Life is a Highway.......again.

Well, after a hectic few weeks I have decided to come back on the road for a few months. I am helping my brother Austin work on the "Rock The Vote" Mobile Marketing Tour. We are in Northern California for a few days, then to So-Cal. The tour runs a little bit of everywhere so we might be in a town near you within the next couple months. 

Otherwise, getting back to the fast pace of the real world has been.....well a challenge. I can finally sleep in a bed again. And "normal" food seems to stay down a little easier now. But I don't miss all the go go go's. People, traffic, exhaust, road rage, wow. How is it so hard to just be happy?

The past week has been difficult for me. I am trying to figure out how to live the life I want. I spent the last 2 months in the woods by myself which was peaceful and relaxing but I had a few surprises that I was not expecting when I got home. Life has taken a few turns that were not seen, but all you can do is keep one foot in front of the other and roll with it. I've learned more in the past 6 months about myself than in the prior 24 years. 

I have started looking into what I want to do when this tour ends in early November, and I am still up in the air. Maybe I will have saved enough money to go do another adventure next year.....

Well its been a LONG day and I am exhausted. I will do my best to post an update and pictures in a couple days.

Jordan

jordanp34@gmail.com 

What I learned......

(I wrote this before I finished, and just had time to type it up, so remember that I was still on the trail when all of these thoughts and emotions came out. I still beleive in all of them, and I hope that some of these may help a few people understand how my mind works now. )I had plenty of time to reflect on things that are important to me. And I have actually learned a few things while being in the woods for 5 months. If you will sit back for a few minutes, please let me share my life changing discovery's.... This could get deep.I have been so tired mentally and physically the past few weeks I had almost forgotten what life is really all about...

True happiness- Someone once said to me "little is needed for a happy life." What a true statement. I have been walking now for over 2000 miles. The past 5 months of my life has been dedicated to this project, my dream. Helping due my part to change the world, and learning what I am capable of. Its what makes me happy, Ive been able to get back into nature and talk to everyone about the impact they leave behind them from trash to life, it all makes a difference.

Do what makes you happy.

Never Quit-I have learned to never give up, no matter how hard life or the trail may be. Rain or shine, thick or thin, together or alone. I wont stop.. You learn what you are capable of when you are put into a miserable situation. Ive had good days and bad days. I even had a couple days where I wanted to quit, but I couldn't. I am to proud (maybe stubborn) to give in.

Compassion-Their are people out there who will do anything for you. It does not matter how far or difficult it may be to get to you, they will drop everything to make sure you are alright. You think that most strangers don't care, well I can tell you that some do. Ive been invited into homes, had meals cooked by people I met on the street. I hope one day to live in a world where everyone cares about each others well-being.

Remember who you are-Ive learned what it means to true to my heart. Never sell yourself short, in anything. Life, job, relationship, whatever your case may be, you deserve the best and don't settle for anything less than perfection. This is your life we are talking about. Remember what your parents taught you, and what your heart tells you.

Slow down or you'll miss something-I think a lot of people have really gotten caught up in the fast paced world we live in. We email instead of calling, we get fast food instead of sitting down to enjoy each others company. We have forgotten what its like to slow down, catch our breath and enjoy this place that was created for us, this beautiful planet. Sure we go with our family's to the beach every summer, but we are still thinking about that bill that needs to be paid, or presentation that's due next week. Kids are stuck to video games instead of being outside getting dirty, parents are working late and missing those special moments with there families. Just slow down, enjoy your life, beacause one day.....one day, you wont have it.Be good to each other-If everyone would smile a little more everyday, due something kind for a stranger, take a day out of the week to read to a child. We would live in a much kinder place. We are all apart of the human race right? So what really makes us that different? Remember that smiling is contagious.

Live for today-You are only going to be here August 16th 2008 one day in your life. Make it worthwile otherwise your going to wake up at 80 years old and wonder "where did all the time go?" Tomorrow is no guarantee for anyone. So do what you can today to help.

Remember that everyone needs help once an awhile-I was trying to hitchhike to town today when a car drove by me and yelled something about being a hippie...Instead of seeing that I was soaked to the bone and just needed a little help getting 3 miles into town, I got yelled at.Unfortunately this is the world we live in sometimes. Last night, a hiker got to the shelter after walking all day in the rain and realized had left his spoon at the last lean-to, so another hiker let him borrow his. Someone else gathered everyones water bottles and filled them up without asking.

These are reasons that leaving the trail will be difficult. I will take what I have learned out here and apply it to the "real" world I return to. I hope its contagious. Love for one another, love for our planet.These are just a FEW things that I have learned. I am sure the rest will come out soon......in my next adventure......stay tuned for more!!!!

Made it home!!! and Thank you!

