Thank ya’ll so much for hiking along with Amber and I!

Let’s get going!

If you are just joining the hike, you can check out the introduction about this thru-hike blog series. And who we are and what not.

The last blog finished with Amber and I getting a ride to Baxter State Park, Maine, on the morning of June 28, 2005 (and saw an enormous moose on the ride!).

Amber and I started our hike on June 28,2005 by walking the LAST 5 miles (heading north) of the Appalachian Trail (from Katahdin Stream Campground up to the summit of Katahdin).

Then we walked those exact same 5 miles back down to the Campground to sleep.

When you ascend 4,000 vertical feet in 5 miles, you are CLIMBING!

It didn’t take us very long to realize why people had made pilgrimages to Katahdin for centuries or more.

Our first night on the trail was at Katahdin Stream Camground, where we actually met a couple other “prospective thru-hikers” and would continue to meet more.

Immediately into the hike we witnessed Maine’s amazing rivers, creeks, ponds, and lakes.

Our second night was spent at Abol Bridge, the northern end of the 100 Mile Wilderness.

The 100 Mile Wilderness is a 100 mile section of trail that doesn’t cross roads in a very remote part of northern Maine.

It’s dark and deep and amazing.

Within the beauty of the Wilderness, we began to feel the bite of the infamous Maine summer mosquitoes.

It may be unfair to complain about mosquitoes in a place where you can swim almost everywhere to cool the aching body and itching skin.

For even well-trained and well-prepared southbound thru-hikers, you take a mental and physical beating in the Wilderness.

But then the the sun comes out and the wind starts blowing just enough to keep our winged friends at bay.

And it’s perfect.

It’s worth noting that immediately after Katahdin, much of the hiking is quite flat. Technical and rooty and rocky, but not climbing and descending huge mountains.

For hopeful thru-hikers getting their “trail legs” still, flat ain’t bad.

Maine truly was the most remarkable state on the AT for water.

We swam there more than any other state (though the weather was perfect for it in July), but also had more water crossings than any other state.

Well, we’re about to finish the 100 Mile Wilderness when we get to the road crossing into Monson, ME.

Join Amber and I again on July 20, 2016 (7/20/16) for the next roll of film that my mom received and immediately had developed (on that date in 2005).

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Thank ya’ll so much for hiking along with us! See ya next time!