Trip Logs

JULY 28, 2005 -- SEEKONK, MA

Andy here. I finished up the hike on July 10 and have been back home in Seekonk for the last week and a half, after vacationing for a few days in Port Angeles, WA, and then catching up with some friends in NYC, where I also had a live interview on FOX News Channel.

The final stretch of the hike -- through the Olympic Peninsula -- was one of the absolute best. Aromatic alpine flower gardens, thousand year-old spruce and Douglas fir trees, massive alpine glaciers, eight-inch long banana slugs, 250 species of moss, starfish and anemones, long above-treeline ridgewalks, whale-sized driftwood, people-friendly mountain goats and deer, seastack-studded coastlines, glacial powder-choked creeks and rivers...The Olympics seem to offer a lifetime's worth of backcountry adventure and surprises.

At Cape Alava there was a crowd of about 30 people to cheer me on as I jogged in the last quarter-mile. I found it appropriate that most of my biggest supporters were there at the end: my parents, two sisters, and brother-in-law; representatives of Montrail and Balance Bar, and the co-founders of GoLite; a dozen members of the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (which kept with the tradition of other trail associations by offering great hospitality all along their trail); and Ron Strickland.

As for the question, "What's next?" Starting in January 2006 I plan to go on a 5-month, 100-stop nationwide road tour in order to share the best stories and most important lessons of the hike. The tour will be sponsored by GoLite (and hopefully one or two other companies); details will be posted online when they are finalized; and I will probably send out an e-mail, too. Most of the stops will be at specialty retail shops, with a few at trail association offices, and schools and colleges.

In the more near term, this Monday I am leaving for a 10-day trip to Glacier National Park in order to hike some of the trails that were closed in early-June; there might also be one other reason for going (wink, wink). From Glacier I'm heading to Salt Lake City for the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show. After I return I will probably pack up the car and head west towards a more mountainous state, where I will work on a book proposal, find an expense-covering job, and wait for the tour to begin.

Now that it is over, I would like to thank all of you for being part of the hike. It was always uplifting to hear funny, encouraging, or exciting e-mails from you; and I was always able to find more strength by remembering that a few hundred people were regularly receiving Mom's e-mails or checking out the website. I hope I have given you something in return.

The website has been completely updated with my pictures. Plan to spend an hour (or two or three) experiencing a branding party, following the route of Lewis & Clark, and penetrating the most remote backcountry in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy.

JULY 2, 2005 -- PORT TOWNSEND, WA

Andy has hiked 7,582 miles, 97.4% of his 7,778-mile hike across the continent

Andy arrived in Oroville, WA on Saturday, June 18th. Ellie Bramin, a member of the PNT association had arranged a nice dinner with local trail members. Andy always enjoys the opportunity to meet with new friends and he certainly enjoys a real dinner. On Sunday, June 19th, Andy got a very late start to the day because he wanted to watch boat races on the Osoyoos Lake. Andy said that these were the "NASCAR of boat races. Tiny shells with huge engines." Andy sends a big thank you to Ellie and Rich for their wonderful hospitality.

Leaving Oroville, Andy followed a railroad grade. On one part of the trail, the railroad had blasted a tunnel 3/10 of a mile long through rock. Walking through this tunnel was like being in a dark cave. As the trail continues, the landscape remains arid with sagebrush and desert flowers, except for the valley floors that are irrigated and fertile with lots of cherry and apple orchards.

The terrain continues to climb from 1600 to 7000 feet. This is the Pasayten Wilderness range. It is the largest wilderness area managed by the US government and the longest road-less stretch (about 140 miles) of the entire trip. Because of this, it is also one of the "coolest stretches" of Andy's C2C trip. Andy said that "the vertical is in your face." Usually, when you climb a 7000-foot ridge you look out over a distant range. Here, when you climb the 7000 foot ridge, the next ridge is right there waiting for you to climb down and right back up again. He went through Cathedral Basin and up to Cathedral Peak. Andy said the views are "just beautiful all around you."

Andy reached the Cascade Crest on Tuesday June 21st. This is where the Pacific Crest Trail travels on a ridge for 15 miles. Here the trail is graded and groomed. The trail getting there and leaving is not as well groomed. On Tuesday night, the weather was nasty with severe thunderstorms. Andy was at 6000 feet, just below the ridgeline. He was in his shelter and had some small tree coverage so he did not feel that he was in danger, but the noise and the severity made for a difficult night of sleeping.

On Wednesday, June 22nd, Andy hiked the final 10 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. He was in the clouds, so the views were limited. He finished the day at Ross Lake.

On Thursday June 23rd, Andy called from the Ross Lake Resort. He shared a campsite with four backpackers, the first time this happened in six months. Andy really enjoyed the company and conversation with these two couples who found Andy's stories of the C2C trek quite interesting.

Friday, June 24th - This was a big day in the North Cascades National park. Once Andy hiked west of the Cascade Crest, the climate becomes wet again. This section of the North Cascade is like a small rain forest with creeks flowing through the area and cliffs climbing straight up from the creek. The trail follows the creek bed but then rises 6000 feet to cross the ridge and then goes down to the creek bed again. This is huckleberry season along the creek bed. Andy enjoyed eating the berries as he worked his way through the thick vegetation with only 5 feet visible in front of him at times. He also continuously kept yelling, "bear" along the way so he would not surprise any bears eating the berries. Andy got a bit too close to one bear and they both quickly moved away.

On Saturday, June 25th, the weather turned and Andy was not able to see Mt. Baker, which is the local volcano. He enjoyed staying at a great campsite on Baker Lake. Sunday, June 26th -Andy made it to the small, rural town of Concrete, WA where he picked up his Past Office package sent from home with all of his new maps, clean clothes and several days of food. The weather was rainy. On Wednesday, June 29th, Andy was met by Krissy from Montrail. Montrail has been a sponsor throughout the hike and he enjoyed meeting with her. They hiked together to Chuckanut Drive and met up with John Knechtel, Director of Trail Management for the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT). John has been meeting with Andy along the trail at various locations in WA. He arranged a meeting of the local PNT Chapter at Bob's Burgers, where Andy enjoyed meeting about 35 hiking enthusiasts. Andy gave an impromptu talk and answered their questions about his hike.

On Saturday, July 2, 2005, Andy hiked to the Keystone Ferry and went across to Port Townsend and picked up his LAST maildrop. The atmosphere this past week has changed. The end of the hike is near; there are more people around and more contacts with the media. We are all excited, especially Andy.

Our family will be flying from Massachusetts and California to join Andy in Washington as he finishes his C2C hike at Cape Alava, WA on Sunday July 10th. We have rented a house near Port Angeles to combine our family vacation with a celebration of Andy's successful and safe C2C trek. Andy will be entering the Olympic National Park on Sunday July 3rd. He is very excited and happy that this section of the trail is in a beautiful wilderness area. This is the way the hike began. It seems a fitting manner for the hike to end.

This will be the last update from Bob and I. We are sure Andy will write his own update when he returns to Seekonk, Massachusetts. He will also post many of his pictures to his Website. Andy and our family wish to thank all of you for the wonderful support you have given Andy along the way on his C2C trek.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2005 -- OROVILLE, WA

Andy has hiked 7,181 miles. He has completed 93% of his 7700 mile hike.

The week of June 12th, Andy continued to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail. He lost the trail while traveling XC. The weather and the daylight made finding points difficult, and Andy chose the wrong path. Eventually, knowing he was heading in the correct direction, he made an unexpected stop in the town of Republic. It was nice for us to have an unexpected phone call. We were able to share with him that the advance copy of the August issue of Backpacker Magazine had been sent to the house. Andy has been chosen as a "Person of the Year" and a nice article accompanies a picture.

The trail the past week continues to climb between valleys and ridges. Andy particularly enjoyed the Kettle Crest trail, which is 15 miles along a ridge. The valleys are fertile, but the high slopes are arid with sagebrush and cactus. Andy was concerned about the water quality because the cattle graze on the slopes and he saw cow pies that he suspected were two years old.

On Friday, June 17th, Andy arrived in Oroville, WA. He was very tired, having spent Thursday, June16th hiking 42 miles to find a safe water source. Andy spent the night with Ellie Braman, a member of the local Pacific Northwest Trail Association. They invited Andy to a reception to meet local members and talk about his hike. Andy enjoyed the evening very much. He got a slow start the next day, taking time to watch the boat races on the lake.

Andy is looking forward to the upcoming trail through the Pasayten Wilderness. This 150-mile section is reported to be the best of the trail.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2005 -- NORTHPORT, WA

Andy has hiked 6,994 miles, 90% of his 7,700-mile hike across the continent.

Andy had another good, interesting stretch of time on the trail. After leaving Eureka, on June 2nd, Andy had two days of solid, heavy rain. Then, it rained or sprinkled every day for the week. He found the Pacific Northwest Trail to be very interesting. People hike selected parts of the trail but other parts are overgrown because of lack of use. In addition, he said that the trail was designed for purposes other than hiking; like logging or mining etc. Andy met the Amoth family on Monday, June 6th. After a great meal, warm hospitality and good conversation, Andy set out at for his hike further down the trail. He was beginning to focus on the Selkirk Mountain Range. He climbed Parker's Peak on Monday evening, in the rain. At 6,500 feet, the rain turned to snow. Andy welcomed the snow because it was dryer. The challenge was to find the trail since everything was covered with 4-6 inches of white powdery snow. He had a ten-mile ridge walk in the snow, trying to follow the trail, with markers mostly invisible, under the snow.

A common thread of the past several days has been Andy's daily climb from a valley to a peak or ridge at 7,000 feet and then a descent to valley at 2,000 feet above sea level. The mountain ranges are aligned in a north-to-south direction. Andy is traveling East to West, so he needs to climb up and over each of these ranges.

Andy described his hike on Tuesday, June 7th : "The trail travels the wrong direction for a 2.5 mile ridge walk and then descends to a five mile bushwhack through elder bushes. The navigation and compass work was intense." Andy used his well-honed navigation skills with his compass, maps and watch altimeter to find certain points. Andy did fine, however he has some badly scratched legs from the elder bushes.

Wednesday, June 8th was a better day. He hiked to the Priest River Valley. This is a popular destination during the summer, but it was deserted. Andy saw some wonderful beach campsites. That night, he camped in the Reindeer Forest. Again, it rained during the day. It was impossible to dry his gear.

Andy said the PNT guidebook is the best and most detailed reference he has used in his hike to date. Parts of the PNT guidebook are "like following a scavenger hunt, which actually adds to the fun and adventure."

Thursday, June 9th - Andy reported: "The rain stopped and the mosquitoes came out in force." Andy hiked an extra 8 miles. He spent two hours being chased by mosquitoes and he saw no sense in sitting down to eat dinner while the mosquitoes ate him for dinner. The weather cleared, which was great. The climb at Priest River was similar to others he had been doing. The CCC had built this particular climb during the Roosevelt era. There are 88 switchbacks on the trail- "very impressive."

On Friday, June 10th, Andy crossed the Boundary Dam. He had to call the security guards so he could be escorted across the dam. The guards were very nice to Andy. Andy said that he is now so far north, that at every ridge, the boundary swath between the U.S. and Canada is readily visible. The last climb on Friday was Abercrombie Mountain. A thunderstorm had hit just prior to Andy reaching the summit, so he waited it out for an hour. When he did summit, the storm was moving out and the valley was beautiful with lifting clouds and vapors. He had a wonderful 10-15 minutes to view the rapidly changing clouds and vapors from his vista at the top of Abercrombie.

On Saturday, June 11th , Andy hiked to the Columbus River Valley and the Kettle Range. He is now finding only patches of snow and no longer needs to take detours. He said that he is "feeling good" and is "re-energized" as he senses the nearness of his Cape Alava destination." Andy will be in Oroville, WA in six days. He plans to reach Cape Alava on July 10th.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 -- EUREKA, MT

Andy has hiked 6,785 miles, 88% of his 7,700-mile hike across the continent.