Made it home!!! and Thank you!
Well its been a week since I've been home..."home"I got huge news right before I finished the A.T., I was asked to fly out to Colorado to present a little presentation at the Democratic National Convention!!! So I finished the trail the 18th, flew home the 19th, went into work in Atlanta to get my presentation together the 20th, flew to Colorado the 21st......whewwww!I worked with my brother at the "Rock the Vote Mobile" tour in Denver for a couple days which was great to help young people of America register to vote. On Wednesday I got to go into the Hyatt to set up a table at the "Green Delegate Challenge Reception" put on by Tava. I had the pleasure of speaking to numerous delegates from across this great country about my journey on the "Trek Against Trash." What a phenomenal experience to get to meet these people, they loved the set up, ideas and stories that I told them. It was wonderful to meet people as enthusiastic about the environment as I am!!!Well after Denver I flew home Friday afternoon, landed in Atlanta, got in a car and drove to Columbia SC to see my Grandparents.....and just got 15 minutes to breath and update my blog....Thank Yous!I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank a few special people/companies for the support they gave-Carlie "Gucci" Roberts, Thank you for your help, ideas, support and friendship. The trail was not the same without you. Without you this would not have developed the way it did. You walked from Georgia to Pennsylvania what a huge accomplishment! Thank you for everything.Keep America Beautiful.....what can I say other than WOW!! What a fantastic organization you are! You are the reason that we even stepped foot on the A.T. You helped bring our ideas to life and brought all of your affiliates to support this journey. I hope that our relationship/friendship will continue for a LONG time.Rob Wallace- You are the man. You are the MAIN reason that any of this happened. We pitched the idea to you, and spoke to you from Springer to Maine. You even showed to climb Katahdin with me. You have become a life long friend, and I could not have asked for a better support team than you and your crew.Qorvis, you are the reason we had ANY media at all!! Thank you, we would not have been prepared with those quick answers and great tag lines without you. We would have had no radio, magazine or newspaper media if you had not done what you guys do so well.Sprint, Thank you for your support from the beginning. Without you we would not have been able to blog along the way, OR call our families every time we had service (which was pretty much the WHOLE trail)Leki, holy goodness......Really?? I would have made it 30 miles without you. I don't need to say much.......but my knees do, Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! You are awesome!!Mountainsmith, Thank you for being a pioneer in the backpacking world. You have created an outstanding recycled backpack! I put this thing through the ringer, and you held strong in every way possible. I dropped, kicked, beat and got rained on with my awesome pack. And she never....EVER let me down. Thank you for being the BEST BACKPACK I have EVER owned.My Mom, I love you! You kept me fed well, kept my head up, and are such an inspiration to me. You showed up when I felt like I had nothing, made me laugh, and hugged me when I cried. I could not have asked for a better Mother. Thank you and I love you.Dad... you helped keep me more than you will ever know. From your letters to your phone calls, you always had the right words to keep me going. You have helped mold me into the man I have become. I love you, thank you!You are BOTH my Best Friends, Hero's and Inspiration to keep me doing what I do. Thank you.Family and Friends, I cant name all of you because too many supported me, BUT the few that never stopped showing love, Thamer, Austin, KG, Miss. Wise, Rouge, McBaine, Terry and Zoey, Vernon FD and on and on. THANK YOU. WOW! I had NO idea that so many people cared and followed this adventure. I love and will never EVER forget you and all you did for me.

The final mountain of the Appalachian Trail -Mt. Katahdin

Wow! This thing was HUGE!!!!!

August 17th- The day before...
I didn't sleep last night. I arrived in Baxter State Park in the morning pretty early. I got to the base of the mountain at the ranger station to see that a few of my friends were actually climbing as I was signing in......wow its really almost over.

I asked the ranger for my "2,000 Mile Application" to prove that I actually hiked from Georgia to Maine. After filling out the form I sat down to read a book......all day. Once my friends came down I chatted about the climb and weather and congratulated them on the accomplishment. As the sun was starting to set I got to the Birches lean-to for the night and started my last camp fire on the A.T.......sad.

Just as I got it going a few nice section hikers came into the campsite with....congrats cake and ice cream, yummmmmmm!! Trail Magic at its finest! My great friend Rob from Keep America Beautiful showed up just in time to hang out before bed time. We had a big day tomorrow.....climb Mt Kathahdin!

August 18th- The Day

Well its been 5 months on the date since I left Springer Mountain, and it has been a heck of a journey. I was up at about 4am giddy like a child in toys-r-us with excitement. Rob and I had agreed to meet around 6:30 to get everything ready, and we set off...and up at around 7am.

The first mile of the hike was peaceful and flat....and then we hit mile two. Hand over hand rock climbing for about 2 miles. No joke, it was the most technical climb of the whole trail, but so well worth it.

As Rob and I slowly made our way over the steep part of Katahdin we had a table top stop for the last mile and a half to the summit of Katahdin. With about a quarter mile to go I had the sign in sight....I could see the end of the road ahead. So what did I do? Run. As fast as I could to the top. Full of joy I reached the sign and gave it a huge hug and kiss. (Yes I know it is an old wooden sign, but I had walked from Georgia for this very moment). It was one of the happiest moments in my 25 years of life.

I posed for pictures and enjoyed the scenery for half an hour, just as we were finishing up the clouds were starting to roll in again. I got to summit Mt Katahdin with blue skies and beautiful views of all of Maine.

Next Blogs-
Thank Yous
and Final Thoughts

The "100 mile wetness......I mean wilderness"

So as usual leaving the town of Monson was wet......whats new? I got to the sign that warned hikers to beware of the "100 mile wilderness." All it meant was no resupply for 100 miles. What it SHOULD have warned us about was the "streams" that we would be crossing.....but I will get to that in a minute.

So the first day in I met up with a few old buddies along the way. We decided to hike for a bit together, and I am glad I did. I actually fell twice in a day.....twice in one day!! I was stunned. Thank goodness it didn't hurt and was kind of funny. I had made it over 2,000 miles only falling once....now two times in a day. I must be getting excited to finish.

We got to the first ford of a "stream" (imagine me doing the quotations with my hands and making a very disturbing face when saying "steam") and it was no joke. We had to put on our big boy pants to get across. Luckily we had a rope strung across it so we had something to hang onto, if not.......bye bye Bearfoot. As you got into the "stream" you could feel the Class five rapids trying to ripe you clothes off and throw you down, I am glad that no one got hurt because some of them were kind of scary

Well the wilderness was not all that difficult, lots of river fords. Lots of mud, rain and gunk. Nothing new for Maine. BUT what the wilderness did have was....... our first view of Mt Katahdin, from Whitecap Mountain. It was refreshing to see the end, but sad at the same time.

The last 50 miles of the wilderness was pretty much flat, but roots and rocks everywhere. So we cruised fairly fast. We got to the base of Kathadin and relaxed for the next day to take in the views, and I am glad we did.

Next stop-

Mt. Katahdin!!!!!

Coming to a Close....

Well Hello friends! I am currently sitting 114 miles away from Mt Katahdin in Monson, Maine.

