Date: 2005-09-02
From: Abol Bridge

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We woke up to another spectacular day. We had coffee and pasteries from the store for breakfast and had the clerk call the park to make sure the trails were open. A lot of people aer summiting today. Some already did the 10 from Abol to the park. But others are going to teh summit today and do the 10 mile jaunt tomorrow. We really struggled with deciding what we should do. Today is a perfect class 1 day. We've heard mixed things about what the weather is supposed to do tomorrow. The Weather Channel said tomorrow is supposed to be just like today. But the local forecast we're hearing from the ranger station says mostly cloudy with some chance for showers. A very tough choice actually : summit today when we know the weather is fabulous, but not really be done when we see that sign with 10 last miles to do? Or, do the ten miles today and preay for the best in terms of weather tomorrow and really be DONE when we get to the top and see that sign. Tough tough tough. You can see the dillema. At least it was a real dilema for me.        Ultimately though, we decided that it was more important to truly be done. I just couldn't imagine getting to the top of Katahdin, seeing the sign we've been hiking towards for six months, and knw that I still have to hike tomorrow. I need to know I am done when I see that sign. I know it seems arbitrary and strange but it's been a long walk and I just feel like Katahdin should really be at the END. THe very last bit of AT I hike.        So, we called Ma one last time to make arrangements to meet up this evening then set off. It was an easy and beautifully scenic 10 miles into Baxter. We did come to two spots where we could see the foot bridges over the lower and upper forks of the Nesowadnehunk Stream had been washed out. The water was still quite high but someone had pieced back together makeshift bridges. It was precipitous but Gravity helped me and we crossed both spots without incident. It was obvious to us that though still high, the water had gone down significantly. It was much higher yesterday and fording those streams could have been dangerous.        We took a long break at Big Niagra Falls and was it ever falling! The cascade was enormous and beautiful though the chaotic ferocity of the rushing water was intimidating on some level. We practically bounced down the trail. We were so happy to be here, finally, in Baxter, summitting Katahdin tomorrow. We popped out at Katahdin Stream camping area and who was there waiting for us, but Humpty Dumpty!!! We were so happy to see him! There were some other hikers there too who'd just summitted. SWIFT was there with another hiker we'd met for the first time. Humpty had beer, iced tea and candy for us which we were sitting around enjoying when Matt and Trip cam down the trail. We hung around and chatted for a while, then Humpty drove us all into Millinocket. He dropped us off at the EconoLodge where Gravity's parents had made reservations. Everyone had sort of a dazed and lost look on their faces as we exchanged info, took a picture, hugged and said goodbye.        We checked into the hotel room, showered and plunked down on the bed also feeling dazed and uncertain. It feels weird to be in a hotel room tonight. I'd just always imagined that we'd be camped at the Birches, crammed in with a bunch of other excited and anxious hikers, sharing stories from our hike the night before we summited.        It is far more meaningful to be able to share this with Ma and Gunther, but it is still just a little strange to be in a hotel room our last night "on" the trail.