1/4 of the distance done

I have made it to mile 566.5 which is just over 1/4 of the distance to Katahdin. Can’t believe it!!! Having so much fun. 

Bruce has been joining me for the last few days delivering trail Magic for me and my hiking family and other hikers who just happen to be at the right place at the right time. He meets us at various places where the trail crosses roads and sometimes hikes in and meets us at the shelter. It is such an awesome sight to see him hiking Southbound to join me for a short section. He is my personal trail angel. 

The last several days have been so exciting. I have seen and feed wild ponies, seen many deer, slept in my tent through a thunderstorm, survived hurricane winds gusts over an open bald, seen very little sunshine, met a famous song writer and even shared in a double birthday party with hiker friends. Just now as we are all getting setting into Chestnut Knob shelter in Virginia the sun is coming out and burning off the cloud cover. We are at 4409 feet elevation but the approach was masked in a fog so thick it was impossible to see the next blaze until I was right on it. Praying that the path I was following was not a cow path over the field  leading me astray. 

Two nights ago Bruce and I enjoyed the company of some fellow hikers and didn’t realize who they were the until the next morning after I hiked away. It was Rich McDuff who used to play at Pete and Larry’s lounge in Bangor years ago. We would always go see him when he was in town. That was our big date night back in the days. We didn’t recognize him nor him us. We all go by trailnames out here, he and his wife were Lefty and Rightie. The next morning Bruce was talking with them and giving them a ride and they figured out the connection. Rich rembered us as some of his fans. How cool is that. 

Looks like nice weather for the next day or so. We can all use some. Yesterday I kept calling God and telling him he had some plumbing problems.  I called on my Uncle Clayton up there who did plumbing and heating to assist the Big Guy with the leaks. He was able to get things under control yesterday but today new ones seemed to spray all throughout the day. Things are looking dryer now though. 

Time to relax and rest up for tomorrow. I think a 24 miler is on the schedule. Happy Hiking. 

Emily M. Leonard

About Emily M. Leonard

I am a 50 year old Maine native and lover of the outdoors. Former Physical Education teacher and soccer coach. I am Married to the best husband ever and gave up teaching and coaching to raise our two wonderful sons. I have always enjoyed being outside and on the go.