Trail Blazer Read online

  “But when it goes on for so long,” said Naomi. “When you believe it for so long, it just becomes engrained in your head. It’s so hard to let it all go.”

  “Is there something you’re trying to let go?” asked Gretchen.

  “A lot of things,” admitted Naomi. “A lot of my upbringing, I guess.”

  “I’m sorry you had such a… traditional upbringing.”

  “It’s held me back a lot,” said Naomi. “You know I’m named after a Biblical character, right?”

  “No,” said Gretchen. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Naomi had to leave home with her husband and sons because of a famine,” Naomi began. “But eventually, her husband and sons all died. She endured destitution and poverty, and she was bitter about it all. At one point, she tells people to call her Mara. I don’t remember why. It must mean something in Hebrew. Maybe Mara actually means bitter.”

  “What does it all mean?” asked Gretchen. “Aren’t those stories supposed to have a message or a moral? A parable, right?”

  “I don’t know,” said Naomi. “The whole story seems kind of... patriarchal, in a way. Naomi ends up persuading her daughter-in-law Ruth to marry this guy, they have a kid, and then Naomi cares for him. Because they’re broke, I think? I mean, she’s just this woman doing what she has to do. But it all feels so submissive.”

  “Do you resent your name?”

  “No,” Naomi said plainly. “It’s just a name. I think it’s pretty, actually.”

  “It is,” agreed Gretchen. “It’s a nice name.”

  “But maybe I do sort of feel like Naomi,” she said. “Bitter about certain things I had no control over. It can be hard to get over that.”

  “Maybe we should just call you Nova now,” Gretchen softly teased, reaching over and giving Naomi’s side a squeeze. This simple touch sent shivers up Naomi’s spine. She reached out and took Gretchen’s hand.

  “Maybe I should go by Nova,” said Naomi. “Not just on the trail, but in life.”

  “Mmm,” hummed Gretchen happily, her fingers playing with Naomi’s.

  “I’m sorry,” said Naomi, now pulling her hand back. “We should probably sleep. I didn’t mean to start talking.”

  “That’s okay,” said Gretchen. Underneath the covers, she tried to once again find Naomi’s hand. But it didn’t want to be found.

  “I’m just going to turn over,” said Naomi. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Gretchen.”

  “All right,” Gretchen replied with a hint of disappointment. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Goodnight,” said Naomi.

  “Goodnight.”

  When Gretchen and Naomi stepped out of the airport terminal in Bangor, Maine, the sun was shining brightly and they were hit with a blast of heat and humidity. The airport was small and a little outdated, but it was nice to arrive at an airport that wasn’t completely overrun with other passengers, speeding about frantically. It was generally calm at Banger International, and that made them both feel good after the insanity at O’Hare.

  “I can’t believe the difference,” mused Naomi, looking out into the early afternoon through her sunglasses, adjusting her backpack for greater comfort. “From Cherry Capital to O’Hare to Bangor. It’s all over the place.”

  “Yeah, O’Hare is one of the big ones,” said Gretchen. “I’m glad you got to see it on your first time flying.” She, too, wore a backpack and she also carried their shared duffel. Gretchen looked around outside the terminal for what might be their transportation.

  “It is hot today,” said Naomi, fanning herself off and then airing out the sleeves of her t-shirt.

  “It definitely is,” Gretchen aggreed absently, still looking around. She spotted a small SUV that matched the description she had of their car service. Stepping closer to it, she looked inside. Once the woman inside saw her, she grinned and waved, and then proceeded to hop out of the car and approach the girls.

  “Ladies,” said the woman with a pleased face and a confident tone. She was stocky, yet looked strong. “I’m Babs. Pleased to meet you.”

  Babs stuck out her hand and both Gretchen and Naomi shook in turn.

  “Gretchen.”

  “Naomi.”

  “Hot one, isn’t it?” said Babs. She removed a pink visor from her head and fanned herself off. “I’ve got the AC on blast in the car. Let’s get your bags in there and skedaddle.”

