Date: 2010-09-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I completed the trail fifteen days ago and I¢ve been home almost two weeks. Since I posted the top ten things I would not miss about the trail, I thought it would be fitting to post the top ten things I do miss about the trail.10. I miss walking 20+ miles almost every day. Unfortunately between the heat and the bugs in North Carolina I have not hiked any since I got home. I am riding a bicycle 20 miles a day to stay in shape. Fall is coming soon and I will be on a trail somewhere. It will be just a couple of days to a week at a time but I¢m really looking forward to more backpacking.9. I miss walking up to a shelter with the anticipation of seeing other hikers I¢ve met previously on the trail. Seeing another hiker you have not crossed paths with in awhile was always a happy encounter.8. I miss the wildlife on the trail. Spotting a moose or a bear unexpectedly was exciting. I did get to see a flock of wild turkeys walk across my front yard yesterday. It just wasn¢t the same as seeing a moose and her calf.7. I miss standing on the tops of ridges and being able to see for miles and miles. This is rare on the trail until you hit New Hampshire and Maine (especially Maine) but the views in those two states were spectacular.6. I miss hitting an all you can eat buffet every few days and not worrying about gaining weight. Since I¢ve gotten back I have been ravenous. I¢m trying not to gain it all back but the urge to down a large bag of peanut butter M&M¢s is overwhelming.5. I miss turning a corner on the trail and finding a cooler full of trail magic. That act of kindness by someone I¢ve never met made even the hardest day on the trail suddenly much better. I plan next year to make a few trips to the trail and pay it forward.4. I miss meeting the people along the trail that have made a life helping hikers along the trail. People like Butch and Bill at the Outhouse, Jeff at Green Mountain House, Rob Bird at the Birdcage, Bear and Honey at the Cabin, Pete at Native Landscapes, Bob Peoples at Kincora, Jeff and Nancy at the Hike Inn, Trail Angel Mary, the Cookie Lady and the Ice Cream Man.3. I miss hitching a ride to town and getting picked up by a thru-hiker that starts gleaming as they tell me about their hike and encourages me to keep going. They were all right, it was worth it to make it to the top of Kathadin.2. I miss the section hikers like Danny and Pam that hiked along with us. While they were only with us for a few days, I thought of them as thru-hikers. They certainly fitted in with the rest of us dirty smelly backpackers.1. I miss hiking with people like We¢ll See, Bread and Burgundy. I miss evenings talking with Quarterpounder, RA Wizard, Bonnie Boy and Hollywood. I miss tagging along with General Lee, Twigs, Specs, On the Loose, Long Haul, Aikido Joe, Sonic, Roughin It and Beefstick. Of all the great things that happen on the trail, it is the friendships you make with other hikers that make it a memorable experience.If any of you ever consider hiking the trail and would like to ask a few questions (or even a lot of them) I would be more than happy to assist you with what I learned as I hiked the trail.   If you do hike the trail, let me know so I can follow you journal.