Date: 2010-10-12
From: Millinocket, ME/The Appalachian Trail Lodge

To: Millinocket, ME/The Appalachian Trail Lodge
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

SUMMIT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am nervous as hell and excited and sad. It is here the day that I have been working for for 7 months - it's here. Up at 5am, breakfast but I can't really eat even though I know I need to - I choke down a few eggs but that about it. The shuttle leaves at 6:30am, a few more trips to the bathroom, ugh. I am really nervous.We pile into the shuttle; Llano, Swift, and I about 50 minutes and we will be at the base of Katahdin ready to head up for our summit. Whoo hoo we are on our way.Arrived at the park at 7:30am, oh good a privy. We started up the 5.2 mile hike to the summit at 7:45am. The day is absolutely perfect weather wise, sunny with expected temps around 57 degrees, with 5 to 10 mph winds. We couldn't of asked for a better day.The trail started as a very nice stroll through the autumn woods. Then as the trail begain to climb the rocks became more and bigger, approximately 2.5 miles in we had to start climbing over boulders. So we stopped and put our poles away to free up our hands. Then the rocks got bigger and the trees got smaller. Pretty soon I was pulling myself over boulders the size of cars - then I saw it the 2 miles of rock/boulder trail straight up and way up there you could see little itty bitty hikers (oh my God). Once we got to the top of that the tablelands began, now it was only .9 to the terminus of the AT (the summit of Katahdin), and the sign. That famous sign we have all been working for. That Goddamn sign, I love that sign though!!!!!!!!!!We left this morning at 7:45am and made it to the summit at noon. There was a group of hikers already there, I got my summit pictures and then ate some snacks and enjoyed my triumph. We took several group pictures and then began the trek back down the great mountain. We only stayed on the summit for about 30 min.DOWN, DOWN, DOWN we go - the down is harder on the knees but still seems to go faster, I think. Finally we got back to tree line, now the next section seemed to take forever. Time was ticking away so I jumped out ahead so "Ole man" didn't leave with out Swift and I, but as I approached the park a group of hikers started clapping and cheering me (it was nice), some of the hikers families had brought drinks, pizza, hot dogs so everyone was standing around enjoying the day. A few minutes later Swift came and me all cheered him on, we both drank something and ate some pizza and talked. After a few minutes of visiting we piled into the shuttle and headed back to the lodge. I HAVE DONE IT, I MADE IT. I HAVE SUMMITTED KATAHDIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We showered and relaxed from our big summit day. The day had been so perfect, I couldn't of gotten a better day. The celebration was at "Scootic Inn Pub", Swift had already left for the pub, I hung back for a while. I joined the celebration a little later ate some wings but didn't feel like drinking so I several glasses of water and headed back to the lodge around 8:30pm in bed by 9pm, but the celebration/party ended up back at the lodge so I did not get any sleep well maybe an hour between 3:30am and 4:30am (which is when I usually begin to wake up for the day). But we definitely deserved the celebration. SUMMIT DAY CELEBRATION/CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US THAT SUMMITTED ON 10/12/10.