Date: 2004-08-18
From: Abol Bridge Campground (Tent)

To: Katahdin Stream Campsite
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Started at: Abol Bridge CampgroundEnded at: Katahdin Stream CampsiteMiles: 9.9We had less than 10 miles to do today, so we got up late with everyone else, packed up and went over to the general store. You can tell everyone is excited¢¦practically intoxicated on the idea of finishing the trail. For some though that excitement slowly turns into something different over the course of the day, into the realization that this actually means the end. You can tell who those people are. They seem confused by the fact that they are not completely happy and for some reason cannot let go and enjoy the experience like the others. You can tell that there is hint of sadness behind their smiles as they think beyond Katahdin. Today was a very casual day of hiking. We hiked very slowly, never thinking about our schedule, routine, or even our destination. We were carefree, just enjoying all the sights to see¢¦waterfalls, ponds, animals, and mountains. We took all the side trails today, regardless of their length.We had a nice long break at Big Niagra Falls. Mountain Man tried without success to climb down the falls to an island below. He apparently didn¢t mind the idea of dying only 8 miles from completing the Appalachian Trial!! Camel seemed quieter than usual, just taking it all in and smiling. He and I especially are not quite ecstatic about the hike coming to an end. If we could, we would keep hiking to Canada. Anyway, I found some enormous stonefly larvae at the falls to distract me for the moment. They were incredible¢¦we don¢t have stoneflies like that in Texas (despite the belief that everything is bigger in Texas). Just before getting to Katahdin Stream campsite, we saw a couple moose. After going down a little hill, we looked up to see a large cow and her calf standing on the edge of Tracy pond. After a few minutes they slowly walked off into the forest. Wings and Feather had stopped there to watch the moose too. A couple miles later we saw the sign for Katahdin Stream Campsite, where we would spend our last night on the Appalachian Trail! Heather and I walked up to see my mother, Marissa, Allen and Mary Grace, waiting for our arrival. It was good to see them all! We had a good time talking about the hike. My mother brought a ton a good food ¢ seaweed for everyone ¢ and did our I Ching! My mother was very excited and entertained everyone thoroughly. It was nice. Lekiless, Captain Hook, Mountain Man, and Camel came strolling up after a little bit, and some of their parents started to filter in too. Captain Hook¢s family should get an award for Most Enthusiastic Trail Family. They showed up dressed 100% in pirate outfits. I mean the whole family¢¦mother, father, and sister, complete with elaborate swashbuckler outfits, plastic hooks, eye patches, and swords. They were great! They also brought enough food to feed twenty people for dinner that night. We rounded up more hikers from the thruhiker campsite and feasted together with all of our friends and their families.After the sun had gone down and we were all full from eating grilled hotdogs, we made a fire and sat around talking about tomorrow. I walked down to the stream to fish out the beers I had found there earlier. Coincidentally there was one for each of us. Camel pulled out a small flask of spirits and passed them around the campfire for us to share. As the night stretched out before us and we laughed around the fire¢s flickering light, we knew that we would all remember this night for many years to come. Friendships forged over six months and thousands of miles can last forever.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net