It’s not the just about the trail… It’s the people you meet too.
1,900 Mile Mark
Gorham to Gentain Pond Shelter
Miles: 10.9
Ascent: 4,236 feet
Decent: 2,500 feet
I sit on a rock next to Gentain Pond writing today’s post as the sun is setting. Hopefully I’ll see a Moose. Last night at the Barn hostel, I drank free white wine out of the fridge. Anything which has no name written on it, or the word free is fair game.
I sat around the table in the kitchen with other hikers including the eccentric Gauge and The impressively bearded Water. Gauge had a tattoo on his arm which read rise, sink, rise, sink, rise, sink then an ;
He told me he had tried to kill himself in the past. I was touched by his honesty he was also pretty drunk as he had bought the white wine and then wrote free on it.
Water sitting to my right mentioned his faith in Christ, I asked him about this. He told me his name is Water because he wants to create life for people on the Trail, by providing entertainment and making people happy.
Another hiker named Wet Dream (WD) kept me awake with his snoring. It’s funny I didn’t tell WD but he looks just like Sylvester Stallone but with a full on beard. A real action hero.
Before getting back on Trail after my zero day yesterday I decided to hitchhike back to Pinkham. I’ve been told that if you have the brand Darn tough socks, if they get a hole in them, certain outfitters will replace them for free with brand-new socks.
I had only been sticking my thumb out a few minutes before a pick up truck stopped. A man wearing paint speckled overalls sat in the drivers seat. I chucked my backpack on the floor in the back and jumped up in the front.
The drivers name was Dan, we chatted about the job he was driving to and how he had moved out of Boston five years ago because of all the crime and drugs had made him anxious.
I was surprised when Dan said he is now happily married to his husband. I was taken aback, not in a bad way don’t get me wrong. He told me he had not come out about his sexuality until his mid 30s.
I thanked Dan and said goodbye, wished him farewell and went into the Appalachian Trail Mountain club centre to change my socks for free.
On the return trip I was picked up in less than 30 seconds by a couple named Dave and Alison. They were going to do a afew days hiking and meeting friends who had some children.
Once back at the Barn hostel I had one more hitch to do back to the trail. Again I was picked up in less than a minute this time by a stonemason called Guy.
As we drove he showed me pictures on his phone of his craft Manship, fireplaces out of granite. He told me he had a family to support and work was treating him really well, in fact he said he had too much work and was comfortable.
Getting back on Trail today was a delight. But not before I made a visit to McDonald’s and got myself a tasty breakfast which included black coffee, and a sausage and egg muffin on a biscuit.
I bumped into a Sobo hiker named Layers as I crossed a bridge and approached the trail. We stood and spoke for about five minutes about her experience bumping into Scott Jurek during his record attempt.
I then crossed paths with a group of Sobo’s who I spoke with who had also bumped into Scott Jurek. But these guys had actually been there when he called it quits. They told me he had only done a 13 mile day the day before he called it quits.
And I had hiked this section with my friend Dene in 2019 after my first failed attempt and it was rather nostalgic being here by myself. The first climb took a few hours and at the top I removed my T-shirt, shoes and socks and took a break to eat lunch.
I also received an email from My contact at the Olympic committee who granted me a travel exemption. He gave me his number so I called him up. I told him about the complications trying to extend my Visa and he has give me a few ideas to work on. There may be hope for me yet.
After about six hours of hiking through thick pine forests I came to Gentain Shelter. The shelter has one of the best views I have seen yet. Looking out from inside the shelter you are privileged with a vast view of layers of mountains in the distance. Bucky was here chatting to another hiker named Speedy Gonzalez.
I had met Buckey a number of days ago, he has a long beard which he has been growing for about three years and has lost an impressive forty pounds since he started his a hike earlier this year.
I prepared my dinner and organised my bag ready for tomorrow. I was surprised at how efficient I had become at doing these tasks.
I’m getting up early tomorrow because the pond where the shelter is apparently has a moose that comes down to feed early in the mornings.
