"Life is all about timing...

...the unreachable becomes reachable..." - Stacey Charter

Before I finish the story about my Greyhound bus trek to the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, I need to explain Baxter State Park (BSP) and Katahdin Stream Campground (KSC).

BSP is the park in which the almighty mountain Katahdin stands (exactly one mile high...they added a few boulders via helicopter to make it so) as the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

My first sight of Katahdin from KSC

Within BSP is the beautiful Katahdin Stream Campground, nestled at the southern foot of the mighty mountain.  If you want a camping spot in KSC, you need to reserve it at least 6 months early.

I had reserved campsite 16, the closest campsite to the path I would take to climb Katahdin, about 8 months before June 13.

And here is the crux of the issue.  Baxter State Park closes at 8:30 pm.  You are late = no entry = I lose my sweet campsite.

So, Greyhound continued to run late, and my buffer time to get into BSP quickly dissolved.  As we approached Medway, Maine, the end of the line for the Greyhound bus, and the place where I would call for a taxi cab to BSP, I was doubting if I'd make it.

Journal entry:

10:30 PM: In my tent in KSC [Katahdin Streams Campground]!!  I’ve met three other AT hikers: Peter and Dominique from Germany and a guy from Illinois [Matt or “Slowride”].  We all shared a cab from Medway to Millinocket (driven by Shawn).  I continued to BSP [Baxter State Park] and we made the gate at 8:30, just in time to get in the park.  We saw 2 moose on the way to KSC.  I don’t think I’ll find a phone to use to call in the morning.  Worried about that.  But excited to see Katahdin and tomorrow I climb her!!

Okay, so we actually arrived at the gate around 8:36 pm, but Shawn, the taxi cab driver, pulled some strings with the gate guard and got me in.  The first in a string of awesome hospitality by the fine citizens of Maine.

Tomorrow: I climb Katahdin! (and some sweet pictures taken from the top.)