Category Archives: Miscellany

Ready to Continue!

Heading Back to Virginia!
Today is Wednesday, February 25th and I wanted to inform anyone still following that I will be heading back to the trail in a few days. I had intended to leave Minnesota this coming Saturday (2/28), but the sudden funeral of a dear friend and the recent warnings to AT thru-hikers about current weather conditions have shifted that plan by a couple of days. I hope to be on the trail by the end of next week and will try to get an update out within a week or so after that.

Video
For anyone interested, I’m included a link to a draft of a video I’m working on to capture memories prepping for and hiking on the trail. Once the final part of the hike is done I intend to add sections for all 14 states so it serves as a video scrapbook. Fair warning: I made this purely as a personal scrapbook so you may find it tedious and self-indulgent.
http://youtu.be/GvlGnmQGttA

Australia
As some of you know, Wendy and I spent part of January and February visiting her dad and his wife in Australia. As reflected in these photos, it has been a tale of two winters. And as fun as it was with Roly and Jane in Surfer’s Paradise, I’m thrilled to be returning to Appalachia to restart the hiking engine and try to close out my remaining miles. Thank you once again for your suppport. I hope we enjoy another 6-8 weeks together following white blazes on this final push to Georgia. I’ll see you on the trail near Pearisburg very soon!

Good friends make Christmas fun!

Good friends make Christmas fun!

Fish house shany town on our lake, days before leaving for Australia.

Fish house shanty town on Medicine lake, days before leaving for Australia.

Wendy, Jane and Roly moments before getting soaked.

Wendy, Jane and Roly on our first day in Australia, moments before getting soaked.

Frequent morning visitor on the back deck.

Frequent morning visitor on our back deck

This guy turned to the camera on cue!

This guy turned to the camera on cue!

Yep, these things are everywhere.

Yep, these things are everywhere.

Just another day in Aussie paradise

Another day in Aussie paradise

Every day is a postcard on the Gold Coast.

Every day is a postcard on the Gold Coast.

Australian guillotine- a lot like the one on the AT!

Australian guillotine- a lot like the one on the AT!

Rain Forest in February!

Rain forest in February!

A pirate, washed ashore. Aaarrrr!

Pirate washed ashore

Back to reality: a van crosses Medicine Lake yesterday (2/24). Can you feel the biting wind?

Back to reality: a van crosses Medicine Lake yesterday (2/24). Can you feel the biting wind?

Max (Michael)

Happy 2015!

A very happy New Year to all! My apologies for the radio silence since mid-November but I’ve been busy having fun with family, catching up with friends and celebrating the holidays. This is just a quick note to confirm that I’ve firmed up my plan to return to the trail during the last week of February, contingent on my heel being ready and on the weather being at or above zero. I’m optimistic on both counts.

One of the things I am asked about often is whether I have any before and after pictures from when I started the trail, to now. I didn’t take any specifically for that purpose, but I’ve fished out the below two pictures which are pretty representative of the transformation so far.

About two weeks before beginning the trail.

Before: About two weeks prior to starting the AT (6/13/14)

12/20/14: Merry Christmas!

Current: Anxious for the final 670 miles (12/20/14)

Since I know that some of you are interested, I’m happy to report that the other hikers I walked with have all completed their treks, the last of whom was Mav on New Year’s eve! Birdie finished her flipflop in Dalevillle, Virginia just after Thanksgiving and then Swish and SlimJim wrapped up mid December, followed by Herc, Hydro, Dirtybird, Stringbean, Toastface, Ducky, as well as Captain Morgan, Forest Moistener, TenaciousD, Rodeo, Sagacious and Blueberry. I hadn’t seen some of them since New York so it was great to know they finished, making me antsy to get back for my remaining miles. The following is from another site but its about some of the above folks I was closest to on the trail. Its inside-jokey (and therefore annoying) but feel free to read if interested.

Prologue
In the Year of our Lord- two thousand fourteen,
 my weary mind did ponder.
 A journey through mountains and fields of green,
 a quiet, structured wander.
Along that way I met dear souls,
 uncommonly kind and gracious.
 And funny and wise and quick on their toes,
 sturdy, resilient, tenacious.
This is my tribute to the best of the best,
 of the hikers I met and befriended.
 Whose tired feet will soon be at rest,
 their southbound quests nearly ended.
So accept these few verses as the tip of a cap,
 my thanks for the friendship you've shown.
 May we hike yet again with a back country map,
 and in each others' company, roam.

