A Backpacker's Life: June 2011

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Business Hours

Only a place this awesome could have Business Hours like these. It actually speaks volumes about it.

I have met a lot of wonderful people on this trip, that I will write more about when I can get to a computer, however this is two of four I find myself with every night (Thumper and Red). I know eventually our hiking pace will change, but I will find it hard to leave them behind. We tend to hike our own pace during the day, but all look forward to hanging out at night. And it has been a blast. I feel like I've known them for years already.

I think we'll stay together at least for a July 4th night in Monson. Then hopefully we will all be ready for some long days on the trail. Getting seperated is a sad thought, but I want to be sure I finish by Thanksgiving.

Trail Name Story #1

I heard my favorite story of how a hiker got his trail name. His friends were calling him One Way. I assumed his name meant he was heading only one direction, north to Maine.

He and his friends were trying to figure out the safest way to climb down a hill. He went first, fell, and slid to the bottom. One of his friends said, "Well, that's one way to do it." And the name stuck.

In the photo you see what I've been doing this whole time... Following the white blazes. The AT is marked by them at least every 100 yards or so to keep you on track.

White House Landing

A mile from the Appalachian Trail lies an oasis in the 100 mile wilderness. The side trail ends at a dock on a massive lake. Sound an air horn that is tied to a tree and minutes later there is Bill in a boat, the owner of White House Landing, coming to pick you up.

No phones or electricity, but WHL provides a small restaurant, bunkhouse, cabins, and showers for weary hikers or whoever else finds themselves in the Middle of Nowhere, Maine. After a shower, I headed to the restaurant for lunch. They have a high calorie hiker menu. I had the one pound deluxe hamburger with everything. Five days ago I wouldn't have thought that was very appetizing. But a lot has happened in five days.

After lunch, I washed clothes by hand in a tub. Then took their kayak out on the lake and paddled around with a loon. Now I'm relaxing on their porch swing. I could get used to this simple life.

I'm rested and ready for the 68 miles over White Cap Mountain into Monson, Maine, my next resupply point.

Monday, June 27, 2011

View of Katahdin

Another amazing day. I've been hiking with Thumper, Bambi, and Red today. I thought I would have spent more time alone than I have, but I'm really enjoying our nights at camp together. We all have our story of how we got here and why.

We just took a dip in a beautiful remote mountain lake under the first blue sky we have seen in a while. Now we are sitting on bedrock looking out at Katahdin (In the background). It's hard to believe I was on top of that mountain just 3 days ago.

I'm sorry to have to keep these posts so short and infrequent, but cell phone reception is rare in Maine's 100 mile Wilderness. As the name suggests, it is quite remote out here.

Only 2,146 miles to go!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Rainbow Ledges

I wanted to have some time alone today, so stayed at the shelter a little longer this morning to give all the other Sobos (southbounders) some distance on me. I think I heard a moose forty yards away just now. I'm going to hang out here quietly for a bit to see if it comes out.

I met more hikers at the Hurd Brook shelter last night. Two sisters from Kentucky going by the trail names Bambi and Thumper. I've been given the name Cam, short for The Cameraman, since I stop to take so many photos (anyone surprised?). It hasn't really stuck yet though. I'm still Ryan for the most part. At the shelter, I also met a retired French couple who don't speak a word of English. We try to speak through a very rudimentary form of sign language, but that isn't working well.

This is only day three, but I feel confident I will make it to Georgia. I'm having the time of my life.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

On the trail

This is the first cell signal I've noticed since Katahdin. We caught back up with the hiker called Moccasin, who had to turn back on Katahdin, so there are still three of us hiking together. Just wanted everyone to know I'm still safe and everything is going very well. I am getting rained on one mile south of Abol Bridge just south of Baxter State Park. I'll update the blog soon as I can, but given the remoteness of this section, it won't be that frequent for a while...

Friday, June 24, 2011

Made It To Katahdin!

And so it begins. I'm at the Northern Terminus of the AT. The trip up was the hardest I've hiked. 60 mph wind gusts, pellets of rain pelting my face, and steep climbs requiring all fours. I wanted adventure and that's what I got. One member of our group had to head back down due to not having good rain and wind gear. I hope we meet back up with him again.

So far it's been amazing, the views breathtaking. I wanted to show you the view, but a cloud has moved in, so it's all white right now.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know all is well.

On Our Way to Katahdin!

Cell phone reception may be weak for a while. Will update as soon as I can.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Bus

I'm on the bus to Bangor. Then will get on the next bus to Medway. Then I will be picked up and delivered to the Appalachian Trail Lodge, where my backpacking gear is waiting for me. In the morning they will drop me off near the base of Mount Katahdin. Not long now.

Next Stop: Maine

This is the Green Line in Boston taking me to the North Amtrak Station. I'm heading to Maine now. It's hard to believe I've been gone less than two weeks, and the real adventure hasn't even begun!

An Interesting Couple of Hours

It was a fascinating night. I'm not talking about how it rained relentlessly and how I wandered around Boston, day and night, soaked to the bone. I'm referring to how I helped a homeless man with his web site (he had a netbook and a city of free wifi connections).

I had to get out of the rain, so ducked into a McDonald's, hoping to use their free WiFi and see if the rain would pass in the meantime. It never did. Seeing I had a computer, he approached me with a question about his web site. He talked for a couple of hours about the contents of the site. Without going into details right now, I'll just say he told a fascinating tale about a prophecy foretold to him about Superman, OJ Simpson, David Keresh, and a little girl with red rain boots.

I didn't tell him my own story, but when he asked where it was that I called home, I just said , "Right now, nowhere. Just travelling and staying in hostels." He seemed happy to believe I was a penniless wanderer, or as he put it, "A fellow poor man." I couldn't tell him that I left my home and job deliberately. And anyway, with me in old soaking wet clothes and two weeks of not shaving, I certainly looked the part.

