NOTE: The reference to photos of my summit in today's post will not be
up for a day or two, so the post script at the bottom will make sense
once you see the photos. Sorry if I may have confused anyone. Stay
tuned!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Day 132: Katahdin.
Day 132 - 8/30/10
Woke up at 5:30 for an early start up the mountain. Had a couple bowls of cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which is exactly what I had been craving days before. I think Mom must have read my mind or something because I really wanted that more than anything and I had seriously considered buying some at the store at Abol Bridge, but I didn't want to hike out a 1/2 gallon of milk afterward. It all worked out though, so after my quick meal we headed back to Katahdin Stream, the main campground area. Took a few pictures at the trailhead, then I journeyed out to climb my last mountain at 6:30.
The trail early on was very nice gradual climbing, and after a mile I was at Katahdin Stream falls. From there the trail became much more steep and rocky, but I had so much adrenaline I was flying up the mountain. Before I knew it I was climbing boulders and popping above treeline, which is where the real fun began. Going up the Hunt Trail to Katahdin, which is the official AT route, was a very technical climb, and probably one of the hardest, if not the hardest on the whole trail. Washington is taller, but much more gradual, whereas this was going straight up a giant rock slide pretty much. Because it's so tough it goes by very fast, you're just so focused on where to place your next step. I was heading up the spur and reached the Tableland by 9:00, a false summit you hit at around 4600'. When you come over the crest of that you can see the real summit, Baxter Peak, less than 2 miles away. It still looks so far away though.
Hiking along the flat Tableland for a 1/2 mile or so I hit Thoreau Spring, which really wasn't much of a spring at all, but I needed some water so I took some time filling up there. I had to drain from one bottle to another with a filter over one so I wouldn't be drinking tons of floaties. Because it took some time The Crusher ended up catching up to me there, and we hiked to the peak together. Having someone to talk to while hiking to the peak was interesting, and I think it affected how I reacted as I approached the Katahdin sign. Had I been alone I may have cried or gotten emotional, but because we were talking it snuck up on me, and suddenly we were at the top. I had made it! I hiked the AT! I am now a real thru-hiker! When I saw that sign and touched it I was overcome with an intense feeling of joy, on top of the world, both mentally and literally as well. If I had cried it would have been tears of happiness, but they didn't come. I can tell you this though, I couldn't stop smiling. Easily one of the happiest moments of my life. And the weather was perfect for a summit day, gorgeous blue skies, slight breezes, great visibility. The Crusher had said that it was best day in the history of the AT to summit, and I'd have to agree.
Whippersnap was already up there, and with him was his wife, so The Crusher, he, and I had an awesome photo session. That was the other great part about the whole experience, we just couldn't stop taking pictures. I wanted to capture everything! And as others showed up, first Three Bears, then Rocket, and finally Ichabod, we just continued to flash the cameras and demand more photo sessions. I was glad to be one of the first thru-hikers to make the top because it gave me the chance to witness everyone elses reactions as they reached the summit. Each person had their own moment, some intensely emotional and others just screaming out to the world. My favorite would have to be Ichabod's. As he climbed onto the sign he stretched his arms out to the heavens and yelled as loud as he could, "WE WALKED SO FAR!!!" It was fantastic.
We all stayed up there for a good couple hours, no one really wanted to leave. I sure didn't, partly because I didn't want to hike back down, but mostly because it meant the trip was finally over for me. It was a bit sad, but as I said earlier I was overjoyed more than anything. I felt complete, like I had done everything right, that the trip was all I'd hoped it to be and I couldn't have asked for a better day to finish. I was worried that seeing the sign, touching it, finishing, would throw me into a deep sadness, but I've changed. The trip has changed me, and I look at the end as a positive thing, a moment of true happiness that very few get to experience. I feel blessed to have had the chance to do this. As I hiked back down the mountain I saw someone hiking up, and it looked a lot like Ace. As we got closer I saw to my surprise that it was her. She had gotten really sick and took over a month off, so she was doing a flip-flop. Of all the days to decide to start back up I was amazed that it happened to be the same day as me. It was great to see her again, and she wished me a congratulations. I hope the remainder of her hike goes well for her.
Going up was tough, but heading back down was more challenging. Not physically, but just logistically. It was so steep and rocky that sometimes you'd have to make a leap of faith, nothing too crazy, but tough hiking all the same. I mountain-goated the whole way down, flying down and getting back to the campground around 2:30. When I showed up in the distance I saw a sign that said "Welcome Home Coon Cat", something my Mom had gotten made. It was a great sign, huge too, at least 4 or 5 feet long. I went over and sat with her, showed her my awesome photos, and had a bunch of snacks she had brought. Eventually The Crusher came next, then Three Bears, and they joined in on some last moments of trail magic and being together. Three Bears's aunt was there as well, having driven from New Hampshire I believe to pick him up. Then Ichabod and his parents came down (they had gone up to the top with him), and came over for a bit as well. Then it was time for everyone to say goodbye, people had places to be and rides to make. That was probably the saddest part, knowing that there weren't going to be any more nights around a campfire, hanging out, talking, eating ramen and tuna.
After people started leaving and going their own ways Mom and I went and swam at the same beach as the day before, then went back to our site and cooked up some burgers and hot dogs. It was a nice ending meal. Sat around the campfire for a while, until at least 9:30, watching the stars and talking. She went to bed a bit before me, I stayed up to make sure the fire was going out, then went to bed after I was sure.
Today is September 1st, several days after my actual summit date. I didn't want to write it up immediately after hiking because I wanted some think time and to see if any emotional changes would take place over the next few days. I still feel good, a bit more sad now, but not depressed. It's starting to settle in that I'm not hiking every day anymore. The trip really is over. I think it will take a long time to not think about it every day, but I'm also excited and optimistic about my future and getting a fresh start on a new chapter in life. This was a once in a lifetime experience, one that I will never forget. It has changed my life, made me a better person, and shown me what is truly important: Friendship. Working hard. Appreciation for nature. Perseverance. Determination. Ability to adapt. Acceptance. Generosity. There are more, and I'm sure more will come to be realized after several more days, weeks, and even years have gone by. I can't believe I hiked almost 2200 miles, from Georgia to Maine. I still look in awe when I see the map on the wall and how far I really walked. I'd like to think I did it all on my own, but the power of support and encouragement can do a lot, and I think without all of you who have supported me I might not have made it. Thank you to anyone and everyone for that. Special thanks to my parents again, you were behind me 100% through this whole experience and it was crucial to keep me going, Jen for being understanding about my need to do this, and Ian who helped my beyond measure with all his guidance and advice. It was almost five months ago I walked into those woods, little to no experience with backpacking, somewhat clueless, but if I had not received his help who knows if I would have even made it one step. He told me I could do it, and I did. So thank you Ian.
This isn't the end for me. I may never do a long trip like this, but hiking and backpacking is now a part of my life and something I will do for the rest of it. I will probably put up a few more posts now and then, although it will no longer be every day. Perhaps some reflections on how things are changing in my life, new realizations about the impact this trip has had on me. In the next few days I think I will go through my notes, thoughts, whatnot, and make up some lists of random things, favorite spots, biggest trail personalities, best state award, etc. as just a fun thing to do. That's it for me on the AT though, I'm done, "all pau".
(In case you're wondering why I wrote that on my arms for some summit photos, I did for two reasons. One, I did it in honor of Earl Shaffer, the first person to thru-hike the AT. At the museum in Pine Furnace they had some old journals of his, and in it he wrote those exact words, which in Hawaiian means "all done". The second reason is because Jen's family on her mother's side are from Hawaii, and she actually taught me this phrase years ago before I had even hiked the AT. I wouldn't have written those words on my arms if either of these circumstances didn't exist, but because I knew what it meant without needing translation in Earl Shaffer's journal I just felt compelled to do it. I needed to. Just like I felt compelled to do this whole trip. So there's your explanation.)
Total miles: 2179.1
Woke up at 5:30 for an early start up the mountain. Had a couple bowls of cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which is exactly what I had been craving days before. I think Mom must have read my mind or something because I really wanted that more than anything and I had seriously considered buying some at the store at Abol Bridge, but I didn't want to hike out a 1/2 gallon of milk afterward. It all worked out though, so after my quick meal we headed back to Katahdin Stream, the main campground area. Took a few pictures at the trailhead, then I journeyed out to climb my last mountain at 6:30.
The trail early on was very nice gradual climbing, and after a mile I was at Katahdin Stream falls. From there the trail became much more steep and rocky, but I had so much adrenaline I was flying up the mountain. Before I knew it I was climbing boulders and popping above treeline, which is where the real fun began. Going up the Hunt Trail to Katahdin, which is the official AT route, was a very technical climb, and probably one of the hardest, if not the hardest on the whole trail. Washington is taller, but much more gradual, whereas this was going straight up a giant rock slide pretty much. Because it's so tough it goes by very fast, you're just so focused on where to place your next step. I was heading up the spur and reached the Tableland by 9:00, a false summit you hit at around 4600'. When you come over the crest of that you can see the real summit, Baxter Peak, less than 2 miles away. It still looks so far away though.
Hiking along the flat Tableland for a 1/2 mile or so I hit Thoreau Spring, which really wasn't much of a spring at all, but I needed some water so I took some time filling up there. I had to drain from one bottle to another with a filter over one so I wouldn't be drinking tons of floaties. Because it took some time The Crusher ended up catching up to me there, and we hiked to the peak together. Having someone to talk to while hiking to the peak was interesting, and I think it affected how I reacted as I approached the Katahdin sign. Had I been alone I may have cried or gotten emotional, but because we were talking it snuck up on me, and suddenly we were at the top. I had made it! I hiked the AT! I am now a real thru-hiker! When I saw that sign and touched it I was overcome with an intense feeling of joy, on top of the world, both mentally and literally as well. If I had cried it would have been tears of happiness, but they didn't come. I can tell you this though, I couldn't stop smiling. Easily one of the happiest moments of my life. And the weather was perfect for a summit day, gorgeous blue skies, slight breezes, great visibility. The Crusher had said that it was best day in the history of the AT to summit, and I'd have to agree.
Whippersnap was already up there, and with him was his wife, so The Crusher, he, and I had an awesome photo session. That was the other great part about the whole experience, we just couldn't stop taking pictures. I wanted to capture everything! And as others showed up, first Three Bears, then Rocket, and finally Ichabod, we just continued to flash the cameras and demand more photo sessions. I was glad to be one of the first thru-hikers to make the top because it gave me the chance to witness everyone elses reactions as they reached the summit. Each person had their own moment, some intensely emotional and others just screaming out to the world. My favorite would have to be Ichabod's. As he climbed onto the sign he stretched his arms out to the heavens and yelled as loud as he could, "WE WALKED SO FAR!!!" It was fantastic.
We all stayed up there for a good couple hours, no one really wanted to leave. I sure didn't, partly because I didn't want to hike back down, but mostly because it meant the trip was finally over for me. It was a bit sad, but as I said earlier I was overjoyed more than anything. I felt complete, like I had done everything right, that the trip was all I'd hoped it to be and I couldn't have asked for a better day to finish. I was worried that seeing the sign, touching it, finishing, would throw me into a deep sadness, but I've changed. The trip has changed me, and I look at the end as a positive thing, a moment of true happiness that very few get to experience. I feel blessed to have had the chance to do this. As I hiked back down the mountain I saw someone hiking up, and it looked a lot like Ace. As we got closer I saw to my surprise that it was her. She had gotten really sick and took over a month off, so she was doing a flip-flop. Of all the days to decide to start back up I was amazed that it happened to be the same day as me. It was great to see her again, and she wished me a congratulations. I hope the remainder of her hike goes well for her.
