The Spirit Journey

Before I get to Tony Angel, there are some things I’d like to share with you:

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg recently suggested that taxes on the rich (just ending the Bush tax breaks, not actually increasing taxes) will hurt the economy; despite hard evidence to the contrary. When New Jersey instituted a “rich tax”, the tax flight that was widely predicted never materialized (only 0.2% of the richest residents left the state, a total increase of out-migration from 1.6% to 1.8%), resulting in a net gain of over $1 billion to the state’s coffers, despite fraudulent and increasingly strident claims to the contrary by Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, et al.

Harley Davidson posted record profits on declining sales; the result of cutting 1,600 jobs. (The New York Times)

Mountaintop removal along the West Virginia/Kentucky border has residents campaigning for mountaintop wind farms.

Bob Herbert reveals that the true number (or the nearest thing to the truth that statistics will allow—(“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”) of the unemployed in The United States is 30 million, and I suspect the actual number is much, much higher.

Bob Herbert has also written extensively about the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, pointing out that the unholy alliance of business and government continually puts peoples’ lives at risk for the sake of profits for a few—profits which have yet to “trickle down” (and which never will).

Last year, Ed Koch and Robert Weiner pointed out that while some stimulus funds were directed at preventing foreclosures, the nearly one-third of Americans who rent housing have to date had no help from Washington, and that these are the Americans most likely to become homeless.

Finally, the huge egg recall is having reverberations. Not content to have caused many to become ill, and unwilling to accept a loss, some of these eggs are now showing up in dollar stores here in New York. A local dollar store has Hillandale Farms eggs on sale, 18 for $1.00. Unbelievable.

There are many more links I would like to share with you, links to brave homeless people who are beating the odds, a link to a blind man walking the Appalachian Trail, but unfortunately, I am pressed for time. The picture that emerges, however, is that the people of America are being sacrificed in order to ensure profits for large corporations—multinationals that have no allegiance to America, nor to any other country. They threaten that the economy will worsen if they do not get their way, and government typically caves to their demands.

The most valuable resource this nation has is its people, and this resource is being squandered through the standard practice of giving corporate interests and shareholder returns greater prominence than the average citizen’s well being. The time has come to put people before profits. This is the United States of America, the land of “We The People”, and it is high time each and every one of us remind our legislators of this fact.

So, what does all of this have to do with Tony Angel?

These are some of the many issues that Tony wanted (and wants) to address with his Spirit Journey.

Tony has struggled to complete his Spirit Journey, but has decided that he is unable to do so at this time, for several reasons. First and foremost is his health—Tony has a torn meniscus, and is just now recovering from a bout with pneumonia, thanks to antibiotics. Second, I had agreed to post and link for Tony, but due to unforeseen family and other emergencies, I have been unable to do so with any sort of regularity. I had hoped to get Columbia, The North Face, and other outdoors suppliers, and even the Appalachian Mountain Club to help sponsor Tony’s walk, to provide better equipment and perhaps meals, but I have not been able to do so. Despite the wonderful support and encouragement we’ve received from the Beacon Sloop Club, particularly from Pete Seeger, Victorio Roland Mousaa, Rosemary Thomas, and Alan Thomas, this lack of promotion has resulted in Tony’s being under-equipped and to his suffering undue hardship.

Tony fully realizes that he is much better off than many other homeless people. Many homeless people suffer from malnourishment and lack of medical care, and they are all ineligible for food stamps or Medicaid, as they have no residence (and how is that just?). At least Tony has a large group of people rooting for him, a bank account, support from Family of Woodstock, and many other blessings, and he and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support. We have not succeeded as well as we would have liked in our original aim of bringing attention to the plight of the homeless, the environment, and Native American issues, but we have not failed, either, as we have gotten the attention of many, and will yet bring wider attention to these important issues.

