It was another hot day in Maine.  Ed was later to say that he had been to Maine on many occasions and never had it been so HOT.  As he was passing the Bristol town offices, an older man hurried out and identified himself as a Selectman and asked what Ed was doing painting on the telephone pole in front of the town offices.  Ed explained that he was marking the interim on-road ECG route.  Much to his surprise, the Selectman said, "You are the guy that is hiking from Calais to Kittery.  I have heard of you.  You are all right.  Keep up the good work.  I thought you were some punk placing directions to the next Pot party."

Ed, a little advice; you need to stop wearing those hip-hop clothes & jive sunglasses -- you dude.  Start looking like a conventional backpacker so as to not alarm the local officials.

 Ed finished that day, yesterday, with an interview with the local press and a photo before being hosted by the Damariscotta Greenway group for the night.  The following morning (today), I found Ed along the route conducting another interview with another newspaper reporter.  Ed was surprised to see me as we were to next meet when he got to Portland.  He suspected bad news.  I had received a phone call and e-mail from the American Hiking Society the night before that his mother had passed away.  Ed was visibly upset with the news.  Although his mother was in her '80s and not in the best of health, she was not in imminent health risk when he left Maryland.  After about a half dozen phone calls to friends and family, Ed asked for a ride to Portland to catch the next train to DC.  He should be passing Philadelphia as I write this note--enroute to be with his father (also in his 80s) and his brother and sister.

 Later today, the cold front swept in from the North.  Ed never did experience the typical Maine cool September weather that he expected.  He was disappointed not to be able to complete his walk across Maine.  Ed loved the Calais branch rail corridor and feels that this will be a spectacular rail trail and was looking forward to experiencing the Eastern Trail RR corridor at the southern end of Maine.  He vowed to come back someday to finish his walk.

 Ed, thanks for your efforts in raising the awareness about the East Coast Greenway in Maine.  Come back anytime.  We promise the same hospitality and guarantee cool (& wet) weather.