The Start
Sunday morning at 3am, June 8 (I think), I drove to University of Maine, where I spent my first two years of college. I hung out for a few hours and managed to sell my car for $500 and get a ride to the A.T. the next morning.
My first 3 days were extremely unnecessarily challenging. I entered the 100 mile wilderness at Abol Bridge, about 15 miles south of Mt. Katahdin (no dogs in Baxter St. Pk.) My pack weighed at least 60lbs. I hiked 3.5 miles to the first lean-to on Monday hitch-free. However, Tuesday, I hiked 11.5 miles with a pack that weighed about 70 lbs because first thing that morning I took a headfirst dive into a rock in a river. Plus, it rained all day. After countless rests, praying, cursing, etc, I made it to the lean-to, where I met the two 20 year old Eagle Scouts from Alabama that I have been hiking with since.
After steadily lightening my load, and a day and a half of rest 30 miles in at White House Landing, I am really starting to cruise. I hiked as much as 17 miles in mountainous terrain.
Now I am in Monson, ME, 100 miles later, where I am taking my second '0' day, further lightening my load, and picking up needed supplies.
I hiked 70 miles in sandals, and intend on hiking in them indefinitely. My boots gave me blisters and disconnected me from the Earth.
I will keep you posted on my progress- I should be flying from here on!
My cell phone got wet, so will not be replaced for several weeks. If you need to communicate with me, do it via email for now. If you would like to join me on the trail, be sure to contact me first. My next stop will be Caratunk and then Stratton in the coming week.
If you would like to donate money or supplies, please send it to:
Elaine Goodman
414 S Marion Ave
Wenonah, NJ 08090
*checks or money order made out to: Matt Goodman
*please be sure all food is raw and unsulphered (dried fruit, raw nuts, dried raw coconut, etc)
Hike Update:
Greetings from Stratton, ME!
6/27/03
I hope this message finds everyone healthy, happy, and holy. My adventure is now almost 3 weeks deep; and it seems like yesterday, and at the same time, forever ago, that it started.
I am taking my 3rd "0" day in 3 weeks at the White Wolf Motel, who has been so kind to sponsor my effort with free room and board. Today I helped an elderly woman find her car keys. It was funny walking down the street with the Jimmy I borrowed from the gas station up the street. But the police make no presence in this town that reminds me of a Hank Williams song. She is a trilingual former classical(1500+) opera singer.
The characters we meet are part of the charm of this hike. In Monson, our first stop after the 100 mile wilderness, there was the battle between Mr. Shaw, a cross between Uncle Jesse, Boss Hogg, and Mister Potatohead, and the Pie Lady. We stayed at Shaw's because he picked us up when we were hitchhiking; but I bought a pie from The Pie Lady. It's a feud that's been going on for years.
In Caratunk, we, Squirrel, D-Bone, Harold & Maude (2 young ladies from Rochester, NY), swam in a hottub, at a bar/restaurant/resort, in our underwear. A different set of rules seems to apply to us.
All of the details of the stories will be in the book. We decided to wait to publish it until after I completed the hike.
Yesterday, I hiked about 17 miles over the biggest mountain peaks thus far (4200+ ft.) I felt unbelievably strong. We are about to embark on the most rugged section of Maine. We should be in New Hampshire in less than 10 days.
The spirit of the planet, and all that is holy, is sculpting my body into its natural state. Three or four days ago my ankles and knees were extremely sore; presumably from years of kicking balls, sports, skiing, walking on unnaturally flat surfaces. Now, after almost a month of the spirit of the earth (roots, rocks, moss, hills up and down, etc.), massaging and shaping my body, I have little or no pain, and more strength than I hoped for.
I am eating about 95% raw (NHU Food Bars, etc), deep breathing and chanting God's name with every step, and getting back into my yoga practice. It is making for an interesting predicament that I'll keep ya posted on!
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