Andy left Augusta, MT on May 21st and passed by a ranch that was hosting a "branding party". He was invited to join and had his first experience with this real Montana tradition. Everyone, including family, remotely related family, friends, and friends of friends, come to a branding party. Everyone has a job- from ropers to wrestlers. The steers are brought in and receive their injections, ear tags and other medical procedures. This was quite an experience for a New England suburbanite. Andy experienced it all, right down to seeing the bucket filled with "Rocky Mountain Oysters," and, for those who know what they are, no, Andy did not eat any of them. It was quite an experience.

From the branding party ranch, Andy hiked to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. On Andy's first night in this wilderness area, he met some bear hunters. They gave him more tips about dealing with bears. He was really wishing the hunters had "bagged their bear- one less bear" for Andy to deal with. The first night in the Wilderness, the bears had really "gotten into Andy's head." Andy couldn't find a tree to hang his gear and ended up stashing the gear in an abandoned horse trailer. He hardly slept, as every noise woke him up. The following days and nights were better, as Andy realized that the bears seemingly avoided contact with him- just as Andy avoided contact with the bears. May 25th was Andy's older sister's birthday, so he sang "Happy Birthday"…very loudly…all day long, as he hiked along the path, letting the bears know he was there.

Andy arrived at East Glacier, MT on Thursday, May 26th and Glacier National Park on Friday May 27th. The Rangers in the park informed Andy that the snow pack was still very deep with high avalanche danger conditions. They informed Andy that he would be placing himself in a great deal of danger if he tried to travel the Continental Divide Trail over the mountains. Andy was extremely disappointed at this news. Timing the hike to allow safe passage over the mountains had been one of Andy's goals from the very beginning of his hike. Andy was able to get over the mountains by taking some trails, frequently using his snowshoes and using an ice pick borrowed from a ranger. Then, Andy hiked along the "Going to the Sun Road" over Logan Pass. This "Auto Road" had been open for less than a week. Andy said that he: couldn't believe engineers even thought of building the road, never mind completing it. The road is extremely narrow and just climbs straight up the mountains. New Englanders compare mountain roads to the Mt. Washington (NH) auto road, which winds its way up to the top of the highest of all New England peaks. Andy said the Mt. Washington auto road was seemingly nothing compared to the Going to the Sun Road.

One of Andy's biggest disappointments was that he could not hike the high country in Glacier and in the Bob Wilderness Area. He is determined to return and hike this area in the future.

From Glacier National Park, Andy hiked into Polebridge, MT. This is a very remote town that receives US Mail only twice weekly. The weather was "off and on rain and snow, depending on the altitude of the trail. The trail was difficult to follow because of the snow pack and the fog" when he was hiking in and above the clouds. From Polebridge, it was a couple days of hiking to Eureka, MT. Many people in the town of Eureka turned out to welcome Andy. The Pacific Northwest Trail Association arranged an informal gathering at the Arena Grill. Andy really enjoyed this special gathering and he sends a "hearty thank you to Catherine Hogan and Melanie for all of their efforts."

The past two weeks have been good times for Andy. He is really beginning to feel a special excitement and amazement as he approaches the end of his 7,700-mile trek. Andy planned his C2C trip for 12 months. He expects to complete the hike in about 1 month (around July 10, 2005). Andy has almost achieved his goal.

SATURDAY, MAY 21 -- AUGUSTA, MT

Andy left Fort Peck on Sunday May 8th and began hiking through the Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge. This was the week of heavy storms rolling through the Midwest..

On Tuesday, May 10th, it was raining as Andy was setting up his shelter. Andy woke up at 5:15am and it was still raining, so he went back to sleep. He awoke again at 7:00am and it was snowing. Andy described his first experience with "gumbo mud," which is a "true, well-known, Montana thing." Andy said: "Gumbo mud is wet, sticky clay/mud that attaches to the bottom of your shoes and continues to accumulate pine needles, cow manure and other stuff as it works its way up the sides and top of your shoes. Eventually, the weight of the mud surpasses its ability to stick to the shoes and it falls off…. all at once. Unfortunately, one never knows when that will happen. Shoes that weigh an extra 4 pounds with one step are 4 pounds lighter with the next. Your leg suddenly rises quickly without all of that extra mud/weight. When the gumbo mud dries, it is like cement. It quickly accumulates in the wheel wells of cars and trucks so it also very difficult for vehicles to navigate through gumbo mud." Fortunately, the snow did not accumulate, but it certainly added variety to Andy's hiking adventure.

The Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge is 140 miles of beautiful terrain along the Missouri River. At this point the Missouri is free-flowing. Andy said: "The willow trees were budding and the mule deer were grazing in the meadows." As he approached the western edge of the Refuge, he began to meet people fishing for paddlefish. On Andy's advice, we checked out pictures of paddlefish on the Internet. These fish can reach 80 pounds and have a 15-inch nose that resembles the tail on a beaver. Andy got excited when a fisherman showed him a "40 pound paddlefish, which was very cool."

During the week of May 15th, Andy hiked toward Great Falls, Montana. He enjoyed the hospitality and companionship of two families this week. One family, the Molines, live on a large ranch outside Geraldine. Andy enjoyed the company of the parents and their five children. The kids are home-schooled. They are so familiar with ranching and farm animals that they jump on their horses, bare-back, without a second thought. Andy was amazed, since he has only ridden on a pony (in a saddle) when he was very young. Andy also enjoyed the hospitality of a family on their Big Sag Ranch. Andy had never met anyone who owned about 40,000 acres of land. This equals approximately 62 square miles. Andy found the people and conversation about life on the ranch very interesting.

Andy reached Great Falls, Montana on Wednesday, May 18th. This city environment was quite a surprise and change for Andy. After hiking through very remotes sections of Montana for the past few weeks, it was an adjustment to enter Great Falls, a city of 80,000 people. Andy enjoyed this opportunity to stay inside at a hotel, get a real shower and order pizza for dinner.

From Great Falls, Andy hiked along the road to Augusta, Montana, arriving on Friday night, May 20th. The hike was beautiful with buttes, mesas and small island ranges. Dark rain clouds and rain storms came upon the ranges with rapid speed, dumped huge amounts of rain and then raced into the distance.

The Rockies have come into view. Andy has been watching the Rockies loom ever larger, as he hiked all week. Andy has been mentally preparing himself for the challenges of hiking through the Rocky Mountains. He told us: "My head is already in the Rockies and my body will get there on Sunday morning, May 22nd."

Andy admitted that he is both excited, intimidated and nervous about hiking through the Rocky Mountains. He bought "bear spray" (a 20 oz. container of something akin to mace). Andy will take all recommended precautions, including "no cooking in the encampment area, tying my backpack and food via ropes off a high limb of a tree, etc." We are saying extra prayers for Andy as he proceeds through this area with all of its new challenges.

Andy plans to meet Ryan Jordan, of Backpacking Light, on May 26th in East Glacier Park. Andy is really looking forward to hiking with Ryan and having a skilled hiking companion to enjoy this adventure in the Glacier Park area.

MAY 8, 2005 -- FORT PECK, MT

Andy has hiked 5980 miles (or 78%) so farP> On Monday April 25th, Andy finished hiking the 4,400 mile North Country Trail. He then began a 900 mile section of terrain without defined hiking trails. He made an intentional 130 mile detour southwest into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which he had heard had "great trails, wild animals and beautiful scenery."

Tuesday, April 26th - Andy made the transition from farming land to ranch land. The land appears to be pock-marked with 100 foot high stone towers. This was the first of five days of colder temperatures with heavy wind and snow squalls. He did not see the sun for five days as constant snow squalls passed through the area. The Go-lite Ether Wind Jacket was a stellar piece of gear during the week. He had his hood tied tight and the bottom cinched for protection against the wind and snow. The only body part exposed was his nose.

On Wednesday night, Andy stayed at the Kukla family farm. The family was very friendly and Andy really appreciated their fine hospitality. The week before Andy's arrival, the family had a 150-pound calf delivered by C-section. Andy has been hoping to see, but has still not seen the birth of a calf...

On Thursday night, the Brueni family hosted and entertained Andy. The people in the area have been wonderful. Mr. Brueni, who is 85 years old, had stories to share about taking the "horse-drawn school bus" to school and "homesteading on the land." He told Andy: "If I were you, I would find me a horse. It would get you to Seattle a lot faster." Andy laughed and thought: "Where else, other than North Dakota, would a horse be the recommended mode of transportation?"

On Friday, April 29th, Andy reached Medora, ND. This is a tourist town at the South Unit (geographic section) of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The town is full of frontier architecture, wagon wheels, etc. Andy found all of this very interesting. From Medora, Andy began the 96-mile hike from the South Unit to the North Unit. The park was thrilling. Andy was the first hiker of the season and had the place to himself. He saw several bison. Suddenly come upon a bison grazing on the trail, Andy smartly gave the trail up to the bison, but did take quite a few close-up pictures. One evening, Andy was looking for a place to pitch his tent. He spotted a grassy area some distance off the trail. As he approached the area, he noticed that a bison was already grazing there. Andy decided it would be safer to "let the bison have his space" and he found another place to pitch his tent. Andy described the park as: "…like the Grand Canyon with colors of tan and yellow rather than pink and red. The cliffs are like dribble castles we made as kids at the beaches in Rhode Island." This was a wonderful diversion trail for Andy since he felt like he was walking through a "Jurassic Park" environment where Bison roam in the wild just as they did 200 years ago.

Monday, May 2nd- Andy hiked through the North Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt Park and had one of his most memorable hiking days. The weather cleared and Andy was able to see the tremendous, beauty of the park. It was a wonderful sun-lit day for great pictures. He wanted to have more buffalo experiences, so he went out of his way to find some. Andy found five bison grazing in different areas and then had a close encounter with another bison that was climbing up a narrow trail that Andy was hiking down. In the excitement of the moment, Andy forgot the warnings about the dangers of bison and he began to take pictures of the bison as he descended a side trail. When the bison began to run up the hill, Andy ran up the side trail to continue taking pictures. It was an exciting moment for Andy. We are looking forward to seeing these pictures!

Tuesday, May 3rd- Andy began a day and a half walking through the Little Missouri grasslands. In the summer, this is a huge pasture for grazing livestock from local ranches. At this time of the year, it is empty. Because it is federal land, Andy was able to hike in the direction he pleased, without trespassing on any private property. That night, Andy had one of his best campsites, on a bluff, overlooking the Yellowstone River with a great view of the town of Fairview, MT. He hiked 42 miles (14 hours at 3.0mph). That was Andy's first day of hiking over 40 miles and has since hiked two more days "over 40 miles."

On Wednesday, May 2nd Andy crossed the border of North Dakota and Montana as he reached Fairview, Montana. He has found this section of the hike very difficult because the available maps do not differentiate between private and county roads. Andy was having difficulty finding a clear route to travel in the correct direction. Western North Dakota was quite rural and remote. Eastern Montana is even more rural and remote. Thus, finding potable water has become a real challenge, and he is hesitant to use standing water because of the number of cow pies in the area. The weather has been inconsistent, with temperatures in the 40s one day and in the 70s two days later. He traveled north to the Missouri River and followed the river to Fort Peck, MT. At this point, the river is narrow with steep 100 to 200 foot bluffs on the sides.

On Friday May 6th, Andy stopped at Harry's Nightclub, where he had a delicious burger with fries, and enjoyed the company of some local residents who meet at the club on Friday nights. One member of the group, a Native American and a physician, gave Andy a lesson on the living difficulties of people on the reservation. Andy found this very interesting. As Andy traveled through the Indian Reservation over the past few days, he found the Native Americans to be very friendly, consistent with other people Andy has met throughout North Dakota and Montana.

