Guess what? The sun came out! All thanks to the Lord for the warmth of a sunny day. We can all use it. The morale is a bit low with four days of no sunshine. I’m not sure how people live in a place that is constantly wet? I’ll take my scorching heat and fires of California, because you know what? Come September through June, it’s pretty darn perfect.

Today will be my final push. It has been quite the journey on this trail. Three years to complete, with over two thousand miles, bumps and bruises, scraps and punctures, poison ivy, a bad spider bite and one twisted ankle. But my biggest fear of all was the itsy bitsy, teeny tiny little tic. Had two on me but never had one embed its nasty needle-sized head in my skin. Thank goodness as that can be a lifelong battle of Lyme Disease and who knows, what else! So, I’m headed out to finish the toughest trek of my hiking career to date and put it to bed, once and for all.

There’s a few big climbs today, with the Bigelows and another, The Horn. Gets somewhat confusing as most of the peaks have a second peak that they just call Horn. Tidbit of info:

The Bigelow Range, also known as Bigelow Mountain, consists of Maine’s most rugged inter-connected peaks. The mountain is named for Colonel Timothy Bigelow, who rose to prominence as one of four division commanders in the Continental Army detachment under Benedict Arnold. In October 1775, en route to the failed invasion of Canada, Colonel Bigelow summited the mountain with a small expedition for the purpose of “military observation.” The entire range resides within the protective boundary of the Bigelow Preserve, some 36,000 acres of wilderness.

The mud, roots and rocks are much the same over this entire length of mountain ranges. But there were a few slivers of views that surpassed my past few days. I started with some cloud cover but every now and then, the sun would part the clouds and there were some incredible views.

While on my stroll today, I met a sweet gal, Grits. She’s from Canada and truly a backpacker through and through. We talked about all trails west of here, the Arizona Trail AZT, Colorado Trail CT (my favorite in US), Wonderland Trail WT, of course the Pacific Creat Trail PCT and the elusive Continental Divide Trail CDT. Grits wanted to hike the CT this year but life got in the way but plans to head south in October and hike the AZT. I love talking trails to anyone who wants to hear me. It is truly my passion and desire, maybe excluding the AT. But today, I could’ve been persuaded. This is truly a day that I will remember forever.

After all my complaining, moaning and groaning, I was able to finish what I started back in 2022. Gosh that seems like a long time ago but in theory, it was only 28 months ago. And here I am finishing up what I started as a thru-hike. In this spectacle of walking to and fro, there are always going to be obstacles, injuries, family crisis’ and you name it, things that preclude us from doing it the way we had intended. As a wise friend told me, we make plans and God laughs! I think there was a reason for this extended time of true refinement. Some things just take a bit longer to savor and my sweet Jesus wanted George to finish this hike with me! He has definitely been there in spirit from day one, mailing boxes, sending me equipment when I broke something, driving across country only to take me to the airport. This man has been my lifeline! But to actually commit to accompanying me to the end, was more than a gift! This puts the icing on the proverbial cake.

As I reflect upon this path, all I can say is thank you Jehovah for being my protector, my encourager, my strength and my reason for pushing forward when it seemed impossible. When I was tired, disappointed, frustrated, or sitting in an Urgent Care Facility, I never felt so overcome with grief or sorrow that I couldn’t walk, just another mile or two thousand more! My heart was overflowing with Gods’ love and grace. So at the conclusion of all things AT, I can say, may our paths never cross again! I know, that’s harsh but my eyes are fixed on another trail, much closer to home. Until then, blessings and prayers to you all and may you always follow your dreams!

The End…

Final Epilogue: When I started this jaunt, a follower of my blog suggested that I read Psalms 91. Let alone did I read it, I had bookmarks laminated with this scripture that I passed out on the trail. Sometimes I would leave them at Hostels, or in the Shelters along the way, some were intentionally placed in others hikers hands or slid into their packs. It was one way that I was able to share God’s love with others on the trail. So to conclude, it is only appropriate to finish this chapter with my personal favorite scripture.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭

Oh, this rain is really getting to me. Let’s be real, a sprinkle or two is bearable. But constant pitter-patter on my tent all night long, isn’t going to motivate me up and out of my cocoon! From the looks of the shelter and the others, no one was moving really fast today.

After packing, I needed to refill on water. The boys sent me down the hillside for the best water on the AT. They were not mistaken. And right now, I really needed something to be excited about. I started up the rocky climb to Spaulding Mountain. It’s not an understatement that this terrain looks pretty much the same. Rocky, muddy and lots of green moss and pines. Oh, and every mushroom under the sun. When I made it to the ridge there was a sign Spaulding Mountain 150 yards up the granite rock staircase. I may have bit, but being it was drizzling, there was little to no chance of any significant view.