Going up was tough, but heading back down was more challenging. Not physically, but just logistically. It was so steep and rocky that sometimes you'd have to make a leap of faith, nothing too crazy, but tough hiking all the same. I mountain-goated the whole way down, flying down and getting back to the campground around 2:30. When I showed up in the distance I saw a sign that said "Welcome Home Coon Cat", something my Mom had gotten made. It was a great sign, huge too, at least 4 or 5 feet long. I went over and sat with her, showed her my awesome photos, and had a bunch of snacks she had brought. Eventually The Crusher came next, then Three Bears, and they joined in on some last moments of trail magic and being together. Three Bears's aunt was there as well, having driven from New Hampshire I believe to pick him up. Then Ichabod and his parents came down (they had gone up to the top with him), and came over for a bit as well. Then it was time for everyone to say goodbye, people had places to be and rides to make. That was probably the saddest part, knowing that there weren't going to be any more nights around a campfire, hanging out, talking, eating ramen and tuna.
After people started leaving and going their own ways Mom and I went and swam at the same beach as the day before, then went back to our site and cooked up some burgers and hot dogs. It was a nice ending meal. Sat around the campfire for a while, until at least 9:30, watching the stars and talking. She went to bed a bit before me, I stayed up to make sure the fire was going out, then went to bed after I was sure.
Today is September 1st, several days after my actual summit date. I didn't want to write it up immediately after hiking because I wanted some think time and to see if any emotional changes would take place over the next few days. I still feel good, a bit more sad now, but not depressed. It's starting to settle in that I'm not hiking every day anymore. The trip really is over. I think it will take a long time to not think about it every day, but I'm also excited and optimistic about my future and getting a fresh start on a new chapter in life. This was a once in a lifetime experience, one that I will never forget. It has changed my life, made me a better person, and shown me what is truly important: Friendship. Working hard. Appreciation for nature. Perseverance. Determination. Ability to adapt. Acceptance. Generosity. There are more, and I'm sure more will come to be realized after several more days, weeks, and even years have gone by. I can't believe I hiked almost 2200 miles, from Georgia to Maine. I still look in awe when I see the map on the wall and how far I really walked. I'd like to think I did it all on my own, but the power of support and encouragement can do a lot, and I think without all of you who have supported me I might not have made it. Thank you to anyone and everyone for that. Special thanks to my parents again, you were behind me 100% through this whole experience and it was crucial to keep me going, Jen for being understanding about my need to do this, and Ian who helped my beyond measure with all his guidance and advice. It was almost five months ago I walked into those woods, little to no experience with backpacking, somewhat clueless, but if I had not received his help who knows if I would have even made it one step. He told me I could do it, and I did. So thank you Ian.
This isn't the end for me. I may never do a long trip like this, but hiking and backpacking is now a part of my life and something I will do for the rest of it. I will probably put up a few more posts now and then, although it will no longer be every day. Perhaps some reflections on how things are changing in my life, new realizations about the impact this trip has had on me. In the next few days I think I will go through my notes, thoughts, whatnot, and make up some lists of random things, favorite spots, biggest trail personalities, best state award, etc. as just a fun thing to do. That's it for me on the AT though, I'm done, "all pau".
(In case you're wondering why I wrote that on my arms for some summit photos, I did for two reasons. One, I did it in honor of Earl Shaffer, the first person to thru-hike the AT. At the museum in Pine Furnace they had some old journals of his, and in it he wrote those exact words, which in Hawaiian means "all done". The second reason is because Jen's family on her mother's side are from Hawaii, and she actually taught me this phrase years ago before I had even hiked the AT. I wouldn't have written those words on my arms if either of these circumstances didn't exist, but because I knew what it meant without needing translation in Earl Shaffer's journal I just felt compelled to do it. I needed to. Just like I felt compelled to do this whole trip. So there's your explanation.)
Total miles: 2179.1
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The 100-mile wilderness: 8/23-8/29
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SEVEN DAYS WORTH OF EVENTS. YOU SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO READ IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES SIT DOWN TIME, OTHERWISE HEAD, NECK, AND EYE INJURY MAY OCCUR. (KIDDING, BUT THERE IS REALLY SEVEN DAYS OF STUFF HERE...SO IT WILL TAKE A WHILE)
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Day 125 - 8/23/10
Had a great sleep at the hostel. Nice big bed with lots of covers. I can't wait to go back to sleeping in a bed every night, I really miss that. I woke up at 6:40 and took one more shower before heading out, then walked over to Shaw's to have breakfast with the other guys. It was AYCE so I ate just enough to fuel me for a while but not make me sick. When I left I realized I had left a soda in the fridge at Lakeshore, and I had been planning to carry that out with me and enjoy on the trail, so I walked back and grabbed it. The owner who I had met and talked to last night ended up giving me a ride back to the trail because she was on her way out somewhere, so I think I was meant to forget the soda. If I hadn't maybe I wouldn't have gotten a ride so easy.
I'm not sure when I got back to the trail, but I made it to the first shelter that was 3 miles away by 10:15. I stopped there and took a pretty long break, pulling out the soda (Dr. Pepper) and enjoying it before it had a chance to get too warm. All the other guys, Ichabod, The Crusher, Sherpa & Draggen Tail (the father son duo) all showed up a bit after I did, so they must've gotten an easy ride too. We all hiked together for the rest of the day, crossing paths with one another at different places and taking breaks together at all the shelters.
There were some great sights along the trail today. Little Wilson Falls was a spectacular waterfall probably 40 feet at least. The rock around it was very intricate and neat as well. Then there was a part where we walked along some pond for a while, then headed uphill to these cliff ledges that had views back down to the pond we had passed by. Also had a lot of rivers to "ford", but because it has been such a dry summer they were easily crossable without having to remove shoes and socks.
As I said we took our breaks together, the second one coming at 2:00 by Wilson Valley Lean-to. Stayed a decent length of time, probably a 1/2 hour. After leaving I hiked by myself for the most part until arriving at the next spot, Long Pond Stream Lean-to. I decided to stay here while everyone else pressed on, so it's just me all by my lonesome. I just couldn't do the extra 4 miles, I have so much food that my back actually hurts like it did when I first started. I'd rather have a little extra instead of running out in the 100-mile wilderness though. There is a place, a hostel, that you can stop at midway through and resupply, but I'm sure the prices are sky high. So I don't mind the heaviness, and it'll lighten up soon enough, so I figured I'd rather not push myself too hard when it's heaviest.
The other reason I wanted to be alone tonight was so that I could just do some reflecting about this adventure. A few weeks ago I was really excited at the thought of being finished. I miss my family, Jen, comforts, cleanliness, etc. But last night it really hit me that I am almost done, and it was extremely saddening. I'm going to miss so much of what the AT is about: The people, friendships, trail life, being in a new exciting place each night, and so on. It's hard to face the truth sometimes, and the truth is after this is all over I probably won't see any of these people ever again. They all have their own lives, and I have mine, and we have been united for only a brief time through this amazing trail. It's almost like high school or college where you're all heading toward the same goal, and when you summit that final mountain it's like graduation. Afterward you go your separate ways, onto the next adventure. With the finish line in sight things are starting to feel more and more bittersweet. But if there's one thing I've learned out here it's that life is about balance. You can't experience happiness without grief, so although I'm sad about all this coming to an end, I know that it'll make the few happy moments still to come even better.
Oh, and I'm under 100 miles left. Double digits, yooooooo!
Total miles: 2079.7
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Day 126 - 8/24/10
Day 2 of the 100-mile wilderness and things are going well. I had an early alarm set, but of course just ignored it and slept in until 7:30. I had a breakfast consisting of two clifbars, some applesauce, and a cup of cocoa/coffee, then was on my way by 8:30. The first thing I hit was a steep uphill to Barren Ledges, which then led to Barren Mountain, a 2660 footer. It was a nice view up there, and you could see back where I had hiked a few days ago. Moxie Bald was especially easy to spot, but it looked so far away even though I'd only been there 4 days ago. I took a nice snack break there, and to my surprise saw that I had a signal when I checked my phone. I decided not to post yesterday's entry though because I want to put my entire 100-mile wilderness experience onto the blog as a single entity.
When I moved on I soon past the side trail that led to the first shelter. Then I came upon a sectioner who had recently left from there. He was from Maine, and I walked and talked with him a bit down the trail. We parted ways when I stopped to fill up water, but the stream I stopped at was mucky and just a trickle, so I didn't even end up getting anything out of it. I caught up to him by the time I made it to Fourth Mountain. When ranges have names that are either a number or letter, like here or the Wildcats with peak A-E, it usually means you have some tough up and down climbing. Sure enough that's what I did, hitting Third Mountain next, then Columbus (which had absolutely no view-even at 2325 feet), and finally Chairback itself, for which the range is named after.
After all those peaks I went down toward Pleasant River. Along the way I came upon some trail magic, very surprising considering I'm in the most remote part of the trail. It was at some logging road, and although most of the TM was gone I did get to enjoy a cold can of iced tea. It was so sweet and sugary, exactly what I needed after the tough climbing earlier. Pleasant River wasn't too much farther from there, and although my book said fording was required I was able to make it across just rock-hopping. On the other side was more trail magic, this time a bag full of Capri Sun. Since it was close to 5 I decided to make dinner there and enjoy the beverage with my meal. Plus I would be going uphill once again, so I figured if I eat now I'd have less to carry up the trail. I made myself mac & cheese with tuna and bacon bits for the second night in a row. It's not too bad, and very filling by the end. Wish I had a little Tobasco to throw in there though.
When I had finished and packed up it was right about 5, and with only 5.5 miles to go I felt good about making it before dusk. Along the way up to Carl Newhall, the lean-to I was aiming for, I passed a popular side trail called Gulf Hagas. There I met 3 people who as I walked by asked, "Have you seen 2 dogs?" I hadn't, and was a bit taken aback that these people had lost their dogs so easily. Clearly neither was leashed, which is sad considering right as you cross the river there's a sign saying dogs MUST be leashed. Anyway, I hiked on and soon came upon The Crusher and Ichabod taking a break by the side of the trail. I sat with them for 15 minutes, then we all headed out.
They got ahead and disappeared pretty quick, so it was just me by myself for a while, that is until I met Little Bear. No, Little Bear isn't someone's trail name, he was actually one of the lost pups that had gone missing earlier. Since I had gone a fair distance past where I had met the owners I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to backtrack down to where they were, at least 3 miles away, and I didn't want just leave him out there alone, so I befriended him quickly and took him along with me. Fortunately he had a collar, and on it was a telephone number (and the name Little Bear-that's how I knew that) so my hope was that I'd have a signal at the shelter, dial those digits, and get an answer.
We hiked together all the way up to the shelter, probably around 2 miles. He seemed sort of scared and skiddish at first, which makes sense considering he was lost and his owners were not around, but he took a liking to me and trusted me pretty quickly. All I could think about was that Mastercard commercial where the dog loses his family by accident and ends up taking this long cross country adventure to reunite with them, meeting tons of people and doing all sorts of things like ride on the back of motorcycles and go skydiving. Anyway, when we made it to the shelter everyone there knew about the missing dogs too, so I ended up passing ownership of him over to two SOBO dayhikers who would be going down to the river tomorrow and could give that number a call.
