Day 28 - PEN-AW-THA

July 1, 2009

After packing up my stuff and checking out of my room at the Farmington Baptist Church, I headed back to the main road to head south to Wilton. Not before grabbing an early lunch at Subway, though.
Five dollar foot longs are a GREAT deal when you're living on the road.
Once I got to Wilton, I kept pushing west to East Dixfield.
It's Wednesday, so my thinking was to find me a church service in town and get some fellowship.
Unfortunately, NONE that I came across offered a mid-week service.
Oh well.
At the edge of town, I stopped at the convenient store/lunch counter to converse with some of the locals and try to find out where might be a good place for me to bed down for the night.
They directed me over to some property down the road where they assured me that I'd be welcome. So, this is where I meet up with a man by the name of Larry 'Buck' Bisbee.
He's located right on Route 2 and he likes to call the place 'Pen-Aw-Tha', which apparently is the Maine way of saying 'pen author'.
It's a sort of hide-away spot for writers to do some workshopping and focus on their craft.
But, writing isn't the only craft located here.
It seems that Buck is quite the music fan. His whole place is set-up as Maine's Country Folk Music Theatre. Subsequently EVERY weekend is a musical extravaganza where talented people come from all over to sing, play and fellowship as much as possible before having to go back to the 'real world' on Monday.
Too bad I won't be here for that. It sounds like a real hoot.
So, instead, I get the privilege of hanging out with Buck and talking about music and ministry and even film production.
His property was recently the setting for a DVD movie called, 'Bare Foot Country Girl', of which he directed and produced using local talent plus whatever other resources he could muster together. He was also kind enough to give me a copy.
Now, I just need to get him a copy of the Dinosaur DVD that we put together. It might take me a while to accomplish that one, though.
Once it was time to turn in for the night, he directed me out to the official 'Pen-Aw-Tha' cabin.
I have now officially made myself at home and am settling down for a good night's sleep.
This place is quite the visual odyssey. And, it's pretty cozy.

Day 27 - Seth Wescott is my Hero!

June 30, 2009

I've been told that this is the third rainiest June in the history of Maine. How fortunate for me. :)
The good news is, today it's NOT raining.
Cool beans!
After having breakfast with my new friends, I hiked south on 27 all of the way to Farmington.
It's amazing how something so long and tedious can be written out in such a short sentence.
(the hiking part, not the breakfast with new friends part)
As I approached the downtown area, I was greeted by the sounds of music emanating from the town square gazebo. So, I gladly walked in, took a seat and enjoyed some live music for a bit.
Eventually, I had to tear myself away and find something to eat. Once I established that the Granary had a wireless connection, I dropped in for a bite.
As part of the 'meal deal', I was awarded a free ticket to a local movie of my choice. It's been a while since I've seen one of those things, so I gladly accepted.
I was fortunate enough to have been connected with a local church through the family I stayed with last night. So, I found out where the Farmington Baptist Church was and headed on over.
The people there were great. They blessed me with some dinner and set me up in room #3.
This place apparently serves as quite the hub for a LOT of activity. They have groups come in all the time for lots of missionary work and such throughout the year. So, it was great to take a peek into their world for a day.
As it got later, I made my way back over to the movie theater to check out 'Year 1', a modern comical spoof of the Old Testament and beyond. As you can guess, it wasn't accurate.
For what is was, (a Hollywood movie with an ensemble cast of comedy actors who don't know God) it was entertaining. But, nevertheless, it was quite crude and blasphemous and vulgar, etc...
I certainly didn't think the results would be any different. I'm pretty sure I was just excited to get a free ticket. Oh well, this world doesn't have very much longer. I just wish more people would discover the truth before it's too late.
It's a good thing that's the objective of the team I'm playing for...Christianity.
I guess I'll have to do my part and we'll see what happens.
God only knows and only time will tell.
Except for eternity, of course, which is 'outside' of time, but then I digress...

Day 26 - New Vineyard

June 29, 2009

It sure does like to rain around here.
I left the campsite this morning and crossed over the bridge to head south on route 201A.
Somehow, I manage to view a DHL van, a UPS truck and a FedEx truck all in the same day. Don't look now, but I think this might mean that I'm on the verge of civilization. Maybe?
At least is 'seems' hopeful.
I made such good time, I decided to go ahead and follow route 234 west all of the way to New Vineyard.
This proved to be slightly strenuous. The end of my twenty mile day found me sitting on the front steps of a town building, tending to a HUGE blister on my right heel, while trying to stay out of the rain.
This was the tricky part. It was after hours and the building was closed. New Vineyard would be extremely flattered if I referred to it as a 'small' town. And, I had nowhere else to go.
So, there I was, at not yet 5 pm without a soul to be seen anywhere.
That's when I finally had to give up and reserve myself to the idea of finding the nearest church down the street and camping out somewhere on their property.
After all, if I'm going to get in trouble using someone's property, it might as well be a church, right?
But on my way to the church I noticed that the town office/library had a car in the parking lot. So, as a last ditch effort, I walked in hoping to gain some useful advice on where to spend the night.
I entered to find not one, but two ladies, at the front counter. They were both intrigued by my appearance and asked about my journey. As I told them what I was doing and why I was doing it, the customer lady (Dinah) became very interested.
It turns out that her and her family are very active in the local churches and her daughter was even recently involved in a Creation Ministry class.
Here's the fun part.
She thought it would be fun to take me up the street and introduce me to her daughter and son-in-law in hopes that they might let me stay there for the night. So, with nothing else to do, I gladly tagged along for the ride.
Their names are Chip and Kathy. Chip had just left for the evening to go to the movies with some friends and Kathy was just about to leave on some errands of her own.
But, before she left, the three of us sat out on the wrap-around porch and talked ministry as they continued to pump tasty food and warm fluids into my system.
Kathy thought it would be better if I stayed on the porch until Chip got home and I was a-okay with that. It gave me the opportunity to get in out of the rain and get my tent and equipment dried out as well.
So, with a few hours to kill, I put together a quick little update video and crawled inside of my rapidly drying tent for a quick nap.
Once Chip arrived, he invited me in and set up the downstairs room for me. I was finally able to get a warm shower and, afterward, when Kathy returned, the three of us hung out and talked for a while.
All in all, it was a productive and interesting day.
But, as I'm learning on this journey, that's par for the course.

Day 25 - Lake Texoma?

