Day 23- Little Bigelow lean-to to Stratton, ME. 16 miles.

I woke up this morning with my game face on.  If I completed the 16 miles into Stratton, it would be the most miles I had ever done in one day.  The terrain today consisted up 5 climbs, one being close to a 2,000 ft. elevation increase, making it the most difficult terrain I had seen since Katahdin.  Whoo!  I knew I was in for a wild ride as soon as I opened my eyes and a wild ride it was! You see, Maine and I have a love-hate relationship- one minute I'm thinking that could never picture a place more beautiful and then the next minute it's trying to kill me.  There were moments today when I was just so angry at Maine for all the huge boulders and rocks at ankle-twisting-angles.  Today didn't turn out to be as much about enjoying the beauty as it has been lately; today was about pushing myself hard and proving to myself that I can still do the tough days that I don't find to be as fun.  The last 5 miles I was pretty much just zoned in on getting into Stratton.  Right as I was falling apart, about .5 miles away from the highway into Stratton, I received the most amazing trail magic ever.  There was a 12 year old bottle of Jameson sitting on the side of the trail with a note in it.  There was only a small swig at best left, but the group passed it around so that everyone could have a little taste.  I'd never tasted it before and it was definitely a nice treat to get me the rest of the way to the highway.  I arrived at the highway with Faith, Old School, and Sleepwalker.  I am told very often that since I am a female I will have no trouble hitchhiking.  Of course that would also be a benefit to any males that I am with.  So, I stuck my thumb right on out there and had my first hitchhiking experience.  We all got a friendly ride easily and ended up on Main Street in Stratton in no time.  Woohoo!  I am so happy from being able to complete today and have never been so exhausted!

Day 22- West Carry Pond lean-to to Little Bigelow lean-to. 7.7 miles

Haha so I was planning on going 13 miles today, but Maine is just so gorgeous that I want to stay at every nice place I see! It's really difficult having to leave awesome spots 5 or 6 times a day!

Northbounders hit their 2,000 mile mark here- I now have less than 2,000 miles left!

The most perfect view I've seen yet.  East Flagstaff Lake.

I am carrying enough food to go slow if the mood strikes me (which seems to be the mood I'm always in), so I didn't see a reason to leave Little Bigelow lean-to when I arrived. It was either stay and hang out by the "tubs" or hike 5 more miles and climb a mountain. Hmmmm....tough call. Haha the group I am with seems to slow down a lot of SOBOs- there were some guys that were hiking near 20 miles a day and once they met us, they caught the pause and enjoy bug. It's a really rewarding form of hiking in Maine :)
Parkside's last entry in a register is at this lean-to. His last entry was directed at SOBOs and was so beautiful that I had to read it a few times. He said, "To my SOBO brothers and sisters, Hike your own hike and remember it's about the smiles, not the miles, and you will have the time of your life. You have an immense task before you, but one that will cradle and provide for you if you give it love. In Georgia you'll see a shelter that has this etched into it: The key to happiness is freedom. The key to freedom is courage. Trust yourself and keep truckin!" What an inspiration.
Can't wait to eat dinner tonight! Lipton sides and salmon. Yum :)

Day 21- Pierce Pond lean-to to West Carry Pond lean-to. 10 miles

I slept so absolutely horribly last night. I woke up at 2:40 and it was pouring rain. I was trying to fall back to sleep as quickly as possible, but I was feeling uneasy and just couldn't shut off my mind. I made up for the poor sleep during the night and slept in until almost 8 this morning :) I sat outside of my tent facing the pond and ate one of the delicious Cinnabon honey buns that Bomber sent to me. I again didn't feel much like hiking, but knowing that the terrain would be pretty easy helped to get me moving. I have truly been appreciating the beauty of Maine recently- taking it so slowly has its benefits! I spent 2 hours on a sand beach today and just soaked it up. Dirty, Mosey, and Faith took the break with me too and they found so many leeches in the water! It was pretty cool to stand in the water and just watch the leeches move around.

The best bog bridge I've seen yet!

To the side of the bog bridge

I did have a point during the day when I just wanted to book it. It started to pour rain when I was hiking beside a pond and I was hustling in order to get out of the open sky and underneath of some trees. Mosey was right in front of me and he kept stopping to look at how beautiful the rain looked as it was falling on the pond.  I let out a huff each time he stopped and then we just started laughing about how much I wanted to find shelter and his literally standing in the way haha.
I thought a lot about my dad today. I had a dream right after he died in which we were walking down a wide trail with trees flowing up on either side in the autumn. We were holding hands and he was comforting me. I have never been to the place that I dreamed of, but I know that I will find it on the trail. It was a cool thought today :)
Sleeping early tonight!