I decided to stay in the shelter because of potential nighttime rain, so it was pretty tight with Three Bears, Ichbod, The Crusher, a SOBO, and myself. But it worked out, and I hope Little Bear gets reunited with his family soon, even though they were irresponsible and didn't listen to the park rules. Time for bed now. Going up and over White Cap tomorrow, my last tough day before Katahdin. Sweet!
Total miles: 2100.5
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Day 127 - 8/25/10
On my third day of hiking the AT gave to me, tons and tons of rain! Third day of the 100-miles that is. Fortunately I dodged the rain, getting to my goal shelter 10.8 miles away just in time. But that's jumping ahead.
Decent sleep in the shelter. The SOBO was a snorer though, old guy of course. I hit a series of mountains before White Cap, Gulf Hagas (2680'), West Peak (3178'), Hay Mountain (3245'), in that order. So there was some climbing, up and down, before White Cap, which is at 3650 feet. The fog had rolled in, and some swirling smoke, so I wasn't able to get a view of Katahdin from the summit. I was disappointed because I was anticipating that spot to be my first 100% positive view of Big K. But if I had to choose between a view of Katahdin and a view from atop Katahdin, I'd choose the latter. So hopefully this counts as an exchange in my favor. It was a bit rough reading everyone's account of getting a view in the shelter register below White Cap though. They all sounded so giddy.
I only stayed there for 10 minutes, then booked it to the next shelter so I could avoid the looming rainstorm that I'd been expecting since last night. Just as I pulled into East Branch Lean-to it started to go from a light sprinkle to full on rain, so I made it just in time, as did Three Bears who was right behind me. I'm staying here because 1. I don't want to get wet 2. The terrain from here on out is almost flat, so I can do bigger days and make up for this short one 3. I have enough food to make it to Katahdin no problem, so stopping here for a shorter day doesn't really impact my food supply.
It's really nice to be able to stop at 1, have avoided the rain, and just relax. I can eat, read, and journal at my leisure, something I don't get to do often. Since I do have some time for extra words, I thought I'd hit on a subject I've been thinking about a lot, especially recently. One thing I've come to realize is that I've spent this whole time on the trail living without regret. There hasn't been a decision I've made that I wish I could take back, a day where I wish it had gone differently. Even the bad days where you trudge through rain and feel like crud, somehow even those days have ended on a good note with happiness in my heart, and I feel truly lucky to have it this way. It makes me want to continue living a life where I don't have to wish I had done something differently. To live with regret seems terrible, and I can only imagine how badly I'd feel twenty years from now if I hadn't done this trip and taken the time to do it when I could. It's amazing how many people you meet, all different ages, who say they had always wished to do something like this. Maybe it was a distant dream for some, just a whim like a cool thing to do, and for them it won't be something they regret. But to those who have a deep desire to give it a try, I say go for it, make the attempt, because at least you can be happy knowing you gave it a try instead of always wondering "what if". I know now that if there's something I want to do, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem, I will go for it, because I refuse to regret anything in this life.
Total miles: 2111.3
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Day 128 - 8/26/10
It rained all afternoon, night, and into the early morning. I didn't get any sleep because of it, plus there was an old guy snoring like crazy. That is one thing I will not miss. Everyone was up and moving early, and by the time I left the rain had returned. Not as hard and intense, but there all the same. Almost immediately I hit a ford that required me to remove my boots. First time I've had to do that at an official fording location, the time at Big Branch in Vermont doesn't really count because normally there's a bridge you use to cross it. So this was my first one, not too bad, and when I got to the other side, dried my feet, then put my socks and boots back on my feet felt nice and toasty inside. That didn't last too long though because the rain continued to come down all the way until I had made it over Little Boardman Mountain, 3.5 miles from the shelter. When I hit my first road, that's about where the rain stopped, and from then on the trail was very flat and easy and the weather started to clear.
I took my first break at a little sandy beach area on Crawford Pond, then my second at Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to. Before I made it there I hiked a bit with Jenx, a nice guy who was at the same shelter as me last night. He had done almost the whole trail in '08, all the way to the Gulf Hagas trail, but had to go home for a family emergency and so couldn't finish. I can't imagine having less than 100 miles to go and just pulling the plug, but he's not the first I've heard that happen to.
Anyway, we took a break at the shelter together, then I headed onward to Jo-Mary road where in my book it lists a nearby campstore (only .9 miles) you can get food at. Unfortunately when I got there I saw a sign that said it wasn't .9, but rather 9 miles, and it wasn't even opened. What?!?!? I was so disappointed, I had been envisioning all these foods I would buy and enjoy, milk, cereal, ice cream. Plus I know I have just enough food to make it to Katahdin, but I could have definitely done with a few more things. I'll be scraping by with what I have now. The worst part is my appetite has really kicked in again, so it's getting hard to make my snacks last the day.
Although I was upset about the situation, there was nothing I could do about it, so I left and trudged on, my mind lingering on what could have been for a good mile or two at least. I can't wait to get home and eat a giant bowl of cereal, that's really what I wanted more than anything. Not much to see in between that road and the shelter, just long flat trail. Nice trail, but a bit boring too. The one nice thing that Maine has, and no other state on the AT really does, is ponds and lakes everywhere. If it weren't for the beautiful water landscapes than these flat easy stretches would be just as boring as Pennsylvania's or some other mid-Atlantic state. I passed at least 3 or 4 of them today.
I made it to the shelter a bit before 4, so I had done a 19.5 mile day very fast. I'm not sure when I left this morning, but it felt around my normal time (8ish), so I was easily over 2mph today. A SOBO doing the ECT (Eastern Continental Trail) was here, and Three Bears showed up soon after me, then Jenx a bit later. The ECT guy has a really strange voice, really monotone and boring, and it reminds me sort of how Ben Stein talks. "Bueller. Bueller." I made an early dinner because I was starving, and I'm going to try to get to bed early and fall asleep first so I won't be disturbed in case there are any snorers or what not. Oh, and the shelter I stopped at is called Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to. Hope you all can figure out how to pronounce that. The spring for which the shelter is named is actually amazing, one of the best I've seen in some time, maybe even the best on the whole trail. It's just so huge, a giant clear space of frigid water. Truly a beautiful sight.
To cap the post I think I'll write up a list of THINGS I WILL NOT MISS:
-Privys
-Feeling hungry all the time
-Snorers
-Having smelly armpits
-Worrying about running out of TP
-Not being clean
-Packing up a wet tent
Total miles: 2130.8
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Day 129 - 8/27/10
Had a good sleep in the shelter. Probably crashed around 8, maybe earlier, I was just dead tired. I guess I was talking while I slept because when I woke up I was informed about it by the others. One guy, the ECTer, actually remembered what I said, which was, "In 100 years they'll have an escalator to the top". Not exactly sure what that means, but I can guess I was dreaming about Katahdin or some other AT mountain. Maybe it was an eerie prediction of the future, who knows?
I got an early start because I had gotten to bed so early, and on my way out I had to snap a picture of that spring. It was just too gorgeous not to. I also snagged a button up shirt from the shelter and wore it out of there because it was such a chilly morning. I didn't want to wear my jacket because it gets damp with sweat when I hike in it. This morning was slow and sluggish for me, time seemed to be standing still. I think I'm so eager to finally get to Katahdin and be done that my few remaining days will feel that way.
I took a break after only 4 miles because I was starving, and when I started back up again Ichabod then The Crusher soon caught me. They had stayed at White House Landing last night, a hostel in the 100-mile wilderness, so they had only just started the day pretty much. I asked them how the place was, and we talked about it for a while. Seems like they had a good time. We hiked together right up to the first shelter, Wadleigh Stream Lean-to, and decided to take a break. Along the way there we passed a lot of nice sand beach sections, one even had a reclining chair you could sit in. It was chained to a tree so no one would take it, which I liked because that way you know everyone will get a chance to enjoy it. That lake was called Nahmakanta Lake, and stretched a very long ways all the way to Nesuntabunt Mountain, at least 4 miles away.
That was the very first thing we hit after the shelter, a reasonable climb of 700 feet, bringing you up to 1520'. I left a little before the others, and when I made it to the top I took a short side trail to some cliffs where you could see Katahdin straight ahead. It was my first legit view, without fog and bad weather blocking it. The summit was clouded, so it wasn't 100% visible, but I saw enough of it to be in awe. What a mountain. It made me so much more eager to get there and conquer that last peak. It was a strange finally seeing it, in a way it seemed so close, and yet still so far. I don't think the reality of what I'm doing will set in until Monday when I'm climbing it. The others soon came along and joined me at the viewspot, and we hung out there for quite a while.
Again I left ahead of them and didn't stop until I made it to Rainbow Stream Lean-to, the shelter I planned on stopping at for the day. Put me at 18.2 miles today. Decided to once again sleep in the shelter, which makes it like 5 nights in a row or something. I'm becoming a shelter rat! Really I've just become so lazy about setting up my tent. Maybe I will tomorrow though because really I only have 2 nights left that I can tent out on the AT. I've been experiencing a lot of lasts lately, moments where I'll be doing something, stop, and say in my head, "This is my last hot chocolate on the trail" or "This is my last hostel visit". It's bizarre, like I'm mentally preparing for the end, letting myself down easier rather than just a sudden and abrupt end of all things AT. Maybe I need to do this otherwise I'll go into shock when I'm finished. I am a little worried about PHD (Post Hiker Depression), which is why I'm glad to be moving back to LA rather soon (Sept. 9). The way I see it, the busier I am the less caught up I'll be in how great the AT was and how much I miss it. I'm excited as well to get back to the working world and try and find a job, one that keeps me busy and I enjoy, and that's in my field. I'm confident that I can go out there and find a place where I'll get my foot in the door and which will lead to further opportunities down the road. Thinking about these sorts of things makes me happy and will help me transition into life off the trail. Although one chapter is ending, another is just beginning. Yes that's an old cliché, yet it's so true. Just as I am eager to climb Katahdin, I am equally eager to see where life takes me afterward.
Total miles: 2149
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Day 130 - 8/28/10
It rained a little in the early AM, so I was happy I had decided to stay in the shelter. I really dislike having to pack up wet gear, as you all probably have heard me say before. The rain was what woke me up actually, so after it stopped I went to the bathroom, ate breakfast, then packed up to leave. I forgot to say this yesterday, but Jenx had actually given me 4 clifbars and a packet of M&M's because he knew I was low on food and realized he didn't need them. It was totally unexpected and awesome, and definitely helped me out.
When I was up and ready to go The Crusher was just starting to move and get motivated, so I talked to him about tonight. I had suggested to the others that some us of hike the extra 3.5 miles to Abol Bridge where there's a store, buy a bunch of snacks and beer, then hike it back the 3.5 to Hurd Brook Lean-to where we were all going to stay. He liked the idea, just not the extra 7 miles of hiking, so I told him he didn't have to go, that I would and Three Bears probably would. Two would be enough. Three Bears had already left too so we'd be the first ones to make it there and be able to return the earliest with goods.
The hiking for most the day was flat and uneventful. I stopped at Rainbow Spring Campsite for my first snack break, finishing off this nasty blend of trail mix I had created. You know how I said Jenx helped me out because I was low on food? Well to give you an idea of how low, one thing I resorted to was supplementing the trail mix by crushing up a ton of ramen and putting it in with the rest of the stuff. Bad call on that one. So I finished off that and hiked onward, not stopping again until Rainbow Ledges where there was a great view of Katahdin. Even though I had just seen it yesterday it looked so much closer than before, and much MUCH larger! It's so alone, and really stands out. More intimidating than any other mountain I've seen on the trail. I ain't scared though, I can't wait to climb that beast!