I ran into some young bucks headed Sobo and we talked for a bit, admiring about the only view I’ve seen this past week. We marveled at how fast the weather changes around here from downright miserable to a glimmer of hope. It lasted long enough for me to take a picture, and just like that, the rain returned!

I bundled up, back in my rain jacket and headed down the trail. I was skipping through the mud puddles when I ran into a gaggle of women. Nine of them, to be exact. All from Maine. They were out on a day hike in this weather. Truly Mainers! They are definitely a different breed! We talked for a bit and they moussed up the trail to their exit strategy, Sugarloaf Mountain and back to their condo! Condo, seriously? Why aren’t I hiking with them?

Today was a pretty tough day. God and I had many conversations about this trail. I’m not one to quit, it’s just not in my vocabulary, but I’m about done with this weather and all these rocks. It’s one thing when you are climbing over a few to get around a headland or a bunch of trees, but this constantly watching your every step and wondering if your knees are going to perform or buckle underneath you, is really taking a toll on me. What I’m trying to say is, if any of you are my friends and I ever mention to you that I want to hike the AT again, don’t let me! It is cruel and unusual punishment! And by no means is it fun. Fun is hiking the west coast trails where there is sunshine and groomed ribbons of dirt, where birds sing and the stars shine. I haven’t seen a single star while I’ve been here. I didn’t even see the Super Blue Moon because, you guessed it, it was raining! I’m sorry but this has just been a very trying day and I’m rethinking this commitment of mine.

My dearest friend Sally recommended a book “The Giver of Stars.” One thing it kept repeating was “there’s always a way out.” I’m imagining a way that is kinder and gentler, a flatter and more forgiving route. If I find that, I’ll let you know. But for now, I’ll keep hiking and keep praying, and trusting that the Lord will not forsake me or ever leave me. We are truly in this together! And then I made it to this stunning meadow- Crocker Cirque. Not too shabby for a nights rest.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭8‬ ‭

It rained off and on all night. Packing up added extra weight as most of my gear is so wet. There’s nothing much worse than putting on wet pants, wet shirt and wet socks! Yuck. But on the bright side, the sun is suppose to show up sometime today.

After getting a bit turned around, the nice boys at the shelter pointed me northbound. And off I went, up to Poplar Ridge. It was a few good boulders to get me to the top, but no view as the clouds still haven’t lifted. I looked around anyhow, then went on my way. Today’s excitement is the upcoming river crossing. Hikers have stated that it’s about thigh high and flowing fairly well. I’m hoping to find another hiker to navigate it with. Probably one of the biggest issues on this trail is getting knocked off your feet when crossing a river. Last year, there was a hiker about my age who went missing and they found him a week later, about a mile down river.

A hiker cruised past me as I was within 1/2 mile from the water crossing. He was my guardian angel sent from God above. He might not have known that but I was praying for a big strong man or woman, to be with me as I crossed. Prayer answered. As I made it down, he was across and gave me the lay of the land. I walked up river, and without a second thought, made it across without much ado. Wet, but safe. Thank you Angel.

Once across, I sat and had a hot lunch and coffee. I left this morning without much to eat and planned to enjoy my lunch along the river. No sun to speak of, just a light drizzle. But the sun will come out, I kept telling myself. After my Asian Chicken and Rice with hot coffee, I was ready to start the climb out of the canyon. It would be my big climb of the day, up to Poplar Ridge.

Today I had to get real about my mileage. After talking with a few of the hikers, mostly thru-hikers, no one is tackling much more than ten or so miles. Mostly due to the big climbs and the non-cooperating weather. The rocks are so slippery and the route is your typical AT fare. Lots of boulders, rocks and mud. Just like last year. I’m not sure why I thought this section would be any different?

But when I reached Poplar Ridge, there was this bright yellow light in the sky called sun! Oh, I am so happy to see you again. I stopped and admired it for a bit of time, which allowed Red Squirrel and Not so Fast to catch up. Not so Fast celebrated his birthday yesterday climbing over The Horn and Saddleback in the rain. I just had my birthday the day prior so we congratulated one another for spending our birthdays doing something literally unheard of for a good time!

Luckily I made it to camp while the sun was still shining and scurried around to find a level piece of ground to place my tent. This is home for the night. Once all set-up, I hunkered down and called it another successful day on the trail. Still no falls, just a few intended butt slides down the boulders. And that’s a wrap!

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭

I love when I meet Godly people on the trail. It reminds me of His purpose for me. The intention He has when I stepped into his Creation, to reveal in how beautiful, how difficult, and how glorious it can be. This is tough stuff out here, and honestly I’ll be glad to say adios to this trail. But it has definitely placed me where He wants me to be, so that I totally and completely put my trust in Him.

