Final update...for now

Hey guys, Pigpen here (or I guess I can go back to my birth name now). I'm going to try to post an epilogue on my journey as well as some updated info on the last leg of my hike. The last few weeks of my hike were perfect, and I couldn't ask for a better or more appropriate way to end this journey. On my quest to catch up to my friend Tyler, I ran into a guy named Splinter, who Tyler had spent a good but of time hiking with. Splinter and I hiked together for the last few weeks, probably at least the last 250 miles. We kept in touch with Tyler and decided that we could all shoot to finish on August 14th, Tyler's 25th birthday. Keep in mind that Tyler and I had been planning on hiking the AT together for years, and 2000 miles in, we still hadn't hiked a mile together. Splinter and I finally caught up with Tyler in Monson, ME- the last resupply. We took a zero day and rested up for the final stretch. We also had been around another hiker named Wild Blue for a week or so, and he stuck with us to the end as well. So we set off into the 100 Mile Wilderness with a good group.

We hiked for a few days over rough terrain, and then were treated to a few days of nice flat hiking. We had to ford rivers about every day in the wilderness, most of the time more than once a day. we got off to a slow start over the tough terrain since we were in no rush, and then did 50 miles in 2 days over the easier trail. There is a camp store just before Katahdin, and the 4 of us rationed our food to make it to the store and then buy enough food for the rest of the day and the next day for climbing Katahdin. When we got there, however, the store didn't take credit cards, only cash. So we scraped our money together and bought a few overpriced high caloric items and spent the rest of the day (we still had 10 miles left) hungry. We tried to occupy ourselves once we reached the base of Katahdin (our camp for the night), but spent the next 6 hours in delirium. Wild Blue's parents drove up to the campground and saved the day by providing a feast, and they offered their car to us so we could drive to the nearest town to get food for the next day. Many generous acts like this provided a lot of help to me along the way. 

Summit Day

We woke up early to hear the forecast, 70% chance of rain. We were all too excited about reaching Katahdin to let rain get us down, so we set out through the mist and fog to start the steep ascent. Parts of the climb were very tough and technical, and we scrambled our way up above treeline. Tyler had stopped a while back to make a shoe adjustment and we hadn't seen him in an hour or so, so I decided to stop and wait on him so we could reach the summit together. The others waited as well, and we found some rocks to hide behind to get reprieve from the wind. It started raining during this time. Tyler caught up, and we pushed through rain and strong winds to find some other thru hikers coming down from the summit, disappointed by the weather and lack of views. The rain eased up, but we were still in a cloud. We got to within about 200 yards of the summit (we didn't know this at the time), and the clouds parted, the sun broke through, and we got a glimpse of the incredible views that surrounded us. Then I looked ahead, and there it was- the summit sign, the sign that I had seen in pictures hundreds of times. It always seemed so far away, in distance and in time, until now. I can't describe the surreal feeling, but we walked up there and we all placed our hand on the sign, not knowing what to say. Some day hikers clapped for us as we reached the sign. Some of them could tell how special that moment was for us and wanted to take pictures of us for themselves, and then offered to take pictures of us on our own cameras. We did a quick wardrobe change into our fancy clothes and had a quick photo shoot. We tucked behind some rocks and spent a couple hours up there, soaking in the moment, reflecting on the trip, and enjoying the sunshine (and PBRs and Champagne). I couldn't have asked for a better day on Katahdin. 

Summary

150 Days. 3 days short of 5 months. Before the hike, that didn't seem like too long. But waking up day in and day out, lacing up my trail runners, and hiking for 10-12+ hours a day sure did provide a new perspective. This was the longest and most challenging thing that I have ever done, but it was an incredible experience. I met many people on the trail that I will keep in touch with, and others that will just be a memory and a smile.

I've learned a lot through this experience, but one important lesson was realizing what I have and never taking anything for granted. I was blessed with a family who was supportive throughout this experience, as well as my girlfriend Kaity and all of my friends who followed the blog and provided support and encouragement. Never underestimate the power of a little encouragement. When I was alone in the woods, trying to figure out how to get my feet in my shoes that were frozen solid so I could hike through knee high snow, it helped a lot to think about the people back home who were pulling for me. And for that, I thank you guys. Your support was incredible.

Highlights

The southern states (GA-VA) were some of my favorites, along with Maine and the Whites in New Hampshire. But some of my favorite memories were definitely when my dad came out to hike with me. Dad hiked about 120 miles in 2 sections- Roan Mtn, TN to Damascus, VA; and the Mason/Dixon Line to Boiling Springs, PA. 

Kara ended up hiking around 660 miles total, and she was an awesome trail dog. I can't wait for our next adventures!

So what's next?

I've been asked a lot of the same questions, so I'll try to go ahead and answer some of them.

Well, I came home pretty broken down physically and financially. I'm planning on saving up some money and then moving out to Colorado with Kaity to pursue a future in the outdoor industry. 

I have no intentions of doing another thru hike, definitely not anytime soon. That being said, if the itch strikes again, I would be interested in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which is another of the big 3, the 3rd being the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). What is more likely, however, is that I will do shorter hikes. Some hikes that I want to do are the John Muir Trail, which is part of the PCT; the Colorado Trail, which is part of the CDT; and the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I'm also itching to do a long tour via bicycle. 

As always, thanks so much for the love and support along my journey. I'd love to talk more about the hike or answer any questions you guys might have. Feel free to email me at daniel_horseman222@yahoo.com

I was once told that one's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. I find that to be the case with my thru hike. Thru hiking the AT is an incredible journey, an epic destination, and a powerful experience- one hell of an experience.

Pigpen

P.S. I plan on doing one more post in the future after reflecting on this experience to see how my mindset has changed, what has stuck with me the most, and what the most beneficial part of the hike was for me, personally. It may be 6 months or a year, but if you're interested you may keep this blog in your favorites folder for a bit longer ;)