When I had gotten there another man was up there, a strange old guy who I didn't like. I couldn't wait to see him get up and leave, and eventually he did, giving me the chance to look off at the mountain alone. I sat there a good 10-15 minutes just staring at the thing. Katahdin - the finish line. It's crazy to me. After that span of alone time Rocket showed up, and I told him the gameplan for tonight. He was down, and I asked if he'd stay behind at the shelter and just watch our stuff while we were gone, which he was also down for. I left before him and did the fast 2.5 to Hurd Brook where I saw Three Bears was already set up and waiting. I quickly unloaded all extras from my pack and set up in the shelter, finishing up just as Rocket came up the trail, so we left right away.
We hustled to do that 3.5 and made it under an hour easily, mostly because we were carrying no weight and could practically run. It was a bit too rocky and rooty to sprint though. When we got there I was starving, and bought food to my hearts content. I had two sodas, two 3-4" subs, a cookie, Reese's Cups, and that was just for there. I bought a bunch of other stuff for tonight and tomorrow, as well as a bunch of beer. Three Bears went crazy and bought tons of food for the celebration, s'more supplies, hotdogs and buns, chips, candy, and beer also. We were ready to have a good night.
Made it back around 4:30, and from then on The Crusher, Ichabod, Rocket, Three Bears, and myself commenced to celebrate the end of our journey with bountiful food and drink. We had a great time, and had the company of several sectioners, one NOBO old guy, and a SOBO couple. They all went to bed a while before us, but we just continued to celebrate, talk, eat, and drink. We finished all the beers, and most the food, calling it a night around 10. Now I'm very tired, slightly buzzed still, but that's fading, and ready to crash. Tomorrow I'm meeting Mom and staying with her at Katahdin Stream Campground, so this really was the last night we or at least I could do this. Those 7 miles were totally worth it, I'm very glad we all had the chance to get in one last celebratory night.
Total miles: 2160.5
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Day 131 - 8/29/10
Woke up early, but had a slow morning, so I didn't leave until about 8. I once again hiked to Abol Bridge, this time with a full pack, so it took me just about an hour to get there. I couldn't resist stopping again, so I went in and bought myself a whoopie pie, Gatorade, chocolate milk, and a Mt. Dew. I hung out there for a while with Rocket and The Crusher, and after an hour decided to hike out. I wanted to wait a little while so that the timing for meeting my Mom would be better since I was expecting her to be at Katahdin Stream sometime between 12-1. It was almost 10 miles from Abol to KSC, mostly flat too, so I thought the timing would be just right.
In those 10 miles were some nice sights, a long stretch that followed alongside the Penobscot River, lots of small waterfalls and swimming holes beyond that, and just nicely maintained trail in general. Baxter State Park is a very nice park, you can really see the effort put into conserving the natural beauty of this place. I made it to the campground at 1:10 and found my Mom right away, sitting at some picnic tables. I checked in with her, then ran over to the Ranger Station and registered there. I'm NOBO thru-hiker #221. Seems like a lot have already finished. I wish I could remember what number I was back down in Georgia at the Amicalola Visitor Center, but alas I cannot.
I went back and talked with my Mom, and she told me our campsite was actually 2 miles down the road, although it's still considered part of the Katahdin Stream section. So we drove down to our spot and set up the tents, grill, and other miscellaneous items. After that was done we drove to a picnic area at a beach so I could swim and wash off. The drive was long because the roads are so narrow and not paved, but the 1/2 hour trip was totally worth it. Jumping in the water felt great, I really needed it. Afterwards I changed into some fresh, clean clothes Mom had brought and felt like a new man. No more stink! At least not as bad.
We drove back to our campsite, making a quick detour stop at the main KSC area so I could check in with the other guys. I wanted to see if there was any consensus on what time to head up, but it didn't seem like anyone had really decided. I hung for only a minute or two longer, then went back and hopped in the car. I'm thinking of starting at six so that I can get ahead of dayhiker crowds a bit and enjoy the mountain to myself a little more. When Mom and I got back to our spot she started up dinner, an awesome feast of ribs, corn, and redskin potatoes with bacon and onions. What a meal, and to top it off we also had some Shipyard Pumpkinhead brews, a nicely spiced beer, almost like pumpkin pie in a bottle.
After dinner we cleaned up, then started up a campfire with some wood we had bought at the Ranger Station earlier. Had a nice time sitting around that, talking about the trip and reflecting on the experience. I can't believe tomorrow is my last mountain. Hiking the AT is like one of those things you think will never end, the goal is just so far away. You chip away at it day by day, and yet it still feels so distant. Only when you get to that final stretch does it become real, something obtainable. That's where I am now, it has become real. Tomorrow I'll be a real thru-hiker, and a dream many years in the making will be fulfilled. It's almost too much to take in.
About 9pm now, I should be getting to bed. I probably won't be able to sleep though, it feels a lot like being eight years old again on Christmas Eve. Anyway, that's it today. See you on the other side!
Total miles: 2173.9
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Day 125 - 8/23/10
Had a great sleep at the hostel. Nice big bed with lots of covers. I can't wait to go back to sleeping in a bed every night, I really miss that. I woke up at 6:40 and took one more shower before heading out, then walked over to Shaw's to have breakfast with the other guys. It was AYCE so I ate just enough to fuel me for a while but not make me sick. When I left I realized I had left a soda in the fridge at Lakeshore, and I had been planning to carry that out with me and enjoy on the trail, so I walked back and grabbed it. The owner who I had met and talked to last night ended up giving me a ride back to the trail because she was on her way out somewhere, so I think I was meant to forget the soda. If I hadn't maybe I wouldn't have gotten a ride so easy.
I'm not sure when I got back to the trail, but I made it to the first shelter that was 3 miles away by 10:15. I stopped there and took a pretty long break, pulling out the soda (Dr. Pepper) and enjoying it before it had a chance to get too warm. All the other guys, Ichabod, The Crusher, Sherpa & Draggen Tail (the father son duo) all showed up a bit after I did, so they must've gotten an easy ride too. We all hiked together for the rest of the day, crossing paths with one another at different places and taking breaks together at all the shelters.
There were some great sights along the trail today. Little Wilson Falls was a spectacular waterfall probably 40 feet at least. The rock around it was very intricate and neat as well. Then there was a part where we walked along some pond for a while, then headed uphill to these cliff ledges that had views back down to the pond we had passed by. Also had a lot of rivers to "ford", but because it has been such a dry summer they were easily crossable without having to remove shoes and socks.
As I said we took our breaks together, the second one coming at 2:00 by Wilson Valley Lean-to. Stayed a decent length of time, probably a 1/2 hour. After leaving I hiked by myself for the most part until arriving at the next spot, Long Pond Stream Lean-to. I decided to stay here while everyone else pressed on, so it's just me all by my lonesome. I just couldn't do the extra 4 miles, I have so much food that my back actually hurts like it did when I first started. I'd rather have a little extra instead of running out in the 100-mile wilderness though. There is a place, a hostel, that you can stop at midway through and resupply, but I'm sure the prices are sky high. So I don't mind the heaviness, and it'll lighten up soon enough, so I figured I'd rather not push myself too hard when it's heaviest.
The other reason I wanted to be alone tonight was so that I could just do some reflecting about this adventure. A few weeks ago I was really excited at the thought of being finished. I miss my family, Jen, comforts, cleanliness, etc. But last night it really hit me that I am almost done, and it was extremely saddening. I'm going to miss so much of what the AT is about: The people, friendships, trail life, being in a new exciting place each night, and so on. It's hard to face the truth sometimes, and the truth is after this is all over I probably won't see any of these people ever again. They all have their own lives, and I have mine, and we have been united for only a brief time through this amazing trail. It's almost like high school or college where you're all heading toward the same goal, and when you summit that final mountain it's like graduation. Afterward you go your separate ways, onto the next adventure. With the finish line in sight things are starting to feel more and more bittersweet. But if there's one thing I've learned out here it's that life is about balance. You can't experience happiness without grief, so although I'm sad about all this coming to an end, I know that it'll make the few happy moments still to come even better.
Oh, and I'm under 100 miles left. Double digits, yooooooo!
Total miles: 2079.7
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Day 126 - 8/24/10
Day 2 of the 100-mile wilderness and things are going well. I had an early alarm set, but of course just ignored it and slept in until 7:30. I had a breakfast consisting of two clifbars, some applesauce, and a cup of cocoa/coffee, then was on my way by 8:30. The first thing I hit was a steep uphill to Barren Ledges, which then led to Barren Mountain, a 2660 footer. It was a nice view up there, and you could see back where I had hiked a few days ago. Moxie Bald was especially easy to spot, but it looked so far away even though I'd only been there 4 days ago. I took a nice snack break there, and to my surprise saw that I had a signal when I checked my phone. I decided not to post yesterday's entry though because I want to put my entire 100-mile wilderness experience onto the blog as a single entity.
When I moved on I soon past the side trail that led to the first shelter. Then I came upon a sectioner who had recently left from there. He was from Maine, and I walked and talked with him a bit down the trail. We parted ways when I stopped to fill up water, but the stream I stopped at was mucky and just a trickle, so I didn't even end up getting anything out of it. I caught up to him by the time I made it to Fourth Mountain. When ranges have names that are either a number or letter, like here or the Wildcats with peak A-E, it usually means you have some tough up and down climbing. Sure enough that's what I did, hitting Third Mountain next, then Columbus (which had absolutely no view-even at 2325 feet), and finally Chairback itself, for which the range is named after.
After all those peaks I went down toward Pleasant River. Along the way I came upon some trail magic, very surprising considering I'm in the most remote part of the trail. It was at some logging road, and although most of the TM was gone I did get to enjoy a cold can of iced tea. It was so sweet and sugary, exactly what I needed after the tough climbing earlier. Pleasant River wasn't too much farther from there, and although my book said fording was required I was able to make it across just rock-hopping. On the other side was more trail magic, this time a bag full of Capri Sun. Since it was close to 5 I decided to make dinner there and enjoy the beverage with my meal. Plus I would be going uphill once again, so I figured if I eat now I'd have less to carry up the trail. I made myself mac & cheese with tuna and bacon bits for the second night in a row. It's not too bad, and very filling by the end. Wish I had a little Tobasco to throw in there though.
When I had finished and packed up it was right about 5, and with only 5.5 miles to go I felt good about making it before dusk. Along the way up to Carl Newhall, the lean-to I was aiming for, I passed a popular side trail called Gulf Hagas. There I met 3 people who as I walked by asked, "Have you seen 2 dogs?" I hadn't, and was a bit taken aback that these people had lost their dogs so easily. Clearly neither was leashed, which is sad considering right as you cross the river there's a sign saying dogs MUST be leashed. Anyway, I hiked on and soon came upon The Crusher and Ichabod taking a break by the side of the trail. I sat with them for 15 minutes, then we all headed out.
They got ahead and disappeared pretty quick, so it was just me by myself for a while, that is until I met Little Bear. No, Little Bear isn't someone's trail name, he was actually one of the lost pups that had gone missing earlier. Since I had gone a fair distance past where I had met the owners I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to backtrack down to where they were, at least 3 miles away, and I didn't want just leave him out there alone, so I befriended him quickly and took him along with me. Fortunately he had a collar, and on it was a telephone number (and the name Little Bear-that's how I knew that) so my hope was that I'd have a signal at the shelter, dial those digits, and get an answer.
