Only 2 Weeks Left!!

Dang, that's hard to believe. As Eli said, turns out Maine is not on the dark side of the moon and the land of moose has internet after all. That's us above celebrating our fifth anniversary under a wall of deer antlers, which is fitting for this rural footpath through backwoods Maine.

We just arrived here in Stratton. I take back everything bad I've said about the hitchhiking in Maine. The first vehicle to pass us was Peter in his pickup truck who spends most of his time at sea, hauling around big weapons for the government. In his spare time he picks up thru-hikers and gives them tours of the town. Peter dumped us out at our most favorite place to be: the local diner. One cheeseburger with egg and an order of fish n' chips later, we crossed the street to the Stratton Motel where we'll be spending the afternoon mapping out our remaining days on the AT. From here to Monson, from Monson to Katahdin.

It's not uncommon for our current hiking conversations to center on days gone by since Georgia. "Remember that one shelter where we met the crazy chain-smoker?" "Remember that descent into Delaware Water Gap when we almost cried from exhaustion?" "Remember that couple we met on the trail in Connecticut that was so cool except that they looked like brother and sister?" "Remember the wind was so bad coming over Baldpate we were a little scared for our lives but felt so alive?" Ahhhh, so many memories. We're definitely not nostalgic, absolutely not trying to stretch the trail out any longer, and absolutely never undertaking this trail again - but it is kinda startling that our days of hiking are coming to an end. Almost as if we've been trudging with heads down and someone just elbowed us and said, "Look up, finish line's ahead." We're going huh? wah?

Because just as impossible as it is to imagine quitting, it's ridiculous to assume you'll really finish. Even now, with only about 13 days left, I can't wrap my head around climbing that final mountain.

I'll be back later to upload pics.

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Ok, here are some pictures of the recent days. We got a text from Blaze that said "So far neither mystical nor magical." We had to laugh, because it's just so true. It seems like once we entered Maine we have been constantly wet. It gets old! Hiking isn't so bad because you do warm up and just end up splashing and slogging through whatever the trail throws at you. It's the end-of-day setup at camp and the morning greeting that includes putting on cold, wet hiking clothes, socks and shoes from the day before. Oh well, I guess it's a little late in the game to whine. Though that does look like what Brahma is doing here:

Look at that lovely trail!
Check the water gathering on Dustan's beard. This is what happens when you hike in a cloud. It's unlike rain or fog or ...anything else really. When summits are cloudy, even the finest hairs on your face will be crystalline water.

Summiting Saddleback.

Even when the water stops coming down from above, it still comes up from below. Our first real ford.


My feet always look like this - pruny. I am so proud of these feet!

There are some living things that flourish in this environment. There's not much scale in this photo - I wish you could see how fat this guy was, and big!