Sep 16 - Maine (Zero Day)

ZERO DAY #42
LOCATION: Katahdin Stream Campground, Baxter State Park
TRIP MILEAGE: 2,173.9
MILES TO GO: 5.2

I said I'd sleep in, but it didn't happen. I awoke along with Paul Bunyan, City Squirrel, Casper and NLC around 6:30AM. They were all getting ready to hike and I wanted to experience the excitement of their last day with them. Plus, we were near the AT so we saw all the other hikers going up to Katahdin including Michael J, Able, El Flaco, Deja Vu, Wallflower, Red Bear, Staggers and a few others.

We all ate, had coffee and chatted until Bunyan and Squirrel rolled out at 7:45AM. Then Casper and NLC headed out at 8. Meanwhile, The Dogfather was on his way up from Mass to join me for my final push up Katahdin. Since I arrived yesterday, a day early, I had time to kill until he showed up. So, I packed up my stuff and tidied up camp for a little day hike. I was going up to "The Owl", a small peak that is shadowed by Katahdin. I was told it had some great views of the mountain and the southern Baxter State Park lowlands.

Betsy the campground ranger informed me I'd have nice weather up there so I was excited to get myself on The Owl to dry my dirty clothes and slightly damp boots. I headed up around 9AM under overcast skies. One mile up the AT (a mile I will not count in my completed AT mileage until I hike it again tomorrow), I spurred off onto The Owl blue blaze. It quickly got steep and I found myself doing some extremely technical hiking that made me a bit concerned about injury... Just what I needed one day before my completion of the AT. But, I summitted the Owl and witnessed some amazing views of the end of the AT. The AT follows a ridge that I could see perfectly from my little 3,600' summit. There were hikers on the ridge coming and going like little ants. I couldn't make them out specifically, but I was sure most of them were my cohorts. I shot some pictures of the clouded summits, hoping the cloud would lift. It never did. It was chilly, so I decided to head down. As I did I noticed some day hikers on a ledge below me on the trail headed up to the Owl. We noticed each other mutually, and I took some pretty cool pictures of them from up above. We met on the trail in a few minutes and I exchanged emails with them so I could sent them their photos. They were a nice couple, the Kinters, and we chatted a bit about thru-hiking. They even knew a 2009 thru-hiker they'd met named Lunch Box. I recognized the trailname as a buddy of Smokestack from his '09 stint.

I headed back down to camp slowly and cautiously and arrived back around 2PM. Within minutes I saw El Flaco, Able, City Squirrel and Deja Vu all making their return from Baxter Peak. It had been cold up there, but all seemed so happy to be done. We rolled over to the Campground pavilion where some more trail magic was being performed. Michael J rolled in and I got to see his summit video... Popping a champagne bottle and passing it around to the others. It got me so excited to get up there.

While at the trail magic party, the Dogfather cruised in. He was driving my 4runner that had been waiting for me at home these last 6 1/2 months. It was so great to see him and introduce him to a few of my fellow thru-hikers. With rain expected, we set up camp and were rejoined by Casper, NLC and Casper's dad. The Dogfather heated up baked beans, a cooked ham and canned brown bread over a campfire. The not-so-easy-up kept us dry once the rain rolled in and we enjoyed a big hot meal that to us thru-hikers was so satisfying. We had chocolate cake and apple pie for dessert... To die for. We told stories and had a few laughs as we enjoyed the last of the food. It was a really nice night.

Weather is calling for rain overnight and into the morning tomorrow, then "abundant sunshine" in the afternoon. So, the Dogfather and I will probably shove out a little late so we can break down camp, shove out late and catch a little Baxter Peak sunshine. I can't describe the excitement to arrive at the summit tomorrow. It'll be surreal I'm sure. The trail ends, and I'll be there to see it tomorrow afternoon.

-natedog