Date: 2016-09-12
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: NJ/PA boarder
Miles today: 10.8

My last night was nice and comfortable. The couch I slept on in the lodge was awesome. I was up at daylight and felt a nervous excitement upon getting on the trail for my last day. I had a little less then 11 miles to finish this hike that I started on March 28th. It was a picture perfect day. Bright blue skies with no clouds and nice dry air. The hike today featured some awesome ridge walks with fantastic views, but also a bunch of rock fields that abused my feet pretty good. My thoughts were all over the place as I made my way to town. I can not believe this is the last day. I have come a long way out here. I have learned so much. I am not a big believer that people change much. You pretty much are who you are. I think you can make minor adjustment and your perspective on life can definitely change. I am not sure what impact this journey will have on me. I guess time will tell. I have met so many amazing people and seen, felt, and smelled the beauty of this trail and all it has to offer. I have loved it, even the hard times. Being able to fight through the tough times and get through them is something I am proud that I was able to do, and believe me there were many tough times where it seemed like everything was going against me. This is the hardest thing I have ever set out to do. I said I was going to do it and I did. I have never quit anything in my adult life. I am not a quitter and I am proud of that. I had a lot of help though. All the Trail Angels along the way, fellow hikers, people who picked me up hitch hiking, my brother Greg and his family, my sisters Leslie and Becky and their families, my Mother and my Father, Val, and Gina Stewart. A big thank you to all of you. Back to the end of my hike today. I made my way down into Delaware Water Gap and reached the bridge a little after 11:00am. Half way across this bridge and I will have completed this incredible long journey. I was full of emotion as I started out on the bridge. I thought about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I thought about my friend Pete who passed when I was in Virginia. It was like God was on one of my shoulders and Pete was on the other and we marched towards to the New Jersey, Pennsylvania Boarder. Pete has been with me ever since he passed. I could hear his voice in my head repeatedly during my time on the trail, especially when I was feeling defeated and down. I could hear him telling me to suck it up and that I could do this, along with a few other metaphors. He had a way with words like few others did. As I finally reached the end point half way across the bridge over the Delaware bridge I took one big breath and took the final step over and back into Pennsylvania. It was over. I had done it. 11:22am. I sat there for a half hour. Tears ran down my face and I was pretty darn happy. As had been the case all morning, so much was running through my head. Another hiker came by and took some photos of me by the boarder. Eventually I walked the last three tenths of a mile to the church hostel. I got congratulations from several other hikers who were there. I took a shower and when I was finished my Dad had arrived to pick me up. I was very glad to see him and we headed for home just after noon. It took five hours to get home. Val was here and it felt good to be home. I do not know what else to say now except, I WALKED FOR PETE and we did it! We did it! We did it!!!