The Summit Project - Mt. Katahdin

On Saturday, June 27th I took part in a non-hosted hike of Mt. Katahdin.  I am ashamed to admit that even though I have spent the majority of my life in Maine and grew up in it's shadow - I had never hiked the mountain.  I had always preferred sticking to the northern part of Baxter State Park where there were less people.  Heading into the woods for me is about the opportunity for reflection that comes with getting away from all of the distractions - people, technology, everyday life...  The southern part of Baxter State Park is amazing in it's own right with rugged country and breath-taking views - but it also draws more hike/tourists and so it held a little less appeal for me.

I had always thought "Someday I will hike the mountain" but it was never a pressing need for me.  And then along came The Summit Project.  The Summit Project has a goal to do a hosted event Memorial Day Weekend where hikers will carry stones representing fallen soldiers from Maine up to the top of Katahdin.  One of these stones represents SPC Dustin J Harris of Patten, ME.  It's Dustin that brought me to TSP, and it's TSP that brought me to the mountain even though Old Man Winter has not cooperated to give TSP the opportunity to summit Katahdin during the Memorial Day Weekend event.

The idea for Saturday's hike came from Baxter State Park Ranger Mike Winslow.  He was responsible for giving the hiker brief at Twin Pines during the Memorial Day Weekend.  A simple question of "Have you ever seen all of the stones together in one place?", and within minutes he was hooked.  This sparked conversation of assisting with stone transport for him to hike one on Katahdin, which in turn grew into a five person/trip that I was fortunate enough to be a part of.

The weekend started right where the idea for the hike started - at Twin Pines.  As I looked around the table at our crew - Cathy, Jack, Dylan, Mike, and me - I was again blown away at the impact that TSP is having not just on Gold Star Families, but also on the people that become a part of the larger TSP family.  As we shared a meal, we shared stories, laughter... life.  I don't think that will ever cease to amaze me.  We were spending Friday night at a group campsite at Foster Field in Baxter State Park.  We had grand plans of having a campfire and making s'mores, but we had gotten so carried away chatting at Twin Pines that we did little more than crash there for the night.

Saturday started with an early morning wake-up.  I think we were on the road for Roaring Brook by 6am.  Mike acted as the Team Lead (TL) on this hike, and he had planned a day that would take us up Helon Taylor to Pamola Peak, across Knife's Edge to Baxter Peak, and then down Saddle Trail to Chimney Pond and on to Roaring Brook.  This would not only check off "Hike Mt. Katahdin" on my bucket list, but also check off "Hike Knife's Edge" on Dylan's.  What an added bonus to the day!

Gathering our team together at Roaring Brook, Cathy and Jack opted for a hike of South Brother rather than Katahdin due to unforseen circumstances.  They had an amazing hike honoring the lives of SPC Thomas J. Dostie and SO1 Patrick D. Feeks, and they would meet us at the end of our hike.

Dylan, Mike, and I continued with plans to hike up Katahdin.  From the beginning, I knew that this was going to be tough....as we progressed up Helon Taylor, I realized just how tough.  I was hiking that day with the stone of CPL Andrew L. Hutchins.  Dylan Harris carried PFC Blaine Adams.  Mike carried CPT Jay Brainard.  In the weeks leading up to the hike, I had learned many things about Andrew from his father and step-mother, Jeff and Betsy Hutchins.  I had been looking forward to carrying Andrew on a hike for quite some time, and so when the opportunity presented itself - I stepped right up.  I thought of them and the stories they told me as I hiked that day.

From all that I have heard, Andrew was a go-getter.  He was the type of person that was always going to do more than what was asked of him.  Assign him a training task to carry 40lbs in his ruck, and Jeff would visit only to find him carrying 70lbs.  That is just the type of person that he was.  Jeff has said many times that were Andrew able, he would be right there hiking along side us as part of The Summit Project.  I felt him there with us as we went up Katahdin.

Normally I feel tough and strong as a hiker, but whether the reality check was due to plaguing injuries or physical fitness - the hike was tough.  It was also tough not to get distracted by the views once we were above tree line.  Thankfully Mike and Dylan were nothing but patient as I stopped to take photos or stretch my legs.  I kept looking up at the rest of the climb thinking "What did I get myself into?" with a mix of excitement and dread for the rest of the journey ahead.  But with every step the stone settled into my pack and shifted into place like it belonged there.  The physical weight I carried seemed to lessen as I focused more on the story that I carried.  I'd see a view and think of sitting at camp looking out across the mountains with Betsy.  I'd hear a fishing story from Mike and think of Jeff and where the stone had come from.  I'd watch Dylan hiking and think of Andrew's brother, Ben.  It all helped to push me up that mountain.

