Date: 2003-08-29
From: The Birches

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Yahhhhhhhhh! Never say never, ever. Don't say can't. The journey is ova'. My along awaited summit of Katadhin arived sometime in the AM on August 29th. Several hundred friends and five months and 2 days latter it has come to an abrupt end.Summit day could not have been any more perfect. We (Tang, Iron Toothpick, Genesis, Clueless and Nightmare, BobMikeBob, and I) were awake and off to summit early in the morning. The night before Tang's father, Joe, suprized us at the Birches with soda, snacks, and beer! What a lovely family those Tang's are. We all stayed up to late on Thuresday night and woke up to early Friday morning but excitement was in the air as I was ready to get under way. Fortinuatly the morning air was fairly plesent and not much wind to speak of. After a brief meeting/picture taking with the crew and family we all headed up the mountain. The first section up was fairly easy but soon the bolders appeared. This was some of the most technical climbing I had done, but it was so fun. Our crowd thinned out somewhat with BobMikeBob in the lead, then the speedy (when he wants to be) Iron Toothpick, myself, followed by the pokie Tang and Genesis. All the while the weather was acting most wonderful. The sky behind Katahdin was beaming with color and every now and then the trail would light up as if I were following a golden road. Iron Toothpick, now in front, reached a point where the trail peaked and had a sign on it. Not the summit but it kinda looked like it could be if one was unaware. Being the jokester he is, right?, he fooled BobMikeBob by raising his hands in joy as they approached. 'Two hours baby', Bob was chanting, but realized it was in fact not the summit--hah. Anyway, we had about 1 hour left to hit Bakter Peak and the end of the trek. Within that time I was able to see the summit in the distance and had time alone to try and make since of this trip. I was not to emotional, mainly I was singing in my head and just happy to have made such an accomplishment! As Iron Toothpick and I were in 10 yards of the top we waited for out two other partners (Tang and Genesis) to arrive so we could summit together. We did, and that is that. The rest is history and if you want to really know how it feels, then get it together and plan on a thru hike of your own next year. I would recommend this to everyone and never say never to anyone.Now that it is over i will spent some time soaking it all in and try to decifer what's what's. I would like to take this time to say thanks to those I have meet and expecially those who I got to summit with! First, Genesis. We meet first at a shelter right after the Smokies. Then again in the Shenandohans thru Maryland, and finally days before summiting. So glad to see him make it!Also, Tang and Irontoothpick, whom I spent the last 3 weeks with. Not so much during the day, because they are sloooow pokes, but every night. It felt nice to trust these two people and looked forward to seeing them everynight as they wondered into camp. I liked beating them because it meant that I got the good spot to lay my tent whhile they were often had to improvise! I needed/wanted to slow my progress towards the end and i think we made a pretty good team. I will not/can not forget you guys and appreciate every day with ya'll.Another special thanks to Papa Tang, and Genesis' folks for treating us to a most excellent meal that night. Now returns the time when I can appreciate a meal for its quality in taste and not its ability to put the most calories into me. I like good food and that is just what it was. Also, Papa Tang took Tang, Toothpick and I out to breakfast in the morning and gave me a ride to New Hampshire, where I will reside for a few days---swell guy he is!Finally a special special appreciation for my family. Always there when I needed them and never did they fail me. In particuallar, thank you sister! Allegra, my sister/friend, sent me all my mail drops, mailed me letters, a mini disk player, information on the rest of the family and so much more. Thanks to her my life was easy as a 'walk in the woods'. Thats a true definition of family.Untill next time. I am going to slip away from this life and transition into something new---I hope you do to.Peace and HEALTH,Trukin'