November 7, 2004 - TrailDawg and I had a chance today to put together more of the final journals and photo albums. The new journals start here, and the photo albums are listed below. Check back soon for more journal entries. Moreover, TrailDawg's family and friends are hosting a coming home celebration on November 13th in Atlanta from 3-6 PM. Check back after then for photos from the party. TrailDawg's final thoughts and farewell will be posted then as well.

TrailDawg has enjoyed hearing from you in the guestbook section; you can still sign in and send a shout out here!

Album 24 - The 100 Mile Wilderness

Album 25 - Closing in on Mt. Katahdin

Album 26 - Mt. Katahdin

Bonus Album: Katahdin Air

Album 27: Acadia National Park

Album 28 - The Last 70 Miles

October 28, 2004 - TrailDawg will be in D.C. tonight. Its amazing how quick you can get somewhere when you're not walking! As some of you know, TrailDawg's webguy (that would be me) is heading up there to run the Marine Corps marathon on Sunday, and T-Dawg graciously volunteered to be there to cheer me on and take some pictures. If you want to track my progress, click here and select Steve Howard from Smyrna, GA.

After Sunday, the two of us should have plenty of time to sit down and wrap up this whole thing. We still have 3 or 4 more photo albums, and several weeks of journals (speaking of which, one more is up now).

October 24, 2004 - It's official: TrailDawg has completed his thru-hike! I'll fill you in on the details as soon as I find out more. In the meantime, we still have plenty to catch up on, so lets start with Trail Album 23 - Into Maine!

October 19, 2004 - Another week of journals are up!

October 15, 2004 - TrailDawg summited Katahdin with his family and friends on the 11th! It was a 14 hour trek to the summit and back down, but everyone made it back OK. TrailDawg will head down to finish up the 70 miles he missed earlier, and complete his thru-hike in the next week or so. The journey is not over for us though... we've still got tons of pictures and journals to get caught up on, so keep checking back!

October 11, 2004 - Last I talked to TrailDawg, he was planning his summit attempt on the 10th, yesterday. I still have not heard from him or the rest of the crew, but I'll be sure to post a note as soon as we find out anything. In the meantime, another week of journals is up, and Trail Album 22 - The Presidential Range!

October 8, 2004 - More adventures in Vermont with another week of journals. And check back soon for more photos from the White Mountains in Trail Album 22: The Presidential Range.

October 5, 2004 - TrailDawg continues his adventures in the White Mountains in Trail Album 21: Franconia Ridge.

October 4, 2004 - TrailDawg has decided to make a small change to his itenerary in order to climb Katahdin with his friends on the 10th of October. He has bypassed a 70 mile section of the trail, and as you read this he is entering the 100 mile wilderness. After climbing Katahdin, he will return to pick up the 70 miles he missed, and complete his thru-hike. That means he will probably complete his journey between the 15th and the 20th of October. When I last talked to him, he was more excited than ever to have the opportunity to share this experience with all of you. Through your emails, guestbook entries, packages and prayers, you have been an endless source of motivation and encouragement. Thank you!

In 4 to 5 days TrailDawg will reach Abol Bridge, the end of the 100 mile wilderness. His parents will meet him there, and we're going to send a copy of the guestbook with them. If you want to send him a message before he finishes up, now is your chance! Don't worry if you've never signed in before, or if you've never met T-Dawg in person, he'd love to hear from you!

Oh yeah, one more thing: TrailDawg gets his first look at the White Mountains in : photo album 20: Hanover, NH to Mt. Moosilauke

Sept 28, 2004 - More journal entries added starting here, and a little sneak peek of things to come:

Sept 27, 2004 - OK, I'm back and that means updates! TrailDawg made it through the Whites (with some amazing pictures you'll get to see later this week), he's in Maine, he will probably summit Katahdin around the 10th of October, album 19: Manchester Ctr, VT - Hanover NH is up, and I'm going to bed! More tomorrow!