We hiked together all the way up to the shelter, probably around 2 miles. He seemed sort of scared and skiddish at first, which makes sense considering he was lost and his owners were not around, but he took a liking to me and trusted me pretty quickly. All I could think about was that Mastercard commercial where the dog loses his family by accident and ends up taking this long cross country adventure to reunite with them, meeting tons of people and doing all sorts of things like ride on the back of motorcycles and go skydiving. Anyway, when we made it to the shelter everyone there knew about the missing dogs too, so I ended up passing ownership of him over to two SOBO dayhikers who would be going down to the river tomorrow and could give that number a call.
I decided to stay in the shelter because of potential nighttime rain, so it was pretty tight with Three Bears, Ichbod, The Crusher, a SOBO, and myself. But it worked out, and I hope Little Bear gets reunited with his family soon, even though they were irresponsible and didn't listen to the park rules. Time for bed now. Going up and over White Cap tomorrow, my last tough day before Katahdin. Sweet!
Total miles: 2100.5
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Day 127 - 8/25/10
On my third day of hiking the AT gave to me, tons and tons of rain! Third day of the 100-miles that is. Fortunately I dodged the rain, getting to my goal shelter 10.8 miles away just in time. But that's jumping ahead.
Decent sleep in the shelter. The SOBO was a snorer though, old guy of course. I hit a series of mountains before White Cap, Gulf Hagas (2680'), West Peak (3178'), Hay Mountain (3245'), in that order. So there was some climbing, up and down, before White Cap, which is at 3650 feet. The fog had rolled in, and some swirling smoke, so I wasn't able to get a view of Katahdin from the summit. I was disappointed because I was anticipating that spot to be my first 100% positive view of Big K. But if I had to choose between a view of Katahdin and a view from atop Katahdin, I'd choose the latter. So hopefully this counts as an exchange in my favor. It was a bit rough reading everyone's account of getting a view in the shelter register below White Cap though. They all sounded so giddy.
I only stayed there for 10 minutes, then booked it to the next shelter so I could avoid the looming rainstorm that I'd been expecting since last night. Just as I pulled into East Branch Lean-to it started to go from a light sprinkle to full on rain, so I made it just in time, as did Three Bears who was right behind me. I'm staying here because 1. I don't want to get wet 2. The terrain from here on out is almost flat, so I can do bigger days and make up for this short one 3. I have enough food to make it to Katahdin no problem, so stopping here for a shorter day doesn't really impact my food supply.
It's really nice to be able to stop at 1, have avoided the rain, and just relax. I can eat, read, and journal at my leisure, something I don't get to do often. Since I do have some time for extra words, I thought I'd hit on a subject I've been thinking about a lot, especially recently. One thing I've come to realize is that I've spent this whole time on the trail living without regret. There hasn't been a decision I've made that I wish I could take back, a day where I wish it had gone differently. Even the bad days where you trudge through rain and feel like crud, somehow even those days have ended on a good note with happiness in my heart, and I feel truly lucky to have it this way. It makes me want to continue living a life where I don't have to wish I had done something differently. To live with regret seems terrible, and I can only imagine how badly I'd feel twenty years from now if I hadn't done this trip and taken the time to do it when I could. It's amazing how many people you meet, all different ages, who say they had always wished to do something like this. Maybe it was a distant dream for some, just a whim like a cool thing to do, and for them it won't be something they regret. But to those who have a deep desire to give it a try, I say go for it, make the attempt, because at least you can be happy knowing you gave it a try instead of always wondering "what if". I know now that if there's something I want to do, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem, I will go for it, because I refuse to regret anything in this life.
Total miles: 2111.3
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Day 128 - 8/26/10
It rained all afternoon, night, and into the early morning. I didn't get any sleep because of it, plus there was an old guy snoring like crazy. That is one thing I will not miss. Everyone was up and moving early, and by the time I left the rain had returned. Not as hard and intense, but there all the same. Almost immediately I hit a ford that required me to remove my boots. First time I've had to do that at an official fording location, the time at Big Branch in Vermont doesn't really count because normally there's a bridge you use to cross it. So this was my first one, not too bad, and when I got to the other side, dried my feet, then put my socks and boots back on my feet felt nice and toasty inside. That didn't last too long though because the rain continued to come down all the way until I had made it over Little Boardman Mountain, 3.5 miles from the shelter. When I hit my first road, that's about where the rain stopped, and from then on the trail was very flat and easy and the weather started to clear.
I took my first break at a little sandy beach area on Crawford Pond, then my second at Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to. Before I made it there I hiked a bit with Jenx, a nice guy who was at the same shelter as me last night. He had done almost the whole trail in '08, all the way to the Gulf Hagas trail, but had to go home for a family emergency and so couldn't finish. I can't imagine having less than 100 miles to go and just pulling the plug, but he's not the first I've heard that happen to.
Anyway, we took a break at the shelter together, then I headed onward to Jo-Mary road where in my book it lists a nearby campstore (only .9 miles) you can get food at. Unfortunately when I got there I saw a sign that said it wasn't .9, but rather 9 miles, and it wasn't even opened. What?!?!? I was so disappointed, I had been envisioning all these foods I would buy and enjoy, milk, cereal, ice cream. Plus I know I have just enough food to make it to Katahdin, but I could have definitely done with a few more things. I'll be scraping by with what I have now. The worst part is my appetite has really kicked in again, so it's getting hard to make my snacks last the day.
Although I was upset about the situation, there was nothing I could do about it, so I left and trudged on, my mind lingering on what could have been for a good mile or two at least. I can't wait to get home and eat a giant bowl of cereal, that's really what I wanted more than anything. Not much to see in between that road and the shelter, just long flat trail. Nice trail, but a bit boring too. The one nice thing that Maine has, and no other state on the AT really does, is ponds and lakes everywhere. If it weren't for the beautiful water landscapes than these flat easy stretches would be just as boring as Pennsylvania's or some other mid-Atlantic state. I passed at least 3 or 4 of them today.
I made it to the shelter a bit before 4, so I had done a 19.5 mile day very fast. I'm not sure when I left this morning, but it felt around my normal time (8ish), so I was easily over 2mph today. A SOBO doing the ECT (Eastern Continental Trail) was here, and Three Bears showed up soon after me, then Jenx a bit later. The ECT guy has a really strange voice, really monotone and boring, and it reminds me sort of how Ben Stein talks. "Bueller. Bueller." I made an early dinner because I was starving, and I'm going to try to get to bed early and fall asleep first so I won't be disturbed in case there are any snorers or what not. Oh, and the shelter I stopped at is called Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to. Hope you all can figure out how to pronounce that. The spring for which the shelter is named is actually amazing, one of the best I've seen in some time, maybe even the best on the whole trail. It's just so huge, a giant clear space of frigid water. Truly a beautiful sight.
To cap the post I think I'll write up a list of THINGS I WILL NOT MISS:
-Privys
-Feeling hungry all the time
-Snorers
-Having smelly armpits
-Worrying about running out of TP
-Not being clean
-Packing up a wet tent
Total miles: 2130.8
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Day 129 - 8/27/10
Had a good sleep in the shelter. Probably crashed around 8, maybe earlier, I was just dead tired. I guess I was talking while I slept because when I woke up I was informed about it by the others. One guy, the ECTer, actually remembered what I said, which was, "In 100 years they'll have an escalator to the top". Not exactly sure what that means, but I can guess I was dreaming about Katahdin or some other AT mountain. Maybe it was an eerie prediction of the future, who knows?
I got an early start because I had gotten to bed so early, and on my way out I had to snap a picture of that spring. It was just too gorgeous not to. I also snagged a button up shirt from the shelter and wore it out of there because it was such a chilly morning. I didn't want to wear my jacket because it gets damp with sweat when I hike in it. This morning was slow and sluggish for me, time seemed to be standing still. I think I'm so eager to finally get to Katahdin and be done that my few remaining days will feel that way.
I took a break after only 4 miles because I was starving, and when I started back up again Ichabod then The Crusher soon caught me. They had stayed at White House Landing last night, a hostel in the 100-mile wilderness, so they had only just started the day pretty much. I asked them how the place was, and we talked about it for a while. Seems like they had a good time. We hiked together right up to the first shelter, Wadleigh Stream Lean-to, and decided to take a break. Along the way there we passed a lot of nice sand beach sections, one even had a reclining chair you could sit in. It was chained to a tree so no one would take it, which I liked because that way you know everyone will get a chance to enjoy it. That lake was called Nahmakanta Lake, and stretched a very long ways all the way to Nesuntabunt Mountain, at least 4 miles away.
That was the very first thing we hit after the shelter, a reasonable climb of 700 feet, bringing you up to 1520'. I left a little before the others, and when I made it to the top I took a short side trail to some cliffs where you could see Katahdin straight ahead. It was my first legit view, without fog and bad weather blocking it. The summit was clouded, so it wasn't 100% visible, but I saw enough of it to be in awe. What a mountain. It made me so much more eager to get there and conquer that last peak. It was a strange finally seeing it, in a way it seemed so close, and yet still so far. I don't think the reality of what I'm doing will set in until Monday when I'm climbing it. The others soon came along and joined me at the viewspot, and we hung out there for quite a while.
Again I left ahead of them and didn't stop until I made it to Rainbow Stream Lean-to, the shelter I planned on stopping at for the day. Put me at 18.2 miles today. Decided to once again sleep in the shelter, which makes it like 5 nights in a row or something. I'm becoming a shelter rat! Really I've just become so lazy about setting up my tent. Maybe I will tomorrow though because really I only have 2 nights left that I can tent out on the AT. I've been experiencing a lot of lasts lately, moments where I'll be doing something, stop, and say in my head, "This is my last hot chocolate on the trail" or "This is my last hostel visit". It's bizarre, like I'm mentally preparing for the end, letting myself down easier rather than just a sudden and abrupt end of all things AT. Maybe I need to do this otherwise I'll go into shock when I'm finished. I am a little worried about PHD (Post Hiker Depression), which is why I'm glad to be moving back to LA rather soon (Sept. 9). The way I see it, the busier I am the less caught up I'll be in how great the AT was and how much I miss it. I'm excited as well to get back to the working world and try and find a job, one that keeps me busy and I enjoy, and that's in my field. I'm confident that I can go out there and find a place where I'll get my foot in the door and which will lead to further opportunities down the road. Thinking about these sorts of things makes me happy and will help me transition into life off the trail. Although one chapter is ending, another is just beginning. Yes that's an old cliché, yet it's so true. Just as I am eager to climb Katahdin, I am equally eager to see where life takes me afterward.
Total miles: 2149
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Day 130 - 8/28/10
It rained a little in the early AM, so I was happy I had decided to stay in the shelter. I really dislike having to pack up wet gear, as you all probably have heard me say before. The rain was what woke me up actually, so after it stopped I went to the bathroom, ate breakfast, then packed up to leave. I forgot to say this yesterday, but Jenx had actually given me 4 clifbars and a packet of M&M's because he knew I was low on food and realized he didn't need them. It was totally unexpected and awesome, and definitely helped me out.
When I was up and ready to go The Crusher was just starting to move and get motivated, so I talked to him about tonight. I had suggested to the others that some us of hike the extra 3.5 miles to Abol Bridge where there's a store, buy a bunch of snacks and beer, then hike it back the 3.5 to Hurd Brook Lean-to where we were all going to stay. He liked the idea, just not the extra 7 miles of hiking, so I told him he didn't have to go, that I would and Three Bears probably would. Two would be enough. Three Bears had already left too so we'd be the first ones to make it there and be able to return the earliest with goods.
