Jack finishes the AT

Jack and the boys made it to Katahdin together, but then Jack had to finish the state he missed while he came home for two weeks this summer. He caught a bus ride from Maine to Pennsylvania and walked from Pennsylvania to Harpers Fairy to complete the AT. My mom walked the last two days with him. I made a typo on one of the slides...sorry, but it would take too long to fix it and upload it again. Maybe you won't even notice it!

Jack on Mount Kathahdin

They Did It!!!!

Today at 6:45 am Jack, James, Randall, and Tyler made it to the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine. They got up at 3 am and started this morning because they heard that it was going to be clear early in the morning. Jack said it was still very cloudy and FREEZING! He said his hands were frozen into little fist. The boys had a celebratory cigar and beer but had to get off the mountain before they froze. Jack will be going to stay with a cousin on my mom's side of the family and catch a Grayhound bus to Pennsylvania to finish the state that he missed. We're so proud of them and happy for them!

Monson, Maine

Jack called today from right outside of Monson, Maine. He was on top of Moxie Bald Mountain. He is by himself right now. He will be catching up with James later today and then the two of them will meet Randal and Tyler in Monson tomorrow. Monson is the last town before they enter into the 100 miles of wilderness.

Jack went on to say that New Hampshire and Maine have been his most favorite states. They weather is beautiful. He also said that he only has two pair of socks and he wears them both at all times…so they stink!

Jack and the boys stopped in Stratton, Maine last Thursday and stayed the night. They watched the USC game…Go Cocks!

Jack’s goal is to complete the trail (Katadin and the state that he missed) by October 1^st. He wants to make it home for the Moonshiners Music Festival in Spartanburg, SC on Friday night and the USC football game that Saturday. Jack will be living with me (and Jessica and Emily -my roommates) when he comes back to Columbia. He said he is very excited to cook and have a refrigerator. I am appointing him head chef of our humble abode, as well as head trash man, yard man, and protector. He will also be looking for a J.O.B. when he gets back so if anyone has any connections…give him a call.

MAINE

Jack, James, Randall, and Tyler made it to Maine this past week. Tonight they are in Andover. They are staying at a hostel that you pay 5.00 for everything (Shower, Place to sleep, Food, ect). They are paying a little extra to be able to stay in the owners RV. Jack said he thinks its the V.I.P. spot. He also said that it is freezing at night. They have about 250 more miles until the finish line!!!

Jack Up North

Stratton, Vermont

Tonight Jack is in Stratton, Vermont. He said it is a ski town a lot like Steamboat Spring, CO. and he thinks it might be one of the biggest ski resorts on the East Coast. They were able to ride a gondola from the bottom of the mountain to the top where there is a large open snack center with working restrooms and running water (and a hot chocolate machine they may sample). They are planning on staying the night there..but they are going to leave after the watch the sun rise so they don’t run into any workers that may be coming up in the morning. They are planning on hiking 10 or 15 miles tomorrow to get to Manchester Center, Vermont and stay in a hostel. From there they have 3 day hike to Rutland where Jack and James will catch a flight to Memphis for Blake’s Wedding.

Just on a side note… while I was talking to Jack he told me some more stories about New York. He said that when they got on the train he had to climb up the side of the train station and put his poles on the roof because they don’t fold up like the other guys poles! Then when they got back from the city he almost forgot to climb back up the side of the building and get them!

It rained their whole trip to and from the city so when they got back to the town where they caught the train from Jack and Randall didn’t feel much like hiking in more rain. Jack talked around and found out about an open space that has a roof and picnic tables in another part of the town and they decided to camp out there. They were so tired that at 2:00 in the afternoon they went to sleep. Jack said they woke up many times throughout the day because of all the people passing through. At dark, two men in a pickup truck came up to the mountain with a TV and some movies. They said they came up there a lot to watch movies that they rent from the library because it is the only place they can really just get away from everything. Jack and Randall watched a little bit of Mission Impossible with them, and then they went back to sleep!