Week 21: Southern Maine, You Make Me Cry

Southern Maine is hard. Now I know in my last post I said New Hampshire and the Whites were hard, but Southern Maine is a different kind of hard. The Whites were sheer physical difficulty, scrambling up sides (and subsequently down) mountains, treacherous ridge walks, and rocks, lots of rocks. Southern Maine is exhaustion from the Whites. It’s difficult hiking. It’s hiking 13 hrs to go 13 miles. It’s being so close to the end, yet so far away. It’s the rapidly diminishing number of days you have to hike before your deadline. It’s the stress about the average number of miles you have to hit to Katahdin by said deadline. It’s the stink and perpetual dirt getting to you. Southern Maine is hard.

I’ve cried 3 times in the last 48 hrs. That’s almost more than I’ve cried my entire time on the trail. I would say I’m not a big crier but I took weekly trumpet lessons and cried every single lesson. So I have that mark on my record. However, I am physically and mentally exhausted and on the near verge of tears always. I have a head cold. I trudge down the trail. Every morning I wake up with a little less gas in the tank and the same number of miles to cover. Recently one night after going through Mahoosuc Notch and subsequently the Arm, drained, we decided we didn’t want to pay the $10 for the campsite. So I found myself scrambling up rock face in the dark with high winds, angry. Angry that I was so tired and I had put myself in this situation because I didn’t want to pay for a tent site. Just angry at the trail. I am so close to Katahdin and yet so very far away.

Today finds me at the Farmhouse Inn in Rangely, ME hoping to recharge. After the past several days I needed clean clothes, a clean body, and food that requires more than boiling water. The trail is less than fun. However, clean and fed my journey lends itself a new perspective. I have a little over 2 weeks left on the trail, and while I’m unhappy now I know that I’ll miss this. Do I want to choose to spend my last few weeks miserable?

As a further note, Sweets and Jingle hiked on out of town today and while taking care of myself shouldn’t be such a hard decision, it was. I want to be a team player. Again, in a few weeks we’ll go our separate ways. I don’t want to miss out spending time with them. But I wanted to stay in town, arguably needed to. Hiking your own hike can be a challenge at the best of times. At this stage of the game, it’s even harder.

However, I don’t want to end on melancholia. So as with always, a few pics, or two pics. I’m running short on time.

Ma, I made it! No more states left.

Ma, I made it! No more states left.

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Celebrating Maine in style, freeze dried ice cream.

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In case you were wondering what freeze dried ice cream looks like. It also tastes like Milk Duds.

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Alpine bogs are a thing. Luckily with the lack of rain, the mud isn’t that bad.

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Despite its terribleness, Southern Maine is beautiful.

As always love can be mailed to:

Molly Bybee; C/o Shaws Lodging; 17 Pleasant St; Monson, ME 04464; Please hold for AT hiker; ETA 08/18

Or my final destination

Molly Bybee; General Delivery; Millenocket, ME 04462; Please hold for AT hiker; ETA 08/25

I’m exhausted but I think the challenges make this journey more worthwhile. Hopefully no more tears. Just in case, I have a food sack full of candy. Because when else will that be nominally okay? And candy can cure life’s ailments

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Comments 8

  • Donna Anderson : Aug 12th

    Molly, I have so enjoyed your blogs and I am so so proud of you. You are an inspiration to all of us. I’m sure these last weeks will be very hard but you are strong and you will make it. I know you can’t wait to get home but hang in there it won’t be long. We are all looking forward to seeing you and hearing your stories.

    Reply
  • Steve H : Aug 12th

    I’ve enjoyed following your journey. Two quotes come to mind from the movie “Unbroken”:
    “If you can take it, you can make it.”
    “A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.”

    Reply
  • Carol Prevost : Aug 13th

    Glad to hear you are so close to your goal. Thank you for the picture of the freeze dried ice cream, I was curious.

    Reply
  • Linda Young : Aug 13th

    Molly
    I think it’s fitting that the others went on. You filled your tank the way you needed and you will benefit greatly.
    You are going to end this Trial the way you started because of your own strength and ability.
    YOU, MOLLY BYBEE ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION!!!
    Cry your tears if you need too but hold your head high, you are amazing!

    Reply
  • Will gaines : Aug 13th

    Molly– have been reading your posts for awhile and have enjoyed following your journey. You have been on quite an adventure and are almost there!! The painful moments will only make the end reward greater- as cliche as that sounds. Your commitment is inspiring. Thanks for sharing all the stories and sending positive energy your way as you enter the home stretch! Blessings!

    Reply
  • Bill Ennis : Aug 14th

    Molly I have enjoyed your post you will remember this for a life time. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    Reply
  • Forrest Stone : Aug 18th

    You’re almost there!! Keep up the good work. Look forward to seeing your final posts! Until your next hike.

    Reply
  • retired firefighter, Tim Andrew : Aug 26th

    …congrats…hope to do it for: Make A Wish, 2017 retired firefighter, Tim Andrew NH

    Reply

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