The hiking for most the day was flat and uneventful. I stopped at Rainbow Spring Campsite for my first snack break, finishing off this nasty blend of trail mix I had created. You know how I said Jenx helped me out because I was low on food? Well to give you an idea of how low, one thing I resorted to was supplementing the trail mix by crushing up a ton of ramen and putting it in with the rest of the stuff. Bad call on that one. So I finished off that and hiked onward, not stopping again until Rainbow Ledges where there was a great view of Katahdin. Even though I had just seen it yesterday it looked so much closer than before, and much MUCH larger! It's so alone, and really stands out. More intimidating than any other mountain I've seen on the trail. I ain't scared though, I can't wait to climb that beast!
When I had gotten there another man was up there, a strange old guy who I didn't like. I couldn't wait to see him get up and leave, and eventually he did, giving me the chance to look off at the mountain alone. I sat there a good 10-15 minutes just staring at the thing. Katahdin - the finish line. It's crazy to me. After that span of alone time Rocket showed up, and I told him the gameplan for tonight. He was down, and I asked if he'd stay behind at the shelter and just watch our stuff while we were gone, which he was also down for. I left before him and did the fast 2.5 to Hurd Brook where I saw Three Bears was already set up and waiting. I quickly unloaded all extras from my pack and set up in the shelter, finishing up just as Rocket came up the trail, so we left right away.
We hustled to do that 3.5 and made it under an hour easily, mostly because we were carrying no weight and could practically run. It was a bit too rocky and rooty to sprint though. When we got there I was starving, and bought food to my hearts content. I had two sodas, two 3-4" subs, a cookie, Reese's Cups, and that was just for there. I bought a bunch of other stuff for tonight and tomorrow, as well as a bunch of beer. Three Bears went crazy and bought tons of food for the celebration, s'more supplies, hotdogs and buns, chips, candy, and beer also. We were ready to have a good night.
Made it back around 4:30, and from then on The Crusher, Ichabod, Rocket, Three Bears, and myself commenced to celebrate the end of our journey with bountiful food and drink. We had a great time, and had the company of several sectioners, one NOBO old guy, and a SOBO couple. They all went to bed a while before us, but we just continued to celebrate, talk, eat, and drink. We finished all the beers, and most the food, calling it a night around 10. Now I'm very tired, slightly buzzed still, but that's fading, and ready to crash. Tomorrow I'm meeting Mom and staying with her at Katahdin Stream Campground, so this really was the last night we or at least I could do this. Those 7 miles were totally worth it, I'm very glad we all had the chance to get in one last celebratory night.
Total miles: 2160.5
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Day 131 - 8/29/10
Woke up early, but had a slow morning, so I didn't leave until about 8. I once again hiked to Abol Bridge, this time with a full pack, so it took me just about an hour to get there. I couldn't resist stopping again, so I went in and bought myself a whoopie pie, Gatorade, chocolate milk, and a Mt. Dew. I hung out there for a while with Rocket and The Crusher, and after an hour decided to hike out. I wanted to wait a little while so that the timing for meeting my Mom would be better since I was expecting her to be at Katahdin Stream sometime between 12-1. It was almost 10 miles from Abol to KSC, mostly flat too, so I thought the timing would be just right.
In those 10 miles were some nice sights, a long stretch that followed alongside the Penobscot River, lots of small waterfalls and swimming holes beyond that, and just nicely maintained trail in general. Baxter State Park is a very nice park, you can really see the effort put into conserving the natural beauty of this place. I made it to the campground at 1:10 and found my Mom right away, sitting at some picnic tables. I checked in with her, then ran over to the Ranger Station and registered there. I'm NOBO thru-hiker #221. Seems like a lot have already finished. I wish I could remember what number I was back down in Georgia at the Amicalola Visitor Center, but alas I cannot.
I went back and talked with my Mom, and she told me our campsite was actually 2 miles down the road, although it's still considered part of the Katahdin Stream section. So we drove down to our spot and set up the tents, grill, and other miscellaneous items. After that was done we drove to a picnic area at a beach so I could swim and wash off. The drive was long because the roads are so narrow and not paved, but the 1/2 hour trip was totally worth it. Jumping in the water felt great, I really needed it. Afterwards I changed into some fresh, clean clothes Mom had brought and felt like a new man. No more stink! At least not as bad.
We drove back to our campsite, making a quick detour stop at the main KSC area so I could check in with the other guys. I wanted to see if there was any consensus on what time to head up, but it didn't seem like anyone had really decided. I hung for only a minute or two longer, then went back and hopped in the car. I'm thinking of starting at six so that I can get ahead of dayhiker crowds a bit and enjoy the mountain to myself a little more. When Mom and I got back to our spot she started up dinner, an awesome feast of ribs, corn, and redskin potatoes with bacon and onions. What a meal, and to top it off we also had some Shipyard Pumpkinhead brews, a nicely spiced beer, almost like pumpkin pie in a bottle.
After dinner we cleaned up, then started up a campfire with some wood we had bought at the Ranger Station earlier. Had a nice time sitting around that, talking about the trip and reflecting on the experience. I can't believe tomorrow is my last mountain. Hiking the AT is like one of those things you think will never end, the goal is just so far away. You chip away at it day by day, and yet it still feels so distant. Only when you get to that final stretch does it become real, something obtainable. That's where I am now, it has become real. Tomorrow I'll be a real thru-hiker, and a dream many years in the making will be fulfilled. It's almost too much to take in.
About 9pm now, I should be getting to bed. I probably won't be able to sleep though, it feels a lot like being eight years old again on Christmas Eve. Anyway, that's it today. See you on the other side!
Total miles: 2173.9
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Made it to Monson.
Day 124 - 8/22/10
Slept alright in the shelter, got up around 7, and Davin and I left by 7:30. Neither of us had much food or anything to eat, so that's part of the reason we were able to get moving so quickly. Plus with the added motivation of meeting my family and the thought of possible trail treats in our future we wanted to get to Monson sooner rather than later. It was a relatively flat 9 miles, only a few small hills, not even mountains, in between us and route 15. We took a few breaks in between, and made it to the road by 11:45. Mom, Christie, and Mary were all there, hanging out with The Crusher who had made it before us. He was sipping on a Blue Moon beer courtesy of Mom. Suddenly it seemed like there were so many hikers there in the parking lot because after Davin and I showed up Ichabod did soon after, and then Markus came rolling up in the back of a pick-up, coming back to the trail after having stayed the night in Monson last night.
We all hung out there for a bit, talking and having some laughs, and it was a jolly good time. I enjoyed the mix of having my family and friends meet friends from the trail. Mom ended up giving a ride to The Crusher and Ichabod into Monson, then came back for the rest of us, and Markus headed off into the hundred mile wilderness. Hope I run into him again at some point. Most likely I will. So us 5, Mom, 2 sis's, Davin, and I, went into Monson to Lakeshore House, one of the hostels in town that's also a pub/restaurant. We had a nice big lunch, which included several appetizers and beers. My favorite would have to be these things called Pachos that consist of french fries covered in bacon, cheese, and sour cream. They're like an alternate form of Nachos, hence the name. I got an explanation about the origin of them from the owner of this place later on.
After a hugely filling meal Mom, Christie, Mary, and Davin headed out (Christie was on call at 5 and needed to get back), so I said my goodbyes and then checked into the hostel here. I was going to go to the other one where The Crusher and Ichabod were, but since I had eaten here and was almost too full to move this seemed like the better option. It's actually a great place, and I felt right at home instantly. Had myself a shower, then went downstairs where there's a laundry-mat and threw my stinky clothes in. It's kind of crazy to think that what I'm doing here today, the shower, the laundry, the night of comfort, is my last one on the trail. This is it. My last hostel night. Because of this I decided to take full advantage of everything, so I may stay up a bit later tonight watching movies and hanging out. Anyway, after getting my laundry set I went to the store and bought myself a pint of Ben & Jerry's (Cherry Garcia!), which is also my last because after this I can't indulge in pints of ice cream and not worry about the after effects, and then came back to the hostel to watch a movie. The ice cream was for later, I was too full to eat it then, but I knew if I didn't get it early on I wouldn't end up going out for a nighttime snack run.
So back at the hostel it was just me hanging out, so I popped in Beauty and the Beast and watched it. What a great flick. I hadn't seen it in years, but I'd been craving to for so long. It was good to finally satisfy that one. I really forgot how good it was, and I was getting chills at the scary parts, the touching parts, the songs, everything. Maybe I'm just in a really emotional state right now where everything is accentuated and feels more intense than normal, or maybe it is just that good. Who knows. After watching that I heard from Three Bears, the only other hiker staying here, that Ichabod and The Crusher were downstairs at the pub, so I went and grabbed a beer with them. I also saw a father/son team I hadn't seen since Delaware Water Gap, the town right at the border between PA-NJ. So way back. I always enjoy those run-ins when you haven't seen someone for a long time. Well that's not true. Sometimes you bump into someone again you don't want to see. But for the most part I enjoy those, like today.
After the chill time I went and made a phone call to Jen before I went into the wilderness because I know I won't get service anywhere through there. Speaking of which, I want to mention now that I'm not going to attempt to post any blogs while going through there. I will continue to journal on my phone, and when I get service again I will post my adventures that I had through the 100-mile wilderness. I'm sort of glad about this because it will allow me to really reflect on this whole journey, which I think at this point is very appropriate. I imagine what I will write in these next few journals will be much more personal and introspective than anything I have previously written because honestly I'm starting to experience a lot of different emotions right now. It's an intense feeling. So, family members and friends, don't be alarmed when I haven't posted anything for 5-6 days.
Before I go to bed I wanted to mention one last thing. I want to thank my Mom and sisters for making it out here and getting the chance to do some trail magic for us. It made me really happy to be able to see you guys before I make my final trek and wrap all this up in a week or so. Every visit I've had from my family has been fantastic, and without your support through this I don't know if I would have made it. That also goes for everyone and anyone who left a comment or spoke with me along the way and gave me encouragement to keep going, but especially my parents. Thank you so much for backing me up and allowing me to follow my dream. Your support has meant so much, and I will carry it with me as I make my way to the finish. I feel like I'm rambling a bit, and I think it's in part because of all the thoughts swimming around in my head, so I'll cut it off there. See you all on the other side!
Total miles: 2064.6
Slept alright in the shelter, got up around 7, and Davin and I left by 7:30. Neither of us had much food or anything to eat, so that's part of the reason we were able to get moving so quickly. Plus with the added motivation of meeting my family and the thought of possible trail treats in our future we wanted to get to Monson sooner rather than later. It was a relatively flat 9 miles, only a few small hills, not even mountains, in between us and route 15. We took a few breaks in between, and made it to the road by 11:45. Mom, Christie, and Mary were all there, hanging out with The Crusher who had made it before us. He was sipping on a Blue Moon beer courtesy of Mom. Suddenly it seemed like there were so many hikers there in the parking lot because after Davin and I showed up Ichabod did soon after, and then Markus came rolling up in the back of a pick-up, coming back to the trail after having stayed the night in Monson last night.
We all hung out there for a bit, talking and having some laughs, and it was a jolly good time. I enjoyed the mix of having my family and friends meet friends from the trail. Mom ended up giving a ride to The Crusher and Ichabod into Monson, then came back for the rest of us, and Markus headed off into the hundred mile wilderness. Hope I run into him again at some point. Most likely I will. So us 5, Mom, 2 sis's, Davin, and I, went into Monson to Lakeshore House, one of the hostels in town that's also a pub/restaurant. We had a nice big lunch, which included several appetizers and beers. My favorite would have to be these things called Pachos that consist of french fries covered in bacon, cheese, and sour cream. They're like an alternate form of Nachos, hence the name. I got an explanation about the origin of them from the owner of this place later on.