Caratunk to Pierce Pond lean-to. 4 miles

Today was a completely easy, beautiful nero day. I was planning on hiking 10 miles to a campsite, but once I got to Pierce Pond there was no was I was leaving. Haha what Maine calls a pond is definitely more like a lake and this one is so gorgeous. Also making me want to stay was the fact that I was having trouble hiking today. My pack and thoughts were both extremely heavy. Haha a NOBO at the lodge in Caratunk picked up my pack to feel its weight. All he could muster up to say was "God bless you and your family". Hahah it's way to heavy for me! Naturally, I have disliked each time that I have had to pick it up. I think at its heaviest it weighs around 35 lbs, but at my weight I should be carrying around 20-25. While hiking today I came up with a few ideas to make it lighter. One of them is to do cold food through southern Maine and the Whites. That way I'd be able to drop my fuel, my pot, and my stove.  I'm also going to drop my Keens for a bit and go with a cheap pair of flipflops.  I cannot wait to get this extra weight off my back!
I hiked most of the day with Mosey. It was very enjoyable and there was an added depth to the conversation, probably due to my lack of cheer.  Mosey went right along with my mood and found a way to comfort me by just being there.  I found a swimming hole right beside the trail and was a bit hesitant to go for a swim since we had so many miles left to do that day. Mosey looked at me and said that he was going to swim and that was all the arm-twisting I needed!  I quickly set my pack down, took my shoes off, and hopped in the water.  I was content for the rest of the day from that moment on. The water was a perfect depth, temperature, not moving too quickly or too slowly, and there were absolutely no leeches! = amazing!
I arrived at Pierce Pond lean-to in the early afternoon and was just taken aback by how beautiful it is.  While admiring the beauty, I had a deep feeling of grief for the loss of a fellow hiker.  I never got to meet Parkside on the trail, but I sat by the water and spent a lot of time thinking about him, his hike, and imagining what he could've looked like.  Even as I'm writing this, behind my right scapula is going numb because of the grief.  My heart and love go out to his family, who will be coming here soon. 
Some NOBO hikers are staying here tonight too: Jackrabbit, J.C., Grumpy (whose name I accidentally heard as "Gropey" haha), Steve-O, Pretzel, and a few others. We all played UNO and had a nice fire going. I pitched my tent at the perfect campsite down by the pond. It is supposed to rain tonight and I am not sure how I feel about sleeping so close to the pond, but I really want to sleep alone tonight.

Tentsite at Pierce Pond

Caratunk- zero day

The fellowship and I decided to camp in Caratunk as a zero day- I had enough food to eat out of my pack, so why not? :) We decided to tent at the Northern Outdoors after hearing that there would be a hot tub, a swimming pool, wifi, and a pool table all available to us just for tenting there! We arrived on a Saturday and lucky for us live bands play there on Saturday nights!  It was so much fun to boogie on the dance floor with Mosey for a bit. I had a blast and let my body enjoy the relaxation and heal up for what's to come. The next 40 miles will be okay, but once I hit Stratton things are going to get a little hairy. Southern Maine and the Whites in New Hampshire are the most difficult parts of the Appalachian Trail- that difficulty is balanced with massive amounts of beauty, but it's still going to be so rough. So, for now, I'm taking it easy breezy and just letting the relaxing side of the trail sink in :) 

Monson to Caratunk

The hike from Monson to Caratunk went so much better than I could've even dreamed!  The hike out of Monson gifted us with wild blueberries just ripe for the picking.  As soon as I saw them I sat my pack down beside the field and filled my hand with quite a few berries.  Once I popped that deliciousness into my mouth I was more than happy to bop on down the trail.

Wild blueberries!!!

The first day back on the trail was uncomfortable since my feet had to break in the new insoles that I had gotten in Monson, but since the insoles have been broken in I have been pain free!  I even didn't have to wear my knee brace :) I was practically skipping down the trail (which was pretty much flat the whole time) because I felt so darn good! I have even started trying to teach myself how to whistle. It's a nice thing to do while hiking in order to have some form of music around me. It's a bit funny to get a song stuck in my head because it's usually just a little piece of the song and I can't for the life of me remember the rest of it!  So, I'll just be walking down the trail singing the same thing over and over- I don't seem to tire of that little part, though, and I usually have enough space between myself and other hikers so that I don't have to worry about driving them nuts haha.  I have still been hiking with Faith, Mosey, French Fry, and Sticks and we had Snapshot & Blarney, Dirty, and Old School join us. I have been blessed with amazing company :)

Sticks at Moxie Bald Pond

A bit of Maine trail :)