Tony is expected to arrive in Poughkeepsie tomorrow afternoon, from Rutland, Vermont. He thanks you all, once again, as do I. —CW

Very quick post

Hey everyone. I am on a public computer in Gorham, N.H. It is costing me a dollar per 30 minutes so I need to type fast. So I made it through Maine finally. Though much of it was a spirit journey and the views were gorgeous, Maine was in many ways HORRIBLE. Very rugged terrain, tough climbs and it rained alot while I was there making the trail like a river bed. Like Cameron wrote, I was stuck on top of Baldpate mountain in a thunderstorm for two days. Baldpate is a very smooth and shear rock face type mountain. It would have been very dangerous to come down it in the rain. When I did finally make my way down, the rain had stopped but it was still wet and slick. The distance from Baldpate lean-to the the main peak was the longest 1.8 miles of the journey so far. The Mahousic notch on the other hand could be summed up in two words…NASTY and fun. I have had alot of tough times-a severe lack of calories leading to muscle failure. I’m not even sure I will make it through the “Whites” at this point. The muscle damage is significant. I don’t have the time or resources to get my legs healed before moving on any further. I WILL go on, I promise you that but please, no more expectations. Don’t expect a certain number of miles a day or a definate time frame. Its pointless as well as insulting to me. Anyone care to take over so we can make this a relay? Yes I am frustrated and even embarassed. I don’t have enough support, my physical well being is in jeapordy, my knee is tore up, I have lost 20 pounds of muscle and I’m very weak now. Not to mention that time is getting short to complete this journey. The other night it snowed on top of Mt. Washington here in New Hampshire.

I apologise for this post being somewhat on the negative side but I feel that I need to express some of my feelings. On a brighter note, The Woodstock Walk for World Peace was once again a big success. Pete Seeger was there and I hear that he was very happy and all smiles and that there was a huge crowd at the Bearsville Theatre for his performance. Kudos once again to Cameron Williams who helped to set up the walk. And, of course, also to Gloria Waslyn and the Parrots for Peace who are always there for a worthy cause. I have so much more to write and people to thank but there just isn’t enough time to do so today. I do have to as always say thank you to the Beacon Sloop Club for their generous support. I could never show enough gratitude for what they have done for me.

I must close for now. Cameron will post a bunch of new pics for me when he has the time. Bear in mind that he works 18 hour days tirelessly promoting the causes and people that he supports. Pics will be posted, I promise. Just give it a couple of days. Good to hear from TurtleBack. Peace out.

New Hampshire!

I just spoke to Tony, and he’s made it to New Hampshire and the White Mountains. He spent the past 2 nights in a torrential downpour and was unable to travel due to the harsh conditions.

He said lightning struck very close to his tent as he was too close to the summit, and above the treeline. The lightning was so bright that the inside of his tent looked like daylight. Here’s the summit Tony was on:

Tony is OK, but he’s burning too many calories—he’s not eating enough, and the food choices he’s made to save money and backpack weight have not been wise—oatmeal and ramen noodles. He
ate well last night, at least. I told him to buy a loaf of bread and PB and jelly, and make the entire loaf into sandwiches. But he needs 4,500 to 6,000 calories a day to maintain muscle mass, and he’s been getting by on about 1,000 calories—so he’s lost 20 lbs. of muscle, since he had no fat to begin with.

He’s in Gorham, so he knows Alan Thomas sent him some food and he’s going to the Post Office. He’s posted thanks to Alan on this blog, and I thank Alan, and the wonderful folks at the Beacon Sloop Club, too.

Now when Tony enters the White Mountains, he will have to stay in AMC huts (no back-country camping is allowed in the White Mountains, except for extreme emergencies)—that’s both a plus and a minus. The plus is that the huts are clean and well maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club, and that good meals are provided. The minus is that staying in the huts can be very expensive.

Tony will be attending a powwow tomorrow and Sunday, back in Maine (he’s hitchhiking), so if anyone can send him food, or secure a hut reservation for him, that would be fantastic; he’ll be back in Gorham, NH on Monday to continue his journey:

Native American Pow Wow — Gray, ME
August 7, 2010 to August 8, 2010
Representatives of several Maine and New England tribes will be at the park
for two full days with native dancers, drummers, craft vendors, singers and
traditional food booths. Special events will be presented throughout each
day. Location: Maine Wildlife Park, 56 Game Farm Road. Time: 9:30 a.m. -
4:30 p.m. Cost: adults, $7; children, $5. Information: 207-657-4977 or visit
www.mainewildlifepark.com .

