My GPS Position

on 29 July 2009

This is My Current GPS Position:
Latitude: 45.144957
Longitude: -70.255852
Google Maps link


Sent from my iPhone

Maine

on 28 July 2009

I usually opt out of sunset photos because a camera can never truly
capture it but I couldn't resist this one from Mt Bigelow. This is
from the last 4000 ft mtn before Katadin. Maine is so amazing. I
realized I have about 50 waypoints of places along the AT that I want
to revisit and explore beyond. There's just not enough time - or is
life just too crudded up with other stuff?

The end is near

We're getting near the end - only about 200 miles left. Right now
we're looking at finishing a week from Thursday or Friday. We're just
about done with the mail drops I assembled back in March and have
enjoyed reading the quotes Mrs Filzen put in a box of granola bars -
I've definitely been at the end of my rope a few times over the past
few months. = )

Moose

I've been aching to see a moose ever since I spotted the first tracks
and droppings in Connecticut. We finally saw one near Sabbath Pond - a
huge bull moose. What an amazing sight!

Lucy

This past weekend Lucy ended her AT journey. She's had a great run
but she isn't allowed in Baxter State Park at the end. Plus we have to
ford some rivers and she hates water. If you want to say hi to this
celebrity and check out her impressive hind leg muscles she will be in
the Ithaca area for the next couple weeks.

Welcome to Maine

on 25 July 2009

Yesterday was the hardest day so far. Courtney came last night to
slackpack us so I was on the trail at 5:45am. It was one of those days
where the only people hiking were thru-hikers. It was pouring and cold
as I left. The trail has become overgrown and extremely muddy, rocky,
and full of roots. Every time I hit a branch, a night's worth of
accumulated rainfall would fall on me. The shortest option for the
slackpack was 31 miles because there were no other road crossings -
not even a dirt forest service road. That in itself, especially with
several big climbs, is a big day. However, I also had to do Mahoosuc
Notch, the hardest mile on the whole AT in slick conditions. It wasn't
too bad with just a daypack though and it was a pretty cool area. It
was a mile between 2 cliffs where large boulders have fallen over the
last couple thousand years. I had to climb over, around, and under
these large boulders and there was even ice still in some of the
crevices. I finally got done at 9:15 and gladly took my soaked shoes
off. Today we're slackpacking another 20 miles.

Taking in the sights.

on 23 July 2009

About 6 or 7 hrs from Groton, the White Mountains should not be
missed! I was surprised (and glad) by the number of teenagers and
younger kids hiking in the Whites with their families or summer camps.
If you get the opportunity, make the trip one of these summers.

Goodbye NH

Today was our last full day in New Hampshire as we did a 20 mile
slackpack from Pinkham Notch to Gorham, NH. The Whites have been
challenging but amazing. The last 2 days were cloudy so there weren't
any views but we got amazing above-treeline sights earlier in the
week. In this part of the country any elevation above ~4,400 ft is
bare rock because the wind and cold make it hard for trees to live.
Most of the Whites are like this and I definitely plan on coming back
again to hike more...it's ansolutely amazing here. Tomorrow when we
hit Maine, we will only have 281 miles left!

6,288ft

on 22 July 2009

I'm writing this from the place with the worst weather in the world,
Mt Washington. This is the highest point in the Northeast and holds
the land speed wind record of some 280 miles per hour. This picture is
of the trail leading to the top. The vegetation, mostly shrubs,
grasses, and lichens, are only found on a few mountaintops in the
lower 48 and hundreds of miles north in the arctic tundra. The
weather today is cloudy, windy, and in the lower 50s. The average
summer high is 51 and and average winter high is 15.

MotionX-GPS Track: Franconia Ridge

on 21 July 2009

Hello,

Mr. DeVoe uses MotionX-GPS on the iPhone 3G and is sharing with you the following track:

Name: Franconia Ridge
Date: Jul 21, 2009 11:18 am
Distance: 1.61 miles
Elapsed Time: 41:32.8
Avg Speed: 2.3 mph
Max Speed: 12.8 mph
Avg Pace: 25' 47" per mile
Min Altitude: 4,608 ft
Max Altitude: 5,100 ft
Start Time: 2009-07-21T15:18:41Z
Start Location:
Latitude: 44.149405º N
Longitude: 71.644348º W
End Time: 2009-07-21T16:00:14Z
End Location:
Latitude: 44.170199º N
Longitude: 71.643171º W

Click on this link to display the track in Google Maps. This link will be valid until Aug 20, 2009 9:29 AM PDT.


