Now I remember why I don’t sleep in Hostels. Because I don’t sleep. The two men in the room were quiet, no snoring or even heavy breathing. I just tossed and turned all night. The bunk bed was a bit caddywhampus. Maybe too many people sleeping on the lower bunk? Who knows. But for the life of me, I just couldn’t get comfortable. I finally switched ends and that helped slightly. Blue would’ve never approved!

I heated up yesterdays coffee in the microwave and I was packed and gone by 6am. I was long gone before anyone else was up or moving. The trail was empty. Just me and the spider webs. And there were a ton of webs to be slayed today. Some wrapped around my face which was pretty disgusting. I just don’t like spiders. That’s one thing me and my grandson Sid have in common. I don’t mind snakes or any reptiles for that matter, but spiders, no thank you. Needless to say, once the sun shines on their spindling webs, I whacked them away. Now, I do not mess with a full intact spider web. Those are intriguing and I will actually take a side route to avoid them. But just a silk string across the trail, I have no use or patience for those.

The Roller Coaster of ups and downs continued all the way to the roadway. It really wasn’t that terrible and it helped that I had already tackled a third of it yesterday. It was the typical PUD’s pointless ups and downs. No real views this time of year. The trees are covered in large leaves and block any chance of seeing a vista. I just put my head down and hiked as quick I could go. Which honestly, is maybe 2 mph. With all my stops and breaks, it averages out to a clip of, yep you got it, 2 mph.

My biggest stress today was crossing Route 50. Yes another four lane divided highway. I just don’t get it. I’m starting to wonder if hikers are expendable? This would never happen in California. There would be warnings, tunnels or bridges. Jeeze, we even built an underground tunnel for frogs in Davis! But here in Virginia, nope. Just run across the highway and hope for the best!

Luckily I made it or I wouldn’t be writing this blog. The later half of the day was much nicer. I met a local walking his dog. Another older gentleman came up one of the side trails and we sat on a proper bench and chatted for a bit. He was from Poland and hikes 3 times a week. He’s probably in his 80’s and seems quite spry. His wife walks around the neighborhood where the trails are flatter but he prefers climbing. He talked about all the trails he hiked in Switzerland and Colorado. Quite the inspiration for my future self.

The only issue I’ve had in the past three days is finding water. There was only one stream after I crossed the highway. I ran into a couple of Nobo’s and they told me the spring at the Shelter was still flowing. So that’s my destination for the night. The weather has cooperated and I only had two very brief sprinkles. Not enough to warrant any rain cover, umbrella or jacket. The temperature has been mild. No crazy humidity but I’m definitely sweating. I guess it’s good to keep my skin moisturized from the beads of glistening perspiration. Now that I think of it, my skin hasn’t been dry at all since I’ve been hiking. No need for lotions and potions. Good thing since I didn’t bring any!

I arrived to my humble abode around 5pm. I saw a total of four people today, one dog and lots of birds, squirrels and spiders. And there’s this crazy looking moth that resembles Nemo, the fish. It’s orange, black and white. Cute little moth and very fast.

As soon as I arrived, I went to the spring and filled up. This time it was only 50’ from the Shelter and just slightly downhill. There was a pipe that came out of the hillside and was flowing quite nicely. The hummingbirds were gathered around as there was a field of gold flowers. The other pesty insect that was hovering were small bees. They’re not yellow jackets but a version of their smaller cousin. They don’t seem to sting or bite, from personal knowledge. They will land on me, and then takeoff when they realize I don’t have anything they want. What they do want, is my food. Not meat, but anything else. Odd little insect. Even when I went to pee, they followed me, landed in the spilled excrement from my body, and after checking it out, left. Hopefully, they find something else to do tonight than hang out with me and Norman.

Norman has been pretty quiet today. He seems like he’s either content hanging out or he’s ready for something new. Hard to tell because his expression on his face never changes. One things for sure, he is easy to have around and honestly, doesn’t eat much. I’m hoping he doesn’t lose any weight. This hiking thing is a great weight loss program!

Today was a great time with me and the Lord. Before I left this morning, I pulled out my laminated bookmark of Psalm 91 and left it for Pink. When we talked last night, he told me he had a few pages from Psalm in his backpack. He has faith. He’s just still trying to understand who he is in Christ. All we can do is influence others, share with them the love of Jesus, and trust God to do the rest. He always has the perfect plan.

I actually dreamed last night. That is the first time I can remember dreaming on the trail! It was an odd vision. My sister could interpret for me. I had purchased the house we lived in as teenagers and remodeled it. The last place I would want to be is SoCal but there I was. Living in the home that I grew up as a teen. Hmm, not sure what that was about.

Billy Goat and I slept in till 6am. It was so nice to not be rushed and he felt the same. We had our breakfast, me coffee with biscotti and Billy Goat had Pop-tarts. That’s a very common breakfast out here on the trail. Then he ate a Honeybun! Loaded with fat and tons of calories. He’s lost too much weight and eating anything that has high fat count helps him keep what little weight he has. I’ll stick with my coffee and biscuits.

We finally left around 7:30am. I had two liters of water and Billy Goat had one liter. He doesn’t use FarOut, only paper maps so I gave him the updated water report and he decided to head down to Blackburn Trail Center. It’s a little off trail but there is water and everything a hiker needs.

I continued on as planned. If I do close to 15 miles a day, I’ll be at McAfee Knob by September 10th. That’s my plan, but we know how plans go. We make plans and God laughs. I found a great granite ledge that had views for miles of the valley and farmlands below. I didn’t get many views yesterday so this was quite nice.

The Roller Coaster started fairly quickly. The Roller Coaster, a 14-mile stretch of steep climbs and descents with few views. It’s interesting how they try to convince the Sobo’s that this is a big deal. After Maine and The Whites, it’s hard to get too excited over a few ascents and descents. But I’m going in with open eyes and I’ll let you know when I finish it up tomorrow.

I saw very few hikers except some day-hikers heading to Ravens Rock. It’s a nice vista of Bluemont and the surrounding area. Then more ups and downs before running for my life across the highway. I forgot about these crazy and dangerous road crossings. I come out of the woods and can hear what sounds like a freeway. There’s a signboard explaining where to cross the four lane divided highway. Route 7 is a high-speed, tie your shoes, and run fast, kind of butt pucker. I waited for 2-3 minutes where I can cross the eastbound lanes. Then standing in the center divide waited another 1-2 minutes before I bolted across the westbound lanes. Probably the scariest part of the trail! What happened to Pedestrian Over-crossings?

