Date: 2008-07-31
From: Rangeley Inn

To: Stratton, Maine
Miles today: 32.3
Weather: light rain

This morning while leaving Spaulding Mt. shelter at 7 o'clock I heard a clop clop. That could only be one of two thing. Either a moose was coming toward me or Padre was in the neighborhood. Several weeks ago while lying on my back catching rays on the trail while Site See was jumping in a river, Padre came clomping by. He asked for my address since he would not be seeing me again. He was making a push for the finish. A week ago while in Gorham, NH. I stopped in the Barn Hostel and Padre was there soaking his infected foot in Epson Salt. It had been wet for to long. He was taking several zeros to heal up. He hiked 26 miles yesterday trying to catch up to me. We chatted a while and he went up to the shelter to make breakfast while I went on up the trail knowing he would soon catch up again. I was hiking up Spaulding Mt. with thunder sounding in the distance, the rocks were wet and slippery. I paused to have an unscheduled pity party about my situation. That was when I heard it. A soft lilting melody came floating over the morning mist. Padre in the shelter playing his homemade flute. Only on the trail could this happen. Something in the melody stirred a chord deep in my soul. I hung my head and wept. I cryed for what was, what is, and for what is about to end. As ready as I am to finish this hike it also scares me. The trail has become my reality, my structure. Several months ago I had a meal with a fellow thru hiker. His spouse had also passed away and he was on the trail as a healing hile. He got within 10 feet of the sign at Katahdin and turned around and left. At the time I though why would he do that. I now realize it is because he was also afraid of endings. He now hikes the trail every year. That way it never ends. It is his life. I plan to grasp that sign and probably cry like a baby. I do not like endings either and as scared as I am of the unknown future I know I must move on. Padre and I hiked together the rest of the day and are sharing a room in Stratton, Maine. It rained during the day and as soon as we checked in it really poured. That will make our muddy mess of a trail even worse. I have 187 miles left and tomorrow I hit 2000 miles. Now for the menu for my homecoming meal. Carolyn, potato salad, yum. Gladys, apple and pecan pie. Mom, mashed potatoes with lots of melted butter, lighty browned. Glenda, noodles with chicken stock and butter. Pearl, meat loaf with crackers or bread crumbs, onions and seasonings. No BBQ sauce, this is not Texas. Ketchup on top is ok. Also Glenda how about corn cut off the cob fried in butter. For drinks Coke in 12 cans. Its just better than plastic. Also if spearamint tea is growing wild somewhere sun tea would be good, with lots of sugar. Also Gladys chocolate ice cream is needed. Not that cheap low grade stuff but something with at least 12 percent butter fat. Anything less then that won't coat any arteries. Blue Bunny or Edys is good. None of that frozen soft serve stuff. That is nothing more than frozen brown air. Also Merv would you go over to Sweetwater Farm and thump a good watermelon. There is nothing better than a ripe sweet watermelon, and nothing more disgusting than to open one that is not ripe. Are there any questions? You asked for my input and I do know what I like. One last request, in my 57 years there has never been any beer at on or near our get togethers. Let get a case of beer and really celebrate. Mom, put the phone down, no need to call the prayer chain, I was only kidding.