The first peak we came to was Pamola.  I think Mike planned that for the dramatic effect of reaching the peak - the view across the mountain is hidden right up until you get to the top - then it is just amazing in it's breathtaking beauty.  It's like someone pulled a curtain up and all of a sudden, there it is.  My face still hurts from the smile it gave me.

Pamola Peak looking towards Baxter Peak

We spent several minutes there enjoying the view and taking a few photos before looking out across Knife's Edge.  Knife's Edge was on Dylan's bucket list, and I think it should be on every hiker's bucket list.  It's "only" 1.1 miles according to the Park Authority - but when you're looking from Pamola over to Baxter Peak...it seems like the longest 1.1 miles God ever created.  You can see it here in the background of this photo of Dylan:

Dylan Harris - Knife's Edge Trail in the background.

All of us had an admitted slight fear of heights, but as we crossed the paths of other hikers around us - they probably would have never known.  It's as if the purpose, the TSP mission, was so solidly in our focus that while that fear of heights was still there - it became far less important.  We made our way across Knife's Edge toward Baxter Peak and even sat on a ledge to have lunch while we took in the view.  So much for a fear of heights...

Photo taken by Dylan Harris.

Dylan overcoming his fear of heights.

When we reached Baxter Peak, I remember looking back across Knife's Edge and thinking "Wow - we crossed all of that?"  Even though many have done it before and many will continue to do it - it was still such a feeling of accomplishment.  And it meant all the more to have been carrying Andrew's stone.  Baxter Peak was pretty crowded that day.  Weather is unpredictable in Maine, and we happened to have a perfect day for Katahdin, so many were taking advantage of it.  We decided to find a spot to take a rest and some photos before taking the next step in our TSP journey - the Circle Ceremony.  We found a quiet ledge just down from the peak and settled in for a bit.

Pamola Peak from Baxter Peak

Taking in the view.

Stones of CPT Jay Brainard, CPL Andrew Hutchins, and PFC Blaine Adams. 

 Once the peak had cleared out a little, we approached the cairn at the summit.  This cairn is no small pile of rocks - I swear it is as big as a Christmas tree, and who can blame the hikers for creating it?  Reaching Baxter Peak is definitely worth celebrating.  With the help of a few other hikers, we got some quick photos in before finding a more quiet space to have our ceremony.

Plaque at Baxter Peak

Cairn at Baxter Peak

Our ceremony was done just a short way down the trail.  Unlike most of the ceremonies I have been a part of, this one was very short since we had only three hikers.  Dylan spoke of Blaine Adams's devotion to family and how he always showed up unexpected to spend time with his mother and help her out.  Mike spoke of Jay Brainard's love for Maine and ties to Katahdin and how many things made him feel connected to Jay in his story.  I spoke of Andrew's determination to do more than what was required, the love he had for his family, and the pride you can hear in Jeff's voice every time he shares Andrew's story.  "Pride is no sin.  Always have pride." - A quote from Jeff that has stuck with me ever since hearing it, and I shared it with Dylan and Mike.  We shared a silent moment there with each other before placing the stones back in our packs for the hike back down.

I always find that the hike up the mountain is full of sharing stories and bonding as a hiking team.  We bond through our mission and shared sense of purpose.  And then once the mission is complete, we all fall into a quiet reflection on what we have just done and the lives we have honored in doing so.  This hike was no different, and even though it was a relatively quiet hike down the mountain - my mind was racing through all of the things that I would write about when sharing this experience with the Hutchins family.

After a brief stopover at Chimney Pond to rest our legs, we finished our hike back where we began at Roaring Brook.  Cathy and Jack were there waiting for us - Cathy with her trademark smile and a hug for us all.  We were all exhausted from the day, but we were also smiling ear to ear.  I have never known a closer family than this TSP family, and it seems that with every hike we grow a little more in number.  After a group photo, we all said our goodbyes - off to rest and recover before returning to our daily lives.  But each of us left with the solid knowledge that we had found a little more room in our hearts than we thought was there and our family had just grown more because of it.

I want to say a special Thank You to the families of PFC Blaine Adams, CPT Jay Brainard, and CPL Andrew Hutchins for sharing the story of your loved ones with us and allowing us to carry their stones and stories up Katahdin this weekend.  Although we never knew these men, they have had a profound impact on each of us and will never be forgotten.

For the First Time

This image came up in a Google search today.  I was searching for an "adventure meme" to give me a little inspiration today as I started to work on my application for the Baxter State Park Ranger position.  Such a simple image and phrase - but it inspires a deeper reflection on life in general and how you approach it.  Or at least that is what it inspired in me...

