Date: 2005-09-14
From: Birches Campsite

To: Katahdin (Baxter Peak)
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: few clouds

Day 1849/14s: Birches Campsitef: Katahdin (Baxter Peak)m: 5.2w: beautifulI slept horribly. Maybe I was excited or nervous about finishing the trail or maybe I was just constantly aware of the fact that the lifestyle I¢ve been experiencing for the past six months would soon be changed dramatically and I, thus, would not allow my senses to become numb enough to sleep. Whatever it was, I found myself wide awake by five in the morning and I woke Yardsale up fifteen minutes later.Draggin¢, Dead Animal and Jewels were awake as well, but Yardsale and I were the first two to hit the trail at five minutes past six. The early morning light and the dew on the bushes and rocks made everything seem new and full of smell. I pulled ahead of Yardsale for awhile and enjoyed climbing with contemplation and anticipation. We met up again shortly before treeline and negotiated some of the more difficult climbing sections together before I again pulled ahead.After climbing up one steep rocky section, the terrain becomes almost completely flat and remains that way for a while. I was unable to properly judge how far I had walked for a while because the morning mist was thick and was thickened with illumination from the still-rising sun. But the sun eventually became too hot and chased away the mist and I was able to see the summit of Mount Katahdin. Still from a great distance, I made out the basic shape of the sign marking the summit, the sign I had seen in pictures for years, the sign I both revered and dreaded, the signification of both success and ending. With a layer of dew still stuck to its face, the sign glowed in the distance like a mirage and I stopped immediately to focus all of my energy on one deep relaxing breath.I fell on my face at the foot of the sign and, with the apexes of rocks poking my chest and ribs and thighs, I thanked the Lord for a safe journey, for a life-changing experience, for friendships, for communion with His creation and for peace in the fact that my identity is found in Jesus Christ, a foundation infinitely more solid than long distance backpacking or than Mount Katahdin itself. I was happy to be there, but I was happier to know that my happiness existed before and would endure. Yardsale arrived had his time of reflection. We took some pictures, ate a snack and began walking across the Knife Edge trail toward Pamola Peak. This trail was great fun and the weather was great for it. The wind picked up after we reached Pamola and we decided to return. As we approached Baxter Peak for the second time, we saw a sizable crowd of people hanging around and I was incredibly glad that we started so early and had some time alone on the mountain. I don¢t think I would have enjoyed arriving at the same time that Cheshire Cat announced to everyone and to nobody in a loud voice that he was ¢three minutes ahead of his 1985 thru-hike schedule¢ or when day hikers were asking whether all nine of us had started together; the morning¢s solitude now seemed more precious than ever. We hung out until around noon before descending the mountain. I hiked down with Livestrong and we stopped for a break and a view by Katahdin Stream Falls and talked about the futility of seeking transcendence through the temporal. Yardsale arrived and Livestrong hiked on. We eventually went to the ranger station where we waited with Dead Animal and Draggin¢ for Jewels to return from Millinocket with her car. When she arrived, we drove up to the Birches to say goodbye to Cyclehiker, Pacman and Critter. Then we said goodbye to the woods. On the way out of the park, I was unable to stop looking out the window and thinking about days now past. I knew we were driving away from something very special, something that I will always adore and hold deep in my heart. With another deep breath my mind flooded with memories and feelings as indescribable as colors. The gravel road turned to pavement and we drove away at a faster pace.