Never Say Never: My Blue Blaze off the AT Has an Unexpected Grand Finale

For those of you who follow my blog, you will remember that my body finally cried “Uncle!” after nearly 15 weeks of hard backpacking from Harpers Ferry, WV,  to Andover, ME.  I was hurting big time, and could no longer hike on the demanding Maine trails.  However, after some reflection, I decided I would continue the northerly trek via a rented SUV, in order to support my Swiss hiking pal, Freeman.

We had promised one another “Katahdin together!” and I would help him get there by shuttling him to trailheads. This way, he could carry a much lighter pack and sleep more comfortably in hostels along the way.

All went according to plan; well, the new adjusted plan.  Each hiking day, alarms were set for 4:15 to 4:30 on hiking days so that we could head for the trailhead as early as possible.  The goal:  have him hiking by daybreak, at 6 a.m., or 7 a.m. at the latest, if the trailhead was over an hour away or we got slightly confused on the back roads we traversed.

Off he headed, prepared for a day of heavy rain. Did I miss hiking at this point? Not in the least.

In the afternoons, I arrived at a different, agreed-upon crossing of the AT and a road, at the approximate time Freeman thought he’d cover that day’s distance.  More often than not, he was faster than he had given himself credit for, and had to wait up to half an hour for me.  I hated for that to happen, but these back roads were slow to drive and  very confusing at times to follow, despite having three resources at hand: a detailed Maine atlas, Google maps and the Guthook AT app.

But we always succeeded.  He was never left deserted in the Maine forest!

I really enjoyed all the driving.  Because of the narrow gravel roads we used to get to trailheads,

I was still able to see a lot of the natural beauty of Maine that the hikers experienced on the trail.

Look carefully on the far side of the pond. There’s a moose over there.

Rangeley Lake.

 

In fact, I actually got to see more faces of Maine than I would have seen from the trail:  the farmhouses, many of which have multiple extensions connecting them to the barns;

the rustic weekend/vacation camps;

the tiny villages;

This would be considered a relatively large town in central Maine, given its one traffic light.

the beautiful freestanding barns;

and fun indications that we were truly in Maine.

 

A common sight: kayaks and canoes, on their way to fun times on one of Maine’s countless ponds/lakes.

Shortly after I dropped Freeman off at his trailhead on our first day of this new system, I realized that I would be able to give lifts to lots of other AT backpackers, too.  I watched for hikers coming out of the woods at road crossings, hanging out in front of supermarkets in the small towns, and just walking along the road toward town or a hostel.  Always lots of good conversation and laughs to be shared along the way. By the end of this journey, I had helped around 50 hikers, some repeat “customers.”

I gave lifts to individuals….

…one of whom, an Army veteran,  thanked me by playing some Scott Joplin pieces on the piano at his destination, the gracious old Rangeley Inn.

We managed to fit six passengers in for one short trip to the trailhead.

With our shuttling and hostel system, Freeman was able to more easily traverse around 150 of the more difficult miles of the Maine trail.  He covered more ground than he would have with a full pack, and enjoyed a dinner of some sort at a cafe or restaurant

Dinner with friends who had earlier gone through Mahoosuc Notch with us.

and a bed at a hostel or hotel each night.  True luxuries on the trail!

The legendary Shaw’s Hiker Hostel in Monson, the jumping off point into the 100-Mile Wilderness.

As for me, I never regretted my choice to stop this year’s hiking.  My body slowly began to forgive the atrocities I had inflicted upon it and felt a bit more comfortable each day.  The real challenge was to stop eating like a lumberjack, now that I was no longer burning thousands of calories each day.  I decided to worry about that later and continued to enjoy the occasional potato chips and Ben and Jerry’s almond milk ice cream while I could.

At last we came to the final northerly section of the AT called the 100-Mile Wilderness. In this section, the hikers have no access to towns for resupplying their food stash.  You either carry a heavy seven- to eight-day supply of food or do as most folks do: arrange for a resupply of your chosen food by a shuttle driver from one of the hostels at the southerly end of the Wilderness, most notably,  Shaw’s.

