MONSTER MOUNTAIN
Katahdin means “Greatest Mountain.” Indeed, no better way to start this 2011 Thru-hike! Our pictures cannot truly capture the 45’ angle up-climb on the Abol Trail. We looked DOWN and saw a hawk hunting! The AT begins at the top of the mountain, so we took the Abol Trail up: that way I truly started the AT from the sign at the top. Hello to Georgia!
On our way into Baxter State Park the other day, we picked up a hiker who was doing a road walk just to get to the trail. She’s also Southbounding and I hope to see her again. I think she summited Katahdin the day after us
Well, this is it, folks. No more nice, dry cabin to come back to after a walk in Baxter Park. No more glorious meals by Chef Ed Cobb. No more hope for a shower. The bugs are so bad here we are actually wearing long-sleeves and “nerd hats” (mosquito net hats). But the mosquitos here bite through clothing. Far worse than those in the Peruvian jungle. Our next stretch is the 100 Mile Wilderness. We need to complete in 7 days because that’s all the food we can fit in our bags!
We are very excited. I’m so thankful Powder is here with me for the first week! I hope to make some thru-hiker friends in the next couple of weeks who will be my companions for the duration.
Thanks everyone again for your excitement, encouragement and prayers. I’m very blessed to be able to pause work for a while to do this. It is something I love, but will also be a great challenge. As I see already from the incredible pain in my knees and the incredible annoyance of man-eating mosquitos and black-flies.
Hurray!!! Everything a girl could dream of.
Oh, and I musn’t forget: I saw my first female moose yesterday standing in a pond right near the trail! And I’ve realized my trailname is “Bobwhite.” The whistle of the bobwhite has forever been the way my family “calls” each other. Instead of yelling “hey, you! Dinner’s ready” we simply whistle the bobwhite call. I’ll teach you when I see you!