Andrew's Out of the 100 Mile Wilderness!!!

Yeah!!! Andrew has made the first 124 miles from Mt. Katahdin to Monson, Maine! He called home at 2:30 p.m. and Dad Chris was the only one home. He told his Dad everything was fine, and he's having a great time. Said he had to scrub 3 times to get clean, so I bet that first shower felt terrific! Fortunately our phone ID caught the number so I could call him back when I got home. He sounded happy! Having a great time and going to continue! Said his spirits were really good! His eyes are doing great (post LASIK). He's staying at Shaw's Lodging tonight (Thursday) and Friday night, leaving Saturday after his "all you can eat breakfast."

Our phone chat was very brief because there is only one line/ one phone at the Lodging house.

Andrew said it only rained one day, and it took 4 days for his shoes to dry out. He's only had one blister on his left heal, then the right ankle started to hurt, so he slowed down and the ankle quit hurting. Now we know why he stayed at Rainbow Lake from lunch to dinner, only hiking 8 miles on Saturday, only 4 days in. He met Joe on the trail, a guy from GA, (don't know which day) and they have been hiking together since. Told his Dad hiking alone was no fun, and glad he met another hiker.

The first day on the trail (Wed. June 10) was cold (40F) windy (30 mph) and foggy, so he couldn't see a thing at the top of Mt. Katahdin. For those of us wondering, no, he did not hike the Knife's Edge. I didn't think he did based on his arrival time that evening at camp. Gotta love "the Spot" to see his progress!

Mosquitoes and Flies are really bad... so much so that his trail name (at the moment) is Light-headed Zombie, because the bugs have taken so much blood out of him. He said hiking with a hat that had a net wouldn't help, because they attack his legs and arms.

Andrew's next mail stop will be in Sratton, ME 04982. Only 70 miles away, but some steep mountains to cross. Said it should take 4-5 days leaving June 20... puts him there maybe June 23- 24. He's taken 113 photos so far, not sure when he can mail them, but he wanted to make some notes and he'd mail his journal so I could post it.

Will be interesting to see if he got the box of Oatmeal Toffee cookies I baked using marshmallows and candy bars for edible packaging :-). Kelly said "he needs lots of empty calories!!!" No promises on how many cookies I'll actually bake, but I figured a box of his favorite cookie would be a welcome site from home... especially for his first mail drop anyway.

Thank you for all the e-mails, kind words and prayers for Andrew! In addition to storing them on my computer in a folder he can read later, I printed them and mailed them hoping they'd arrived before he did. Will find out if he got them when he gets to the post office tomorrow.

That's all for now, Mom, Harriet