June 28, 2009

I left the Riverside Inn this morning and marched south on route 201.
On my way out of town, I briefly stopped at Irving's Lunch Counter to grab a quick bite to eat. Here, I was able to share with a few of the locals.
As I continued south into the town of Solon, I arrive at a convenient store right next door to the Solon Congregational Church. It's Sunday afternoon and the church has a sign out in front that announces a 2 pm piano concert. I couldn't help but notice that I'm about 20 minutes early for it. So, knowing that God has some pretty good timing, I head into the convenient store to find me some of that miracle salve I've been hearing so much about, Lewey's Insect Repellent. Apparently, it's the 'bug juice' of choice of all of the local loggers up here and it's extremely eco-friendly without all of that much frowned upon deet. At this point, ANYTHING's better than what I've got, which is nothing, so we'll see how this works out.
At 2 o'clock, I walk into the church next door to enjoy the concert and happily find that it comes complete with refreshments as well. Bonus!
After the recital, I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of the people along with the preacher and his family. They recommended to me a campground down the road. So, I went for it.
On my way to it, I couldn't help but notice a a severe lack in the town of Solon. With a name like that, how could they not have a 'Solon Hair Salon' or even a 'Solon Saloon'. What a disappointing oversight. If only people would learn to call me about these things. ;)
I also noticed more of the same sad theme found throughout these northeastern states... abandoned factories and plants. In many of the towns I'm walking through, it's easy to see the evidence of once thriving businesses and industry of yesteryear. Unfortunately, that's all that they are these days, just distant memories of a prosperous past. Bummer.
So, I finally get to the Evergreens Campground and check in. They assign me tent site 'H'. I wasn't able to get very far talking with the owners, though. They didn't really seem to care one way or the other about who I was, what I was doing or even what I had to say. I couldn't see any evidence as to what their belief system was, if they had any, but they certainly weren't open to anything I was bringing to the table. Oh well.
I did enjoy the campsite, though. I took the time to wander around and reminisce about my childhood experiences back at Lake Texoma. I can remember tagging along with my grandparents and their Methodist Church group as they would make a yearly rendezvous up to the lake for some fun and fellowship. (I'm from the Dallas, Texas area.)
The setup here in Solon gives me that same feel with the beach running alongside the back of the sites. There's plenty of room for the pop-up campers, the RVs, the tents and the campfire pits for those ever important gatherings of song, stories and, of course, S'mores. Those were really good times. And, now here I am all of these years later and so many miles removed, doing something I never would've even imagined back in those days.
Life is strange like that. If only we would appreciate those moments in life a little more while we're actually in the middle of them. Because, once they're gone, they're gone. There's no going back. The only moments we have are the ones we're currently in. The past is always there for us to cherish, but let's not forget to make the most out of the present. Because, it's the present that determines what happens to our future.
I think it's time for bed.

Day 24 - Here's the scoop!

June 27, 2009

This has been a good day to relax. Yet, I've also received some troubling news.
First off, I took full advantage of this wonderful room and let myself sleep in for a bit.
The Riverside Inn, where I'm staying, is less like a hotel and more like the old-time boarding houses that you see in movies like Forest Gump and such. It's the kind where all of the rooms on the same floor share a common bathroom. It's really great and the owners are VERY accommodating.
So much so, that when I discovered how inexpensive the room was, I decided to take an extra day to let my feet heal up and enjoy the extended luxury of being able to do my laundry downstairs.
I took the time to walk through the town for a bit and visited the local store down the street to pick up some groceries before I headed back to eat some lunch at the 'Here's the Scoop' Restaurant next door to the Inn. I MAY HAVE treated myself to some more ice cream, too. Just maybe.
Now, so far on this trip through Maine, my cell phone service (Sprint) has been completely useless. And, I do mean COMPLETELY.
I've gotten to where I don't even carry it on me anymore because it NEVER gets a signal. I just take it out of my pack every day or two and try it out to no avail. So, needless to say, I'm not able to stay in very good contact with anyone in the outside world. Therefore, piggy-backing on wireless networks is my only real chance to do so.
I have a friend in Pensacola, Florida (Marcie) who I like to refer to as my 'Executive Secretary' for this mission trip. She's my eyes and ears and my reliable real-world contact as I'm trouncing around coast to coast in this tiny country of ours. Well, I just received news today that she has recently been in a car wreck. From the look of things, it was just less than a week ago and she is now recovering in the hospital in fairly good condition. It was a head-on collision.
Wowzers!
The only way I know this is because someone has posted some information about it on facebook. While I am VERY grateful to hear that she is okay and that the REALLY bad bit is behind her, it certainly feels strange being so far away and so helplessly out of contact. The only real thing I can do now is pray and hope that she'll be back in action soon. We'll just have to wait and see what God has in store.
She's a pretty impressive woman of God so I'm hoping that this'll turn into an amazing testimony.

