Fatherman and Apache post more videos

Well, I stand corrected from my previous post.  Fatherman and his AT Traveling Talk Show has now posted five new videos, from New Hampshire but dating back to August. In some of the videos, he's with a huge crowd of hikers - like what you'd see at the beginning of the AT, not closing in on the end.  He introduces some folks he hasn't met before.  In others it's just FM and Medicine Man on Moosilauke heading towards the Whites. And we get a different view than the Loner posted of that rough trail going back down Moosilauke (and I'm not talking about Medicine Man's kilt.

And Apache has reached Maine and is posting videos as I write.  He's posting from right before and then after the border between New Hampshire and Maine, and it looks pretty rugged, cold and a bit cruel if you ask me as it sits atop Mt. Success in NH and then   Lots of rebar climbing on the Goose Eye Trail in Maine. 

Loner in Rangley, Maine

The class of 2012, at least the hikers I follow who are on their way to Katahdin, have gone eerily silent.  No video blogs, no text blogs, no phoned in messages.  I guess that goes to prove that Maine is an outdoors world, as the state juts up here above Quebec Canada.
Rayo, Frenchy, and P.J. Wetzel have summitted  Katahdin; Fatherman, Apache and Loner have gone off the radar as they enter the Mahoosuc Mountain Range and either close in or now trek through the 100 Mile Wilderness with towns, libraries, hostels and resupplies in short supply.  Maine is a big deal to hikers, they've been seeing AT signs pointing in two different directions for close to 2,000 miles, one pointing to Spring Mtn. in Georgia, the other pointing to Mt. Katahdin in Maine.
I did get a very brief email from Loner that he was in Rangeley, Maine about 220 miles from Katahdin on Sept. 12th as he was doing his laundry.  That was it - I imagine a brief use of a computer somewhere.  I hear his phone battery is giving him some trouble and haven't had a phone call in about a week.  Rangeley is a beautiful upscale wilderness resort in the lakes region of Maine, and comprises 267 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Many folks say it's the toughest part of the trail, as if the previous 2,000 or so miles was just prep work. In Maine alone, thru-hikers will complete the equivalent of hiking Mt. Everest.  So I know he's getting the views.  Just hope his camera is holding up for future videos. (photo is from http://www.rangeley.org/).
So now I guess we just wait.  

Loner in Maine - Final State

Jeanine and I heard from Loner as he reached Andover, Maine on Sept. 8.  Last state to go, he's less than 250 miles away from Katahdin right now.  Jeanine is flying in to Portland than driving to meet him so they can hike part of the trail together!  They are both very excited (and I imagine slightly nervous).  Jeff mentioned that he'd finished Mahoosuc Notch Trail which is filled with glacial boulders and has the infamous notoriety of offering the most challenging mile on the AT.  Loner  said it was hard but he made it. He's also been dealing with some major hammock fail - so hopefully he can rig something up to last the rest of the trip.
Not sure if their will be any more videos - it depends on the facilities on Rangeley.  After that there's not too much in the way of towns or WIFI.
In other news, followers of fans of Fatherman were wondering where he was since he hadn'ty posted any videos since August 17th.  Loner said he'd talked to FM when FM was in Andover, New Hampshire but Loner was still in Gorham, NH. He figured FM is about five days ahead of him. This is what Loner wrote me:
"FM is fine and I've seen his name in the logs. He is about a week ahead. He left me a note that he was in Andover when I was in Gorham. There is not much signal in these parts and he only has his phone to make vids. Most THRU HIKERS that post vids have a big gap near the end and then catch up after. "
 Fatherman finally got on White Blaze and in his usual sense of humor to let us know he was still on the trail and wrote this:  
"FM here!! Alive and well, my friends. The rumor of my demise has been greatly exaggerated, ha! Thanks for the concern, and yes, the vids are coming soon!"
Although he still didn't tell us where he was, darn it.  
One person even posted that Fatherman was looking thin and that's the truth with all the thru hikers - they're all looking pretty rough by now, thin, boney, cheekbones protruding, bags under their eyes, long scraggly beards.  Loner says the young crowd looks even worse - they're all "stick men." he told me.

