Date: 2003-09-09
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to (1025') 

To: Abol Bridge Campground (590ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ) 
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Aloha! Recently, every day seems to be the beginning, the end or the beginning of the end for something out here. Today was the end of the 100-Mile Wilderness, the beginning of the last stage of the hike and the final beginning of the end of the journey. It is almost surreal how each day is better than the last but a touch sadder at the same time. Today has been another wonderful day with glorious weather and fantastic companions. Part of me really doesn¢t feel like it¢s ending, it¢s just slowing down a lot. The realist part of me knows that my Grand Adventure is coming to a close. But if this is the end, beginning and final beginning of the end, well¢¦ it sucks, but I can¢t think of any better way to experience each of them than the way they¢re falling out now. Okay, I guess we should get through the Wilderness first. That was pretty easy to do today. For whatever reason, I was up, dressed, packed and starting breakfast long before most folk had even awaken. Since Walkabout and Carrot Slayer sauntered into camp in their usual after-dark style, I wasn¢t the last person to turn out the headlamp last night but pretty close. The temperatures being somewhere around the low 30s may have played a part in everyone else remaining in their bags but that¢s beside the point; I couldn¢t lie there any longer. Though I was the first up, strangely enough, I was also the last out.   Part of me was raring to go while another part wanted to delay ending this final section. Too weird.Everyone kind of did their own hike most of the day but ended up together at breaks or lunch. Lots of good times, chat and laughs. A good portion of my day was spent hiking along with Wench. Not having hiked along with many women, it¢s always nice to find the ¢Venus¢ perspective on things. The guys are fabulous but now and then, even at this late date, or maybe because it is so much later, it¢s nice to have another woman around. Gutsy often fills that void when she¢s with us. It¢s true what ¢they¢ say, no matter how wonderful they are, men really are from Mars and sometimes just don¢t get it! (Bless ¢em!) Anyway, it was nice to have Wench to chat with today. We didn¢t figure out all the problems of the world but have a pretty good grasp on most of them!We all gathered for lunch atop Rainbow Ledges (approx. 1550¢). That was pretty cool. No view of Katahdin at this point but it was a still a perfect place to stop, chill out, munch, and most importantly, laugh away an hour or so. If the rest of the trail from Georgia to here had been any thing like the last several days, there would be so many people out here you couldn¢t turn around. Not only the weather but also the terrain is cooperating and making for absolutely perfect hiking conditions. Throw in the companions and ¢¦ well, stop me if you¢ve heard this before but¢¦ I LOVE THIS JOB!As we continued on, we almost dropped our jaws as we crossed the second Rainbow Ledge. Actually I almost ran into the back of Wench as she stopped and gasped. To our left was the most magnificent view of Katahdin. It was so much bigger (closer) than any earlier view. It literally, once again, took my breath away. I believe it did most everyone. It looked almost menacing but at the same time like nothing more than another mountain to climb. Again, there are mixed emotions with every turn.I hadn¢t realized until someone mentioned it while taking a break at the Hurd Brook Lean-to but this was my last official shelter. There is one more at the base of Katahdin but several of us will be staying in a reserved shelter on the trail vice the thru-hiker shelter located shortly off the trail. So technically, this was my last official AT shelter. That surprised me. It was a little sad, even if I¢m not a shelter rat. Not long before exiting the Wilderness we were pleasantly surprised to find not only coolers of soda, snacks and other goodies left by Wench¢s parents, Ma and Pa Wench, and Don Quixote but the trail angels themselves! The Wenches were there to surprise Wench and Hotdog, and Don, who has been a couple of days ahead of us, was there to surprise us! To top it off, Don had Gutsy with him! It pretty much goes without saying that it was great fun to sit right outside the 100-Mile Wilderness, and probably not a hundred yards from the end of woods, munching, chatting, and laughing. My ¢trail family¢ has certainly grown in the last couple of weeks and ain¢t it wonderful! The last portion of today¢s hike took us across the West Branch of Penobscot River via Abol Bridge. From that bridge you get an outstanding postcard view of Katahdin. Gorgeous. Anyone climbing to the top today, as yesterday, had a spectacular day to do so. As I stood on the bridge looking at my ending I will admit to becoming slightly teary-eyed. There she stood, my journey¢s end. It¢s great but it¢s still kind of sad.   Don Quixote is a lucky man and because he is, so are we. Don happens to own two camps located on Millinocket Lake at the base of Katahdin. And we got to experience one of them. Now you have to understand a ¢camp¢ in Maine. When I had originally been told of the ¢camp¢ I envisioned a small, maybe 700¢, cabin located in the woods or next to the lake. That¢s not quite a ¢camp¢ around these parts. Don¢s ¢camp¢ turned out to be a five-bedroom house on the lake with a boat dock and several boats. There¢s no ¢camping¢ to this. This is wonderful. From his living room and bedroom windows you see Katahdin. From the dock you stare awe-struck across the lake at¢¦ Katahdin. From almost anywhere on the property you stand with mouth ajar staring at¢¦ Katahdin. A ¢camp¢? Right! He¢s so funny! I believe I need to buy him, and probably every other Maineiac, a dictionary! They truly need to memorize the definitions of ¢camp¢, ¢pond¢ and ¢lake¢!It¢s been a wonderful day. The sunset from the dock was unlike anything I have ever seen before anywhere. It was¢¦ unexplainable. Hopefully the pictures will give you an idea one day. Don and Crista¢s, Don¢s friend, topped off the day with moose burgers. I¢m still a beefeater but they weren¢t bad. Gutsy, Coffee, Old Corpus and I are now all stuffed to the gills, happy, content and tucked into our comfy warm beds. The laundry is clean, the bodies are clean and the minds are exhausted. It¢s time to bring this wonderful day to a close. Everyone else has so I will shortly. I am tired; I just don¢t want this day to end. Oh, wait, I just remembered. I understand from my call to the home front that my last two attempts (Caratunk and Monson) to transmit journal entries have not been successful. I will be up a little later now trying to send them all again. What is that? Something like two weeks worth? Geezzzz¢¦ Char seems to be getting bits and pieces of several days¢ worth but never one whole day. Grrrr¢¦.. Looks like I will be up a little longer after all. The things we do to extend this day/trip! Night!Blood, Sweat & Tears: no blood, no sweat, tears¢¦ well, not the drippy kind.Aches & Pains: no, not todayMoans & Groans: I can see ¢the end¢¢¦ WAAH!Critter count: zippo!Countdown: 15.1 miles