At Pleasant Pond lean-to we all decided to have dinner together on the dock and I took a nice swim before I chowed down. I did have one little bother on the trail for this section- I got stung by a hornet (or yellow jacket?) and my arm has been swollen for a couple of days :/. It'll go away, though, so no big deal :)
There was one night where I just couldn't fall back to sleep at around 1 a.m., so I decided to move from the lean-to into my tent. While I was getting ready to pitch it, I noticed the stars and just laid my sleeping bag down on the ground and looked at them for quite some time. I have never seen stars more beautiful. There are absolutely no lights around here and the stars just dazzle in the sky like diamonds because of it.  I probably laid there for close to 3 hours just admiring them.
The day we went into Caratunk I had to be at the post office by 11:15 in order to pick up a food package that Bomber sent to me (so amazing!). I had around 6 miles to go and left the lean-to around 7:30. I was nervous that I wouldn't make it in time, so I just flew down the trail. It's such a cool thing to be able to turn on the speed hiking and just let it run wild.  I ended up getting there with an hour to spare! The package that Bomber had sent to me was more like opening a present on Christmas than a mere box of food. There were Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, tuna, chicken, Lipton sides, Snickers bars, and tons of other hiker goodness. Bomber also included a quote that is already starting to ring true for myself:
"After more than 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, you can expect to undergo some personality changes. A heightened affinity for nature infiltrates your life. Greater inner peace. Enhanced self-esteem. A quiet confidence that if I could do that, I can do and should do whatever I really want to do. More appreciation for what you have and less desire to acquire what you don't. A childlike zest for living life to the fullest. A refusal to be embarrassed about having fun. A renewed faith in the essential goodness of humankind. And a determination to repay others for the many kindnesses you have received.
- Larry Luxenberg
This trail is beautiful :)

Monson, ME

I took 2 zero days in Monson and my body absolutely loved it!  The Lakeshore House was a perfect oasis right after the wilderness and the staff was so friendly!  One of the employees told me that I was the most enthusiastic hiker she'd ever picked up and the owner said she loved my enthusiasm!  The happiness I felt at the end of surviving the wilderness was just so much that I had to share it with others! 
In order to celebrate, Faith got a round of Jack Daniels shots for the group.  This was my first shot of Jack Daniels!  I didn't like the initial burn too much, but the aftertaste of victory was oh so sweet :)
I have eaten a ton of greens (my body has never wanted so much salad!), slept in a bed, and showered.  Oh, that first shower after coming out of the wilderness is a completely mind-blowing experience.  There was so much dirt caked on my legs, I hadn't washed my hands in 12 days, and my hair was completely filthy.  That shower was life-changing!  A popular saying on the trail is "it's all about the little things".  I enjoyed the heck out of the shampoo, q-tips, washcloth, and soap provided.  I spent most of my time in Monson hanging out outside (it feels a bit weird to be inside now) or working on my blog. 
I had been dreaming about a pizza since day 1 in the wilderness- marinara sauce is one of my favorite foods and I hadn't had any in over 2 weeks!  I had heard that the gas station up the road had good pizza, so I went up there to order one for dinner.  Well, loving marinara sauce so much, I decided to order my pizza with sauce on it and sauce on the side.  Somehow, she thought I meant salsa.  Haha, so when I got back to the Lakeshore House and sat down all ready to chow down on this pizza, I realized that it was salsa.  Such a bummer!  I then took a bite of my weird salsa pizza and proceeded to scarf down the rest of it.  Mustn't have bothered me too much!  (It actually wasn't bad- or maybe that was the hunger talking?? ;)
I got to talk to Bomber, the northbounder I had met in Millinocket that gave me my first trail magic, and I discussed my plans for resupplying in Caratunk and Stratton.  Bomber told me that there was absolutely nowhere to resupply in Caratunk and that it was best to have something shipped to the post office there for pick-up.  Bomber then offered to send me enough food to get me to Stratton from Caratunk.  He said that another hiker had done the same quite a few times for him and this was his way of repaying the kindness.  Trail magic!!!  Bomber and I are planning to hike for a week in New Hampshire together, which should be tons of fun!  I hope that I can keep up with him by that point in time!  He finished the entire trail in a little over 100 days- phew! 
Getting ready to start the madness again :) 

Day 8- East Branch lean-to to Cooper Brook lean-to. 3.6 miles

Sorry it's out of order!  :/ 

SUPER relaxing day :).  Woke up late, made tea, read, slowly packed up, and left the lean-to around 9:00 a.m.  Only 3.6 miles to go today and I am taking my time!  I basically made it a zero day, just with a little bit of moving in the middle of it.
Faith and I met 2 northbounders, Tuna and Bojangles, and we all sat down on the trail for about 30 minutes and chatted.  Tuna had the same pair of boots all the way through the trail!  He said that they were definitely the heaviest that he'd seen and his foot was hanging out of one side of one, but they'd gotten him there!  They gave us some advice on the hike- it's always such a nice treat to get positive advice from a northbounder.
Faith and I heard in passing that a northbounder had drown around Caratunk- may he rest in peace- and I spent a little bit of the evening thinking about him and the indefiniteness of anything in life.  I was told that he had had a long mileage day and that his leg cramped up in the pond.  It's so crazy to think about because I have swam on multiple occasions here and have never thought twice about it.  It was a reminder of my own lack of control over anything- whether I'm out on the trail or not- and that I must continue to maintain the highest awareness of my surroundings and my body.  My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.
Once we got to the lean-to, we found Sticks and French Fry taking a zero day.  We had all decided to take a lazy day :).  I have been blessed with such good company these past few days!  The water at this lean-to was ice cold and perfect for icing my knee and getting drinking water from.  I love finding springs with icy cold water flowing out of them.  Being so close to water reminds me of how dirty I am! One week with no soap, no shower, etc will definitely do it!  I'm excited to see how dirty I'll be in 5 more days, when I should be out of the wilderness.
Late in the evening, just as I was about to go to bed, a hiker from Ireland rolled into camp.  He walked straight up to the fire pit and pulled birch shavings out of his pocket and proceeded to quickly build a fire.  He cooked up some lentil soup and was going uber lightweight with no stove, no tent, etc., which just completely blows my mind at this stage in my hike.  He told us about a dairy farm in Vermont where we can get unpasteurized milk- definitely going there and getting some of that fatty goodness!  Haha he said he got the milk, walked 5 miles while drinking it, and then walked 5 miles back in order to get more- it's that good!  Yum :).
Tomorrow starts the grueling climbs up and down multiple mountains for 30 miles or so.  I'm a little nervous, but ready to get into Monson for a big dinner, a shower, and a bed!  Bring it on mountains!

