And this was at US Route 20 in Massachusetts at the end of what I called "Both Ends to the Middle." Flip flop was not known in the 1970s and while I tried to do GA to ME, a late start in June made that a challenge.
My story from 1975.
On Thursday, June 12th, 1975, and I reached US Route 20, following many roads until I got to Goose Pond. As fitting, it was rainy. I took my ceremonious photo of the AT sign at the highway, shortly after crossing the Mass Turnpike. Like the previous October, no one would pick up a soaking wet backpacker. I got my bus ticket and was encouraged to visit the town’s jail to change clothes in Lee and be more presentable for the long bus trip. I had hiked the entire AT.
Since this trip was before Cell Phones and Uber, I took a Greyhound Bus home to Maryland for $23.70!
Another bus trip took me to Maryland, and by that weekend I was to start a summer job at Camp Straus in Hancock Maryland. I had started college the spring term at Harford Community College and I worked summers at Scout camps and then transferred to then Towson State University before becoming a Camp Ranger for another 4 years after a couple tours as a seasonal ranger for Maryland State Parks. On an Outward Bound Winter trip on Mt Moosilauke in New Hampshire in the early 1980s I decided to return to college and would receive doctoral degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1990. (Whew, enuff links ey?)
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