Ive got good news and bad news-

Bad news-

Its still raining

My facial hair looks like I am a 16 year old high school student....

Good News-

I hit 2,000 Miles!

I am still moving forward and I'm almost done!

Okay now I need a little group participation. With a show of hands please let me know if-

You have walked 2,000 miles this year? (Mine is raised!)

You recycle at home and work? (If your hand is not up, we are no longer friends)

If you've ever cried yourself to sleep because the weather was so bad? (okay, I haven't done that yet, but come close a few times)

Anyway I have seen the sun for a total of 2 hours this entire week. The shelter I staying in last night was freezing!!! It was 45 degrees....burrrrrr. I am a Georgia boy who is use to 100 degree days every day by now, so my body is a little confused!

I saw my first Moose the other day.....Holy COW!!! I am 6"1' and I MIGHT have come to the top of his leg. I would have gotten a picture of him, but my cameras were in my pack trying to stay dry. I have gotten use to the waste deep rushing river fords that keep happening on a daily basis here in Maine. I don't think I have enjoyed any of them....until the Kennebec. All I had to do was wave my hand, and a guy in a canoe came over to pick me up! The down side was all the rain has made the water level rise 15 feet in a couple of days so paddling across this thing was something serious. My arms still hurt a little bit.

Maine....oh Maine, You have tested my very soul. From climbing the Mahoosuc the most difficult mile on the trail as far as I'm concerned) up, down, crawl, climb, around, over, under, the boulders. To the steeeeeep ups and downs of Saddleback and the Bigelow's with 50mph wind. You have given my no views, no sun and only misery. But I still love you. Your trails are muddy and wet, but they are better than being back in the real world sitting in traffic.

Maine, you will be a state that I come back to. I can tell that you are beautiful when your dry. The lakes are breathtaking and the wildlife is everywhere.

115 mile to go. Getting ready to enter the "100 Mile Wilderness" to Mt Katahdin. I plan on summiting Katahdin with my Keep America Beautiful friend Rob on August 18th in the morning. Then I will get to an airport and fly home........ahhh home. wow I miss saying that.

I promise to blog as soon as I get home about Mt Katahdin and my overall Appalachian Trail experience and thoughts. I have posted some news videos and pictures from the trail, so make sure to check them out!!!

Thank you all for your support and kind words. Without you I would still be somewhere in Virginia....

T-Minus 10 days......

No Pain, No Rain, No Maine!!!

Well let me tell you a little story about a place called Maine. Like I said before, the only way to get up and over a mountain is literally straight up and down. Which I would not mind at all, BUT the weather has decided to continue to pour buckets on us all day and night. Am I cold? Yes. Am I tired? Yes. Am I sick of stepping knee deep in freezing water? YES!!!

Today at Bemis "stream" the water was waste deep and rushing wild!!! I got three steps in it and felt the current trying to take me away, so I waited for a few minutes for my good friend "Pipper" to get down the hill. We brainstormed for a few minutes and then saw a tree that had fallen across the whole "stream." So we decided that it was best to shimmy across this thing and hope for the best........well I am still here talking to you, but we barley made it.

I have walked, crawled, shook, climbed, rolled and danced through Maine and it never seems to get any easier. 70% of the trail is under ankle/knee deep water, the other 30% is hand over hand rock climbing slick mountains. Needless to say, I am mentally and physically exhausted. Every local that Ive talked to has said this is as wet as it has ever been here. My clothes are starting to get moldy and stink like something died in them. The end is near, but not not near enough. This is a picture of what the entire A.T. looks like...... really? I am thinking about blowing up my Big Agnes recycled sleeping pad and floating down the rest of this thing...thoughts?

Last night at the Lean-to, we got in as the rain was starting to pick up AGAIN and realized that it had a leaky roof.......yeah I know. So we rigged up the canopy to my hammock to catch the water and re-direct it outside....we are awesome! Check out the picture.

I do a non-rain dance every morning, but it never seems to work.

The "Trail Spirits" have sent a message to all of the Thru-Hikers, "we are going to make or break anyone that enters Maine." My response (along with all the others) is........... "BRING IT ON!! I can, swim, climb, and walk through anything you throw at me. You are only making all of the hikers more determined than ever to get to Katahdin."

We had part of the trail wiped out by a land slide due to how wet everything is. Thank goodness that no hikers were on that part of trail when it happened. Once we got to the disaster area, we saw that the only way up was to climb up the roots of fallen trees. We had about a quarter mile up....I mean, straight up. The picture is what it looked like.....wow.

I am trying to get done a little earlier than expected due to this weather. I hope that everyone that reads this will do a special non-rain dance for us thru-hikers trying to finish without drowning out here.

A special story for those of you that know me very well..

I was walking yesterday when a sobo (Southbounder, Maine-Georgia) his trail name was "Flame"said to me,

Flame-"you know the guy hiking in front of you?"

Me-"What? Who?"

Flame- "a big guy with a big pack, said his name was T"

Me- "I don't know a T out here"

Flame- "I asked if he was hiking with anyone and what was in his pack, and he said.... hiking with J and he was carrying the world! he told me that you were a mile back or so and to tell you that he is helping take it off your shoulders and he doesn't mind carrying it for a little while, so take it easy."

Me- "whaa? are you being serious?"

Flame- "very why?"

Me- "No reason, thank you, have a great hike"

I asked a few nobo and sobo's if they met "Flame" or "T." No one had met or seen either.

Its funny how the world works, I am not going to explain the story to you guys, but those of you that know me....really know me will know exactly who "T" is. Thanks T and Flame, without you guys, the load in my bag would be a lot heavier.....

Someone is always watching and helping you. Even when you feel like your all alone in the wilderness.

Magnificent Maine! and Welcome to the family Merrell!!!!

Hello friends! I just walked into Andover, Maine!!! Which is incredibly exciting for me for a few reasons.

