[at-l] Grafton Loop Trail and hello again

[hiker_00 at hotmail.com (Tim Woodworth)]

Greetings all  and especially my PA friends Grey Owl and Pittsburgh,

I've been away and change has been in the wind over the past year but this 
weekend will by first hike since staying with Pittsburgh and hiking north 
from Amicalola last November.  (Thanks again Pittsburg and hi Barb.)

Shortly after hiking from the Approach trail to Newfound Gap, which many on 
this list helped out with OB and Tinman to name a few, my wife and I decided 
to move from my native Pennsylvania to her native Maine.  We've been here 
since February and slowly getting adjusted to the new life style.

My new postition with Outward Bound has introduced me to the Grafton Loop 
Trail being built in Western Maine outside of Bethel.  See this link:

  www.megalink.net/~mlt/graftonloop.html

for trail informaiton.    Only half of the 75 mile loop is open but as OB 
staff, I'm permitted to be on the full thing.  This weekend is the first 
time in a year that I've had the opportunity to put boot to rocks and 
soldier on.  I'm ready and eager to go.  I'm only free for three days so 
there's little chance there will be time to hike the 35 miles of prepared 
trail and 40 miles of bushwack but we'll just have to see.  It's all in the 
Mahoosic Notch area and reportedly incredible hiking. How could be anything 
else in that part of Maine?

So, happy Halloween and Hike the hell on.

Cheers,

Tim