Lyle's 2008 AT Hike

Home Sweet Home

2008-09-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 24: Lyle arrived in Appleton at 3:30 p.m. on the Greyhound. 48 hours with no real sleep. When they say "come see the country on Greyhound" they mean it! I hardly recognized Lyle with a full beard. He says he is going to keep it until after deer hunting so I guess I'll get used to it! He wanted a hot meal, a hot bath and sleep! It is so good to have him back safe and sound. He has many stories to tell but they can wait until he is recovered. I'm so glad you joined us for this portion of the trail. It's not over yet...pictures will be posted in the next few weeks. That's all for now....

Trail Widow 2008

On The Bus

2008-09-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 22: Lyle is on the Greyhound heading home. He picked up the bus in Waterville which was closer than Augusta. As it turns out the man who picked him up had been to the bus depot so he went right there. He arrived 10 minutes before the bus left. However, the ticket agent messed up and his ticket was issued for Tuesday, not Monday. The driver said he could get on but he might get stopped somewhere along the way.

Later: Well, he is pulling out of Boston. It looks like the stopping point will be New York so we're not sure when he will get out of New York. He is going to call me in the morning as he won't get to his stop in New York until after midnight ET. So, he was going to rest and see what the morning brings. Tired but happy to be heading home. We are so glad he is heading back as well!

What a Weekend!

2008-09-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday, September 21: Well Lyle has called several times during the weekend so my notes are going to be posted together.

He called throughout the two days when he was on top of peaks. He had 3 very long, difficult 12 hour days but did manage to make it to the resort/hostel he wanted to get to. When I spoke with him a few minutes before kickoff Sunday evening he had polished off a steak dinner and was looking forward to another dark beer. He was the only person checked into the campground and had a nice bunk to sleep in for the evening. There were enough folks at the bar/restaurant to talk with so he was in a good mood. And the good news was that he would be able to see the first half of the Packer game before the bar closed. Life is good!

However, he mentioned he had completely walked out of his boots, in fact he has been hiking on insoles and duct tape since Monson. Earlier in the morning he was facing a 2400 foot climb straight down on virtually no support. All he would say is that is wasn't any fun and the duct tape wasn't lasting more than a few hours. He will be very glad to be off the rugged trail. I guess that is why so many hikers send extra boots ahead on the trail.

But he mastered all of the ups and downs although he sounded exhausted. He has paper to make a sign to Augusta so he hopes to get to the post office early in the morning to get the box he had waiting for him. Then if all works out well, he would get picked up and into Augusta early enough to purchase a Greyhound bus ticket. If he had been able to go in this evening, the waitress and her husband (the bartender) could have given him a ride to Augusta but he is going to have to take his chances in the morning.

What a Great Night!

2008-09-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 19: Lyle calls after he has had another fabulous hot breakfast and great night's sleep. He and two other hikers got a ride back to the trail. Two were heading north and Lyle was heading south. He expects to get about 10 miles done today so he expects to get to Caratunk sometime late Monday or early Tuesday. That is the next town where he can get a hot shower, hot meal and a soft bed. I may not hear from him until then because other hikers mentioned cell service was really spotty. Lyle sounded much better and he credited getting a good night's sleep and several substantial hot meals. Clean clothes and a shower help too! It was 27 degrees this morning and their driver had to scrape the windshield. It will probably be colder in the mountains so that motel room waiting for Lyle sounds really good to him. I'm sure he really appreciates his clean dry clothes, especially when he crawls into a sleeping bag tonight.

Refreshed!

2008-09-18T17:31:00.003-07:00

Thursday, September 18: Lyle made it into Monson about 8:30 in the morning. He did get a ride into town...bless those good samaritans! He arrived at the "famous" breakfast place after the griddle had been shut down but there were two other hikers that showed up shortly after Lyle so the cooks opened back up for them. Boy did he eat! They serve you all you want but the rule is you have to clean your plate. He had pancakes, eggs, hash browns and on and on. Then it was off to check into a hotel, shower and get laundry done. He had eaten supper by the time we spoke this evening. He sounded so much stronger but ready for a good night's sleep. He was looking forward to a bed to sleep in and warmth. He plans to eat at the same place in the morning and get a ride back to the trail. Apparently they feed the hikers in waves and when one group is done they all get a ride back to the trail. It sounds like the town really caters to hikers. He enjoyed having other hikers to visit with...I guess there are quite a few in town with him. They are all heading north into the 100 mile wilderness so they are buying supplies and getting their last good meals for awhile. So, he'll catch a ride back to the trail and head on to the crossing at the interstate toward Bangor. It's 34 miles so he thinks it will be about 4-5 days at his current pace. But the northbounders said it's not so many ups and downs so maybe it will go faster. And he has decided that at that crossroad will be where he leaves the trail on this trip. It has been more rugged than he expected and the weather is fickle in the mountains. So he will return to Wisconsin and plan for his next section. He hopes to be able to call me tomorrow from a high point south of Monson.

That's Not My Alarm...