Saturday, May 7, 2005- Andy called from a grocery store (the first store and town in many days) at Wolf Point, Montana. The area of Montana is mostly used for ranching and is very remote. Farms are now 10,000-15,000 acres, compared to parts of North Dakota where the farms were 3000 to 5000 acres. There are fewer houses and roads in this area of Montana. The people are very nice and friendly and seem to know everyone living within a 40-mile radius.

On Saturday evening- May 7th, Andy met up with the Core Discovery Group of the Lewis & Clark Re-enactment expedition. Andy had decided to camp in the same area with this group. The group and Andy had a great time, sharing their stories of trail and outdoor hardships and experiences. This group is traveling in authentic-looking canoes, fitted with 60hp motors. They wear authentic clothing and use authentic gear and are following the same route in the same time of the year as Lewis and Clark. Andy was invited to stay with them in one of their 16ft. x 20ft. canvas tents. When it began to rain, Andy pulled out his waterproof, ultra-lite rain jacket while the others were putting on their bear skin jackets. It was quite a contrast.

On Sunday morning, Andy continued his hike on foot while they went to their motorized canoes. Andy arrived at Fort Peck, MT in mid-day and found a room at the Historic Fort Peck hotel. This was Andy's first opportunity to take a shower in 14 days. A new record. Andy will pick up his food box at the Post Office on Monday morning. Thus, he will be well prepared for the next remote section of hiking- about 322 miles, from Fort Peck, MT to Great Falls, MT. There are only two small towns along this section- Winifred and Geraldine, MT. More adventure stories to follow.

APRIL 25, 2005 -- RIVERDALE, ND

Andy has hiked 5,632 miles, 73 % of his 7,700 mile Sea to Sea Hike.

There are six points that Andy wanted to make about the past week (Monday April 19 to Monday April 25).

First, Andy has transitioned from the headwaters of the Sheyenne River to the Mississippi River watershed. He has been following a "diversion canal trail" that was started in the 1940s and never completed. The plan was to use water from the Missouri River to irrigate Eastern North Dakota. It was described to Andy as a "boondoggle." Two canals run side by side for 110 miles. The trail and adjacent canals are on federal land. The trails have been scenic and pleasant.

Second, as Andy has been moving west, the area has become more desolate. The farms are becoming very large, some as large as 3,000 acres or 5 square miles. Andy sees only one house every two miles. One car passes him per hour. About half of the drivers stop, ask where he is going and if he needs help. This has been very nice for Andy. The area is dotted with abandoned homesteads because of the loss of farm jobs departure of young people who will not be able to continue the farming traditions.

Third, spring is an exciting and pleasant time in this area of the country. Andy has witnessed enormous farm machinery. He saw a 12 wheel, 400 horsepower tractor with a 60 foot wide seeder. He is amazed at the technology on the machines- GPS locators, computers measuring the supply and density of the seeds etc. This is also the calving season. Andy is hoping to see a cow give birth, but may not be lucky enough.

Fourth, the weather in early spring brings large fluctuations in temperatures and a steady wind. It was 90F degrees on Monday and 15F degrees on Friday morning. There is a chance of snow on April 26th. The wind is a constant 10-15 miles per hour.

Fifth, a trail angel left another full can of beer on the trail. Andy is hoping the trail angel who is being so kind will begin using a cooler since that can of beer was a bit warm after a day in the sun.

Lastly, Andy will finish the North Country trail on Monday April 26th. The North Country Trail is 4,400 miles long and is the longest distance trail in America. Andy will be the first person to finish the trail in a linear fashion (4,400 straight miles vs. most people hiking sections at various times). He will now be hike a 900 mile gap between the North Country Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.

Andy is ahead of his schedule and has decided to add 140 miles or so to his hike. He will walk south to Medora, ND and the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, hike to the North Unit of the park and then continue on his previously planned route. He has been told the Roosevelt National Park is something he should not miss.

APRIL 16, 2005 -- VALLEY CITY, ND

(Andy has hiked 5326 miles, 69% of his 7,700 mile hike across the continent)

There were four defining moments this past week. The first was that Andy had three full days of rain. Each day was all rain, falling every way but vertical. That made for a tough beginning of the week. The second was that Andy crossed the border to North Dakota on Tuesday, April 12, 2005. The third is that he crossed from the land of lakes to the prairies. And finally, he has been pushing all week to get to Valley City. Andy hiked 178 miles in five days to reach his destination. He was enjoying a nice B&B in Valley City when he called home last night.

Sunday, April 10, 2005 found Andy in the Tamarack Wildlife refuge. There is a high concentration of waterfowl here and Andy saw a bald eagle swoop into the lake and grab a fish right before his eyes. The Chippewa Indians have deep history in this region and Andy found it interesting.

Monday, Andy made the dramatic transition from the lakes and hills to the prairie. Andy said that he reached the top of a ridge and the prairie was in front of him and all of a sudden he could see for miles. It was quite dramatic. On Monday it was still raining and Andy was hiking in the Red River valley. He said that he has never seen such sticky red mud as he found in this valley. Some of the roads are un-maintained dirt and after hiking miles in the red sticky mud, his shoes weighed a ton. This is also the first time Andy had an unpleasant encounter with the police. He was getting water from Jeff and Heidi Sell when a local sheriff drove up. The sheriff reported that someone had reported a stranger walking through the area with a backpack on his back and he was there to check it out. Andy explained the hike and where he was going etc. The sheriff allowed him to continue but was not friendly and continued to treat Andy suspiciously. Heidi and Jeff allowed Andy to camp on their land that evening, but the encounter left Andy unsettled. He was upset that anyone would report him as suspicious because he has worked so hard to represent hikers in a favorable light and this town is on the North Country Trail. He finally reconciled the incident as realizing that these are small, close knit towns and he is a stranger.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005, Andy entered the state of North Dakota at the town of Abrocrombie. It was still raining.

Wednesday, the weather cleared and Andy hiked 25 miles through the Sheyanne National Grasslands. The soil here is very sandy as opposed to the rich organic soil in the river valley. This land is owned by the government and used for grazing of 11,000 cattle in the summer. At this time of year, the grasslands are empty and Andy felt he was the closest he would ever be to seeing the prairies in their original state. The grass was anywhere from ankle to waist high. There were no roads or noises. That night, Andy slept out at the Rotenberger farm. He enjoyed his conversations with Doug and Charles, who own the farm.

Thursday, the 14, Andy entered the town of Lisbon. He entered a local café for the early lunch and as he entered, the entire café stopped talking and looked. He smiled and gave a general "good morning" and the crowd resumed eating and talking. The rest of the day, Andy hiked along the Sheyanne River Valley. This valley was settled in the late 1800's, and was the major roadway for the early settlers. He reported that the valley is 100 to 300 feet deep. Farming occupies the bottom and grazing the sides of the valley. The plains are high above you. The road has been declared a "scenic byway", so the history of the area has been preserved in the form of old farms and machinery etc. He has enjoyed this section. At one point the valley is very deep so a negative ski area has been built. People ski further down the valley towards the river.

Andy arrived in Valley City. His arrival was announced in the local paper without his knowledge. He was recognized as he entered town. Last night he stayed in a nice bed and breakfast. He had the entire house to himself and loved it.

APRIL 10, 2005 -- FRAZEE, MN

(Andy has hiked 4937 miles, 64% of his 7,700-mile hike across the continent)

Last week, Andy found one unusual piece of "trail magic." Andy enjoyed "one ice cold can of beer that was probably lost by a snow-mobiler." Andy thanks his unknown friend for this bit of "trail magic that brightened his day."

The trail has continued into Akeley, MN and through the Itasca State Park, which is the headwater area for the Mississippi River. Andy reported that you can "jump across the Mississippi" at this point in the park. He then hiked into Frazee, MN.

On Friday night April 8th Andy visited and stayed with Ray and Lynnette Vlasak, members of the North Country Trail. Ray told Andy that "the ice on the lakes would last only another two weeks but it is not safe." The weather continues to improve and Andy is spending more nights sleeping outside. He is changing his gear to reflect these warmer days and has been averaging over 30 miles per day.

APRIL 2, 2005 -- GRAND RAPIDS, MN

(Andy has hiked 4937 miles, 64% of his 7,700-mile hike across the continent)

The week of March 27th began with a difficult hike from the Gunflint Lodge area in the Boundary Waters to Ely, MN. Andy knew he would have to remain on the changing-elevation, snow-covered trail to Ely because walking in snowshoes on the beautiful (and flat) frozen lakes was no longer an option. He also knew this 66 mile section of hiking would be through "deep snow, without structure." (Andy's snowshoes sink 18 inches or more into the snow as the snow melts from the bottom). Shortly after leaving the Gunflint Lodge area, the metal tip of one of Andy's snowshoes broke. He tried to repair it with available materials, but the repairs did not hold. So, he was left with no option than hiking without snowshoes in three feet of snow. In five hours he traveled just four miles (under one mph instead of his normal pace of about 2.5 mph). He knew that he would not reach his destination and was concerned that we would become worried about his safety if he did not reach his destination by the expected time. Just then, he came upon some dog sled tracks. They were heading toward a lake and he knew the tracks would eventually turn toward Ely, so he decided to follow them. He spent the night camped out on an island in the middle of the frozen lake and was able to make it into Ely the following day. Andy was very tired but also quite pleased that he was able to work through this difficult situation.

Andy went into a hotel in Ely, MN and was invited for an interview on the local radio station in the morning. He was now prepared for the next 150 miles of his trek, which are on a bike trail. Road walking on this stretch was a welcome relief from the challenging snowshoeing on melting snowpack on the forest trails. Andy also ate his "half-gallon challenge". Though he passed the halfway point in Michigan, he did not feel that he was halfway through until he had survived the winter. So, he enjoyed the celebratory four pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

Andy learned that this area in northern Minnesota is in the ancient Vermillion Mountain Range. He said that the mountains have eroded however, the land is rich in various heavy metals that have names that end in "ite". Mining continues to exist on a major scale. Andy passed the largest strip mine in the country the other day. After the metals are removed, a pit lake is left surrounded by the tailings.

On Wednesday, March 30th, Andy hiked into Tower, MN. This is one of the oldest towns in the area. Andy was surprised at the large size and population of the towns. He was kindly invited to stay overnight inside the local newspaper office because of a heavy rainstorm. The newspaper was started in 1905 and is still owned and operated by the same family. Andy appreciated their hospitality. He found the original printing press on the premises very interesting. People ask if he is "the hiker" they have heard or read about.

On Thursday March 31st, Andy hiked into Buhl, MN. He arrived in Hibbing on Friday and almost got to Taconite on Saturday night. He hiked to Grand Rapids, MN today (Sunday April 3rd) and plans to keep moving as the day is the nicest to date.

The weather has been mid- 40sF during the day and low 20sF at night. The snow is almost gone because of the rain and mild temperatures. He removed his snowshoes from his pack for the duration of the hike. He is enjoying the warmer temperatures and is able to occasionally stop during the day without getting cold. Normally, he would just hike continuously since he wears light clothing and stopping in the cold weather for any length of time has been too uncomfortable. Thus, for the past two months, Andy usually made very short phone calls home from the outdoor pay phones. Also, the morning pack-up has become easier. There is no longer a need to run in place to keep his body warm. Andy has welcomed the warmer temperatures. It is really beginning to feel like spring.

MARCH 27, 2005 -- GUNFLINT LODGE, BOUNDARY WATERS, MN

For the past week, Andy continued his hike along the shores of Lake Superior on the Superior Hiking Trail. He called from Grand Marais on Tuesday, March 22, 2005. He reported that there is a daily freeze/thaw cycle. The morning temperatures are zero to 10F degrees. Everything is frozen and the hiking is easy. By noon, the temperatures reach the low 30'sF, so everything is soft and beginning to melt. Then about 4 PM, the temperature drops and everything freezes. This means that Andy's shoes, the straps on his snow shoes and the legs of his pants freeze up (mostly from the sweat on his legs). To counter the wet pants legs, Andy has started wearing his running shorts during the day so at least his pants are not frozen when he climbs into his sleeping bag.