Delivery of food resupplies to hikers in the 100-Mile Wilderness.

Freeman, however,  had his own private shuttle driver.  He loaded up his big pack with all his gear and four days’ worth of food and headed out.

We had agreed on a meeting place where the AT intersects with one of the two logging roads that would be available on his fourth day.

Check-in point where I had to register and pay to be able to use the private gravel Jo-Mary Road. Because it was used by huge logging trucks as well as hunters and vacationers, it was in excellent shape.

In addition to his box of food supplies, I decided to bring bags of apples, mandarin oranges, bananas, cookies, and potato chips, in order to do a little trail magic for other hikers while I was at the trail intersection.  After Freeman restocked his food bag and ate his luxurious lunch (a Subway roast beef sandwich with all the works, chips and two ice-cold Cokes),

he settled back and enjoyed relaxing and visiting with some of the other hikers who stopped for the treats.

During the previous few days before the food resupply, I had taken a nice break from the whole AT culture, renting a lovely room in Bangor through Airbnb.  The mattress felt like I was sleeping on a cloud and the deck was perfect for my morning yoga.

I enjoyed visiting a farmers market with the Airbnb host,

shopping at an LL Bean outlet center (no longer backpacking + a car at my disposal = room for purchases in a “new” suitcase from Goodwill),

and a one-day visit to nearby Acadia National Park.

A lovely coastline to look at, but I wasn’t tempted in the least to walk on those boulders. Go figure!

After the resupply at Jo-Mary Road, as Freeman was finishing up his final days in the Wilderness, I took advantage of two more nights at an AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) lodging, the Gorman Chairback hut.

The main building, where meals were served family style at long tables. It was a quiet time for this hut, with fewer than 20 people occupying their own private cabins, as opposed to the much more crowded conditions in the bunkrooms at the three huts I had stayed at in NH, during the height of family vacation time.

I was the sole occupant of the bunkhouse. As a member of AMC, $95 bought me a bunk, a real true hot shower with fluffy towels,  a copious dinner and breakfast, and a generous sack lunch, all catering to my gluten free needs.

There were two smaller bunkrooms to the side. All three rooms had gas lamps I could light, which cast a nice soft glow.

I had so benefited from the bunks, prepared meals, and conviviality of three huts in the White Mountains of NH.  I was eager to see what this Maine version would present.  It turned out to be much more low-key, without quite all the animated welcomes and entertainment by the young staff that I had experienced in NH.  This was a true North Woods retreat, with canoes and kayaks at our disposal, plentiful trails, and still all the delicious food. Very nice.

Because of the continued healing of my body and the proximity of the AT just a mile away, I chose to spend my free day at the hut hiking six slow, easy miles on the trail.  I wanted to forgive and to “make nice”  with the trail.  Mission accomplished.  A very nice reunion for both of us.

Most of this short section of the AT “played nice.”

But some of it reminded me of the challenges the trail can present, in any of its 14 states.

Wish I’d brought my Swiftwater Crocs. Tender feet made this a careful river crossing.

 

Which led to the unexpected change of final destination of  my “blue blaze” off the AT.  Much to Freeman’s delight, I informed him that I would be climbing Katahdin with him after all.  I now felt up to this one-day challenge, and wanted to end the year on a high note, to so speak.

The two-day process for achieving this was:

I met Freeman at the Katahdin Stream Campground, where we had booked our own shelter for the eve of the hike.

We enjoyed talking with park rangers to learn more about the park, the mountain, and an upcoming celebration at the mountain by the local indigenous people.

The alarm went off at the usual 4:30 a.m., we packed up our belongings in the car and moved it to the day use parking lot, and hit the trail by 6 a.m.  I will admit to having much trepidation in my heart, but I knew I could make it up this formidable mountain with the help of my hiking partner.

Up we headed on the 5.2-mile Hunt Trail, the trail that the AT follows, hiking first through the forest and past a waterfall.

The trail soon reminded us that we were still subject to the Maine rules of  the game: roots, rocks, boulders, steep inclines, and later declines.

But also part of the Maine rules:  fantastic views from the mountaintops.

