Day 177 – Summit Day +1

“Homeward bound

I wish I was

Homeward bound

Home where my thought’s escapin’

Home where my music’s playin’

Home where my love lies waitin’

Silently for me” – Simon & Garfunkel

Up at 7:30. Packed up and got my backpack into the duffel bag Dana sent me. Shuttled to the airport at 8:45.

Drove from Millinocket to Bangor. I-95 in northern Maine is just a bit less busy than in the mid-Atlantic!

Got to Bangor International airport at 10:00. Nice little airport. Got checked in and had breakfast before heading through security.

Had a nice text conversation with Mike, my hiking partner from early on in GA and NC. He saw my facebook post about summiting yesterday

Had a couple hours at the airport to wait for my flight. Wrote up yesterday’s Summit blog entry. 

Flew over the Francis Scott Key bridge and got a great view of the missing bridge section from the plane.

It felt so strange walking through Regan airport. All this civilization!! This was my last walking part of my AT adventure. Very mixed emotions.

Dana met me at baggage claim and we just stood there and hugged for what felt like an hour. The drive home was very strange. I had not been in a a big town or seen this many people or buildings in six months. 

And it was still green in Maryland. I just came from the land of vibrant fall colors and leaves dropping off trees. 

The dogs were happy to see me, sort of. Pen was very excited and hyper. Sky was not sure what to think. She just looked at me and tentatively said hi.

It is good to be home. I cant believe I have been away for HALF A YEAR. 

Now I need to figure out how to reintegrate myself into normal life.