2008-09-18T17:31:00.002-07:00

Thursday, September 18: 5:40 a.m. my phone is ringing. I finally realize what I'm hearing is not my alarm and grab the phone. Lyle got up early and started into town. He slept well but decided since he was awake why wait? In fact it was still dark when he headed out down the trail. He has no "breakfast" food left so he is really looking forward to a hot breakfast in town! It's three miles to the road and another three miles into Monson. He is hoping someone will take pity on him and give him a ride into town. Comfort is within reach! I look at the mountain in this picture and wonder how anyone can drag themselves out into the cold and wilderness to hike the trail! They are all working from a different place in life than I am!

Long Day!

2008-09-18T17:31:00.001-07:00

Wednesday evening, September 17: Wednesday was a very long and miserable day for Lyle. I believe he used the word frustrating several times. This is a 180 degree turn from this morning when he was in a good mood enjoying the sun. He hiked for 12 hours and only made 14 miles. This translates to a very slow pace. It was all up and down. 300 feet up and then 300 feet back down with no flat place in between to rest. He hiked to the shelter three miles outside of Monson but was really hoping to get into town. It was dark and he just couldn't go any farther. He is the only person in the shelter so as he said, he can spread out and get comfortable. He sounds exhausted! We are lucky that he can get a signal to call out! But to conserve it's a very short conversation. He will get into Monson some time tomorrow.

Photos

2008-09-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures that were

taken at the trail head in Maine.

Thanks Judy and Linda!

Cold This Morning

2008-09-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, September 17: 6:00 a.m. and Lyle is on the trail (7:00 a.m. ET). It is cold, breakfast was cold and all of his clothes are wet and cold! I can't imagine how miserable that is. But the sun is coming up and he can still see the moon so he is somewhat distracted. He is calling from the peak again and it is windy. I can hear the wind in the phone. He says it will get better in the tree line and he will warm up when he starts hiking. He really hopes to call me from Monson tonight but again, it depends upon the trail. He rested well so that always helps. And the weather will be sunny and warm again so that is also a boost to his morale.

Camped on Top of the Mountain

2008-09-17T04:51:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, September 16: It has been a struggle today in spite of the sun. Lyle got to the part of the trail that was still muddy and slippery. He fell a few more times today and when he reached the peak (I'm not sure of the name) it was getting dark. He decided it was too dangerous to go down in the dark to get to the next shelter so he set up camp in a small flat space near the trail. He set up his tent, cooked supper which was mashed potatoes with gravy with an afterthought of beef. He called from the top near an old fire tower. The steel structure was intact but the platform had been ripped off in a storm. Of course he climbed the tower to get some sunset pictures! He is about 17 miles out from Monson but it is "all downhill from here." If it becomes more trail than rock he can make it to town but if it is mostly rock he will not make it. There is a shelter several miles out of town that he will try to get to if he can't make the full 17 miles. He keeps assuring me that he has enough food and water so that is not an issue. He is heading for the tent for a well-deserved rest. His foot is painful but tolerable.

Sun All Day

2008-09-17T04:40:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, September 16: Lyle had sunny and warm conditions all day--what a treat. He called from the top of 4th mountain during a sun break. This is the 4th peak today. He started with Chairback and is now standing on 4th mountain (which followed 3rd mountain). It has been slow going but none of them were incredibly high. He was trying to stay in the sun long enough to dry things out but that probably won't happen. He is still meeting people heading north to the end of the trail. He meets hikers around noon as this is about the time it takes to get mid-way to the next shelter. The vistas have been beautiful at the top of the peaks...even more so in the sun. He can't see Mt. K any longer but he is enjoying the beauty of many others. Last night he camped with a group of 10 men hiking together and I believe he said they were marines. I would say ex-marines but I've heard you are never an "ex" marine. There was one fella that was acting as the DS keeping them all in line. I guess it was something to watch...not the usual laid back hiker! Lyle is about 2 days out from Monson now so if you are watching a map he is getting close to the first real town on the trail.

Not Getting Any Better

2008-09-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

Monday, September 15: I heard from Lyle this afternoon. He is very discouraged because he slipped and jammed his foot between two rocks. He landed with the full force of his body including his pack. He doesn't think anything is broken but it's very sore. He didn't pack any OTC pain medication so he will end up wrapping it in duct tape. This has slowed his pace quite a bit so instead of leaving the 100 mile wilderness in the next day or so it will probably 3-4 days. Sunday night was little sleep in a packed shelter--more rain. He is considering leaving the trail once he leaves the 100 mile wilderness. The weather is cold and miserable and if his foot injury doesn't improve in the next day or two it will make the pace incredibly slow. We talked about the messages from Sunday morning. He said the wind was so strong it took him off his feet and knocked him over twice. He was very glad to get on the other side of the mountain out of the wind. But the good news is that he has officially hiked 1/2 of the miles of the AT. This is quite a milestone! He hopes to be able to call me tomorrow to let me know how is foot is feeling after a night's rest. He has enough food to get him through to his mail drop so the extra day or so won't be too much of a worry but he is very worried about the loss of time on his schedule. Guts told him the western edge of Maine is more difficult than what Lyle has hiked so far and with the bad weather that's not good news. Tuesday's weather forecast for Maine is for sun and warmth which will do wonders for Lyle's spirit (as well as the other hikers).

