After a good but somewhat restless night of sleep in Ft. Myers anticipating the start of my 2,200-mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT), Kathy drove me to the RSW Airport where I met my new friend, Marion Hoffman.
Marion is a 76-year old former farmer who has run marathons in every state and already completed the AT in sections. He heard about my plans from a mutual friend, Bill Schroeder, who serves with me as an Elder at McGregor Baptist Church.
When Marion last hiked the mighty Mt. Katahdin, Maine, the fog was so thick that nothing could be seen from the summit. He wants to climb this mountain again to get a better view and just enjoys hiking.
Marion and I had uneventful flights to Atlanta and Bangor, Maine and met a former faculty member, Dr. Jim Jarvis, and his wife, Dianne, who gave me a grand tour of Bangor, a city of about 35,000 people.
Bangor felt like a small, rural town in the south with much cooler weather and lots of trees and green grass thanks to a very rainy spring. We enjoyed a great meal at a local restaurant on the Penobscot River. It’s the largest river entirely within Maine and a significant part of the state’s history and economy.
Jim and Diane were gracious to put me up in their beautiful home, treated me with some great ice cream at DQ, and will drive Marion and me to Baxter State Park located about 2 hours northwest of Bangor on Sunday.
We will camp in Katahdin Stream Campground on Sunday, June 22, 2025, hike up to the summit of Mt. Katahdin and back to the campground on Monday, then begin hiking through the 100-mile Wilderness on Tuesday. Minimal cellular signal and no resupply are available in this section. I am very excited to begin this lifelong dream but also a bit anxious thinking about what may await us.
I serve and fully trust in God who created everything we will see over these next 5-6 months. I also know that many friends are praying for me on this journey.
I am excited about placing a Gideon Bible App card in all 262 AT shelters and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ using some Gideon Personal Witnessing Testaments for those I meet along the trail needing to know Jesus as their personal Savior.