Day 23 - Soggy Sore Feet in Bingham

June 26, 2009

I am WORE OUT!
When I woke up this morning to get ready to get back on the trail, I didn't know what I was in for. I was greeted by my trail friend, Dan (Smokey). He had gotten up around 4am and starting from where I had lunch yesterday, he had already hiked up and over the mountains and back down to where I was. So, it was nice touching bases with him before our roads split.
I say split because his intention is to stay on the trail, while mine is to follow the jeep trail headed for Bingham.
I reached this conclusion yesterday and it was the culminating choice of several factors. The first and foremost of which is the crossing of the Kennebec River. That takes place further down the trail in Caratunk and the crossing is so severe that there's an actual ferry that is mandatory to get to the other side. Ultimately, I know it's a legitimate excuse for a short boat trip but I just can't help but feel like I'd be cheating if I didn't actually walk every step of the way to Mexico.
So, after consulting with the map and guidebook and talking it over with Dan, I take off in the general direction of Bingham, where my footpath won't be hindered.
Choosing this action is also beneficial in getting from point A to point B a LOT faster. These mountain trails don't have a very specific agenda when it comes to arriving quickly at your destination.
The map wasn't too clear on the roads of this area and how they connect up with the Bald Mountain Brook Shelter, but armed with my compass, a general sense of direction and the faith that this jeep trail that runs by the shelter seems to be headed, more or less, in the direction I think I would like to go, I'm off. So, it's farewell to Dan and I'm curious to see if his path will be as quick as mine. I'm pretty sure that I'll end up ahead of him further down the trail. I guess only time will tell.
The jeep trail turned out to be a logging road and, after several miles of twists and turns, I finally come to a roadsign that assures me that I'm only 13 miles away from the town of Bingham.
At this point, it's interesting to note that the past several days of tromping through endless streams and continuous mud bogs have rendered my feet into a perpetual state of wetness. More interesting still, is the fact that my feet have felt GREAT. No soreness, no blisters, no problem.
But, apparently now that I'm on the dry and rocky path, I'm finding things to be a LOT different.
Somehow the drying out of my feet and boots have not been conducive to my new hiking environment. So, with about 6 miles left to get to town, my feet are REALLY starting to feel it.
This is also about the time that the mosquitos decided to come out and express their appreciation for my presence along the side of their river.
Oh, what joy!
Rest assured, this was relatively short-lived because, with just a mile or so left in my journey, it started to rain. This was no ordinary rain, though. At first, this was a welcome deterrent from my insect escort. Soon, it was much, MUCH more.
It began to rain with such amazing vigor and determination that I could've walked through a full service car wash and not been able to tell the difference.
So, by the time I walked into Bingham, limping, itching and completely drenched to my very soul, I can only imagine what a sight I must've been.
I found my way to the small town Main street and wandered into 'Thompson's Restaurant' where they were able to tell me about an Inn on the other side of town. I cinched up my waist belt and gingerly made my way down the street until I ever so gratefully arrived at the Riverside Inn.
By now, I didn't really care how much it was going to cost. I just knew that I NEEDED a hot shower and a place to stay the night. So, I went for it.
As I drop my pack in room #4 and make my way to the hot shower, it occurs to me that my feet have NEVER been in more pain in my entire life. I'm finding it hard just to stand in the shower.
As you can guess, I made it out alright. As I headed back to my room, the owner invites me out with some of her friends to a local restaurant down the road.
It's called 'Patrick's Restaurant & Pub'. It's located at the North Country Rivers Cabins & Campground and it is, quite simply, AMAZING.
It turns out that this place is the headquarters of quite a river rafting and outdoor adventure company. The prices look a bit steep when you're perusing through the menu, but once you see the portions, it's ALL GOOD!
I had the Buffalo Chicken Salad and I can honestly tell you that normal people with normal appetites can NOT finish such a thing. I, however, am NOT normal. :)
I even saw a table full of teenagers not be able to finish the virtual vat of nachos that was oozing forth from the middle of their table. I don't know whether or not this place is like this all the time or if God is just treating me extra special to console me for the day that I've had, but this place ROCKS the house! Coming back here is a very appealing idea which I highly recommend.
This also became a great opportunity as God's purpose for this journey took center stage at this local watering hole. There NEVER seems to be a shortage of 'divine encounters' to introduce people to what God is doing in these last days. It's a real hoot!
And, just when I thought my day couldn't get any more adventurous, it turns out that the owner of the Inn is also the owner of the ice cream shop next door to it. So, on the way back to my room, she opened up the shop so that I could be treated to a free helping of that frozen goodness that becomes the cherry on top of this most interestingly diverse day of days.
I can't help but wonder if my friend Dan has had as exciting of a time in the past 24 hours.
I am truly blessed!

Day 22 - Staying Out of the Stream

June 25, 2009

Well, I got up this morning and hiked about 4 more miles until I FINALLY got to the next shelter. From the night before, I wasn't even close!
It was the Moxie-Bald Shelter. So, I decided to stop here and grab a quick bite to eat.
But, BEFORE I got there...
Yep, you guessed it...
there was another stream crossing!
This one turned out to be quite the adventure. The water was raging pretty good and somebody had rigged up a string stretching across the water. It ran along the top of a drop off which created a tiny waterfall of sorts.
There was absolutely NO WAY that string was going to support any weight and it certainly wasn't going to keep me from getting wet. So, I spent the next half hour trail-blazing my way upstream for an 'easier' crossing.
'Easier' is probably NOT the word of choice but at least I stayed dry and that's something, right?
I only wish that somebody could've been there to capture it on video for me. That would've been pretty special.
Anyway, lunch at the shelter afforded me the very first time that I had to replenish my water supply from a non-potable source. (It's called the stream.)
It's okay, though. I'm traveling with purification tablets.
Iodine is tasty!
As I continued on after lunch, by the time I got to the tops of any peaks, the views were obscured by clouds of rain as well as clouds of insects. So, I quickly made my way back down into yet another valley and found the Bald Mountain Brook Shelter.
On this day, I only encountered one group of hikers headed north. It was a couple of adults with their sons on a one-week expedition. They turned out to be Christians, so witnessing wasn't an option but they were definitely supportive of my goal, so that's cool.
I think I'm going to call it a night.
"It's a night."

Day 21 - We don't need no stinking bridges!

June 24, 2009

I packed up all my goodies this morning and headed out.
Rebekah had taken off earlier on a hike of her own so I wasn't able to say good-bye. But, she did leave a note for me so that was nice.
I hiked down to the trail head and for the very first time on this trip, I was able to come face to face with the Appalachian Trail.
It was EXTREMELY muddy and I noticed that this would be quite the test for my Asolo hiking boots.
Other than the CONSTANT trudging through mud bogs it was actually pretty refreshing to NOT have to walk along the side of a road.
After several miles I made it to the Horseshoe Shelter and met a 28 year old hiker named Dan. He cruised passed me earlier this morning. His AT moniker is 'Smokey' and he plans to go all of the way to Georgia. Although, he's tempted to just ditch the trail at some point and head across the country to California. Interesting coincidence don't ya think?
My mission seemed to intrigue him a bit so, hopefully, God's doing some work on him. I guess only time will tell.
It was still so early in the day that I'm pretty sure I made a 'rookie' mistake. I decided to keep hiking and try to make it to the next shelter.
That was not such a great idea.
This is where I found out the difference between miles on the road vs. miles on the AT.
The AT miles take just a 'bit' longer to navigate with a LOT more obstacles.
Now, the first river crossing wasn't too bad. It was definitely a surprise, though, because in my mind, fording a river means that something has gone DRASTICALLY wrong. Apparently it's quite the norm here on the trail. You just keep following those 'white blazes' and suddenly, BOOM, there's a river with more 'white blazes' on the OTHER side.
Did I sign up for this?
So, I took off my boots and socks, put on the Teva's and marched myself through the knee high water. Needless to say, rolling my pant legs up to my knees was a wasted effort.
By the time I came to the next river crossing (regretfully), I was a bit more weary and a lot more stir crazy due to the onslaught of mosquitoes and such.
At this point, I went through the boot removal process again and waded out in the the EXTREMELY swift moving current only to find that it came all of the way up to my 'nether' regions. It was difficult and slow to manage but once I made it to dry land I realized that I was only half-way across the water. Oh boy!
So, back into the 'almost' waist high water I went as it suddenly occurred to me that my sleeping bag and tent are stored on the low end of my pack directly behind my rear. That's what caused me to perk up to my tiptoes, almost get washed down stream and fight my way to the shore where I spent the next 20 minutes warding off the insect swarms and trying to get dry.
Oh, what fun!
Here's where I discovered that I was losing daylight and the 'next shelter' didn't appear to be as close as I had hoped. So, finally, I GAVE UP.
I eventually found a suitable spot along the side of the trail to set up camp and I was MORE THAN happy to crawl inside and be done with the day.
That's when it suddenly occurred to me, "The Appalachian Trail is NOT going to be the quickest way to get to California!"
That's quite an understatement, to be sure.

