Date: 2007-06-19
From: Stratton ME (Stratton Motel & Hostel)

To: Flagstaff Rd, ME
Miles today: 16.9

Well we're still here chillin in Stratton at the hostel.We slacked 17 mi yesterday up over the Bigalows, the last big mountains from here to Katahdin. So now we're home free. It's pretty easy (relatively speaking) terrain all the way to The Birches, the last lean-to before we summit Katahdin on the 30th.Had to do it, it was our last chance to slackpack. The views were awesome and the climbs big, but, hay, at this point no biggie. Ran into 6 more SOBO's who all came back to the hostel, so it was a full house here last nite, about 13 or so. Must be like this down south now withe everybody on the trail. Pretty different than our typical experience so far.Took a dip in a fabulous pond yesterday, Sooooo nice. It's nice to be ahead of schedule for the day and have time to just chill and enjoy the views from the peaks or take a swim. Great views of Sugarloaf and pretty cool lakes below. Couldn't quite see Katahdin, a little hazy for distant peaks. Tried out my 3rd set of poles yesterday. Komperdell sent me a new set of poles since I snapped one of mine and there aren't any dealers on the trail for my brand.Word from the SOBOs is that the first 3 NOBOs have finished, only Bookworm and Li remain ahead of us.Loungin around now waitin for our ride to the trailhead, gotta wait about 3 hours while Susan makes other dropoffs, so I guess we'll grab lunch on the way outta town.Mailed home a couple more small items. Slackin yesterday wasn't very different as there isn't much left in our "full" packs except sleeping bags we can leave behind when we slack, maybe a little extra food.Pretty weird, Groove is sittin here talking on the phone with Woodstock chillin at home with his family while we finish the trail. So bizarre. Guess he just ran 93 miles as prep for his ultramarathon coming up.We're all in this sureallistic mode, down to 11 days, we can't wait to summit with our friends, but wondering what it will be like once we're done.No more hikin. No more adventures. No more weird hiker stories.Back to the "real world".Not lookin forward to unpackin my storage space-an avalanche waitin to happen!Ready to eat when I want and where I want.Ready to just drive anywhere I feel like it on a whim.Guess I'll have to clean up my act, get rid of this scruff look we've all become accustomed to everyday.It's been so long since I drove a car. Kinda gotten used to just jumpin in the back seat or the bed of the truck with the wind blowin in our hair and blowin Groove's Dartmouth Visor right off his head! And his shades too!Looking forward to real bathrooms! And passing up some of them selectively for even cleaner better ones!It's really gonna seem weird not reading shelter registers to see wassup with everybody else we know. We'll have to rely on trailjournals.com to checkup on them.Lookin forward to fireworks. That'll be cool.And some kayaking. Maybe even take a spin on the Seadoo before I sell it.It'll be weird jumping back into work. But interestin to see how much things have changed. Or not at all. But bizarre to reenter with a whole new perspective.Wonder if Groove's shoes will make it. They're fallin apart, but he says he ain't buyin new ones.Lookin forward to the last hostel in Monson and inn at White House Landing. Some of the best ones and bittersweet for us.Can't wait to snowmobile and Ski too. And just lie on the beach for all of July and August. I wish.We all wonder how long it we can keep from gettin fat without walking a zillion miles a day everyday. And how we'll go back to eatin normal. Won't miss eatin Liptons & tuna or chicken everyday. Or snackin all day on candy bars or lame tastin "nutrition" bars.It'll be weird to see normal people not wearing crocs and flip flops in town. Or hiker clothes.It'll be weird not to wonder if we can make it over the ridge or steep descent before the rain.Or just to pick a different set of clothes to wear each day. How bizarre.Or to just jump in my truck and DRIVE somewhere instead of standing by the road waiting for a hitch.How odd "normal" life seems now.Buying new tires instead of new trailshoes.Buying gasoline (ouch $$$$$!) instead of snickers bars and snacks.Wearing my medic uniform everyday instead of my hiker uniform.Showering every day! Yeah! Baby!COFFEE every day. Whenever wherever I want it. YEAH!The rain is comin down. We're in now hurry. Waitin for our ride. Waitin to hit the trail. yeah.Lunchtime. Well it's only 10am, but we're ready to eat again. When aren't we?