1. Maine is one of the few states that I have never been to (Hawaii, Alaska and North Dakota left)
2. It means that I am within striking distance from Mt. Katahdin!
3. umm.... I WALKED HERE!!!

So far the terrain has been very difficult, for some reason the trail makers decided not to make any switchbacks up these mountains. You walk to the base of the mountain, look straight up, sigh loudly enough so someone can hear it to show your frustration, and put one foot in front of the other. Climb over boulders and sharp rocks, and then head straight down the other side, which is just as steep.

Another very VERY exciting sponsor has decided to help me out along the "Trek." Hello and Thank you Merrell shoes!

My last pair of trail runners lasted about 1,000 miles but just were not cutting it through the whites. So I called up the folks at Merrell and introduced myself. They were kind enough to send me a sweet pair of shoes to help finish out the Trek Against Trash in Maine! Between the comfort level of the Merrell shoe itself and the sticky Vibram sole, it will be like walking on a cloud through the rest of Maine!

I will give my full review after I summit Katahdin, but as in the past... Merrell never ceases to amaze me with the comfort and style of shoes they produce.


Next stops-
Stratton, Maine
Monson, Maine
Baxter State Park
259 Miles to Mt. Katahdin

New Hampshire and the Wonderful Whites!

Well on the 24th I crossed the Vermont / New Hampshire border!!! Welcome to the Whites! It had been raining for 6
days straight now as I rolled into Hanover NH. I hung my hammock behind the Dartmouth University Soccer Fields and got ready for another long cold wet day. After hanging around Hanover for a little while I decided to go see a movie in town. Indiana Jones was the only thing playing, so Indy it was.

When I got out of the theater it was STILL raining, so I sloshed back to my hammock and went to sleep, to only have to wake up every 30 minutes to push the canopy up so water didn't come crashing through at soak me.

Next morning, I packed up and started heading north again. The trail looked like the Colorado River rushing down it, it was ankle deep with cold wet mud all day. I am not sure if I could have hated my life anymore at that moment. So I trucked up about 10 miles to Moose Mountain Shelter. The rain poured into the night as I fell asleep cold and just about completely miserable....

Next morning, SUNSHINE!!!!!! Wow I had entirely forgotten what that beautiful ball of fire looked like! It was warm and refreshing! I feel like a new man (other than not showering in about a week) the trail was still so gross, but I didn't care anymore, at least I was not soaked to the bone anymore. After a few days of walking through southern New Hampshire I came to the sign that said, Entering White Mountains.........uh oh, here we go.

And that my friends is where this blog gets a little more fun......

As SOON as I crossed the Welcome sign I dropped to a little stream.....by little I mean raging rapids. And of course we don't have a bridge, so I took off my shoes and strapped on my sweet Vibram five fingers and jumped right in! Holy WOW, it was freezing, and up to my knees! But I safely made it across this huge body of water... well maybe not huge, but big enough!

After a few hours of walking I got to the bottom of Mt Moosilauke, and man was this thing huge! It was a 3,800 foot climb in just over 3 miles. Imagine an indoor rock climbing wall.....yeah kind of like that, but with 35 pounds on your back. The top was the first time we peaked out over tree line, so you could see for MILES and MILES. The wind up top was at least 30 mph, but it didn't stop me from eating my new favorite snack. Summer Sausage, Cheese and crumpled pringles on a tortilla! Yummmm!

After my lunch break I started heading down the steep mountain. What I didn't know was this was literally the steepest hill I have EVER come down. No lie, we had re bar anchored into the rock. So I am making my way slowly down this monster (don't forget everything is still soaking wet from the 6 month rain storm we seemed to get) as I was coming down the wooden steps notched into the rock, I was being as careful as possible. Well.......it happened..... Bearfoot went for a ride.

I had made it 1,800 miles without falling, but this one made up for it. So try not to laugh because I still am banged and bruised up pretty bad....

Imagine me, listening to O.A.R. on my MP3 player, just singing along....."That was a crazy game of po..........OOOOOHHHHHH MMMYYYYYY GOOODDDNNNNEEESSSSS!!!!!!" SLAM!!! I lost my footing on the wooden step and my feet started to slide down the rock. You know how you make that crazy move with your hands to try to keep your balance? Well I was skiing down for about 6 feet doing that. Then the cliff decided, "uh, well I guess its time to end" so I went tumbling off a 10 foot ledge...no lie. Landed on my hip and got my ankle twisted up in a root on the way down... stop laughing, it hurt.

So I sat for a minute to make sure I had not lost an arm in the process, and realized that I tweaked my ankle pretty good. Even better news! Storm was starting to roll in.... Time to get off this mountain, and fast. So I hobbled down the last thousand feet to the base of this ridiculous mountain, and hung my hammock for the night at the base. Of course it decided to rain again all night.

So the next morning I got to a road and hitchhiked into town to see a doc in the box about this ankle. Find out its a mild ankle sprain. Not a big deal, so I wrapped it up and kept on moving.

Next day.... Franconia Ridge!
So, if you have never been to this spot in the White Mountains, stop what you are doing, book a flight and go visit. I got up from Liberty campsite at about 6am to get a jump on all the day hikers. I had the whole ridge to myself. It was the most unbelievable views I have ever seen. I took a TON of photos from the top. I sat and enjoyed the views for a couple hours and decided to push on to one of the famous huts for the night.

Let me tell you something about the White Mountains, they get thousands of tourists a year to come hike. So every couple miles you normally see a few day hikers wearing the safari hat and full button down shirt, or cotton t-shirt. And here you are, stinky, sweaty and not shaven in weeks..... then the questions start-

Are you a thru-hiker?
Where did you start?
When did you start?
Have you seen a Bear?
Where do you sleep?

and so on and so on. So finally I just starting telling everyone that I was a day hiker, but just had a rough couple days... sorry!!

