Make it count: Day #141 - AT Hike

Friday, July 31st - Day #141 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 9.6
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 1916.1/2,193 (87.37%)

Gentian Pond Shelter (1906.5) to Full Goose Shelter (1916.1) - tent at Full Goose Shelter

Total ascent - 3,852’
Total descent - 3,017’

Total states completed - 13/14

**No Rain - Really nice weather day

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Maine! Maine! Maine!
I can’t believe I’ve made it to the final state on my journey. The goal in hiking the Appalachian Trail is to walk from Georgia to Maine. Mission accomplished - can I stop now? NOT A CHANCE! Throughout the past 4-1/2 months, when somebody asked me “Where are you headed?” The response was always: “Maine”.
Well - the new response is: “Katahdin”. Mt. Katahdin is now 277 miles away. The peak of Mt. Katahdin is the ending point of the Appalachian Trail - and the conclusion of my AT journey.

I’m so fired up right now. I walked alone today (I got out of camp before Sam & Slider/Granger). I let my mind wonder all day - to that finish line at the peak of Mt. Katahdin. What will I feel like once I complete my journey?

I was pretty emotional thinking about my time out on trail. It’s probably pretty clear if you’ve been reading my blogs - but I’m ready to be finished. This hike has pushed me to my absolute physical and mental limits. It’s taken everything I’ve got to get to this point - I’m just trying to keep it together and hang on to the finish.

So - I want to finish this last stretch really strong. Regardless of how difficult it’s been - I’m very blessed to have had this opportunity. It’s been incredible!! What an epic, challenging, mind-opening experience! I’m so thankful to be able to hike and pursue my dreams. I know I talk about the challenge and struggles in my blog - but - it’s those things that have made this experience so rewarding. I get to hike everyday. And you know what - that’s a pretty neat thing to be able to do. I know it - and I’m very, very thankful. There’s people out there all alone, there’s people sick, dying, struggling with so many things. My struggles on the Appalachian Trail are pretty trivial in the big picture. I try to be as real as possible and best describe my true emotions on the blog. But - at the end of the day - I know I’m a lucky guy and I’m so very grateful.

OK - with all this talk about Maine and the finish —— I have ALOT of work still to do. I have to focus harder than I’ve focused throughout this journey - right now. RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW! I’ve accomplished nothing to this point. Keep it going. Keep strong. Concentrate on each step - every day.

“You’re gonna have to go through Hell - worse than any nightmare you’ve ever dreamed - but in the end - you’ll be the one standing”.

OK - to welcome us to Maine - to follow along with the general message in my blog today - please welcome to the stage - Van Halen.

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“Don’t want to wait ‘til tomorrow
Why put it off another day
One more walk through problems
Built up, and stand in our way, ah

One step ahead, one step behind me
Now you got to run to get even
Make future plans, don’t dream about yesterday, hey
C’mon turn, turn this thing around

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch a magic moment, do it
Right here and now
It means everything

Miss the beat, you lose the rhythm
And nothing falls into place, no
Only missed by a fraction
Slipped a little off your pace, oh

The more things you get, the more you want
Just trade in one for the other
Workin’ so hard, to make it easier, whoa
Got to turn, c’mon turn this thing around

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch that magic moment, do it
Right here and now
It means everything
It’s enlightened me, right now
What are you waitin’ for
Oh, yeah, right now

Right now, hey
It’s your tomorrow
Right now
C’mon, it’s everything
Right now
Catch that magic moment, and do it right, right now
Oh, right now
It’s what’s happening
Right here and now
Right now
It’s right now
Oh, tell me, what are you waiting for
Turn this thing around”

“Right Now” - Van Halen

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This song is special to me for a number of reasons. I heard this song while standing on the beach ready to enter the water in my full Ironman in Lake Placid. This song was released when I was in college. I remember running around the outdoor track at Mizzou - listening to this song - thinking about my future - being inspired, being hopeful. It’s sort of the way I’m feeling currently.

Just to hit on today’s hike a moment - it was an obstacle course out there. Wow! So many cliffs to climb. I saw more ladders, wooden steps, and iron grips today than any other day on my journey. Sometimes I just can’t believe how difficult this actually is - it’s astonishing.

Tomorrow - it gets real. We do the Mahoosuc Notch tomorrow morning. It’s known as the toughest mile on the entire AT. Do a YouTube search for the Mahoosuc Notch - you can get a feel for what I’m up against.

Well - I need to get some solid sleep to be ready for the boulder field puzzle - that is the Mahoosuc Notch. Here’s to inner strength. Here’s to good health. Here’s to making it safely to the end of my AT journey

Goodnight from Maine!!

“If you want something, go get it. Period!!!