Once my heart stopped racing, I walked the .25 miles on the shoulder and went back into the woods. Only one more mile and I would be at Bears Den Rocks. It is believed that these rocks were formed over 600 million years ago. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountains that extend from Northern Georgia to Southern Pennsylvania. Anyway you slice it, it’s a beautiful place and hundreds of hikers walk up to watch the sunset.

I was out of water and being there was not a drop found on the trail, I headed to Bears Den Hostel. It’s only .1 mile from the trail. Once I arrived, I was greeted by Pink. He has an extended stay and showed me around. For $40, you get a bunk, shower, laundry, pizza, soda, a pint of ice cream and breakfast. Sold, I’m in. All I really wanted was water but this is too good to be true.

There was plenty of places to slumber and I found a bottom bunk. I took a shower and relaxed for the evening. This couldn’t have been any better. Thank you Lord, and thank you Pink for finding this colorful place to stay for the night.

As I was talking with Pink, he said he is not a Christian. As I listened to him, and heard his stories, he has all the qualities, the character but just doesn’t know who Jesus is. I am always taken back when I meet these kind souls who are living for today, but not for eternity. This temporary home is so short but everlasting is, just like it sounds. Forever and ever. That is the promise our Lord made when he gave his life for us. I had some good conversation with Pink and I’ll be praying for his salvation and surrendering to our one and only, God Almighty.

So let me explain the 1181.6. When I hiked northbound (Nobo), the last number above is the mile marker on the trail. Now that I’m southbound (Sobo), my Mile markers are converted to someone who is going south from the Terminus of Mt. Katahdin. It’s complicated and causes havoc for Nobo’s and Sobo’s to coordinate meetups because our mile markers are different. Honestly, I’m a bit confused too,.

After an extremely restful night of sleep, I woke up and made myself some eggs and coffee. Towns Inn has a communal kitchen with all the fixings for making breakfast, lunch and dinner. Once I devoured my breakfast, I headed to the Post Office to pick up packages and to mail stuff out. I’m swamping out some of my cold weather clothes for warmer weather shorts and tank tops. I still have my hiking skirt, being it has served me well but needed something cooler for evening wear. I picked up my 5-day supply of food and headed back to Towns Inn. Needless to say, I picked up 2 bonus miles in the process.

Once I got back to my room, Norman was swimming from the chandelier, wondering where I had gone for much too long. He was consoled, and I resumed packing. I forgot how heavy 5 days of food is?! Once repacked, Norman was placed in his rightful spot, on my back, and we headed down the trail.

Oh my gosh, I feel like I have a box of rocks in my pack. I’m thinking it’s close to 30 pounds, with excess food and 2 -1/2 liters of water. The water report is looking pretty dismal. All the “reliable” water sources have dried up, as per comments on FarOut. When hikers pass through, they will write comments that update the data. Today, all places to find water are non-producers. So I planned accordingly.

Funny thing is the first major milestone was crossing the Shenandoah River. No, there is water in that river but I am 500’ above it on the Auto-ban with cars and trucks zipping by. No access to the River and from comments posted, they say it taste like a combination of Phoenix and Hot Sauce? Not sure but that doesn’t sound good to me. I’ll stick with my tap water from Towns Inn.

I saw my first hikers, two ladies out for a section hike. They were definitely in their 70’s with one external frame pack that was as old as the gal who was carrying it. I most likely will not see them again as they were slower than me. The trail is much different down south. The ground is rock hard, solid and not even a patch of mud! The trail is fairly flat compared to what I’ve been hiking for the past month or two. There are a few rocks but they are few and far between. I think I’ll like hiking south.

On the trail today, I saw a huge group of kids coming my way. As we met, the boy asked if I was hiking the whole AT? I told him I was and right then, I gained Superpower status! They had lots of questions. Evidentially, they are a group of Homeschoolers who hike every Tuesday on different trails, but mostly the AT. There were 20 plus kids ranging from 5-17 years old. I was quite impressed with them and their attitudes.

Being I left so late, I stopped for lunch around 1:30pm. There were three young guys, probably in their early 20’s , stopped and ready to set-up camp. One of the boys had a paperback novel with him, the size of War & Peace. He must be a fast reader! One guy was relaxing in his hammock while his other friend was scouting around for the flattest place to pitch his tent. I’m just eating lunch but stayed for a bit, watching these three plan out the rest of their day.

Based on the water report I received from the three boys, the upcoming Shelter is my only sure bet. Well that confirmed my fate for the day. The only water source for the next 10 miles and it’s a spring. That’s always good dependable drinking water and cold to boot! I ran into a few more day-hikers but no other thru-hikers. Honestly I don’t expect to see many, if any at all. Maybe a Flip/Flopper like me and Reset, but everyone else should be elsewhere.

Around 5pm, I arrived to David Lesser Memorial Shelter. It’s a beautiful structure with lots of camping sites and platforms. It has picnic tables and benches, a swinging bench and a perfectly constructed Anderondack bench. I dropped my pack, retrieve my daypack, four liters of water carrying containers and headed down to the spring. It is .25 miles down the hill. The trail is well blazed but it’s definitely all of .25, if not more. The spring was flowing and I filled up every bottle I had. 4 liters of glorious, life-saving water. I hoofed it back up the hill and started cooking. It looks like me and Norman have the place to ourselves. Oh how nice that’ll be.

The birds were squawking, the doves were cooing and I was hearing all sorts of squirrels and rodents in the trees. I saw a couple of white-tailed deer and the forest seems to be alive again. For sometime up north, the only critter I was seeing was a red-tailed squirrel. South is where the animals are. I better keep a close eye on Norman so he doesn’t get mistaken for a wild animal.

A Sobo Billy Goat just showed up. He was the 9th to checkin at Harpers Ferry. He left June 1 so this guy is flying. We will be sharing our shelter after all. That’s a good thing. There’s plenty of room and always nice to have company.

Today was a good day. Me and the Lord had some conversation about what’s to come. I really had it in my head that this was going to be easy peasy. He reminded me that nothing comes easy. There will be days that will be easier than others but it will not be a piece of cake. The fact is that everyday I’m out here, is a testimony to Jesus protecting me and reminding me of why we are here. If I’m to honor Him, then I need to be purposeful in what I am doing, saying and thinking. Thank you for your words and wisdom, and most of all, for keeping me close to your heart. I know I am loved and cared for. What else do I really need?