After a hugely filling meal Mom, Christie, Mary, and Davin headed out (Christie was on call at 5 and needed to get back), so I said my goodbyes and then checked into the hostel here. I was going to go to the other one where The Crusher and Ichabod were, but since I had eaten here and was almost too full to move this seemed like the better option. It's actually a great place, and I felt right at home instantly. Had myself a shower, then went downstairs where there's a laundry-mat and threw my stinky clothes in. It's kind of crazy to think that what I'm doing here today, the shower, the laundry, the night of comfort, is my last one on the trail. This is it. My last hostel night. Because of this I decided to take full advantage of everything, so I may stay up a bit later tonight watching movies and hanging out. Anyway, after getting my laundry set I went to the store and bought myself a pint of Ben & Jerry's (Cherry Garcia!), which is also my last because after this I can't indulge in pints of ice cream and not worry about the after effects, and then came back to the hostel to watch a movie. The ice cream was for later, I was too full to eat it then, but I knew if I didn't get it early on I wouldn't end up going out for a nighttime snack run.
So back at the hostel it was just me hanging out, so I popped in Beauty and the Beast and watched it. What a great flick. I hadn't seen it in years, but I'd been craving to for so long. It was good to finally satisfy that one. I really forgot how good it was, and I was getting chills at the scary parts, the touching parts, the songs, everything. Maybe I'm just in a really emotional state right now where everything is accentuated and feels more intense than normal, or maybe it is just that good. Who knows. After watching that I heard from Three Bears, the only other hiker staying here, that Ichabod and The Crusher were downstairs at the pub, so I went and grabbed a beer with them. I also saw a father/son team I hadn't seen since Delaware Water Gap, the town right at the border between PA-NJ. So way back. I always enjoy those run-ins when you haven't seen someone for a long time. Well that's not true. Sometimes you bump into someone again you don't want to see. But for the most part I enjoy those, like today.
After the chill time I went and made a phone call to Jen before I went into the wilderness because I know I won't get service anywhere through there. Speaking of which, I want to mention now that I'm not going to attempt to post any blogs while going through there. I will continue to journal on my phone, and when I get service again I will post my adventures that I had through the 100-mile wilderness. I'm sort of glad about this because it will allow me to really reflect on this whole journey, which I think at this point is very appropriate. I imagine what I will write in these next few journals will be much more personal and introspective than anything I have previously written because honestly I'm starting to experience a lot of different emotions right now. It's an intense feeling. So, family members and friends, don't be alarmed when I haven't posted anything for 5-6 days.
Before I go to bed I wanted to mention one last thing. I want to thank my Mom and sisters for making it out here and getting the chance to do some trail magic for us. It made me really happy to be able to see you guys before I make my final trek and wrap all this up in a week or so. Every visit I've had from my family has been fantastic, and without your support through this I don't know if I would have made it. That also goes for everyone and anyone who left a comment or spoke with me along the way and gave me encouragement to keep going, but especially my parents. Thank you so much for backing me up and allowing me to follow my dream. Your support has meant so much, and I will carry it with me as I make my way to the finish. I feel like I'm rambling a bit, and I think it's in part because of all the thoughts swimming around in my head, so I'll cut it off there. See you all on the other side!
Total miles: 2064.6
Hiking the night away...almost.
Day 123 - 8/21/10
I had the alarm set for 4, very ambitious, but when it went off and I saw how dark it was I knew we wouldn't be able to hike out. Plus it was cold and I didn't want to leave my toasty bag. Ended up waking up at 7 and not leaving until an hour later. The first thing we hit right away was a steep climb up to Pleasant Pond Mountain. Over 1000 ft. in a mile, so we were up around 2400 elevation. It was a nice view and a "pleasant" way to start the day. Haha. Then it was a long gradual down to Moxie Pond, but the elevation profile was once again incorrect and there were many surprise uphills Davin and I faced.
I had the alarm set for 4, very ambitious, but when it went off and I saw how dark it was I knew we wouldn't be able to hike out. Plus it was cold and I didn't want to leave my toasty bag. Ended up waking up at 7 and not leaving until an hour later. The first thing we hit right away was a steep climb up to Pleasant Pond Mountain. Over 1000 ft. in a mile, so we were up around 2400 elevation. It was a nice view and a "pleasant" way to start the day. Haha. Then it was a long gradual down to Moxie Pond, but the elevation profile was once again incorrect and there were many surprise uphills Davin and I faced.
We stopped at Moxie Pond for a quick water break, had a few powerline crossings, then were back in woodsy swamp area. Perfect place for a moose sighting, which we got. A giant cow was hanging out in a pond as we loudly walked by. The sight of it jumped Currie a bit, and because of our talking it bolted away pretty quick, so no pictures unfortunately, but I'm glad to have seen at least one moose in Maine. And who knows, maybe there'll be more to come. That was a pretty exciting moment for us, I'm glad Davin got to experience it.
We made the first shelter for a late lunch, so I had my two remaining English muffins with Nutella. The flatbreads were much better, it can be very difficult to spread Nutella onto the muffins. And they're crumbly. Live and learn I suppose. After that break we had our next tough climb of the day up to Moxie Bald. That one was more enjoyable than Pleasant Pond, not as steep, and it had a much better view, so we hung out on the top of there for a while even though it was only 2 miles from the previous shelter. You could see tons of mountains in the distance, and I'm sure Katahdin was among them, I just don't know exactly which way to look, or which mountain it is. I'm very eager to see it and actually be certain.
We hiked out, and on our way down played some categories to pass the time. Things like fruit, Presidents, boys names that begin with D, and so on. Usually the more people you have for that game the more fun it is, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Had some laughs because of it. We made it to Moxie Bald shelter at 4, and Davin was really getting tired (we've been pushing pretty good the last 4 days) so he swam and we took a more extended break than usual. Didn't end up leaving there until probably close to 5, maybe 4:45, and the next shelter we were aiming for was 8.9 miles away!
We made it, and nothing worth noting happened in that stretch except lots of really fast walking. We even hiked a bit into dark, getting to Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to after 8. It's amazing how I used to be able to hike until almost 9 if I wanted, but now that'd be considered night-hiking. It's a sign of how much time has gone by since I've been out here. Anyway, Ichabod and The Crusher were both at the shelter, I hadn't been expecting that, so it was cool to bump into them. They'll be in Monson tomorrow, then hiking out Monday like me, so I think with the timing of things we three will potentially be summiting together. Great group to go up with for sure.
Davin and I both opted for sleeping in the shelter, too. We're just too wiped to do any tent set-up. He'll be heading back home after we make it into town tomorrow, but I think he's had a chance to get a taste of what the AT in Maine is all about. It was a good time and we had some funny adventures. Now I'm really looking forward to seeing some family tomorrow, then heading into the wilderness the next day. Katahdin is so close!
Total miles: 2055.6
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Crossing the Kennebec.
Day 122 - 8/20/10
What an epic night Davin and I had. We were hanging out by the fire
for quite some time, and as the night got later I thought I was seeing
flashes in the distance. When we turned in, crawling into our
makeshift shelter, I started seeing more flashes. Then I heard a
distant rumble. Both started happening more and more frequently and I
was pretty sure we'd have a storm on our hands soon. With our homemade
shelter I was worried we'd end up getting soaked. We discussed our
options if the storm hit and decided to rip the tent roof off and set
it up asap. Sure enough the storm came, sprinkling at first, so Davin
and I started scrambling. Then the rain started pouring down, and we
were frantically putting the tent together. To an outside observer I'm
sure it would have looked quite comical. So by the time we had it set
up and threw ourselves and our gear inside we were drenched, our bags,
sleeping pads, and clothes were drenched, and there was sand
everywhere. Plus Davin's tent fits one person pretty snuggly, so with
the two of us shivering in there it was a tight fit. When we laid down
to try and sleep neither of us could extend our legs out straight
because the tent isn't long enough. We had to "sleep" that way the
whole night, legs scrunched up, but no sleeping took place. It was
just too uncomfortable. We ended up laughing about it over and over
again today, just thinking how silly the whole thing was. Makes for a
good story though, and it was easily one of the most interesting
nights I've had on the AT.
What an epic night Davin and I had. We were hanging out by the fire
for quite some time, and as the night got later I thought I was seeing
flashes in the distance. When we turned in, crawling into our
makeshift shelter, I started seeing more flashes. Then I heard a
distant rumble. Both started happening more and more frequently and I
was pretty sure we'd have a storm on our hands soon. With our homemade
shelter I was worried we'd end up getting soaked. We discussed our
options if the storm hit and decided to rip the tent roof off and set
it up asap. Sure enough the storm came, sprinkling at first, so Davin
and I started scrambling. Then the rain started pouring down, and we
were frantically putting the tent together. To an outside observer I'm
sure it would have looked quite comical. So by the time we had it set
up and threw ourselves and our gear inside we were drenched, our bags,
sleeping pads, and clothes were drenched, and there was sand
everywhere. Plus Davin's tent fits one person pretty snuggly, so with
the two of us shivering in there it was a tight fit. When we laid down
to try and sleep neither of us could extend our legs out straight
because the tent isn't long enough. We had to "sleep" that way the
whole night, legs scrunched up, but no sleeping took place. It was
just too uncomfortable. We ended up laughing about it over and over
again today, just thinking how silly the whole thing was. Makes for a
good story though, and it was easily one of the most interesting
nights I've had on the AT.
We got up at 5 so we could make the AM ferry across the Kennebec, and
there was a lot of discomfort packing up. The sand was the worst part,
it was just everywhere. But we still did a good job getting on our
way, Davin leaving at 6:10 and myself leaving at 6:30. I hustled to
try and catch up to him, and didn't do so until almost 2 hours later,
so he must've really been flying. Within a half hour we were at the
first shelter, making the 6 miles by 8:45. That put me at almost 3mph,
not something I've done often, if ever, but I was adamant on that AM
ferry because if you don't make it by 11 then you have to wait for the
next one, which isn't until 2pm. So we only took a quick 10 minute
break at the shelter, Pierce Pond. It was a great spot, facing right
out on the water.
When we started up again the first thing we faced was crossing this
very old fashioned dam, made out of nothing more than logs, boards,
and rocks. Kind of cool. I sped ahead for a bit after that, we only
had about 4 to the river, so when I made it there at 10:20 Davin
rolled in only a few minutes after. He did a very good job keeping up
the pace early on today, we definitely pushed hard to make it there
for the ferry. Someone was being taken across from the other side, but
it took less then 2 minutes to make it over. The ferry is just a guy
and a canoe, but they have you sign some paperwork and what not. The
guide was named Hillbilly Bob or something like that, and he was a
straight up 100% Maine character. That's not a criticism or complaint,
it was actually rather fitting, adding to the charm of being in Maine.
Another thing I like about the ferry service is that the floor of the
canoe has an AT blaze on it.
After we crossed the river Davin and I took a break right there near
the shore, snacking, napping, and finally drying out all our wet gear.
Ended up spending almost 2 hours lounging, which I think we deserved
with how hard we had pushed early on. When we geared up to go it was
about 1:30, and we did a nice 6 to the next shelter (Pleasant Pond
Lean-to) where we decided to call it an early day (4ish). Built a nice
campfire, and we both set up a spot in the shelter itself. I'm sure we
will both be sleeping like rocks tonight. After getting no sleep last
night then really hustling to make the ferry we are very tired.
Tomorrow we will have a big day, then it's Monson on Sunday where I
will be meeting my family, the last visit before I enter the 100-mile
wilderness! Heading to bed now so we can get an early jump on the day
tomorrow.
