The good news: I made it to Monson, Maine! The not-so-good news: my supply drop didn't make it. It's almost funny that after nearly five months of hiking with every single drop and meet-up going perfectly smoothly that the final one doesn't show up. Almost funny. Luckily, I can get to a local market, and while what I can get there isn't going to be as wonderful as the food I've been eating this whole time, it'll certainly be good enough to get me through this last section of the trail.
From here I head into the "100-mile wilderness", a famously remote section of the trail with no access to civilization. 100 miles of swamps and a few mountains, and then I'll be at Baxter state park, ready to meet my family and climb Katahdin with my brothers. If things go as planned, I'll be coming down Katahdin in exactly one week's time. It doesn't feel real. It doesn't feel like I'm this close to the end. While I've been out here, the days have often seemed to drag on and on, but now that I'm this close to the end, it feels like I've barely been out here at all. Is it really June already? Time can be a tricky thing when you're so disconnected from civilization. I even stopped wearing my watch a while ago, since the sun is up for more than enough time for me to do everything I need to anymore (the sun is up this time of year in Maine from around 4am to 9pm).
I'm feeling healthy and strong and looking forward to the next 100 miles. Really hoping that I'll see a moose or two.
I want to say a big thank you again to all of the people who've been wishing me well out here and sending their support through letters, calls, facebook posts, etc. Being out here at this time of year, the trail can be a lonely place and it's always helped to know that there are people rooting for me.
Next time I write, it'll all be behind me.
-Solo