I put $60.00 in Tony’s bank account yesterday, so he ate well last night. Thanks to all for any help you can offer.  —CW

Quick stop

Hey everyone, I am just making a quick stop here in Andover, Maine. Thank you so much to Alan Thomas for the food. What a nice treat to have good(and Light) food for a change instead of the usual ramen noodles and such. The past few days has been a challenge with the bad knee. I fell only once though and I came up unharmed. Two days ago I climbed two mountains in one day..Bemis and Old Blue. It was a good day. I felt good and my knee was fine that day. I have just 25 miles left of Maine. It is a tough 25 miles though. Next up is Baldpate mountain which is really steep requiring alot of hand over hand climbing. It will test my knee for sure but I am feeling confident about it. Then there is Mahoussic arm/notch which part of it is described as the hardest mile of the entire trail. The notch itself has huge boulders that you have to climb, go around or under to navigate, sometimes even having to remove your pack to do it. Earlier today a fellow hiker had left a bunch of M.R.E. meals behind. I scooped them up. It was a good find. I met a guy last week named Steve(Turtleback). He’s a guitarist who lives in Utah. I worked at Zion national park and I can tell you that Utah is the most beautiful place I have ever been. Steve is a really good guy. He likes how I am doing this as a Spirit Journey, keeping no schedule, sitting on peaks, being one with nature. He threw me 10 bucks and several packs of ramen noodles! I have included more pics. One of my hat and feathers..hope everyone likes them.

I don’t have much time but I want to get personal for a minute. Anyone who knows me knows that I adore and love all animals. But what are my top 5? Hmmm, some will surprise you.
1) The fox, especially the red fox.
2) (First surprise) The Box Elder bug! I love them. Its like we are soul brothers. I have some sort of kindred spirit to these little guys for some reason. When I was a little kid, our basement would be full of them. I would lay down and within minutes I would be COVERED by them. My stepdad thought it was strange but my mom thought it was awesome.
3) Rodents. All rodents including mice, rats, hamsters, shrews, I mean all rodents. This is the one of the 5 that I think I am most like. I see an awful lot of my personality in rodents. I know what you’re thinking…ewww mice. But I just love them. They are smart, playful and clever and I think downright adorable.
4) The moth. This is hard to explain but in a way he is my protector. He takes care of me. Every night when the mosquitos get at their worse 2 or 3 moths will come see me and basically clean house. Then they fly around, land on me. There is almost a silent communication. On a side note, butterflies seem attracted to me for some reason. I can’t walk down the trail without a butterfly following and landing on me.
5) Predatory birds. Hawk/Eagle/Falcon/Owl. I am fascinated by their power. They are like kings in both appearance and nature. I list them #5 for a reason. Birds in general are the one creature that I fear. I am in awe of them. And defenseless if a falcon decided to come after my head. Other animals I can see them coming and at least have a chance. Not a bird. A hawk could swoop down almost silently and bury his talons into you. One final sidenote: In the 100 mile wilderness their was an Osprey. A mother Osprey to be exact, with a newborn in the nest. This fish hawk was attacking everyone who walked through. I knew about her well in advance so naturally as I approached the attack zone I was filled with dread. Oddly enough, she never came at me. I saw her perched up in the tree and she just let me pass. Only a handful knew this pleasure.

So time is up on this public computer. Late next week I will post from Gorham, New Hampshire. The long, slow, spiritual hiking I have done in Maine will change upon arrival in Gorham. New Hampshire has alot of pay shelters and its hard to stealth camp so I will have to keep moving. The middle states are flat. Then the south is what I am really looking forward to. It will be like going home. Lastly, thanks Mike for the nice comment. Your encouragement means alot. Maybe another time we can hike the A.T. or part of it together. Peace all. Talk at ya soon.

Next stop—Andover, ME

Tony’s next stop is Andover, ME, and he can use your food donations—especially Mountain House or Backpacker’s Pantry freeze dried meals. Food donations can be mailed to:

Tony Angel
Care of Postmaster
Andover, ME 04216
Hold for pickup

Tony’s next stop after Andover will be Gorham, NH, and he very much needs meals in order to continue his difficult journey—Maine and New Hampshire comprise the hardest parts of the Appalachian Trail. Your help is greatly appreciated!

