Date: 2018-09-05
From: Abol Bridge

To: Katahdin Stream campground
Miles today: 9.9

The squeaky beds and Katherine getting up to pee twice disrupted my sleep. I noticed when I opened my eyes around 6:30 everyone was up before me. I made my way to the bathhouse and then up to the store to join the others for breakfast. As I suspected the breakfast was mostly bread and pastry products so I ate 2 yogurts and some fruit before buying some snacks for the road and heading back to the cabin to pack up. On the way back it hit me how close I am to finishing up the north bound leg of my hike and I let that roll around in my head and heart while I packed up. A lot of emotion comes up for me on trail. At first I tried to push it away, embarrassed but I've learned to let it come and to be comfortable with it, even embrace it at times. Once I was packed up I stopped at the bathhouse and filled my water bottles and walked towards the entrance gate. Out on the road, past the generator that the store operates on and back into the woods. As I came upon the footbridge I had a beautiful view of Katahdin. It was a moment as I was about to enter Baxter State Park on that footbridge. There was a man on the bridge sitting down on the edge closest to me. Without introduction he asked what my plans were today. "Excuse me"? Then he apologized and introduced himself as Baxter's version of a ridge runner with the trail name of Longjohn. We had a great conversation after that and I shared my plans with him and received some helpful information on the park and thru hiker process. As I was almost done Galaxy and Songbird arrived. We stayed a few more minutes and then Longjohn followed us to the kiosk and we signed in. We left Longjohn there and hiked together for a while before I hiked ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed my short time in Baxter State Park stopping at the waterfalls and soaking in the beautiful trail, much of which was smooth and easy. I was going to stop for lunch but instead just had a couple of snacks and made it to the Katahdin Stream campground at 2:30.The ranger wasn't in so I hung out with Galaxy and Songbird at covered picnic table once they arrived and we all tried unsuccessfully to fight off the black flies. They were viscous! I spent all of 10-15 minutes at the stream soaking my feet and a bottle of root beer in the icy cold water before laying on the grass wishing the bugs would let me nap. I saw Glider, Dr Who and a few others waiting for the ranger also and congratulated a handful of hikers including Peppermint who summited today. It was my turn to see the ranger and get my paperwork done. She was very helpful, checking with the gate to see if Brian was in the park yet ( he wasn't) and if there were any open sites in the campground. We were reserved for site 1 in Foster Field which is 2 miles from the campground, and we'd have to catch Brian on his way thru the park or hike on the road to get there. I opted to go out to the road and wait. About 30 minutes later I flagged Brian down and we drove into the campground to pick up my gear and the others. He said he was told at the gate that hikers were waiting for him on the road, so the ranger must have communicated that to the gate after I left. We all settled into our site which was awesome and spacious with picnic tables and clean privy. Brian brought a small feast of hot dogs, burgers, chips, salads, drinks, etc., and we all filled up as Galaxy tended to a fire in the provided pit. It was a really great relaxing evening filled with sweet memories with good friends. We retired to our spaces and I snuggled into my tent with Brian. It was hot and stuffy so we opened the vestibules for some air hoping for a dry night. I'm not sure I'll sleep much with so much anxiety about tomorrow and excitement of catching up with Brian.