Sept. 12

Hello all! I’m going to give you a quick update and hopefully fill you in with the rest of the details in a few days. I’m currently in Rib Lake after busting some ass the last week. I covered 117 miles or so in 5 days through what everyone says in the toughest trail. Langlade and Lincoln counties were a breeze to walk thanks to the efforts of the local chapters. I did lose blazes in Langlade county for a bit, but that was through new logging areas and I found my way shortly. I think I could walk through Lincoln county at night because the trails are so well blazed and there is actually a little tread for most of them. The horrors of the two counties were not to be. I thoroughly enjoyed the two counties as it reminded me of walking the woods near my cabin in Winter, WI. That’s not to say its all been easy. My cavalier attitude and manness got me into some pretty thick stuff (not lost) when I tried to take a shortcut to an existing section of trail. Idiot. Other hikers have said they were so glad when they got onto Tower Rd. and finished Lincoln county, but have they hiked Taylor county? Hands down the worst section of trail I’ve come across in the last 600 miles was the Wood Lake segment. The part right before the trail hits the Hanson property at the end goes through a logged area that hasnt been maintained in a quite a long time. If you like walking through bramble for hundreds of yards with no discernible path, then the Wood Lake segment is for you! The hike through the bramble is slower than a spelling bee full of stutterers! I was hiking with the mysterious Ginger Lee and she didn’t think the trail was too bad because that’s how sections of Langlade and Lincoln were for her. I’m sure glad conditions have improved! We split a room at Camp 28 and she’s going to drop me back off where I ended Saturday at the end of the Rib Lake segment. Tonight I plan on staying at Mondeaux Flowage, Monday at Jerry Lake and Tuesday at a bar in Polley, which is just south of Gilman on the recommendation of Matt the Hoofer. I’m moving right along and should be ending my journey in the next two weeks. Somewhere around the 24^th I’m shooting for. The exact date is hard to pin down because I don’t know the weather or whatever else comes in my way (and I still have 260 miles left, (according to the compainion guide but there are miles to shave off on the suggested road walks) so a lot could go wrong!) I’m looking forward to discovering what awaits me!