Spring has a different meaning in northern Minnesota than it does in southern New England. The weather has been sunny and there has been no recent new snow. However, the snow is still three feet deep.

Monday March 21st was cool and there was a clear full moon. Andy was hiking along a cross-country trail and was able to follow the trail in the moonlit darkness for the last two miles without a head lamp. He has become much better at finding the trail. He looks for signs of the trail such as broken branches, etc. He was hiking in a "boreal forest…think of a forest full of Christmas trees."

A popular winter activity in northern Minnesota is "river walking." The rivers are very scenic and have created deep gorges (such as one that Andy reports as "4 feet wide and 200 feet deep"). These rivers travel to Lake Superior. It is popular to hike along the frozen rivers because it is easier than following the trail at this time of year. One day, Andy hiked four miles along the Cascade River. He was actually walking "up the cascades, which is a bit nerve-wracking to think that this will be a raging river in a few short weeks."

Ken Oelkers, a volunteer for the Superior Hiking Trail, has been a great friend and supporter for Andy on this stretch of trail. Since it is impossible to do trail maintenance at this time of year, Ken has been meeting up with Andy on a regular basis. Ken hosted Andy at his home for two nights…and Ken met up with Andy on the trail near Silver Bay on the March 24th with a birthday cake !!!! It was the high point of the day for Andy! Andy's actual birthday was March 25th, but Andy was in the remote Boundary Water wilderness area that day. He said that it was a strange birthday since he "did not see or speak to anyone all day." I predict that Andy will always remember his 24th birthday and his special birthday cake from Ken Oelkers. On Saturday night-March 26, 2005, Andy called from the Gunflint Lodge, in the center of the Boundary Water Wilderness Area. The Boundary Waters Wilderness Area is in northeastern Minnesota- with a million acres of wilderness and over 1,000 lakes and streams. On March 26th, Andy hiked on the lakes, which connect throughout the area. Andy said "hiking on these lakes was scary at first because in Massachusetts the ice is rarely ever thick enough to be safe. In this part of Minnesota, the ice is 42 inches thick and people park their trucks on it as they do their ice fishing." The "transition weather" (freezing and thawing daily) has made the hiking difficult. The snow has lost its structure. Andy called it "bottoming out". Even with snow shoes, he is often sinking 2 to 3 feet through the snow as the ice has melted from the bottom. In this area, the moose use the trails, so Andy is falling into moose sink holes as well. Despite the difficult hiking, Andy said he was "very happy to be hiking the North Country Trail and the Superior Hiking Trail in the winter, because this is the time of year when these areas display their unique qualities." Andy is expecting the next 48 miles to be difficult. He will have to stay on the trail instead of hiking on the lakes and the hiking conditions will continue to deteriorate. Andy expects to be in Ely on Tuesday, March 29th. He is hoping to make it through the wilderness before an expected rain storm hits.

Total miles to date: 4747 (62%

TUESDAY, MARCH 15 -- SILVER BAY, MN

Andy reached Duluth, MN on Sunday March 6th. At this point he is ahead of schedule and will reach the Continental Divide while it is still under heavy snow. He had decided to come home for five days to clean his gear and mentally prepare for the next leg of the journey. While Andy was home, he was able to post pictures from Michigan and Wisconsin. Check out his web site.

Andy hiked to Two Harbors, Minnesota, headquarters of the Superior Hiking Trail Association headquarters before coming home on Wednesday, March 9th. He was given help by North Country trail people who provided rides to and from the airport and dinner company. The members of the Superior Hiking Trail Association are now providing support on the next stretch of the hike.
From here, Andy will be hiking north along the shores of Lake Superior almost to the Canadian border. He will then begin traveling south west through Minnesota.
Total miles hiked to date: 4512 (59% of his hike completed)

PS: Andy will be turning 24 on Friday, March 25th. If anyone sees him, wish him a "Happy Birthday".

MARCH 8, 2005 -- SOLON SPRINGS, WI

Last weekend Andy was remarking on the relative ease with which he made it through the U.P. (compared to his expectations). Old Man Winter must have heard him and sent his fury on northern Wisconsin. The snow began to fall on Monday night and it continued through Wednesday morning, dumping 12-18 inches of powdery snow on the region -- a big lake-effect storm by all accounts. On Tuesday Andy hiked all day and made it to Drummond that night, staying in a motel to get out of the snow (he'd also been out for 4 nights straight). When he started up the next morning he had enough food for 2.5 days.

Unfortunately he quickly found that he would need more food in order to make it to his next restock. Because of all the snow his pace dropped from the usual 2.25 or 2.5 mph to just 1.5 mph. He became very frustrated with the situation -- he was sinking down 18 inches with every step and had to lift his knee parallel to his hip to step forward...so much effort for so little progress.

Andy got off the trail and took a snowmobile trail and a paved road to the next trailhead, skipping 7-miles of trail. His original plan was to jump back on the trail there, but he was mentally devastated and he needed more supplies -- so he hitched north into Iron River. That night, he mentally prepared himself for two more days in these tough conditions. The next morning, he backtracked 6 miles on the snowmobile trail so that he could hike those 7 miles, which was not technically necessary since Andy had walked to that next trailhead (so the "continuous footsteps" rule had been abided). But he was determined to not let winter beat him, and this was the toughest challenge he had been given so far. On Friday he reached Solon Springs, ahead of schedule, quite proud of himself for rising to the challenge.

The weather last week was very cold in addition to the snow. Nights fell below zero and days were in the teens. Andy was fortunate to have two nights in 3-sided shelters. The shelters offer no warmth advantage but they eliminate the need for the tent and keep him and his gear off the ground. Packing up in the morning is much faster, too, without a shelter to breakdown, and that allows Andy to get moving (and get warm) faster.

Andy reached Duluth, MN on Sunday March 6th. Duluth is a major city (the second biggest on his route) and it has an international airport. Because he is so far ahead of schedule (and is now at risk of reaching the Rockies too early in the season) and because he has taken just 1 day off in the last 70, he will be coming home for four days. Check out his web site after the 14th of March for new pictures.

Miles hiked: 4405 miles (Andy has completed 57% of his 7700 mile journey.)

FEBRUARY 24, 2005 -- IRONWOOD, MI

Hello Wisconsin and the Central Standard Time Zone!!

Andy has reached the city of Ironwood and will be crossing into Wisconsin tomorrow morning.

The past two weeks have been exciting for Andy. He left Marquette on Monday, February 17th, after a weekend of enjoying the company of friends and speaking to newspaper reporters. Because the North Country Trail has not been completed immediately west of the city, he utilized a 30-mile cross-country ski course, which at several points crosses frozen lakes and rivers -- Andy said he was still nervous about the crossings (because of falling through ice in Michigan in January) even though snowmobiles were zipping by him. He reported that 2 or 3 inches of lake-effect snow was falling every day.

Andy met Bob and Irene Godell in Watton, MI, and enjoyed their great hospitality for the evening. The Godell's are 84 years old and have been married for 62 of them. Bob fascinated Andy with his tales and local folklore. Both of their parents came to the US from Finland, and Irene and Bob both speak Finnish. Bob managed the local telephone company in 1958, when phone service consisted of a single toll line that ran through the county. People traveled to a central location to make a call. Bob told stories about Henry Ford, who purchased timber from loggers in the U.P., including Bob's father, for his Model T's.

On Saturday, Feb. 19th, Andy came down with a stomach bug during the night, throwing up his entire dinner of freeze-dried lasanga. He hiked several miles on the trail the next morning but was just too sick and weak to make it through the Trapp Hills, which are home to very steep and big climbs, and which are made more difficult by four feet of powdery snow. He staggered off the trail and along a forest road for 8-miles before finding shelter at a motel in Bergland. He then called home because if you are sick you always ask your Mom for advice. Fortunately, after about 16 hours of sleep, he was feeling better. On Sunday, he hiked the remaining 15 miles to White Pine, MI. By the time he arrived, he was feeling 95% better.

When Andy called on Feb. 24th from Ironwood, he was reflecting on his hike through the UP. It was "not as difficult as he had expected." He had envisioned ferocious snow storms and frigid temperatures that would keep him "holed up for days on end." What he found was that the lake-effect snow is frequent but in small amounts, and therefore not an impediment to hiking. And, when you are snowshoeing, it doesn't really matter how deep the snow is. It is like swimming in the sense that if you can swim in 4 feet of water then you can swim in 1,000 feet of water. Following the trail in deep snow is different, however, because the snow can cover blazes and hide the treadway; but Andy found that the trail was well marked with blue plastic diamonds, which can be seen a long ways off in Michigan's mature and open forests.

As for the temperatures, Andy has seen -20F at least twice, with a few other nights at -15 and -10. But most night time lows were in the high single digits to mid-teens. He found himself to be usually very comfortable, pushing the limits of his gear only in the coldest temperatures.

Andy also reported that he had expected the culture of the UP to be vastly different than the culture in the Lower Peninsula. Yes, Scandinavian people who were loggers and miners settled the UP, but that historical background is no longer as defining a characteristic. They have running water, electricity, and even broadband now.

The UP is, in Andy's mind, "a centerpiece of the North Country Trail." There are "miles of trail through old growth forests, where the canopy of trees is hundreds of feet in the air, creating unbroken visibility on the forest floor." The shores of Lake Superior in winter, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the Trapp Hills, the Porcupine Mountains, and several notable waterfalls were the highlights of Andy's hiking experience.

Wisconsin is just ahead of Andy with new terrain, temperatures and challenges. He is anticipating colder temperatures and less snow. He is hoping that the worst of the winter is behind him.

Miles hiked thus far: 4213 miles. Andy has completed 55% of his 7,700 mile journey.

FEBRUARY 13, 2005 -- MARQUETTE, MI

A storm came through Grand Marais on the night of February 7th, and the temperatures dropped. This was actually good news for Andy since he found it hard to hike through the wet and slushy trails that resulted from a week-long thaw. The temperatures during the week of Feb. 7th were in the teens at night and the 20s during the day. This enabled the top snow layer to crust over, providing relatively solid footing for snowshoeing. Because the hours of daylight have been steadily increasing, Andy is able to complete 20 miles per day with ease. Thus, Andy is ahead of schedule.

The trail between Grand Marais and Munising follows the Lake Superior shoreline, through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which features 200-foot high sandstone cliffs. Despite and 20 mph wind that was coming off the lake, Andy really enjoyed the 50-mile stretch because of its amazing vistas and frozen waterfalls; and he felt fortunate for having it all to himself, since during most months there are throngs of visitors.

Andy reached Marquette on Friday evening, February 11th. Kim Prohaska, the public relations person for Balance Bar, had arranged lodging for Andy along with television and radio interviews. This was exciting for Andy. He met up with Chad Larsen and fiance Suzanne, who have been following his trip in the media and on his website; they gave him a tour of the city, took him out to dinner, and brought him to Jean Kay's Pasty Shop, which apparently makes the best pasties in Marquette.

Andy has hiked: 3,998 miles (52% of his 7,700 mile hike of the C2C Route).

FEBRUARY 6, 2005 -- GRAND MARAIS, MI

On Saturday Andy reached the halfway point of his hike!!

Andy called today from Grand Marais. This is beyond the half waypoint of his journey. Andy has not had the celebratory half-gallon of Ben and Jerry's yet. He is waiting to find "just the right flavors" .

Three days worth of miles were covered in the past two days of hiking. The temperatures in the UP are unseasonably warm and some of the snow has melted away. There are even some bare patches in sunny places; the trail is slushy and wet. Andy knows that this favorable weather will not continue, and he is trying to seize the opportunity by putting in lots of miles.

