Bryce, Wild Turkey, Papa Smurf, Strawberry
Tracks, Fedex
The Sled Dawgs
Bryce, Wild Turkey, Fedex, myself, and Tracks
After spending some time at the summit, we took Knife Edge across the other side of the mountain and then went down a different trail. Once we reached the bottom, Turkey's parents met us there with some snacks & drinks! Then we drove into Millinocket and stayed at the Appalachian Trail Inn. We went out to eat for supper, hung out at the hostel, and played hearts. Enjoying the last time we would probably all be together...at least for a long time!
Strawberry carried the extra weight of several lollipops to the top of Katahdin as a celebration of our completed hike!!
The next morning we all ate breakfast together before everyone started going their separate ways. Bryce, Tracks, and Strawberry were the first to leave. That is when the reality of it all started to hit me. Shortly after they left, Turkey's parents came by and picked him up. Then Fedex and I hung out for a couple hours...mostly in silence...before his dad flew in to take him home. Saying good-bye to each of them was really emotional and hard. When you spend every day with someone doing something together that most people can't even begin to relate too...you become really close.
I stayed in Millinocket for a couple days, waiting for Sarena to drive out and pick me up. The days I spent waiting for her, were really hard (and the weeks following). I missed hiking, like crazy. It was one thing to take a day off while on trail, knowing that the very next day you would be back at it. It was a whole other ball game to not hike for a day and realize that it would soon become the new normal. It was a new normal that I wasn't at all ready for and that I didn't want. Even though hiking was sometimes a struggle and difficult, I loved it!! I also loved that fact that I was physically active all day, every day! I went from being active 10-12 hours a day to basically nothing. Even now, running 6 miles only takes like 45 min...which is nowhere near what I considered a normal day! It was a major change for both my physical body and my mental state.
The day after summiting, Stretch, Stef (his wife), and I did a 3 mile hike to an Ice Cave. It was really nice to at least hike a little bit!! It was also EXTREMELY weird to hike with nothing but my phone! Right before we were going to leave, I kept trying to figure out what I would need. It was like my brain was fighting with itself...between needing nothing for a 3 mile hike and feeling like leaving everything behind would leave me unprepared. lol.
There was the relationships I had formed with the guys. We kept each other going, even when the weather or trail was rough. We had a unique, shared experience! They also brought a lot of humor into the mix, keeping our moral high and the trail a lot more enjoyable! They became like family. I knew that the likely hood of seeing all of them again was not very high. I mean, we literally all live in different states, all across the country! Also, there was the inevitable change that would occur in our relationships just based on the change in life.
Then there was the adjustment back into society. This one sucked!! It is still hard for me, although it has gotten better over the past month. You don't realize how much noise and chaos crowds and pummels your brain in daily life! That is, until you are away from all of it for months with only small amounts of it here and there. Out in the woods I had the noise of nature and the voices of others from time to time. I very, very rarely even listened to music while hiking. Coming back, I frequently had headaches just from my brain being over-stimulated!
There is also the fast pace of life. People are completely lost in the rat race! Stuffing their calendars to fit in as much as they possibly can, running from one thing to the next, multi-tasking on too many things. When we try to do too many things (even "good" or "important"), it kind of lessens the importance of all of it! Because you are no longer able to put your best foot forward for each of them. It's simply impossibly to give your best to everything. This is probably the biggest thing that I am going to continue to fight/push against. Because I don't want to get sucked back into that. Less is more.
Here is some of what I learned about what I value...
- Love people, use things. - We are created as relational beings down to the core of who we are. It is through relationships (with God, family, friends) that we give and receive love, support, empathy, encouragement, laughter, etc. You won't ever find the kind of happiness that people bring from things. So don't crowd your life with so much stuff, that it takes away time/energy/importance of the relationships in your life. People should be able to tell really quickly by looking at your life, what you value and hold has important.
- Community - We are meant to live life together. We have all these different "units" that we are apart of....family, friends, work, school, church, town, county, etc. However, as a society today we tend to live as very singular units. I mean, how many of you know your neighbors...who you have lived next too for several years? We think that being an individual (being ourselves) means being independent. But we NEED each other and there is so much to gain from being a part of a community!
- Quietness - To be able to turn off all the noise, social media, advertisements, phone, etc that constantly plague our brains every day. Allow yourself long periods of time to enjoy silence.
