Date: 2009-08-30
From: Rainbow Spring Campsite

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Out of the Wilderness!I awoke about 5:45 AM. It was not very light out, as it was overcast. Everything outside was wet, but it was not raining. I got up and had my coffee as usual, glad to start the day again. There were two SOBO hikers, two Russian guys, camped out in the campsite, a hundred feet away from my site. I did not know last night that they were there. We exchanged pleasantries and our Trail stories.I got on the Trail about 7:10 AM. It was overcast, but not raining, and a bit warmer than yesterday. The Trail was wet, but not bad and the mud was not too bad.I met about 5 southbound section hikers, including Early (he) and Blaze (she), a couple from Cashiers, NC, who are doing the entire AT in sections.About 11:30 AM, I came to the North end of the 100 Mile Wilderness. It had taken me 6 1/2 days to do the Wilderness (I had figured 7 days, so it worked). I walked on to and across Abol Brige, over the Penobscot River. Just across the bridge was the private Abol Bridge Campground, and a wonderful sight, the Camp Store. Luna Moth and the local Caretaker, Dave (trailname: Pop Tart) were already there. I got lunch at the Camp Store, including a chicken salad sandwich, a hot dog, a soda and a giant chocolate cookie. I also purchased some lunch and snacks for the next day. I spent some $ 25 at the Camp Store. It felt good to be able to be able to get more food after the 100 Mile Wilderness!I hung out with Luna Moth and Pop Tart for a while. I called my wife and my daughters, short calls on the pay phone outside the store. My cell phone did not work there, nor had it during the 100 Mile Wilderness. My calls to them were the first time I had been able to contact them in a week.The mosquitoes there were ferocious! For the first time in Maine, I put on insect repellent. I had carried insect repellent since I started the hike, but had not used it until now. Up to now, the mosquitoes and black flies had been around, but had not been bad enough to get out the spray. Here, they were, and I was glad that I had it.Luna Moth, Pop Tart and I walked up the road and started back on the trail about 1/2 mile north of the campground. Both Luna Moth and I signed in at the entrance to Baxter State Park, and registered to stay at the Birches Campground, a campground specifically for throughhikers, adjacent to Katahdin Stream Campground.I hiked the last 10 miles to Katahdin Stream Campground for the last 10 miles. The sky had mostly cleard off and it was warm, somewhat hot. The Trail parallel the Penobscot River for a while then turned north and paralled a creek. Mostly small ups and downs. Along the way, I got a couple of glimpses of Mt. Katahdin, which is much higher than anything else around.I made good time and just before 6:00 PM, I got to the Katahdin Stream Campground and the Ranger Station. Luna Moth was already there. We registered with the Ranger. He gave me a form to send to the ATC, to get a certificate for completing the entire AT, and we each got loaner day packs, to use in our climb up Mt. Katahdin tomorrow.We (Luna Moth and I) walked up to the Birches Campground, about .25 miles from the Ranger Station. We were the only hikers there. There are two Shelters there and we each slept in one.   After supper, I settled in the Shelter and went to bed about 8:30 AM. About 9:00 PM, it started raining gently. Today felt like a Completion Day of sorts. I had hiked out of the 100 Mile Wilderness and made it to the Katahdin Stream Campground at the base of Mt. Katahdin. I have hiked all but the last part (up Mt. Katahdin) and I am looking at the end of my Hike.