Everyone falls into a rut at times, and I'm just as guilty as the next person.  We get stuck in the day to day, making a living we all forget to make a life.  But what does it mean to "make a life"?  Helen Keller perhaps said it best when she said "Life is either a great adventure or nothing."  But then that begs the further question of "What is an adventure?"

I do not think that to have an adventure, a person has to seek out the most remote areas and venture to some place seldom traveled.  To me, an adventure is as simple as doing something for the first time.  Whether that is something small - trying a new restaurant or something large - a literal leap of faith sky-diving.  It's really about the newness of the experience and what you learn on that trailblazing journey no matter how far that journey takes you.

Those lessons are sometimes a measurable skill, but the more important lessons learned in any adventure are the lessons we learn about ourselves.  A life long adventurer is a life long learner.  So I ask you - When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Baxter State Park - A Peek into the Life of a Ranger

Two weeks ago, my dream job was posted online - Baxter State Park Ranger.  If you know me, this makes total sense.  I absolutely love the outdoors, and I have always been passionate about my home state of Maine.  I grew up close to Grand Lake Matagamon and the North Entrance to the park.  I love the area I grew up in, and I've never quite been able to call any other place "home".  I feel tied to the area in a way that only fellow Maine-iacs understand, and any time I leave, I cannot wait to get back.

Sunset on Millinocket Lake

That being said, when this job was posted - I immediately messaged the Park Rangers that I knew to ask about it.  What would the job entail exactly as a "Supervisory" position?  What was the application process?  How soon would it be available?  After fielding numerous questions, Ranger Mike Winslow suggested I make the trip to the park for a "ride along" with the Ranger Service.  I reacted to this with the same enthusiasm that I had for the initial job posting, and so today I found myself tagging along to see what a day in the life of a ranger was like.

The day started when Ranger Mike picked me up from the bunkhouse at Togue Visitor Center.  I asked what we would be doing that day, and he threw out a couple of tasks that we needed to do - but reminded me that anything could happen in the park.  First we stopped by Park Headquarters so that I could make the rounds and meet the staff at BSP.  Every time I come to Park Headquarters, I find a new connection that I didn't realize I had.  Today was Connie Theriault, and it was great to catch up with her for a few minutes before we had to head for the park.

Growing up, I spent the majority of my time in the northern part of the park.  Grand Lake Matagamon, South Branch Pond, Horse Mountain - they made up my playground as a kid.  But today was spent in the southern part of the park.  Being that I was less familiar with this area, Ranger Mike took a drive to show me around the various campgrounds.  I knew there was a lot at this end of the park, but I guess I hadn't thought about it as much before.  I always got so wrapped up in "home" that I didn't explore this far south in the park.

Our drive landed us at Katahdin Stream Campground where we took up the task of hiking to Grassy Pond to cut down a couple of trees for materials for a canoe rack.  Sounds like work to most people.  Sounds like fun to me!  We ended up spending several hours in the woods with hardly anyone around.  Here was our view -

We ended up hopping in a canoe and paddling around the pond to find a couple of trees that would suit our purpose.  The mosquitoes and blackflies were horrible, but it was such a beautiful day that it was well worth it to put up with them.  Having a civilian running a chainsaw in the park would not have been the best idea, so Ranger Mike took care of that.

Once the tree was down, I got to work on stripping the bark from the logs.  It didn't take long before they were both ready to take back across the pond.  Basically we put them into the pond, tied them to the back of the canoe, and paddled over with them in tow.  Having two on the job made for shorter work, and before long we were packed up and hiking back down the trail for Katahdin Stream Campground.

The rest of the day was spent at a Search and Rescue training - just observing, but it was still great watching the Park Staff train alongside the National Guard's Black Hawk helicopter.  I always knew that they were loud, but I never realized just how loud until I was standing near one about to take off.  It brought out the kid in me, standing there all smiles while they took off to head back to Bangor.  I'm sure more than one of the Rangers around me got a laugh in at my expense...

As I sit here typing this, I realize that the day doesn't sound like much.  We drove around the park checking in with other Park Staff, checking in on Rangers, cut down a couple trees... It was a quiet day in the park, and I'm sure not all days are like this.  But it was a taste of what life should be like - human beings aren't meant to be kept cooped up inside all the time.  We are not meant to be sedentary.  We are meant to get out there, breathe in the fresh air, take up a hiking pack or a paddle and explore.  Life is meant to be an adventure, and I can think of no better place for that adventure to take me than back to Maine. One way or another - whether it's with the Park or in some other way - I am coming home.soon.