There are two files attached to this email:

"Franconia Ridge.kmz" is a Google KMZ track that can be displayed in Google Earth or Google Maps.

"Franconia Ridge.gpx" is an Open Standard track that can be displayed by select mapping software.


MotionX-GPS Commonly Asked Questions:

Q1: What is MotionX-GPS?
A1: MotionX-GPS, available for the iPhone 3G, is the essential application for hikers, bike riders, joggers, and geocaching enthusiasts. It puts an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art handheld GPS system on your iPhone 3G.
Q2: Can I use MotionX-GPS?
A2: Sure! MotionX-GPS Lite for the iPhone 3G is free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store here.
Q3: How can I display tracks in Google Earth?
A3: Follow the directions on the Google Earth web site to download and install the Google Earth program. Save the attached Franconia Ridge.kmz file to your computer. Launch Google Earth, select File, Open, and open the saved Franconia Ridge.kmz file.
Q4: What is a GPX Track?
A4: GPX stands for GPS Exchange Format and is used to transfer GPS data between many GPS devices and applications, including Google Earth. A track is a path recorded by MotionX-GPS showing movement over the surface of the Earth.
Q5: This e-mail was forwarded to me and I can't find the attachments!
A5: Some e-mail programs do not include the original attachments by default when forwarding an e-mail. In this case, the sender must reattach the original files for them to be included.

Please contact us here with any comments or questions.

All the best,

The MotionX Team


US and Foreign Patents Granted and Pending. Fullpower® is a registered trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. MotionX™ is a trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. © Copyright 2003 - 2009 Fullpower Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ver: GPS/5.1 ver: com.fullpower.motionx.gps.web.Version@224d2f; ref-id: 6ca826d1-d123-4f5f-9099-1dc5c7e40480

on 20 July 2009

Here is the view from yesterday's first peak of the Whites. This was
probably the best view of the whole AT so far. These mountains are
though but very rewarding. They remind me a lot of the Adirondacks.

The White Mountains

on 19 July 2009

I think I'm at the end of regular postings. We are entering the White
Mountains in New Hampshire where it is very remote and cell phone
service is rare. I will still post as much as possible but this is my
first good signal in a couple days. The views have been great though
and I'm looking forward to the next couple days even though this is
supposedly the hardest stretch on the whole AT. This is a porcupine
that Lucy was flirting with the other day. Luckily she didn't get any
closer.

New Hampshire

on 16 July 2009

Yesterday my cousin Jon met us on the trail for a couple days. Last
night Kevin, Jon, Mr Giroux, Lucy and myself marched through Hanover,
NH and turned a couple heads as we hiked along the streets and
eventually retreated back into the woods to find a camp spot. Hanover
is a cool little town (home of Dartmouth College). We should be
entering the White Mountains in a day or two.

Maine Junction

on 15 July 2009

Here is a picture of Maine Junction, the place where the Long Trail
and AT split. We continued east after here and are heading toward New
Hampshire. We've been fortunate enough to slackpack for a few days now
and are covering over 20 miles a day. Mr Giroux is still here and
holding up well.

MotionX-GPS Track: The Green Mtns

on 14 July 2009

Hello,

Mr. DeVoe uses MotionX-GPS on the iPhone 3G and is sharing with you the following track:

Name: The Green Mtns
Date: Jul 12, 2009 9:23 am
Distance: 7.87 miles
Elapsed Time: 3:12:10
Avg Speed: 2.5 mph
Max Speed: 12.5 mph
Avg Pace: 24' 25" per mile
Min Altitude: 1,913 ft
Max Altitude: 3,411 ft
Start Time: 2009-07-12T13:23:08Z
Start Location:
Latitude: 43.207330º N
Longitude: 72.970076º W
End Time: 2009-07-12T16:35:18Z
End Location:
Latitude: 43.289386º N
Longitude: 72.938933º W

Click on this link to display the track in Google Maps. This link will be valid until Aug 13, 2009 10:59 AM PDT.


There are two files attached to this email:

"The Green Mtns.kmz" is a Google KMZ track that can be displayed in Google Earth or Google Maps.

"The Green Mtns.gpx" is an Open Standard track that can be displayed by select mapping software.