Hiking along Lake Superior has been one vista after another. There are huge iceburgs along the shoreline that Andy reports are ten feet tall. They grow throughout the winter as waves crash against the frozen shoreline -- the spray freezes quickly in the cold temperatures.

In addition to the weather and the scenic trail, the week had some exciting moments. Andy was picked up by Kirt Stage-Harvey, President of the Hiawatha chapter of the North Country Trail at the Mackinac Bridge and brought to the opposite side. He met with Chapter members and was provided with hospitality and information. On Wednesday, Andy met with Ethan Parker and his father. Ethan is a high school student who is working to earn his Eagle Scout badge. His project was to perform extensive maintanance to a six-mile section of the North Country Trail. He did an excellent job. Andy, Ethan and his father hiked the six-mile section together. It was then on to Paradise and Grand Marais.

Total miles hiked:3894 miles.

JANUARY 28, 2005 -- MACKINAW CITY, MI

During the past week, Andy has experienced the kindness of people, frigid temperatures and a near calamity.

Two days after leaving Kalkaska, Andy reached Alba, and was treated to a "night in" at Wagbo, a local farm community. The people were very warm and hospitable. Andy was thankful for their generous hospitality. The nights spent sleeping outside after Kalkaska, Andy experienced temperatures that were minus 20 degrees.

The day after leaving Alba, Andy was following the trail over a stream. Apparently the stream had swollen its banks at some point and then had frozen. Andy stepped in an area thinking it was solid ground and found himself falling into the stream. The water was only thigh deep but the unexpected turn of events caused Andy to lose his balance and sit down in the stream. After some initial panic ("temperatures in the teens and I am soaking wet"), Andy stripped and wrung out his clothes as much as possible. He then put his clothes back on and proceeded to walk fast to warm up. By the end of the day, his clothes were dry with the exception of his shoes, which are waterproof and therefore do not allow air to circulate. Things worked out ok. Even the camera, which went under water briefly, appears to be working. But, it was a lesson for Andy to be very very careful.

This was followed by more nights sleeping out in the cold, until Andy reached Petoskey, MI and the North Central Michigan College. The North Country Trail traverses the college and some new friends had asked Andy if he would be receptive to meeting with some students. Andy is always interested in talking with other young people and he really enjoyed the night in a college dorm.. On Thursday, January 26th, there was an article in the local newspaper and Andy had a live interview on the local radio station, before heading towards Mackinaw City.

Andy will be crossing the Mackinac Bridge (the Big Mac) this weekend. Unfortunately, he will not be able to walk across the bridge. The Governor apparently receives hundreds of requests like this every year and the answer is "no." Once Andy gets a ride across the bridge, he will begin his hike through the Upper Peninsula (UP). Andy admits he is intimidated by the UP. We are praying that the Lake Superior winds calm down and that the temperatures rise a bit. Andy's philosophy is that he takes "one day at a time." Each day means that he is closer to spring and closer to his destination at the end of the C2C route.

The wonderful support Andy has received from members of the local trail associations and from local people has been heartwarming and greatly appreciated. Andy's new friends have provided companionship, meals, shelter and encouragement. Some hikers have gone out on the trail to offer Andy encouragement and "trail magic" (food or supplies left on the trail). We also hear from people through email offering their support to Andy and we pass along these words of encouragement in our frequent phone calls. We wish to give a hearty "thank you" to all of you for offering Andy your wonderful help and support!

Total miles hiked: 3728 (48% of the journey.)

JANUARY 23, 2005 -- ALBA, MI

This week, Andy's gear was really tested to assure he is really fit for winter hiking. Andy sends his many thanks to Ryan Jordan from Backpacking Light Magazine for his great equipment suggestions! Temperatures have been minus 15 -20 in the morning and in the teens throughout the day. Andy reports that his sleeping bag and tent are "cozy." Packing his gear and breaking camp in the morning is the most difficult time. Some things are impossible to accomplish with mittens or gloves such as tying shoes, which requires using bare hands. At temperatures below 0, you can only leave your hands exposed for a few minutes at a time. Andy asked us to report that he does not like the "frozen snots" in the morning.

Hiking through the Manistee Forest and the 700 uninterrupted miles of the NCT, has been challenging and exciting. The variety of terrain, including some high ridges, reminds Andy of the AT. The trail follows the Manistee River, which is crystal clear and has great salmon runs at certain times of the year. Andy met with Andy Klevorn, who wrote a very nice article in the Ludington Daily News. He was also featured on Channels 7 and 4, the local TV station. This coverage provided Andy with some notoriety in the town of Mesick, when he arrived on Tuesday, January 18th. The people in Mesick welcomed Andy and provided him with food, a warm cozy room at the Mushroom Cap Motel, and some media coverage. Andy appreciated this great hospitality. Following Mesick, Andy then had three nights of sleeping outside in frigid temperatures. He is snowshoeing all the time now and is doing fine. He is having some trouble with one foot but is adjusting his shoe support to minimize the discomfort.

Andy reached Kalkaska, MI on Friday night January 21st, and was offered a warm place for the night. Andy is very grateful to his hosts, Deb and Scott Lemmen, and very happy to be inside during the local snowstorm on Friday night.

Andy plans to reach Alba, MI on Sunday night (January 23rd) and Petoskey, MI on Wednesday January 26th. By Friday January 28th, Andy will probably reach Mackinaw, just south of the Mackinac Bridge. At this time, we do not know how Andy will get across the Mackinac Bridge. Andy has some friends and supporters who are trying to arrange for Andy to obtain approval to hike across the bridge. The bridge is open to hikers/walkers only one day per year, but not this week.

The wonderful support Andy has received from members of the local trail associations and from local people has been heartwarming and much appreciated. Thank you all for offering Andy your help and support!

3614 miles completed (47% of Andy's 7,700 mile hike)

JANUARY 18, 2005 -- MESICK, MI

Andy has resumed his hike. After a short holiday visit to his home in Seekonk, MA, Andy flew back to Battle Creek, MI on Wednesday January 5th. Tom Garnett, President of the Chief Noonday Chapter of the North Country Trail, met Andy at the airport. Tom and his wife, Judy, provided Andy with lodging and a ride to his trail resumption point. Andy's generous Sponsors and Santa, provided Andy with some great, new, cold weather gear. He is much warmer but the weight of the pack has increased. You can check out the winter gear list he has put online. Ryan Jordan, from Backpacking Light Magazine, was very helpful to Andy, offering good recommendations about gear for winter hiking. His recommendations have proved solid so far.

Proceeding north from Battle Creek, the North Country Trail includes hiking in game areas and on country roads. Andy passed through the "Apple Capital" of Michigan. He made it to Lowell, Michigan on Saturday, January 8th. This is the site of the national headquarters of the North Country Trail. Kevin and Meg Cusack picked Andy up in Lowell and gave him great hospitality for the evening. Kevin and Meg are another pair of "Trail Angels," opening their home for shelter and offering their friendship to many hikers over the years.

For Andy's first ten days on the trail, temperatures were mild and the trails were covered with some snow. Andy used his snowshoes whenever possible. A strong cold front moved through the area on Wednesday, Jan. 13th. This will be more typical Michigan weather. Morning temperatures have now in the single digits. It warms up during the day, but never gets above 32 degrees. Andy said that his sleeping bag and tent are warm enough and he has been sleeping fine. The hardest time is early morning. His toothpaste freezes when the temperature hits about 10 degrees, so it takes a great deal of pressure to get the toothpaste out of the tube. The ink in his pen has frozen so he is now using a mechanical pencil to write in his journal. Usually, Andy is very cold after breaking camp in the morning and he runs for a half mile or so to warm his body temperature. If he stops for more than ten minutes, he feels the cold again. Andy realizes that he must become accustomed to these temperatures and be extra cautious. It will probably be even colder in the Upper Peninsula. If Andy has the opportunity to find good shelter/lodging for the night, he readily accepts it and enjoys the warmth.

Andy met up with Rich Krieger, Spirit of the Woods Chapter, NCTA on Thursday night Jan. 13th in the White Cloud area. Rich and his wife, Deb met him again on Sat. Jan 15th in Branch, MI. Andy stayed in the Sernick family cabin, which is right on the NCT. That was a generous offer and Andy enjoyed it.

Andy is now in the Manistee Forest, which starts 700 miles of uninterrupted forest trails. He is looking forward to the wilderness and the rugged terrain. Rich and Deb tried to assure us that wild animals are not a big factor at this time of the year. Bears are hibernating and moose have never presented a problem. He did mention cougar sightings, but we just hope for some hiker's luck. Andy's cold weather equipment appears to be working well. He is in good spirits and good health.

Andy has completed 3523 miles to date in his 7,700 mile hike across the continent (46% of his 7,700 mile hike).

JANUARY 4, 2005 -- SEEKONK, MA

I leave for Michigan tomorrow afternoon and will start hiking again on Thursday morning from where I left off on December 20th. It was nice to be home and to spend time with my family over the holidays, but I am definitely looking forward to being back on the trail -- there are many reasons to be excited about the 4,450 miles I have in front of me.

I believe that the next four months -- when I will be hiking through Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota -- will be the most challenging part of this hike. I will encounter frigid temperatures and deep snowpack, particularly in the Upper Peninsula. Progress will be much slower than it was in 2004 because I will be carrying twice as much weight on my back, snowshoeing all the time, and losing the trail frequently under the blanket of snow. But I would not be on this hike if I did not like challenges -- it is sure to be a unique and rewarding experience.

There are two new things on the website in which you may have an interest. The first is pictures from Ohio. The second is my deep-winter gear list.

Andy

DECEMBER 20, 2004 -- SEEKONK, MA

Andy here. I arrived home earlier this evening for the holidays. I will post an update about my final week on the trail in 2004 within the next few days, and I also plan to post pictures and to add some new content while I am home. It feels good to be home; it will feel just as good to be back on the trail in a few weeks -- there are many great miles in front of me.

Special thanks to Tom Garnett, President of the North Country Trail's Chief Noonday Chapter, and his wife Judy for helping me out over the last few days and for getting me to the airport this morning.

DECEMBER 13, 2004 -- DEFIANCE, OH

Andy passed the 3000 mile mark this week!

Andy hiked along the Little Miami scenic trail for 60 miles after leaving Milford, Ohio. He entered Dayton, Ohio and realized it was the most urban area he had passed through in a long time. He met Woody and Harriet, local trail maintenance people. Woody has a strong interest in the Wright Bros., who had a bike shop in Dayton. Andy found it very interesting.

Leaving Dayton, Andy hiked north along the Great Miami River. He stayed with Brent and Amy, fellow Buck Eye thru hikers. Brent made Buck Eye cookies, which Andy says have a pound of butter, and pound of sugar and some chocolate. They were delicious. Amy treated Andy to a home cooked lasagna dinner. He spent a great night in the company of friends.

Andy is now following the Miami Erie Canal north. The canal still exists but much of the infrastructure of the locks etc has deteriorated.

The weather has been terrible. The temperature has been about 35 and it has been raining. Andy reports that his gear has been performing perfectly. This is rewarding, because Andy spent numerous hours thinking and planning for this. His spirits are good.

Total miles hiked: 3106

DECEMBER 5, 2004 -- MILFORD, OH

A nasty storm came through around the first of December. Andy made it to the Shawnee State Park where the manager, Kevin Bradbury and his wife, provided a place for the night. Kevin is very knowledgeable about the geology and culture of the area and shared that knowledge with Andy.

Once leaving Shawnee State Park, Andy left the little Appalachian Mts, the fighting roosters and valleys full of coon dogs. He entered the plains of Ohio and met Mike Vogel, who has a large farm right on the Buck Eye Trail. Mike has a huge Belgian horse that is very impressive.