The Summit Project at Baxter State Park 2015

I've been meaning to write about The Summit Project (TSP) for quite some time, but it always seems I cannot set aside the time to write that this organization so deserves.  I should probably start with explaining what exactly TSP is.  In the words of Major David Cote -

"The Summit Project, a nationally recognized, Maine based, 501(c)3 service organization, is a living memorial that pays tribute to the fallen service members from Maine who have died in the line of duty since September 11, 2001. We have changed the way we honor our post 9/11 fallen heroes from Maine.  The mission of The Summit Project is to honor our state’s newest war casualties and the faithful spirit of all Mainers."

The Summit Project honors Maine's fallen heroes with memorial hikes (and other events) throughout Maine and even further from home.  Participants Learn about our soldiers, they Launch their event, and they write a Letter to the Gold Star family.  Those are the details... that sums up what TSP is but it falls short on conveying what it means.

To know what The Summit Project means, you really have to experience it.  I had that opportunity through a hosted event at Acadia National Park, and through several other smaller non-hosted hikes over the winter.  During each hike, I learned about a soldier's life.  I carried a stone that was carefully selected by his family and engraved with his information, and I wrote a letter to his/her family to remind them that their solder is not forgotten.  And yet still I did not fully understand The Summit Project.

I never reached my full understanding of The Summit Project and it's impact until I handed the stone of SPC Dustin J. Harris back to his father, Scott, after hiking The Owl on Memorial Day weekend.  I honestly feel like that moment was the "summit" of the journey I took that day.

The day started very early with a 430am wake-up call.  Team Red was to be the first team to hit the mountain that day, and as TL, I had an example to set.  Everyone was geared up and ready to go on time.  We did a final radio check and hopped in the van to head for the gate.  Togue Gate opens at 6am, and we planned to be there first in line.

We were not first in line, but we still stepped onto the trail around 7am.  Mike Winslow, a BSP Park Ranger, saw our rag-tag bunch off.  As TL, I remember looking at my crew on the way to the trail and thinking on how diverse they were both in terms of hiking abilities and personalities.  There was a last minute addition to the team who had never hiked a mountain of any kind.  There were seasoned hikers that had seen mountains far more intimidating.  There was a 17 year old man that had just signed up for the military.  There was an Army Ranger who had just retired from a 20+ year career.  It was amazing seeing such a great group of people from such varying backgrounds come together for a common goal.

Our least experienced hiker set the pace for the team, and everyone pulled together to support her as she made her first climb.  She didn't think she could do it, but she kept putting one foot in front of the other.  Her teammates rallied behind her providing both physical support carrying her pack at times and emotional support encouraging her when the going got tough.  There were many great moments on that hike that would have made the soldiers and their families proud.

Reaching the summit of The Owl, we each pulled our memorial stones from our packs.  Some of us had one stone, others had two some even three.  But each soldier was paid the same respect as we went around the circle sharing their stories with each other.  As each hiker finished speaking, the stone was placed in the middle of the circle before the next hiker began.  When all were finished, the last stone to be spoken about was the "Service" spirit stone.  It was carried by 17 year old Anthony Mason who had just enlisted to become a Combat Medic.  This young man was wise beyond his years, and there was no need for me to close out the circle ceremony, as he said it best.  Our country is very lucky that he has chosen to serve, and he will do amazing things.

After a few photos for the families, we began our hike back down.  The hike back is always quieter than the hike up as everyone processes what they just experienced.  Before we knew it, we were at back at the trailhead and signing out on the hiker registration.  We pulled together for one last chat before getting in the van to head back to the families.  I had one last piece of advice for my team, and that was to keep in mind that our work was not done yet.  We were not done until we had handed the stones to the families and shared our experience with them.  All of the hikers removed the stones from their packs and we rode with them back to Twin Pines - physically holding them for the trek back.

When we reached Twin Pines, the families were all waiting for us in a line.  Gunny was there to help connect hikers with families if needed, but I did not need his help.  The Harris Family is well known to me.  I grew up with their son, Dustin, in the small town of Patten, Maine.  I approached his father, Scott, and as gave him Dustin's stone, we hugged.  Scott thanked me for carrying Dustin that day, and when his voice cracked, I finally cried.  I did not realize until that moment the grief that I had held back at Dustin's passing.  We cried together, and while it was an emotionally overwhelming experience, I like to think that it was good for both of us.

The Summit Project is changing lives.  The soldiers' stories are having an impact on all of us that learn about them, and through remembering them we are helping their families to heal.  I still do not think I have done TSP justice, and so I encourage you to learn more about The Summit Project and to learn more about SPC Dustin J Harris.  If you are interested in getting involved, please click the "Get Involved" link on the website and join us in our mission to ensure that Maine Heroes Are Not Forgotten.

