The drivers here are very kind. Stopping and waving us across roads and such.
Two days ago we met the last of the NOBO (north bound hikers) who were sure they could make it to Katahdin without flipping (which is where a hiker catches transport north and then hikes back to wherever they flipped from).
Yesterday we met out first NOBO who was planning to flip. He was headed to Manchester Center and planned to flip up to Katahdin and then hike south back to Manchester.
We’ve also met some SOBOs (south bound hikers). Two had been part of a nine person hiking group until a trail “demon” “helped” them.
They got to the bridge at Hanover. The demon kept encouraging people to keep jumping until they were all injured. Some of them it took a few jumps, some got badly hurt their first jump.
I could tell the one kid really missed their hiking group or trail family. She may not make it past Massachusetts.
Also heard that more “thru-hikers” are skipping more of the trail. It used to be lots skipped the Wildcats—it is too easy to grab a hostel shuttle on one side and “return” to the trail on the other.
But this year a bunch skipped northern Virginia. The same people then skipped Pennsylvania. You can see how that goes.
They’re finishing the trail while people who were in the same bubble have 500 to 600 miles left to do.