Goodbye Muggy Mass, Hello Green Mountain State.

Holly-Mom is off the trail and resting her tired feet. She hiked with Hollywood this past week during the 90+degree days and 70+ % humidity. Despite severely oppressive heat, they put on 79.5 miles in 5 days. Tripwire and Hollywood are flying as a duo now.

Coconut is still recovering and went back home to rest up. She is still optimistic she will be able to summit with Hollywood and Tripwire. Holly-mom left the trail in 1561.2 NoBo. They spent the night in a roach motel and slackpacked Hollywood and Tripwire for 23 miles to North Adams, MA 1584.7 NoBo yesterday. There she spent last night camping in a trail angel’s yard. Sculler showed up and met her for breakfast before driving her back to the trail head.

Today should be a relatively short day and a successful crossing off of the state of Massachusetts. Hazy hot and humid weather combined with tons of mosquitoes, black flies and moth flies made Mass a miserable slog up the trail. Their days were spent in insect ridden swampy bogs with a deep canopy overhead offering shade but also super soaking humidity, fields of grass with no cover from the blazing sun overhead and, to mix it up a bit, blackberry bush obscured trails offering scratched legs but no fruit for the pain. Today she says goodbye and good riddance to Mass, and hello to Vermont, The GreenMountain State. They will stay at the Seth Warner Shelter 1591.7 NoBo. 

 

She is headed into the Green Mountain National Forest. The trail runs through the deepest part of the forest. For the next 49 miles there is only one cross road and it is early on. There is a 32 mile stretch that is nothing but trail. They are down to just three states. It is nice to know they are within a few hours’ drive away now. If they put on 15 miles a day every day for the next 38 days, she will peak Katahdin on September 1st as planned.
 

A quick Update. Details to follow

I apologize that this post is so short, but life here in my world is forcing htis one to be a quick update.

Hollywood called and we chatted about a lot of nothing for a while. It was so nice to have a long chat with her. I can only synopsize right now. I will try to fill in the details on the next post.

Coconut is off the trail right now. She came down with something and had to take today and tomorrow off the trail in Salisbury Ct. She is feeling fine, but her lungs are bothering her. Antibiotics are on their way and I'm sure she will be healthy as a horse very soon and back on the trail to Katahdin.

Backtrack's new pack is working out. The story of his old one breaking and a failed attempt to repair is a good one I'll tell you soon. He has visited the Dr's office. He has a game leg that caused Hollywood some concern. She went in and also asked the doc if Backtrack was too thin. 'If only all the dogs I see were this healthy' was the reply. He looks thin only when compared to what some people think a 'healthy' Lab should look. But most dogs, like the vast majority of everything else in the USA, are slightly to very overweight. Backtrack is a lean mean hiking machine.

Hollywood and Holly Mom (A trail name in the making?) are at the Tom Leonard Lean-To 1519.6 NoBo. Despite ton of humidity she has been doing well with an average of 14 miles a day. Last night they were at the Hemlock Lean-To 1505.2 NoBo. Like every new hiker, she has brought some items that could be pared down. Among the extra items is an air horn. We cracked up at that one. The thought behind bringing one is completely understandable. Hollywood is the trail veteran looking at the first timer and reflecting on how much crap she had packed with herself initially.


Today they hiked through the East Mountain State Forest, and tomorrow will be the Beartown State Forest.

There you have it. Short and sweet.

Coconut catches Hollywood in Fort Kent. Montana's disband. Big food drop.

I got a food drop request from Hollywood. Her parents are headed down to visit with her this weekend and her mom is joining her on the trail for a while.

Doreen shot me off a couple trail progress pictures. As you may remember, Doreen is a former workmate of Hollywood's. They have kept track of her progress at their workplace. Here are the latest locaiton pictures. Thanks again Doreen for the pics.

 This picture certainly gives you the idea of what they've hiked so far. Amazing to look at it on a map.



















Sno hiked on so the Big Montana's are officially disbanded. We wish Sno the best of luck in completing his thru-hike. I'm packaging up 20 days, yes you read that right, 20 days of food. The plan is that when her parents first show up, she will grab 10 days for Jordan. Then, when mom gets off the trail and dad comes to pick her up, he'll already have 10 more days ready to go.

Just as Sno left, Coconut had rejoined her. They met up in Kent, Ct. The original group, 'Jordan the Wonder Dog, his mom Melissa, and her cousin Christina.' are reunited again. This weeks special guests are Myles and Liz, Hollywood's dad and mom, respectively. 

They will meet in South Egremont MA. Liz is bringing food for all three of them. The hope is to get a week of hiking in together. Mom has been preparing with day hikes.  She is very excited to see her daughter and earn her first trail name. Hollywood is super psyched to see her parents too. Just as Coconut was thrilled to be able to spend some time while on the trail with her parents at the beginning, Hollywood is enjoying the same privilege as Melissa gets closer and closer to home.

They have had the incredible luck to have parents at both ends of the trail and lots and lots of friends meeting and assisting along the way. The adventure lies not just in the miles and miles of hiking, but the bonds created and rekindled with friends and family all along the way.

Kent, Ct is mile 1458.5 NoBo. There are multiple restaurants, an outfitter and an animal clinic.

Jordan's backpack has finally succumbed to the rigors of trail life. He has worn oit almost 1500 miles day in and day out. Many dogs go through multiple packs while on the A.T. Backtrack had kept his gear in as good a condition possible.

It fell apart today. But fear not, a new one is coming down along with the food, toe socks, flea collar, and most importantly the trail angel Myles and newest member of the group, Liz.









So there you have it, 1500 miles and the original group is back together. With less than 800 miles to go, the adventure is no less thrilling to cover and experience.