Date: 2006-09-28
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Mt. Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Nov. 15   We want to apologize to all for not updating our journal. I guess we got caught up in the busy life we left behind to hike the trail. We're going to finish the last couple entries and fill in the days that are missing. We'll also add photos.Sept. 28   It seems like everything is happening too fast now. We can't believe that we're at the end. When we started it seemed like an impossible task. Now here we are looking at the last mountain to climb. I thought at the beginning of the hike the odds of all three of us finishing were slim to none, but here we stand. I would like to say that Gear and Cup of Soup/ Brandon and Sara, have been great hiking companions. I feel that we have bonded in ways that I hadn't imagined. I feel, now that I've hiked the AT with my son and daughter, I know them and they know me better then we did before.    We woke up early this morning. This is it! The last day of our journey. We ate a good breakfast of eggs and potatoes. Good food like that lasts us a long time when hiking. We packed up everything and put it in the car. Except for our backpacks. We carried our full packs all the way from Georgia, and we all decided that we are going to carry them to the top of Katahdin. We hiked every foot of the trail; no blue blazing, no yellow blazing, no slackpacking. Georgia to Maine. Amicalola Falls to Springer to Katahdin. We signed the register at the ranger station and looked back through the other entries before heading back out to the trail and log in our start time: 9 am. We weren¢t in a hurry to finish the AT. We weren't sure if we wanted to end this great adventure. Lots of other thru-hikers were finishing today too: Pedro, McGruff, Willow, Lone Wolf, Hawkeye, Bluey, Vegemite on Toast, Knock Knock, Red B, Superman, Pillbox, Stretch, Old School, and E Rock. They started up the mountain before we did and we passed them coming back down near the top.    We hiked a lot slower then usual and goofed around a lot so that Ally and Mom could keep up. As we neared tree line, we had to scramble over huge rocks. It was nice hiking in a train because we could all help each other clamber up the huge boulders. We talked all the way up.    It was a nice day, but it got worse as we neared the top. The trail got rougher the further up we hiked. Near the top there were rocks the size of houses with metal bars for handholds on the vertical sections.   Soon we were in the clouds. It would be a foggy summit. Finally we were above tree line, and the first things that we see are giant, house-sized boulders! We¢re supposed to climb over those things? I understand why most people don¢t climb up with full packs, but we did it. Even Brandon with his arm in the cast and his full backpack was able to do it. Dad was always there to help us over the tough stuff. At one point there was an iron bar in the rock about 6 ft. high and then a little, mini foot hold 12 inches below that, and the only other thing to help you get over this vertical rock face was a crack running up and down the rock. It¢s amazing what we were able to get over to climb up Katahdin.    As we hiked closer to the summit, we began to run into people coming down the mountain. We stopped and talked to everyone. Everyone said that the summit was bitter cold. They were all bundled up and had frost clinging to their hair. We were rather warm with our rain jackets and shorts so we hiked on.   We crossed the tableland, a mile of trail that is relatively flat, but strewn with rocks, and started up the final ascent. The wind speed increased and the temperature was dropping. Wetness was everywhere. The trail was shrouded in misty fog. The pink granite rock of Katahdin was everywhere as we approached the summit. We didn¢t talk as much and the three of us, the Wanderers, stayed close together.    The trail seemed to climb and climb. At any moment we expected to see the shape of the sign begin to materialize out of the mist, but the rock steps leading up further was all there was. And then, just like that, it was there and we were in front of it, quietly locked in a group hug. Then we were touching the sign, reading it out loud ¢ Springer Mtn. 2,175 miles¢, taking pictures. Dad got out the bottle of sparkling grape juice, we wanted to celebrate at the summit. Everyone there joined us in our toast. (A non-alcoholic toast, of course).    We took loads of pictures. It was amazing standing up there by the sign, the three of us. Standing by the sign that we had seen in so many photos of other thru-hikers. Now it was our turn.   We got cooled off fast from the wind whipping around the summit, so we didn¢t stay there too long. We hiked fast to try and get warmed up, but it took until we were well on our way towards tree line and out of the wind before we warmed up again. At tree line we were warm enough, so we stopped for a lunch of bagels and cheese before hiking back into the cover of the trees.   Finally we broke out from inside the clouds. The sun was shining, reflecting off the lakes in the distance. We could see for miles out over the Maine forests. Once again Dad¢s right; when things are tough, remember that it won¢t be long before things are great again. This hike up Katahdin gave Ally and Mom a small taste of what hiking the trail has been like for us. Hard parts and easy parts, tough times and fun times.   The sun was sinking when we finally made it back to the campground. We saw Model T and Ranger Dog cooking supper at a campsite and stopped to talk to them. Dad introduced Mom and Ally. We talked about the hike up to the summit. Ranger Dog asked how hard it was. They gave Gear the best compliment that he could get from a marine; they said that he has what it takes to be a marine.    We stuffed our backpacks into our overloaded trunk just as it was getting dark. Somehow it didn't seem right to just hop in a car and drive away after hiking all the way here, but we did. The ride out of Baxter State Park was dark and quiet. We drove for over an hour, and stopped to get a room for the night. As we were walking into the motel we ran into McGruff and Pedro. They were staying at the same motel. Small world isn't it!    We had made plans to visit Acadia National Park while we were in Maine. So the next day we got up early, got in the car again, and headed east.   We have mixed feelings about finishing the trail. I guess when you spend that much time doing something it becomes part of you. Things seem to be going even faster now. There seems to be a lot more decisions to make. We can't just keep following the white blazes, ya know. I guess that's how life is, you just make choices and head down that path. We have more adventures planned. That's what makes things fun; planning great adventures and then doing them. We learned so much hiking the AT and met so many great people. I think the AT will be a part of us for the rest of our lifes.      Goodbye for now,             The Wanderers < Gear                            < CupofSoup                            < Whitecloud