After our summit to Katahdin, and all the celebration, Blue and I headed to Medway, just past Millinocket. Blue reserved a room for us and I was all sorts of ready for rest and relaxation.

Our next few days, were a whirlwind of everything but hiking! We drove to Portland, Maine where my first bit of business was going to REI. I needed to replace my leaky mattress, obtain a new water filter and found trekking poles that weren’t bent. My husband George has always thought I should be a “Gear Tester”. If something can break, tweak or wear out, I would be the first one who would make that happen. I love REI. The gal working the front counter, heard my dilemma and without hesitation, pointed me in the direction of a new sleep pad. Awe, how nice sleeping on air will be.

One thing Blue required of me, before further ado, was purchasing some new clothes for our city weekend. My town dress isn’t cutting it any longer and I was ready for a pair of jeans. We stopped and shopped at TJMaxx and I found exactly what I was looking for. Blue Jeans, T-Shirt, Sweater, Underwear and new Shoes. There’s nothing better than a good fitting pair of jeans!

Afterwards, Blue had booked me a Deep Tissue Massage with a Sports Therapist. I love a great rubdown. I met my Masseuse and she was an athlete herself. She’s climbed Mt. Katahdin 15 times! Oh my, she’s crazier than me. In no time flat, I was disrobed and laying on my back. This little woman found everything aching on my body and then some! Ninety minutes later, I was standing taller, and melting at the same time. Best ninety minutes I’ve experienced in the past three months! Thank you sweet Blue and Happy Birthday to me!

We made our way down to The Wharf. Blue and I found Brickyard Hollow which was rated #1 Pizza in Portland. What a great combination, pizza and beer. I introduced Blue to Roasted Brussels Sprouts and ordered a pizza with grilled peaches, goat cheese, basil, and balsamic drizzle. It was delicious, and the beer wasn’t too shabby either. By the way, Blue loved the Brussels Sprouts.

The next day was spent exploring Peaks Island. It’s the most visited island in Portland, with a Ferry that transports people, cars and bikes hourly. After our 20-25 minute ride, we disembarked and headed to the bike rentals. The guy who rents bikes has been doing this for nearly 40 years. I don’t know how many bikes he has but there was a slough of them. He set Blue and I up and off we went. The island is one mile long and 1-1/2 miles wide with about four miles of beach trail. It was so nice using opposite muscles from hiking.

And the beach was stunning. The rocky ledges protruded from the retaining walls with limited sandy beaches. There were moorings pretty much around the leeward sides of the coves with tons of sailboats. The weather was ideal, not too hot, and not too cold. We stopped along the way, building rock cairns, talking to the locals and just peddling to our hearts content. We found the one and only Ice Cream Shop and indulged ourselves with two scoops each. Then returned our bikes and back to the ferry, right before the big black cloud landed on the island. It was definitely time to leave!

Blue and I scoped out the wharf. I found the local Pub that had a live band. Two guys playing guitars, singing original music as I drank beer. Blue listened as she was saving herself for an evening beverage. It’s my birthday so I can have beer at 3pm. The restaurant across the water was hustling and bustling with the evening set-up. I had asked for dinner recommendations and Scales was the place. After my beer, we headed over as they don’t take reservations over the phone for the day of. I walked in and Tony was able to squeeze us in at 6:15pm. Perfect. We had about two hours to walk and work up our appetites.

Blue and I decided to head north and see about kayak rentals for the following day. We arrived at Maine’s Narrow Gauge Train & Museum. Hmm, why not take the train and see about kayak rentals later? And we did. It was a well spent hour learning of the history in Portland. Ends up that Portland is a deep water port that served in supplying all sorts of equipment to England and Europe during WWII. It also is the closest distance from America to the east. The town has burned countless times but has been rebuilt and now has thriving businesses and restaurants. It really is the best place I have found in Maine. The vintage train was a three-mile jaunt and in fact, stopped where we wanted to rent kayaks. Perfect.

We headed back to Scales and arrived about ten minutes early. We sat in the lounge with another gal who was waiting for her friend. And then we were escorted to our table. The restaurant has an open kitchen, which I love. The waiter gave us some great recommendations. Being we are in Maine and Seafood is King, we ordered all things fish. Our dinner was one of the best meals I’ve had on trail. We started with Endive & Stilton Salad with crispy prosciutto, sourdough croutons, and dijon vinaigrette, along with Smoked Bluefish Paté olive & caper relish, on toasted sourdough. This was followed by Grilled Octopus with sweet pepper & pine nut conserva, corn fritter, and rouille. The octopus was the sweetest and most tender I have ever tried. For dinner, Blue and I shared Seared Scallops with roasted peppers, kale, applewood smoked bacon and cream corn. What a dinner indeed. Our dessert was a Fig Cake with a perfect Cappuccino.

On our final zero day, Blue found a Calvery Chapel in Portland. Since I’ve been hiking, I haven’t set foot inside a church. It was so overdue, singing to the Lord and reading God’s word with fellow believers. That is one of my favorite things to do, sing songs of worship and reading my old leather Bible. I was in heaven! The Worship team and Pastor were just what my soul required. He shared scripture from 2 Samuel of David and Bathsheba, his complacency and disobedience. It is so easy to fall from grace, and the reminder to stay focused on what is right and true, along with being thoughtful about God’s calling in our lives. Such a great reminder of who I am in Christ.

After church, Blue and I headed back down to the beach. The weather was perfect for paddling. We rented a couple of kayaks and paddled in the bay. We found an Osprey nest being guarded by both Momma and Papa Ospreys. The chicks had hatched and they were quite vulnerable to the many large birds in the area. A seal popped his head up to check us out and Blue opened up her favorite beer of all, Mic Ultra. It’s not really beer, but it’s what she likes. We sat and lounged for a bit, paddled around the Marina, checking out yachts and sailboats before heading back to shore.

At this point, we figured it was time to take care of domestic duties like laundry and packing. But one of my followers and previous Shuttle Driver Homespun, recommended a great stop called Gorgeous Gelato. Well, we haven’t had a proper lunch so that sounded like a perfect plan. We found 15 minute parking, ran in and got our three scoops worth. Just for the record, I don’t typically eat, drink and indulge as much as I did these past days. But this is my birthday weekend, and I’m hiking many miles, so excessive calories need to be consumed. Along the way, we made our obligatory stop at Allagash Brewery. They brew one of my favorite IPA’s I’ve tried in Maine. That concluded my overindulgence and binging of food, ice cream and beer.

