Katahdin

Well, this weekend we checked off a major item on our Maine bucket list- hiking the Hunt trail up Katahdin.

There were a lot of tears on Katahdin on October 12th. Let me tell you the whole story.

Around the time we found out we were moving to Maine (July 2012) I watched a documentary on the Appalachian trail. The documentary featured the Hunt Trail and Katahdin, as it is the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail. I figured that since we were going to be moving to Maine, it was a great thing to put on my Maine bucket list.

I enjoy hiking but never hiked anything super legit. We did some strenuous and long hikes in Utah this summer as well as some smaller hikes around the area, such as Mt. Battie, Mt. Major and Cadillac Mountain, so, I honestly thought I'd be fine. I did a lot of research about hiking Katahdin and one article said "anyone in reasonable shape can do it". I considered myself to be in reasonable shape. I don't think that anymore. I knew it would be hard and I knew it would be long. But I honestly have never felt so physically or mentally fatigued in my entire life.

Because we waited until Fall, we had to start on the trail very early because it is suppose to take 8-10 hours to hike (it took us 12) and the sun sets earlier. We drove up after work, spent Friday night in a cute cabin in Millinocket, ME and set our alarm for 4:30am. We were at the park entrance by 6am and signed in at the ranger station at the trail head at 6:50am. It was cloudy and foggy, which I expected from weather reports, but it was suppose to clear up and be sunny the rest of the afternoon.

It wasn't. At all.

An extremely thick fog rolled in and stuck around the entire day.

The reason why I love hiking is because I love seeing the views. I love being high enough to see beautiful landscapes for as far as the eye can see. It exhilarates me and makes me keep going, even if I'm tired. An amazing view can make any hike worth it.

The Hunt trail is the last part of the Appalachian trail (we talked to a couple Thru hikers--mad respect for those people!). The trailhead is about 1,000 feet up and Katahdin is 5,267 feet. You hike 4,188 feet of elevation in 5 miles. That is steep.  The first mile of the trail is pretty easy. We passed pretty streams and waterfalls. It was definitely cloudy but the fog wasn't quite as thick on the bottom of the mountain. After that we climbed steep stone staircases for about one and a half miles. We would come to clearings that I knew had spectacular views...but we couldn't see anything but thick fog. The tree line ends around the 3 mile mark and the boulder scramble begins. I had read that the views from this point were absolutely breathtaking. But again, we couldn't see anything. Climbing over boulders for over a mile was extremely tiring and unlike anything I've ever done before. And the whole time I was looking out but seeing nothing but fog. As disheartening and upsetting as the fog was, there were some points when I was climbing over the boulders that I knew that on either side of me were huge cliffs and I thought, "hmm maybe it is better that I am not seeing where I could fall'.

But even so, I just kept thinking that I am going through this extremely difficult hike for no reward. I am missing the best part of hiking. Sure, it would have been scary...but it would have been worth it. I think that any type of strenuous activity requires just as much mental endurance as physical endurance. And I felt mentally defeated. I had been looking forward to this for a long time. I was adamant with Jonathan that I could do it. We drove four hours north and got up at 4:30am to do it. And it almost felt worthless because I could have seen the exact same views from the parking lot.

So I started praying. Sometimes I wonder how much God cares about the little things. With so much pain and hurt and lost people in the world-- I wonder what he thinks about prayers about weather. But I started praying as I was scrambling over those boulders. I said, "God, I know your creation is awesome and marvelous, even if I can't see it. But, if you could  just wipe these clouds away for just a little while when we get to the top, that would be amazing." I just kept repeating it and repeating it. But we were getting closer to the top and the fog was getting thicker. At some points, I'm not sure we could see more than 20 feet ahead of us. After we got through the boulders we were about 1 mile from the top in an area called the Tableland.  It is an easier ascent but it is still difficult because it is rocky and uneven.