Day 20 - Monson Bible Study

June 23, 2009

I couldn't help it. The idea of staying another day in Monson and going to a Bible Study were just too much for me to pass up.
I spent the day doing laundry, eating amazing food prepared for me by Rebekah and, eventually, going to the Bible Study group where they were eating even more food and studying in the book of Esther.
It's really good to get the opportunity to fellowship with a room full of believers.
The trek through Maine tends to get a bit lonely at times.
So, after this time of refreshing, I'm due to jump on the Appalachian Trail first thing in the morning.
God has been too kind to me in Monson and I am very grateful for it.

Day 19

June 22, 2009

Lakeshore House runs a shuttle to Greenville for hikers to get to the gear shop located there. So, I tagged along. I needed to get some replacement parts for my pack. The hipstrap is no longer being upheld by my creative duct taping job.
Come to find out, external frame packs are quite the 'dinosaur'.
But, I happen to like dinosaurs so that's not a problem for me.
It is, however, a problem when looking for replacement parts.
So, the gear shop wasn't able to help me out, BUT the guy who ran the shuttle was. He's got an old pack back at his house that he doesn't use anymore so I'm more than welcome to take it if I need.
When we got back to the Lakeshore House, I gladly recieved the pack and immediately went into 'scavenge' mode.
I was able to change out the hip strap and such so that my hiking endeavors should be a bit more comfortable in the near future. We shall see.
The Lakeshore House is closed on Mondays, as far as the Restaurant and Bar go, but Rebekah went ahead and spoiled me by not only making me lunch, but dinner, too.
She rocks the house!
After lunch, I mailed home 4 pounds worth of gear and decided it would be a good time to take out one of the paddle boats onto Lake Hebron and make myself a nice little video.
All in all, it's been a pretty good day.
At Rebekah's urging, I'm contemplating staying an extra day tomorrow so that I can attend a Bible study with her. It sounds awfully tempting and I wouldn't be surprised if I cave in.
I'm a sucker for Bible study and sitting around all day.

Day 18

June 21, 2009

Slugs are ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!
It's gross but, at the same time, I have to admit it's kinda fun flicking the slugs off of my tent from the inside. After scraping all of the excess visitors, I brake camp and head south on Elliotsville.
After nine miles, I eventually end up in Monson.
It's funny to think that it just took me four days to accomplish what most people take 10 to 14 days to do...
from Millinocket, up and down Mt. Katahdin and through the 100 mile wilderness.
I'd say that's a good thing.
Unfortunately, it also means that all of the people that I met back in Millinocket are so far behind me on the trail that it's safe to say that I'll probably never see any of them again.
At least, not on this trip.
So, I manage to meander my way over to the General Store, where I sign in to the AT Registry and sit down at the lunch counter to find out what all the fuss is about these wacky 'red hotdogs' that everyone in New England seems to rave about.
I tried one.
I still don't get it.
Basically, it's a normal hotdog with a snappy/crunchy outer coating. I fail to see the point.
But, I'm not a hotdog fan to begin with.
Now, there appears to be two bunk house/hostels to choose from in this town and according to the Thru-Hiker's Handbook, the Lakeshore House seems to be the only one that offers wi-fi, so that makes the choice fairly simple.
I check into Room #5, get me a shower and head downstairs to see what the restaurant has to offer. That's when I meet Rebekah, the owner, who gets a big kick out of my t-shirt (the mock up of the Trix rabbit saying, "Silly rabbit, Jesus is for everyone!").
The place has a small town tavern appeal to it so I wasn't expecting much as far as the food was concerned. But, WOW, was that some good food!
AND, a VERY healthy portion I might add.
It's also Sunday night, which is open-mic night, so the music is emanating nicely from the lake shore gazebo just outside and all the locals are having a blast.
I think I'm going to like it here.

Day 17

June 20, 2009

As you may have guessed, Brownville Junction sits right along the railroad tracks.
And, it just so happens that Mr. Belvin is retired from the railroad so he was able to give me some insight as to what lies on the western end of the horizon.
My newly gathered information tells me that no train runs on Saturday and about 20 miles worth of travel should put me in Bodfish, which is just about nine more miles up from Monson.
Now, upon starting such a trek, I figured this might take a couple of days. But, wouldn't you know it, after ten miles of hiking on the tracks and eating some lunch, the day was still young and I felt really good.
So, I ventured onto the final ten.
Those last two were really starting to take their toll, though. By the way, did I mention that it had been raining all day?
When, finally, I found some semblance of civilization and was able to leave the tracks.
On an added note, I discovered today that ten miles on a train track will take you about four hours to accomplish.
As I desperately searched for, and eventually found, the correct route toward Monson, I came across some sort of park and camping area where I managed to ditch to the right side of the road just across from the river.
I am SO HAPPY to get some sleep!