Days 10-13. To Monson, ME

Holy cow, I've been so tired at the end of all the days that I haven't been able to journal about them!  I have a few good stories stuck in my head from the rest of the way through the wilderness though :)

Chairback mountain was a really cool climb- it was really frightening to look at before I started my ascent.  Faith yelled out to me to just pay close attention and move slowly, so that's what I did and I made it up the mountain with no problems.

Chairback mountain.  The huge boulders are the trail.  Oh Maine....

Right after Chairback mountain is a lean-to called Chairback Gap that I stayed at for the night.  This is when I got to meet Mosey!  Right off the bat he was cracking me up- I don't think I've ever laughed so much in my life!  The humors of Faith and Mosey put together can keep me laughing for hours on end.  I'm getting a good dose of laugh therapy out here :).  I gave Mosey a big hug for saving my life by leaving the food.  Mosey had never hiked before either, so it was nice to be able to chat about how crazy this is!  I also met G-unit today while eating lunch after fording a river.  She's blasting through the miles, even with a hurt knee.  I don't know how she does it!  Best of luck to her!
The next day we decided to take an easy 6.9 mile day to Cloud Pond Lean-to that turned out to not be so easy.  I arrived at Cloud Pond that evening pretty exhausted, but this lean-to may very well have had one of the most beautiful sceneries on the trail.  I went for a nice swim and then we all cooked dinner together and ate on the edge of the pond.

Cloud Pond

The rest of the hike was filled with excitement due to how close we were getting to Monson.  From Cloud Pond it was 2 more days until we would be sleeping in an air conditioned room, showered and clean, with all the food we could dream of being available!
 Haha I had another clumsy moment on the trail:  I was climbing up over a root and right as I was swinging my back foot forward to take another step, it got snagged on a root.  My balance was completely thrown off and I started to fall forward.  I was able to stick my trekking poles out in front of myself to keep myself from hitting the ground hard, but I couldn't do much more than that since my wrists were looped through my poles.  So, here I am leaning at a pretty good angle forward with no way to get back up.  I had no other choice but to let myself fall without having my hands to catch me, but the few seconds before I let go were filled with so much hesitation because I knew I'd just fall flat on my face!  Haha, when I did let myself fall I found it to be so hilarious that I just laid on the trail for a couple of seconds and laughed.  It's such a strange feeling to know that you're about to fall on your face and there's nothing you can do about it, you just have to let it happen. 
The last day out of the wilderness started pretty casually- I wasn't wanting to get too amped up and rush out of the wilderness.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to be back in the wilderness for a very long time, if ever again in my lifetime.  I used the day to enjoy the scenery just as much as the days before, but once I hit the 3 miles to Monson mark it was like I got super powers!  I ate a Snickers bar (a hiker's secret weapon) and just blasted off towards the end of the wilderness, practically sprinting down the trail.  I have never moved so fast!  Haha.  The emotions I felt once I arrived at the terminus of the 100 mile wilderness were so happy!  I was there with Banana and Peel (an awesome couple I'd been hiking with for a few days) and we all started dancing around and celebrating together.

End of 100 mile wilderness!  Read the sign!

From the edge of the highway, I called the Lakeshore House in Monson and they sent someone over to pick Mosey and me up.  I survived the 100 mile wilderness!!!!  Wooooohoooooooooooo!