Andy then road walked to East Fork which is a big forest that is heavily used by horses. The horses leave their presence on the trail. Yesterday, December 4th, Amy and Brent Anslinger met Andy. Amy and Brent hiked the Buck Eye trail previously and they joined Andy for the fifteen miles to Milford. The last 15 miles of the trail ended in a run to catch the quickly fading sunlight. Andy entered the town of Milford with Brent following him in the van, lights blinking and Andy running down the main street of town with the Christmas lights twinkling from the street posts, feeling as if they were finishing a road race. It was a great end to a fun day. Andy spent the night with Mike Nicolai, the manager of Nature Outfitters. Andy treated his three new friends at a local Mexican restaurant. A great time was had by all.

Today, December 5th, Andy hiked the Miami Scenic Bike trail. He will be in Xenia tomorrow, December 6. The past three days have been big mileage days for Andy: 37, 25 and 35 miles. This has placed him ahead of schedule for reaching Toledo on the 17th of December. Andy needs to decide whether he will push on to Michigan or finish early and come home. The decision appears to be that he will push on as long as the weather holds. The past week has been comfortable: 20's at night and 40's during the day. There has been no precipitation.

Total miles hiked: 2,915

NOVEMBER 29, 2004 -- PEEBLES, OH

The past week has been one of varied topography and population. Andy hiked from Marietta, northwest to Logan. He hiked through the "Old Man's Cave" forest area. The rock formation in this forest has some massive over-hangs rising above a river with some mighty waterfalls. The story is reported that following the Civil War, a man returned to the area and made his home under the over-hang and the area became known as" Old Man's Cave." The Buck Eye Trail beyond Marietta, has been the best he has seen in awhile. The trail is scenic and well maintained. The gorge and rolling hills are pleasant to be hiking through.

After Logan, the Buck Eye Trail goes southwest to the town of Richmond Dale. Here Andy met two "trail angels", Connie and Mike Snyder. They picked up Andy and took him home for Thanksgiving dinner, returned him to the trail the next day and again to their home the following night. Andy was in the best spirits after two nights of home cooking. Andy also got some good press in the local papers, thanks to Bob Pond and the Snyder's. He has been enjoying people recognizing him and stopping to talk. Making people aware of the trails was one of Andy's motives for hiking C2C.

The weather in Ohio has been an indication that winter is coming soon. Andy has hiked in cold rain and a bit of snow. The storms have been pretty constant during the week.

From Sinking Spring, Andy will begin traveling north through the towns of Pebbles, West Union, Williamsburg and Milford. He will be just east of Cincinnati by December 3rd or 4th.

Total Miles hiked: 2686

NOVEMBER 20, 2004 -- MARIETTA, OH

After leaving the Warner house, Andy hiked among a series of man-made lakes in Eastern Ohio. The size of the RV camps and the marinas leads one to believe that the area has a large summer population, however, at this time of year, the area is deserted. That allowed Andy his choice of picnic table shelter for camping, but it was also a bit eerie. Andy has found the area to be very rural and pondered the economic status of the area because of the deserted farms. The area was full of corn, hay and beef.

The trail took Andy through the Wayne National Forest. At this point he was hiking along the Muskingum River. Apparently, this area had terrible flooding after Hurricane Frances. Andy passed a picnic table sitting 15 feet up in trees. He realized that the trail had been under 15 feet of water during the flood. This was a sight that Andy had never seen before. Friday night, November 19th, Andy arrived in Marietta, Ohio, and got a room at the Lafayette Grand Riverboat Era Hotel. This was his first night inside for the week. It was a welcome relief as he had been in rain for the past three to four days. The town was the first settlement in the Northwest Territory.

Total Miles to date: 2429

NOVEMBER 13, 2004 -- MAGNOLIA, OH

Andy's hike to this point has been a wilderness hike. This week the hike became a "people hike." The people of western PA and eastern OH have gone out of their way to help Andy and offer comfort and companionship.

Andy returned to his hike on November 8th. Gail, a very active member of the North Country Trail Association, picked up Andy from the Pittsburgh Airport and brought him back to Wampum to resume where he had left off. She also called ahead so the people in Darlington would be expecting him at the end of the day. Gail has been a true "trail angel."

In Darlington, PA, Andy met up with three generations of the Sanders family: They fed Andy dinner and breakfast, let him camp in their yard (they offered him their couch but he wanted to camp in the 22-degree cold), and provided conversation and entertainment all night. Bev, a member of the Darlington Historical Society, gave Andy a personal tour of the town's two museums with some very old artifacts (13-star American flag, mining equipment from early 1900s, arrowheads made by the Delaware Indians, an Edison record player, etc.). It was an unforgettable evening.

The following day, Thursday, Andy met Jeremy and Jerry Humphrey of Negley, OH, who passed him on the side of the road, on their way to the local rock climbing area. They chatted for a while and had many similar interests. On their way back from climbing, they came to Andy's camping area, picked him up, brought him back to their place, allowed him to use the shower, took him out for a delicious burger and Guinness drafts in Lisbon, then games of shuffleboard at Frank's Brookside Bar, and then back to their house for a few hours of sleep before dropping him back off on the trail. Jeremy and Jerry are a novelty in this area: they have climbed Denali, Aconcagua, Rainier, Devil's Tower and Mt Washington in winter. Jerry has plans to climb Everest in 2006. They are huge GoLite fans -- a GoLite sticker on a kitchen cabinet door was the first thing Andy noticed when he walked in their house.

Thursday night, November 11, Andy had dinner at the Rt 30 Cafe in Hanoverton, OH. 3-eggs, ham and cheese omelet, double order of home fries, and toast, all washed down with a homemade slice of apple pie and a scoop of ice cream. When he went up to pay the waitress told him, "You don't owe us anything; your meal is on us." They had heard of Andy's hike. Andy thanked Anita Hicks, the owner, left a tip on the table, and walked next door to the community park where he slept under the picnic pavilion (it was raining and 35-degrees).

Friday night Andy arrived in Magnolia, OH. He had previously met Pastor Diehl last year, and the Pastor was again gracious and allowed Andy to sleep in the church basement. The Pastor and his wife also took Andy out for dinner and conversation. Saturday, Andy will be at a lake house owned by a Duke Track teammate's parents. Andy hopes that all weeks are like this one. He realizes they will not be, but he is enjoying the great hospitality while it exists.

Total miles walked: 2,245

NOVEMBER 6, 2004 -- SEEKONK, MA

Andy here, home this weekend for an early Thanksgiving. (My current location on the trail is about an hour north of Pittsburgh, from where it is easy to get home as compared to Wayne National Forest in southeast Ohio, where I will likely be for the actual holiday).

I took some time to add 8 new photo pages to the website, covering New Hampshire's Carter Notch through Wampum, PA. Check them out.

Everything on the trail continues to go really well: my body is holding up just fine, I remain positive and upbeat, and my surroundings continue to exceed my expectations. For the next 35-40 days I will be cruising around Ohio, hoping to reach the Michigan border around December 20.

NOVEMBER 2, 2004 -- CLARION, PA

Since October 20, Andy hiked on the Finger Lakes Trail to the North Country Trail, through the Allegheny National Forest and on to Pennsylvania. He is now in PA hiking on roads and small sections of trail. After nine days of rain, the weather finally cleared. He saw his first black bear on this trip and has now hiked over 2000 miles. His comment was something like, "5,700 miles seems so much more plausible than 7,700, don't you think? I mean, people hike 5,700 miles all the time."

The Allegheny National Forest is a mature forest. The hiking was interesting and easy. Beautiful fall foliage and wildlife. He was fascinated by "rock cities" (a dozen of so huge boulders scattered in a valley). Some retreating glacial ice sheet had left them there. The Tionesta Scenic Area is an old growth section full of black cherry trees. The trees escaped the logging attempts but three-quarters were lost to a freak tornado during the nineties. It was a fascinating but sad sight. The Allegheny National Forest is actively managed and used for timber, oil and natural gas.

Last night Andy stayed in Clarion, PA. He will enter the Moraine State park November 3rd and arrive in Wampum, PA on Thursday, the 5th. Moraine State Park is the location Andy began his trek in February of 2004. He is among friends from the North Country Trail Association and hiking in familiar territory.

On Friday, November 6th, Andy is taking a train from Pittsburgh, to come home for two to three days. This will be his "Thanksgiving" because he will be in a remote area in Ohio when Thanksgiving arrives on November 25th.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support and interest.

Total miles hiked: 2,070

OCTOBER 20 -- HAMMONDSPORT, NY

The last two weeks have seen Andy crossing through New York on the Adirondack and the North Country Trails. There is a 60 mile road walk that connects the Adirondack Trail to the North Country Trail. While passing through towns offers the opportunity to interact with people, it also presents challenges for a thru hiker. Where to find a "safe" area to pitch a tent, and where to make a meal are difficult in suburban areas. Andy was grateful for the kindness of some strangers, offering a meal or a backyard to pitch a tent along the way.

Once arriving at Rome and the real beginning of the North Country Trail, the scenery became more interesting. The trail follows the tow path along the Erie Canal. Andy witnessed a boat passing through a lock along a still-used section of the canal. It is a unique experience to see a boat descending 26 feet to the lake.

Much great work has been done by the Finger Lakes Trail Association eliciting the cooperation of private landowners to allow the trail to pass through their land. The result has been a wonderful varied hiking trail, old growth forest opening to well tended pastures. When the trail passes through shale hallows and gorges, it is breathtaking. Andy has enjoyed his time on the North Country trail.

One night Andy caught up with Boy Scout Troop 55 Ithaca. They were on an overnight camping trip, doing trail maintenance. Andy immensely enjoyed the companionship of the troop in the shelter as well as the entertaining troop skits.

An additional challenge Andy has faced these two weeks has been the beginning of hunting season. He is wearing his orange vest whenever an area is not posted with "no hunting" signs. This is a new experience for him. Also, Andy has not seen the sun for nine days and has been rained on every day. His feet are ok, but are looking like they have been constantly wet. He is hoping for some dryer weather in the coming week.

Andy has eight more days in New York state as he approaches Pennsylvania.

Total miles hiked: 1,729

OCTOBER 6 -- ADIRONDACKS, NY

During past two weeks, Andy has left the White Mountains, hiked some of the Long Trail in Vermont and into the Adirondacks in New York. On Sunday the 25th of September, he met up with Brian, a salesman for GoLite and his dog, Monte. The three of them hiked together for the day. It was great company, (Brian and Monte). They met up with Flyin' Brian and Sophia at some point on the trail. Brian and Sophia were the last northbound hikers that Andy has passed.

The stretch on the Long Trail was short (30 miles). Saturday evening found Andy in Ripton, VT, which was having their monthly "coffee house" event. He said that "Made in Vermont" a 17 female vocal group brought the house down. A very nice Ripton resident allowed Andy to sleep in the 4-person tent in his backyard, which hosts a 6"-thick futon. Andy slept so well that he woke up 90-minutes late.

It was then on to New York and the Adirondacks. The weather is changing and Andy ran into his first snow on Mt. Marcy. The springs were frozen and there was icy rind on the mountaintop. That was coupled with a very stiff wind. Andy raced up and got to the other side. No pictures from that top. His hands were freezing. Now he is on the Northville-Lake Placid Trail, which is a valley trail and generally absent of large elevation changes. It is now a nice walk through the forest. This is giving Andy the time he needs to adjust to the colder weather without the added stress of difficult terrain. Andy's trek has again become a solo one. Andy reports that he sees very few fellow hikers and is spending the nights alone in the shelters. All of these are new adjustments for Andy as he continues his 6700 mile hike.

Total miles hiked thus far: 1,336

SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 -- SEEKONK, MA

New pictures have been posted: go to the Pictures page for the link. They are of the 350 miles between Maine's Baxter State Park and New Hampshire's Presidential Range.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2004 -- NORTH CONWAY, NH

Today we are in North Conway, NH, one of our family's favorite summer vacation spots. It's been a pretty lazy morning -- Dad is reading Die Broke, a book he picked up at the library; I am updating the website and looking at pictures; and Mom is trying to get both of us to shave and take showers so that we can "go do something."