I nodded farewell to Blue today. She’s flying back home, as she planned to do long ago. I’ll miss hiking with her, and all the Platinum Stays along the way. Blue has been one of my most favorite hiking partners ever. It is hard to find someone who you can be with day after day, week after week, month after month. She arrived the first of July and seven weeks later, I love her more than I did when she showed up with “Bob the Bear”. She is full of energy, has grace and amazing athleticism, and just a ton of fun to be around. I believe she hiked close to 800 miles with me, from last year to this year. She told me she has no intention of completing the AT but she’d like to hike another trail elsewhere. Maybe one with less rain, mud and muck! CDT might be in her future. Maybe give her a year or two to recoup. In September, an Alaskan Cruise Ship is in the works for her and her sweet husband Alan. Thanks to Alan, who shared his bride with me, so I could hike for weeks on end with Blue. For his faith and constant prayers, and his loving support of this most beautiful Lady Blue.

With four days off trail, I’m ready to get back out there. It’s funny how much I yearn to put my feet back on the narrow ribbon of dirt. I have visions of Virginia, free of the mud, muck and rocks with trails of grandeur. It seems only fitting after everything I’ve conquered. The weather guessers on this section of the AT, are predicting mostly sunny, in the low 80’s. I’ll take that. Humidity will be high but I’m gonna walk with purpose and cut right through all things hot and humid.

My final day I am flying to DC, then taking the Amtrak to Harpers Ferry and spending the night at Towns Inn. It’s virtually the same route I took three months ago. This time I’ll hit the trail and start hiking southbound. I’ll be a Sobo for the next three weeks. The trail should be less crowded, with most of the Nobo’s further along by now. The Sobo’s will still be making their way from Maine, with a handful of flip-floppers like me and Reset, heading south from various points along the trail.

Reset was rearing to get back on trail. Like me, she had taken a stretch of days off. She was headed south to the first campsite, some four miles down trail. As for me, I’m hanging in town and picking up my resupply box from the Post Office in the morning. I’ll load up my pack and head out, or up as it typically goes. For now, I’ll be solo with the Lord and looking forward to the Shenandoah‘s. Much more to follow…

Today is the day. I was up with the crack of dawn, anticipating the day. I went to the Privy early and on the way back, I checked on the Squatter Juice. As I came around the back corner of his shelter, I yelled, “Squatter it’s time to get up!” He jumped out of his skin, dang you scared me! Yeah, that’s what you get for waking me up with your thunderous voice over the past week. We laughed and I went back to my Lean-2. That’ll be the last time I’ll be waking up with Juice and Wedding Walker.

We all had daypacks ready for our summit today. The boys borrowed theirs from the Ranger Station. Blue and I are old hats when it comes to slackpacking and we have our own small version of packs. We had coffee and some as version of breakfast, then headed to Blue. Now that she’s a City Girl, as she calls herself, she likes to sleep in the confines of her SUV. The Ford Edge has been reconfigured into her home on wheels. I can’t believe how quickly she resorted back to life off the trail. Poor thing, never had a chance!

Blue had fruit to share with all us Hiker Trash but we had a breakfast of Beef Sticks, Macaroons, Peaches, Oatmeal with Carnation Instant Breakfast, and were quite content. Plus we need to be light on our feet. There are many thousands of feet to climb. We headed to the trailhead and began our days assault on the mountain.

The summit of Baxter Peak on Katahdin is the highest point in Maine, and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The views are without a doubt the finest in the state, if it’s not covered in thick cloud cover. Hopefully the clouds will lift by the time we reach the summit.

The first mile or so was nice with slight elevation, and followed the Katahdin Stream. We saw many of our thru-hiking friends and lots of dayhikers. The weather guessers said it would be cloudy with no rain, so it brought more people out than usual.

By the second mile, we were climbing. We passed the Katahdin Stream Waterfall and we’re back on boulders and roots. The best part was there was no mud. Oh how I was thanking the Lord for drying out the trail. As we reached the first view point, we were above tree line. Reach The Hunt Trail, from this point on to the top of The Gateway, the trail climbs steeply on an exposed ridge that can be very akin to technical climbing at times. This is when it gets fun and a bit more involved than hiking.

We had a break in the clouds for a moment and had great views of the the Brothers Range, The Owl, and the Northern Maine Woods. The clouds had completely cover Katahdin but I was holding out hope that it would break up as we climbed.

The technical part of this trail was indeed, what everyone spoke of. There were huge boulders to climb, crazy exposures that I could not think about and a full-body workout once again. The difference today was that everything I had done on previous days, prepared me for this ascent. It was difficult and I was huffing and puffing, but I felt at ease. It’s funny when I write this because I’m surprisingly shocked that I can say this. Me, of little climbing ability, did a Class 2-3 climb without ropes or pitons, and actually did a-okay. It was a slow approach as there were a few others ahead. After 2-1/2 hours, we reached the top of the most difficult part of the climb at The Gateway. At this point, the trail transitions from the incredibly steep, nearly technical climbing of The Hunt Spur to a flatter, rocky walk on the Tablelands.

On a clear day, you can see for miles in all directions. Unfortunately, the clouds never lifted and we had no view except for the ground underfoot. Seems like every time Blue and I get to the highest peaks, Clingsman Dome, Mt. Washington and now Mt. Katahdin, it is raining or foggy. We had a little of both. It was more like a heavy mist, but poor Norman was soaked down to his fur covered inners. I finally had to stow him inside my pack so he could warmup for the photo-op.

Juice was ahead and waiting for us at the Summit. As we were closing in, Nails was coming down. It was such a great reunion and I finally felt the gravity of what we accomplished. Hugs, high fives and many tears flowed as we made our way closer. The final climb were granite steps and some rocks with Alpine Flora and Fauna. It truly is a spectacular place and revered by the Penobscot Native Americans of this area. Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at 5,269 feet (1,606 m). Named Katahdin, which means “Great or Greatest Mountain.”

As we arrived, Juice was nowhere to be found. Wedding Walker called him and due to the limited visibility, it was hard to make anyone out. We walked closer to the wooden sign, and Juice stood up. He had sheltered behind some huge boulders. It was wet, foggy and misty. Mr. Blue was also waiting for his companion Pokemom. We all walked to the sign together and took our pictures quickly. Then gathered behind the big boulder to eat.

