The storm I had taken the day off for yesterday ended up being a bit of a bust. It rained hard for 30 minutes but besides that, the day was sunny and beautiful. It would have been a great day for hiking. But also, it was a great day to lay on a hostel couch and rest up. 

Waking up today, though, I was ready to get going. Not only did I feel like I had missed yesterday but I was meeting another friend today. Jackrabbit, one of the guys from early on in the hike, had agree to come out and meet me. He lives an hour away and apparently couldn’t come up with a good excuse, so he said he’d join me as I hiked over the bigelows. 

He pulled into the trailhead a few minutes after we had agreed but I couldn’t be upset. When he got out of the car, he handed me a thermos of hot coffee. We caught up with each other in the parking lot. Going over the big stuff that had happened since we’d seen each other last in Damascus. He finished over a month ago and, instead of using that time to get fat and watch TV, he’s run (and won) a trail marathon, helped pace a woman as she set the fastest known time for the long trail across VT and came out and hiked the bigelows with me. 

He carried a light day pack as we hiked up the mountains. He walked mostly in front, almost dragging me up the mountains at his pace. It was a brisk walk, but it felt good. My legs were rested and ready for the push today. 

We stopped at the top for lunch. Like elementary school students, we traded bits of our lunch. I gave him two uncrustables for a homemade ham sandwich. He then shared his chips and Oreos with me. Also the beer he had packed out special for the occasion. 

As we sat eating, the sky went from sunny to cloudy to drizzly to cloudy to sunny again. We outlasted the weather!

Not long after we started again after lunch, we hit his turnoff for the day. Since he was heading back to his car, he had mapped out a loop that would take him down a fire road and back to his car. Which would take him probably to a bed, climate control and a shower. Man. We hugged and made loose plans to meet up again sometime soon. 

For the first time in three hiking days, I was left on my own. It felt weird to walk without a friend at first. But I adjusted back to my solitary ways quickly and enjoyed the next few miles. Listening to music at times, an audio book at others and just walking in peaceful silence the rest of the time. 

As I walked down the other side of the bigelows, i realized that this was my last big mountain before Katahdin. There will still be climbs of course, but we’re out of the big mountain ranges. Crazy to think about the “lasts” that keep coming

I was listening to music and cruising when I ran into Jason and Jess, “The Oklahomies”. I’ve been traveling at roughly the same pace as them for the last few days and we’ve always had a good time together.

They told me they were camping next to the lake in a mile. When they asked me I said I wasn’t sure. I was thinking about the lake, but I also wanted to push a bit further. I decided to walk with them and I would make my decision based on how my legs were feeling when we got to their camp site. 

We chatted about nothing as we walked the mile together until the lake came into view. It was stunning. The sun was already beginning to set over it and there were waves lapping against the shore, making a delightfully relaxing white noise. “I’m camping with yall,” I said the second I saw it. “No way I’m passing up sleeping next to this lake.”

We spent the evening chatting about our trips and lives back home. Talking about how far we had come – reminiscing on our embarrassing first nights out and how everything that seemed so tough back then had become second nature. Also about how we were excited to go home – to see the people we love and care about. 

It was a fun evening but it also helped me process some of the time out here. It gave me a bunch to think about as I fall asleep to the sound of waves. 

Key stats:

Miles: 18

Elevation gained: 5200

Mile marker: 2028

Oreos eaten: 5