Sept 14, 2004 - This will be the last update I can post for a little while. I'm heading to Brazil for the week to hang out with an old friend. In the meantime, TrailDawg has a quick update for you, and we've posted a fun bonus album, with a sneak preview of the trail's end: Mt. Katahdin. But first, here's TrailDawg:

Hey, I just wanted to write a quick update. I am currently in Glencliff, NH. I am staying at a hostel called the "Hiker Welcome" Hostel. I came in late Tuesday afternoon and might hike out today depending on the weather. Most of New England is under rain and cloud, but it is supposed to clear up mid-morning tomorrow (9/9). Glencliff is the last town before the White Mountains. The White Mountains are said to be one the greatest sections of the entire 2000 mile trek. It also is the most rugged. The Whites have been pumped up by everyone I know and I am eager to walk into them. The catch is: I want to have nice weather to walk them. Hopefully, the weather forcast is accurate. Life is good living the dream. TrailDawg

Bonus album - Snickers, Nets & Lisa - Road Trip to Maine

Sept 6, 2004 - Trail album 18 is up! Check out TrailDawg kickin' it through Massachusetts and Vermont.

Sept 5, 2004 - More journal entries here and here. Keep your eye out for a photo album or two tonight!

August 31, 2004 - Photo album 17 is up, with some more glowstick poi, crossing into Massachusetts, and reaching 1,500 miles!

August 30, 2004 - TrailDawg called tonight from Killington, VT. He now has 480 miles left. I've added 3 more days of journal entries here.

August 20, 2004 - Still on the road, won't be able to upload this until later: Photo album 16 - Deleware Water Gap to the Graymoor Friary.

August 15, 2004 - Just got finished hanging out with TrailDawg in the little town of Tyringham, MA. I'm on a road trip with my buddy Nets and his wife Lisa. Nets and I thru-hiked the trail back in '99, and we're heading North to climb Mt. Katahdin again. We tracked down TrailDawg en-route to spend a couple days with him and a few other thru-hikers.

TrailDawg has been hiking with Night Rider and Pacemaker, averaging about 17 miles a day. They just crossed over the 1500 mile mark, leaving about 700 to go.

Nets and I treated everyone to a couple of meals, and these guys definitely had their eat on! The thru-hiker appetite is quite a spectacle, and they turned more than a few heads when we sat down for meals. While we ate, we had a good opportunity to talk about the trail ahead:

After another week or so in Massachusetts, TrailDawg and the other hikers will climb over Mt Greylock and enter Vermont. Compared to the last few states they hiked through, Vermont provides a more remote and enjoyable wilderness experience. 150 miles later, they will cross into New Hampshire, and the enter White Mountains. For the first time, TrailDawg will climb above the tree line on Mt. Moosilauke, and later traverse the exposed ridgelines of the Franconia and Presidential Ranges. He will spend 2 days above the treeline on the Presidentials, including a climb to the summit of Mt. Washington at 6288 feet. After the Whites, the thru-hikers will re-supply in Gorham, NH; a mere 16 miles from the New Hampshire/Maine state line. In Maine, they will have 280 of the most rugged, difficult and beautiful miles of the trail to reach their final goal: the summit of Mt. Katahdin.

We spent last night under a pavilion in Tyringham, which provided good shelter from the heavy rain kicked up by Hurricane Charlie. The rain stopped this morning, and we were able to drive TDawg into Great Barrington to find an outfitter. His boots had fallen apart, and his headlamp was shorting out, so we found replacements for both in town. After lunch, we drove back to the pavilion and took some pictures. Nets, Lisa and I said our goodbyes, and headed north.

Nets is driving, which has given me a chance to update a few of the sections on the site. First, read about bears and porcupines in the newest journal update. You can also check out the thru-hikers' mad diving skills in Trail Album 15 - Pennslyvania Rocks. A long overdue update to the Mail Drop section, with estimated dates through NH.

August 11, 2004 - TrailDawg in the news! New journal entries have been posted here.

July 31, 2004 - Another photo album: TrailDawg crosses the Mason Dixon Line, and some fun with glow-sticks... Check it out in Trail Album 14! Also, ever wonder where all the dehydrated that TDawg's eating came from? Check out the update in the Planning & FAQ section: Dehydrate This!

