6/24/25

Hiked out of Baxter State Park: stopped at Abol Bridge Store to buy ice cream, cold drink, Hydrolyte; charged phone and Garmin, then hiked to Hurd Pond Lean to at SOBO 18.6. Good water source and privy. I was extremely tired, had no appetite, and thought during the night to go back to Abol Bridge Store and wait for ride home. I actually camped 0.5 miles before Lean To and good water source. I heard a NOBO hiker come by about 1 AM! By the next morning I felt much better and met Marion at Hurd Pond Lean To.

6/25/25

We decided to limit hiking day to 10 hours/day and take breaks every 2 hours (remove pack, rehydrate. Eat snacks) and this really helped! Hiked to Rainbow Springs Campsite at SOBO 26.3. Only problem was that I injured my left great toe when getting up during the night; required duck tape to hold skin flap in place so I could hike.

6/26/25

Hiked to Waleigh Stream Lean To at SOBO 38.2. Met very nice Christian youth group called Trail ? (Response to change in Boy Scout direction). Great leaders and boyshiking 100-mile Wilderness NOBO. Uneventful camping near lean To. 

6/27/25

Woke up about 4:30 AM, packed, ate breakfast, and the hiked to PotaywadjoSprings Lean To at SOBO 48.3. Our first trail magic at road crossing by husband of NOBO thru-hiker from Bradenton, Fl. Drank 2 cold drinks.emptied trash and ate package of Pop Tarts; thanked trail angel for this wonderful surprise! Only Marion and I camped at site. Feeling a bit down from fatigue, low appetite, missing Kathy and dogs, but Marion was very encouraging. Filtered water, used privy, rinsed off with stream water, cooked supper, journaled and went to bed.

6/28/25

Hiked to Antlers Campsite at SOBO 51.8; able to get cellular service! Hiked on to Cooper Brook Falls Lean To at SOBO 59.7. After getting up at 1 AM to put up my hammock tarp after hearing lots of wind, got through the night with all dry things staying dry. Packed up under the tarp and had blueberry breakfast. Marion late waking up, so I began hiking at his request. Very smooth hike to Cooper Brooks Fall Lean To at SOBO 59.7. Walked in rain most of the way – no bugs and cool! Sleeping in shelter for the first time – full house, but dry! Able to hang hammock from front to back poles with some work. Met several people including West Point graduate, nanny taking 4 weeks off, recent high school graduate. Heading to Logan Brook Lean To at SOBO 71.4 tomorrow.

6/29/25

Extremely difficult hike up Little Boardman and Skycap Mountains at 2400feet. Several difficult river crossings. Camped near Logan Brook Lean To. My left great toe is now throbbing and very tender. Discouraged and do not feel I can go further with several 3,000+ mountains ahead. Nearly every step is fall hazard and river crossings very dangerous. 

6/30/25

During the night, I made the decision to come off AT before a major injury or death occurred. Closest road 2 miles north and next major road SOBO 13 miles ahead, so decided to go back down Skycap Mountain and try to get shuttle to Monson. Marion had turned off airplane mode before going down mountain, and he heard sounds from text messages coming in about 3/4 way down mountain. For only about a 6 foot distance could a 1 bar signal be detected,  but I was able to call Daryl Witmer in Monson and then Shaw’s Hostel who sent a driver to pick us up. This was an incredible divine gift from God that still brings tears to my eyes! The driver arrived within 45 minutes after we arrived at the designated gate on a logging road. We had a wonderful conversation with this young couple who met on the AT and were recently engaged at Springer Mountain, Georgia. We arrived in the beautiful little town of Monson, Checked into this famous hostel, put out items to dry, took a hot shower, washed our dirty clothes, and the had the best sandwich and fruit bowl at the Monson General Store. We also met Daryl and Mary Witmer who treated us to strawberries and ice cream, then showed me through their Apologetics Center. Daryl was pastor of the Monson  Community Church, an Evangelical Free Church, for30 years. He is now in a wheelchair after acquiring Gillian Barre disease many years ago, but he continues to minister to AT thru-hikers. I am so thankful that I experienced the AT for this past week but did not think risking my life continuing on the trail was wise.

I know some of those reading this story will be disappointed with my short AT hike, but I know that I gave my maximum effort with a lot of training and planning. Very few 70+ years old people have hiked Mt. Katahdin and 70+ miles of the AT. I can assure you now from personal experience that the AT is an extremely challenging hike with lots of opportunities for major injuries or death. We fly back to Fort Myers tomorrow after getting a shuttle from Monson to Bangor, Maine.