I was physically and mentally exhausted. My disappointment had completely broken my spirit. With probably only a quarter mile to go I sat down on a rock and started to cry. I knew I was close to the top, but my legs were shaking and I felt like getting to the top didn't matter if I wasn't going to see anything anyway. I was sooo disappointed. But I wanted to make it. I just climbed over a mile of boulders--- I was getting a picture with that sign.

We got to the summit (Baxter Peak)... and out of no where the fog lifted and there was blue sky! We couldn't see all the way to the bottom because there were still clouds in between the mountains, but at least we had some view. I could actually see the mountain I was standing on.

Then, I just started to cry again. Because at least now I could say it was worth it. It gave me joy and  renewed my spirit and energy to know that God had heard my prayer about the weather and gave me the mental boost I needed. We could only stay on the summit for about half and hour because we wanted to try to make it down before dark. The ranger at the top suggested that everyone start heading back by 1:00pm.

As we started back down, we probably only hiked 500 feet when thick fog rolled in again and completely covered any blue sky. The only time all day that there was blue sky was the 30 minutes that Jonathan and I were at the summit. Did God wipe the fog away just for me? Maybe or maybe not. But it completely encouraged me. And I think He did.

The hike down was hard. I honestly thought it was harder than going up. We went very slow (and by "we" I mean that I went slow and my husband was obligated to stay with me!) and had to get out our flash light for the last mile. We took 2 hours longer than I was suppose to and we didn't make it back before dark. But we made it, and that is what counts. We signed out at the ranger station exactly 12 hours after we signed in.

I started crying again when I saw the car. I was so physically and mentally wore out that I was just so excited to be able to sit down and go home. I was also proud of myself. I had accomplished something that I set out to do.

I'll admit, coming home and doing a google image search of the Hunt Trail made me disappointed at all the views we missed. But that half hour of blue sky really blessed me. Some people asked if I'd ever do it again. I definitely want to go back to Baxter State Park because I've heard that its beauty compares to Acadia. I think I could be convinced to hike Katahdin again...but I don't think I would do the Hunt Trail again. There are a few shorter trails that I probably should have considered instead, but I really wanted to do the Appalachian trial.

I don't have a lot of spectacular photos or memories of stunning views. But what I do have is the satisfaction of knowing I completed something hard, sore knees, and a half an hour of a blessing that I believe was God saying, "Lauren, life isn't always going to be how you planned, but I am here."

Katahdin is not even close to the tallest mountain in the world, or in the United States, or the east coast, or even New England.  But, it is the tallest in Maine. And I climbed it.

Well, our first Maine summer is coming to an end, and I think we did a pretty good job at making the most of it. We checked off a lot of things from our 'Things to Do While We’re in Maine' list. By far my favorite summer activity has been walking the beach {almost} every night with my hubby. Why does summer always go sooo fast?!

I’ve  s l o w l y  been getting settled into my new classroom. My school is a half hour from our house—through wooded back roads. So, I’m just going to plan on hitting a deer and/or moose at some point during the school year. The Sentra is getting old anyway.

I have to admit, I am having a hard time getting in the zone this year. Maybe it is because I love being a beach bum, but I have a feeling it is because I am not all that thrilled about teaching kindergarten. We prayed all year for a job for me, so I am so thankful that God provided, but it will take me a little while to get into the swing of things. 

Make sure you take advantage of the last few weeks of summer! We have lots of little adventures planned for the remaining days of summer- hiking, Acadia, kayaking... I think you should tag along! 

Oooh, yeah, I started this blog about our adventures in Maine… I guess it is time for an update.

