Blessings from above – The Trek

Jen and John ROCK!!!

Words will never be enough to express my and Lisa’s gratitude for this selfless couple who treated some «hiker trash» like «trail royalty.» So, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a wonderful presentation of the people of Maine and your incredible accommodations while at Baxter State Park and Katahdin Stream Campground. Our farewell to AT SOBO was magnificent!!

Arrival at the airport – June 1

Immediately upon landing, we were able to quickly gather our gear, make sure it was all in one piece, and then hop into the getaway vehicle waiting with Jen outside. It was exciting to see her again after becoming a “tramily” in 2023 while hiking Pictured Rock Lakeshore.

She whisked us to the grocery store to pick up her husband, John, who was shopping for some last goodies for our upcoming camping parties.

Little did we know we were about to meet a Maine mainstay: «Whoopie Pie,» which by legal definition is «a baked good made of two chocolate cakes with a creamy frosting between them.» In 2011 it was named the official gift of the state of Maine. Look it up if you don’t believe me. We each ate one as we headed north.

Majestic Mount Katahdin

Wow (i.e.), there it is!

Here’s Jen and John driving us to Baxter State Park with just a glimpse of Mount Katahdin peeking through the windshield…

…and the lovely couples at the entrance…

Base camp

The camp was practically set up and ready to go when we arrived. They provided us with a luxurious 4-person tent to spread out and prepare to reach the top of Mount Katahdin.

Check in with Ranger Pete

One of the first things you should do when hiking the AT at Baxter State Park is to log your hike. Ranger Pete was pleasant and provided excellent safety information for us newbies preparing to push through the most difficult part of the AT on Day 1.

The ranger station had an interesting front information kiosk with a scale model of Mount Katahdin and the area.

After settling in for the night, we were treated to another Maine meal: fire-cooked “red snappers,” or as we know them, hot dogs. We complete it with potato salad.

Bacon and eggs were the next morning’s starter before heading out for a driving tour of parts of Baxter State Park and seeing Mount Katahdin from all sides. We stopped for a Picnic lunch at Seboeis Riverside Trail.

Northern Maine is beautiful.

We had prepared a good gift for dinner that night, Pork loin in a salt crust, roasted over charcoal, with romesco sauce and corn on the cob.

Yes. It was incredibly fabulous and delicious to boot.

Mount Katahdin Maine(s)

June 3 was the departure day. The summit will be my next story, but suffice it to say, since you’re reading this, we didn’t die. So come back to see the record-breaking summit of Mount Katahdin. Yes, I humbly tell you that we set our personal best time for an out-and-back hike on the Hunt Trail (Official AT Trail).
After setting our best record time, we were served cheeseburgers with grilled onions and all the fixings.

We went to bed with a full stomach and completely exhausted.

Baxter Farewell

Baxter State Park and Katahdin Stream Campground are a beautiful sanctuary. It is a space with just over 210,000 acres of pristine nature, no electricity, no drinking water (bring it or filter it from the stream), no pets, and you have to take out everything you bring in, including trash. All they offer are latrines. It really is a magnificent gem. A small thank you to Ranger Corey who helped us in a time of need before we left. There are top-notch people serving Maine in the park.

Good luck to Jen and John

We are indebted to Jen and John and their endless kindness for seeing that our launch at OAT2026 was perfect. Thanks for the blessings.

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