Day 16

June 19, 2009

I woke up at 4:15?!?
Well, that's certainly different!
It seems Mr. Belvin has a morning ritual where he likes to get up before the sun and 'open up' some of the local coffee shops, convenient stores and restaurants around the town. Only, he was recently deemed 'too blind' to be allowed to drive himself anywhere. Oh, he could still do it, of course, but the locals aren't too happy about it when he does.
So, today, it's my good fortune to wake up and drive him in his diesel truck (good thing I used to be a valet) all around the town to visit the usual haunts.
Get this, he's such a fixture in these places that he has his own set of keys for them and he generally shows up BEFORE the places open. And, most of the time, BEFORE the employees get there. It's too bad that I'm not a coffee drinker because I certainly got the breakfast tour of a lifetime.
Needless to say, when we got back to the house, I found it delightfully easy to crawl into the trailer and take a nap.
It's a rainy day today so I found ample time to take care of my laundry.
Then, I tagged along with my gracious hosts to attend a Historical Society Benefit Dinner downtown, then finish up the festivities hanging out at The Junction.
All in all, it's been a fairly eventful and yet restful day. One more night in the trailer and I'm hittin' the trail.

Day 15

June 18, 2009

So, I'm hiking south on Route 11 when, lo and behold, I find that I'm starting to run low on water. It's nothing to worry about, really, because I'm spending most of the day within earshot of running water.
As I get down to my last bottle, I start to think that refilling would be a novel idea, then a lady pulls to the side of the road and gets out of her car. She walks toward me and proceeds to let me know that my cell phone coverage isn't going to work.
(What an interesting thing to tell a guy hiking down a barren road in the middle of Maine.)
I assured her that my cell phone (Sprint) hadn't worked for the past two weeks, so it really wasn't anything new to me.
She offered me a ride into town but, of course, I had to turn her down. But, that opened up the door for me to tell her who I was and what I was doing. She was pretty excited about the whole thing and was pretty well beside herself trying to figure out how to help me.
I thought this would be a great opportunity to ask if she happened to have any bottled water in the car with her.
She did not. :(
But, she was more than happy to drive the rest of the way into town, keep her hair appointment, then bring me back some water when she was done. This sounded like a good plan to me...
at first.
A couple of hours later, I finally run out of water alongside the Katahdin Ironworks Road and my lips are getting quite 'chappy'.
At this point, I'm starting to feel a little desperate and foolish for deciding to wait for her delivery instead of refilling in the creek somewhere when I had the chance. I'm just on the verge of knocking on someone's door and begging for water when a car pulls up in the distance.
She made good on her promise, though, and brought me, get this, an entire gallon of water!
Normally, this would be a ridiculous overload of weight but I was EXTREMELY happy to oblige.
I filled up all three of my water bottles and still had plenty left in the container. So, I gladly drank till I could drink no more.
She assured me that I was within a couple of miles of the town and I should stop at a place called, 'The Junction' to find myself some food.
So, I did.
And, believe it or not, they knew I was coming! The nice lady had apparently already been there and told them all about me and what I was doing AND she even prepaid for my entire meal.
How cool is that?
The guy running the place is named Donnie and he set me up with all the fixins!
Delicious!!
He runs the place with his brother and it's WAY MORE than just a convenient store with a lunch counter. It's a supply store, campground, concert venue, outdoor movie theater PLUS who knows what else! It's really pretty cool and you can check it out at: www.theJunctionGeneral.com.
His parents eventually came in to grab a bite to eat as well. I got to meet them and they decided to let me come spend a couple of nights in their fifth-wheel trailer in the front yard.
This is turning out to be quite a day!
For those of you who know anything about the lore of the AT, you've probably heard of Bill Irwin, the first blind man to hike the whole trail. Well, it just so happens that when he got to that part of the AT, he came into Brownville and stayed with this very same couple.
He apparently even mentions them in his book.
I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Mr. Blevin said something about needing a 'taxi service' in the morning, so this should be interesting.

Day 14

June 17, 2009

Well, today I had to make a decision.
Normally, an AT hiker takes a shuttle to Baxter State Park to start out their adventure with an ascent up Mount Katahdin.
I, unfortunately, am not your typical AT hiker.
So, I'm faced with the option of having to walk to Baxter, climb the mountain and venture through what they call the 100 mile wilderness. Now, to do this, I'm going to need about 10 days worth of food and supplies AND it's not a real time-saver to help me get to Mexico.
I've also come to the realization that anything that takes longer than it should is going to dip further into my funds, and that's one luxury I can't quite rationalize on this trip.
Instead, I'm heading west on Route 11.
But, not before grabbing a quick breakfast at the AT Cafe, where I'm forced to notice something new and exciting. Yes, I'm pretty sure that in the past two weeks of travel time, from Mars Hill to here, I've finally come to see my very first black man, dreadlocks and all.
Shocking, right?
Come to think of it, things have been so pasty white up here, that I can't really recall seeing any human being of any shade darker than Nicole Kidman.
Strange, you would think the rednecks would flock to an area like this.
Anyway, life is pretty barren as I pass through West Seboeis and find a spot to ditch to on the left side of the road. Tomorrow, it's onward to Brownville Junction!

Day 13

June 16, 2009

Today is pretty cool.
I've FINALLY made it to Millinocket!
This is exciting because Millinocket is the 'official' start and/or finish of the Appalachian Trail.
Though, I don't plan to exclusively hike on the AT, it's still nice to be somewhere where I can fellowship with other travelers.
While in East Millinocket, I was approached by an older couple who turned out to be the former owners of the Appalachian Trail Cafe and Lodge so, naturally, they directed me to that very same place.
I, for one, am very glad that they did.
Along the way, I was forced to turn down yet another ride offer. So far, I get a LOT of opportunities for rides but, of course, I'm hiking coast to coast so I certainly can't cheat.
It always gives me a great opportunity to share the mission of what I'm doing, though.
The lady who offered me a ride this time was so impressed that she insisted on at least giving me some money. So, ten dollars was a welcome addition to my wallet that day. :)
Once I made it to the Cafe, I thought it might be a pretty good idea to purchase a copy of the 'Thru-Hiker's Handbook' - 2009 Edition, which is the 'official' handbook for the Appalachian Trail. I also managed to gain the interest of the couple in the booth next to me. After talking to them for a while about the mission and what I was doing, they managed to force some money into my pocket as well.
(This is an amazing day of watching God meet my financial needs, seeing as how I had just begun to worry about being able to pay for the rest of this trip. The current stash of money in my bank account wasn't going to come close to getting me all of the way to California, but now I'm seeing that God has some connections of His own. So, I am mighty thankful for that.)
And, after all of that, I manage to find my way over to the AT Lodge where they have a bunk house and I'm sleeping in Room #8 on the top floor.
But, before I turn in for the night, I get my first real opportunity to talk to 'other' travelers.
Very cool!
One couple is from Georgia and they work as teachers and they've decided to start in Maine and walk all of the way back home with their dog. They appear to have over-packed quite a bit, though, and it doesn't sound like they've prepared recently with any warm-up hikes or anything like that. So, this is going to be a VERY interesting trip for them, to be sure. I REALLY hope they make it.
Amongst the other occupants of the Lodge, lo and behold, it's the couple from the Cafe. It turns out that they work just off the east coast of Maine with a couple of lobster boats and they're spending their vacation touring around with the in-land folk and taking lots of pictures along the way. They're a very entertaining couple and I only wish that I'd have gotten some contact information from them. Hopefully, God will brings our paths together again someday.
Only time will tell.

