Katahdin, CFC style

There are few places in the world that make me happier than being on Mt. Katahdin. There is something that just calls me to it and when I have my hands and feet on its bare rock, I feel whole.


And this is the first year that, without a pang of hunger in my belly since I ate steadily, I was preoccupied with thoughts of pizza.

On the way home, McDonald's looked enticingly good to me. And I wanted a coffee so badly when we were finished it physically hurt a little.  I even wanted to hijack the Hostess and Wonder Bread Truck I saw in Milinocket on the way up to the mountain.  I guess these are the first real cravings I've had on the CFC so I'm doing ok.


My body was experiencing what I can only call cellular hunger. I had eaten plenty but not enough processed carbohydrate apparently. This disturbed me on lots of levels. Why is oatmeal, brown rice and quinoa not enough to propel me 4.3 miles upward on grueling terrain? It kind of throws all my beliefs about food into a tailspin.

I can't say for sure if it was because of the CFC but I did have one low point during the steepest climb where I felt under fueled and in general I felt a tad bit clumsy at times. I saved myself from a couple of ankle rolls and face plants which is unusual for me on a mountain.

That being said, I was very aware of how much stronger my upper body is from years past as I was easily able to haul myself up over big rock when my legs were too short to get a foot hold.  And even some klutziness could not alter the tremendous swells of well-being flowing through me.


We hiked with Sandi's co-worker, Carole, and a day that had originally called for rain turned out beautiful!


Carole asked me if I wanted to sit on this rock for the dramatic photo op.  I told her I was feeling way too clumsy to chance it. What a picture though!

There was still snow up there!

At the top I urged Sandi to help me eat up the rest of  the quinoa edamame salad so that I wouldn't have to pack it down.  Then on the way down we found a rock for each of the girls that we knew they would love and put them in our packs. (What can we say?  Our kids don't really watch TV.  They go crazy over rocks.) 

I said to Sandi, "Do you realize we traded quinoa for rocks?"

"That is just who we are," she replied. 

Up at 3:30 am, on the trail by 6:45, 9.9 miles of rigorous hiking in 8 hours and 42 minutes (including small stops and a half hour stop on the top) and back at home to have supper with our kids and tuck them into bed...and all on day 4 of a cleansing food week.  Yeah, I guess we aren't really two who look for the path less traveled.