Some excerpts from my AT journal and blog, reminiscing about the end and the beginning...
July 30th, 2014 - Day 148 - Destination: Katahdin
Here I go! I can't believe it!
I summited @ 9:30am. 2,185.3 miles.
I think I will write more as I travel home the next couple of days. For now, I am exhausted.
On the way up Katahdin there were more ppl than I expected. At first I was disappointed. Then decided I must accept it and not make it a big deal. I prayed tho. And I feel the Lord blessed me. I had moments alone. And moments with my new friends Frogmonkey and Ravencloud that I will cherish forever. When we neared the Summit there was a HUGE crowd of ppl hanging out @ the sign. It was almost more than I could bare.. So I hesitated. I think they caught the hint of what was happening and they started coming down our way. I turned around, filled with emotion. One of the girls said "congratulations." And that's when I lost it. When the rest passed, I hiked tearfully up to the sign and F + R were kind enough to step aside so I could approach and have my moment.
When I returned home my Aunt asked me what was the first thing I wanted when I came down from the mountain. I replied, "Well, the first thing I wanted was a cheese burger, but then all I wanted to do was climb back up again." I told myself that I would do it again one day...
I believe it is the start of something pretty BIG in my life. I think I cannot wait too long before I will be out there hiking again, but it's not practical to remain on a constant thru-hike... :) If I didn't have to rest my body, make/save more money or wait for the next appropriate hiking season, I would have immediately jumped on the PCT! I've got some very big ideas in my head. They overwhelm me....
"For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12