MotionX-GPS Commonly Asked Questions:

Q1: What is MotionX-GPS?
A1: MotionX-GPS, available for the iPhone 3G, is the essential application for hikers, bike riders, joggers, and geocaching enthusiasts. It puts an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art handheld GPS system on your iPhone 3G.
Q2: Can I use MotionX-GPS?
A2: Sure! MotionX-GPS Lite for the iPhone 3G is free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store here.
Q3: How can I display tracks in Google Earth?
A3: Follow the directions on the Google Earth web site to download and install the Google Earth program. Save the attached The Green Mtns.kmz file to your computer. Launch Google Earth, select File, Open, and open the saved The Green Mtns.kmz file.
Q4: What is a GPX Track?
A4: GPX stands for GPS Exchange Format and is used to transfer GPS data between many GPS devices and applications, including Google Earth. A track is a path recorded by MotionX-GPS showing movement over the surface of the Earth.
Q5: This e-mail was forwarded to me and I can't find the attachments!
A5: Some e-mail programs do not include the original attachments by default when forwarding an e-mail. In this case, the sender must reattach the original files for them to be included.

Please contact us here with any comments or questions.

All the best,

The MotionX Team


US and Foreign Patents Granted and Pending. Fullpower® is a registered trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. MotionX™ is a trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. © Copyright 2003 - 2009 Fullpower Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ver: GPS/5.1 ver: com.fullpower.motionx.gps.web.Version@224d2f; ref-id: 1b550e3b-534d-4bd6-8622-1aae6e1f5fa7

My GPS Position

on 13 July 2009

Mr Giroux joined up with us for a couple days. Today is day 100 on the trail and we also passed the 500 miles to go line. Right now we're standing on top of Mt Killington, VTs 2nd highest peak and popular ski destination. It's incredibly windy but we have awesome views of the Adirondacks and White mountains. 

This is My Current GPS Position:
Latitude: 43.604822
Longitude: -72.820151
Google Maps link


Sent from my iPhone

Vermont

on 10 July 2009

The first 100 miles of Vermont follows The Long Trail, the first long-
distance hiking trail in the country and one of the inspirations for
the AT. The trail has gone by several beaver ponds as it follows a
ridge in the Green Mountains. The only problem with the Long Trail is
that it is very muddy, especially since it's been raining so much and
has suffered a lot of erosion because of it's heavy use by hikers.
Today we're shooting for 25 miles. We should be in Rutland, VT on
Tuesday for laundry, a shower, and a good meal.

My GPS Position

on 09 July 2009

The climb here to the MA/VT screamed "welcome to the final stretch" as we climbed from 600ft to over 2000ft very quickly.  We'll be at higher elevations until the end. 

This is My Current GPS Position:
Latitude: 42.687517
Longitude: -73.159697
Google Maps link


Sent from my iPhone

Blog

I'm aware that there is something wrong with the blog template.
However I am currently sitting on a log somewhere in northern Mass. so
I'll try to fix it if I get to a library soon. Any ideas about how to
fix it?

Sent from my iPhone

Trees

Back home in Ithaca, many of the American Beech trees are infected
with an invasive fungus that came over from another part of the world.
It is here in Mass. also. I hiked over a couple hills that looked like
Beech graveyards. Branches were everwhere and all of the trees were
slowly dying. Our sick forests have probably had the biggest impact on
me throughout this trip - whether it's the Beech fungus, gypsy moth
larvae, Hemlock wooly adelgid, American Chestnut, etc. - our forests
are dying. Why is it that the death of an overrated pop star can
dominate the media for over a week but the death of millions of acres
of forests barely get a headline? One way you can help stop the
spread is to buy firewood near where you're camping instead of
transporting it over long distances. Better yet, go to college to
figure out a solution.

Cookies

on 08 July 2009

Today we stopped at "the cookie lady's" house outside of Beckett, MA.
For years she has been providing fresh cookies to hikers and
blueberries when they're in season. This is just one of many aspects
of the trip that make hiking the AT a truly unique experience.

on 07 July 2009

Things are better today. We just crossed over the Mass. Pike. I've
driven under this many times on my way too and from Boston visiting my
friends Brad and Kim. Every time I passed under I always thought
"someday I WILL be walking over this road" and here I am.

Ps. The mosquitoes are a little better.

A Test

on 06 July 2009

This was almost a post to announce that I officially quit the trail.
The mosquitoes yesterday and this morning were horrendous. Between
that and the heat and humidity it's been a mental roller coaster. I
breathed in and choked on 5 mosquitoes as I climbed a 700ft ascent
this morning. Kevin and I took a long break around noon wondering what
we are doing out here. It's so hard to remain positive at times like
these. I've just had to keep reminding myself that this is my only
chance until I retire to thru-hike the AT. And on we go...