Song:  "The Fighter" by Gym Class Heroes

Day 9- Logan Brook lean-to to Carl A Newhall lean-to. 7.2 miles

Song of the day:  "Dear Prudence" by the Beatles   
"The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful, and so are you" :)

I woke up around 7:00 in order to start the day- I have to climb up and down 4 mountains today!  As soon as I left the lean-to, it was straight up a mountain for 1.5 miles.  I must say, though, that climbing a mountain first thing in the morning is an awesome way to wake up!  I left the lean-to so sleepy, but once I got to the top of the mountain I was so awake that it felt like I'd had espresso in my camelback rather than water.  I knew that I'd have cell service at the top of White Cap mountain, so the thought of being able to call my mother and Ryan motivated me to get up that mountain pretty quickly.  Of course, once I heard Ryan's voice I cried again- the last time I'd talked to him I cried because I was miserable and in pain, this time I cried because I was just soooooo happy (such a wonderful change!).  I'm such a sap!  Also, I hadn't gotten to talk to my mom since I'd been in the wilderness, so it was absolutely amazing to talk to her.
The view from the top of the mountain was one of my favorites so far- I counted 18 lakes in the distance.  I'm falling in love with the wilderness because of views like this with nothing man-made- just pure natural goodness :).

Faith and me on top of White Cap mountain

French Fry :)

The rest of the day went very very well!  I didn't have too much trouble with the other 3 mountains- my body is so much stronger now than it was a week ago.  The descents were still very difficult on my knees, but it is getting so much better!  Faith and I got to hike with Sticks and French Fry all day, making it a relaxed and kinda goofy day.  We took wonderful breaks at the top of each mountain, enjoying the accomplished feeling of having climbed it mixed with the beauty of it all.  Once we got to the lean-to I found a huge slab of rock to lay out and sunbathe on.  Haha a trail maintenance couple walked by and said "We should take a picture of this to show how hard the trail is!"  Hahaha and the privy at the lean-to did this rocking thing when I'd step inside of it.  It felt like I was inside of one of those rides at the malls and jostle you back and forth.  Hilarious to try to use the restroom like that first thing in the morning!  Tomorrow is Chairback mountain-  I've heard a lot about it, including that its difficulty is more on par with rock climbing than with hiking or trekking.  Actually, there hasn't been much in Maine that I would consider to be hiking, at least not any of the hiking that I've done.  It's all been extremely rugged, uncivilized, harsh, beautiful terrain.  My neck has been sore from staring at my feet so much out of fear of knocking into a root or rock and twisting my ankle.  I'm loving it :)

Day 7- Cooper Brook Falls lean-to to East Branch lean-to 8.1 miles

Something about having Frank Sinatra stuck in your head all day adds some zest to hiking. I couldn't stop singing Sinatra all day! Especially:
Song of the day:  "I Love You Baby" by Frank Sinatra
I said something this morning to Faith that pretty much sums up how I felt about today:  "I feel like the world is kissing me".  My perspective of the whole hike has changed because I've been enjoying myself.  Hiking slowly with relaxing breaks and not too much strain is key right now for success of the entire hike.  I was truly unsure about my capability to do a thru-hike, but now I'm beginning to understand and embrace all that a thru-hike means.  One of the beauties of being out here is that each day is a mystery.  You never know who's path you'll cross on the trail, what stories you'll hear, what hardships you'll face, and what beauty you'll encounter.  I am now fully aware that this trail will break me down and I will come back stronger many times over.  I know that the indescribable happinesses that I will experience on this journey will be far greater than any of the difficulties and pain running parallel.  It is the yin and the yang- without one, you cannot have the other.  At least I have already experienced the darkness and know that I can get through it.  I doubt that I will have such a hard time again on the trail. 
The lean-to that I arrived at today was perfect again.  There is a river flowing just around the corner and I went to sit by it for a while and soak my feet.  Faith found a nice rock that formed a pretty perfect chair and he let me sit there, reading his Kindle for hours.  How nice it was to read in such a serene setting!  I spent the rest of the day reading with my feet elevated, still trying to heal my lower limbs.  This particular lean-to had sky lights and was extremely spacious, making it quite a nice place to lounge around in for the evening.  I am taking a "nero" (near zero) day tomorrow in order to allow for more healing, and then I'll be kicking it back up a notch to get out of the wilderness. 

Day 6- Antlers campsites -> Cooper Brook Falls lean-to

I thought the terrain today was fantastic!- flat with not much mud, not too many roots, and tons of nice shade. Faith keeps a nice pace and enjoys breaks, so I had a wonderfully relaxing day hiking with him.
I got my food drop today, which I was so anxious about because I wanted to see how many days worth of food I had left. I didn't have much :/ I'd still be having to pull 15 mile days with a bum knee in order to get out of the wilderness without going hungry.
I have always been a person that believes that things happen for a reason. Today showed me another reason why I had to meet Faith and hike with him. Earlier on in his hike, Faith had met another southbounder named Mosey. Mosey had also gotten the same food drop as me and Faith knew Mosey was ahead of us on the trail. When Faith sees Mosey's food container at the drop, he notices that there is still food in there along with a note. Mosey had written that he had too much food and apologized for leaving it. So, I got to pick up Mosey's food! That food now gives me plenty to be able to go through the wilderness slowly and not run the risk of causing serious injury to my body! I was so ecstatic- the universe provides!
 It only took us until 1:00 p.m. to reach Cooper Brook Falls, which gave me a lot of time to rest my legs. Faith structured a way for me to prop up my feet with his sleeping pad. I stayed propped up like that for the rest of the evening, reading and writing in my trail journal.

