I had made it to the top of the mountain. Climbing for five miles was a definitive challenge, but with nerves shot, and a height yet unreached, it was complete…

No it wasn’t. That was only half of it. Why would I forget the downhill scramble? Why would my mind be so set on a pinnacle just to realize the farce of an amature? I had to climb five more miles back down ledges, rock climb down boulders, resupply my water as it seeped out of the mountain, fend off hoards of mosquitoes as I reached my camp. It was grueling. It was leg shakingly satisfying. No, really, my legs were about to cha-cha their way to another dance floor when I finally fell into my tent. And this was the first day.

Then I began my hike. This summit of Katahdin was a test leading to another larger goal of 100 miles of unrelenting wilderness. Baxter State Park was gorgeous. It was wet. It was flat honestly. Still, I had ten miles to hike out of camp and into the wilderness.

They say that going South Bound is “insane,” or “unreasonably chaotic,” but I’m happy I’m going South for the winter. Like a flock of geese.

Oh! On the trail, I saw a four foot beaver swim by on the Pleasant River as I ate an oatmeal walnut Clif Bar and drank my Mount Hagen instant coffee. No bugs. No bugs!!

It took me eight days to hike through the 100 Mile Wilderness. Each night was another camp or lean-to. These lean-tos each have a log book. At first I wrote what everyone else wrote; My legs hurt, stomach is empty, feet are getting used to this pack on my back. Well after four lean-to log book entries, I began to write a truly random story of Keanu Reeves in each. Hopefully someone follows and reads each one.

Soon to come is an excursion of more mountains. Unfortunately my phone died in the Wilderness, so photos are lacking, but here’s a few to whet that whistle.