International Appalachian Trail - Thru-Hiker Update on Ray Hicks

Ray called yesterday. I hadn't heard anything from him for a week and a half. He told me when he left no news would be good news, but we all KNOW RAY! He has lost a lot of weight. He can't consume enough calories. He is proving the theory burn more calories than you consume and the weight will come off. He says he is too thin and was headed to eat the biggest steak he could find. As always he has had to go off his blood pressure medicine.This always happens on a major hike like this. His cholesterol always is in check too. His hike has been cold and rainy. I told him he won't mind the Florida heat when he returns.He had to replace his backpack and bought a internal frame which he stated he would never use prior to this trip. He says it is very comfortable.There is a Canadian news team chasing him for a story but they seem to keep missing him. He rises @ 5:oo a.m.to start his hike.He is currently hiking with two French Canadian men and they are teaching each other their native languages.I don't think he had the goal of learning a foreign language in mind when he left for this trip.We are never too old to learn. He is having a great time and says the pictures he is taking will never justify the beauty of this area.They had some major storms last winter and there are some areas of blow downs that can be dangerous for hikers.He has seen multitudes of moose and spotted a bear and her cubs but that was off in the distance.I received a memory card with 500 pictures in the mail and he said he has just about filled another.I'll get those loaded and pass some of the best ones on to you asap.For those of you who have a map of this area he had just come down from Mount Albert(Chic-Chocs Mountains) in Gasp`esie National Park in Quebec. Looking at the map it appears he doesn't have far to go now.Hope this give everyone an idea where he is and how soon he will be home. He says he should be done Aug.10-14 if everything continues as well as it has so far.