Day 12

June 15, 2009

I've recently started to accumulate quite a bit of soreness in my travels thus far. The most concerning of which involves some numbness in my left thigh. It doesn't seem so much to be the muscle or anything like that, but more of a numbness in the skin.
That's weird.
So, with that in mind, I decide to stay an extra day at the Katahdin Shadows Motel and let some healing kick in. Apparently, the nerves in my leg aren't in complete agreement about carrying 50 pounds around every day. So, we'll see if some extra rest might help.
In the meantime, I uploaded this Keith Green Song to Youtube.

Day 11

June 14, 2009

Today finds me continuing south on Route 11, escorted by multitudinous amounts of black flies.
Oh, how I love these guys!
I found some temporary relief at the Grindstone Falls Rest Area but, alas, I must keep going.
At long last, I finally manage to stumble upon a campground. Unfortunately, they want money and they have no wireless hookup so I can't justify it.
I've managed to figure out that if I'm going to have to pay for food or shelter, it's only worth it if I can get on-line.
So instead, I decide to push on for 4 more miles into the town of Medway to see what awaits me there. Of course, what's four miles without a torrential downpour?
I spot Aeries, a cozy little restaurant, and duck into it to get out of the rain for a bit and scarf down a plate of tasty food.
They direct me down the road to the Katahdin Shadows Motel where I find a good excuse to stay the night in Room #106. They have wireless, but it's only accessible in the 'kitchen' area.
That's good enough for me!
Now, it's off to take a shower and get caught up on some sleep.

Day 10

June 13, 2009

On the way out of Patten, I decide that buying a long-sleeved, hooded bug screen shirt would be an EXCELLENT way to spend twenty dollars.
The black flies know that I'm right!
I'm headed south on Route 11 again and this is where I find a particularly interesting turtle.
He was just at the edge of the road, about to take one more step into the lane of on-coming traffic when I decided to give him a hand.
So, I approach him from the side with my boot first so that he would duck inside the shell. This would enable me to pick him up and move him to safety, right?
Wrong!
This little guy wasn't ducking into anything.
He kept attacking my boot!
So, after about 5 minutes, I decide to distract him with a stick. While he's attacking that, I'm finally able to pick him up and toss him deeper into the woods.
He's was a feisty little booger. Almost makes me think that maybe he WANTED to get hit by a car. I've never met a turtle with a death-wish before, but there's always the first time.
The road eventually opens up to some beautiful views of Mt. Katahdin and the Baxter State Park area to the west (although I'm pretty sure there's no such state with the name Baxter).
And, today my travels take me to the other side of Staceyville, so that I can ditch and pitch behind a tree grove on the right.
Believe me, this new hooded screen shirt is a lifesaver!

Day 9

June 12, 2009

I tried to sleep in today, waiting as long as I could for the rain to stop.
It didn't.
Between the rain and the slug-covered tent (which might come in handy in a survival situation), it made for a more than interesting morning to be sure.
So, I packed up all of my wet gear and headed south on Route 11. Once I reached Patten, I figured it might be a really good idea to check into Room #2 at the Bartlett Lodge, dry out all of my stuff, and take an extremely long shower.
I was right.
This also gave me the first opportunity to check out the blood-spotted trail etched across my forehead (on account of the dew-rag I was wearing) from the 'black fly' invasion of the night before. This'll be an interesting look for the next couple of weeks.
After this, I decided to visit the local lunch counter at Debbie's where I enjoyed the All-You-Can-Eat Haddock, then I walked across the street to take care of my laundry situation for the first, and most certainly not the last, time of this trip.
In the laundromat, I met a pasty white young man who seemed to think of himself as some sort of a Native American. He was sporting a wrestling t-shirt with 'the Undertaker' on it and proceeded to tell me that his 'spirit animal' was the wolf. He also informed me that the local pastor had explained to him that there's more than one way to 'get to heaven'.
I did my best to assure him that there is not and I certainly gave him plenty to think about. So, one can only hope that he finds the truth before it's too late.
As I relax in the hotel room tonight, I'm able to catch the last couple of minutes of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup between Pittsburgh and Detroit.
Pittsburgh wins. What's up with that city this year? First football and now this?
I really enjoy the tradition of good sportmanship at the end of a hockey game when they greet each other in the middle of the ice.
I can't help but think that the average, every-day Asian might think that all of these bearded, toothless lumberjack lookin', pasty white boys might be hard to tell apart.
I know I'm certainly not capable. ;)
And, as I flip through the channels, it's also good to see that Leno has FINALLY been replaced by somebody that's actually funny. The world 'almost' makes sense again, except for the whole Pittsburgh thing, of course.