- Thinking/thoughts - Our brains are always crowded with so much noise, we start liking/wanting the noise. Especially when we are having a hard time, are stressed, sad, hurt, etc. Because it is easier to get lost in the noise, than to have to be quiet with our own thoughts. However, it is so much healthier and way more powerful to allow yourself to think....even when it is hard and uncomfortable.
- Trying - Attempt your dreams/goals. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself. It isn't going to be easy, you might never achieve your goal. But don't go through life being afraid to try. Whether it is because you might fail, it looks hard, it is different than the "normal American life," or because people might think you are irresponsible. A dream never attempted is worse than a dreamed failed. I am also not saying to attempt every dream you have. Dreams come & go and change throughout our lives. You know the ones that are really important to you. Don't let those ones turn into regrets.
LIFE AFTER TRAIL
Sarena picked me up in Millinocket and we drove out to Acadia State Park (in Maine) for a couple days. We did some hiking, camping, and ate lobster. Then we drove into Canada. We stayed in Montreal a couple nights and then went to Toronto/Niagara Falls before heading back to the states.
Also, I want everyone to know what an incredible person Sarena is. Seriously, she has been one of my biggest supporters and an amazing friend! Just on my hike alone....she started the trail with me back in GA. Hiking a week...even in really miserable weather. Which was huge in helping me adjust to the trail! Then she came out again when I was halfway done. Spending a zero day with me. Then she came out at the end of my hike and road tripped back with me. She is one-of-a-kind. 😊
Acadia State Park
Precipice Trail
Beehive Trail
Sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain
She drove me to Illinois for Ignite, then I hung out all week at my Aunt Nancy's place. I got to see my sister, cousin, and some friends throughout that week, which was amazing!! Then Kelsy drove me up to MN. Where I spent the next week with my mom & Jerry. I got to see Kevin & Nikki & Emma too!!!
While in IL, Ben took me up in his plane!! He even let me fly it!!..for a little bit...:) It was super cool!
Roadtripping with Kelsy
Emma😍😍
Also....Kevin & Nikki are expecting again!!! Super excited!!!!
This past week I drove back out to Vermont with the intensions of finishing up the Vermont Long Trail. The first 105 miles of the trail are the same as the AT, so I wanted to complete the last 170 miles. Mostly just to get back out hiking and because I thought the fall colors would be amazing!! However, it was really cold, wet, and muddy. There wasn't much for views and it was suppose to be freezing cold and rainy.
The couple views that we did get...
So we bailed on the trail after 3 days. 😂 Instead we headed up to Canada. Checking out Montreal for a couple days and then Quebec City. After a few days up there, we drove to New Hampshire to the White Mountains, to do some hiking again. I decided that it is a lot more enjoyable to pick and chose when you hike....like avoiding the days it is going to rain...it's amazing!!
We found a few waterfalls along our drive through Vermont!
This water was crazy clear!! It held a teal blue color to it, and you could see clear to the bottom of a deep pool!!
Montreal
Smoked Meat sandwich.
So.Amazingly.Incredible!!
If you are ever in Montreal, be SURE and get one of these!!!
Notre Dame
Quebec City
Hiked the Mt Pemigewasset trail. It was pretty socked in at the top, but still a great hike!:)
What are my plans?
Well, tomorrow I am planning on driving to Boston to catch up with Who, then onto Philadelphia to see Fedex and Wild Turkey. Then I will make my way back to Indiana. I intend to spend a week in Indiana seeing friends and going through all my things. Afterwards I will be moving back up to MN and will be living with my mom & Jerry in their basement. I have a job waiting for me once I get back (mid-October) at Aldi's. I am really excited to be working there!! I am also really excited to be close to family for awhile! I am planning on staying up in MN for the next 5/6 months, saving up money and preparing for my next adventure..... yep that's right....:)
I am officially starting to plan and make preparations for hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) next year!!! It is 2,650 miles, so longer than the AT, but it should take me around the same amount of time! I am super excited to set out on another thru-hike and to see another part of the country!!! Also, really excited to see what this next year brings!! I make my plans knowing that things can happen and change at any time. However, I chose to live my life actively working towards goals making adjustments as I go, rather than to wait for something to happen or not move forwards on something for fear of something else coming up.