If I never write about this man again, the one thing I want to say is that even though he had so little, he still tried to give me 3 of his $13. Not for the computer help, but because he thought I needed it. He was intent on helping me. He twice offered to buy me hot chocolate or ice cream, or anything I wanted at McDonalds. Later, when leading me to the subway station, he introduced me to a man who became homeless and paralyzed after being struck by a car. He then tried to give me money for the subway. I told him I had money, but I think he thought I just didn't want any charity. I hate to think of all the homeless people I saw on the streets the past couple of weeks that I ignored when they were asking for spare change.

This reminded me of a story I once heard. It was about an old man who gave a homeless man $10, even though he didn't have much money to spare. He turned to his grandson and said, "Son, today we are rich." This confused the boy, so he asked his grandpa what he meant. He said, "because we have everything we need, and still had $10 to spare."

To Bil, it seems unlikely that you will ever read this post on your netbook, but just wanted to again say thanks for your amazing generosity. I will not soon forget it.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Old North Church

One if by land, two if by sea. This is the church where the two lanterns were hung to warn that the british were coming.

Boston Massacre Site

Standing on the spot believed to be where the first of five went down during the Boston Massacre.

Freedom Trail

Nothing out of the ordinary... if you're in Boston.

Union Oyster House... est. 1826

Sitting at the bar in America's oldest restaurant, enjoying a Sam Adams and bowl of New England Clam Chowder.

Walking in the Rain

Still raining on me, but Boston has a nice walkway to downtown. I'm sure to see some interesting historical sites down there.

Cheap Breakfast and Free Wifi

Hoping the rain passes. In the meantime, I finally found wifi, so I could get photos uploaded. All photos will be uploaded to my flickr account:

www.flickr.com/photos/ryangrayson.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Yooooooouk!!

I don't know who Youk is or why we are yelling it, but when in Rome....

Sam Adams

That Sam Adams was wicked tasty!

National Anthem

This happened quick.. Didn't expect to be sitting here an hour ago.

Also, you should know I've begun using a Boston accent when talking to people. I don't know why.. It just happened naturally.

Fenway Pahhk

Just got a ticket from a scalper... I even talked him down ten bucks... I don't know who I am anymore :)

Back Bay Station

I made it to Boston... now what? I guess I start walking.

On the Rails

I love the trains. I love seeing the country go by. I've seen the country from roads plenty of times, but it doesn't compare. On the train, the view is not an endless stretch of concrete, license plates, and exhaust pipes.

I see forests and lakes. I see people on boats lazily staring at bobbers on their fishing lines. I don't see a single Cracker Barrel or strip mall. I see backyard swimming pools and BBQ grills. There are baseball diamonds and people strolling through parks.

From the rails, it's not a country of Texaco stations, road rage, and billboards, it's the America that I love. I'm happy I've taken this time to see it before I hit the trail.

I'll be passing through Providence in a couple of minutes. Boston isn't that far now.

Waiting For My Train

My final New York experience... bagel with cream cheese. Goodbye New York! I will be back again someday!

Penn Station

Slight change of plans.. heading to Boston today.. then heading to Maine on Thursday.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Symphony In the Park

You can't walk a mile in New York without seeing something great that you didn't expect to see. There were two girls in the park playing violins, then I came upon this. I just sat backwards on a park bench with the bench's back in front of me, and rested my head in my arms with my eyes closed. They were doing a summer "living composers" concert series. The first piece was performed for the first time ever in front of an audience. The rest of the show was Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. It wasn't just the sound of the symphony that I loved. Behind me, hot dog vendors work, birds chirped above my head, new yorkers walked behind me talking. It was everything I thought Central Park might be and more.

I <3 NY

Now there's something you don't see everyday, a guy doing a forward flip over 4 random volunteers in Times Square.

Letterman

The show was amazing. I was more excited than I thought I could be. Sat in the third row on Dave's right. Right by the CBS Orchestra and most importantly, just a few yards from Eddie Vedder performing solo on his uke. It was unbelievable. And the song was beautiful and perfect.

If you watch, and you really should, to give you an idea of where I was sitting, when Dave comments on Cameron Diaz's legs and they switch to a camera angle pointing at them, that was my view. I mention that because now you'll remember when you're watching.

I'll write more later, when I can get online. No internet at this hostel and I have tons of photos to upload. No cameras allowed in the show though.

Alright, I'm in Times Square leaning against a building and texting like a weirdo, so I'm going to walk down the street and see what else happens... you never know.

Waiting For Letterman

Met a great couple in line waiting to see the show. This will be their 20th time seeing Eddie Vedder perform. Their enthusiasm is very infectious.

Vedder

I was ordering a sandwich from Rupert Gee himself and little did I know, 20 feet behind me, Eddie Vedder was getting out of a van, waved to fans, then went inside the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Letterman Tonight!

Don't forget to watch for me...

The Real Soup Nazi

He doesn't like to be called The Soup Nazi, but he does seem to like the catchphrase. The Soup Man wasn't in, but there was a stern looking woman that popped out when I arrived. She held up her index finger. I nodded with an unspoken understanding that I was to wait.

Eventually, I ordered the large Turkey Chili. Footprints painted on the ground told me I was to order, step to the left and receive soup.

And, yes, I got the free bread.

Amazing Roommates

...flying back home. Meeting people like them are why hosteling is the best way to travel.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

No Soup For You!

Sometimes the hostel gods smile upon you. You never know what a hostel will be like, some are great, some are not. And sometimes, like the one I'm in tonight and tomorrow night, are ran by lot of attractive women from Switzerland AND above the Soup Nazi's restaurant!

I'm embarrassed to say which I was more excited about.