Christmas Week in Maine 2014

It's Christmas Eve, and this week I have finally decided to use some of my vacation time to spend the full week in Maine.  I definitely needed the time in the woods, and this week has been perfect for it.  So here are some notes about my adventures in Maine thus far and a wish for all of you to have a very merry Christmas!

Allagash Brewing Company

I left Massachusetts Saturday afternoon and started my week with a stop at Allagash Brewery in Portland, ME.  I'm a big fan of craft beer, and Allagash has long been my favorite brewery.  Allagash does free tours and beer tastings each day (more info can be found here).  The brewery always has their House beer on tap along with three other rotating taps.  That weekend they were serving Interlude, Saison, and Odyssey.  I can honestly say that I have never had an Allagash beer that I did not like, and I could not pick a favorite for this trip.  I ended up leaving with a limited release Midnight Bret and a 750ml of Interlude and Odyssey.  I'm not ashamed to say that these were Christmas presents to myself.

Another thing I love about Allagash is that the people that work at the brewery are always very welcoming and have a passion for craft beer.  It's not just a job for them, and they are always willing to answer questions, make recommendations, and share stories about working at Allagash.  I had the good fortune to stop by on a day that they were not very busy and had time to chat.  I met Ben, a tour guide at the brewery, and Josh, a brewer that worked at Dogfish Head Brewery before coming to Allagash Brewing Company five years ago.  It turned out Ben had worked for quite a time with the hut system in the White Mountains.  That sparked a good conversation about hiking in general, the lodge that he worked at for a time in Greenville, ME, and then the discovery that we had a common connection in the Shin Pond area.  It's funny how Maine is such a large state, but so small when you think about how everyone seems to know everyone.  Josh had grown up in Massachusetts not too far from where I now live.  We swapped some stories about hiking, and then talked about the limited release beers that Allagash has available only at the brewery.  There will be one coming out soon that Josh created the recipe for - I intend to keep my eye out for that one.  It's not often you can have a beer and say you know the brewer that created it.  Or at least it's not often that I can say that.

My experience at Allagash Brewing Company started my week off in the way I always expect my time in Maine to go.  Allagash Brewing Company the place is amazing, but it's made all the more special by the welcoming people that make you feel right at home.

Union/Camden/Lincolnville

The first few days of my trip were spent in Union, ME with a very good friend of mine, Dan.  Union is a place where I always feel like time slows almost to a stand still.  It's such a glaring difference in the pace of everything when compared to Massachusetts.  Of course that can be due to the fact I don't need to go to work when I am there, but I think it has more to do with the people.  Nothing is rushed, and it's so easy to just take time to enjoy a sunset from a random field, enjoy a morning sleeping in, and just actually relax and recharge.

While in Union, I made a few side trips over to Camden and Lincolnville.  Sunday morning breakfast was at Marriner's Restaurant in Camden, ME.  The restaurant is not very big, but they had a great spread for breakfast.  I had buttermilk pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, coffee - all with this view from my seat:

As I sat there, I listened to all that was going on around me - the locals were going about their Sunday getting breakfast with their families.  Everything from the view to the slower pace to something as small as the accent of the locals just made me breathe easier and feel so much at home.  I had plans to hike up to Ocean Lookout in Camden Hills State Park that morning, but I spent a little extra time just enjoying the atmosphere at Marriner's before going on my way armed with a full belly and a thermos full of coffee.

Camden Hills State Park

A funny realization I came to as I pulled into the parking lot at Camden Hills State Park was that I have never hiked at the park during any season other than winter.  It had been over a year since I had hiked in this park, so I knew I needed to spend a morning taking in the views from Ocean Lookout.  Ocean Lookout is not a very long hike (about 1.4 miles), but it offers views that stretch for miles down the coastline on a clear day.  My intent was to hike there, snap some photos, enjoy my coffee, and then visit with some friends in Lincolnville Beach....instead I kept going to the summit of Mt. Megunticook and then sat on the ledge at Ocean Lookout for almost an hour just having coffee and taking it all in.

There is not much snow right now on the coast of Maine, so I did not need snowshoes for the hike.  I was happy, however, that my friend Ted Coffin has hammered it into my head to carry extra gear and be prepared.  When I got further up on the trail, there was a fair amount of ice to be dealt with.  Now I could have picked my way around the edges of the trail if I needed to, but thanks to Ted - I just threw on my micro-spikes and kept on going.  Here's a photo of just one of the places they came in handy:

When I came out at Ocean Lookout, there was actually a college student from Ohio up there already.  He was the only hiker I ran into that day, and he very obviously did not know Ted Coffin.  Terrence, as he introduced himself, was hiking in sneakers with no winter coat, just wind pants and a sweater, and no winter hat.  He decided he wanted to continue on with me to the summit, and I just shook my head.  I am used to hiking alone, and the only time I like hiking in groups is when it's with people like my TSP friends - people that love the woods and mountains and have a passion for it.  Having a chatty college kid tag along was not what I had in mind for my day on Mt. Megunticook, but that's where I found myself so I made the most of it.  It was a struggle....not to laugh out loud as he slipped all over the place and landed on his butt more than a few times.  It made for slow going, but the summit was only 0.4 miles on from Ocean Lookout.  We hit the summit, snapped a few photos, and then headed back.  I had hoped that he would continue on when I stopped for coffee at Ocean Lookout, but no such luck.  I think he was nervous about heading back down the icy trail by himself.  