Yesterday I hiked the entire Presidential Range, 21 miles between Osgood Tentsite and US-302 at Carter Notch. My morning began with a 3,500-foot ascent up Mt Madison; that was followed by Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson, Mt Washington, Mt Jackson, and Mt Webster -- about 15 miles of above-treeline hiking in all. The weather was unusually warm (mid-70's and no breeze) and there was talk about a possible record-high at the summit of Washington. Great views all day, particularly in the morning.

Tomorrow I will begin the climb up to Franconia Ridge around 10am. Around noon I expect to criss-cross Flyin' Brian and Silver Girl (aka Brian Robinson and Sophia Lewis). In 2001 Brian became the first person to hike the Calendar-Year Triple Crown by doing the entire Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail. Brian's hike was a big source of inspiration for my own.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2004 -- GORHAM, MA

Andy called today from Gorham, NH. Things have been "awesome." The weather has been perfect and even the nights were fine for him. He hiked the Mahoosuc Range this morning at sunrise and said it was unbelievable. When he hiked the AT in 2002, this stretch was raining and foggy and he missed the beauty. Tonight he has passed through Gorham and is camping at a shelter. He passed the 1,000-mile mark early in the day, just 39 days into his hike. Tomorrow he will go over the Carter and Wildcat Ranges, and the Presidentials (including Mt Washington) on Friday.

Bob and I are meeting Andy this weekend. We are staying in North Conway and he will be taking a zero day on Saturday. We are looking forward to seeing Andy, and he is looking forward to our company. He has requested that we bring his computer so he can download some pictures. Check his web site next week.

Total miles hiked so far: 1013

SEPTEMBER 17 -- MONSON, ME

Andy called from Monson, ME yesterday. He had hiked 145 miles since Friday the 10th of September. He had climbed Katahdin and made it through the one-hundred mile wilderness. The weather has been perfect for hiking. Cool days and very cools nights. One night dropped into the 30's, which was a bit to cool. Cool temperatures are good for decreasing the bugs.

Andy has been enjoying his encounters with the north bound AT hikers. There were more than ten AT thru hikers finishing at Katahdin the day he climbed the mountain. Andy remembered his own thrill at finishing the AT and could celebrate with them. At the same time, he was thinking of his own finish in Washington State in 2005 and wondering what it would be like. He has been hiking his AT route in reverse. This has been pleasantly nostalgic. He is looking forward to the peaks in the Washington Valley and the turning foliage. His spirits and his health are good.

Total miles hiked so far: 839 miles

SEPTEMBER 8, 2004 -- SEEKONK, MA

I have posted pictures from the International Appalachian Trail; click here to view them. Enjoy.

I have also delayed my restart by a day because of Hurricane Frances -- the remants of it are supposed to dump lots of rain on Katahdin tomorrow and Friday, which is when I was planning to climb it. Katahdin is the most difficult mountain on the entire Sea-to-Sea and I do not see the point in risking it by climbing it during a monsoon. Not to mention that the Park Authority could very well close the trailheads to Katahdin because of safety concerns, so I would be delayed by a day anyway.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2004 -- SEEKONK, MA

Andy here. I am home until Wednesday for my older sister's wedding, thus far enjoying tenderloin steaks, daily showers, and pints of Ben & Jerry's (of which my soon-to-be brother-in-law is also a big fan). I don't expect any problem getting back out on the trail, however -- 650 miles of superb trails await me, starting with 490 miles along the Appalachian Trail, then 30 miles along the Long Trail, and finally 130 miles through New York's Adirondacks. I have never spent fall out on the trail before and I am really looking forward to it, particularly the vibrant reds and yellows of leaf season and the crisp nights and clear air. I have to imagine I will be the last southbounder of the season and that I will be criss-crossing many northbounders as they finish up on Katahdin.

It is becoming pretty crazy around the house so I'm not sure how much time I will have for C2C things. Hopefully I will be able to put together a trip report about the International Appalachian Trail and to post some pictures from the first 685 miles -- I have some pretty good ones. I will put up links to whatever I have and send out an Email Update before I leave.

AUGUST 27, 2004 -- KEDGWICK, NEW BRUNSWICK

Andy left Kedgwick after picking up his mail drop and began hiking to Mount Carlton Provincial Park. The park was very nice; easy trails to the top of the mountain and great views to reward the effort. Andy slept in an abandoned fire tower at the summit of Mt. Carlton. The sunset was nothing much but the sunrise was spectacular. From here, Andy was again road walking or running. His GoLite pack currently weighs 8 pounds, so running some of the miles was easy. He ended the day at Riley Brook and the Miller Canoe Co.

Bill Miller is a third generation canoe builder who offers friendship and hospitality to thru hikers. His canoes are built by hand using a fascinating process that begins with selecting the right trees for cutting. Everything is made by hand except for the nails. Andy and Bill shared a great dinner at a local Outfitters run by Don. Don caught the trout for dinner earlier in the day. Andy said the dinner of trout, veggies, bread, blueberry pie and ice cream was one of the best he has had. A couple from Holland added to the camaraderie of the evening. This was just the kind of night Andy needed after spending so many days alone.

Andy has found road walking to be a welcome change of pace, but the repetitive stepping motion is difficult on the legs. He is looking forward to the variety of terrain offered on the AT. Tonight he will put up in the Tobique Valley Tourist Park and tomorrow he should be in Perth Andover. Andy is looking forward to crossing the US border on Saturday morning. His first stop will be for Ben and Jerry's, which does not seem to be available in Canada.

Andy will be coming home on September 1st for a family wedding. He will be with us for a week. During that time he will be answering his own email. I know he would enjoy hearing from people. By the way, your comments are shared either through phone calls or by printing them out and mailing them with supplies. I know Andy plans to get some of his pictures onto the Web while he is home. Check his Web page after September 8th. Total miles hiked: 531 miles

AUGUST 23, 2004 -- MATAPEDIA, QUEBEC

Andy has left the Province of Quebec and has entered the Province of New Brunswick. It has been a challenging week. Andy found himself physically worn out after hiking through the Chic-Choc Mountains. He caught a stomach virus and was having difficulty eating for the next few days. This created a "mental valley" and Andy had to get through it and realize that some days are good and some are not.

The terrain got easier as he left the mountains, and he found himself hiking along railroad beds, hayfields and logging roads. On Saturday, Andy made it to Matapedia, which is the border town between Quebec and New Brunswick. This town is noted for its salmon and black bears. Unfortunately, it is not salmon run season but he did see a black bear. Today he called from Kedgwick, where he picked up his mail drop. In addition, he had a new pair of Montrails and two white chocolate bars waiting for him. It made his day. He will now enter the Mount Carleton Provincial Park. Andy's spirits are good again. His feet are better, the weather has improved and he knows that he is making progress. Total miles walked to date: 442 miles

AUGUST 17, 2004 -- OUT OF MATANE WILDLIFE RESERVE, QUEBEC

Wednesday the 11th, Andy had hiked 155 miles and stayed at the Du Mont Jacques Cartier campground, which is in the Parc de la Gaspesie. It rained the majority of the days he had been hiking and he was rotating between two pair of shoes. He reported that he was seeing more and more people and was finding more hikers who could speak English. This made his trek more enjoyable. Finding bunk space for the nights was sometimes difficult as the camps are reserved a year in advance. He had an issue with his Achilles tendon and was considering cutting his shoes to relieve the pressure.

Thursday, the 12th it rained hard all day and some of the rivers were flooding. On Friday the 13th he had reached Camp Cascapedia and picked up a food drop. This had to take him through the Cap-Chat mountains and the Matane Reserve. He was out of contact for the next four days.

The next contact from Andy came in the form of a message on the answering machine, "I made it through the Matane Reserve and I am still alive." As parents, this was an alarming message. He called later in the evening and reported that the Cap-Chats and the Matane Reserve was the most challenging terrain he had ever hiked. The trails go straight up and straight down. He slogged through swamps at 1000-meter high peaks. The rivers were swollen from all the rain and he had to ford where bridges had been washed out. His hands and feet are a mess from all the moisture and the shoes are shot. He did question why the trail had to climb every peak in the Cap-Chats. When he hiked out of the Reserve, he was told the trails had been closed because the rivers were to swollen. He had been one of the last to ford the river.

He had two wildlife experiences. He was hiking in the clouds in the Reserve when he heard a galloping sound. He unexpectedly saw that he was directly in the path of four galloping caribou. Fortunately, they were as surprised as he was and even more quickly reversed their direction. He has also seen four moose: one male with a great rack, a mother and her calf and a female who enjoyed being photographed.

Andy asked that I relay that he is "really enjoying himself". The challenge of the mountains was the most difficult so far and he is looking forward to the next 300 miles or easy terrain and road walking. Today, his body is feeling the effect of a tough week. Hopefully tonight he will find a bed at a hostel, a shower and a few good meals. He has hiked 282 miles so far.

AUGUST 9, 2004 -- GRANDE VALLE, QUEBEC

The journey has begun. Bob, Andy and I went to Montreal on Wed, Aug 5. We stopped at Ben and Jerry's in Vermont for the last taste of good junk food. Andy caught the bus in Montreal on Thurs and took a 16 hour ride to Gaspe.

Andy called today. He has hiked 86 miles so far and has reached Grande Valle. He reports that the IAT is very well made but very sparcely used. He has been sleeping in cabins on the trails. The cabins have bunks, cooking counters, cutting board, and screened windows. There are however, very few hikers. So far, he is enjoying the trail but is disappointed at the lack of fellow hikers.

In the villages, the people speak French. He has mastered "bonjour" but nothing more. He had been saying, "no parley vous francais". I told him he was saying that wrong but I was sure the locals understood that he did not know French. Andy has seen only one moose, but has seen porcupines as big as our 60 pound dog. He got close enough for pictures. Things seem to be going well.

July 24 -- Seekonk, MA

Exciting PR hit in today’s New York Times, in a column by Nicholas Kristof entitled, "Lost in Space" (pdf)." The column points out the long-lasting effects of environmental policies and argues that greater access to and use of protected wildlands is critical to increasing public support for the environmental agenda.

I’m honored that Kristoff considers the Sea-to-Sea Route the "greatest opportunity for a conservation legacy." President Bush, or any other policymaker out there -- give me a call if you would like to talk further.

And Mr. Kristof -- You have an open invitation to join me at any point along the trail. Perhaps you can get away for a weekend in the Adirondacks or Finger Lakes -- I should be there starting in October. You are welcome to bring your sonstoo.

July 1 -- Boulder, CO

I just returned from finishing the Colorado Trail, which runs 478 miles between Denver and Durango through some of the most spectacular scenery in the state (and the country). I finished in 15 days and 4 hours, averaging about 31.4 miles per day.

Starting out I was a little unsure as to whether I wanted to spend more than 2 weeks by myself when in another 6 weeks I will be starting a 12-month solo hike. But I had an absolutely awesome time -- and I now can’t wait to get hiking again on the Sea-to-Sea in early-August. The CT was everything that I hoped it would be: an opportunity to see parts of Colorado that I have never seen before, to refine my gear and develop efficiency-maximizing systems, and to get in good “hiking shape.”

I have posted my gear list, many of my pictures, and my daily mileages on the Colorado Trail 2004 page.

My last day of work at GoLite was June 11 and this Sunday I am leaving Colorado -- sniff, sniff -- for Massachusetts, stopping along the way for a week’s vacation with college teammates on a remote lake in Ontario. After I get home it will be full-time C2C planning, which is essentially done but which can be never-ending.

May 18 -- Boulder, CO

The office just received the June issue of Backpacker and I'm pretty excited about my hike being covered in a 33-word blurb on page 46 under a headline "10 More People We Love" in "The 69 greatest things about camping" section. (The person they love the most is Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and other people listed include Senator John McCain and Al Franken -- so I am in pretty good company.) The blurb is not long and it is not ideally placed, but I think it is still pretty darn cool.