Tribute
With curly black hair, Dirty Girls and pink socks,
 Cascadias and Dapper Dan wax.
 Hero brought style to the woods and our walks,
 and for leisure, kicked hacky sacks.
He frequently stops to change footware,
 is brilliant and occasionally rants.
 But when SlimJim finally takes Springer,
 even harsh Nobo Baggins will dance.
Mav is rock solid, he sleeps with no mattress,
 and hikes for a noble cause.
 When he 'slathers the baby' it causes distress,
 but his 'bazingas!' are met with guffaws.
With kisses and hugs in her shelter-book entries,
 Birdie's as sweet as they come.
 She sang lots on trail, was stung by some bees,
 and hiked with a patch on her bum.
She hosted thanksgiving for the hikers we met,
 and showed up with stitches and bruising.
 But Swish gets what she gets without getting upset,
 and sleeps rolled in a tarp when she's boozing.
Herc is a guy you can't help but like,
 who took to the woods like a pro.
 He dove off a bridge and played chess on his hike,
 and smiled through the rain and the snow.
In a confederate hat Hydro walks with no shirt,
 his Connecticut challenge completed.
 Mason-Dixon ain't just some old line in the dirt,
 but the place Rebel Yell is depleted.
Her hugs are the best and go well with her smile,
 genuine, friendly and true.
 Hikers who walk with Toastface a mile,
 end up hoping its not one, but two.
DirtyBird hikes fast and sleeps deeply,
 though one night he stirred with a groan.
 And spoke in his sleep to inform me,
 that the pebble is- surely- the stone.
Picking blueberries on mountains throughout central Maine,
 and trek poles in Shenandoah.
 Ducky's purple shorts sure did entertain,
 with his trademark beard like Noah.
With long stride and stick and remarkably chill,
 he's crossing the country again.
 By bike or on foot, through sheer force of will,
 StringBean has proven he can.

Epilogue
Hats off to my heros and idols,
 beloved companions and friends.
 Take care and God's speed in your travels,
 let's plan more as soon as it ends.

My next post will probably be mid-February, just before I push off for Pearisburg, Virginia. I’m including a few pictures, some older ones too that I hadn’t seen until recently. I hope you enjoy and I’m looking forward to wrapping up the journey with you!

At the Grand Canyon a month before hitting the trail

At the Grand Canyon a month before hitting the trail

Beautiful Rainier

Beautiful Rainier

Taken an instant after I jumped off a bridge in Vermont. Weird floating effect...

An instant after jumping a bridge in Vermont. Hero and Swish watching from up top.

Mopping up in

Storm clean up in Harper’s Ferry at The Country Cafe

Me and DB

On the trail with DB somewhere in Virginia

Shenandoah ranger's group

Shenandoah hiking group. The Ranger stopped us to have DirtyBird, Hydro and me do Q&A on hiking the AT. Fun!

The pebble is the stone...

The pebble is the stone…(McAfee Knob)

Hero's last supper on the trail: nailed it.

Hero’s last supper on the trail…and Hydro declaring that we nailed it!

Hotel bound due to plantar fasciitis. MacArthur Inn, Narrows Virginia

Hotel bound due to plantar fasciitis. (MacArthur Inn, Narrows Virginia)

My last day on the trail in 2014...unfinished business awaits.

My last day on the trail in 2014. Unfinished business awaits in early 2015.

Max

Massachusetts and Connecticut

Since leaving Vermont I’ve passed through Massachusetts, into Connecticut, and will move into New York within 2 days of this post. The fall colors haven’t hit yet, but I’m seeing the occasional yellow or red leaf and it won’t be long before the views are fully multi-colored. The biggest news in the past week was that I spent some days away from the trail hanging out with my wife (Wendy), eldest son (Oliver), daughter (Emily) and her husband (Hamid)! Wendy and Emily came and picked me up in Salisbury, Connecticut and took me back to New Jersey where we spent 4 days together. We toured Emily’s campus, had a sumptuous Persian dinner at the home of friends and managed to get done a bunch of resupply and gear changes I desperately needed for my hike. Hamid is driving me back to the trail head in an hour or so and I’ll be hiking with new shoes, a new pack (same model, but swapped out due to rips in meshing), carrying some needed cold weather gear for the changing weather, etc. Wendy also washed out my sleeping bag, rain coat, etc. so gear-wise I’m feeling great! Wendy and I rented a car and drove back up to the trail in Connecticut and New York where we spent the day giving trail magic to hikers I’ve been hiking with/near over the past month. We managed to catch up with Birdie and Crow who also took stuff to hike into Mav, and we caught Hero, Hercules, Slimjim and Swish, Stringbean and Dirtybird and Weezy who was going to hike stuff into Chispa. It was a long day of driving around but well worth it!

