A Maine family has become the 16th family with young children to complete a “thru-hike” of the Appalachian Trail after finishing the 2,185-mile trek Monday.

David and Emily Kallin of Dresden and their two children – Nathan, 9, and Maddy, 8 – finished their five-month hike when they reached the summit of Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, they announced on their blog.

“It’s still (too) early to have processed what it means to be done. The adults have lots to do before our lives really get back to normal, and the kids are excited to head back to school this week to see their friends,” the Kallins wrote on their website, kallinfamily.com. “At any rate, after waking up tomorrow we’ll have to do something other than walking north.”

David and Emily Kallin had completed the trail after college in 2002 and vowed to do it again with their children.

The Kallins began their trip on March 31. They traveled faster than expected and finished about six weeks ahead of schedule.


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