  Reaching out, Babs took the duffel from Gretchen and lead them both around to the back. She opened up the rear door of the SUV, and they all loaded their bags in. Just as quickly as she’d opened the door, Babs pushed it closed with one hand.

  “Get in, get in,” she ushered them impatiently. “We’re going to melt out here.” Naomi offered a short laugh and followed their driver’s command. Soon, Babs was back in the driver’s seat, while the girls sat in the back.

  And then they hit the road.

  “Now I know you said you wanted to stop in Bangor,” said Babs. It was then that the girls really started to notice Babs’ accent. Her words came out more like “staup en Bangah.”

  “Right,” agreed Gretchen. “We wanted to pick up some supplies at a grocery store.”

  “If you gals are doing the 100 Mile Wilderness,” said Babs. “There’s a nice little general store in Monson that’ll have everything you need. Let’s get out of the city, we’ll go there, then I’ll take you to the Hiker Hostel.”

  “Yeah?” said Gretchen, looking over at Naomi. Naomi just shrugged.

  “Oh yeah,” said Babs, her accent really coming out again. “Monson’s really coming around. Some big money is coming in to help revitalize the town. The hiking helps. And all the otts.”

  “The otts?” reiterated Naomi, looking to Gretchen for clarification.

  “Otts,” Gretchen said up to Babs. “What’s that?”

  “You know,” said Babs. “Otts. Ottists. Painting and such. They’re starting to make Monson their home.”

  “Oh,” said Gretchen with a grin. “Arts.”

  “Right,” replied Babs, laughing. “That’s what I said.” Naomi laughed as well and grinned wide, putting her hand over her mouth.

  “Okay,” said Gretchen. “I think we’re fine with picking up supplies in Monson, if this store you know of will have everything we need.”

  “Oh sure,” said Babs. “A lot of hikers come through, so they cater to that. You’ll be fine.”

  “All right, then,” replied Gretchen. “Cool?” she asked Naomi.

  “Yeah, cool,” Naomi replied.

  “So where did you gals say you were from?” said Babs, looking at them through the rearview mirror as she drove.

  “Traverse City, Michigan,” said Gretchen. “Way up north in the Lower Peninsula.”

  “Oh, I bet it’s beautiful up there,” said Babs. “Maybe a lot like here in Maine. Though I bet Maine could give Michigan a run for its money. They don’t call us Vacationland for nothing.”

  “We’re really looking forward to the beauty here,” said Naomi. “We’re hoping to see a lot of it on the hike.”

  “Oh yeah,” said Babs. “You’ll bee seeing Katahdin on your hike. It’s the highest mountain in Maine. But I don’t think you’re climbing it, are you? You’re just doing the hundred miles?”

  “Right,” said Gretchen.

  “Katahdin is the end of the Appalachian Trail,” said Babs. “Maybe you’ll do that all next time.”

  “I’d love to,” replied Gretchen. “That’s a big commitment.”

  “Yeah, my cousin and her guy did it one time,” Babs revealed. “They were gone for six months. My God. When they got back to Maine, I hardly recognized them. They both lost so much weight. You gals don’t have anything on you to lose. Bulk up before you go on that one. That’s my advice.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be doing it,” Naomi said and laughed.

  “I don’t blame you,” said Babs. “Me neither.”

  “Let’s see how we do on this hike before we make a decision
either way,” teased Gretchen, nudging Naomi softly with her elbow.

  “Yeah, we’ll see,” Naomi replied, offering yet another laugh.

  It took over an hour for them to drive from the airport out to Monson, and the ride was smooth and easy. Even on the highway, there was a lot of nature to look at. And in a way, it did feel somewhat like Northern Michigan. Babs was entertaining throughout the ride, and she either loved the sound of her own voice or was born without a vocal filter. She always had something to say and had a colorfully accented way of saying it. For some reason, Babs’ accent really tickled Naomi. Although she didn’t speak up as much as Gretchen did, Naomi’s contribution to the conversation was usually laughter as she tried to figure out some of the words that Babs said.