We are loving Spring in Maine! The winter was good, but I’m glad it is over. I think I heard that the snowfall total for Portland was 93 inches.  It sounds like a lot (and it is!) but the Maine DOT was so efficient at removing it from roads and sidewalks, that it didn’t really affect our day to day life much. I think I only got 3 snow days out of it. Trying new winter activities was fun and kept us from being stuck inside. We were determined to be all season beach walkers, so we strolled the beach in a snowstorm or two. One thing I noticed was that it was really sunny all winter. I don’t know if that is typical or not, but it really made a difference. There is nothing worse than a cold and overcast day.  It was definitely still cold, but the sun helped to lift my mood….and helped to grow a very successful window herb garden.

We are excited to plan all our Spring and Summer adventures. The top places in Maine we want to visit are Camden and Bar Harbor/Acadia. There are some places around New England I’d like to check out, but we’ll see if we have time to get to them all.  We’d also like to spend some more time in Boston. 

I’ve taken up jogging lately and have been loosely doing the couch to 5k program. I say loosely because I have yet to run 3 times a week. I run on the beach, which means I am dictated by the tide schedule and sometimes low tide isn’t at a time I can get there. I find running on the beach extremely relaxing. I’ve also kind of jumped on the barefoot running bandwagon. A few months ago, I read an article about the amazing design of the foot and how barefoot/minimalist shoe running is much better for you. I’ve since read many articles about it, both creation-based and evolution-based. Although I believe that the foot was designed by God- the science is the same. The foot is made to run, walk, skip, hop without the need for cushioned sneakers. It works for me because barefoot running on the beach is pretty easy. I’m looking into purchasing a pair of minimalist shoes (probably Vibrams?) if I end up sticking with running. But who knows, I’m not known to stick with any one exercise routine. I don’t really enjoy running…but somehow the beach makes everything better. 

Our summer vacation out west is all planned and booked. We ended up cutting out Colorado and Arizona because we found too many things in Utah that we wanted to do! We are going to Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Monument Valley before heading to New Mexico to see my family. We leave in exactly a month!

Go West, Young Man!

We’ve really enjoyed our adventure in Maine so far, but we decided to have a western adventure this summer. We’re taking a vacation with my parents in June and talked about several places, but finally decided to see some state parks out west. I’ve been to New Mexico and Arizona several times to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins that currently live in New Mexico, but lived in Arizona during most of my childhood. But, other than visiting them, I haven’t explored the beauty of the west much.  So far our plan is to fly into Denver and explore the Denver area and Rocky Mountain National Park for a few days. Then, jump in a rental car over to Moab, Utah and see Arches National Park. I have never been to Utah and Jonathan has wanted to go to Arches for a while. After a few days there, we will head to Springdale, UT and go to Zion National Park. The next step is up in the air right now. To swing down to New Mexico to the Albuquerque area that my family lives, we will cut through Arizona and be very close to the Grand Canyon. Both Jonathan and I and my parents have been to the Grand Canyon several times, so if we find something else to see that is on the way we might do that instead. But really, can you see the Grand Canyon too many times? Let me know if you have any suggestions of places to see in western Arizona or eastern New Mexico.  There is too much out west to see in one 11 or 12 day trip.  We’d love to have the time to go to Grand Teton or Yosemite, but that will have to be another trip for another time.   

We’re excited. I love seeing new places and I love being outside in nature. I’ve been looking up things to do at each of the parks such as hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, etc. If anyone has been to these places, I’d love some suggestions! Right now I’m not sure which parks to give the most time to, etc. I want to leave at least 3 days with family, but other than that I’m not sure how to use the time wisely! 

                                     

This week was February vacation, which is a new concept for me… but I like it! I grew up in an area where most of the public schools didn’t even have spring break, so having a winter break  and   a spring break is just about as good as it gets.

I spent most of the week lesson planning and becoming an official Maine citizen (finally). That was a ridiculously annoying process. Why can’t I get my driver’s license, new plates, registration and inspection at the same place?  And they didn’t actually give me my driver’s license. I got my picture taken (which of course, was   terrible…has anyone ever   had a good license picture?), but my license will come in the mail in about 30 days. I’ve never lived in a state that doesn’t print them right then and there. Nonetheless, after nearly 6 months, I am officially a Mainer. Although I do intend to continue pronouncing the "r" at the end of words.

