This photo was taken in Kentucky near Ft. Campbell weeks before
the start of our AT thru-hike.

Clean cut and fresh out of the army.

We arived in Portland Maine. Dee Paoli, Marcus's mom, Moose,
my dog, and Marcus are in the photo.

Thought I'd be creative with some local Portland scenery.

This was our first time seeing Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. We hadn't even looked at photos before the trip. The trail begins (or ends) on its summit, an awesome surprise for us.

We had to find a dog sitter on June 1 and start our hike the next
day. The park doesn't allow dogs. On June 2, It was rainy and windy, and park officials warned not to ascend the mountain. This photo is at its base. I dropped my
lense cap in the stream jut then... bye bye.

Our ascent of Mt. Katahdin was foggy, windy, cold and icey. Oh well, if the AT was easy, everyone would do it.

This is just near the summit of Mt. Katahdin. We were now realizing how stupid it was to continue despite freeezing rain, and the lack of proper gear. You
gotta do what you gotta do I guess. My camera locked up due to the cold so there is no photo of the trail head (large sign) that is
only meters behind me.

Big Niagra Falls - still within Baxter State Park

Rainbow Stream Shelter is typical of shelters all along the Appalachian Trail.

Rainbow Stream

Nahmakanta Stream next to our campsite. The mosquitos were an unrelenting army of demons from hell! You could hear them, thousands tapping against the tent.

Clams for dinner compliments of Nahmakanta Lake. On most attempts I'd reach down into the water and pull up 2 or more
clams per hand.

Cooked in Ramen Noodles, they were chewy, but filling.

Cooper Brook Falls was our first major bath in days, freezing cold,
and totally worth it.

View while clibming White Cap Mountain

Atop White Cap Mountain with Mt. Katahdin in the distance

The trail just before Chairback Gap gets a bit rocky. Notice the white painted stripe (blaze). It marks the way for thousands of miles.

We passed Little Wilson Falls not long before reaching Monson, Maine.

Trout for dinner! Glad we had that telescopic fishing rod.

Lady Slipper flowers were seen along the trail.

Steve Longley has been fairying hikers across the Kennebec
River for years. Left of Marcus is Yote from Thialand, a section hiker and college student we met days before.

Pierce Pond Falls - Not noticable in the photo is a thin rope we had to use in order to get through some of the white water. Anything for fun and a photo.

Looking across Pierce Pond from our shelter for the evening. The next morning we hiked to Pierce Pond lodge for blueberry pancakes and sausage.

Mt. Bigelow Summit

Moose getting sleepy on Bigelow

Making our way up Sugarloaf Mountain - This was the easy part.

Looking back at Bigelow from the top of Sugarloaf

Sugar Loaf summit house - This place surpassed my imagination. We expected a shack but ended up with a wood stove, couch, grill, radio, and over 180 degrees of widows. The summit house is an unused portion of a ski resort.

Sunset from Sugarloaf - worth all the hiking.

Old ski lifts benieth the Summit House and Marcus practicing for a Gap catalog.

"Antique" ski lifts under the summit house - Wind or someone had created a large opening in the wall for us to explore.

One of nine brook trout caught for dinner. We seemed to have eaten better than many other hikers.

Justin (me) climbing the Horn, a peak before Saddleback Mtn.

Looks easy right? Wrong! We did however lay in the sun at the
top of the next peak. It's nice when the only thing you have to worry about is if a small cloud will block the sun.

New shoes made by Teva purchased in Rangely Maine - Boots just don't feel comfortable enough to be hiking so many miles each day.

Our first full shelter - from left to right, George Parent, Erik GIllard, Ted Parent, Zane Leopold, Matt Leopold, Marcus, Moose and I.

Mossy stream next to our campsite near Dun Falls

Moose decided to lay in our drinking water atop Bald Pate.

Moose was acting wierd. He was hearing a real moose that we saw moments later.

Marcus and I camped out on Bald Pate. This is why we DIDN"T reenlist in the army and DID hike the AT.

Maine's Mahoosuc Notch in the distance - Said to be the toughest mile on the trail. The change of pace was welcome.

Down into the Mahoosuc Notch we went.

Under, over and in between boulders of the Mahoosuc Notch.

There was actually still ice in the Notch despite being the end of
June. Moose loved it.

There's an opportunity to do some climbing in th notch, but getting up is always the easy part.