Another highlight of Mass was staying at the home of Greg and Laurie. I met Greg and his dad a few weeks back on Mount Moosilauke. They are planning a thru hike next spring and later texted me to let them know when I hit Mass so we could meet up. Greg drove very far out of his way to pick me up and bring me back to their place, where they fed me like a king, did my laundry, etc. We had a great time chatting together, and then the next morning when he returned me to the trail head he spent the day giving trail magic to other hikers.

Lastly, I have a fun anectdote to share from yesterday, but it requires a bit of set-up. From my previous pictures, you can see I’m looking less like a corporate IT guy all the time. When I go through trail towns, they are very familiar with all the long hair and beards since most male hikers let it all hang out during their through-hikes. However, when I’m away from trail towns, I’ve started to see people relating to me very differently. The looks I get betray assumptions that I’m homeless, derelict, or worse, ha! So, fast forward to New Brunswick, New Jersey where Emily and Hamid live in an upscale apartment building downtown, right next door to the courthouse. Yesterday morning I had returned our rental car and Brian, the extremely kind guy who runs the local Avis office offered to shuttle me back to Emily’s place. As he dropped me off, I stepped away from the curb, said thanks and turned to enter Emily’s secure building entrance. At which point, two women passing by on the street motioned emphatically toward me and said “NO, THAT’S NOT the courthouse!” I politely explained that I knew that and they suddenly looked very embarrassed as I kept going in to Emily’s building, leaving them to realize that I wasn’t heading to court to face vagrancy charges (or whatever else they had conjured). As some of you know, we Gosheys love to turn expectations upside down, so needless to say I had a great time with that little exchange!

Ok…that’s all for now, but here are some more pix from the past week or so…enjoy!

20140903_140948

Atop a fire tower in Vermont…thanks for the picture Herc!

Serene pond on the trail

Serene pond on the trail

Crossing into Mass, tired!

Crossing into Mass, tired!

The trail in a residential neighborhood, near Williamstown, Mass

The trail in a residential neighborhood, near Williamstown, Mass

Must be cool to go to a school right on the AT!

Must be cool to go to a school right on the AT!

Williamstown from above

Williamstown from above

The Killans from Bolton, England...practically neighbors to Helen and Simon in Bury. They bought me tea in the lodge on top of Greylock. Chispa in the background having lunch. I hiked with her and Weezy for a day or two, but their 30 mile days were too much for my old man legs!

The Killans from Bolton, England…practically neighbors to Helen and Simon in Bury. They bought me tea in the lodge on top of Greylock. Chispa in the background having lunch. I hiked with her and Weezy for a day or two, but their 30 mile days were too much for my old man legs!

Catholic church rectory hall that let Chispa, Weezy and I stay for the night!

Catholic church rectory hall that let Chispa, Weezy and I stay for the night. Amen!

Pack off, socks drying on rock, me napping

Pack off, socks drying on rock, me napping

More shoe mishaps...time to switch brands!

More shoe mishaps…time to switch brands!

"I pulled in to Nazareth, was feelin''bout half-passed dead..." Ended up alone in this shelter late one evening and found a couple of beers, water and a candle...magic!

“I pulled in to Nazareth, was feelin’ ’bout half-passed dead…” Ended up alone in this shelter late one evening and found a couple of beers, water and a candle…magic!

Greg and Laurie- great cooks, hosts, friends!

Greg and Laurie- great cooks, hosts, friends!

Greg and Laurie's dog Emma guarding my pack!

Greg and Laurie’s dog Emma guarding my pack!

Hiking through a corn field. Temptation resisted!

Hiking through a corn field. Temptation resisted!

Post lunch tootsie pop on a roadside in Mass.

Post lunch tootsie pop on a roadside in Mass.

"I wish I was a headlight, on a northbound train!" Nice AT RR crossing

“I wish I was a headlight, on a northbound train!” Nice AT RR crossing

At times, the trail is definitely "Into the Mystic"

At times, the trail is definitely “Into the Mystic”

Connecticut! Boo-yah!

Connecticut! Boo-yah!

First view of Connecticut...I like what I see.

First view of Connecticut…I like what I see.

Wendy and Em picked me up at this library in Salisbury

Wendy and Em picked me up at this public library in Salisbury

...which incidentally was the first in the country!

…which incidentally was the first in the country!

Not fair! Wendy's only been out here a couple of days and is already miles ahead of me!

Not fair! Wendy’s only been out here a couple of days and is already miles ahead of me!

If Penny and Russ are still following, hat's off to Russ for introducing me to this band (RailRoad Earth pre-cursor 'From Good Homes') who are playing down the street from Emily in December.

If Penny and Russ are still following, hat’s off to Russ for introducing me to this band (RailRoad Earth pre-cursor ‘From Good Homes’) who are playing down the street from Emily in December.