I turned on my phone and to my surprise, I had one bar of service. I called my hubby George and after several tries, was able to celebrate with him. I don’t think George would’ve liked this hike. The weather was difficult, we were all wet and cold, and Juice’s fingers were literally blue. After a short while, we packed up and headed down Abol Trail.

Abol Trail is a Blue Blaze, much steeper with rock slabs and a bit shorter than the 5.2 miles up the Hunt Trail. It started out well but within a few steps, it was a butt slide for a couple of miles. The slabs were damp, but what really made it slick was the peat gravel that adhered to our shoes and provided little traction. For two hours, we slid on our butts, lowered ourselves down with our arms and shoulders, and went ever so slowly not to twist or break anything.

Wedding Walker glasses kept foggy up so I took the lead, hunting for Blue Blazes. This, if you dare call it a trail, was poorly marked. What I did find was a gal who was hiding behind a rock, waiting for her family to catch up. She could barely walk because she had terrible leg cramps.

Since I have been on the Appalachian Trail, I have been using this supplement called Sport Legs. It is the most effective aide I have found that helps my legs from fatiguing and shortens the length of recovery. I gave her a handful along with some salt tablets. Wait for 5-10 minutes, and you’ll be golden. We continued on and saw this sign “Stay on Trail.” I about choked! What trail? It was a series of boulders, slabs of granite with an occasional Blue Blaze. This is NOT a trail.

Finally after nearly shredding my skirt from butt sliding, we made it to a proper version of trail. There were switchbacks and some resemblance of dirt. Wedding Walker and I hiked down towards the parking lot. His wife Beth and College Roommate planned me meet us at the trailhead. I asked Wedding Walker if Beth would hike up the trail to meet us? He didn’t think so because he hadn’t asked her to. As I was ahead, I saw two ladies sitting on a rock and thought, hmmm that looks like Beth, the wife in his pictures. I called out her name and told her Wedding Walker was right behind me, then stepped off the trail so she could videotape his arrival. They haven’t seen each other for a month. What a beautiful reunion they had. He wanted to run to her but his legs were spent from climbing up 4400’ and coming down much the same.

Me and Beth’s friend, can’t remember her name, walked together talking about many different things, while Beth and Wedding Walker got reacquainted. We still had about a mile to get to the car, and then find the car in the overcrowded parking area. Beth had written an inscription on the back of the car window, “Neither rain, nor mud, nor pestilence will keep them from climbing Katahdin or finishing the AT. Congratulations Wedding Walker and Juice”.

Then the party began. Beth made a feast for us. Fresh turkey sandwiches with avocado and tomatoes, three kinds of chips, strawberries and raspberries, homemade cream cheese brownies, and a wide assortment of beer. There was plenty to go around as a few more hikers showed up. What a celebration and feast we had!

Once we sat, drank and ate, there was nothing but miles of smiles. It’s funny how soon you forget of the hardwork and crazy weather we endured for hours. I guess it’s part of our selective memory. You remember the good parts, the joyful times, the friends and family you met along the way. Wedding Walker and I shared about all the aspects of the trail. He had been on trail for one month to the day, and I had been on the trail for three months to the day. There were so many emotions that we both shared, yet it always comes back to the people you meet along the way. Yes, the environment is lovely, the mountains are majestic, the animals, well elusive, but the Trail Angels, the Hostel Owners and Shuttle Drivers, and the Hikers we met on this journey, are truly what is etched in our minds. Wedding Walker and Juice were my family at the end. We shared laughter and sometimes pain, we shared shelters and small tent sites, but most of all, we shared the common goal to stay true to what we came to do. I admire that because in the back of my mind, I know justhow hard it really can be.

There was an article in “The Trek” about the success of thru-hikers. It stated that 1 out of 4 maybe 5 , will actually finish their hike. The odds are fairly low. So what makes you successful? Support. Having family or Tramily as they call it on the trail. Trail-Family. When things get rough and you don’t feel like continuing, know that someone else will fill in the gaps. I’ve had several people on the trail that helped me along the way. From the beginning when my knee smacked the rock, Triple Crown JZ was there to the rescue. He took me to Urgent Care, brought me to his home, and helped me back to the trail. Couch and Braveheart were my first Tramily. We spent a couple of weeks together, working out rock problems and weather issues. We bonded quickly and made plans to finish the trail together. Then came Blue. It wouldn’t had been the Platinum Version of Trail Life without her. When it was raining for days on end, she would be finding backroads, hostels and hotels that we could find refuge in. I She was a lifeline, my laughter and joy when things went south. And when she left the trail, Wedding Walker and Juice took me under their wing. I’ve had so many people who helped me proceed north. And I can’t forget my most trusted and loyal companion Norman. Some may think he’s just a monkey on my back. But he was the one and only that stayed with me through thick and thin. He consoled me when I was ready to throw in the towel, when I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle, yet with his sheepish grin, I knew I could go on for just one more day. To all my friends and family back home that cheer me on, who follow this blog of my tales from the trail, thank you. Much of my reason to be out here is to share Gods love on the trail and with you.

I am not quite finished yet. On August 22nd, I’ll be back at it, heading south from Harper’s Ferry. I have roughly 300 more miles to go and plan to culminate this adventure at McAfee Knob. That’ll finish my journey and complete my stint on this ribbon of dirt, rock, mud and muck. For the next few days, I will be relaxing in Portland, Maine with Blue, doing not much of anything. I’m planning to take a page out of Blue’s Playbook. Relax, eat fine food, drink lots of beer and celebrate my birthday. Sounds like a perfect way to transition from north to south.

What a beautiful place to wake-up to! The sky was clear, with a rose sheen on our mountain peak. I could stay here all day. But breakfast will be served at 7:30am so I packed up, headed to the store. Then waited.

Toto showed up and was terribly sick. Oh no! Only two more days to summit and he doesn’t feeling well. His glands were swollen, he has a fever and zero energy. There was no one at the store, so the only option is to get ahold of a Ranger. I didn’t have cell phone coverage, no Wi-Fi and was no help. Luckily the Ranger was able to radio help and within 30 minutes, a shuttle driver from the AT Hostel arrived. She drove Toto to the ER. I bided him farewell and will call Toto once I get out of here. So sad after walking 2190 miles just to not finish the last 8 miles. He’ll be back, I am sure of it.

Breakfast was served at the Abol Store. Typical continental style with eggs, sausage, French Toast sticks, bagels and cream cheese. It’ll suffice and get us down the road. Wedding Walker and I left around 9:30, as Juice wasn’t in any rush to leave. We had an easy ten mile hike to Katahdin Stream CG.