There was some scary climbing over boulders, with rebar bolted into the flat sheets of rock to provide a place for your feet and your hands as you boosted yourself up.   This was all very helpful, but not as much as a strong push from behind by one’s partner!  Thanks, Freeman.

 

Once we got through the scary stuff, we finally came to the fascinating plateau near the top: lichen(?)-covered rocks, unique high-altitude plants, and signs and strings on both sides of the trail as reminders to hikers to stay on the trail so as to not harm the vegetation.  The cloud cover at the top actually added to the mystique.

 

 

With the ascent behind me, I tried to put the eventual steep descent out of my mind and just enjoy being on top of this mountain which, two weeks ago, I never would have guessed I’d ever reach.

And then, through the haze, we could gradually see the shape of  the iconic sign that signaled Baxter Peak, the highest point on the highest mountain in Maine.  It was hard to believe that we were actually there.  And we were so fortunate that we happened to be the only ones there at that time, to be able to take our time and enjoy this culminating achievement that we had imagined countless times.

The fulfillment of our promise of “Katahdin Together.”

And now, the descent.  We decided we would take one of the potentially easier alternative routes down, Abol Trail.  Well, I decided, and Freeman was the agreeable partner.  This trail was shorter by two miles, but that meant steep downs through boulders.  However, there was no rebar (sometimes good, sometimes scary) and no unexpected surprises around any corners.  It was a good decision.

Literally kissing the road that we would walk on to reach our car. The trails for this year’s adventure were DONE!

Approximately eight hours after we had left our campsite, we jubilantly arrived back at our car.  With the back seat filled with three other happy but weary hikers, off we headed for the nearest small town of Millinocket, nearly an hour away.  Katahdin was now in our rear view mirrors.

A yummy steak dinner courtesy of Freeman, comfortable beds in a real hotel, a good breakfast at a local diner the next morning with friends Papa Smurf and Lucked In,

all led to a full SUV as Freeman and I headed to Bangor a bit over an hour away, with even more backpackers now filling the back seat.

 

It was hard to say goodbye to my hiking pal who had been so supportive and appreciative during our month together.  Our partnership added so much to both of our AT experiences  He would now catch a bus to Boston and a flight the next day to Switzerland.

Job well done, my friend.  So long for now.

I would fly to Cincinnati.

My homecoming tied in beautifully with a Labor Day weekend visit from our Nashville gang. We made sure to enjoy lunch and dessert at Cincinnati favorites Skyline Chili and Graeter’s ice cream. Simply a must!

 

Two important pieces of the family puzzle were missing: our race car driver and his lovely wife, who were visiting Austin. But they were with us in spirit, especially as we flaunted photos of Skyline Chili and Graeter’s.

Suddenly, it was all over.  Boom.  Done.  The hikers disbursed with the wind.

But this year’s journey  always be with me: the pride I have for my hiking partner who dealt with language challenges and intense homesickness for three consecutive summers, and still hiked every mile of the Appalachian Trail; my appreciation of the support of my dear husband, family, friends, and readers; the memories of so many conversations, laughter, and even the tears with other hikers; the beauty and the extreme challenges of the trail in the far north; thankfulness for the hard work my body accomplished; and the rewards of getting through the tough times.

I have hiked from Maine to Georgia.  I have summited the mountains at each end of this trail.  But one section of the trail remains untrod:  250 miles of Maine, from Andover to the base of Katahdin.  Will I return another year?  Knowing my history, the odds are very good.  With good training beforehand, fewer tiring miles before this challenge than this year’s 900,  and a strict adherence to my rules of frequent zero days and low daily mileage, I could very well complete it.  Or not.

We shall see.  If I do it, it’ll be reported on here at thetrek.co.  Stay tuned.

Never say never!

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Comments 26

  • jane graham murphy : Sep 9th

    Congratulations, Ruth!! Your accounts of your hiking read better than our Book Club books! Thank you for sharing?
    I believe my granddaughter, Lily, will want to hike the entire AT as you did. She loved the challenge and beauty and friendships that she experienced on the last 130 miles.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      Jane, I’d love to meet Lily someday. I know we’d immediately understand each other’s experiences. But I envy her young, strong body!