  The general store in downtown Monson was exactly as Babs had described it. And it was one of the only stores downtown. Conveniently enough, the general store was literally around the corner from the Hiker Hostel and the girls very well could have walked back and forth to get their supplies. But Babs insisted on waiting for them so they wouldn’t have to carry their groceries and all their bags down to their accommodations. When all was said and done, Babs dropped Gretchen and Naomi off in front of the Hiker Hostel, she wished them well and waved, and then she was gone.

  The hostel looked almost like an old farmhouse, with white siding and a simple screen door out front. As they entered inside, both Gretchen and Naomi got the impression that it was a relaxed sort of place. It looked like it had one time been someone’s home, and it had transformed over the years into something more of an institution. It definitely gave off a hippie vibe.

  As they brought their stuff inside, a woman approached them with a smile. She had dark hair pushed back with an elastic band around her forehead, small wire-framed glasses, and an olive-toned complexion. This woman exuded friendliness.

  “Howdy,” she said. “Welcome to the Hiker Hostel. I’m Chickie.”

  “Naomi,” replied Naomi, smiling as she shook Chickie’s hand.

  “Gretchen,” said Gretchen, following suit. “We talked on the phone.”

  “That’s right!” confirmed Chickie. “You girls have a double room.”

  “We do,” Gretchen agreed.

  “Great,” said Chickie. “Let’s get your stuff all put away and then we can sit down and hash out your plans. You’re starting tomorrow?”

  “Yes,” both women said at once.

  “Okay, well we’ll be able to help with anything you need,” said Chickie. “Let’s get you to your room, then I’ve got a cold beer or soda with your names on it.”

  Gretchen and Naomi both smiled. With a wave of her hand, Chickie beckoned them to follow her and they eagerly did so. Wandering throughout the Hiker Hostel, they saw a handful of other hikers just like them, sitting around and communing, talking about their hike or the hike they were about to embark upon. It was obviously a convivial group of people staying here. To Gretchen, this was exactly the kind of experience she had hoped to find herself in. And Naomi, she was pleasantly surprised and comforted by the atmosphere at the Hiker Hostel.

  After ditching their bags and each being handed a beer by a large, burly man with a red beard—a man they soon discovered was Chickie’s husband, and co-owner of the hostel, Bard—Gretchen and Naomi followed the couple back down into a dining room area. It all felt so exciting to be on the precipice of this new adventure. Gretchen had been enthused about it for weeks, but now she could really see the thrill in Naomi’s eyes as well.

  It was getting real. It wouldn’t be too much longer until they were out on the trail together.

  “The best place for us to send someone out to meet you,” said Bard, sitting across the table from Gretchen and Naomi, with his wife Chickie by his side. “Would be right about here.” Using a pencil, he pointed at a spot on the map that lay unfolded open on the table.

  “Most likely your fourth day,” Chickie said.

  “How does it work?” Gretchen asked. “How will you know when to meet us?”

  “It will be Theo meeting you,” said Bard. “He’ll be out there around noon or so and will stick around for a couple hours. Just try to land in that window. He’ll know who he’s delivering to. If anything changes, you can give us a call. There are spots where you’ll get cell phone service.”

  “If you get all of your resupply stuff together in a bag,” Chickie continued. “You can give it to me tonight or tomorrow morning, and that’s what Theo will bring out. We’ll also bring you out a complimentary beer or soda, whatever you prefer.”

  “Probably a beer after hiking that long,” Gretchen said with a grin. “Right?”

  “Yeah, a beer would be good,” agreed Naomi.

  “Great,” said Chickie with a smile. She made a note on a piece of paper in front of her.

  “At the end of your hike,” said Bard. “Someone will pick you up at the Abol Bridge Campground, right here,” he said, again pointing with his pencil. “It will probably be in the evening, around six or seven. If you miss that pickup, you can call us and try to schedule something for the morning. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait another day to get back to the hostel.”

  “We can usually accommodate,” said Chickie. “We try our best. But please don’t be upset if you end up having to wait another day.”

  “It’s real pretty out there at Abol Bridge,” said Bard. “An extra day camping there isn’t the end of the world.”

  “Right,” Chickie agreed and smiled.

