Date: 2010-10-16
From: Bethel,ME

To: Auburn, MA
Miles today: 0.0

Hi everyone!!! I made it back to Mass! I am with our family friends Mike and Cindy Dube and am so excited to have taken a couple days to recoup with them before I head back out!So I made it! I really, really did! I still can't believe it sometimes! I managed to get one of my summit pics on my phone and now every couple hours I pull it out and look at it in awe! I have been looking at Katahdin summit pictures for years now and just can't believe I have one of my own now! It is the most amazing feeling! You all have seen my smile so just imagine me gazing at it grinning from ear to ear. Even now typing I am tearing up! It was such a long journey in the beginning yet the end came so suddenly and I'm now long gone from Millinocket. Time sure does fly! I really only prepared for the first 1/4-1/2 of the trail because the rest was so far away and I thought I would figure the rest out when the time came. Well it came, and has gone! I am still riding this emotional roller coaster, and having fun! I have been in la~la land since the summit and imagine I will remain here for a while longer!! I am so excited I skipped these 2 sections and have the chance to get back out there in the woods! I was excited for those that were truely finished on Katahdin but sad for them too! I really look forward to getting back out there and using that time to continue processing what has happened! I imagine I will see other folks but figure I will be alone most of the time. This is a good thing I think. As you know I have spent time alone, with 1 or 2 and in big groups and enjoyed it all, but now that I've come this far I think the alone time will really serve me well. I don't know what I'm going to be thinking about, but I know I will be thinking! I also intend to simply enjoy the quiet time and NO DEADLINE!! It is going to be so fun to just get out there and hike! If I feel like stopping after 10 miles, by God, I'll stop! I'm thinking about picking up a book since I may have time to relax a little! I'm going to take 9-10 days to do my MA-VT section (130 miles) and can't wait! I will arrive at Upper Goose Pond in a couple days (which is famously beautiful) and am so excited! I also get to climb Mt. Greylock and Stratton in VT! The rest of the terrain should be pretty mild. I debated skipping the Halloween Camping at McCormick's Creek State Park (in IN) and going right to VA after VT. I hate to tease my animals by getting home, leaving, coming home a day and leaving for another 10 days but I have been dreaming of this for months now! I think I may fly home the day Turner and Amy are going down and have them pick me up from the airport on the way and then go right back to the airport on the way home. It will be crazy to be so close to home and not go there but I think when I get home I'll be ready to stay a bit! I may also get a treat from Cindy Dirker, my Hoosier Hiker friend, who wants to do some of the Shenny's with me! If she can work it out she may pick me up at the park on Sun and we'll drive out to SNP together! She can stay for a few days and will head home. About that time I hope that Twizzler, Roadrunner and Bambi (section hiker friends from PA!) will come out for a couple days and then to top it off Turner will come out for the last couple days and bring my funky monkey home!! I don't think I could be any more blessed! A special thanks to Mike and Cindy for helping me with this transition! I can't tell you how excited and special it was to see them at the hostel in Millinocket! I had been dreaming of those hugs for a while now and boy were they good!! They brought me flowers and a dew!! (I hadn't had one yet in town because the store was a loooong .25 from the hostel that I was not interested in walking so it was EXTRA special!!) They were kind enough to help Sanman and Bubba Bee get to the bus station in Bangor on the way to Bethel where they shared their condo that was smack in the middle of the mtns! I could see Speck Mtn, which I climbed, from the porch! I am SOOOO grateful I didn't have to go right back into reality and was able to stay in la~la land! They have been listening to me ramble and trying to keep me fed, which is no easy task for days now! They are so fun and kind and sweet and I feel truely blessed!SO many of you played a big role in my success and I'll never be able to repay you so I will say Thank you once again! Turner, of course without you this would have never been possible! You were at my beck and call at any hour! You ran around chasing down all my requests and getting them mailed and never said a word except "you got it!" You cheered me up when I was down, you inspired me to keep going when I didn't think I could and you continued to tell me how proud you were of me which helped more than you will ever know! I love you so much! I know it's not been easy for you and hope some day I can return the favors when you begin your journey!!There are so many other folks too-you know who you are! You all kept me going! EVERYONE who signed my guest book~I often thought of your comments out there and they kept me going! From my family & friends to my fellow thru~hikers, the section hikers I met on trail and the folks I've never met yet continued to encourage me...THANK YOU!!I really look forward to getting home and getting you all a ton of pictures, it's the least I can do! I bet I took over 5000 pictures!! Hehe so stay tuned...I will update with a new journal entry when I add stuff so you can see what's been updated. I will also get my journaling added and my gear reviews noted. Ok, I think it's time to eat again and then maybe a nap! Today is my last 0 and I am heading back out tomorrow! I am ready! I can only imagine how tough it will be when I am done and don't get to head back out but I won't worry about that now...I am going to continue enjoying every single moment...I'll worry about that when the time comes...for now, this moment, life is good, exciting and blessed! I intend to soak it ALL up!!