Friday 9/18/09
Weather:
Overcast with some light rain throughout the morning and early afternoon.
Today's Hike:
Rainbow Springs Campsite to Katadhin Stream Campground (The Birches) - 21.1 miles
Today was a day full of mixed emotions. We woke up and packed early along with Nickers, Hobbit, Shark, and Stats. They set off a few minutes before us and we knew it would most likely be our final good-bye. Grom and I were the last to leave camp; by 7:15 we were headed north. We reached the northern end of the 100 mile Wilderness shortly before lunch and stopped briefly for a video break. It's funny how scary the thought of the 100 miles Wilderness was to me a year ago, yet the past 5.5 days seem like a crazy blur of laughter, sweat, and a few tears, but definitely no fear. A true testament to understanding that thinking about what a thru-hike will be like and what it actually will be like will be two entirely different scenarios.We stopped at Abol bridge for a quick resuppy. We stayed at the campground during the heaviest rain for the day and ate lunch with Dave, a Baxter State Park Ridge Runner. As we crossed from Abol bridge into the park we were greeted with an army of mosquito's. What the heck? We've gone days without a bug in sight and all of the sudden we were in the middle of a battle field. Luckily Grommet still had some bug spray and we quickly rubbed deet all over our bodies. Bring on the cancer...blast off the bugs.
From the park entrance to the Birches campground was nine easy miles. Still, we seemed to drag it out. We had 2 river crossings. It was probably only appropriate that I slipped on a rock at the very edge of the last river crossing. I came down on my knee and my left foot was soaked. I hate river crossings.
By 7pm we had officially made it. I am sleeping here at the base of Katadhin. This is really it. This was my last full day hiking. This will be my last night sleeping in my tent which means my last night in the woods. Tonight's pasta will be my last trail dinner. I don't want it to end. This, for a lack of better words, totally sucks.
Today's Video's:
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