I FINALLY FNISHED THE AT!!

I had 6 weeks to hike the White Mountains of New Hampshire to see how far I would get before Katahdin.  After 4 weeks, I lost my tramily of 2 gentlemen in their 70s, came down with a cold (which is why I lost my tramily...because they didn't wait for me!), my shoes were soleless (just like my soul), and had over 220 miles including the Bigelows of Maine to finish.  I felt finished.  Hiking into Carrabassett Valley, I couldn't even pretend to smile when I passed any day hikers.  I was planning on staying at Terrapin Hotel in Kingfield, ME and driving 1200 miles afterwards back to Nashville.  I would then drive all the way back up next year to take my time for 3-4 weeks to hike the remaining trail.  But, at my last night in the Bigs, I got a call.  My friend Boaters was coming down from Canada to join me.  Talk about timing!  She met me at Terrapin, I had some great little dinner spots in the tiny town of Kingfield, got my backup shoes on, and continued hiking on.  The rest of the trail was amazing and difficult at the same time.  Maine is full of ponds which normal humans would call lakes.  Reaching Monson, ME, I knew my body was built to go through the 100-mile wilderness just like the thru hikers would in 5 days.  There's now an outfitter/hostel called Shaw's who offer resupply but at a pretty penny because this remote section of the 100-mile wilderness is only accessible by logging roads which cost them money to even be allowed on it.  Well, I ended up buying new Altra Olympus 6 from them which ended up being the biggest mistake of my life.  After just 3 miles of hiking, I had to stop and start dressing blisters being formed from the poorly designed heal.  The next 3 days became a torturous process of what felt like stepping on glass with each step.  I couldn't turn back.  But being stuck on 5 20-mile days was the most difficult event of my life, and ME is full of roots and rocks and ups and downs!  Well, I persevered and have forgotten about all the pain.  I reached Baxter State Park and signed up to be one of 12 AT hikers allowed to go up Katahdin per day. After 2 more night's stay, I was finally able to climb her.  She was both extremely challenging and beautiful.  Once at the top by 9:30AM, I could say the trail I’ve been on for 10 years was finally over. So many memories, so many people, so many places. I loved the trail, pushing me to the limits, persevering, immersed in nature, the people. It’s over and now I needed to recover from the hardest 6 weeks of my life.  Check back for my subsequent books for each of my LASH to read more about the amazing beauty, the people, the hostels, the experiences, and the incredible feeling of living in the moment where you best Find Yourself.

Yours truly,

Allan "Right Turn" Morales