The Adkins Are in Maine

Leonard Adkins has written a hike update for himself and his wife Laurie in the 4 September 2007 Charleston Daily Mail. This one is headlined "Maine greets trail hikers with a rough welcome mat." In it he describes the southern portion of the Appalachian Trail in Maine, Mahoosuc to Monson.

Most of the hiker narratives and journals I've read seem to skip over Maine. There have to be various reasons, of course, almost as many as there are hikers, but Adkins pinpoints one: the emotions.

"Some hikers can hardly wait for the hike to be over and are increasing their daily mileages. Others, realizing the journey is coming to an end, are slowing down as much as possible so as to enjoy each moment left to them. I met a woman who said she has begun to inexplicably cry and can't tell if these are tears of joy or sadness from almost having reached her goal. Although still enjoying the trip, some people find their bodies are exhausted and are becoming frustrated with Maine's steep and rugged terrain."

In the last published thru-hike narrative I read, the narrator's knees were going out so she got off the Trail immediately after Mahoosuc Notch and didn't get back on to finish Maine for a couple years.