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  1. #1
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Default Where's 82 Year Old Grey Beard?

    Just curious. I crossed paths several times with Grey Beard late this spring south of Harper's Ferry. I know he made it to Harper's Ferry, because I saw his picture standing in front of the ATC. Does anyone know where he is now? I'm interested to see if he does become the oldest hiker to do a thru hike.
    Trail Name - Slapshot
    "One step at a time."
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  2. #2
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    ...I understand he has some health issues... but wanted to finish. not sure beyond that.
    Lazarus

  3. #3
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1azarus View Post
    ...I understand he has some health issues... but wanted to finish. not sure beyond that.
    Health issues? He looked pretty strong when I saw him; although he was slack packing. Any details on the health issues? Knee problems maybe?
    Trail Name - Slapshot
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  4. #4

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    Mt. Moosilauke.
    There is another thread on whiteblaze about him called octogenarian or something like that.
    Also he is on facebook as Greybeard Adventurer I think.
    There is a spot tracker working.
    http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...JoJ665urRuezkx

    He hiked from Springer Georgia to Boiling Springs PA, flipped north to Katahdin and started hiking south for his second half. After the hundred mile wilderness he had some trouble and got medical care and rest for awhile back down south. I'm not sure of the specific health issue.
    Now he's driving back to Maine to continue south but has taken advantage of good weather to stop on his drive north and hike the Whites. There are short videos on facebook.

  5. #5
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info. I tried looking at his Spot location info, but it's not that easy on a smartphone. I'll check him out on my desktop later. He is active right now, so that's good to see.
    Trail Name - Slapshot
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  6. #6
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    Saw him in the log books, from the omelette man through most the huts in the whites. I'm in gorham now and he was just a couple days ahead at each book.

  7. #7
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    That is too cool! Hope I'm like that at 82!

    Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    I just located Grey Beard on his Spot tracker web site. He is currently in the Mahoosuc Public Reserve Land, which is around Newry, ME. The exact location has him off the trail a bit. I don't know if that is a GPS problem or he took a side trail to get to a river (close by his current location). HIs Latitude and Longitude are:
    44.52518 , -70.9809

    According to Google, he is about 200 miles from Katahdin, so it looks like he is going to make it.
    Trail Name - Slapshot
    "One step at a time."
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by ldsailor;[FONT=Arial


    According to Google, he is about 200 miles from Katahdin, so it looks like he is going to make it.
    [/FONT]
    Ack! Don't jinx him.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by ldsailor View Post


    According to Google, he is about 200 miles from Katahdin, so it looks like he is going to make it.
    Don't forget he flipflopped and so he still needs PA, NY, CT, MA, and VT as well as the remaining miles in ME. He said he plans to finish in Harpers Ferry.

  11. #11
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by black chucks View Post
    Don't forget he flipflopped and so he still needs PA, NY, CT, MA, and VT as well as the remaining miles in ME. He said he plans to finish in Harpers Ferry.
    Are you sure about that? When you wrote that in your earlier post, I looked at his Spot track and it was tracking north. I know the trail sometimes makes turns away from north, but his track today is still north.

    Given his time on the trail, plus when he and I met on the trail in early June, he pretty much is where he would be while maintaining a consistent track north.

    Are you or anyone on WB in touch with Grey Beard, so we can find out for sure?
    Trail Name - Slapshot
    "One step at a time."
    Blog - www.tonysadventure.com

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by ldsailor View Post
    Are you sure about that? When you wrote that in your earlier post, I looked at his Spot track and it was tracking north. I know the trail sometimes makes turns away from north, but his track today is still north.

    Given his time on the trail, plus when he and I met on the trail in early June, he pretty much is where he would be while maintaining a consistent track north.

    Are you or anyone on WB in touch with Grey Beard, so we can find out for sure?
    Jan & Greg (NOBO doing a video on their trek) ran into him a week and a half ago in northern New Hampshire. They said he was doing well and trekking north.
    zig-zag man

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  13. #13
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    HyLo reported on her trail journal site that he is hiking with Warren Doyle's group for the time being.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by ldsailor View Post
    Are you sure about that? When you wrote that in your earlier post, I looked at his Spot track and it was tracking north. I know the trail sometimes makes turns away from north, but his track today is still north.