Frenchy Summits Katadhin 8/25/2012

I'm a little late on this announcement, but another thru-hiker who Loner and I have been following is Frenchy (Matt French) from New Jersey.  He summitted Katahdin on August 25th, 2012, after leaving base camp at Baxter State Park at 3:30 am.  He walked up in the dark and experience sunrise at the summit by himself!  A rare thing these days since it's prime weather for daytrippers and Frenchy is also somewhere within the hiker bubble of those left out who will make it the entire 2, 180 miles.
Frenchy has been a great hiker to follow because he keeps a blog, Journey North, as well as a you tube journal.  He's an excellent writer, full of atmosphere, detail, energy, metaphor and emotion.  I had tears in my eyes as I read the emotionally-laden post of his summit hike, and another viewer admitted they welled up too. I know I've said it before, but as we come to know the hikers and family members of the Class of 2012 (and before) from White Blaze, You Tube, Blogs and Trail Journals, we feel like we know them even though we've never met.  I think this is one reason that Trail Days in Damascus is so huge because all these people want to reunite with friends they met in person along the trail, but also hikers want to meet other hikers, they only heard about or saw their names in the shelter log books.  And the families and supporter want to meet each other as we helped each other along the way. 
 I hope he takes the time to turn his blog into a book.
 But he was smart to to utilize a You Tube journal called Appalachian Frenchy 2012, too, since I think the Class of 2013 thru-hikers and every year after that may prefer the video diaries, as opposed to blogs or journals.  and it's much easier now with smart phones and small laptops.  Luxuries past thru hikers and old timers couldn't indulge in.  Times they are a changin' - sometimes too fast for me.

Kath's tips for hiker support

Kath from White Blaze, who has been a great supporter for Loner, passed on another great tip.  Lightweight and easy and fun.  She has been sending drop boxes to a number of 2012 thru-hikers and she likes to include gift cards.  These are for food - one of the things besides a shower, and laundromat, a hiker craves even  before he gets to town and food it the top of the list.  They often only think of  food that last few miles to town. I'm kicking myself I never thought of this and didn't find out until he was 1800 miles in.
 This is what she told me.

  "I think that is one of the BEST things to send the hikers as long as they are ones like Pizza Hut, Subways, McDonalds, etc. as you know they have them in almost every town. They are light and can be used as soon as they hit town. Plus I think some hikers hate to spend the money, but this way they can eat a lot without feeling guilty. Plus they do not have to spend it at one time." 
For those family members or supporters who purchase their own guide book, as I suggested in an earlier post, they should be able to see which chains are in which towns, and that will help on choosing cards they can use the next place they stop.  Up until you get close to Maine, you should be safe with any of these big three but towns are smaller the further north you go and some don't even have the popular fast food places.  In the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Companion, there's a map of each town with the locations of the restaurants and other things a hiker needs in town, such as hostels and hostels, outfitters, laundromat, library, WIFI accessibility, laundromat and grocery stores. 

The other idea she came up with is a great game hikers can use on the trail - lightweight as well, especially good for the gram weenies like Loner.
 I had never heard of a carabiner game and I'm not sure which one she sent him, but they're so cool because they can hang from a backpack strap and entertain a hiker when he's rained out or resting for the night.  The little game I sent was a Carabiner and it has different light patterns that emit. You have to try and memorize them and repeat it back. It's a lot of fun that should keep Jeff busy for hrs on the trail! And super super light.

Loner Completes the Whites

Well, this has been an an up and down part of Loner's Trip, he's left Gorham, NH yesterday and should be in Maine today!!!  The last and final state. He has loaded 4 new videos of The White Mountains, an up and down trip, including high 70 mph winds and Jeff's most exciting day and getting soaked and having to camp on the side of Mt Madison and spending a very very cold and wet night. So we get to see that you can't always stay positive - some conditions are just too rough.  Lots of great scenery  and a small town thrown in. But he also got to hike with some cool hikers and loves the Whites. And he's now only about 290 miles from Katadhin.

 Loner also reveals something that I didn't even know about until two weeks ago and it's pretty exciting but I don't want to put a spoiler in here.  After you've had a chance to watch the videos and if you catch it let me know, and I'll tell you some background stories.  It's a pretty great thing and certainly nothing Loner expected when he left from Georgia. 
And I can tell you its even better than finding an arrowhead on his birthday on the AT!
He admitted he's had some days when he just wants to get home, but he's going to finish now that he only has less than 400 miles to go - about three weeks.
It's not that he minds the climbs and the mountains but that he's excited and homesick at the same time and eager to get there now that some people he knows are reaching Katadhin.  He never met Frenchy but followed him on You Tube.