The address for Gorham is:

Tony Angel
Care of Postmaster
Gorham, NH 03581
Hold for pickup

Tough Times

I have been on a rest and relax here in Rangeley, Maine for the past couple of days. Beautiful town with a huge lake and mountain views. My first night here I was picked up hitchhiking by a man named George Adams. He took me to his place to let me camp in his yard. I had supper with George and his wife, Shirley. I had corned beef hash and eggs. The following day, Shirley bought me an elastic brace(sleeve) for my knee. She then took me to her church’s thrift store so I could pick up some much needed clothing for FREE. This was very nice. I thank them both for their hospitality and generosity.

Now for the bad news. I feel that it is important that readers get a dose of reality as to what I am going through. These times are tough. I am going through sacrifice and suffering hoping to help others as well as bring awareness to some issues. Whenever I have come off the trail for resupply, my bank account has been empty. I have no water filter or purification tablets. No fuel for my stove. No rain gear. I am out of matches. And I have no way of restocking food this time. Not to mention that my knee is tore up something awful but yet I keep going. From here to Gorham, N.H. is another 90 miles…this time with no food. I am constantly filled with worry. What will I have to do to survive the next 90 miles? What will become of me when I return? All of this worry and unknown factors along with very inadequate gear and supplies is really wearing on me. This Spirit Journey has truly been a time of suffering. I often feel defeated and say to myself, "Noone cares. This journey is raising no awareness or support for a homeless fund." I get angry when I feel this way. Something has to change and soon. I don’t want to just be an example of change through suffering. I want people to care about the environment, the affects of strip mining, homelessness and the injustices which occur on a daily basis. I can’t do this alone. I can walk. I can talk to a few people here and there but I am just one person. I am climbing mountains everyday…how much more can I do than just walk, walk, walk and walk some more. I will continue on tomorrow to Gorham, N.H. where the White Mountain National Forest awaits me. I am worried to death about these next set of miles, I really am. But I must continue on for the good of others. I will somehow survive, I always have.

The 2nd annual Woodstock Walk for World Peace is coming up on August 8th. I was part of this last year. There was a really nice turnout and it was nothing but good for the town of Woodstock, N.Y. I encourage everyone to check it out. As we established last year, this walk isn’t anti-military it is about giving peace a chance. A time to come together…May peace prevail on earth.

Peace everyone and remember to let your "Soul Shine."

Spirit Journey continues

So here’s an update. I have done a lot of medical research and also spoke to a retired nurse. After explaining all my symptoms as well as specific locations to her she came to a conclusion of which she is fairly certain. She believes I have a torn lateral meniscus, which is a hard cartilage of the knee whose primary functions are to cushion the knee, provide stability and help to evenly distribute weight. So I wanted to know how serious this is. She couldn’t say without knowing how bad the tear is. There are three types of tears. A slight tear which mostly just a nuisance of light pain. A moderate tear which is very painful and may need repair. And a severe tear which is what she thinks I may have which often requires surgery to fix. Its symptoms mirror mine-excruciating pain that comes and goes, clicking sound in the knee, locking of the knee and lack of mobility. Can I still walk and climb mountains? Yes. It will be painful but yes I can do it with limited risk….EXCEPT on the downhills. It is unlikely to tear any further however there is a major consideration. With a severe tear the knee can lock up and when it does it usually means that the meniscus is moving freely and is getting hung up under the knee causing the seemingly bone to bone pain. It feels like electric shock. So what does all this mean? It means that I am continuing on back to the trail. I just have to be extra careful when coming downhill making sure to step down with the opposite knee as well as using my sticks to help stabilize and distribute weight away from the left knee. It is going to be absolutely painful and perhaps later I will have to seek medical treatment. But for now, I am marching on.

The next 32 miles from Stratton to Rangeley will be tough. I will climb at least 7 peaks within this short stretch with a cummulitive climb of over 10,000 feet. This will be by far the hardest challenge to date especially with the knee injury.

