From Where I Sit

Whenever October arrives, I relish the memory of October of 2005 when I had the privilege of welcoming "TheGarland5" as they completed their hike of the Appalachian Trail with an ascent to and return from the summit of Mt. Katahdin in Maine's Baxter State Park. 

The day began early. We met them at their campsite at the Katahdin Stream Campground and were on the trail by 7:15am. The Hunt Trail is a long and steep climb of the highest mountain in the state of Maine, the northern terminus of the 2,174 mile Appalachian Trail that begins at Springer Mountain in Georgia. The 5.2 miles to the summit ascend over 4,000 feet in elevation! Making for a very long day! They arrived at the summit at about 1:30pm, after over 6 hours of climbing. [I was with them for half of the ascent.] 

It had been foggy, humid, and unusually warm for October in Northern Maine. Just before they arrived at the summit the cloud cover broke and they had a glorious panorama with views of more than 100 miles in every direction, the hills ablaze with color. They stayed on the summit for an hour, savoring their accomplishment and enjoying the views.

Their descent took them into the night, but they were equipped with hiking lights. I waited with other 'thru hikers' who were camped for the night in preparation for their climb the next day. One friend, whom they had hiked with last year, even drove in with cheeseburgers for them to celebrate their achievement. There is an amazing camaraderie among the 'thru hikers' - they all have trail names - they are interested in and care about each other, and stay in touch with each other, on the trail and beyond. 

We cheered as they came in and celebrated what they have accomplished. How fitting it was that they arrived under the canopy of a star-studded heaven, filled with a glory that is visible in few places like it is in the wilderness of northern Maine. 

Craig, Michelle, Marina, Celia, and Alden did not come to this achievement easily. Displaced from home, work and school by a series of decisions by others that would embitter most people, they chose to look forward to an endeavor that would challenge and bond their family in a place that would nurture and inspire them all. They packed away their possessions, began their planning and preparations, and mastered the maze of logistics that is required for such an undertaking. Even when Michelle was hospitalized in Virginia in the summer of 2004 they did not give up. They just extended the hike into another year.

I am humbled by this triumph of the human spirit. My children and my grandchildren have become my teachers. They have shown me the practical meaning of having priorities. They have embodied for me the heart of family and community. They have demonstrated to me what it means to have goals and how to persevere and endure. They have created a lifetime of memories, not only for themselves, but for all of us who love them as well.

Edwin Bernbaum, Director of the Sacred Mountains Program of The Mountain Institute, has written: “Mountains help us to regain that sense of freshness and wonder possessed by a child. They awaken us to a deeper reality hidden in the world around us, even in cities, far from the sight of the peaks themselves. Moved by the mysterious power of this hidden reality, we recover the vision and delight of childhood, enhanced by the experience and understanding of age. Eyes bright and clear, hearts open and free, we stand once again at the beginning and source of all that is and all that may be.”

Amen! I still marvel at and celebrate "TheGarland5" (with their trail names) - Craig - 'Foto' - Michelle - 'Closeline' - Marina - 'Wolfsong' [age 15] - Celia - 'Sweet Potato' [age 13] - Alden - 'Zing' [age 11]. I am so very proud of them!