We walked through more forests and along a river for most the morning. The fog had come in and blanketed the trees with mist. The ground was damp but not the mud and muck we’ve had for so many miles. After awhile we stopped along a granite slab that protruded into the Nesowadnehunk Stream that flows into the Penobscot River. We sat for a bit and watched a kid float down the River on an inner tube. What a great way to relax for the day, cold but fun.

We crossed a few rivers but nothing that we couldn’t rock hop. Some of the rivers were fairly large but the water wasn’t flowing like the last few days. There may be a change in the weather here in Maine. Hopefully they will enjoy some amount of summer, even if it’s just a week or two.

There were many ponds on our way. Most had loons on them, floating around. I was bound and determined to find a moose today, stopping and looking, listening to any crackling in the bushes and trees, but still no moose. I’m starting to think that there are no moose in Maine! Maybe someone comes out in the middle of the night and places moose droppings on the ground to trick me into thinking here are moose?!?! It could happen.

This area of Baxter Park is frequented by many campers and dayhikers. I saw more people on the trail today than I’ve seen in weeks. This group of four gals who call themselves The 4 M’s were quite impressed by my near completed hike to Katahdin. They raised their sticks and ushered me through the gauntlet. It made my day, and Wedding Walker also was christened by their super gauntlet powers.

We arrived at Katahdin Stream Campground around 1pm and found our site. It was a Lean-2 with a picnic table and quite primitive. The grounds around our site were thick with fallen trees and a trickling Brook. Not the most scenic of all places but definitely proper place to stay, especially when it started to rain.

Blue arrived and brought provisions, snacks, fruit and beer. We all sat around and shared our tales from the past few days. Blue went back to Shaws Hostel and met up with Mary Poppins. She was so surprised to see Blue and what a great reunion they had. Blue also saw the boys, Cassain, Otie and Garfield. She drove the gang to dinner in Greenville and received the new and more fitting name of Bluber, a Blue Uber. Quite appropriate. Blue plans to hike Mt. Katahdin with us tomorrow, as she should. She has started this hike and this will be the finishing jewel.

The Ranger came around and presented us with our Purple Tag which allows us to hike Mt. Katahdin tomorrow. It’s more symbolic as we don’t need to present it to anyone but the yellow receipt needs to be given to the Ranger as we leave the Park. This way they can keep all hikers accounted for and documented. I should’ve asked her how many people summit each year? Close to 30,000 people attempt to hike Mt. Katahdin every year.

So here I am, the final night in Maine. It’s bittersweet, but it is also exciting to be here. We had a brief rain shower this afternoon which is par for course. I’d be miffed if we hadn’t had rain for more than two days! I decided to sleep in the Shelter tonight. This could be my last time sleeping in one, at least on this trail Wedding Walker is a Shelter Guy and Juice likes sleeping in his tent. But being we want to get up early to start hiking, Juice decided to commandeer Shelter #1 that is unoccupied. He snores pretty darn loud and didn’t want to keep us awake. I hate to say this but even with him in the Shelter down the way from us, we’re still going to hear him. That’s my final rest on the north end of Appalachian Trail. More to come in the morning.

It wasn’t the best night of sleep as my air mattress kept loosing air. I’ve got to check for leaks when I get to my next campsite. I so need good rest and sleeping on a deflated mattress just doesn’t help. The boys and I were up at 5:30am and on trail at 6:30am, just as planned.

Today was an easy day with little miles, little elevation and just a little bit of mud. Wedding Walker led the way through the first section of the trail. He has a nice pace that’s easy to follow. We meandered through more virgin forest and followed the shoreline of Rainbow Lake. There must be a Hunter or Fisherman Lodge at the north end because we saw and heard 3-4 Float Planes landing and taking off.

We stopped for a bite to eat and enjoyed the gorgeous lake that had leeches all over the bottom. Juice said as long as you swim above the bottom, you’ll be fine. You’ve got to be kidding me? I am not putting my foot in that lake and definitely not my body. It’s a looking at lake, no swimming happening from me. And to think about it, I haven’t seen anyone else swimming with exception of the two kids from yesterday. But Mom quelshed that fairly quickly.

We headed north and climbed our one and only knob today, Rainbow Ledges. Rainbow Ledges, a partially exposed dome of granite, scraped clean of much of its soil by an early 20th century forest fire. Blueberries are abundant here during late summer and early fall. We had a fairly good view of the base of Katahdin, as well as views southwest to White Cap and Jo-Mary Mountains. The boys had cell service, the one and only place to make phone calls before entering Baxter Park.

The family showed up and planned to get to Abol so they needed a camping permit to Birches. I was so fortunate to get the tent site at Katahdin Stream tomorrow night. Hikers who don’t have a site ahead of time, lineup at the Kiosk at 4am to wait for the coveted 12 spots. Some of the hikers were already waiting at 2:30-3:0am this morning. The spot that Blue and I have accommodates 4 hikers so Juice and Wedding Walker can stay with us.

We all headed to Abol Bridge and arrived around 1pm. Abol Bridge is above the West Branch of the Penobscot River. It is a major milestone for hikers going in either direction on the AT, as it is the northern tip of the Hundred Mile Wilderness, and the southern end of the trail in Baxter State Park. Just east of the bridge, the Abol Bridge Store has plenty of provisions for the hungry hikers including ice cream, many snacks, sodas and beer. All the hikers stocked up on drinks and sat outside on the one picnic table.

Donald Duck as he calls himself, the Ranger gave us all the intel on securing a site and permit to climb Mt. Katahdin. There were 10-12 of us sitting outside as he gave us the rundown on all things required at Baxter Park. It’s a well-oiled machine and there are a series of hoops you have to jump through to summit this mountain. We all had to fill out permits and come tomorrow, we’ll need to drop those off with the On-Duty Ranger at Katahdin Stream CG after 7am. Ones without a campsite, will look on a board, then hope and pray that their name is on the roster. If not, they need to try again the following day. It’s quite a process.

I picked up my resupply boxes, which included my Birthday Cookie from Bayside Cafe. Debbie Carapiet bakes these huge chocolate chip cookies for all volunteers on their birthdays. Even though I am 3,000 miles away, it was that important that she mailed me my birthday cookie. What a sweet gift to have right before my summit. I shared it with the many hikers that were sitting at the table and still have some left for tonight’s dessert. Yummy!