July 29, 2004 - New journals are up! Click here

July 17, 2004 - Yet another photo album: Harpers Ferry and the 4th Party.

July 17, 2004 - TrailDawg is past the halfway point, and making his way through Pennsylvania! He has covered over 1100 miles, and is making good pace towards Katahdin. To celebrate this massive milestone, we've got lots of updates to post this weekend! First, check out the new trail album: Dragons, Snakes and Dinosaurs. And another one: Album 12 - Shenandoah National Park.

July 4, 2004 - Quite a while since the last update. My apologies : ) TrailDawg is still kicking through Virginia at a healthy pace, and in good spirits. Right now he's at the Bear's Den hostel, just north of the shenandoah. His parents met him there and they have been spending time together in Harpers Ferry. In the next few days, he will cross over into West Virginia, and soon after he will pass the halfway point!

He says the shenandoah was mentally the toughest section of the trail so far. He spent days hiking beside Skyline Drive, the main road through the park. He said it was disheartening to always hear cars driving past, after miles of hiking.

I've had a chance to catch up (finally), so check out the Catawba update in the journal section, and photo album 10!

June 10 - A new album featuring panoramic shots has been added to the photos section. These images are created by combining 2-4 pictures taken side by side.

June 9 - Just got an email from T-Dawg in Pearisburg:

hey, Snickers, Made it to P-burg yesterday afternoon about 4:00 - just in time for the post office. I received the letter you sent and it was AWESOME reading the guestbook pages! Thanks for sending those... Read More

June 8 - Roan Mtn vistas, clouds, moonscapes, sleeping in a barn... All this and more in Trail Album 9!

June 7, 2004 - TrailDawg called today from Bland, VA - two days before we thought he'd get there. He sounded in high spirits, and his feet seem to have improved somewhat. Thanks for all the awesome response in the Guestbook, he'll be excited to hear from everyone! I'm still planning on overnighting it Tuesday, to Pearisburg instead of Bland.

Oh yeah, one more thing: more photos going up tomorrow night!

June 5, 2004 - TrailDawg called his family from Atkins VA today. We learned that part of the reason he spent so much time off in Damascus is that he is experiencing some problems with his left foot. The tendons of his three smaller toes are in pain, and he is having problems hiking more than about 10 miles each day. He picked up a new pair of boots in Damascus, hoping they would help, but 75 miles later he is still having problems.

Even though it seems like T-Dawg is coping with all this and pushing on, it can be terribly frustrating to have a physical problem that threatens to end your thru-hike. He is in a tough spot. Any encouragement, support, and/or prayer would mean the world to him right now. He's not asking for it, but I know from my thru-hike: when you're out there, away from friends and family, you hang on to letters, re-reading them over and over. They can be an incredible inspiration. I'm going to print out the guestbook on Tuesday and overnight it to Bland VA - Dawg will be there Wednesday. Please take just a moment to write something to him in the guestbook, especially if you haven't had a chance to sign in yet. Let's get him fired up to take on Virginia!

June 4, 2004 - I didn't get a chance to post this on the 4th, but if you've been checking the guestbook, you've probably noticed that June 4th was TrailDawg's 2 month anniversary on the trail! Over two months, T-Dawg has covered 535.1 miles, over the toughest sections of the southern A.T. That's 1/4 of the entire trail!
TrailDawg will spend the next 500 miles in the state of Virginia, and in some ways the hike will become easier. The constant climbs and knee-jarring descents of Georgia and North Carolina will give way to some sections of rolling hills through pastures, lower elevation and warmer weather as summer approaches. He will also face new challenges, as he must increase the miles he hikes each day, and stay focused on reaching Mt. Katahdin, still 1,600 miles away. He will likely experience the "Virginia blues": hiking for more than a month without seeing the familiar milestone of a state line.

June 2, 2004 - Journal entries have been added to week 4: a frustrating wrong turn in the smokies, followed by a marathon-length 27 miler through the Smokies!

Click here to read updates from May