Date: 2014-09-27
From: Potaywadjo Spring Lean To

To: Rainbow Stream Lean To
Miles today: 18.2

The woods were electric last night with all the animals from the barred owl to the moose coming out and partying. Unfortunately the moose was just yelling from the distance and didn't make an actual appearance, they're an elusive bunch. The excitement didn't stop there as Atlas and I awoke to a dog sniffing the tent early in the morning. We assumed it was another thru hikers dog and we went over to the shelter and Nora V was there and said the dog followed them to the shelter last night. It had a few radio collars around its neck so we assumed it was a hunters dog and since it was pretty thirsty and hungry, it has been lost for a little bit. I fed it some jerky and oatmeal which it ravenously ate but then then laid down and went back to bed, poor dog was exhausted. Nora named the dog Radio because of the collars and we sat there for awhile while it rested when the King of Pop Ins shows up, James. We were about seven miles from any road so he got the dog up and the dog hiked off with him for a bit, it took a bit of coercing. We cleaned up camp and headed out and when we got to Nahmakanta Lake,James was there with Radio and Radio decided it was time for another nap in the sun. James told us to go look at the view from the lake and you get to the shore and Katahdin is all in your face. In one day, its amazing how much closer we were to her and what an intense feeling of excitement comes over you as it was unexpected to get a few of her. The feeling was short lived as Radio wasn't looking to good and was just lying there. Atlas got a signal and left a voicemail to the owner whose number was on one of the collars. Nora V said she would stay with him and hike with him so with a heavy heart, we hiked on. About ten minutes later, they hiked passed us and Radio had some pep in his step. So we had a caravan of hikers with Nora leading, Radio behind her, Atlas then me, the mission was to get that dog to the nearest road and hopefully get it to a vet or a at least a park ranger office. Nora and Radio pulled away and we met up with them at a dirt road where there were some people parked and were about to go fishing. Turns out they are friends with the owner and were going to take him back. Now some weird and magical events have taken place over the last six months on the trail but this might take the cake. We all felt good about rescuing Radio and hopefully this would give us some good karma for the remaining days and have beautiful weather for our summit up Katahdin.   Feeling good, we hiked on and passed some day hikers at Nahmakanta Lake who congratulated us for completing the trail, well almost completing the trail. It's a pretty cool feeling having complete strangers come up to and congratulate you for completing something, especially the Appalachian Trail. We got some of the best views of Katahdin from Nesuntabunt Mountain, this is the point where I got excited to complete this journey, is this really happening? We had about another six miles to the shelter and it was a just a nice hike in the woods. It made me feel like a kid again where the world seems so big and magnificent. The smell of the leaves, kicking them around while waking through them, the sound if the water, what is there not to love about being outdoors? Whatever the reason is for people thru hiking, I believe the one common thread is we are reconnecting with nature and ourselves. We're exploring again whether on the trail itself, or taking a side trail, a scramble up a mountain, we feel alive and pure with no worries of others opinions. Some people think that once you reach adult it's time to settle down and stop exploring but where's the fun in that, exploring is what makes life fun as you never know what's around the bend.   This is the last shelter that we'll be sleeping at that's on the trail and it's bittersweet. This week seems to be flying by which sucks, trying to take it all in. I started looking back at my first journal entries and reading abut all the people I hiked with and wonder who finished and who went home. It saddens me that I won't finish with the the others of our group but such is life out here in the trail.