Maine

I made it to Maine the other day. What a feeling. I still have over 250 miles to the finish line, but getting into the final state has a certain mental accomplishment feel. To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how far I would make it when I started. To be in the last state of this journey really feels special. And so far, the trail in the state has been pretty spectacular.

First off, the terrain is tough! It is beautiful, unique, and has a Georgia meets New Hampshire feel. I hiked through a boulder field the other day- about a mile in length - that took me over 2 hours. I was scaling, crawling, and maneuvering through boulders up to 20 feet tall. It was really wild. There were also small crevices where I had to take my backpack off and crawl through tiny spaces that would make the claustrophobic really tremble. Below the boulders, I could hear spring water flowing and feel the cool air from caves still containing ice. In my AT guide, it listed this mile as "either the most difficult or most fun mile on the AT." I think it was both.

Afterwards, I made it atop the next mountain and slept beneath an old fire tower where I planned to catch a great sunset and sunrise. Unfortunately, a cloud formation moved in and blocked that hope. However, at around 10pm, I couldn't fall asleep and got out of my hammock. I walked out to the fire tower clearing and the entire area was illuminated by the nearly full moon. A pretty cool sight. Everything from the mountains across the valley below to the rock formations around me were lit by the clean, white glow of the moon. I don't think I've ever seen something like it.

I still have a lot of miles to log and tough terrain to cross, but I can feel the end getting closer. This trail has already given me so much, I am excited and anxious to see what the next 250+ miles hold. Living life one step at a time!