Date: 2006-08-18
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: 0

Cell good.The morning started out with a beautiful sunrise over the pond next to the lean-to. I think I have a really nice panoramic picture of it in the camera - I hope it as nice when printed as it looks in the preview window.The day was beautiful and sunny all day, which made it comfortable for hiking. I had a new experience in my hiking that I hadn't seen before. I had to take my boots off, put my Crocs on, tie my shoelaces together to wear my boots as a necklace, and walk in the river to ford across on three occasions. With the warm weather and the beautiful day, it was quite enjoyable to soak my feet as I crossed. If it were cold out and the water colder, this could have been freezing - the hiking Gods were watching over me. I'm told I will have to do this 2 or 3 more times before the end of my hike. I reached the highway, and was fortunate to get a ride right away. I was picked up by a former thru-hiker who explained what Monson had to offer as we rode into town. One of the stops I had to make was at the Post Office. Fortunately for me, the driver told me it closed at 4:00pm, and it was 10 minutes to 4:00. He dropped me off there, and I retrieved my box just before closing. This wasn't that big a deal as other times, as I planned to zero, and could have picked it up in the morning.I was directed to where Shaw's Lodging was located, and I walked there with my package and pack. Luckily they still had some beds available, and I secured one. Shaw's is an AT Landmark. It was run by a man Keith Shaw until he passed away two years ago. Fortunately, it was bought by a few business minded people, and they are continuing the tradition with all the same services. The house is orderly, and the beds, with sheets and blankets, look comfortable. They have an all you can eat breakfast in the morning, and I am told if you get back on the trail hungry it's your own fault.Monson is a little town in Maine - it has a few places to eat, a general store, and a few art galleries. One small town happening this evening was that the general store had a small blue grass band playing in one corner and the towns people sitting around watching them. I returned to Shaw's after dinner at the Bar-BQ to a lot of trail talk from everybody here. We have section hikers, NOBO, and SOBO thru-hikers. We were swapping stories of what we could expect to see from those who just came from there. Tomorrow many will be hitting the trail, and others will zero like me. It's great to be talking about leaving our last trail town and envisioning summiting Katahdin. All of us NOBOs are talking about our summit day. We're not saying "my hike will end" on the 28th, but rather "I plan on summiting" on the 28th. It sounds different, but it means the same.About two days ago I got the brainstorm of looking into getting a campsite for Sue, Chris, and I on the 27th. I figured it would be a long shot, but it was worth the phone call to ask. Sue called, and they had a campsite available, so she reserved it. By camping in Baxter Park that evening, we took the element of having to wait in line at the gate to the park at 5:00 am. We can now sleep a little later, say maybe 6:30 am, and prepare to hike Katahdin by 8:00 am. I doubt I'll sleep well that night, as I'll probably be so keyed up and nervous. I'm glad Sue and Chris can be there when I finish. I wouldn't want to be there alone, and I want to share it with loved ones.Well, enough for tonight. With a zero tomorrow, I'll have a lot more to say then. Old GoatSue's Note: WOW!!!! This adventure is near the end. I have mixed emotions about it all!! Excitement, awe, fear.....and on, and on, and on........... I wanted so much to be with Old Goat through this. I envy the experience he has had and the friends he's made. It's a world I am not part of, and I'm jealous of that. At the same time, I'm excited that he'll be home soon.BUT.......when he comes home, we both have major adjustments to make. Old Goat retired on February 3rd from his full time job, he worked a bunch of Air National Guard days to make up for all the months he'd be on the AT, he then finished his AT preparations (which kept him plenty busy!!!), and then he left to start this great adventure. It all happened so quickly that he had no break between the end of one and start of another. When he comes home, we immediately have a military retirement party for him (because he finishes his military commitment in September), and then ............ he is completely retired and starts an entirely new life!!! I am, however, working full time, at a wonderful job that I'm not yet ready to leave. So we have major adjustments to work through.I am excited, and scared, at the very same time. I so look forward to having Old Goat home again. But keep in mind I've been doing my own thing for almost six months now and I'm used to it. We have never had the same interests in what's on TV...I'm more organized and neater than Old Goat...if I'm not sleeping well at night right now I can just turn on the light and read for a while and not affect anyone....etc, etc, etc.......That's my side of it. For Old Goat, he's been in an entirely different world for almost six months. Read the entries of others who are nearing Mt. Katahdin and you can feel their concerns about leaving the AT.....everything has changed after being among such an elite community of thru-hikers. It's such a special community - one doesn't leave that community without the sense of loss, I would imagine.I feel Old Goat has a more profound adjustment ahead of him than I when he gets home. He has been fabulous with me through this. He knows I was hurt profoundly by his decision to do this adventure alone. He lets me express my feelings about it...and he listens, loves, and lets go....things that I need so much. I love Old Goat so very much. I miss him. I'm looking forward to being back together, but I'm worried about the adjustment period. I KNOW we will get through the return adjustment period and back to a new "normal" okay, but going through such adjustment periods are a challenge and stir strong emotions. Everyone has experienced a major life change at one time or another.....this adventure is one of those major life changing experiences for Old Goat.I can't tell you how much it means to me that Old Goat wants Chris and me to summit with him. I worry about slowing him down....he will be so excited to get to the top, and I don't have the conditioning to go the speed he probably would love to go. Old Goat reassures me that it's what he wants. I worry though. I don't want to hold him back. I want him to summit with others in the special AT community. I want to be with him, too.We are a week away. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!