A Stroll in the Park

Last Sunday a couple of friends and I traveled to Millinocket Maine to Baxter State Park to hike up Mt Katahdin. Now this hike is not a stroll in the park, Mt Katahdin is 5,267 ft.. There are many trails that lead to the summit, we decided to hike the Abol trail. This trail is 8.4 miles round trip. The trail travels along an old rock slide and being one of the shortest routes to the top, it is very steep, with loose rocks most of the way up.
In preparing for this hike I have to carrie at least 4 16oz. bottles of water, energy bars, and trail mix ,to keep up your energy. I also carry a knife,first aid kit, sun screen, bug spray, flashlight, rain gear, jacket, bowling ball, tennis racket, a complete set of the Encyclopedia Britannica,and my sleep teddy bear Mr.Stuffy. Also I wear very good hiking boots from LL Bean, so I am really prepared for anything and everything that could happen of this hike.
The hike was very gruelling, it was steep and when you reached the plateau, about a mile from the summit, the wind picked up to about 40 mph and the temperature dropped from 70% to about 39%. But I was prepared for all obstacles. But one thing I wasn't prepared for was a family that we passed as we were hiking to the top,and they were returning . A man in sandles wearing a cottten shirt, no tie, and carring a 8oz. bottle of water. His 7 year old son dressed like the father with a 8oz. bottle of water, and most likely matching underoos. The mother was wearing a snappy little number from Yves Saint Laurent with suede bootie from Prada. I am exaggerating a tad, but what I am trying to say is they were dressed like they were going to the mall. If any thing really bad had happen, like rain or someone had fallen, they would not be in good shape. I, on the other hand, was prepared for eveything. The downside to this is that my backpack weighted about 500 pounds, and there water bottle weighed about 4 oz.. Plus they were coming back from the top, they made it!( if there is a God I hope that this family fell off the mountian. Just kidding, maybe.).
Any who we made it to the top and it was spectacular and my legs, after 5 days of walking like Frankenstein "hiking good", are back to normal.