      Reply
  • Ross : Sep 9th

    It just won’t be a hiking season without reports from Ruth! Looking forward to your completion celebration next year.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      Ross, you have a lot of confidence in my desire and ability to finish up that last section next year. Thank you for that! We shall see what happens. It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility. ?

      And there may yet be another post on my blog this year. No more backpacking to report on for now, but some post trail ruminations that have been on my mind for awhile.

      Thanks for following my journey. It means a lot.

      Reply
  • Lynn May : Sep 9th

    I have so enjoyed reading all your posts over the course of your journey! Good for you on recognizing and accepting the limitations imposed by the physical challenges. Love that you completed Kathadin and turned into a “trail angel” along the way. Great way to celebrate with Skyline & Graeters! I’m a fellow Ohioan transplanted to NC.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      Lynn, you totally understand how addictive Skyline and Graeter’s can be. Even though I can’t eat the spaghetti or the cheese, the two-way sauce on baked potatoes, with a side of 2 bunless hot dogs, is superb. And Graeters’ raspberry sorbet with chocolate sprinkles certainly fills all my needs. 🙂

      Thank you for your kind comments. Being a Trail Angel was more fun than I could have ever imagined. I heartily recommend it to those who have been on the receiving end. I personally feel that giving backpackers the gift of your time (lifts into town, etc) beats out snacks, although that is also appreciated. I’d like to someday do what the mother of my friend Amy has done: unexpectedly invite a hiker or two into your home or vacation rental for a stay of a night or two, good home cooking, laundry and showers. Good job, Bev! I’m sure he felt like he won the lottery!

      Reply
  • Theresa Kimmel : Sep 9th

    I have thoroughly enjoyed every account of your experience hiking the trail. Your photos are fantastic and truly give the feel of the trail Please write a book! As an older woman who dreams of hiking you are an inspiration. Congratulations on your achievement. Truly hope to hear more from you in the future.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      Theresa, I sincerely thank you for your comment. I upgraded to the iPhone 7 Plus (I think!) last year for its photo capabilities and haven’t been disappointed. Taking pictures really helps me look at things more carefully, so I benefit from the process twofold.

      As for being inspired to hike, please don’t feel it has to be all or nothing. Going out in nature for an hour or so, a time or two a week, is a wonderful way to unwind, renew and do some “forest bathing.” You don’t need to push it to the point of tears, trust me on that!

      I’d love to write a book, but I’m already about 5 years behind in my photo books. But, for my own benefit, I’m going to see if there’s a way to turn a blog into a printed and bound version. Why write it all a second time?

      Even though my body is presently still recovering and, at this time, I cant foresee any future backpacking, I know I’ll eventually be back to good health and making future plans. Trust me, you’ll find those reports at thetrek.co. This family of readers has been an important part of my support team. Thanks for being a part of it!

      Reply
  • Amy : Sep 9th

    Did you know it wasn’t until just recently that I realized that I could leave a comment on you posts? I just had to scroll down a mile to the comments section!

    Well done my friend. Congratulations!

    Happy Trails,
    Little Bear Stumbles

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      That’s okay, it only took you three years to figure that out! 🙂 But I appreciated your personal texts. And I’ve just begun commenting on your blog, too!

      Thanks, friend! I’m so glad I got up Katahdin. So memorable!

      Reply
  • Margaret : Sep 9th

    So glad you did Katahdin!!! You are so worthy!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 9th

      Margaret, no one has ever called me “worthy” before. I’m honored that you think that. Thank you!

      Reply
  • Bev Davidson : Sep 9th

    Girlfriend! Seriously! You HAVE to write a book! Include maps, directions, and places to stay! This would be a great alternative for those who can’t hike! They could help and bring trail magic!

    Love your story! Thanks for sharing!

    Bev

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Bev, I’m flattered that you suggest I write a book. But I’m afraid it would end up being such a long set of volumes that no one would touch it. There are countless excellent books out there, so I recommend folks refer to those for more information. But thanks!

