Bryson and I spent the night at Shaws hiker hostel in the town of Monson. Poet and hippie chick were great hosts! We went to the bar for a beer where I met four Nobo hikers I had been following forever!!!! I had always seen their trail journal entries but never met them. We actually started within two days of each other. Crazy how you can hike over 2,000 miles and not run into each other. The beginning of July is a popular start date for south bound hikers. Thus, with so many Sobos it was awesome to meet other nobos! (Rarity)
Bryson dropped me off early the next morning at the trail head. With 100 miles ahead and no cell service we made a meet up plan, and I was off.
( He spent his five days visiting friends and fishing.)
My pack was really quite heavy with five days of hungry hiker food. It's funny to see how the Sobos ten day supply is equivalent to a NoBos five. Yes, 2,000 miles makes a difference in appetite! At least we have hiker legs and can make it out in half the time.I enjoyed meeting so many anxious/excited/exhausted Sobos. It is amazing to think back to everything they have ahead!
As I was becoming nostalgic about the journey coming to a close, I was given a few gentle reminders of the daily trail grind. It was so slick after a good rain that I had two good falls! Prior, I had only fallen twice the entire trip. I got my bear hang stuck and had to cut the p-cord. I ran into a moose on the trail. (We had a stare down)I got a bloody nose. I was soaking wet for hours on end.
I was excited after a few long rainy days to hit Abol Bridge campground marking the end of the 100 mile stretch. I hiked ten more miles to Kathadin Stream Campground. This is the base of the Kathadin climb, leaving just five remaining miles to the summit- the northern terminus of the trail.
I got a hitch out of Baxter park and into the town of Millonocket where I met up with Bryson at the Appalachian Trial Lodge. I got a hot shower, a needed load of laundry going and spread my tent out to dry. We joined Deadline, Yoyo and their girlfriends(who had just gotten into town) for dinner. We enjoyed reminiscing about the trail and sharing stories with all of our significant others about trail life!
Tomorrow = Kathadin
deadline- little Debbie- Yoyo - tweet- sicamore... Nobos
Night out in Monson
Numerous stream crossings
Here I come
Cold- wet- hungry
A little help across
My last night on trail
A little muddy
Butterflies loving my feet and socks at lunch break
My first view of Mt Katahdin in the distance
My attempt to take a pic of a moose
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