Date: 2013-09-18
From: Katahdin Stream CG, Baxter State Park

To: Katahdin Summit
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: clear sky

WE DID IT!!!! It was a thrilling and exhilarating day! It was the most perfect day for climbing a mountain. It started off kind of rough. I was just too excited and unfocused. I got all zizzed up talking to the other hikers that were summiting today, we were all jazzed to be able to climb on such a spectacular day. I ended up forgetting my boots so we had to turn around and go back. When I went to put them on I'd forgotten to put my insert/footpad in my left shoe. I walked all day in a striped down to the bones shoe but really I just was too happy to notice. By the end of the day my toes definitely began to notice. The sky was the most brilliant blue, without a cloud in the sky. The temps on top of Katahdin were in the 50s though the summit felt colder with the wind chill added in. Two days ago it was shrouded in clouds with ice patches. Today it was a dry mountain with views for miles and miles. It was a day in which everything looked crystal clear. THe surrounding lakes were deep shades of sapphire blue surrounded by green occasionally dotted with brilliant reds and oranges. Blueberry hiked the 10 miles to the base with us yesterday and then climbed Katahdin with us today. THe girls were tickled with their superior shape and hiking abilities. Blueberry did really great for zipping up here from the sea level land to the mt level land. He held his own, surprisingly getting his mojo on when we got to the climbing part. Though he doesn;t like heights, Blueberry was able to climb the boulders and straight up rocks like a pro. He said it was so much easier than the steep ascent paths and then the straight down rock slide path. His long legs gave him an advantage and compensated for the parts of the hike where his heart rate increased to an uncomfortable rate and his air intake just couldn't keep up. Basically Katahdin is three types of terrain. THe first third was what we are used to hiking...mud, rocks and roots. Not too steep but a steady up. Then came the more technical climbing. The hiking poles were collapsed and put in my backpack. We took one pack for our food, water, extra clothes and our Katahdin costume. The technical part was scary because it was above the tree line so it was open to the stunning views but also steep drop offs. We were on ledges and climbing boulders that went up with little room for accidental slides backwards. In the last third of the mountain we were on rocks that eventually became nice flat rocks and then turned into a upward rock path at the very end. Up on the topmost ledge we could see the famous Katahdin sign, with lots of posing hikers. Everyone loves to ham it up for the sign. You see lots of funny poses. One Florida born guy got on top of the sign and surfed it. Most thru hikers kissed the sign. We hiked wearing our new fluorescent shirts that Todd E designed and Blueberry got made. Cub had a neon orange shirt that said "Florida" on the front with flip flops. Her trail name was on the back. My neon yellow shirt had the flip flops too but said just "Flip" on the front with my CoMOMdo trail name on the back. Badonkadonk had the neon pink shirt with "Flopper" on the front and her trail name on the back as well. Cannot imagine the comments we will get when we are separate from each other. We blew up beach floats and wore them up the final half mile or so. The wind was blowing so strongly we thought we might just be made airborne and land in one of the lakes down from the summit. When we walked up everyone laughed and I said, "Where's the Beach? We've been looking for it for 1327 miles".We got lots of high fives and smiles from the hikers we've been with through the 100 MIle Wilderness and some even before that. We were nearly frozen popsicles when Blueberry finally arrived. He started photographing us but the girls were so cold and they needed a privy so they were miserable. So much for the big life moments.. one can plan and imagine but reality always has a way of sneaking in. We've still got 857 miles to go so maybe this wasn't as wow for them as for me. All three of us agreed that we are happy we have the flip to make. We see everyone here experiencing mixed feelings about the journey being over. Some hikers feel relief and some have jobs/family waiting but many are so young and not ready to settle down into the daily grind. They seem to always be planning the next hike. I can relate to that because the girls and I have spent hours talking about the next adventure. We will finish this one first! We do have a heightened sense of gratitude for the trail and the short time we have left on it. Thank you to all the hikers who shared their feelings and stories with us.We did put flip flops on over our wool socks. We headed out hiking down the other side of Katahdin, down a bowl. It was called the "Saddle Trail". It was the easier of the 4 or so down trails, though easy shouldn't really be in this sentence. It was a rock slide we descended down. The rocks were often loose and tumbling. We had a few slides. Oh, I did fall going up and Blueberry fell coming down. My knee was bleeding and his elbow was as well. What a couple of pros we looked like. THe girls skipped merrily ahead so Grammie wouldn't get worried. Blueberry's legs turned into "Ramen Noodles that were overcooked", according to him. He was miserable but hung in there and got off the mountain before dark. It was around 6pm when we arrived. Though we got up at 6am to start and early hike we were not able to get on the mountain until around 9:30am. It was a long day, easy enough to the girls and I but Blueberry is snoring away as I type this. He definitely already has the hiker shuffle and maybe lost another toe nail. I told him that when he retires we are hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. There was a bit of silence after that statement. He probably hopes I'll forget or drop it but NO WAY! I'm goning to make that man skinny if we have to hike every trail in the USA. This is the perfect diet...you eat everything you want, as much of it as you want, day after day and lose weight plus have beauty, Nature and wonder surround you, endorphin kicking in for a daily happy buzz...no way, that man better hike the PCT and CDT with me. I need a triple crown! I feel like I am rambling because I am just so happy and so tired. I promise I did journal during the 100 MIle WIlderness and I will add those in the next few days. There was, of course, no service in that stretch but we had the best time with Buddy Backpacker, Sherpa and Dion. Will fill you all in soon. Thanks for all of the well wishes, cheers and support. We knew so many of you were thinking of us and wishing us a successful day...it worked....we are so happy, full of joy and gratitude and bursting with pride! Love to all, thanks a million and let the journey continue as merrily as it has been going.