Episode #574 - Days 136-138 Appalachian Trail 2026

Day number 136, which was last Wednesday, Osgoode Tent Site, mile 1873.4, to Madison Golf Bridge Detour, mile 1876, at 2.6 mile nero.

One of the things about the AT is that it is constantly changing.

Every year the length of the trail changes and diversions and detours are often to be considered.

This year, for example, and last year as well, no doubt, we've had several substantial detours in the south, with whole swathes of forest taken away from the path as work is done to either log the area or make it fit to hike in.

Well, when I was looking ahead on far out, I noticed what they now call a purple blaze and read about it.

There is now a detour that avoids the Wildcats, the notoriously difficult climbs after Binkham Notch.

The detour is a route recommended by the ATC for this year, the reason given that the bridge is out that leads to the Wildcats.

And because they suggest it, the ATC have stated that this detour counts as part of a through hike.

I needed absolutely no further encouragement.

And Luke and I decided that we would take advantage of this little detour.

An additional benefit was that I could get into Gorham, across Route 16 I believe, and get my podcast out.

From what I've seen this year, a bunch of people through hiking have decided to take the detour, and I felt good about that choice.

We'd really enjoyed our stay at the Osgoode tent site, even managing to get over that horrendous descent the previous afternoon.

I mean, it was still hurting us.

I've got to tell you, at the moment I'm nursing, I've got some fluid on my knee.

I'm not sure what that's all about.

It's getting quite puffy right now.

And I've also got what feels like a bruise on the bottom of my heel, right at the bottom of my foot.

That only hurts every other step.

So I'm trying to survive that and try to make that work for me going forward.

As we had the night before, me, Nuke and Real Estate had breakfast on our tent bed.

They set off to the short hike to the road.

The detour starts right at the tent site and we were initially confused if we were going the right way because we saw temporary white blazes indicating that we were on the right path but there was also white blazes of course on the main AT itself.

We got to the road, said goodbye to real estate and started to try for a hitch into Gorham, walking about 200 yards up the road as the cars flashed by.

Luke called out that he has service and ordered the only Uber in town, driven by Mike, who introduced himself as the only Uber driver in town.

Day number 136, which was last Wednesday, Osgoode Tent Site, mile 1873.4, to Madison Golf Bridge Detour, mile 1876, at 2.6 mile nero.

One of the things about the AT is that it is constantly changing.

Every year the length of the trail changes and diversions and detours are often to be considered.

This year, for example, and last year as well, no doubt, we've had several substantial detours in the south, with whole swathes of forest taken away from the path as work is done to either log the area or make it fit to hike in.

Well, when I was looking ahead on far out, I noticed what they now call a purple blaze and read about it.

There is now a detour that avoids the Wildcats, the notoriously difficult climbs after Binkham Notch.

The detour is a route recommended by the ATC for this year, the reason given that the bridge is out that leads to the Wildcats.

And because they suggest it, the ATC have stated that this detour counts as part of a through hike.

I needed absolutely no further encouragement.

And Luke and I decided that we would take advantage of this little detour.

An additional benefit was that I could get into Gorham, across Route 16 I believe, and get my podcast out.

From what I've seen this year, a bunch of people through hiking have decided to take the detour, and I felt good about that choice.

We'd really enjoyed our stay at the Osgoode tent site, even managing to get over that horrendous descent the previous afternoon.

I mean, it was still hurting us.

I've got to tell you, at the moment I'm nursing, I've got some fluid on my knee.

I'm not sure what that's all about.

It's getting quite puffy right now.

And I've also got what feels like a bruise on the bottom of my heel, right at the bottom of my foot.

That only hurts every other step.

So I'm trying to survive that and try to make that work for me going forward.

As we had the night before, me, Nuke and Real Estate had breakfast on our tent bed.

They set off to the short hike to the road.

The detour starts right at the tent site and we were initially confused if we were going the right way because we saw temporary white blazes indicating that we were on the right path but there was also white blazes of course on the main AT itself.

We got to the road, said goodbye to real estate and started to try for a hitch into Gorham, walking about 200 yards up the road as the cars flashed by.

Luke called out that he has service and ordered the only Uber in town, driven by Mike, who introduced himself as the only Uber driver in town.