Date: 2019-07-23
From: Antlers Campsite 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 25.5

Posted July 28I woke up several times during the night as the loons on the pond were singing. The stars were out, but were subdued with some cloud cover. I awakened at 4:15 and packed up. This morning, as with many I didn¢t need an alarm. Waking up at this time has become routine especially when going to sleep at 7:30pm. RALI, Ben and I headed out at 5:20 for what would be our last full day of trekking in the hundred mile wilderness. At about 8:00 it began to drizzle so I stopped and readied myself and equipment for rain. This consists of stowing my cellphone in a trusted zip-loc bag and putting my pack cover on my pack. I¢m not sure of the worth of this as I¢ve patched several small holes on my pack cover with duct tape and like my rain coat, it¢s pretty much useless in a driving rain. The trail remained a challenge, not so much with elevation changes, but the rocks and roots are unforgiving on my feet. The scenery makes up for a lot of this as it¢s beautiful and never seems to get old.Eventually the threat of rain disappeared and I got my first view of Mount Katahdin. My emotions stirred as I have dreamt about this time for so long and it was actually happening. As Poet said, ¢At some point you¢ll see Mt. Katahdin and the hardened heart, caused by 2000 miles of rocks and roots, will be shattered by emotion and the reality that my goal is within reach. Miles later I climbed Nesuntabunt Mountain and got my second look at Mount Katahdin. My dream is becoming a reality. Later this afternoon, RALI decided that he had enough for the day and stopped for the night at a shelter area. Ben and I continued as I¢d rather trek longer today and less tomorrow. About 2 miles later we came upon a bull moose grazing in a shallow pond. I worked my way to the tree line and took several photos and a brief video. The animal was massive, wider than a horse, and his antlers were still in velvet. I watched for several minutes as the moose continued to graze in about 18 inches of water at about 25 yards away. This made my earlier siting of the cow moose at 100 yards seem so trivial. Once again the trail had provided another incredible experience, and although I captured on camera, seems to not do it fair justice. Ben and I finished the day trekking 25.5 miles and tenting at the Rainbow Spring Campsite At mile 2165.7.While eating dinner tonight I joked that this will be the last time I eat chicken flavored anything. I stayed around after eating to visit with Aqua Man and Goat. Aqua Man and I began the trail on the same day and have hiked in and out of each other. The last time I saw him was in Virginia. We met again at a campsite on our first day of the 100 hundred mile wilderness and have camped nightly near each other since. Aqua Man finished his mechanical engineering degree and is hiking the trail before starting a job. He, like many others I¢ve met on the AT, are great people and I¢d hire him tomorrow to manage a company.I went to bed thinking that this will be the last time I sleep in my tent on this journey. After seeing Mount Katahdin a couple of times, the feeling was so surreal. I drifted off to sleep wondering what the final day will be like.