Date: 2006-07-10
From: Imp Camp Site

To: Parking area at Hogan Rd: COMPLETION OF AT-HIKE 
Miles today: 9.0

As I awoke this morning, I realized I would be breaking camp for the last time before finishing my A.T. thru-hike. Not a true thru-hike since I didn't do it all in a 12 month time frame. It was however a hike of the entire A.T. although the 24 weeks of hiking took place over a 25 month time frame. I was excited about finishing up today the last 9 miles I had to hike to complete my dream. I was so glad that my wonderful wife and supporter was with me this last day of my journey. It was a beautiful day for a walk in the woods much like the day I left Kathadin Stream Camp ground heading south some 25 months ago. Lab Rat and myself had one steep climb today up Mt. Moriah and then down to Hwy. #2 and a flat to Hogan Rd. After eating breakfast of oatmeal cereal bars and bagels, we packed up the tent and headed north up Mt. Moriah. Lab Rat was still tired from an exausting 13 mile day yesterday. We weren't making the time I had expected but the trail got better after very a steep down off of Mt. Moriah. We had some good views as we crossed Mt. Moriah and we just enjoyed hiking together. As we hiked, my mind wandered back to other days on the A.T. and the many mountains I had climbed and valleys I had gone through both mentally and literally. The creeks I had crossed and especially the ones I had fallen in trying to cross. The many days I had walked all day in the rain and some I had hiked in all day with snow. My mind filled with so many thoughts of days past but most important thoughts of days to come that I would spend with my wife (Kelly aka. Lab Rat). We have been seperated so much the past 25 months with me pursuing my dream of hiking the entire A.T. As the morning passed, we arrived at Rattle River Shelter where we took a short break. We had heard it thunder earlier and we wanted to finish before the storm came. The trail from Rattle River Shelter was very easy, graded with a gradual down hill. We reached Hwy. #2 about 1215 and finished up at the parking area on Hogan Rd. at 1245 Hu-Rah Praise the Lord Thank You Jesus for allowing me to see so many of your beautiful creations. I don't see how anyone who walks the A.T. could doubt that there is a God, a Creator who just filled the world full with wonderfull sights. A Creator who must love rocks because He really blessed PA. with a gererous supply but saved the big ones for N.H. The finish wasn't really emotional, I guess the excitement of finishing really took place at Pinkham Notch when Kelly picked me up Friday. After finishing up at the last White Blaze, we walked back to Hwy. #2 to hitch-hike back to Pinkham Notch where our car was parked. Just as it started to rain, a couple of guys on a van stopped and picked us up. They wound up taking us all the way back to the car. We then took a shower at the Hiker basement and back to Gorham for supper before the long drive home. Home, wow, that sounds good, I have missed being home with Kelly. The thought of being home with Kelly as occupied my thought process for the past serveral days. The excitement of this overpowered the thought of finishing the A.T.