On this day, 15 years ago, I summited Maine's Mount Katahdin to finish hiking the Appalachian Trail. The final section of the trail in Maine is called the 100-mile wilderness. For about 30 years, hikers have stayed in Shaw's Boarding House in Monson for the last dose of hospitality before setting off into the wilderness.

Two women from New Jersey drove up to Shaw's the night before I was to set off to complete the last 100 miles of the trail. One of them, Noel, had hiked nearly the whole trail in 1988, but it had gotten too late in the year - the state closes the hiking trails around Katahdin on Oct. 15. The other, Caroline, had day-hiked on the Appalachian trail in Virginia.We set off together the next morning. Bogs, mountains, fords, bugs, roots, rocks, and so the days passed. We hiked alone, in pairs, or as a trio. We talked for hours, we walked long hours in silence. Thirsty, cold or tired in turns, we helped each other through the hard times.I learned that Caroline was in the service and would soon take her state boards to become a registered nurse. Noel was a professional photographer and martial arts expert, a one-time kick boxing competitor, who planned to go back to college and get her degree in physical education.Those were the paths they planned to take, but who they were, their incredible substance, became more apparent as we made our tracks through the wilderness. I was proud to be ending my hike in the company of two people with such grit, humor and generosity.All too soon, we were at Katahdin Stream Campground at the base of the mountain, signing in at the ranger station before the ascent. In a notebook in the station many hikers had taken the time to sum up the jumble of thoughts facing them as they ended their hikes. So, I wanted to take my time, write something prophetic for those to come."Five years of hiking this trail in sections is ending," I wrote. "But whether we realize it or not, the time and distance spent on this trail is just a small part of a greater hike each of us is on."We were all blistered and dirty, and our clothes were muddy and torn. But we were all grinning at each other, eager for the climb. Caroline and Noel started up the trail, off, leaving me to finish in the notebook."So consider all you have learned on this great adventure, face one another and ask, how will you travel now?" I wrote. I looked up at my friends, who were calling over their shoulders for me to catch up."Share," I wrote, and hurried up the trail behind them.Note: Caroline and Noel still live in New Jersey. Caroline is a registered nurse, and Noel is teaching physical education at a high school.Lisa Price is a freelance outdoor writer for the Times News.