I found a good spot on the ledge and made myself comfortable.  Sitting there with my thermos of coffee and looking down the coast, I started to think about this last year.  I have seen and done so much in this year - between moving, starting a new job, traveling all over the country, joining up with The Summit Project, taking part in GORUCK events, and meeting some pretty amazing people along the way.  A view like this clears your head and really makes you think.  I need more views like this:

Before too long, I caught sight of Terrence shivering and felt a little bad for him.  We started down the trail, and he began to ask me all kinds of questions - How long have you been hiking?  How do you know what to pack?  Where did you get your spikes? .... in between slipping and falling all over the place.  So much for my quiet day in the woods... I should have just given him Ted's email address - but hopefully next time when he comes hiking in Maine, he will be a little more prepared than he was this time.

From Camden Hills State Park, I made my way to Lincolnville Beach to visit with some family friends.  Don and Debbie may as well be a part of my family, and I look forward to seeing them every time I am in the area.  We caught up on recent happenings, watched the Patriots eke out a win against the Jets, and shared some local coffee porter from Andrew's Brewing Company.  If you are ever in Lincolnville, check out Andrew's.  I have never been to the actual brewery, but the coffee porter is worth it all on it's own.  If you travel through the area and don't try it, you are seriously missing out.

One more night in Union, and then I was set to make the trek up to Patten, ME for the holidays.  But that wouldn't be without several stops along the way.

Maiden's Cliff - Lincolnville, ME

Maiden's Cliff is a short hike that can be found just off Rte. 52 near the boat landing for Lake Megunticook.  The cliff gets it's name from the tragic loss of a young girl named Elenora French in 1864.  According to her older sister's accounting of events, the wind blew Elenora's hat off.  While Elenora was able to retrieve it, just as she was putting the hat back on, another gust of wind came up and caused her to fall from the cliff to the ground 300ft below.  While she was still alive when they climbed down to her, she died due to internal injuries the next day.  A large white cross was erected on top of the cliff in her memory.  For various reasons, it has had to be replaced many times over the years.  The current cross was installed in 1992 and is reinforced with steel cables set into the cliff:

Cross in December 2014

Monument in Elenora's memory

Maiden's Cliff offers a view across Megunticook Lake, and on a clear day you can see the coast.  I was lucky enough to have such a view when I climbed up the cliff this week.  Here are a few of those photos:

Megunticook Lake from Maiden's Cliff

Maiden's Cliff Cross, Megunticook Lake, and the Atlantic in the distance

I was the only one on the trails that day at Maiden's Cliff, and it was so quiet and peaceful in the woods.  The actual hike to Maiden's Cliff is only about a mile, so I had plenty of time to enjoy the view from the top.  It was around 30 degrees with no wind - the perfect December day, and without Terrence there chattering away, it was easy to get lost in thought.   Moments like these bring a unique kind of perspective and sense of peace.  Moments like these are to be cherished...and so I spent an hour or so soaking them in.

From Maiden's Cliff there is a "Scenic Trail" that can be taken which loops around about 0.3 miles to reconnect with the main trail.  Given that I didn't have to be in Bangor until later in the day, I decided to explore.  I was not disappointed.  There were views of Megunticook, and then when the trail crossed back into the woods, there was even a small set of waterfalls along the trail.  Scenic was a fitting name for this trail.

Icy waterfall off Scenic Trail

The way back to my Jeep always seems to take far less time than the way to the summit.  I don't think that it's entirely due to the trail being downhill.  Leaving the woods is always tough, and my time there always seems to be over far too quickly.  But I am glad that I took the opportunity to head up to Maiden's Cliff before I left the coast.

