I completed my thru hike this past Friday, as many of you already know. This is my first entry since Parkside's tragic death at Pierce Pond, two weeks prior to my summitting of Katahdin. Since that day, I have had a challenging time on the trail. The last few miles were incredibly emotional, and for the first time since the incident, I feel capable of writing about it. I'm going to keep it brief, as I am still processing everything that happened, but I'd like to fill everyone in on the events since my last post.

On the evening of Friday, June 15, Parkside drowned in Pierce Pond. He swam approximately 200 yards from the shelter, alone and without letting any of the other hikers know. By the time we were aware of his distress, it was too late to help him.

This was devastating not just for me, but for the other hikers as well. The other hikers staying there that evening were Dropout, Germanator, Swivel and Spiral, Carpenter, and Eagle Food. We all did our best to hike on, but it proved to be incredibly difficult. When we heard news of the funeral date, Dropout, Germanator, Swivel and Spiral, as well as Catwoman joined me on a trip from Monson to Queens, NY. We attended the funeral and wake, spent some time with his family, and got back on the trail a week later to finish the hike, with Parkside's ashes.

The 100 Mile Wilderness proved tougher than I expected, although much of this was based on emotional strain. I can honestly say I never would have made it to Katahdin without the support of other hikers. As a group, we made it with Parkside, and celebrated his life in a fashion that I'm sure he would have approved of. He had an amazing impact on not only my life, but on the lives of almost everyone he met along the trail.

I am certain I will reflect on my trip more in the future with some more journal entries, but I still need some time to process everything. As of now, I am in NH working at Camp Tohkomeupog, as I had planned to do before I started. I made it here just in time, despite the adversity, and I am enjoying the distraction from my thoughts. I will never forget Parkside, and I wish the best for his family during this difficult time.