Wicked Conditions

2008-09-15T18:50:00.001-07:00

Sunday, September 14: I turned on my cell phone and had 4 messages. I wasn't expecting to hear from Lyle for a few days so this is a surprise. I listen to the messages and each becomes more difficult to understand. The first message was that Lyle had reached a peak and was happy to realize he can call out. It is cold, misty and cloudy with no view. He is on the way down and I probably won't hear from him for a few days. Message two is very difficult to understand because the wind is overriding his words. What I understand is that on the way down the wind gusts feel like they are 40-50 mph and pushing him around. It is difficult to stay on his feet and he is worried about staying on the mountain. Message 3 is that he is approaching the tree line and he is in better shape but the reception is worse than the other two messages. He has never experienced such wicked conditions on the trail but I'm only getting every 4th or 5th word. The final message is that he has reached the trees and is out of the wind. I probably won't hear from him for a few days but he is okay. My heart is pounding and residing in my throat. I'm so disappointed that I didn't have my cell phone on earlier. And I'm praying that his is okay and somewhere safe and dry.

I watch the evening news and see that the state of Maine is in rain. It must be just miserable conditions.

More Rain

2008-09-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Friday, September 12: Lyle met Guts on the trail today. He is from Michigan and is section-hiking the AT. It turns out that Guts started the AT the same year Lyle did but broke his ankle. He went off the trail to recover but couldn't stand being home so he tried to come back to continue the hike with a cast on his foot. That is how he earned his trail name "Guts." He tried for about a week and went back off the trail again. The pace was too slow and it's was too painful. Now he is completing the AT in sections and suggested to Lyle he might want to try the same approach. He informed Lyle that it will take at least a week to get his mind in the right place and longer to get his body back in shape.

They are expecting rain tonight with thunder and ligtning which means a cold miserable night again. But, as Lyle said at least it's not snow! He has been meeting people but most are heading north to finish where Lyle started. So he hasn't hooked up with anyone else yet that is hiking his direction at his speed. He is spending most of his day hiking in solitude.

100 Mile Wilderness

2008-09-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 10: Bless you Verizon! My phone rang this afternoon and it was Lyle! He was about 30 miles into the 100 mile wilderness and decided to try a call out. The day was sunny and bright with Mt. Katahdin a beautiful sight back in the distance. As it turns out it is not that much of a wilderness! He had crossed two roads and was meeting about two hikers an hour going north. Lyle said his Canadian fishing trips were more "wilderness" than this section of the trail. But the trail has been rugged with lots of slips, trips and falls. There have been no bear signs and he thinks it's because the bears are hunted and are avoiding the trail. Tuesday night Lyle slept in a shelter because of the rain along with other hikers packed in like a bunch of logs. He didn't sleep well so it wasn't worth the discomfort. Wednesday night he set up his tent near a shelter and the only other other hiker set up her tent as well. The shelter was empty but Lyle slept much better in his tent. The woman in camp was on her way north and said she was hiking on her social security! I can't even begin to imagine how this can be fun especially considering he woke up to frost this morning. It was late morning before it really warmed up. He hopes to be able to call me tomorrow as well. More later...

Here We Go Again!

2008-09-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

Thursday, September 4: Lyle and his sisters depart for Baxter State Park in Maine. This is where the journey to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, will begin for Lyle.

Saturday, September 6: Lyle and company pull off the road for the night to ride out the effects of Hurricane Hannah. They appreciated the warmth and protection of a motel and thankfully there wasn't serious damage or flooding in their path. They continue their trip pretty close to "on schedule."

Sunday, September 7: Lyle and company reached Baxter State Park following a very pleasant trip through Canada and northern Maine. He checked out his day pack and discussed the trail with the park ranger. When his sisters pulled out of the campground early Sunday afternoon to begin their trip back to Wisconsin, he was the only camper. The ranger said that there were no other reservations so we weren't sure if Lyle would have company or not. But during the night others did arrive.

Monday, September 8: The hike finally begins! The "warm up" started with a 4.8 mile hike straight up Mt. Katahdin to the official start of the trail. This is an approach trail and not considered part of the official AT. Lyle called me about half way up during a rest break (about 8 a.m. central time). Then he called again at 9:49 a.m. to say he had climbed to the trail head on Mt. Katahdin. It was windy, cold and misty so he didn't stay up top very long. There were other hikers at the trail head so even though he was a bit disappointed, I'm very relieved! His hike down the mountain would be on the official AT and was less difficult than the trip up but longer (5.2 miles).

Lyle plans to spend Monday night in Baxter State Park and begin the next section of the AT on Tuesday morning. I do not expect to hear from him until early the week of September 15 and only if he gets good cell reception. I'll post more when I know more.