  “I think we’re looking at doing the entire hike in six days,” said Gretchen. “Do you think that’s doable for us?”

  “Are you experienced?” asked Bard.

  “I am,” confirmed Gretchen. “I’ve done a lot of hiking, plenty of camping, but nothing like this before. Nothing so long in the wilderness.”

  “What about you?” he asked Naomi.

  “I’m not as experienced as Gretchen,” she said. “Just shorter hikes and some camping experience. Though I’m decently athletic.”

  “I think it’ll be best if your resupply pack has enough food in it for four days,” said Bard. “Take four days with you on your way out, pick up four days in the middle. It’s better to have a little more than you need than not enough. In case you take a little longer than planned.”

  “The last half of the hike does have some quicker miles,” said Chickie. “But you never know how you might be feeling by then.”

  “Okay,” said Gretchen. She looked over to Naomi and smiled. Naomi’s response was a smile with a hint of worry in it.

  “We have a bin of packaged food you could look through that other hikers have left,” said Chickie. “And if you feel like you’re missing anything, we do have some food for sale and you can always make a quick run to the general store. You have water filters, right?”

  “Yes,” the girls said in unison.

  “You’ll be fine,” Chickie surmised, looking happy and kind.

  “I think that’s it,” said Bard with finality. “Depending on how you’re feeling, you could go meet some other hikers who might be heading out at the same time. Or you could do your own thing and get a shower and a good night’s rest. If you need anything, one of us is always around or you could call. Any more questions?”

  “I don’t think so,” said Gretchen. “I think I’ve got it.” She looked to Naomi and raised a brow.

  “Yeah, I’m good,” said Naomi. “I’m feeling a bit nervous, but excited. Happy, you know?”

  “Don’t worry,” Chickie said, reaching across the table and placing her hand atop Naomi’s. “You’ll do just fine. Just be smart and know your limits.”

  Naomi smiled back and she nodded in understanding.

  Later on, as the sun began to set, Gretchen and Naomi hung around in their private room, each of them going through their backpacks and making sure they had everything they needed. They both had things lying out on their beds, and they sorted through their supplies, extra clothing, various gear, everything. They were dressed
down for the night, and had already packed the clothes they had worn on the flight away into their duffel bag. Treating themselves, they bought another two bottles of beer and sipped them slowly as they prepared.

  “First aid kit,” Gretchen mused absently, recounting her things to herself. She moved the small bag of her first aid supplies from one section of the bed to the other. “Hammock. Sleeping bag. Tent pack.” Each of these things were of the very small, lightweight variety. Though every little thing added up in weight.

  “I feel like we just did this last night,” said Naomi.

  “We did,” Gretchen replied with a laugh, looking up from her work. Naomi grinned.

  “I know,” she said.

  “We just have to make sure,” Gretchen clarified. “I don’t want to be out there and realize we left something important behind.”

  “I’m with you,” Naomi agreed. “I’m just teasing you.”

  “You’re cool with carrying a little bit more of the food, right?” asked Gretchen. “Since I’ve got this tent?”

  “Yeah,” said Naomi. “That’s cool.”

  “Nice,” Gretchen exclaimed. She looked back down into her stuff and continued. “Lighter. Headlamp. Compass. Map.”

  “Knock knock,” said a voice coming from their bedroom door. The door was cracked open, and as Gretchen and Naomi turned to see who was speaking, they saw a carefree looking young woman peeking in at them. She had a smile on her face, and when she noticed that she’d been seen, she waved at them.

  “Come on in,” said Gretchen, standing up from her work and addressing the entering guest. She was skinny and tanned, barefoot, with her thin legs moving up into a short pair of running shorts. The t-shirt she wore was oversized, and didn’t look like it belonged to her. Her blonde hair was a bit of a mess, falling out of a bun that had obviously been made in haste.

  “Hey there,” she said. “I’m Stormy. You guys heading out tomorrow?”

  “Yeah,” said Gretchen, smiling a bit prouder. “We’re leaving tomorrow. I’m Gretchen… or, um, Piggy.”

  “Piggy,” said Stormy, reaching out and shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you.”