Frenchy Summits Katadhin 8/25/2012

I'm a little late on this announcement, but another thru-hiker who Loner and I have been following is Frenchy (Matt French) from New Jersey.  He summitted Katahdin on August 25th, 2012, after leaving base camp at Baxter State Park at 3:30 am.  He walked up in the dark and experience sunrise at the summit by himself!  A rare thing these days since it's prime weather for daytrippers and Frenchy is also somewhere within the hiker bubble of those left out who will make it the entire 2, 180 miles.
Frenchy has been a great hiker to follow because he keeps a blog, Journey North, as well as a you tube journal.  He's an excellent writer, full of atmosphere, detail, energy, metaphor and emotion.  I had tears in my eyes as I read the emotionally-laden post of his summit hike, and another viewer admitted they welled up too. I know I've said it before, but as we come to know the hikers and family members of the Class of 2012 (and before) from White Blaze, You Tube, Blogs and Trail Journals, we feel like we know them even though we've never met.  I think this is one reason that Trail Days in Damascus is so huge because all these people want to reunite with friends they met in person along the trail, but also hikers want to meet other hikers, they only heard about or saw their names in the shelter log books.  And the families and supporter want to meet each other as we helped each other along the way. 
 I hope he takes the time to turn his blog into a book.
 But he was smart to to utilize a You Tube journal called Appalachian Frenchy 2012, too, since I think the Class of 2013 thru-hikers and every year after that may prefer the video diaries, as opposed to blogs or journals.  and it's much easier now with smart phones and small laptops.  Luxuries past thru hikers and old timers couldn't indulge in.  Times they are a changin' - sometimes too fast for me.