    Given his time on the trail, plus when he and I met on the trail in early June, he pretty much is where he would be while maintaining a consistent track north.

    Are you or anyone on WB in touch with Grey Beard, so we can find out for sure?
    I am not really "in touch" but the following is from his "Greybeard Adventurer" Facebook, after he drove back to Tennessee for a rest break:

    [Dale Sanders August 6 at 12:40pm
    I am departing Tennessee today for the APPALACHIAN TRAIL. Should be on the trail with SPOT TRACKER working NLT Wednesday. Will drive by the White Mountains and if weather is good will finish hiking them first and then on to Maine. If weather is bad will proceed on to the mountains of southern Maine, hike south through the Whites and on down to Pensalvania. In either case my plans are to hike to the finished line, completing my AT - "Through Hike" attempt in one year or less becoming the oldest person to ever do so. Hope to finish before November 2017. Please follow me on SPOT TRACKER : http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp….]

    I've been watching his SPOT regularly and I'm sure he still needs part of NH, all of VT, MA, CT, NY, and most of PA. I recall he stated somewhere that he skipped one mile at Harpers Ferry so he could finish there. Blackchucks.

  15. #15

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    Maybe the following will help sort his story out, if anyone wants to read it all. It has been confusing to follow.
    I met him in Virginia and learned then of his plan to flipflop to Katahdin after Harper's Ferry. Below are some various older posts from "Greybeard Adventurer" facebook, which outline his jumping north from Boiling Springs PA, hiking from Katahdin to Monson, then driving to Tennessee and back to New Hampshire. He's already done Katahdin and will soon be hiking south to finish. Notice he took two breaks of a week or more each.

    [Dale Sanders June 22
    UPDATE. Yes I have now hiked well over halfway - Arrived at the AT Field Office, Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. Will flip flop NORTH today. But first it's TIME FOR LITTLE R&R.- yes no SPOT TRACKER. Destinations - well true R&R at an undisclosed location (s) . NOT A HOSPITAL. I feel fine, other than lost weight and couple foot stone bruises. Ten days should do the trick. Next time you see my SPOT - it will ping north for hiking back to Boiling Springs. Hope to finish at Harpers Ferry late September. Saved the last mile between the rivers at Harpers Ferry just for that. I will post on FB much as I can. Please bare with me - Web access, logistics and time have taken there toll when it comes to FB. Last three weeks hiking were great: Did 105 miles in miles in seven days; 104 miles in five and half days; and 119.6 mles this past in six days. Yes I am ahead of schedule. Time for a break.]

    [Dale Sanders July 17
    ..."Have been several days without WiFi or cell coverage coverage for FB postings. But the good news I was able to Sumit Mt Katahdin last Thursday. Am posting single images first. Videos to follow. Ther are from the first 15 south bound trail miles. The weather was perfect for photography. It did rain and was cool up there. Wet rocks were made climbing different. Climbing it was - I would call most of the 5.2 miles up to the sumit "rock climbing". Enjoy the beauty. "]

    [Dale Sanders July 28
    Hiked the 100 mile wilderness from Mt. Katahdin Summit to Monson, Maine. I “flip-flopped” at Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. Total 1250 Appalachian Trail miles hiked from Springer Mt. George. Bad news - had to visit the Doctor and ER facilities in Greenville, Maine immediately after completing the wilderness. Medications, fluids and rest prescribed seamed to be helping a bit but the source of the problem is still a mystery. Any activity that increases blood pressure seams to intensifies the bleeding. Weight loss is also a concern. Needless to say no hiking for me until this problems is fixed. I am now in route to a larger, better equipped hospital where more thorough test can be performed. Please pray for me that the cause of the internal bleeding can be found, corrected and that I soon get cleared for hiking once again. Will post summary of any significant changes on FB.]