Relaxing in the lean-to

Trail food amazingness: use cheez-its or whatever cracker has been crushed up in your pack as a bread crumb topping on dinners. Delicioso!

Song for the day :  "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bob Marley

Day 5- Sand Beach to Antlers Campsite. 13.2 miles

Today was the game changer day. I started the day with a beautiful view from the beach and decided to eat breakfast there. It was such a calm beginning for the day.
The hike itself was extremely painful- it seems like everything on my lower body just hates me right now. I had the option to go to White House Landing for lunch, but I didn't stop there because I was scared I would never leave haha. They have rooms available and apparently amazing food and I just never would've left. I had to keep plowing on through the difficult part.
There was a really hilarious point in the day:  I was walking down the trail and came to a metal staircase (really strange to see in the 100 mile wilderness) going down to a river. Once I got down to the river it seemed like I was just supposed to walk through it. So weird to have a staircase but no makeshift bridge! Haha so I decided that I was still going to try to not get my feet wet (the metal staircase pumped me up with a little too much luxury) and so I found a log above the water that I could slide across on. I sat down on the log and proceeded to slide my way across. About halfway through I lost my balance and just flung my arms around the log so that I wouldn't fall off.....and just like a saddle rolls under on a horse, I rolled on that log. Now I was just hanging upside down, clinging on to a log. I'd definitely lost this battle, so I just had to drop my feet and wade across to the other side hahaha.
At the end of the day, I came to he most beautiful campsite I had ever seen in my life- Antlers campsite. It is right on the edge of Jo-Mary lake and the campsites seemed to be on a peninsula. The lake and mountains surrounding me at every angle was such a peaceful experience.
I met a SOBO thru-hiker named Faith at the campsites and he completely changed the hike for me. All of the darkness and pain I had been experiencing was turned into a beautiful humor  For the first time I was able to laugh about the hike and it felt sooooo good. It was such a release and a seamless transition from one frame of thinking about the hike to another. I asked him to hike the rest of the wilderness with me and he agreed- I think the hike will be much better from here on out!
There was a group of high schoolers there with 2 leaders and the leaders invited us over to try chaga tea. Chaga, as they explained, is full of antioxidants and all sorts of good body boosts and can be found on white birch trees. They even showed us how to find it :). When I drank the tea, I could tell that I was drinking something that was really good- my body liked it a lot!
This evening was absolutely perfect :)

Day 4- Rainbow Stream Lean-to to a sand beach on the shore of Nahmankanta lake. 8.5 miles

I had a motivational thought this morning: I think it's really awesome that nature can kick my butt so hard in such a short period of time. It's a nice little reminder than nature truly is more powerful than man. My heart has always wanted for humans to work with nature rather than against it. I was working against it yesterday- trudging through it being frustrated and angry at the mud, roots, and rocks. So today I have decided to try harder to work with nature and my body's nature instead of working against it.
The day was absolutely beautiful, but also very painful. It did not rain, there wasn't much mud, and I got to climb Nesuntabunt Mountain. From the top of the mountain I could see Mount Katahdin, which was over 15 miles away at that point. It was really neat to sit there looking at it off in the distance having had just climbed it a few days ago.
I took it extremely slow today, taking over 10 hours to walk the 8.5 miles. My right knee gave me such a difficult time today that while descending the mountain I had to sit down 4 times in order to cry. My trekking poles became more like crutches to me and I limped myself on down the trail. The 'Ole Man at the Appalachian Trail Lodge told me that physically, most people can do the trail. It's the mental aspect of the trail that can cause the most trouble for a hiker. Today I learned first-hand what he was talking about. My mind was acting like a seesaw. I kept thinking that I can't possibly do this trail- the pain was too much, my pack felt more like a punishment weighing down on my knees, and I just felt so exasperated and weak. On the flip side, I also kept thinking how the pain would get better- I just had to get through the wilderness and then I could rest and heal. To make matters worse, I figured out that I definitely didn't have enough food for the pace that I was moving at. I would have to move pretty quickly in order to get out of the wilderness without running out food.  I definitely saw the bottom of my soul today- it was quite possibly the lowest feeling I've ever experienced in my life.  It's really difficult to explain with words exactly how I felt today.
At the top of Nesuntabunt Mountain I was able to call Ryan for a few minutes and just cried as soon as I heard his voice. I was just completely overwhelmed by so many emotions. I calmed myself on the top of Nesuntabunt (the view definitely didn't hurt) and once again I had to take a deep breath and keep going.

