News & Observer Article

Good Morning. I welcome all of you that are visiting the blog upon reading this morning's News & Observer article about our trip. For those of you that are unable to read the article in the print edition you can find the article by following the hyperlinked items in this post.

If you are visiting the blog for the first time please check out our pictures and other helpful information that can be found by following the links on the right of the webpage. In addition, one can also find an archive of our earlier progress on the trail and read more about the trip from earlier this summer by clicking on the months in the archive on the lower right of the page. Thanks again to the News & Observer for writing about our trip to honor our dear friend Steve, and thank you to all of you that are visiting the page today.

-Garrett

METRONIDAZOLE!

We've got pills! Warpzilla and I were able to get in earlier than we anticipated to the clinic and the doctor gave us a prescription for Metronidazole, which should attack the parasite living in our stomachs and help us out. We are going to stay here in Rangeley for the rest of the day and decide if we will go back to the trail tomorrow pending how we feel. We are so close to the end (1954 miles down, 220 to go!) but we know that it isn't wise or safe to leave a town where we have access to medical support, gatorade, rest, help, etc. and attempt to finish the rest of our trip until we are physically ready.

I updated the actual mileage and was able to get all of our recent pictures online just now as well. We greatly appreciate the services of the Gull Pond Lodge, the hiker hostel in town, and moreover its owner, Bob O'Brien. Bob picked us up from a local restaurant last night at 7:30 and took us 2 miles out of town to his home/lodge on a gorgeous lake where we showered, did laundry, and got a great nights sleep. We left all of our stuff at the Lodge today and Bob shuttled us back into town this morning so we could to go the Medical Center. Once we are done here at the library and make a decision about how we'll spend the rest of our day, we'll call Bob and he will pick us right up. What a stand up guy!

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers. We hope to get passed this hurdle soon and get back on the trail and finish the race to Katahdin. 5 miles up the trail from here is a mountain called Saddleback and on a clear day, one can see all the way to Mt. Washington in one direction and then turn around and see Mt. Katahdin way in the distance. We hope to be able to do the same once we make it to that summit.

We'll update via ourselves on the blog or someone else will post regarding what we end up doing and when we leave town.

-Bandanna Ben

Wrangled in Rangeley

Ben and I, as you may have already read, have come down with a stomach virus of sorts. We have arranged for a medical appointment for 2:00 this afternoon and will not be hiking today. Though slightly weakened by this, we are still confident in our approach and completion of Katahdin and the Appalachian Trail. It is a shame that we have to endure this at this point in our journey, but it is only going to slow us down and not stop us! Thank you to everyone thinking of us and hoping that our condition improves. Stay tuned for further developments. We sill also try and update some pictures for you as well.

Rangely Maine

Spencer and Ben arrived in Rangely late yesterday to re-supply, try to catch their breath, and focus. In addition to the not so pleasant weather, they have both been struggling with some type of stomach virus. It could have developed from a water drinking source. Let's keep them in our thoughts and prayers as I know you will in these last days of their awsome journey.

40 degrees, 20 mile per hour winds, and heavy rain

Spencer checked in today to report that maybe some of the most challenging miles on the trail had awaited them until Maine. It's hard for most of us to imagine, especially those in the south enduring a massive heat wave, that they could be experiencing 40 degree temps, wind, and rain. While we were speaking he said, "they were walking in clouds literally." The extremely rocky and root filled trail was slowing their pace considerably. On Monday he and Ben hiked for 14 hours straight only to travel 18 miles. Completely pooped they realized it would not be possible to arrive ontime for their next supply. Rationing their food a bit would allow them to make it the next drop on Thursday. The plan was to begin hikng at 5:00AM for 20 miles, hitch into town, re-supply, hitch back to the trail and hike another 6-8 miles. This was the first time I could hear in Spencer's voice any degree of frustration or discouragement. The sound of discouragement quickly disappeared when Spencer stated, "don't worry Dad, we're making it now! '

Onward to Maine

Today we cross the New Hampshire-Maine border. Maine is the second biggest state of all that we travel through. We will certainly face challenges harder than anything we have faced the entire trip. Nevertheless we are not even close to giving up, in fact, we wish the trip could continue. It's hard to believe that we've come this far. My roommate (Jason L'Heureux from Portland, ME) met us in Gorham, NH and this morning he is going to be taking us back to the trail and then heading home. It was a joy to see him and we appreciate his visit. Thanks again for everyone keeping in touch.

Warpzilla & Bandanna Ben

Under 300 Miles to go!

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are in the bag! Beautiful weather over the past five days made our 100 mile stretch through the White Mountains of New Hampshire easier than most people have it. South Bound thru-hikers complained of wet and slick thus dangerous hiking in the Whites, but we were blessed with sunny skies and a wind at our backs (for the most part). We came across some Trail Magic planted by the Paige Family (from Troop 215) which got us up a +3,000 ft. climb at the end of a long day on Friday. Mt. Washington and the Presidential Range was a huge milestone of the trip, which we passed over yesterday. Though it is nice to see others while hiking, the massive amount of day-hikers in the Whites made for speed bumps more than anything. Southern Maine, which we will enter tomorrow afternoon, will continue to challenge us as much as the White's. However, with only eleven days left on this amazing journey, we will push on and get to Katahdin. We have also uploaded pictures from the past few days. Some of the most incredible views of the trip were witnessed on this stretch. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did! Thank you to everyone keeping us in your thoughts and for keeping up with us these last few days.

-Warpzilla Out