Hello to Mayleen. I read your blog as well. We are an awful lot alike, you and me. I wish you the best in your travels. Maybe we will run into each other along the way. And now I must gather up my gear and get ready to go back to the trail. I will post again when I reach Rangeley a few days from now. May peace be with you.

Tony Angel

Quick post

View from Little Bigelow—Avery Peak & West Peak, ME

Hey there. I am now in Stratton, Maine. I have another batch of pictures to share with all of you; Cameron will post these for me later. Two days ago, I was up very early. I climbed the west peak of the Bigelow mountain range. Had reached the summit by 5:15 a.m. Check out the beautiful sunrise that awaited me there on top. What a nice reward for getting up early and hitting the trail by 4:30. Within 24 hours I had successfully crossed the Bigelows. I reached four major peaks, Little Bigelow at 3010 feet, Avery Peak at 4088 feet, West Peak at 4145 feet, and South Horn at 3831 feet. It was a lot of climbing but my legs have gotten trail strong. Only light burning now and then. I have gotten motivated.

Then an “oops” happened. At this point I have no idea if its serious or just something that needs some rest and will be fine. Climbing up mountains is very strenuous, but coming down is a different animal altogether. Some of the descents seem nearly vertical. It is really hard on the knees, bones, and joints. I had been having a slight knee issue for awhile with the underside of my left knee being quite tender, but not a big deal. It wasn’t affecting climbing or descending until I was coming down South Horn yesterday which is really steep. The pain was worsening and then suddenly my leg either slipped or simply gave out. I heard/felt a snapping noise. There was excruciating pain and for the next hour it was nearly impossible to bend my knee. But I still had a climb down of over a mile and then a 5 mile walk out to the road leading to Stratton. The pain was severe. There is considerable swelling and everything about the symptoms and location point to an A.C.L. injury. So, I am now at a crossroads where I need to make a decision. Do I take the chance of just resting it and get back to climbing? Or do I seek medical treatment just in case I have a torn A.C.L.? I have no insurance first of all. Second, if it’s torn…the Spirit Journey is over. But third, if I am coming down a steep mountain and it rips and my body collapses from it and goes tumbling, I could be seriously hurt or worse. I don’t know what to do. Most of my being says “Suck it up. Get back to walking the trail. Don’t let this end like this. Somehow finish even if it kills you—people are counting on you.” Hmmm, it feels a little better today. Maybe its nothing. Any feedback from any of you about this would be greatly appreciated. What should I do? The nearest hospital is also 38 miles away which means I would have to hitch hike.

I met a nice, young couple on the trail; their names are Greg and Samantha, from north Georgia. Like Duke and Julie that I mentioned in an earlier blog, Greg and Sam are hiking home. They stayed a night in Stratton and then hit the trail early this morning. Also a big hello to “Birdie” (Karen).

The owner of the Northland Cash Supply store is letting me tent behind his store for a night or two. His name is Mark Humphries. Thanks Mark, you have no idea how much I appreciate this. Then there is Katherine A. Gagne who works inside the store. What a wonderful human being. A great spirit. She is very much into native things from wolves to pow wows.

Well, I have limited time on this public computer so I will wrap it up for now. Perhaps in a day or two I will be able to write a little more as well as give a medical update. Before I forget, for Mike (Hellbender), I did get your comment here, and Greg and Sam passed along your hello. Get well soon, Mike.

Tony Angel

Unexpected blog post from Tony Angel

Bingham, Maine

Hello to all. I am doing an unexpected blog post from Bingham, Maine. I came off the trail at Caratunk late yesterday (Friday). Hitched a ride to Bingham with a guy called “Wormer.” Needed to come here to hit the ATM and re-supply. The local library was closed! So I thought a blog was out of the question. I came into a little consignment store owned by a woman named Diane Myers. We spoke for a little bit and then she offered to let me use her computer. How nice and thoughtful. Thanks Diane. Also a big thanks to Dulcy who I met in the local supermarket. She basically took her own time to show me around the store. I am meeting so many wonderful people in Maine. They have been kind, caring, helpful and very friendly.