Matagamon - First Lake and Baxter State Park

On Monday night I had told my dad that I wanted to snowshoe in and hike Horse Mountain at the North Entrance to Baxter State Park.  I said this thinking that the road was plowed to the Matagamon boat landing....and was wrong - it was plowed to just after the Matagamon Store.  That turned it into a roughly 9 mile snowshoe/hike rather than a 5 mile snowshoe/hike in a remote area, alone, with no cell reception.  Needless to say - I still went snowshoeing, but I did the smart thing and changed my destination plans.  The hike from the Matagamon Store to the Baxter State Park Gate was about 2 miles, and there was not a soul around.  There is nothing to compare to being by yourself in the Northern Maine Woods in the winter - it's so quiet and peaceful like something from times gone by.  The trees were all weighed down from the snow and ice, and it looked like something from a Christmas card.

My trip took me through the Northern Entrance to Baxter State Park, and even though I was not hiking it - I could see Horse Mountain clearly from there.  The wind whipping across the lake when I reached Matagamon's public boat landing was enough to make me know I had made the right choice when shortening my hike.  I ended up making my way to the First Lake Campsite.  This meant snowshoeing just over 2 miles on the park road where a snowsled or two had already packed the trail and then trekking the 0.5 miles through the woods (where no one has been since October).

Baxter State Park line

Grand Lake Matagamon from the boat landing

First Lake trailhead

Looking back at my trail

There wasn't any great summit view that was waiting for me at the end of my hike, it as really just a campsite on a point at First Lake.  A picnic table, some benches, and a view of a frozen lake was all that waited for me.  But through all my my hike out, I was reminded of a quote by Ursula K Leguin, "It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it's the journey that matters in the end."  That's how I felt about this time in the woods.  It was more about the cold air in my lungs, the sound of the wind through the trees, and the burning in my legs as I hit mile 5.  I swear that if someone came across me in the woods on a day like that, they would think I was a madwoman.  When I am in the woods, I cannot stop smiling and something as small as spotting a chickadee following me through the woods can make me laugh.  As with Maiden's Cliff, the trip back to my Jeep seemed to take far less time than the trip to First Lake.  I was even a little sad to see my Jeep because it meant heading back into town.  Back to "civilization" to do all the work that comes with a holiday - cooking/baking, wrapping, decorating.  As much as I love Christmas, I love the woods all the more.

And now here we are at Christmas Eve.  The tree is up, there are baked goods all stacked in the kitchen, my brother and his girlfriend are on their way up from Augusta, and my uncle and cousins are coming for dinner tomorrow.  There won't be much time spent in the woods in the next few days, but I'm looking forward to seeing family and catching up.  Here's wishing everyone out there a Merry Christmas!  If you celebrate another holiday then I hope you enjoy that, too :)

Back from Hiatus

This blog has been neglected over this last year, as there have been many changes for me since December 2013.  In the last year, I've moved from my beloved home state of Maine to Massachusetts - and then moved again.  I've transitioned from a job as a work-from-home software developer to a road warrior .. a support consultant traveling all over the country.  And the biggest change - I lost my best friend and four-legged hiking companion, Jack, to cancer in July of this year.  It's been a year of changes - some positive, and one very large negative.  Along the way, I lost track of this blog and have not posted in quite a while.

With the new year coming, I feel it's time to get back on track with writing.  I can't restrict my posts to adventures in Maine, though, as much as I would like to.  So consider this blog re-born as a catalog of all of the awesome adventures that I find myself taking part in.  I will start with several posts about some key events from the last few months, but going forward - expect posts to come with a more regular cadence as I explore not just Maine, but everything I can possibly take in.

Life is short, and it is meant to be lived.  Jack taught me that.  Now I intend to get out there and do it.

RIP Jack - 2007-2014

Paddle for the Bays

Ok so this event was not in Maine - you got me.... but I did participate in it, and it was an amazing time - so it still gets a mention.  :)

I'm sure you have seen my post from a month or so ago about the Lobster SUP Cup (if not, you should check it out here).  While my friend Sarah and I were at the event, we met many new people from all over New England of a wide variety of levels of experience with SUP races.  At the time I had never done a race, and I was only at the Lobster SUP Cup to volunteer while Sarah raced.  During dinner in Belfast at Rollie's after the race, another racer, Kim, mentioned a SUP race that was happening around my birthday in Cape Cod that had both a 10 mile race and a 5 mile race.  Not really thinking it through, I said "Yea of course!  That would make a great way to celebrate my birthday!"  Then in the weeks that followed, I began to think "Holy cow.... I've never done a 5 mile paddle on my board, let alone a race!"  But by that time I was committed, and there was no turning back.

September 20th came around, and it was time for us to make the trek down to Osterville, MA.  By that time, Kim had set up everything for us so that all we had to do was register and show up for the race.  She opened up her home and loaned boards to many racers that weekend since she has her own SUP business in MA.  You can find a link to her website here.  There was a group of 20+ that she brought to the race.  Kim and her husband, Bruce, are truly amazing people that we are so glad to have met.  We arrived at the house we would be staying at, and there were so many racers from all over New England, NY, and beyond.  When we actually sat down to tally it up, we had racers from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina.  And there is a very real possibility I missed someone in there!