Well I stayed at Zealand Hut that night, what a great place. A hut is a place where people pay to get fed, a place to sleep and a little entertainment along the trail. Its like a hotel.....without the fancy anything. So thru-hikers can stay and eat if they do a "work for stay" which means after hiking up and down all day long, the only way you can stay for free is to work a little more..... I know it seems a little crazy. So I had to sweep the floors and do some dishes, but got a great meal out of the deal.

Well that is all I really have to report right now, the weather is turning really bad really fast again, so I had to take a side trail through the Presidential Mtn Range and down into Gorham. I am kind of bummed, but I know that I will be back to hike through Washington and the others. Its funny how the weather works at this elevation, at the base it is 70 degrees and sunny and the top of the Presidentials its 40 and storming like crazy!

My ankle is feeling stronger day by day and my beard is getting worse day by day....

I should be in Maine on Friday afternoon and am so excited I cant stand it. 291 miles to go until Katahdin!

Velcome to Vermont (think how dracula would say it..)

Well, another state down. Hello Vermont!!! Welcome to the Green Mountains. Staying in Manchester Center tonight. 538 miles to go and I am starting to get really excited!

I am going to come back to this blog and finish because the librarian has informed me that my "hour limit" is up.....man, do I miss having a laptop sometimes!

*******
Welcome Back!!!

So Vermont... ahhhh the Green Mountains! The smell of pine trees, the beautiful landscape, the rain.....huh? Rain, oh yes! I have not actually seen the sun in four days. The rain has not stopped pouring on top of us for almost a week! Everything I own is wet, cold, smelly, stinky, and funky.
The views were supposed to be great... they were fogged out for the most part. But beautiful nonetheless.

The terrain has gotten a little difficult again, where you actually have to earn your 20 mile days. No more stopping and piddling around for a couple hours. I actually did my biggest day yet yesterday. 28 miles! who knew that the body would carry you that far? Especially with weight on your back! It was raining cats and dogs from the start, and did not let up throughout the whole day. So at mile 18 I could have stopped to stay at the shelter, but I was already soaked to the bone and miserable... so whats another 10 miles?

I stayed in Rutland for a night at the Back Home Again Cafe. It was a neat hostel that you did a "work-for-stay" at. So here I am, wiping down tables and sweeping floors to earn my stay. They offered to feed us and everyone sits down and tells stories. Well that sounded really exciting... but I wanted to see the new Batman movie that was playing across the street...

It was awesome (the movie that is)!

I did have breakfast with the crew and told them about my revolution with Keep America Beautiful!

The next day coming out of Rutland was another wet, miserable day of walking down the flooded trail until I came to a blue-blaze trail that lead STRAIGHT UP a hill to a cabin. On the side was a ladder that lead to the roof.....ever then ladder was steep! When I got to the top, I have 360 degree views of the Green and White Mountains. It was incredible....other than the rain.

All in all, Vermont was a great state to walk though, I am sure I will be back to hike it when the forecast has a little better weather.

Next stop.... Hanover, New Hampshire
and the White Mountains

Bearfoot

Bear Mountain Hike with Keep Rockland Beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgzNh7qLaR4


This was such a wonderful day for me......

This was the release for the event-
"Keep Rockland Beautiful invites members and friends on a hike in support of Jordan Price and the Trek Against Trash. On March 17, 2008, Jordan Price and Carlie Roberts began an inspiring environmental awareness campaign in the name of Keep America Beautiful. Starting out on their trek along the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail, they pledged to raise $150,000 and demonstrate how simple it is to clean up, reuse, and recycle along the way.

Today, Jordan continues the journey, with Carlie supporting him from home base. We will join Jordan for a hike from Perkins Tower on Bear Mountain down to the Bear Mountain Bridge, where we will gather to thank Jordan for his efforts. Along the way, there will be an opportunity to stop and pitch in on preparing a corridor of the Appalachian Trail that is being rebuilt by the NY/NJ Trail Conference. Hikers will also pass through the Trail side Zoo and Museums, where they will meet many of the areas wonderful inhabitants. This is a wonderful opportunity to get out and enjoy the beauty of our cherished public parks and to support Jordan Price in his efforts to inspire others to clean up and protect the environment, and to support Keep America Beautiful in its mission of uniting citizens, businesses and government to find solutions that advance its core issues of preventing litter,reducing waste and beautifying communities.

Jordan has been cleaning up litter, stenciling storm drains, planting trees, and promoting the three R’s with KAB affiliates such as Keep Rockland Beautiful all along his way. “We want to show that while not everyone is able to hike two thousand miles, or even one mile for that matter, being a responsible consumer in every day life is really quite simple!” It is fitting that we applaud Jordan’s efforts at the point where the Appalachian Trail crosses the magnificent Hudson River, for waste that litters our streets and trails often ends up washing into our precious waterways. Happy 85th Anniversary to the Appalachian Trail!"

Umm, wow! It is a little weird reading these sometimes because you think that people forget that you are out here doing the Trek. So it always brings a smile to my face to get to be a part of such a great opportunity.

Originally I was supposed to be walking through Bear Mountain NY this past weekend, BUT...I am an animal so... (totally kidding) I got a little bit ahead of schedule and my dear friend Rob from Keep America Beautiful picked me up along the trail to bring me back down to Bear Mountain for a hike with the Keep Rockland Beautiful folks.

This was a wonderful event that my friend Sonia from Keep Rockland Beautiful put together. We all met up at Perkins tower at the top of Bear Mountain and took a few photos of the gang. Rob introduced me to some of the volunteers that showed up to support the Trek Against Trash. What a great experience, we had about 14 people show up in all to hike down the two miles into the park. It was humid (as usual) but luckily our great friend Dave from Pepsi showed up with some Gatorade and snacks to keep us all hydrated. We all did our best to pick up any litter along the way and actually filled up two trash bags worth. We got to the state park at the bottom and walked over to the Zoo. Same as last time when I came through, it was tough to see all these beautiful animals in cages, but they all sustained injuries in the wild, so they are now in the zoo being rehabilitated.