The view from Nesuntabunt Mountain

I ended up finding a sand beach on the shore of Nahmakanta Lake and pitched my tent there. I sat and just looked out over the water for a long time. The vision of the water with frogs serenading me in the background calmed my soul, reminding me of why I am on this journey in the first place. It has already proven to be far more difficult and rewarding than I could've possibly imagined. I think it has been good for me to not be able to have contact with the outside world right now due to a mix of no service and low battery on my cell phone- this is my journey, and at this moment struggle, and mine alone. I had the entire day to work through the difficulties completely alone and it will make me stronger for it.
Haha on the funny side, I hung my bear bag for the first time tonight. I was so exhausted and I couldn't find a good branch around, so I only managed to get it about 12 feet off the ground. I'm pretty sure it gets a C on the bear bag grading scale- not sure if it'd do much good if it came down to it, but there it hangs for the night.

Day 3- Hurd-Brook Lean-to to Rainbow Stream Lean-to. 11.5 miles

I started the day by climbing up to Rainbow Ledges (an 800 foot elevation increase), where I got to experience a beautiful view of Katahdin. I felt so great in the morning- my joints were cooperating, I had slept well, and had a big breakfast of oatmeal. I sat on top of Rainbow Ledges and soaked up the scenery. A couple that I had met the night before (Sticks and French Fry) had camped up there and I could hear them fixing breakfast from where I was sitting.
The day grew to become extremely frustrating for me from that moment on. It has been raining a lot  in the area and has turned the trail into a muddy pit that requires lots of rock hopping. At the end of the day it was taking me one hour per mile that I was covering, which made for a very long day. I managed to slip into the mud multiple times and finally just gave up on rock hopping and trudged right through the mud. My knees got a beating from having to bear the weight of balancing me while I was rock hopping and slipping through mud. I ended the day's hike with a severe stabbing pain going up the outside of my knee where my IT band attaches.  It was worrying me a lot to begin with, but many people have told me that my young body will heal itself. Once the muscles around my knee get stronger, I'm sure that it won't be much of a problem. When I arrived at the lean-to I sat in the water to ice my knees and I started to feel better. Bill found a knee brace and gave it to me to try out. Sticks and French Fry also lent me their knee brace to see if it helped. The sense of community out here is really beautiful everyone is trying to achieve the same goal in a sense. We all are sleeping under the same great sky and experiencing mother nature at her finest, so helping your fellow man is the most natural thing to do. It is so beautiful :) Also, Will gave me a dinner so that I could slow down if I needed to and not have to worry too much about food.
Haha when I looked at the register tonight lots of people had commented on the crapiness of all the mud. It made me feel better knowing I wasn't the only one!
Sticks built a cozy fire and we all sat around it enjoying the warmth coming off of it after the wet, muddy day. I pitched my tent on a comfy bed of pine needles and slept with noooo mosquitos! Despite the difficulties, I have been loving being outside 24/7. It's such a liberation from the world outside of the trail.
Song for the day: Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

Day 2- Katahdin Stream Campground to Hurd Brook Lean-to 13.5 miles

Today I woke up with the sunrise at 4:45 a.m. My sleep was so peaceful- I truly love sleeping outside.  The sound that was right next to me all night was the same sound that so many people listen to on machines while trying to fall asleep in their homes. Making it even better, the lean-tos have only 3 walls, so I was still open to the nature around me. My lean-to's open wall was pointed straight at the stream :). I wrote Bomber a letter thanking him for the trail magic and his kind words and left it hanging on a rake so he'd see it later in the day. With about 30 lbs on my back (including 10 days worth of food) I strolled out of the campgrounds and headed out with Justin for the 100 mile wilderness, which is actually a bit more than 100 miles. The morning was beautiful- a perfectly cool summer morning in Maine.

A perfect place to rest for a minute (or two, or three.....)

I felt like a million bucks strolling through the woods. I think the excitement of summiting Katahdin was still coursing through my body. About a mile into the hike, though, it became very apparent to me that I would be needing insoles. The arches of my feet were still upset from the day before and it just got worse. My poor feet just weren't used to so much use! My knees were still upset as well, so I took a break every hour or so to give everything a brief rest. 10 miles later, I came to my beacon of light for the day, Abol Bridge Campstore. I got a big burger and a beer with Justin and we had a cheers to the day and the hike.  Knowing that I wouldn't see another burger in 100 miles made it all the more delicious.

Cheers!

I was completely satisfied with the day as I continued on to Hurd Brook Lean-to. This lean-to is another beautiful one. The brook is just down the path and there were large rocks in the water that were perfect to sit on and soak my feet. I was pretty tired from the day's trek so I settled in while Bill and Justin were reading and Biff did yoga. It's such a relaxing setting out here.


 In the register: "This is it! Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light".  <-- so beautiful :)
"Why is this called Hurd Brook? It should be called Hurting Brook!" Hahaha so true!

Day 1: Mount Katahdin

I started the day bright and early at 5:00 a.m. (this is something that I'm going to have to get used to, as the "hiker midnight" is 8:00 p.m. and most rise at 5- at least during this time of year).  I stuffed my belly yet again at breakfast, cleaned up, and had a very enjoyable ride to Baxter State Park with the guys.  The ride took about an hour from Millinocket and was so beautiful-especially so early in the morning when everything is still waking up.  It was really amazing to see Katahdin off in the distance and think "oh wow, I'm going to climb that massive mountain today".  The ride alone made me fall in love with the majestic wildness of Maine.  I was dropped off at the ranger's station in Baxter State Park, where I picked up my day pack, signed in as a thru-hiker, and set off into the wild unknown.