Day 8

June 11, 2009

This morning, I decided to use the shelter as a backdrop for C2C4C Update #5.
I, then, continue west on my journey down Town Line Road until I am met by what can only be described by imagining three hobos driving a car down a road to nowhere in the middle of Maine.
The two in the front seat were the only ones to speak and, if I'm not mistaken, they told me their names were Bob and Fred.
(Now, the entertainment value of these names is not lost on this former Philmont trekker, I'll tell you that. As for the rest of you, trust me, it's funny.)
They were not, let's say, of the most coherent mind sets of the legal driving laws I'm sure. But, they insisted on offering me a ride and to come hang out with them at their 'property'. I declined, of course, but enjoyed spending the ensuing time witnessing to them about what God has done for them.
It was an intricate dance of a conversation that involved Fred, the passenger, being very interested in what I had to say while Bob, the driver, was busy trying to describe the time in the 70's that he actually encountered the Alpha and the Omega together, in person. Meanwhile, their backseat buddy continued to occupy himself with whatever 'substance' he was fiddling with. (wink)
In the end, when they finally came to a consensus of an understanding of what I was doing, they were more than a little impressed and taken aback at my mission. And, Bob was so concerned, he gave me a dollar for some food. (Now, that doesn't sound like much but, this is my first 'real' donation to the cause. And, considering the source, I am grateful for such humble beginnings.)
After all of the excitement, I eventually find my way to Route 11 and turn south, where I have my first 'almost' bear encounter.
As I'm walking down the road I hear a car approaching from behind, but it doesn't pass. After half a minute I turn around to see the car stopped in the middle of the road about 50 yards behind me. I start to wonder what this guy's up to but all I can do is continue to hike, considering at this point I'm beginning to run out of daylight and I'm more than a little bit tired.
Eventually, the car approaches and pulls alongside of me and the guy leans out of the window and says, "Hey, did you see that bear on the side of the road back there? That's the biggest one I've ever seen in these parts! It must've been at least 350 pounds!!"
I, of course, informed him that I had not, but I am most appreciative in hearing such news now that I'm looking for a place to camp. So, at this point, I decide that hiking another mile and ditching to the left side of the road might be very appropriate.
This is also the day that I reached the end of Aroostook County. Imagine that, one county down, countless more to go!
And, if the day wasn't exciting enough already, setting up camp near the crest of a hill in the treeline somewhere in Mount Chase, Maine was my official introduction to 'the black flies'. I don't fully know what kind of new evil this is but, again, I say, "Thank God for tents with No See-Um screens!!!"
The sunset was nice but I think I miss the mosquitoes. :(

Day 7

June 10, 2009

Today, I leave the modern porcelain comforts of Room #2 and head west on Route 2.
Once I manage to drag myself to the local Smyrna Mills Post Office, I gladly duck in and send home 8 1/2 pounds worth of goodies. The blessings of such an event can NOT be overestimated!
On the outside of town, I briefly stop to video the C2C4C Update #4. Then, I head west on County Line Road.
At this point, my left heel has been giving me so much trouble that it's now affecting my left knee. And, the pain is quite excruciating with each step. So, with much prayer and whimpering, I gratefully find myself at the 'Roach Farm' Lean-To Shelter along the IAT. (I really hope that's their name and NOT what they do!)
This place ROCKS!
They've got two trailers set up, a nice fire pit, and even a stash of bottled water.
And, not a moment too soon!

Day 6

June 9, 2009

Go west young man!
Today, I get to do just that. It's my first real chance to go in that direction, so it'll be interesting to see what treasures await me yonder way.
My heel is still giving me some trouble as I head out on Ludlow Road. I follow this for several hours until I see what looks to be a homeless man up ahead on the left. As I get closer, he greets me and wants to know all about my travels and such. He says that I'm the first person he's seen on the IAT this year and only a couple of people had done it the year before.
(Now, I realize that I've been traveling pretty much exclusively on roads so far but, unfortunately, that's the route of the IAT in Maine. Bummer, huh? And, not mention, the roads are not lending themselves to be very pedestrian friendly, as of yet.)
Well, as it turns out, my new friend isn't homeless at all. He actually lives on and owns the property. He just doesn't have a house built on it. But, what he does have is pretty amazing. He tells me the locals call him 'Johnny Underground'. That's due to the fact that he has managed to burrow out a cozy little home for himself in the side of the hill. He's got gardens, outdoor bathtubs, an outhouse, sheds, a bicycle, shelves full of books to get him through the winters, you name it, he's got it covered. If I remember correctly, he told me that he hasn't driven a car since the 70's. (by choice, it just got too expensive to put up with)
So, after hanging out with him for a bit, I gave him my copy of Chuck Missler's book, 'Hidden Treasures', so that he would have something extra good to read this winter.
And, as I hiked the next mile west on Ludlow, he came along with me, bare feet and all.
We parted ways as I turned left to pass under the highway and I couldn't help but wonder if he was better off than most.
I finally found myself in Smyrna Mills at the Brookside Restaurant and after having an amazingly satisfying meal, I decided to treat myself to room #2 at their hotel.
(Keep in mind, I haven't showered since I left Zion Bible College. I know, right?)

Day 5

June 8, 2009

Well, after a full day of rest at the Blue Moose, I force myself to get back on the trail.
This time, I decide to follow in the tracks of some ATV trails.
ATV clubs are a REALLY big deal around here and I'm getting REALLY tired of walking on the highway, so the trail is a welcome change.
By the time I start to get in the vicinity of Houlton, I spot a sign that points to the Stardust Motel.
It advertises that you can ride your snowmobile right up to your front door.
I don't quite have one of these, but I figure if it's good enough for them, then I'll give it a shot.
So, with the idea that the road must not be far off, I follow the sign's suggestion in search of Houlton and the Stardust Motel.
After 5 to 10 minutes, I began to think, "I should've bought a squirrel!"
(If this reference troubles you, go rent 'Rat Race'.)
But, thankfully, the trail finally comes out on Highway 1 just at the edge of town and right next to the border patrol.
I've been told that they're pretty strict and I'll probably get harassed quite a few times as I'm so close to Canada. But, so far, they don't seem to care one way or the other.
Which is interesting, considering the time the Canadian Border Patrol accosted me in Detroit and made me delete some of the pictures from my camera. But, that's a different story for a different time.
So, I follow the road south until I come to a Subway right across the street from the Visitor Center and my first Walmart of the trip.
The Subway is in conjunction with a gas station that carries an interesting window washing policy (see photo). Things are a BIT different up in these parts.
I pop into the Walmart to pick up a lighter and some safety pins and I finally get the opportunity to head west.
After only a mile or two, I ditch and pitch to the right of the road, just on the edge of the tree line.
Hopefully, nobody will wake me up in the middle of the night with a shotgun telling me to get off their land.

Day 4

June 7, 2009

It felt SO GOOD to sleep in!
Combining the pain in my heel with the free campsite in back and the free wireless connection, I decide that this is a good time to take a day off.
I'm hoping that by tomorrow, my heel will be more or less 'healed' and I can use all of the remaining day to rest up and work on some more video uploads.
Plus, the food at The Blue Moose ain't half bad, either.
A little pricey, perhaps, but not bad.