I also saved some time for relaxing and general laziness on my couch. I take over the kindergarten classroom on Monday so I wanted to make sure I had sufficient time to relax. The calm before the storm, if you will.  I became a little too relaxed and opened my fridge today to find almost nothing- so I did have to venture out today for some groceries.  

It was a good week. I feel relaxed and ready to take on the kindergarten class. I’ve been working at the school for about a month now as an extra hand in the resource room. But I find resource rooms to be too slow of a pace for me. I have never liked small group and one-on-one instruction as much as I like the energy of the whole group. I might eat these words in a few weeks when I am completely overwhelmed by sixteen kindergarteners… but we’ll see. The teacher I am taking over for is very organized and capable and she left me 2 weeks of lesson plans and a ton of resources. I am just hoping I can fill her shoes. 

Well since we’ve moved to Maine we have experienced an earthquake, hurricane and now a record breaking blizzard. Hopefully we are done with natural disasters.

I think the final snow total for Portland was 31.9 inches. The bummer was that the snow came on a weekend, so we only had 1 snow day. I think it is nice to be snowed in every once in a while.  The last time I remember having that much snow was when I was a kid, so it was also fun to bundle up and explore with our friends.

There is a rumor that there is another big storm on the way, but next week is our winter break, so we don’t have school anyway. Yeah, schools in New England have a week long winter break in February AND a spring break in April. Sounds good to me!

Most years I am sick of snow by February. But there is still a lot I want to do this winter. There are more snow shoeing trails we want to check out and we still haven’t gone skiing. We hope to go soon…possibly for Jonathan’s birthday. I think most of the legit New England skiing spots are in Vermont, but Maine has a couple places that are supposed to be really good. There is a place called Sugarloaf that claims to be the largest ski place east of the Rockies. We also want to make it up to Acadia – we’ve heard it is just as beautiful snow covered as it is in the summer. 

The only time I am sick of winter is recess duty. These kids go outside almost every day. There have been very few times that they had to stay in because it was too cold. The last time I had duty it was 9 degrees and windy…but it was sunny, so we went out.  All the kids have snow pants and boots that they put on for recess and play in the snow like it’s no big deal. 

I feel like we are starting to get over the hump of all the adjustments we had to make when we set off on this adventure. There is a noticeable difference between the first few months of being in Maine and where we are now. We have really hit the ground running in 2013. After we got back from an almost 2 week visit to friends and family in PA and OH, life got really busy. But, a good kind of busy.

I accepted a job in kindergarten and have been subbing in the school nearly every day so the staff and kids can get to know me better. The job will last from the middle of February through the middle of June. There are 16 kids in the class and it is all day (as far as I know, half day kindergarten does not exist in Maine). The staff and principal seem pretty great. The school is a small, rural school, which is what I like. It has a very Sporting Hill feel to it.  I keep telling myself I’ll adapt and get used to kindergarteners…but I am really stretching myself. I am excited and terrified.  

Our biggest prayer in Maine has been that we would make friends. Our prayers have been answered through several couples & friends we have met through church and mutual friends. I feel like we are starting to form meaningful relationships. The first few months of our adventure were a little lonely at times because we missed our friends in Ohio (and Pennsylvania…but I’ve been missing them for over 4 years now so I’m a little more used to it). Spending time with friends has really helped Maine feel like home. 

The adjustment that I thought would be one of the hardest has turned into a non-issue…so far. As of now, a Maine winter does not seem to be any different than any winter I‘ve had in Ohio or Pennsylvania. In fact, winter seems better here because it seems to be sunnier more often. I think my four college years in Indiana were some of the worst winters I’ve had. We really like snowshoeing and there are several trails near us that we want to check out. Our goals for this winter are to ski and dog sled.  You should come up and go with us.