      Reply
  • Albert Halsey : Sep 10th

    Hi Ruth,
    What a surprise to see another post from you and your AT tail adventure.
    It is great that you assisted a fellow hiker complete his thru hike.
    You are very deserving and worthy of your celebration on the mountain.
    Would be surprised after rest and recoup you don’t complete the AT next year.
    But if you don’t I still look forward to that recap of your adventure. Your pictures and stories are most enjoyable.
    As I said once before being the same age as you I can’t imagine attempting the AT.
    Thank you so much for sharing your adventures.
    And big thanks to that husband that supports you so we can enjoy your adventure.
    Take care and God Bless you
    Albert

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Albert, so nice to hear from you again. Sorry for the delay in replying. The physical and mental demands of the trail really have caught up with me lately. My age is showing itself with a lot of aches, pains, inertia and melancholy. But I’ve experienced this before and will get through it, with the help of trained medical professionals, rest and time.

      Meanwhile, thanks again for following my journey.

      Reply
  • Carrie Sparks Marion VA : Sep 10th

    good for you Ruth, what a blessing you were to others along the way, Still remember spending some time with you in Marion in 2018. Reesa who you met at the pool that day mentioned you when I saw her a few weeks ago. Love and peace

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Carrie, as I was keeping track of the numbers of hikers I was helping, I thought each time of you and Jim and the thousands you have helped through the years.

      When one hiker said she was considering moving to Marion for a brief stint as a traveling nurse, I had nothing but praise for your town. I had such a great time there, as I waited out Hurricane Florence in 2018.

      I was right to not attempt those final 250 miles in Maine, but they remain there, beckoning. Some days I feel sure I’ll go back in a future year. Other days, I wonder why I would ever subject myself to such a tough section of trail, when there are tons of other beautiful, more forgiving trails around the world. We’ll see what happens next year.

      Reply
  • Cheryl : Sep 11th

    What a wonderful adventure you had. Makes me want to rent a vehicle and see the same things you did. I took me three years to do my hike.
    Congratulations for your helping and continuing your own adventure.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Cheryl, congratulations on your own 3-part section hike. I’m a huge fan of undertaking such a big challenge in semi-reasonable chunks.

      But you’re right, it was a lot of fun being connected to the trail community in such a different manner, especially since I already knew the hikers that were hiking in Freeman’s orbit. I now understand why there are Trail Angels such as Miss Janet and others who do this every year.

      Reply
  • Shocktop : Sep 12th

    CHOC! Oh my, you truly, to the end, rock: helping Freeman, random trail magic (my favorite kind to do, trail guides me where I need to be), and Khatadin!!! So very nice to hear from you, and always great pics. Thank you.

    Reply
  • Shocktop : Sep 12th

    And hey, Ruth, wanted to thank you for always writing in an accessible way; one did not have to be a thru or section hiker to understand and enjoy your posts. I’ve been around, and know the lingo, if you will, but you avoided all that. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Shocktop, whenever I see there’s a comment from you, I know I’m going to enjoy it! 🙂 Thank you for both of yours for this post. I appreciate the accolades, but I just did what felt right at the time, as you would do. And, as for the writing style, you’re right, I chose to not overuse trail lingo and acronyms. I wanted even the first time visitor to thetrek.co or any backpacking site to feel comfortable reading my posts. Thanks for understanding that.

      Reply
  • Marina Hrabrov : Sep 19th

    Ruth,
    It was great spending time with you in Gorman, to talk about books, travels and future plans. You are a truly wonderful person and I wish you all the best in all your future adventures.

    Reply
    • Ruth Morley : Sep 20th

      Marina, I also enjoyed our time talking together at the AMC Gorman Chairback hut. What a pleasure meeting your family, and in such a beautiful, serene location. I’ll always enjoy remembering this part of my Appalachian Trail adventure.

      Reply
  • Sam : Jul 6th

    Hi Ruth! (CHOC!)

    I am absolutely amazed with this blog and your past accomplishments. I went to high school with Short-timer. I am wimpy and only hiked the AT through the Smokies back in the ’70s. Your blog was wonderful and I enjoyed it immensely.

    Congratulations again!

    Sam

    Reply

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