Day 3

June 6, 2009

So, while everyone back in Texas is enjoying the 'official' grand opening of the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium with a George Strait concert, I get to hike south on Highway 1 all of the way into Monticello, Maine.
Now, normally, this sounds like an easy thing to do, but just as I get midway into town, something starts to go seriously wrong with my left heel.
It's not a 'hot spot' or a blister, it's something on the inside.
I think it's the result of carrying entirely too much weight in my pack and my foot is literally caving under the pressure.
So, I manage to hobble the rest of the way to the end of town where I joyously find The Blue Moose.
This is the first place on my trip where I'm able to access a wireless internet connection.
So, I use the opportunity to eat some lunch and loiter for a few hours, catching up on youtube, facebook, etc... and finally getting the chance to upload a few videos on-line.
The owner of the restaurant was gracious enough to offer me the back yard of the property to use as a campground and I quickly obliged.
The great thing about that is that I'm also able to pick up the wireless connection all of the way from my tent.
Good deal!

Day 2

June 5, 2009

What a glorious morning to wake up in a lean-to shelter on top of a hill at the foot of a giant windmill.
To start things off, the mosquitoes were so bad I couldn't resist using the firepit to 'smoke em out'.
But, once I got that taken care of, I broke camp and headed down the hill.
I followed the ski lift all of the way down to the resort and continued right through the parking lot all of the way into town.
Believe it or not, I'm actually following the International Appalachian Trail, which leads me straight to the front door of Al's Diner.
I didn't see Richie, Potsy or Chachi, but I did meet a beautiful waitress, named Melissa, whose mom worked right along beside her.
Together, they twisted my arm until I tried my first ever 'Whoopie Pie'. (which, apparently, is all the rage in New England) You'll have to google it.
It was pretty good. Obnoxiously big, but pretty good.
From here, I picked up and hiked south on Highway 1 until I came to the Whited Bible Camp.
The place looked quite accommodating and extremely empty, so I was tempted to duck into the Aroostook Pentecostal Tabernacle and call it a night.
Somehow, it just didn't seem like the thing to do, though, so I kept heading south until I reached Bridgewater, Maine.
Now, from Presque Isle, stretching all of the way south to Houlton, they've built a scale model of our solar system. The sun is located at the University of Maine, while Pluto (though no longer a 'real' planet) is located at the visitor center in Houlton.
So, lo and behold, while in Bridgewater, I was fortunate enough to have my picture taken sitting next to Uranus.
How many of you can say that?
Whoopie pies and Uranus.
That's more than enough excitement in one day!
So, putting that behind me, I was finally able to settle down and turn off to the right of the highway, on a little jeep trail, to 'ditch and pitch'. (ditch the road and pitch a tent)

Day 1

June 4, 2009

Today finds me waking up in the Visitor Center of Houlton, Maine, where I manage to pick up some info about the International Appalachian Trail and we're on our way.
I've decided that the International AT will be the perfect route to follow from the border, until I make it to Mt. Katahdin, which is the beginning of the 'normal' Appalachian Trail.
Now, it turns out the crossover for the IAT is somewhere around Fort Fairfield, but on the way up Hwy 1, we arrive at Mars Hill.
Well, it occurs to me that this is a town of Biblical proportions and, therefore, a GREAT place to begin the journey.
So, since Mars Hill is along the IAT route AND it's on the border of US/Can, that has now become the 'official' starting point for the Mission 2 America.
Awesome!
So, after enjoying lunch in Mars Hill at Subway, we find our way around to the border of Canada.
This is the moment of truth.
This is where I stand at the border, wearing my pack and waving good-bye to Quinn as he drives away in a perfectly good car.
Of course, I couldn't do all of this without first talking to the lady who lives in the house just across the border. I gave her a card and told her what I was doing.
So, that makes her my first official encounter on the mission trip.
I wonder who will be waiting for me at the other border?
It was an interesting sight watching Quinn drive off as I buckled up my straps and did my best to follow the IAT.
It was interspersed with a LOT of ATV trails but, for the most part, I think I roughly, almost followed the correct route.
After about an hour, a local pulled alongside me to 'check me out'. After finding out that I'm originally from Dallas, this man (wearing a San Francisco 49er shirt) proceeded to give me directions to get to the top of Mars Hill.
Needless to say, after another hour of 'attempting' to follow his directions, I finally just turned toward Mars Hill and headed straight up.
It didn't take too long before I encountered my first moose.
He was behind some thicket, to the left, on the other side of a meadow I was crossing when he turned and bolted before I could really get a good look at him. Oh well, hopefully there'll be plenty more opportunities for some interesting wildlife sightings.
But, of course, that's not to say that the mosquitoes weren't a blessing.
They found me about half way up the climb and decided to stay with me for the whole night.
All I can say is, "Thank God for tent screens!"
As I finally reached the top, it turns out that Mars Hill is a ski hill.
I was now sitting at the top of Big Rock Ski Resort.
Who knew?
So, with a lovely view of the city of Mars Hill down below, I found this to be a great spot to make my first video of the trip.
Soon after this, I made my way over to the 'official' lean-to shelter of the IAT, set up my tent inside the shelter, took in the beautiful sunset and tucked myself away from the mosquitoes.
I'm still alive and Day 1 is a complete success.

The Mission Begins

June 3, 2009

Twenty years ago today, I graduated high school.
And, now, here I am setting out to walk across America for the Gospel of Christ.
Who'da thunk it?
Yesterday, I found myself leaving my vehicle at a friends house in the St. Louis area, while she dropped me off at the airport to begin my journey.
I flew into Boston and was picked up by Dan, who drove me up to Zion Bible College in Haverhill, Massachusetts to stay with a student, named Quinn.
He works at the Rite Aid down the street, so today, I decided to take this opportunity to put on my pack and take a practice hike over to visit him at work.
I think my pack is a bit heavy.
The dry run went well and while I was there, I bought me a journal for the trip which, incidentally, is going to turn into this blog.
I, then, walked across the street to visit McDonald's while I waited for Quinn to get off work.
Once he finished up, we went back to the Bible College so I could video a quick promo for the '1 Master Christian Youtube Gathering'.
I briefly spoke to Philos71 on the phone about the promo and about the mission trip.
Then, I registered on-line at http://www.dailymugshot.com to begin the journey.
That's when Quinn and I finally hit the road and drove all of the way to Houlton, Maine.
We pulled up into the parking lot of the visitor center and slept there for the night.