Posts
Stevie Wonder Outro & Epilogue
In this last post, I aimed to wrap things up some. I first wanted to offer a structure/tool with links to earlier parts of the journey in case folks want to look back at specific sections. After, I briefly covered what the support team and I got up to during the few days after finishing the trail. Lastly, I looked back through my journey over the past several years of my triple crown efforts. I did kind of a deep dive here. In fact, it was probably more of an exercise in processing and understanding it better for myself than anything else. My hope is that some of y'all will relate and get something out of it too though.
The Day I Finished The Eastern Continental Trail (ECT Day 241)
Maybe you could sense it, this was the moment when things started to get real. I mean, there it was, the end of the trail... the end of land itself! Ahhhh. Yeah, I was geeking out. Thankful to have the entire platform to myself in that moment, I circled it taking in views in every direction. What a magical place and a grand way to set up the finale of my ECT journey š
The Last Night on Trail (ECT Day 240)
That's right folks, the title gives it away, if all goes to plan this will be my second to last day hiking along the Eastern Continental Trail! Now some of you are quite familiar with this route and know that it does indeed continue further... A while back I decided I was shooting for Cap GaspƩ. It felt right then and it feels right now.
More Beaching It (ECT Day 239)
All that culminated in reaching a naturally protected harbor where the water from Le Grand Etang drains into the St. Lawrence. There were about 5 or 6 seals hanging and lots of birds. Water flowing naturally into a bigger body of water is one of my favorite things in this world.
Introduction to The Beach Trail (ECT Day 238)
...to be straight with y'all, I'm feeling pretty tired. I wouldn't say it's like Jackson Browne "Running on Empty" status, but maybe my figurative gas tank is below a quarter tank, let's say. Or maybe it's like the low fuel light just popped on, but you know you're safe to keep going quite a ways before petering out.
The St. Lawrence Zig & Zag (ECT Day 237)
...there's something about finishing strong, like a kick to the finish line in a track race. It feels right that way, although I understand the argument for slowing it down and soaking the ending in too. As had been the case throughout this entire journey, I hope to find the balance and get my miles in while also making sure I'm taking time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.
The Coastal Route Again (ECT Day 236)
So today, when the trail brought me right to where the RiviĆØre de Mont-Saint-Pierre flowed freely into the Fleuve Saint-Laurent (St. Lawrence River), I was stoked... From there though, I immediately cut away and went steeply up to Mont Saint-Pierre. There were stellar views and I was loving it. It seems the trail going forward will be like this, sometimes being right near the water and other times being up in the forested mountains with the possibility of occasional views.
IAT GaspƩsie National Park: Part 3 (ECT Day 235)
Since joining up with the International Appalachian Trail, this section of the ECT has both felt like a final test, some sort of combination of the toughness from everything south, and also like a last, Wow!, an epic conclusion to the adventure.
IAT GaspƩsie National Park: Part 2 (ECT Day 234)
I'm not sure how long I was up on that flat plateau, maybe only a half hour or so of hiking, but it left a lasting impression. Nearing the "other side" of it, coming into view I saw a sort of deep canyon. And that's where the trail was heading, down, down, down into the valley surrounded by stark orangish-colored cliffy mountains.
IAT GaspƩsie National Park: Part 1 (ECT Day 233)
Today I would be entering Gaspesie National Park, which I was super excited for. In fact, although I really didn't know much about it, this area is what I have been most looking forward to all along the journey... I was planning for a 30+ mile day with over 7,000 feet ascent and expected some of the steepest toughest terrain of the trail!