Once we got through the Zoo, we got together for a little ceremony (video should be up in a couple days) for the Trek. They read a letter from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission aloud to me that was incredibly touching.... I almost got choked up.

It was a wonderful day, and I got to spend some time with some really incredible people. And my awesome friend Zoey from Kent CT showed up to show her support!

After the hike, we went over to one of Rob's friends' house where we picked raspberries, cooked out and just relaxed for the evening. Adam and Lara introduced me to Dutch Peanut Butter........ummm it's by far the most delicious thing I have EVER tasted. Yes.. go find it.

Well back to the trail!
Vermont in the Morning!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgzNh7qLaR4

Magnificent Massachusetts!!

Well like I said before, I love the Appalachian Trail!!! I feel like I am finally back into the real hiking that I loved so much at the beginning of the trail! We had some great views from the top of Mt.Greylock, and could see FORRREEVVEERRR!!!! (....from "The Sandlot".... come on people, loosen up a bit). Anyway, it has been up and down and up and down for the past few days, which is a little more fun than the ridge walking we have been doing.

Strolled into Dalton, and came to a house on the trail where a nice man came out and offered me ice cream. Of course I said yes! He introduced himself as Tom, and he had a bunch of other hikers hanging out in the lawn all eating ice cream and looking like they were stuffed. So I figured that it was a good idea to drop my Mountainsmith bag and relax for a little bit......for a little bit I meant two days. He let us sleep on his floor, fed us, let us slack pack 23 miles. I mean this was the cream of the crop here. Tom is a legend on the A.T. but he is not listed in the books so he can keep a low profile.

I have to go back to Bear Mountain, NY tomorrow to do a little bit of media for the Trek. So if you are in the area, tomorrow (7/19/2008) I will be back at Bear Mountain, hiking down from Perkins tower and into the Zoo with a few people. Please stop by if you have time, we would love to see you!

And for those of you who have yet to go check out the website, pictures or DONATE! STOP READING and go buy a SWEET Trek Against Trash t-shirt or Trucker Hat (which I proudly rock along the trail). So if you want to be cool, make a donation or buy some gear. If not you are an L-7 square (Sandlot reference again, sorry we watched it at Tom's house and I cant get enough of that movie).

Thanks again for all of your support so far. 600 Miles to go.....whhewww!

Next on the list,
Vermont (Green Mountains.)
New Hampshire (White Mountains.) yikes!
Maine (Mt. Katahdin!!)

Check back in the next few weeks for an update!

Bearfoot

Hello Connecticut!!

Well with New Jersey and New York behind me the miles left are dropping like flies! I walked into Connecticut the other day and surprisingly.....they had mountains again! I have been so spoiled walking through Virginia and Pennsylvania, they have been a little "hilly" but not Connecticut! As soon as I got across the border my legs started screaming "uncle" welcome to some real elevation changes again.

A few wonderful things happened to me in Connecticut,
1. They had water again! The trail has seemed have had a shortage everywhere I've been since Virginia.
2. I found a wonderful town called Kent and made some wonderful friends.
3. My dear friend Rob (KAB-Man) came out to live "a day in the life of Bearfoot"


So Kent,
I looked in my book to see if this town allowed hikers to camp somewhere, it said that the church was the only place......but the sign at the church said "No camping, Sorry Hikers"

huh? well my options are either go back to the trail or go make friends.

What a cute town! They had everything a hiker could want or need. Deli's, a library, book stores, Post Office, and ICE CREAM!! So after eating a sandwich, a pint of ice cream and drinking a 2 liter of Pepsi I stumbled into a place called "The House of Books" great shop. I was looking at all the nature books they had and struck up a conversation with a wonderful woman named Terry. We got to talking about the Trail and the Trek Against Trash and she asked if I would like to stay in the back yard of a friends house right outside town. PERFECT!!! Now I didn't have to walk back to the trail. So she and her awesome daughter Zoey drove me to the back yard so I could get situated for the night. After getting set up we all were sitting down talking about....well everything you could imagine. They asked if I liked sushi.........um, first off if you don't like sushi you have a serious problem. Of course I like sushi! So off we went to a restaurant in town that had fabulous sushi. Ate, talked, enjoyed each others company. Great night.....it gets better!

They next day, I come out to the book store to visit my new friends and of course we are all B.F.F (for those of you who forgot that term, I am bringing it back, Best Friends Forever) we made fun of each other all day and just had a great time. After work they drove me back to the house, where Terry ordered Pizza for us....(sushi one night, pizza another...I may never leave this town) we all relaxed and ate way to much. They then asked if I wanted to come stay at the house with them....wow, I am not sure what I did to receive such wonderful people in these trail towns but something has finally clicked. I got to get a warm shower, sleep on a comfortable mattress, life was perfect!

On Saturday it was finally time for me to say good bye to my two new angels of Kent Connecticut, a few tears were shed because we didn't realize that I was actually leaving, it was really sad to leave those two.

If you are ever in Kent Connecticut go see my two of my best friends at the House of books Terry and Zoey, tell them Bearfoot sent you.

After leaving I met up with the man with the plan, Rob from Keep America Beautiful. He met me at the top of one of the mountains, and he was loaded to the top with goodies. Cookies from Gucci's Mom (Thanks!!!) my Hammock, and some sweet new Trek Gear.

We hiked a strenuous 7 miles to Pine Brook Lean-to. We were both sweating like fools, and mosquitoes seemed to fill the entire sky. Robs legs seem to be made of steel, he was hauling some 50 pounds up these hills.....yeah no joke. It is wonderful to have a friendly face out on the trail with you, especially someone who is as awesome as Rob. If it was not for him, the Trek would have been some dream that I had. He is the one who brought it to life!

Well I will be out of Connecticut in the morning and on to Massachusetts

New York State- Check!

Conquered: One New York State!

Welcome to New York!!!!!

