Date: 2015-09-20
From: Bald Mountain Stream

To: Monson
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up to a wet tent and damp everything. Made some coffee, oatmeal, packed up and headed out. Monson is on my radar today and I am looking forward to my prep for the hundred mile wilderness!I hiked with a lot of passion today, which was not hard to do because the trail was kind. A long gradual and relitively flat descent left me with lots of time to look around, think, and hike fast.I saw the most amazing mushrooms today. I put a picture of my favorite cluster in the photos. They seem like little creatures to me, so plump with life. Maine is just a feast for our senses. Colors, textures, sounds of animals and birds. I am trying to drink it in while I can.Thinking about going home, my husband and daughter at home have done so well without me. They are strong and self reliant and both very quiet and reserved people. I can't go home and resume my role of bossy bull in a china shop. That won't be a good fit anymore. I don't know how I will fit now. I have changed on this trip, I have found my introvert that I always knew lived inside of me, and I like her. Don't laugh people who know me, its true. This trail is full of big personalities that eclipe mine and I have reveled in just listening and enjoying all of the charisma of those around me. I even bow to the charisma of the mushroom.My plan for re-entry is to just observe for a while. I talked this through with Red Robin's husband a few months ago when they were doing trail magic, and he thought it was a good plan. I will observe hopw things are being run now and try to blend back to my life in a positive way. Just as this has been a journey for me, it has been an incredible journey for my family.I had a little climb towards the end of my hike and was powering across a road crossing-head down-arms working those poles- and I glanced up to see a woman standing by her car. I mumbled something that was like "Hi" and kept going. Then I stopped in the middle of the road. She looked familiar. I looked back at her and stared in disbelief. It was such a surprise that my eyes that could see her were having a hard time convincing my brain that I was looking at my friend Kim, AKA 1986 hiker Census Taker. She was laughing and nodding. I dropped my poles and went over and gave her a hug. I felt like crying, I was so happy to see her. She took me to the Lakeshore House where I had reserved a room, and we shared a reuben in the bar. We talked about the AT, our shared experiences several decades apart, and again shared some tears, as we did in Hiawassee when she visited me 10 days into my hike. Here she is now, about 10 days before the end of my hike. This hike changes people, it imprints itself on our souls. Years later, the emotion is still right uder the surface for Census Taker. I like that. I want to keep it all and never let it slip away to the dusty regions of my brain. She gave me trail magic in the form of cash to pay for dinner, room here, room in Monson, and shuttle, and generally make the end of this hike really fantastic.How great is that?We said goodbye and she drove off, a surreal expereice for the day.I went back in and Tedzilla showed up! He had been behind me because of his trip to his friend's house, but caught up when he decided to hike through the two days of rain and I decided to double zero. I was so surprised to see him but happy. I knew Katwalk was going to jump up to about the middle of the wilderness, so now I have a hiking buddy. We drank some beers, talked with other excited and happy hikers, listened to the two man band outside playing great songs like Turn the Page by Segar, Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird. The temps dropped and our spirits rose. The sun set on the lake and life was perfect in that moment.Katwalk texted that she was stopping at a shelter for the night, so hopefully I will see her I head out to the wilderness. Have to wait for a box of food, so I won't be leaving early.