Wedding Walker secured our campsite for tonight which includes showers, and breakfast in the morning. We headed down to the lake and I finally had the opportunity to see Mt. Katadrin in all her glory! The clouds lifted and we all sat mesmerized by how beautiful and larger than life, she truly is! Today was the first day that I actually could see her from the base to the top. It was the warmest day I’ve had in Maine and one of the clearest. Such a treat and what a windfall. There is something pretty darn spectacular about waiting and then finally seeing her with your own eyes. We will be climbing that mountain in two more days.

It has been such a struggle to get to this point, in so many ways. But now that I am this close, it is a reminder of how hard-work is required to obtain an everlasting achievement. Nothing in this world comes easy that is truly life-changing. There were many times where I questioned my motivation, my purpose and reason for being out here. Yet the Lord made it clear that this was important and He had a plan that I would see in the end. Persevering is a struggle at times.. It requires blood, sweat and tears to overcome obstacles that we or others, place in front of us. I wonder how many times I was so close to achieving God’s best but stopped short? My prayer is to see what my Lord has intended long before I was created, fulfill His promises, and to give my heart solely to Him. Then I will truly see the glory of God.

It was warm last night. Maybe Maine will finally have a day or two of summer. Blue was up and made me coffee. Her very special latte concoction that is thick and creamy. I packed up my gear and then got out my daypack for slackpacking. Blue will drop off my pack about 8 miles north. This way I can start out the morning with just my snacks and essentials. What a good friend I have indeed.

I was on trail close to 7am and headed towards Nahmakanta Lake. What a beautiful morning stroll I had. I’m going to say that this was one of the best days hiking in Maine. About a half mile or so, I arrived at the lake. It was crystal clear with huge trees, pines and maples. The trees were well over 100 feet tall and so healthy. I’m going to guess that this is virgin forest and has not been logged, at least not in the area I was hiking. The lake was pristine and reminded me of Lake Tahoe, very close to where I live in California. I followed along the lake for quite sometime before it started climbing.

Nasuntabunt Mountain is a moderate climb that leads you through the forest, granite boulders and many streams. The MATC have built great staircases in this area. Rather than bouldering or scrambling, they actually place and chisel out granite steps on majority of the climbs. A 200 foot side trail leads to a rock outcrop on Nesuntabunt Mountain’s north peak. The overlook provides a fine view down to Nahmakanta Lake, and a stunning view of Katahdin, which was encased in clouds. At this point, you are only 16 miles from Katahdin, although the AT takes about 35 miles to get there. It really does appear much closer than it actually is.

I met Kermit, a 75 yo who is thru-hiking with Kermit the Frog. He started in Georgia last January and says he hikes 6-8 miles a day. Way to go Kermit, you are almost there!

As I was heading to the lookout at Nasuntabunt Mountain, Toto showed up. He left Shaws three days after me and has already caught me. He’s a young kid, wearing Crocs and has a bum ankle. Imagine if he was 100%, he’d be at Katahdin weeks ago! We sat and had lunch together and hiked most the afternoon. He stayed at the Shelter with Juice and Wedding Walker last night, so Im thinking they should be right behind me.

I picked up my pack at the stream and carried on towards camp. The trail was pretty darn nice today until the last mile. I thought the mud was done for, but the Sobo’s warned me that I’d be hiking in it most of the way to Katahdin. We’ll at least I had a day of reprieve. Some things just don’t last forever!

I arrived at camp and was greeted by a 10 yo boy who also is a thru-hiker. Him and his sister were swimming in the lake until they realized they had leaches all over themselves! Oh my gosh, that would freak me out. No thank you. I will not be going for a swim today. As I was scoping out a campsite, Juice comes walking in. Yeah, reunited again. I’d been in contact with Wedding Walker and it appears that we will all be summiting Mt. Katahdin on Thursday! We all camped together and made plans for the next three days.

I’m so happy that I’ll be with some fellow hikers when I finish this leg of the hike. There is something special to share it with others, like Blue and the guys who took me under their wing when Blue left the trail. The plan is to do shorter miles Tuesday and Wednesday so we will be ready to climb on Thursday. Super great plan.

As I reflect on this past week, I realize how much I have missed my hiking partner Blue. There is something endearing with having a friend to share this journey with, to laugh and cry over the pain and suffering we share, and to have someone to talk with at the end of the day. Last week when I left Shaws Hostel, Wedding Walker and Juice adopted me. They made sure I wasn’t alone in the wilderness, we helped each other and watched out for one another with the ridiculous river crossings, and we had someone to commiserate over the trail conditions, weather and wet clothes. It’s so much better doing this with others! I’m grateful that, even in the end with less than 100 miles to go, that the Lord found me friends to hike with. That’s pretty darn amazing. Thank you Lord for giving me solitude with you but also allowing me to have companionship with others. We are truly, better together.

Waking up to pouring rain is like scratching nails on a chalkboard. As I sat inside the Motel Room in Millinocket, I knew my day was going to be wet. But Blue came to the rescue. Why don’t you take a Zero and drive to the coast with me? Hmm, hike in the rain again or go to Acadia NP, hard choice. I’m a giver, someone needs to keep Blue company, so I guess we’ll head to the beach! And that’s exactly what we did.

Spontaneity is one of my strong points. I love doing things on the fly, making plans on a whim and this was no exception. I have worked hard these past four days and I was ahead of schedule so why not?!?! We packed up our gear and off we went. Blue has been eyeing a couple of places so she already knew the route.

She gave me a quick tour of Millinocket, Bangor and now we are headed west. Maine has some cool beach towns that are frequented by the French Canadians. We arrived at Bar Harbor and parked the car. Yes, she turned in her backpack for a Ford Edge. Great trade-in value! The town is bustling with tourists and locals alike. We found a cute restaurant named 2 Cats and put our name on the waitlist. 30 minutes and we’ll call you. So we walked down the street to a coffee shop, ordered Breve Lattes and as we were headed back, our table was ready.

I’ve been craving lobster and Maine is known for it so…when in Maine, eat lobster. I ordered Eggs Benedict with Lobster and Blue had a Lobster Omelet with Smoked Gouda. Oh my word, we were speechless. And that doesn’t happen very often. The atmosphere was as delightful as the food. Flowers of all colors were planted in front of the deck, lining the walkway. This place is something that came out of a Hallmark Movie. It was one of the best meals I’ve had on trail, even though I was miles away from the AT. I think it still counts.

