INTO THE WOODS

Finally, after living in Maine for over six years, Mary Beth and I made it to Baxter State Park. We drove the three hours north on Saturday morning and hiked for an hour before it got dark and then hiked again for three and one-half hours today in the 209,501 acre park.

Often visible to us as we hiked was Katahdin, Maine's highest mountain. There was a bit of snow on the ground but today the sun was shining and a nice wind blew that kept an invigorating chill in the air.

Throughout the two day walk we only saw six other people inside the park, in addition to the handful of park rangers that we ran into. But mostly it seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves.

It was nice to get away for a bit from the rigors of the world. The quiet was special, the water was soothing, the smell of the pines comforting, the exercise stimulating, and the enormity of the wilderness humbling.

I wished we could have stayed for a week. We appreciated the break even if it was a short one.