But...

There are some things that I was unprepared for on this trip.  The trail was in tough shape.  It can only be described as a series of wet muddy areas broken up by an occasional dry patch.  Research and some discussions since has made the reasons for this clear, but that is for another post.

Every 100 yards or so was a soft muddy area where you sink in up almost to the knee.  This means either finding a dry detour or using rocks & logs to traverse it.  This is one of the major reasons that our travel speed was restricted to ~1mph.  Unlike thinner guys, I have to ensure that I have solid footing.  Somebody my size can't easily be evacuated in the vent of any immobilizing injury.  

This major additional effort to hike the trail really started to get to me after nearly two weeks.  I wasn't in great spirits in my journal and when I reread before sending out, I realized that I didn't want to remember things that way forever.  So I've been slowly updating the entries to make them a little more positive.

I can't wait to finish the last two legs that we didn't get a chance to do in September.  Preliminarily, I am planning on doing the section from Lake Durrant to Long Lake early in June.  It is an extremely steep portion, sometimes called "the wall."  My plan is to start early one day with a very light pack, no tent, light sleeping bag, and no bear bin.  Only dinner will be prepared and breakfast will be cold for an early start the second day.  With this plan I should be able to be out by 2 or 3 the second day.  

That will leave me only the portion from Long Lake to Lake Placid.  I haven't scheduled that trip yet, but hopefully will be able to next year as well.

Final 3 days of posting should be up by next Friday.  Thank you all for your support.

I need to finish up some urgent items for work and then hope to get the rest of the trip pictures and journal entries up by the weekend.

Thanks to everybody for their support.

Wayne A Arthurton