Back on the Appalachian Trail. George dropped me off at 7am sharp, just as I requested. We said our farewells as I walked down the musty wet trail. There was a good soaking that happened the night before, surprise surprise!

The first mile was fairly nice, somewhat level, through the trees and over a grate that suspended a gorge named Sandy River. The first sign of life was a tent with all the worldly possessions strung about but not a soul. Probably taking care of the morning constitution. Too much info already. Sorry!

Then the climbing started. It had to since I was headed up to Saddleback Peak, close to 2500’ above. It was misty and within minutes, I was getting wet. Not like a downpour, just your typical mist that soaks everything. Lovely, no sun today!

The climb was intense for a couple of reasons; this is my day one so no trail legs, and two, I’m not sure what happened to my lung capacity. I was huffing and puffing and I’m only at 2000’. Not a good sign of things to come.

Within a couple of hours, I saw my first human. A tall lanky male who had trail legs and great lung capacity. I need what you have, I blurted out. And just like that, he left me in the mud with a large boulder ahead that had a precarious metal footholds, scaling the larger than life rock.

The trail went passed a few ponds as it flattened, and then bolted back to the clouds. It took me way too long to get to Saddleback, but being I stopped countless times to put more layers on, no wonder! My Hooded Sun-shirt, a Fleece Layer and now my Rain Jacket! Another gentleman strolls by and says, thank goodness it’s not cold with his running lightweight shirt and shorts on. Seriously, I’m cold as a wet noodle! Maybe my thermostat is not engaged like his, or maybe just maybe, he’s moving faster, which generates heat and I’m moving like a three-toed sloth?!

Up and over the Misty Mountain and down a saddle, then back up to The Horn at 1984’. It was just as blustery, wind blowing sideways kind of mist from the encapsulated clouds. Yes, I can say I was walking in the clouds! Then down the mountain really fast. Not that I went down really fast but the elevation drop was significantly sloped over the next mile or two. This is where I embrace my butt sliding skills. I just can’t seem to leap, jump or skip down the boulders like others. I slide on my butt, hold onto tree limbs and throw my poles to the next landing zone. And that’s how it went for 1500’ of downhill wet rock forging. I must’ve looked like a mess, with muddy butt pants!

After the slide, I had one last climb up and over Saddleback Junior, which came as a surprise. A welcome surprise as I was much better at navigating the ups than the downs. My last mile or so was in the late evening hours and by the time I made it to camp, it was pretty darn dark. Everyone was hunkered in their tents or snug inside the platform. I hunted for a piece of real estate to place my tent and plopped inside, literally. With just enough time to wring out my wet clothes, eat a pack of Mango Slices with Chocolate, and crawled inside my bag. Oh boy, that was a tough first day!

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭22‬ ‭

I’m not sure if this really applied to me today, but I do know that the Lord was with me every step of the way. When I was shaking from the cold temperatures and wondering how I was going to get up and over Saddleback and The Horn, He sustained me. So, I guess this verse is in fact, my verse for the day! Thank you Lord. I sure do need you!

Three years and counting. That’s how long it has taken me to attempt to finish this project of a trail. I know, you’re all thinking, didn’t she finish it last year? All but this one mountain range named the Bigelow’s. Blue and I were on a tight deadline and we had to passover something, and this was our jump. I’m back to connect the dots and wash my hands, once and for all, of all things AT!

This year, for the first time in my long distance career, I have my loyal partner with me, Georgie Baraga. Yep, that’s my hubby of 29 years and he has signed up to be my Trail Angel. No, he’s not hiking it but most importantly, he is driving me to Rangely, Maine. Rangely is a hunters paradise, fishing Mecca and all-around Sportsman’s destination, making it a perfect place for George to hang his hat, as I go for my trek.

Right now we are flying Southwest to Portland, Maine where we will pickup a rental car, and be tourists for a few days. After our anniversary and my birthday, I will return to my nemesis. No, it’s not really that bad, but I am praying that come what may, I’ll have two trails in the bag, and only one to go.

I’ve been asked, why go back for a measly 50 miles and change? It’s all about wanting to finish each section, connecting all the steps and being able to state that I, Geisha Girl, have completed this task and trail with integrity, endurance and a lot of answered prayers. The weather will be much of the same, wet and rainy, the terrain will have many ups and downs, and the miles will vary from day to day. But the most gratifying part will be when I exit at my destination, I will greeted by my biggest fan of all time, Mr. Baraga! And that will be super special.

So another blog, another adventure and another trek over some beautiful mountains called the Bigelows Range. And if I’m lucky enough, I might just see a moose or two, or maybe just a duck. Should be quite a hike indeed.

The Lord turns my darkness into light. 2 Samual 22:29