Once I arrived into New York a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. It feels like I am actually making progress along this crazy trail. I got to Bear Mountain and it was beautiful!! At the bottom of the hill was kind of culture shock..

Bear Mountain State Park. There were people everywhere!! Talk about feeling a little out of place; I was like a cave man walking into Times Square! But it was beautiful nontheless. I look some time to eat and relax by the lake and read a book for awhile. I picked up my mail drop from the Post office and sent some more nonsense home that was not needed. After piddling around for a little bit I walked down the trail which actually leads into the zoo! That was quite the experience! Here I am coming out of the woods to see all these beautiful animals caged. It was kind of emotional for me. I stood by the bears for at least 45 minutes just thinking of all the bears I have seen running free (and trying to steal my food). It was a good time to really think about what I am doing out here and how lucky we all are to have the freedoms we do.

After the zoo I crossed the Bear Mountain Bridge. Holy Cow! Talk about crazy, go live in the woods for four months and then come down and cross this thing. I hand both hands on the sides and was flinching every time a car flew by me. Once I successfully crossed the bridge I headed up the hill to a campsite about three miles on top. I had a little reunion with some old friends. Shutterbug, Hotwheels, Corley, Beatbox, Rocksteady, Butters, Freebird....just a lot of people. We all hiked together for a couple days, until the heat and humidity really kicked in.

I drank about a gallon of water yesterday....a gallon. I was sweating from every pore in my body. After another long day of hiking I came to a spot called Nuclear Lake. It looked about perfect to swim in (I know with that kind of name you would think I would come out glowing of radiation, but my book said it was safe) so I cleaned my sweaty, stinky clothes and swam around for a little bit. It was quite refreshing until.......a storm that blew in out of nowhere! So I am now cool and soaking wet from the lake, but once the rain started pouring down, I felt like I was going to freeze to death. Luckily it was only a quick summer shower so it passed over pretty quickly. I stayed at a place called Native Landscapes last night. The A.T. Train station that will run you into New York is right behind this place. The owner will let you camp outside the building for free, he also had a shower and bathroom that he let us use. Yeah!

Today was my last day in New York so it is time to say goodbye yet again to another state. Thank you for your views and weather NY, you treated me well, and one day I will return to hike you again.

Connecticut bound tomorrow morning!

Thank you Mountainsmith!!

This blog will be short and sweet.

As you all know Mountainsmith came through with sweet Recycled Bags for us to carry along the Trek. I have been with my bag for almost a thousand miles. Sure, we argue sometimes. And of course I get upset with her every now and then. But we are a team, she always has my back...(sorry, I had to). We've been through the good times and
bad, the wet and dry, the cold and hot. I love her. I trust that she will hold my gear and not give me any pains at the end of the day.





What I love most about her - she is made from 100% Recycled PET webbing and binding! All those plastic drink bottles out there? They're PET plastic waiting to be recycled. If you love the outdoors and are looking into buying a new pack, think of the environment. Think Mountainsmith. Our planet (and your back) will thank you!



Thank you Moutainsmith for being a leader in this "Green Revolution" and helping with the Trek Against Trash!

Jordan and BearFoot Conversation

Well this morning while I was walking I realized that I have a whole other person inside of me...

I have the person that I know, Jordan.
And the this new hiker person, Bearfoot.

This is kind of how the conversation went.

Jordan: Good morning Bearfoot.
Bearfoot: Good morning!

Jordan: What do you want to do today?

Bearfoot: I was thinking about loading up a bag that weighs a quarter of your body weight and walking 24 miles in the blistering heat and humidity

Jordan: .......what?? are you serious?? haven't we done that everyday for 3 months?

Bearfoot: yeppers, but Maine is not going to come to you.

Jordan: dang! I was hoping that if I closed my eyes real tight, I would open them and be at Mt. Katahdin.

Bearfoot: Probably not. Saddle up Sally, we have got ground to cover.

Jordan: Okay, well pick up that trash in front of you.

Bearfoot: Why, no time, we have to walk.

Jordan: Because if you don't, no one will, and soon enough the whole trail will be full of litter that people just assume will pick itself up.

Bearfoot: I guess you right, how did you learn all this stuff?

Jordan: ahh KAB-Man obviously!

Bearfoot: yeah, he is pretty sweet!

Next time on the adventures on Jordan and Bearfoot.. how we are going to save the world one day at a time.

Belated 4th of July...

July 5th, a day that I will never forget.

Before you read this I want you to go back and read the blog before this one. It helps make this a better story. Promise me you will go read it??
Okay.

................you should be reading..................

Welcome back.
So after walking up to the marvelous firefly show last night, my feet were a little raw from walking all day. But I strapped on my shoes and knew I would be in Vernon NJ in 14 miles.I was hoping to catch the Post Office before it closed at 1pm so I had to get my hurry on. The terrain was not too bad, and the weather looked to be cooperating for once. So I cruised through most of it. I got to the road and a young lady offered me a ride into town which was nice because I didn't have to walk the extra 2.5 miles (for some reason you can't hitchhike in NJ - NY, lame I know). So my plan was to grab a bite to eat and pick up my mail drop (thanks Mom!!).

After attempting to eat a whole medium pizza by myself (not a good idea by the way). I looked in my book to see where I could camp fro the night. It said that the firehouse in town allowed camping on the lawn. Sweet, I am in!

So I walked up to the Vernon Volunteer Fire Departments Station to see that they were having a weekend cookout for the 4th. As soon as I got to the station the Chief asked if I was hungry (It was hard to say no because I was full of pizza, but I knew if I ate another bite of anything I would pop) or wanted to grab a shower. Well you know you stink when you can smell the funk coming off of your t-shirt just by turning your head. So I took him up on the shower offer.