My first white blaze!

The entire hike up and down the mountain (on Hunt Trail) is roughly 10 miles.  The 1st mile up I was practically bounding up the mountain with excitement.  The trail was perfect- not too steep and not too many roots- and I got to see so many beautiful sights in that mile alone.  The 2nd mile was like climbing up huge stairs- a little more difficult.  The 3rd mile involves a pretty hefty ascent and some light rock scrambling- okay, still not too bad.  The 4th mile was absolutely ridiculous.  I looked up and I was standing at the foot of huge boulders just stacked on one another in a very steep ascent. 

Now, remember that I haven't really ever hiked before and the trails that I have been on were just beautiful, wide, relatively flat trails.  I have certainly never rock climbed or done anything remotely similar!  I stood there just staring at it for a few seconds, then I took a deep breath, exhaled, and started to climb while thinking "oh boy, here we go".  It got rough- there were even metal bars stuck in the boulders in order to help you climb- that's how crazy this was.  There was a moment when I was just scared to death and had to ask my dad to stay with me.  I just kept having to take a breath and then climb.  Through the clouds, I could see that I was getting close to the top of the boulders.  Oh my goodness, I was so excited when I was just about to climb up over the top.  When I got there I was expecting to see the sign marking the northern terminus of the trail, but nope!  Haha instead I saw a family and they pointed way up to another peak and told me it was over a mile away.  I wish I could've seen my face in that moment!  So, I took another deep breath and headed through the last mile, the tablelands, up to the peak.  Getting to the peak was unbelievably exhilarating.  I actually started to chuckle a little bit while walking up to the sign.- such an amazing feeling!  I hung out for a minute to get a picture with the sign, kiss the sign, and appreciate the breath-taking views.  I could see for miles at every angle and it was so beautiful to just see mountains, bodies of water, and the vast amounts of flora.  It was such a rewarding experience that I am honored to have had.

I'm not sure whether the hike up or down was more challenging for me.  The way up was intense, but the way down was painful.  My knees weren't used to such a pounding,and my arches weren't enjoying the fact that my shoes didn't have much arch support.  Once I made it to the bottom I found a nice pool of freezing cold water and plunged right in.  I iced my aching arches in the water for a bit and the jolt of the cold mixed with the awesomeness of the day was incredibly invigorating.  The rest of the evening was filled with good company, with Justin, Will, Bill, and Biff,  guitar playing, and hanging out in my lean-to by Katahdin stream.  I slept so well beside the flowing water :)

Travel Day: Washington D.C. to Millinocket, ME

Last night I freaked out so much that my core temperature felt close to boiling. My pack was way too heavy and I couldn't imagine being able to carry it for more than 30 minutes max. I spent a lot of time going through it and cutting things that I could have sent to me later. I ended up being able to shed some weight, thankfully. I was having a mix of unimaginable excitement for the journey ahead and absolute fear of its difficulty. The bus ride up was absolutely crazy because it was the first step- I kept thinking "holy cow I'm actually doing this!" I had to transfer buses in New York city, which is where I'll be going to school in January, so I got to ride around the city and see what lies ahead.
My best friend, Maggie, got me a card with a cookie flexing its "arms" and it said "One tough cookie!" Haha oh my, if I had only known how valuable that would be in the days to come.
I even had a surprise preparation test to pass before leaving! I somehow managed to get my first ever tick in D.C. before even stepping foot on the trail! Haha I wish I could've seen myself trying to get that tick off of my side. Ryan was there too, so it was pretty hilarious having two people who don't exactly know to do with a tick trying to remove one.
In the evening, I was picked up from the bus station in Millinocket, ME along with 4 other southbound hikers (Biff, Will, Bill, and Justin), who I would start the beginning of my journey with. We were taken to the Appalachian Trail Lodge's Cafe, where I stuffed myself silly with chicken alfredo in preparation for Mt. Katahdin in the morning. At the lodge I met Bomber, a really awesome northbound hiker who had just finished that day. He helped me go through my pack and figure out what to leave, what to save for later, and what to keep.  There was one thing that I was advised to ditch that jolted the girly girl inside of me- no deoderant!  It attracts too many bugs out in nature and I wouldn't want to subject all the hikers near me to so many bugs!  So, I'm getting used to the idea of just letting nature be nature and being a little smelly.  I'm excited to actually get to sense people's nature and nature alone. He also figured out that I didn't have enough food- mainly bars- to get me through the 100 mile wilderness. Bomber offered to get some bars for me and give them to me when I got done with Katahdin the next day. <-- my first trail magic! The next morning he stuck the bars in my pack along with a note that would also become very valuable to me on the trail.  I went to bed ready to eat a huge breakfast in the morning and then hike a mountain!