Date: 2007-11-24
From: St. Cloud, MN

To: St. Cloud, MN
Miles today: 0.0

Well, it is officially official. I can now say that I walked the AT (Southbound of course) from Maine to Georgia. My apologies to those that have been waiting on the edge of their seats in anticipation, but this is honestly the first moment I've had to sit down and crank out one last entry. So on November 17th the gang and myself walked 15 miles to the parking lot atop Springer Mountain (the AT's southern terminus) and were greeted by a handful of friends and loved ones. It was strange because even though all of our rides were there waiting for us with hugs, cheers and cold beverages, we still had .9 miles left to hike. After some pictures and some introductions we emptied the gear from our packs, loaded them with celebratory bevies and headed up to actual finish line. The feeling is one that I think I'll have a hard time describing for a long while to come. I was elated to be done yet sad to have to say goodbye to something that had become such a lifestyle for me. We took more pictures, called loved ones, and basked in the grandiosity of the moment. Or at least tried to. Even standing atop that mountain staring at the plaque and knowing that I had walked the absurd distance of 2,175 miles it still felt almost too big to comprehend. When the sun began to set we slowly and reluctanctly gathered up our belongings and headed back down to the parking lot. Up until this point I can say that emotionally I hadn't really been hit by the accomplishment. But as I walked down, at a remarkably slower pace than I typically hike I might add, I started to remember the few high and low moments that had stuck out along the way. Those times when I felt too scared to go on, or too wet and fed up to keep hiking. Or when I was leveled by the beauty of a moment atop a hill in the wake of calm sunset sky. I thought about all these moments and then suddenly the parking lot came into view and I saw my folks. That's when I pretty much lost it and had a nice moment hugging the life out of my folks. We caravaned down the mountain with the rest of the crew and had a nice dinner and then the next morning, it was done. I was in a car headed back to Minnesota with the trail in rearview mirror. I was sad to say goodbye to hiking everyday and living in the woods. But I think more so it was difficult to say farewell to the gang I'd hiked with for so long. We definetely formed a strange bond along the way; the kind people experience when put in extreme situations. I think that in the end, in the same way that friends and family, all of you that have given me words of encouragement along the way or all the trail magic people were nice enough to bestow upon me or all the great individuals I met hiking, that it was truly people that helped make this experience what it was for me. Certainly I learned a great deal about myself and about hiking. And seeing the eastern seaboard on foot was nice as well. But the people are what help you get going and keep going until you reach your goal. When I was nearing the end I received an excerpt from a poem by Wendell Berry from my friend Megan (who turns 23 on Monday, Happy Birthday Megan!!!) which I found inspiring and reflective of my experience:No, no, there is no going back.Less and less you arethat possibility you were.More and more you have becomethose lives and deathsthat have belonged to you.Thank you all so much for everything. It has been an unbelievable ride...Photos are now posted with more to come. They are a bit out of order, but are still worth a peek....Best!Sean aka Dutch MEGA 07