    [Dale Sanders August 6
    I am departing Tennessee today for the APPALACHIAN TRAIL. Should be on the trail with SPOT TRACKER working NLT Wednesday. Will drive by the White Mountains and if weather is good will finish hiking them first and then on to Maine. If weather is bad will proceed on to the mountains of southern Maine, hike south through the Whites and on down to Pensalvania. In either case my plans are to hike to the finished line, completing my AT - "Through Hike" attempt in one year or less becoming the oldest person to ever do so. Hope to finish before November 2017. Please follow me on SPOT TRACKER : http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp….]

    [Dale Sanders August 17
    Last eight days I have been hiking the White Mountains. Very little cell service in the southern portion. Please, hope you understand why there are periods of several days without a post. Very Happy last night cause tomorrow morning I hike the last leg of the Whites south side of the Mt Washington. Reached Crawford Notch yesterday afternoon an meeting with New Hampshire PBS TV this am. Plans are to since my phone with the Cloud this afternoon an consequences lots of new FB photos and videos will be posted soon there after.]

    So as I said, he still needs part of NH, all of VT, MA, CT, NY, and most of PA. -Blackchucks




  16. #16
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by black chucks View Post
    Maybe the following will help sort his story out, if anyone wants to read it all. It has been confusing to follow.
    I met him in Virginia and learned then of his plan to flipflop to Katahdin after Harper's Ferry. Below are some various older posts from "Greybeard Adventurer" facebook, which outline his jumping north from Boiling Springs PA, hiking from Katahdin to Monson, then driving to Tennessee and back to New Hampshire. He's already done Katahdin and will soon be hiking south to finish. Notice he took two breaks of a week or more each.
    Thank you for clarifying. Man, his overall track is hard to follow.

    I'm heading back to Harper's Ferry in September to continue my LASH north and it looks like Grey Beard and I may cross paths again.

    I hope he makes it. Those medical problems don't sound good.

  17. #17

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    Facebook post from "Greybeard Adventurer" as he continues to fill in the gaps in his multiple-flip-flopping thru hike:

    [Dale Sanders August 31 ·
    An up date. All's well as can be expected. This old body is feeling the mountains of Southern Maine. Just can't climb mountains like before no matter how good condition I am in. This is my schedule next couple weeks: I will finish Maine at Monson in four or five days from now. Drive to NH Hwy 25A and hike into Hanover. Only 33 miles left to do in NH. Plan on being in Hanover, NH around September 8 or 9. Would love to have trail Angel support going into Vermont. Anyone in the north Vermont area that might be able to help please FB message me. — at Saddleback Mountain (Rangeley, Maine).]

  18. #18

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    More recent facebook posts from "Greybeard Adventurer." He's going south now and should reach Vermont today. -Blackchucks

    [Dale Sanders September 7
    Update as of September 6, 2017: I now have hikes all the Appalachian Trail north of NH Highwy 25A - all 408.5 miles north of there. Plans for tomorrow are to start my hike south there, eventually finishing the entire trail, all 2190 miles of her, when I reach Boiling Springs PA. God willing for it has been hard on this old man and with out him and my family, my wife Meriam, dedicated fans and followers I would never have made it this far. Also want to thank the crew and Warren Doyle team for allowing me to hike with them from the last three days in the White Mountains, all the way through the southern Maine mountains. With out the team support I likely would not have made it trough these very difficult remote southern Main giants. My route tomorrow will take me 16.2 miles south of 25A to the Grafton Turnpike AT crossing. Then one more day in NH and Vermont next.]

    [September 9
    This morning, Greybeard began hiking the FINAL 16 miles in New Hampshire - which he noted is the *hardest* state along the AT ! (Tomorrow he begins his journey across Vermont.)]

  19. #19

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    If he does complete New Hampshire today he will have hiked around 1565 miles in 180 days (he started March 14) -- that includes a fair number of zero days for recuperation from illnesses and the rigors of hiking. He has about 625 miles left to get to Boiling Springs, so I'm guessing he will be hiking into November. I'm wishing him the best.
    Life Member: ATC, ALDHA, Superior Hiking Trail Association

  20. #20

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    He's in Massachusetts. Four states to go!
    MA, CT, NY, & PA.
    http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...JoJ665urRuezkx

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