Date: 2013-12-10
From: Tampa

To: Sand Key Beach
Miles today: 0.0

Even though I wrote the many ways you can say "Done" on my last blog, in as many languages as I could phonetically spell out, I'm not sure I really want this adventure to be "done". I have two very sensitive and insightful friends who are both encouraging me to write down what I want to hold onto most from this journey. They also think I should write a book with the girls. Even if it never gets as far as being published it will be a collection of our memories of our adventure. The girls do want to write it, especially Cub who dreams of being a writer. They also think I should start a blog outside of TJ. I'm contemplating that. So the LAST day...was spectacular and beyond any of our wildest dreams. Everyone told us finishing at Springer would be anticlimactic. But no! It was anything but! Katahdin is a magnificent way to finish, no doubt. As flip floppers we were able to witness and share every thru hiker's excitement and joy but also their sadness about it being over. That insight gave us the ability to cherish our last miles. We were actually thankful we had more miles to walk. Psychologically we were walking home and that was in itself more exciting for us. We also were then joined and helped by so many family members and friends. So on the last morning we woke to 40 degree weather. Blueberry, Strangler and Lord of the Flame found it very cold and piled on the layers. We three felt like it was warm compared to our last month on the trail. We discovered the evidence of an aggressive mouse attack on our food supply. Blueberry is a frugal man and not one to let the mice win therefore he happily munched away on the mice-chewed snickers bars. He'd make an awesome thru hiker! Shortly after breakfast, our last Jet Boiled oatmeal, Blueberry and Strangler took all the stuff back to the car. I decided to continue to carry my backpack. I used it while I slack packed so that I could easily drink, could carry food and jackets,etc and to keep warm. While we waited Lord of the Flame summounded a fire so we could stay warm. Since it rained all night and the wood was wet that was an impressive feat. After some time Blueberry and Strangler returned, hiking in with big smiles and two of our dearest, lifelong friends, John and Sherry. Their trail names became Rojo Ocho and Captain Underpants. The girls and I adore these people so we yelled and hugged and jumped around. We all then proceeded like a merry band of happy hikers in a parade, talking and laughing as we hiked our last eight miles. Just like Katahdin where we had weeks of rain and cold only to have the sun burst out on our summit day, so too was this day. Like bookends to our journey, we had a sunny, blue sky pretty day. The hike was easy, passing over streams and foot bridges. Blueberry made us stop occasionally so that we could document those final miles. We met our last SOBO, a hiker named Gospel. He was thin, big bearded and weary looking. He'd been hiking all night. When I asked him what he planned to do when he got off the trial he smiled and answered,"Getting married!" Best answer I've heard I the trail. When we got to the parking lot a mile before Springer we stopped to drop off jackets,etc at the cars. Significant to us but inappropriate to mention and just plain gross to non-hikers, we took our last outdoor bathroom break. We even gave Rojo Ocho some professional pointers. Strangler and LOTF hiked ahead, claiming they were slower than us so they needed a head start. Blueberry delayed us with all kinds of tactics. Eventually we hiked up he last bit. I felt very emotional and also elated that we had actually done it. I knew at this point I could crawl if need be. When heard the cheers first then we looked up to see red, white and blue streamers everywhere. There was a strand stretched across our finish line, by the final blaze. We threw down our poles, held hands and lunged across. The girls and I formed a circle and hugged and kissed. We did our happy dance, kissed the blaze, touched the plaques together and signed our last trail journal. I started to cry when I wrote my thank you to Terry Scott, the Vietnam Vet who first showed me the trail and who is no longer alive to know I did it. Somehow I have to hope he does. We popped a bottle of champagne and ate red velvet cake. We got our last trail magic and boy was it a doozy!! Gospel's fianc©, who by the way was worth hiking all night for...what a cutie...brought their wedding photographer with her to get some shots for he wedding. This photographer from Atlanta offered to take some shots of us!! I will add her name and hopefully the photos later. I'm actually sitting on the beach in 84 degree weather right now. Badonkadonk is with me. We are getting the chill out of our bones. I'm hoping the salt water heals my aching feet and disgusting toenails. Okay so after that amazing occurrence we hike back down and there stands Roxann and Steve, our friends from TN who feed us, kept us clean and warm and slack packed us through those cold days. We again yelled, cried, hugged and danced. We all proceeded to the cabin Blueberry had arranged for us. It was in Amicolola State Park. It was a bargain and very charming and roomy. Steve broke out his fruit enhanced moonshine to warm us up. We helped Roxann unload the huge pile of stuff she packed: blow up mattresses, blankets, food, coolers,etc. She is the most nurturing woman on this planet. After showers and putting on JEANS and COTTON (sigh!) we went to the park's lodge restaurant. It was so festive and fun to watch as Santa was there for all of the employees children. All of the kids were dressed to the hilt and just glowing with smiles of joy and anticipation. We pigged out, or mostly the girls and I did! My brother and husband looked at me in amazement as I took a dinner plate and filled it with desserts and ate it all, this being after I'd already cleaned a few full plates of buffet dinner foods. We all went back to the toasty cabin, sharing stories and laughing until late into the night. It was a perfect day!   I'm going to stop with that for now. In a few days I will update my gear list and recommendations. I am happy to give advice to anyone who seeks it. I will reflect for a fewdays more and then blog about our return home and how that feels. Cub is back in school, Badonkadonk and I feel like a part of us is missing. Tomorrow I go back to work so we will all be apart for the first time. It will be strange...it all feels strange right now. Let me process this and think on it a bit and I'll get back on TJ with my overly sentimental feelings and thoughts about the trail.