About an hour after we arrived, Kim had arranged for us all to do a paddle clinic with Patrick Broemmel of Bahn Pho Surfboards.  I was not sure what to expect from this clinic, as I had never been to one before.  It was so informative and so much fun!  Patrick taught us different techniques for our paddle strokes on dry land to start the clinic going through different exercises we could do on our boards and answering any questions we had.  The second half of the clinic we were able to get out on the boards and put those lessons into practice.  Having never done much with racing, I found it made me feel much more comfortable with the upcoming race.  He was open to giving you critique on your stroke, and there were so many other experienced racers there that they also jumped in to help you out with any questions you had.  After paddling around for a bit, many of the racers traded boards to try out something new.  Everyone was so open to sharing their equipment that I had the opportunity to try boards of different lengths (12'6" boards and 14' boards) and many different types - Bark, SIC, Rogue, etc.  We also had the opportunity to meet a SIC rep that had some boards there for us to try.  My favorite boards was a 12'6" Rogue board that Roxane had, other than the fact that it was pink, that is :)

After the paddle clinic, everyone had supper together at the house.  I like to think that I have a broad range of experiences with things liek this - sporting events, volunteer events, travel.... I can say that I have never met a more welcoming crowd than the SUP community.  You will show up not knowing anyone and come away feeling like you have known these people forever.  I really believe that the people, just as much as the sport, keep you coming back time and again.  A true testament to how small this world can be - the board rep from SIC trained with Tony (see the whitewater rafting blog post) rafting in Maine.  We talked for quite a while about the rafting guide training and stories from the river.  I will say this, though, my most memorable moment that Friday was beating Marta at a game of pool.  Marta is such a tough competitor in anything that she does that beating her at anything is something you'll remember forever.

The morning of the race, I have to say I was very nervous.  I love experiencing new things, but when it's competing in something new like this - I get butterflies.  I always like to do well in any sporting event I take on (who doesn't) but I felt very ill prepared for the race.  I kept thinking "I'm going to fall off my board a million times" and "I haven't ever paddled 5 miles before - let alone on the ocean" and "Why did I spend all my time playing ball instead of prepping for the race?"  But whether I felt ready or not, race time was fast approaching.

It helped to settle my nerves that I knew some of the other racers in the division I was in, and once they called for us to line up to get ready to race - well there was no backing out then, that's for sure!  I felt pretty good at the start of the race, but then of course - like I knew I would - I fell off the board.  Staying on a racing board is very different from the 11'6" BIC I have, and SUP on the lake is a heck of a lot easier than SUP on the ocean.  I ended up falling a total of 5 times across the race, but one of them was not my fault.  A passing boat got too close and knocked me off the board - boats seem to have little regard for SUP racers.

The conditions were brutal (and I wasn't the only one that thought so).  With the wind against us for what seemed like half the race and my lack of overall conditioning for the event, I ended up finishing the race in about 1 hr 45 min.  It sounds horrible, but my goal for my first race was simply to finish and not finish last.  I reached that simple goal.  I came across the finish line and felt like I could barely walk.  Most people ask me about SUP and think it would hurt your shoulders more than anything.  If you are paddling correctly, or trying to in my case, you will feel it more in your core and legs.  Just staying balanced on the board for that long really had my legs burning.  After the race, they handed out the awards for the top three finishers in each division and age group while I sat by sipping on some coconut water and enjoying the break.  I was not one of the top finishers, but I had a great feeling of accomplishment just having been participated, finished, and done something a little outside my comfort zone.

With the awards done and everyone packed up into their vehicles, we made a stop at Kettle-Ho.  There was a local brewery that had sponsored the race, so we had to go have a pint with our supper.  The food there was great, and you could tell everyone really had an appetite after all that work on the water.  Most of the SUP racers that had stayed with us the night before were taking off for home or to visit family after the race, so we said our good-byes before heading back to the house.  I'm always left wishing that they all lived closer so that we could get together and do this more often.  But again - the people just make you want to race even more. :)

Our last night in Osterville was a very chill night with a game of Cards Against Humanity (if you have never played it - go find the game and give it a try - wicked good fun!).  Katie, Judy, Sarah and I were laughing late into the night and finished the entire game before crashing for the night.  I woke up the next morning so sore I felt like I had been hit by a truck, but its' a good feeling when you know you really did something to earn it!  We had to jet home that morning to Maine for a concert that night, but I know that we will see everyone again at a SUP race soon.  And I feel like we've created a birthday tradition in the Paddle for the Bays :)