Feeling like a new man, I went back out to hear that the 13th annual fire work show was that night that the fire department put on to raise money. That's right folks, I said fireworks!! The chief said that at 4pm if I wanted to tag along I could go with them. Ummm Yeah!! I loaded up in a "Fire Truck" and off we went. I offered to help in any way possible, so they asked if I wanted to help with traffic duty. Imagine me in my yellow Trek Against Trash t-shirt out with all the firemen directing traffic. I looked pretty official. So after parking cars, Anthony (I called him "The Mayor" because he seemed to know everyone) said let's go watch the show.

The fireworks started and I was like a little kid again. Ooohhh, aaahhh, it was pretty sweet. Well the next thing I know "The Mayor" asked if I wanted a hot dog.......

I then realized that everything in the world seemed to be perfect at that moment.

You heard correct folks, I got to watch fireworks and eat a hot dog on July the 5th. I almost cried I was so happy. I felt like one of the guys again, like a normal human being. It was one of my favorite memories on the trail so far.

After the show we cleaned up, loaded up and headed back to the station. The Chief said how proud he was of everyone and what a great job they all did. The Mayor thanked me for helping in front of the whole crew, which meant a lot to me. All I really did was point and wave in my yellow Trek Tee.

I just want to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Vernon Volunteer Fire Department. Anthony, Phil, Bernie, Ron, Trevor Jackie, the Chief....everyone. Not only for making me feel at home, but for what you do everyday. Your bravery. I am sure people don't realize that you volunteer to run into burning buildings to save other people. You are all my heroes.

Just remember, when you are feeling a little down, stop. Remember that someone is always looking out for you. No matter how silly it is, sometimes it's the little things that will make you laugh or cry. Someone always has your back......The Vernon Fire Department has mine

Fireflies LOVE secret shelters!

Well, let me tell you how my 4th of July went. I was hoping to walk 20 miles to a shelter with a view of NYC to see fireworks...got to the shelter and it was overcast and raining so I couldn't see much of anything. One of my friends on the trail "Greenwood" convinced me to go another 5 miles to a "secret shelter" where someone lets you camp on their property. We were hoping since it was the 4th of July someone HAD to be cooking hot dogs and have cold soda....

So at mile 23 my feet were screaming STOP!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???
But all I could think about was that hot dog and Pepsi.

We end up making to the "secret shelter" at around 5pm. After dreaming about a beef frank for an hour and a half we got to the top of the hill to find....a few more hikers. No trail magic, no fireworks, no nothing. So we all talked about the terrain and what our plan was for the next day.

Dinner for me consisted of (not a hot dog first off) a tortilla wrapped around some summer sausage, and some gorp. After dinner I got in my tent kind of depressed and sore. All I wanted was to see fireworks and eat a hot dog. Well a few minutes after I got in I started seeing little flashes of light outside my tent so I came back outside to find what seemed like at least million little fireflies lighting up the nights' sky.

I could not have asked for a better show, it beat all the fireworks and hot dogs I could imagine. I cannot think of a more appropriate way of celebrating independence day. It was nature at its finest.

Tonight:
Vernon, New Jersey

Tomorrow:
Hello New York!!


Bearfoot

Happy Birthday America!!!

Another day in the books. Tonight I am staying at Brink Road shelter in NJ that is frequented by bears hourly....there are warning signs posted everywhere about not feeding them.

As for New Jersey's hiking... Ahh I feel like I am still in Pennsylvania, but the trail is actually less marked. So I wandered off the A.T. about 3 different times today while I was watching my poor feet slam into all the rocks. Did about 14 miles today of actual trail and 1 or 2 of looking for the trail/water.

The trail is definitely more difficult without Gucci to keep me entertained (falling on her face is what I mean by entertainment), but I am managing alright. She is safe and sound at home, recouperating her knees and joints. As for the "falling bet" I am going to say that I clearly won. I am still holding strong at a big 0.....for now.

Momma Bearfoot (that would be my Mom) drove up to visit from Georgia the other day. It is always wonderful to see a loving friendly face. I got to stay in a hotel for a couple nights and go see a movie (the Incredible Hulk is not as cool as KAB Man, but he runs a close second).

I am going to try to get to Hightop Shelter tomorrow to maybe catch some 4th of July fireworks. Lets hope I have a view! Anyway Happy 4th to all and to all a goodnight.....lets hope I have no visitors in my camp tonight.

Bearfoot

Look out New York, here I come!

Hello fellow Trek Againist Trashers! I figured I would check in to give you a quick update.
First off I wanted to let you know that my partner in crime Carlie (also know as "Gucci") has decided to leave the trail due to personal reasons. Everyone who decides to hike the trail has their reasons, and everone who decides to leave the has their reasons for that as well. In Harpers Ferry, looking at the sign in log I noticed that we have already lost about 80 percent of the people who started to thru-hike this year. I wish Carlie all the best in the world. She will continue helping me plan out the logistics as I continue north. That means I will be writing the blogs from now on... I know I know. I apologize in advance if they are not as amusing or witty but I will try. I know that she appreciates all of your continued support, as she will be missed.

As for the trail.....whewww Pennsylvania rocks, I mean they have some rocks!!! Now let me be clear, I do not discriminate. I dislike all of them. Tall ones and short ones, dull ones and sharp ones, they all seem to wiggle when you put your foot on them. And just when you get to the top of a ridge that looks clear....SHAZAMM!! The trail spirits laugh and drop down even more rocks. You cant look up or you will stub your toe or step on a rattlesnake.

Well there is light at the end of the tunnel, I am coming up on the Delaware Water Gap which means......Hello New Jersey!! I am not sure which was more mentally taxing, Virginia or Pennsylvania. All I know is that I am under 1000 miles until the end of my journey!! Be excited....go ahead its okay to clap if you would like.

Next few stops, Vernon NJ and Bear Mtn. NY.....thats right.

When I looked at a map today I actually realized how far I have walked. I am close to New York City, and I walked from Georgia... I mean who does that?

Keep on Trekking..and Keeping America Beautiful

Jordan "Bearfoot" Price

P.S. DONATE!! Or tell someone else to! Or at least buy a sweet shirt!