Thanks again to the Beacon Sloop Club for their continued support—you have no idea how dejected I felt upon arriving in Caratunk with no money or food, and no idea of how elated I felt when I heard of the unexpected generosity they extended to me—donations of $159.45 in total, all of it very badly needed for me to continue my journey. Happy belated birthday to Toshi Seeger!

So… the past five days has been the easiest so far. I am now eating three meals a day, consuming as many calories as possible to cover the 5000–6000 I am burning per day. My legs still hurt but my energy levels and drive are greatly increased. HOWEVER, the hardest part of the entire A.T. is just ahead. On Tuesday I will begin the stretch from Western Maine through New Hampshire. Now is when I need your support more than ever.

Three days ago I was on top of Moxie Bald Mountain. I took a couple of pics and when I turned around I was facing the biggest

Summit of Moxie Bald Mountain. Image ©2009 http://bikesandguitars.files.wordpress.com

and closest rainbow I have ever seen. It was as if I could have reached out and touched it. I deleted a pic on my phone so I could get a shot of it. This is what a spirit journey is all about.

A request of other hikers… PLEASE do not strip the bark from live Birch trees. We all know that Birch bark has an oil which ignites even when wet. By all means, when you are getting near where you will camp and you see some fallen Birch get some bark from that and carry it on. That way, if you get to your site and need to make a fire there will be no reason to strip live bark. Stripping live bark from a Birch tree can kill it. I have only seen 2–3 people do this but even one person doing it is reason enough to bring attention to it.

The trail throughout Maine has been very rugged. Extremely rocky with many roots. It has also been very wet with the trail looking more like a river in some spots. I often have to ford a river that is waist deep. Seems as if I am never dry!

I promised one more personal file. First of all, to those who do not know me I have worked in several national parks in the Rocky Mountains including one summer as a ranch hand in Wyoming. In 2006 I was working in Glacier National Park in Montana. The Saint Mary River is the boundary between the national park itself and the Blackfeet Reservation. I lived in the town of Saint

Saint Mary Falls and River

Mary which is on reservation land. I met a woman from Baltimore named Lakeita Larkins. She, too, had been hired for the summer. I still say it was she who did the pursuing. Either way, we fell in love and were very happy. I was older than she. It didn’t matter to either of us. Lakeita was a black woman. The other park workers for the most part gave us grief. They obviously did not like us as an interracial couple. The natives however, loved us both even though they were very angry at the new concessionaire for the Saint Mary Resort. In previous years, many Blackfeet were given jobs and treated very well. But this new concessionaire had different views of the locals. They were looked at as savage drunks, only a few were given jobs. The locals were quite angry. A white person wouldn’t dare go for a drink at the “War Bonnet” in Browning, the seat of the Blackfeet nation. It wasn’t safe. Through fear, misunderstanding or whatever else there was racism on three different fronts. If anyone had justification it was the natives, but racism in any form is never justified. Browning is one of the poorest counties in all of America. It is right there with Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee for poverty levels. These were a wonderfully proud people, so full of love. They are right there at Glacier and their only means of employment was stripped out from under their feet to bring in people from all over the world. Mostly young college kids from middle class families. At the end of July 2006 there was the Red Eagle fire which merited mandatory evacuation of the town of Saint Mary. Though it spread quickly, the fire was contained just as quickly. Why? Because some of the most legendary “Smoke jumpers” in the world are the hot shots, the Blackfeet of Browning. The natives sure were appreciated then. In the end, there was Indian Days, a beautiful festival with traditional dance, song, drum circles and ceremonies. It is the largest powwow in the country. It was a beautiful thing. Everyone got along just fine and love was in the air… but Lakeita and I felt the sting of racism right up until the day we left Glacier National Park. Lakeita opened my eyes and heart to a world of possibilities that before I had only imagined. Thanks, Lakeita, you have no idea how grateful I am to you.

Wow! I have said more than a mouthful and should probably wrap this up. I will likely not have a chance to blog again until I reach the town of Rangley, nearly two weeks from now. But who knows, maybe I will surprise you. May your hearts be filled with love as we travel along the spirit journey together. Take care, everyone.