Sent from my iPhone

Help

Yesterday we passed the 1500 mile mark so I thought I'd take this
moment to point out a way to help Groton Central Schools. On the right
side bar is your opportunity to donate, per mile, to Groton's
environmental science club. They go on field trips and organize
projects around the school that helps make the school "green". You may
also donate to The Nature Conservency instead.

Secondly, if you are a current or former AT thru or section hiker, I
am collecting advice for the average American teenager. If you'd like
to submit something please email me or leave it as a comment and include your trail name and where you're from. Thank you!

Happy 4th of July

on 04 July 2009

Today was a nice quiet summer day in CT until we hiked by a racetrack
in the valley below. For a country that imports most of it's oil,
nothing is quite as patriotic as guys doing circles in their own
carbon fumes. Some day we'll look back at the recreational waste of
fossil fuels as a "what were we thinking" time in our history. Few
people see that now though. What a shame.

MotionX GPS Track: Kent, CT - Rt. 4

Hello,

Mr. DeVoe uses MotionX-GPS on the iPhone 3G and is sharing with you the following track:

Name: Kent, CT - Rt. 4
Date: Jul 3, 2009 8:38 am
Distance: 12.4 miles
Elapsed Time: 4:38:16
Avg Speed: 2.7 mph
Max Speed: 41.2 mph
Avg Pace: 22' 18" per mile
Min Altitude: 272 ft
Max Altitude: 38,737 ft
Start Time: 2009-07-03T12:38:57Z
Start Location:
Latitude: 41.738831º N
Longitude: 73.463302º W
End Time: 2009-07-03T17:17:13Z
End Location:
Latitude: 41.819185º N
Longitude: 73.390812º W

Click on this link to display the track in Google Maps. This link will be valid until Aug 3, 2009 7:13 AM PDT.


There are two files attached to this email:

"Kent, CT - Rt. 4.kmz" is a Google KML track that can be displayed in Google Earth or Google Maps.

"Kent, CT - Rt. 4.gpx" is an Open Standard track that can be displayed by select mapping software.


MotionX-GPS Commonly Asked Questions:

Q1: What is MotionX-GPS?
A1: MotionX-GPS, available for the iPhone 3G, is the essential application for hikers, bike riders, joggers, and geocaching enthusiasts. It puts an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art handheld GPS system on your iPhone 3G.
Q2: Can I use MotionX-GPS?
A2: Sure! MotionX-GPS Lite for the iPhone 3G is free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store here.
Q3: How can I display tracks in Google Earth?
A3: Follow the directions on the Google Earth web site to download and install the Google Earth program. Save the attached Kent, CT - Rt. 4.kml file to your computer. Launch Google Earth, select File, Open, and open the saved Kent, CT - Rt. 4.kml file.
Q4: What is a GPX Track?
A4: GPX stands for GPS Exchange Format and is used to transfer GPS data between many GPS devices and applications, including Google Earth. A track is a path recorded by MotionX-GPS showing movement over the surface of the Earth.
Q5: This e-mail was forwarded to me and I can't find the attachments!
A5: Some e-mail programs do not include the original attachments by default when forwarding an e-mail. In this case, the sender must reattach the original files for them to be included.

Please contact us here with any comments or questions.

All the best,

The MotionX Team


US and Foreign Patents Granted and Pending. Fullpower® is a registered trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. MotionX™ is a trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. © Copyright 2003 - 2009 Fullpower Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ref-id: 19bbef96-3a0a-4249-9c4d-8e02fb1aa25f

Family

Yesterday my parents met us in CT for a meal, new shoes, and a motel.
It was nice seeing them after over 3 months. Courtney and Koda have
also been hiking with us for the past week and they took her back to
her car in NY on their way home. Thanks again guys!

Mail Drop

on 03 July 2009

Yesterday we got a mail drop in Kent, CT from Groton Elementary and
Mrs Coffey. Thanks guys! The elementary school also sent along a
sweet shirt. With our awesome recycling and composting programs, these
shirts are an awesome fit.

My GPS Position

on 01 July 2009

This is My Current GPS Position:
Latitude: 41.588563
Longitude: -73.657880
Google Maps link


Sent from my iPhone