in Robbinston ME. To get there, Rebecca and I drove from 4 PM Thursday to 4 AM Friday. We took turns and went the whole way straight. Surprisingly, we hit little traffic. These gas prices ($4.30/gallon) and our time of travel must have led to our lack of company on the road. Fine with us. The visit with [View Full Entry]

---

---

The kids have arrived. At 2pm the speakers boomed into life. 'All counsellors to the lodge, campers incoming!”. Twenty minutes later, three buses pulled up, unleashed a squirming mass of energetic children, and pulled out again into tranquility. Choas ensued. Campers with bags twice as big as them stumbled towards the sign we had drawn up to welcome our group of campers. Staff yelled, campers yelled; the tannoy crackled. Slowly the bags piled up, and the chattering campers converged into their groups. We went down to the cabins, and met the campers we'd be assigned to. They rushed in, and within [View Full Entry]

---

---