April 14 -- Boulder, CO

I would like to officially announce my plans for starting back up on the C2C. In August 2004 I will start from Quebec, bound for Washington. The late-summer start will put me in the New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio during October, November, and December. I will probably hike until mid-December, go home for the holidays, and return to the trail in mid-January; most likely I will be in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

The crux of this east-west linear strategy is this: I will have to pass through Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota during January, February, March, and possibly early-April. I expect to encounter extremely cold temperatures and lots of snow. My preferred mode of transportation will be backcountry skis because they are the safest -- they are faster than snowshoes (which I will also be carrying for steep inclines) so I can get out of bad situations more easily; and they will allow me to carry a heavier load in a sled than I am willing to carry on my back.

If I average 15-miles per day through the North Country, then 30-miles per day across the plains of North Dakota and Montana, I will arrive at the Continental Divide Trail in June, which gives me ample time in which to hike the remaining 1400-miles of the C2C -- 225-miles of the CDT and all 1,150-miles of the Pacific Northwest Trail.

There are two “cool” ways to the C2C, at least in my eyes. One is the Calendar C2C -- which I started in February and failed to achieve. The other is the Linear C2C -- which can be done west-east or east-west. In August I will start the Linear C2C.

There are many reasons why I chose to go east-west and not west-east. The main factor was where I can hike in late-winter and early-spring: if I went east-west, I would be in the North Country, where there will be frigid temperatures and lots of snow; but that is better than if I went west-east because in late-winter and early-spring I would be in New England, where there will be frigid temperatures, lots of snow, and big exposed mountains. By being properly dressed and nourished, I can handle frigid temps and snow; but big mountains are an uncontrollable factor that increases my risk significantly.

Other, less influential, factors in my decision to go east-west included:

• The Rockies and Pacific Northwest are the ‘crown jewel’ of the C2C -- they will be an incentive to keep going. The Appalachians are great but do not provide as strong an incentive.
• Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is much more accessible than Quebec’s Cape Gaspe, which make it easier for family members, friends, sponsors, and supporters to join me at the end.
• In America, pioneers have always traveled west.
• I will be chasing the setting sun until there is no more land on which to chase it.

March 30 -- Boulder, CO

One month later it is very clear that coming out to Boulder, CO, was the right decision. Just within the last week have I begun to feel confident about putting strain on my hip flexor. In fact, it is still bothering me a bit right now but I think it is related to the buildup of calcium and scar tissue in the area after an injury like this. So what exactly happened? The first doctor was actually correct -- it was a strained or slightly torn hip flexor muscle (the “hip flexor” actually refers to several muscles that wrap around and through your hip to help lift your knee) -- but neither one of us realized how long it would take to get better. In retrospect, I should have known that I was looking at more than 3-weeks -- heck, I could barely lift my foot off the ground by the time I stopped.

And where do I go from here? Two things need to happen before I do anything: first, I need to finish up working for GoLite, which has been absolutely awesome so far. If you have not checked out the additions made to the website, you are encouraged to do so: www.golite.com. Now it is much more consumer-friendly, with a concerted effort to educate visitors about GoLite and its products. The second thing is graduation; that is on May 9.

After that, I have some time before I start, particularly because I am thinking it will be best to start in late-July or even August from the Atlantic Ocean. Starting August 1 and hiking 25 miles per day would put me across the Ohio border into Michigan on December 6, which would be a good time to stop for a month for the winter holidays. Returning to Michigan on January 15, I could cross-country ski through MI, WI, and MN (bringing lots of warm clothes); I would hike across the prairies (in some pretty nasty conditions) and intersect with the Continental Divide Trail in mid-May, which would make for a possible but early-season push through the Rockies and Pacific Northwest.

February 27, 2004

When my hip flexor first started to bother me on Day 2 of my first attempt, I never thought it would lead to this. Three weeks after stopping my hike, and still not fully recovered, I have decided to delay my re-start until mid-May or early-June, when I will start from the Pacific Ocean heading east to Quebec.

My heart tells me to get back out on the trail next week, which is when I think I will be ready to start hiking again. But I know that this is a risky move, and in the long-term it is the wrong one. The probability of getting re-injured is very high: I have been cold-turkey for 3-weeks now, unable to build or maintain strength (the lack of which was ultimately to blame for this injury). Plus, soon after starting I will be snowshoeing or XC-skiing through Michigan -- something I would have felt comfortable doing 3-weeks ago but not now.

It is very frustrating (as well as a bit painful and humbling) to make this decision. The C2C is a project and a challenge to which I am totally committed. I am not sure if anyone – even my parents – is fully aware of my intense passion for it. Like a girl who plays hard-to-get, now I want to finish the C2C even more – and I think it is an experience deserving of my attention and my dedication.

For the next 8-weeks (starting this Tuesday) I will be working in Boulder, CO, for GoLite on their new website. This is a timely opportunity, and I am guardedly excited about developing new content for the site and training in the Rockies, where the inspiration for the C2C really took hold last summer. Honestly, if I need to delay my re-start by 2.5-3 months – which I feel is the case – I could not ask for a better situation.

After the 8-weeks, I will start in Washington as soon as it becomes feasible, which is usually late-May (depending on snow depths in the Cascades and Glacier). I would pass through the North Country late in the summer – no bugs! – and spend the winter months in Ohio and Pennsylvania, waiting until late-February or March to enter New York. I will donate many ounces of blood to the mayfly and mosquito populations in the spring, and could finish in Quebec by Independence Day 2005.

Feb 24, 2004 – Seekonk, MA

Today I had the opportunity to speak with about 75 students from Seekonk High School. My presentation was sub-titled “Five ways to achieve success and happiness that you will not hear from your parents or your guidance counselor.” This advice is based on my experiences over the last few years, and the lessons I have drawn from them.

In addition to giving this advice on life, I also showed the students about 60 pictures taken from my various outdoor experiences. Most of the students have never been out West, or even to New Hampshire, so the slideshow captivated their attention. It also helped that I had a box of Balance Bars, which were awarded to students who correctly identified El Cap or Mt. Washington, or who could tell me where the Appalachian Trail goes.

In all I had a great time with the kids – I would definitely like to make more presentations in the future like this one.

Feb 21, 2004 – Seekonk MA

It has been two weeks since I stopped hiking, and I am probably looking at one more week until I can return to the trail. A doctor diagnosed my injury yesterday as a muscular strain – she said there is no chance of a hernia (a concern because of the location of the pain) and said it is very unlikely to be skeletal-related. I feel confident in her conclusion, and thought that was the most likely scenario from the beginning.

It seems amazing to me that it will take 3-weeks for this muscular injury to heal fully. I have had muscular strains in the past but they have only required 2-3 days of rest. I suppose that when I consider the severity of the strain – when I stopped, I could not lift my knee even halfway level with my hip, or more than 45-degrees – it makes sense.

My biggest concern at this point is the risk of re-injuring my hip flexor or injuring something else, since I have been a vegetable for 3-weeks now and have lost the fitness I had going into it the first time. While before I felt confident in putting 34-miles in on Day 3, I think I will be confined to 10-15 mile days for the first week at least – another injury would be demoralizing.

Thankfully I am absolutely positive that all of Pennsylvania and Ohio can be hiked year-round, so as long as I am out of New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Adirondacks by early-November, and out of western NY (where there is risk of lake-effect snow) by the New Year, I should be just fine. This gives me the assurance I need to start up again slowly but safely.

Feb 8-12 – Atwood Lake, OH

This has been a very difficult 6 days for Andy. He spent the past 5 days trying to recover from his hip injury. Andy’s good friends have been wonderful, providing him with the use of phones, a place to stay and a truck to get groceries. After not hiking since Sat. Feb. 7th, Andy set out on Thursday Feb 12th in the morning. He covered only 4 miles when his hip was again causing pain. Andy has had enough injuries over the course of his XC and track career to know that injuries heal best with rest – and there is no sense in him resting at the lake house when he can return to the comforts of home and see a doctor if necessary. So, with a heavy heart, he is returning to Seekonk on Fri. Feb 12th. He will spend time recovering from this injury and redesigning his strategy, because his original plan will be derailed by this 4-week setback. We expect Andy will begin again soon after he is recovered, which he expects will be in 2-3 weeks.

Dreams are often difficult to accomplish, but Andy is a very determined young man. He will recover from this hip injury and begin hiking the C2C trail again as soon as he is healed.

Feb 5-7 – Atwood Lake, OH

Andy has been making steady progress through Ohio. The highlight of every day has been the people he has met. In Waynesburg, Andy met a group at a church guild meeting. They provided him with some companionship at the end of the day and a warm place for the night. He made it to Zoar, Ohio on Friday, and caught the Buck Eye Trail, which he will now follow until he reaches Michigan. Until this point, the trail has been mostly country roads. While this does not sound scenic, it actually is. The trail passes through many small towns and provides easier hiking than the woods do at this time of the year. It has also provided the opportunity to interact with so many nice people.

Andy does have a pulled hip flexor muscle. This occurred while snowshoeing through 6-inches of heavy slushy snow – he just tweaked it. An injury like this, while not devastating, has to heal for this trip to be a reality. Andy is spending the weekend at Lake Atwood, thanks to the Warner family, to give his hip time to recover.

Some incoming emails asked questions about the gear Andy is carrying. I suggest that people check the “gear list” on Andy’s Website or for more details, contact Coral, at www.golite.com. The people at GoLite are wonderful and have been good friends to Andy. One big decision Andy will need to make is whether to carry his cell phone. He left on this trip with the phone but not the charger. The phone is now dead and the charger will arrive at the first mail drop. There is always the question of what is essential because each small piece of equipment adds weight to the pack.

The comments we have received from people visiting the web site have been very positive. We pass them along to Andy each time he calls. These have really made his day. Andy is really a “people person”, which is strange considering how much time he plans to spend alone. Your comments and good wishes have given him a needed lift at the end of the day.

Karen Skurka

Feb 4 – Hanoverton, OH

Andy called tonight from the Spread Eagle Tavern. He is looking forward to sleeping in a warm bed, inside. This was another good day. The sunset was outstanding and a huge owl flew right in front of him. Unfortunately, he was not able to get a picture.

Andy is finding the people to be so nice and helpful. Yesterday, he was struggling to get his poncho over his head and his pack and a man got out of his car and offered to help. Tonight, Police Chief Williams of Hanoverton, stopped and offered him a ride. He drove Andy to the diner for dinner and picked up the tab, brought him to the convenience store for a resupply and gave him a ride to the Tavern. It just made Andy’s day. Thank you Chief Williams!

Karen Skurka

Feb 3, 2004 – East Liverpool, OH

Andy crossed the first state border (PA to OH) today. Andy reports that the weather is 34 degrees and rainy. Lovely. An opportunity to try out the converted poncho we created. He traveled through Darlington and Negley, PA. He was calling from East Liverpool and is hoping to get a lift to Calcutta and find a hotel for the night. This would provide an opportunity to get the gear dried out for tomorrow. He sounded good. I will pass all your well wishes along when he calls again. He has really gotten a big lift from all of your support.

Karen Skurka

Feb 2, 2004 – Moraine State Park, PA

THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN. Andy left home in MA today. He flew into Pittsburgh, PA. Thank you Ron Rice, president of the local trail association, for the ride from the airport to Moraine State Park. Andy hiked to McConnell’s Mill and spoke of the beautiful gorge, and the snow. Andy quickly remembered why hiking is not all that romantic. The pack is heavy and he lost the trail for a while. He made it to Wampum, PA for the first night. About 18 miles of hiking.

Karen Skurka

Feb 1, 2004 – Seekonk, MA

Last day home for Andy. Spending the day packing and getting the first couple of mail drop boxes ready. Andy will enjoy his bed tonight.