Tony Angel

End of “Hundred Mile Wilderness”

Tony Angel

Hello everyone!  I have finally reached Monson, Maine at the end of the “Hundred Mile Wilderness.” Hooray! I won’t pretend bravado here… the climb of Mt. Katadhin and the hundred miles was very tough. To make matters worse, I ran out of food three days before journey’s end. Two people helped me out with a little food; an older man from Canada as well as a guy named Chip. And as Cameron Williams previously wrote I lost the “blazes” on the way up to the Rainbow Ledges. I wandered south for 4 1/2 hours before realizing that I’d better turn around, head back north and try to find where I had started. I eventually wound up back at the Hurd Brook lean-to. From there I hiked back out, regrouped and started over from Abol bridge on June 15th which is the starting point of the 100 miles.

This journey has been tough so far. From getting lost to running out of food to unexpected physical challenges this early on, as well as leaky tents and a certain amount of bad energy.

I find some things unsettling at this point. Those heading south are going so fast, racking up miles as if this were a competition. Oh, the beauty that surrounds us. The incredible views, the mountains, the wildlife. About 10 days ago I saw a mink—the first one I have ever seen. I am taking my time, getting into trail shape and soaking up every bit of my surroundings, truly enjoying a spirit journey. Some days ago a rabbit ate cashews from my hand. I nearly had tears in my eyes at the simple beauty of this.

One reader asked where I am from. I am originally from the hills of southeastern Kentucky. The heart of Appalachia, simple folk. A proud, wonderful, giving people who work so hard yet have so little. I remember when we’d visit family back home how warm and friendly everyone was. Some relatives, we’d still have to use outhouses or chamber pots. I also remember the HUGE machinery used in strip mining. Blowing the tops off of mountains, polluting the streams, and NONE of my family or other locals even being hired to work for these companies. Despite being poor and oppressed these people would give you their last meal to help you out.

I apologize for being slow on blogging, however, I have had trouble with my solar charger. My phone has had a dead battery most of the time which is also why there are so few pictures. A guy called “Johnny Prophet” figured out my solar charger. Thanks John.

When I have been hiking I have allowed myself to stop to take in all the views even if after climbing a mountain I am aching and its a 250-foot side path to get to the view. I sat on top of White Cap Mountain for more than an hour. What’s the rush in getting to the next lean-to? I soaked up its beauty. I felt its power and pull from within. It was alive within me.

I have many people to mention and to thank.

Mary Poppiins. I climbed Mt. Katadhin with a “side of blessed socks.”

Marie. Thank you for the crystal. Roland blessed it as he put it into my hand. I will carry it the entire journey.

Tim Anderson. He owns the Monson General Store. He knew I needed some days recovery time and couldn’t afford to pay $25 a night for a bunk. So he is letting me camp on his property for free and he brought me a gallon of water last night. Thanks Tim.

Matt Anderson (Tim’s son). Matt picked me up as I was heading back to the trail. We had a long talk about everything including the environment, strip mining and native issues, poverty and of course, my blog. Matt is a great kid. I have included a photo of him. He led me to his father who in turn offered me the hospitality of which I spoke of previously.

Ken. He picked me up and gave me a ride the rest of the way to Monson. I was soaked and looked horrible. He also gave me 20 dollars to help pay for a bunk for a night.

I have met may wonderful people along the way. It would be impossible to list them all. I will mention a couple, though. Duke and Julie are a couple thru-hiking back home to Georgia. I hope to catch up to them at some point.  And Mike (Hellbender). I like this guy. He doesn’t show false bravado, he knows his limitations. The hundred miles has kicked his butt (like me), but he keeps on going. He isn’t hiking hard, he’s hiking smart. Keep going Mike, I have faith in you.

I am taking a few days off. I need to rest, heal and recover. My left quad is still burning. I hope to blog one more time on Monday before I hit the trail again. I think my next blog post will be titled “Reflections.” Reflections of the past and reflections of the journey so far and reflections of the future that is possible if we all come together to make it happen. If you are reading this you are part of the spirit journey… I feel your souls helping to guide me along. I hope you will all tune in for that. Talk to you soon.

Tony Angel