After Brunch, we walked to the Grocery Store so I could stock up on some good fresh food for the last leg of the northern part of this trek of mine. Then Blue drove us to the Marina and we walked the Boardwalk. It was more like a gravel path but had no rocks, roots, mud or muck! It was perfectly groomed like a trail should be.

There is something mystical abound the sound and smell of the ocean. It was a very low tide which made for a beautiful walk. The smell of the ocean air, the squawking of the seagulls and the colorful flowers that lined the yards of these exquisite cottages and homes were all I didn’t know I needed.

As I was sitting on a Adirondack Chair, I so quickly realized how important this day of rest really was for me. I have been pushing myself so hard, and I was at a point of exhaustion. My mind, my body and my soul was at its limits. I didn’t even notice how grateful I was to just take a day off from work, I mean hiking. Some days it does feel like work, but most of the time I enjoy the rhythm of walking through this endless forest. It has its moments when I’m ready to throw in the towel, but then something miraculous happens. I have clarity as to why I am still here and understand why I have to keep doing what God intended for me to do. It’s a beautiful dance that keeps unfolding, one step at a time. I’m not much of a dancer but my sweet Lord, oh He can dance!

Blue and I hit a few Marinas and happened to be at a dock when a couple came sailing in. They had a 38’ Sailboat that reminded me so much of Mom and Dad. I talked with the young couple who had been sailing from The Keys in Florida and planned to hang out for a few weeks in Maine. Afterwards they want to sail to the Caribbean, south of where Mom and Dad sailed. It was such a great reminder of the adventurous spirit that they both placed on my heart. Thank you both for being such great examples to this daughter of yours.

We headed back to Millinocket, had some dinner and ran into some hiking friends. They already finished the Hundred Mile Wilderness and plan to summit Katahdin tomorrow. It’s so exciting to be this close. I still have another 40 plus miles so I won’t be there for a few more days. But I’ll be thinking of the Boys as they climb those big boulders tomorrow. I’ll be praying that they have sunshine and clear skies.

After my Burger with Fried Pickles and Blues first try at Sloppy Joes, we drove back to the trail. It is a series of unmarked dirt and gravel roads that are as good as the trail I walk on. That should give you an idea of what Blue had to navigate. She is a darn good map reader and I’m a darn good driver, so after an hour and a half of dirt roads, we made it back to the trailhead. Blue is sleeping in her car and I pitched my tent in the dark. Not the first time I’ve done that, but the first time on this trail. Tomorrow I will carryon and Blue will find another place to scope out in Maine. We will hook back up on Wednesday when I walk into Baxter State Park. Until then, I will be walking in the woods, me, Norman and our Lord.

No rain and no bugs. That’s pretty darn perfect in my book! I slept quite well and was looking forward to meeting up with Blue. The kids left a few minutes before me and one offered me her water before she dumped it. That’s golden, especially since I finished my last drop when I made coffee this morning. I packed up and hit the trail a bit later than usual at 6:45am.

The morning was cool and the clouds were low. First job I had today was climbing White Cap Mountain. the highest peak in the region of the Hundred Mile Wilderness. It has some of the finest views in the state. The south face of the summit is totally open and rocky, with tremendous views to the Chairback Range, and down over Big and Little Spruce Mountains. On a clear day you can see Mt. Katahdin but that wasn’t happening this morning. I powered up the 700’ climb which was fairly easy. The summit was shrouded in clouds, foggy and dismal. The top was piled with rocks and shale, which is typical for a peak like this. I headed down being it was quite windy.

About half way down the mountain, I saw Blue coming sobo. Yeah, my partner has come to hike with me. We hiked the last two miles to the car. I shared with her the events of yesterday and my idea to slackpack today. She had already considered the same idea and had two options. The first would be sn additional 6-8 miles and the latter, a 13 miler to Jo-Mary Road. I chose the longer route as this would set me up for shorter miles in the days to come.

I dropped off my big heavy backpack and put on my daypack, which contains nothing more than my lunch, water, first aid and jacket with gloves and a headlamp. You never know what happens out there. Blue got in her car and drove to Jo-Mary Road and started walking sobo to meet me.

The day was fairly flat with a couple of smaller peaks to get up and over. The terrain was nice with the occasional creek crossing and typical mud and muck. That hasn’t gone away yet and with the extended forecast of rain, it won’t ever leave the trail this year. But for the majority of the day was pleasant.

I saw more Sobo’s than Nobo’s today. One gal that really got my interest was Casper. She flip-flopped in Pennsylvania and adopted a cat. She named him Spook. He was perched upon her pack with a bell on his collar. She says he likes to roam the forest chasing critters like squirrels and such, but sometimes doesn’t know how to get back. So she goes and retrieves Spook. She wrote in the log at the Shelter that I stopped by for lunch that Spook caught a mouse and killed it. That’s one good Kitty!

Once I reached Crawford Pond outlet, I saw Blue. She hiked some six miles to meet up with me. It was like old times hiking the trail together. Oh how I miss my Blue. We hiked the last six miles together talking about what we liked and what we won’t miss about the trail. It always comes back to the mud! We both agree on that. Mud and bugs. Gnats and mosquitoes are our nemesis. And Blue does not like snakes. I saw two more snakes today. I had no idea that Maine is a big producer of all kinds of slithering critters. We made it to the road by 5pm. Blue drove us to Millinocket and I found a Motel. All I really wanted was a shower and to charge my gear, and wash my clothes. I was too tired to go out and eat so with made due with Chips, Salsa, Guacamole and Beer. That was truly a perfect evening.

I am now more than halfway through the 100 Mile Wilderness. With Blue as my wingman, I can power through the next few nights. Thank goodness that I have her! With all my clothes clean and dry now, and my body bathed, my electronics charged up, there’s nothing standing in my way. I’m so grateful that Blue decided to stop hiking and rented a car. What a great way to finish this northern route and it gives her a chance to explore Maine! It’s a win-win for both of us!

My sweet Lord knew what was going to come. He knew that Blue would get off trail and I was going to walk with Him. In the past few days, I’ve had much time to reflect on this journey. It has been physically exhausting from the time I hit The Whites. Once in the wilderness, it feels more natural and less painful. Yet this trail has been a challenge, more for my mental health. I’m just trying not to get terribly consumed by my disgust of the muddy trail and endless river crossings. But God keeps reminding me that He has a destiny in mind and sometimes you have to go through the fire to get there. I’m holding on to that, my God.