Date: 2007-10-03
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to

To: Abol Pines Campground
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

October 3, Coming to an EndToday was a good day. It was 41 degrees when I got up at 6:30 a.m. I was dreaming about making signs to take up to Katahdin and Fuzzy Monkey was working at the store where I was buying the materials. Ha. I also had a dream that the wedding invitations I ordered in Gorham came and they were all wrong. Oye.I headed out of camp at 8 a.m. after I found out that I lost the wager on the amount of mice killed in the shelter during the night. Seven and I had guessed six.The morning's hike went very quickly all along Rainbow Lake. Before I knew it, I'd hiked seven miles. I stopped for a snack at a rock on the shore of the lake but didn't stop for too long since it was pretty cool out.The sky was cloudy and overcast but the trail seemed bright and cheery. I was enjoying myself. I got up to Rainbow Ledges around noon and, man, that is a cool place. I felt like I was in some sort of wonderland. The trail itself was pretty much rockface and the rest of the scenery was totally different than the rest of the trail. I stopped to ponder it for a bit when I saw the sign that said we only had 20 miles to Katahdin. I also tried to use my cell phone to call home and it worked! C-Shot and Coach passed me and were so excited about the cell reception that they stopped too. Ah, the wilderness...three people standing on a ledge with cell phones. C-Shot and I later talked about how we'd been worrying about friends and family back home, wondering if our voicemail boxes were full of somber news. Neither of them were, thankfully. I stopped at the next shelter for lunch and a break with C-Shot and then carried on the 3.5 miles left for the day to the camp store and campground.One by one, the group around me arrive - C-Shot ahead of me, then Mate, Coach and Genesis, Candyman, Snakecharmer and Chaco, then Melk and Ronin. We all feasted on junk food for a few hours before heading over to the campground.Once here, a fire was started, hot dogs were cooked, marshmallows were heated, guitars and a harmonica were broken out, and songs were made. It was a nice night here. Glad it was a nice night since I only have one more on the trail after this. I am camped on the bank of the Penobscot River, my tent overlooking the scenery. I will wake up to a lazy morning tomorrow, my last full day on the trail.I wasn't feeling very sentimental about finishing until I got to the shelter for lunch today. The register was full of goodbyes, well wishes and notes left for friends. It is a little strange to think there are people ahead of and behind me that I will probably never see again. And tonight was fun. I will miss the fun times.Oh, I keep forgetting to mention the red squirrels. They are everywhere. They make their squeaky/barky/squealy noise all of the time to the extent that it might drive you nuts. How fun.Can't believe I only have two more days on the trail. So exciting and so scary.- Sound of the river flowing, a cricket chirping.Post Trail Thoughts:Well, what immediately comes to mind is the river crossing to actually leave the shelter area. You have two choices - ford or cross on a log that spans from one side to the other. Being chilly, I chose the log but found it funny that everyone was watching me cross as the pressure not to fall surmounted. I made it!The hiking that morning was smooth and steady and I was really enjoying it. I distinctly remember stopping to enjoy a black and white woodpecker go to town on a tree and thinking it was the coolest thing ever. For all the times I'd heard them along the way, I'd never been able to stop and watch one.Rainbow Ledges was a glorious place and I totally felt like I was in a dream while I sat up there and soaked it all in. Glorious!I hadn't seen Melk and Ronin all day but wanted to catch them at some point. I hoped they'd make it to where the rest of us would be that night and, thankfully, they did. We all had a good time that night and ate lots to commemorate. We had a grand old time sitting at the Abol Camp Store and later that night at Abol Pines Campground. Not every night was a cool at that one.