Total miles: 2033.6
Friday, August 20, 2010
Survivormen on the AT!
Day 121 - 8/19/10
Got a great jump on the day with Davin, leaving at 7. Matt and Dan
left a little before us so we didn't catch them until Little Bigelow.
It was a decent amount of climbing up that mountain, but nothing like
yesterdays elevation gains. I forgot to mention in yesterdays post
that Matt also brought along his yellow lab Maximus. Actually he's
still a pretty young pup, but he handled the hiking of today and
yesterday very well. He was like our trail mascot, and I really
enjoyed having him hike with us, being all exuberant and happy.
Got a great jump on the day with Davin, leaving at 7. Matt and Dan
left a little before us so we didn't catch them until Little Bigelow.
It was a decent amount of climbing up that mountain, but nothing like
yesterdays elevation gains. I forgot to mention in yesterdays post
that Matt also brought along his yellow lab Maximus. Actually he's
still a pretty young pup, but he handled the hiking of today and
yesterday very well. He was like our trail mascot, and I really
enjoyed having him hike with us, being all exuberant and happy.
After a short break on top of Little Big we headed onward to the Lean-
to that we had been aiming for yesterday. Took another short break
there, checking the register and whatnot, then it was a quick 1.4 to
the road where Dan and Matt had their car parked. We hung there for a
bit, then Davin and I said goodbye and continued on the AT. From that
road onward the trail was really nice, and Davin and I had some good
convo going. We stopped at a great little sandy beach for lunch and he
actually took a dip. I think it was the end of Flagstaff Lake, which
you can easily see from up on Bigelow. That lake is huge, and I heard
from someone on the trail that it's manmade. Pretty impressive...if
that's true.
Davin seemed to enjoy the swim, and afterward we carried on to the
next shelter, West Carry Pond. We went up to it and there was trail
magic there unlike any I'd seen before. A giant bucket filled with
small candies, Tootsie rolls, jolly ranchers, butterscotch, etc. It
was a totally new twist on TM and we loved it. Had like ten pieces,
and even though they were all squishy and melty it was terrific.
With all the sugar we were on a super sugar high, plus the trail
really leveled out to easy terrain, so we did a quick 4 miles to
another beachy spot, this time on East Carry Pond. It was about 5ish
by then, so we were thinking it'd be a cool spot to set up camp. Davin
took a swim while I looked around for camping spots in case the beach
wouldn't work out. I found a nice one nearby, and on my way back to
the beach I met up with Rainer and Dewlap again. I was figuring I'd
bump into them again soon, and it was cool to talk about stuff since
we'd last seen one another like our trip through the Whites and
Mahoosuc Notch. They left after a few minutes, I told them I'll be the
one catching up to them now, and then Davin and I decided to build a
shelter on the beach Survior style out of sticks and rocks and stuff.
It actually came out really good, plus we got a fire going, so things
fell into place nicely. Now we're just hanging by the fire having a
good time. We'll be crossing the Kennebec tomorrow so hopefully I'll
be seeing my Dad there. Sort of tough to plan out with the cruddy
service though. Anyway, that's all for today. Another good one on the
AT, only a few more left. Can't believe it.
Total miles: 2018
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Friend-ly surprises.
Day 120 - 8/18/10
Had a pretty decent start time out of town, getting to the trailhead
around 8:45. The hostel owner gave The Crusher, Ichabod, Davin and I
the ride, which was also included with the stay cost. Starting out was
a nice gradual ascent for a few miles, and it was good to have Davin
around for conversation while hiking. I don't hike with others too
often, so it was a bit different to have that all day.
Had a pretty decent start time out of town, getting to the trailhead
around 8:45. The hostel owner gave The Crusher, Ichabod, Davin and I
the ride, which was also included with the stay cost. Starting out was
a nice gradual ascent for a few miles, and it was good to have Davin
around for conversation while hiking. I don't hike with others too
often, so it was a bit different to have that all day.
When we hit Cranberry Stream Campsite we started our first big climb
up to the South Horn. That forced us to hold off on talking for longer
stretches because it's almost impossible to do that and climb up those
super steep sections at the same time. It was a nice climb up
nonetheless, and we stopped at a really great viewspot for a break
along the way. It was like an overhang of Horn Pond, which is where
the first shelter was. After a solid 30 minutes or so we hiked to
there, getting in around 12:30. To my surprise I saw two other friends
waiting to meet up who had come from a side trail. Matt Gilliam and
Dan T, both buds of mine from high school, came to hike with Davin and
I for the day. Wasn't expecting that at all, very cool surprise.
So we hiked onward together, hitting a a lot of great peaks along the
Bigelows. First was the South Horn, the one I mentioned earlier. It
was a decent view, and you could see the next mountain to conquer,
Bigelow (west peak). Getting up there was a challenge, steep and
rugged rocks, but the others handled it well. What we hiked today is
actually a very difficult first day to take on. Huge elevation
changes, tough rocks and roots to climb, just a really demanding day.
But at the same time to see such great views like those on top of west
peak on your first day makes that toughness worth it. It's above 4K by
a hundred feet, so it's above treeline, which means good views.
From the west peak you can easily see Avery peak, just a bit smaller
at 4090 feet. You dip down into a small ravine before going up Avery,
and the distance is only a matter of .7 miles from peak to peak, so we
hit that summit pretty quick at around 3-3:30. From there it was
another 7 miles to the next shelter, so by then I was thinking we
probably wouldn't make it. There was a campsite only 2 miles from the
summit of Avery, so I suggested that one instead. They all agreed that
sounded good, so we stopped there for the night, getting in at 5ish.
I'm actually glad we stopped early because that put us at just over 10
miles today, and that's plenty for the others. I'm happy with it,
mostly because it put me over 2000 miles! Pretty exciting, almost too
crazy to believe. Anyway, the four of us set up camp and made a
campfire, then had dinner. It was really nice to get together with old
friends who I hadn't seen in quite some time because it allowed for
tons of good conversation. Plus Matt and Dan are doing the AT next
year, and so we had all that to discuss.
At around 8:30 we called it a night because we want to get an early
jump tomorrow and make up some miles. Matt and Dan will be doing about
6 or 7 miles to the road crossing, then it's just Davin and I heading
northwards Goodnight!
Total miles: 2001.7
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A day away from 2000.
Day 119 - 8/17/10
Didn't sleep too well because the shelter was so full. Plus I made the mistake of sleeping next to an old guy, and they always snore. Sure enough he did, plus he got up in the middle of the night sometime, probably to pee, and that woke me up. I did get going earlier today though, probably 8ish. The day started with a nice climb up Spaulding Mountain, a gain of 1000 feet. Then I went right back down, soon coming to this plaque signifying the completion of the last section of trail from Georgia to Maine. I think they had to connect Sugarloaf to Spaulding, and that was finished in 1937.
Ichabod and The Crusher showed up while I was taking some photos by the plaque, and then we all walked together until we came to the side trail you can take up to Sugarloaf. I wasn't going to go up there, it's a side trail trip, but since I was with the other guys, plus it being the second tallest mountain in Maine and all, I decided to do it. Not too bad a climb, only a 1/2 mile or so. When I got to the top I realized it was definitely worth it. We were above treeline and the top was just exposed rock, so you could see the Saddlebacks that we hiked yesterday, and the Bigelows that I'll hike tomorrow. It was fun being up there, and I even put on my iPod with some Lord of the Rings music. It was pretty epic with that playing.
We hiked back down to our packs and the AT, and while we were gearing up to go I couldn't believe it when I saw Markus strolling up the trail! I hadn't seen him since Trail Days. His hair looked longer and he looked to be doing much better with the ankle and all. I didn't think I'd ever see him again. So we caught up for a bit, then I headed on out with the other two while Markus took a break. It was downhill from there to the South Branch Carrabassett River where I crossed and then headed right on up to South Crocker.
That was a pretty difficult climb, about 2000 feet up in 2 miles. Going up that is where I took that picture of the Bigelows I posted a little earlier, but that was the extent of any views from that mountain, and the one after, North Crocker. Both were tough climbs with little reward, a little annoying in my opinion. But when I finally made it over both it was smooth sailing all the way down to route 27. For once the elevation profile in my book was accurate and there weren't any sneaky uphills mysteriously showing up. So I made it down there about 4:30-5, Ichabod was already there, and then The Crusher strolled in a minute after me. We called up the Stratton Motel lady to pick us up (she does for free if you stay there), and then waited around until she came by. In the meantime the older sectioner I had met last night showed up, and then Markus, although he wasn't going into town. I talked to him for a bit then he was on his way. Hopefully I'll see him again soon, I'd love to hit the summit of Big K with him.
The lady soon came and brought us four to the Motel. This town is pretty sweet for a trail town, with a grocery store right across the street from her place, plus a pizza/convenience store right next to it. I planned on meeting my buddy Davin a few days out of Stratton, but as it worked out he was here in town today so I met him while doing a resupply at the grocers. He'll be staying with me at the hostel, then we will be hitting the Bigelows tomorrow all day. He's out for a 10 day trip or so, which should bring us very close or even right up to Katahdin. After my resupply we went back to the motel/hostel and relaxed, drinking beer, eating pizza, and watching TV. What a nice way to end the day.
Almost 9:30 now, so it's bedtime soon. Trying for an early wake up so I can get Davin out on the trail and hiking big miles tomorrow. That's all from me. Mom, I'll see you in Monson on Sunday, should be arriving sometime early morning. Anywhere from 9-11 I'd say. Dad, I will be passing over the Kennebec on Friday, so if you and Dave can make it there on that day I will see you then. Goodnight!
Total miles: 1991.3
Didn't sleep too well because the shelter was so full. Plus I made the mistake of sleeping next to an old guy, and they always snore. Sure enough he did, plus he got up in the middle of the night sometime, probably to pee, and that woke me up. I did get going earlier today though, probably 8ish. The day started with a nice climb up Spaulding Mountain, a gain of 1000 feet. Then I went right back down, soon coming to this plaque signifying the completion of the last section of trail from Georgia to Maine. I think they had to connect Sugarloaf to Spaulding, and that was finished in 1937.
Ichabod and The Crusher showed up while I was taking some photos by the plaque, and then we all walked together until we came to the side trail you can take up to Sugarloaf. I wasn't going to go up there, it's a side trail trip, but since I was with the other guys, plus it being the second tallest mountain in Maine and all, I decided to do it. Not too bad a climb, only a 1/2 mile or so. When I got to the top I realized it was definitely worth it. We were above treeline and the top was just exposed rock, so you could see the Saddlebacks that we hiked yesterday, and the Bigelows that I'll hike tomorrow. It was fun being up there, and I even put on my iPod with some Lord of the Rings music. It was pretty epic with that playing.
We hiked back down to our packs and the AT, and while we were gearing up to go I couldn't believe it when I saw Markus strolling up the trail! I hadn't seen him since Trail Days. His hair looked longer and he looked to be doing much better with the ankle and all. I didn't think I'd ever see him again. So we caught up for a bit, then I headed on out with the other two while Markus took a break. It was downhill from there to the South Branch Carrabassett River where I crossed and then headed right on up to South Crocker.
That was a pretty difficult climb, about 2000 feet up in 2 miles. Going up that is where I took that picture of the Bigelows I posted a little earlier, but that was the extent of any views from that mountain, and the one after, North Crocker. Both were tough climbs with little reward, a little annoying in my opinion. But when I finally made it over both it was smooth sailing all the way down to route 27. For once the elevation profile in my book was accurate and there weren't any sneaky uphills mysteriously showing up. So I made it down there about 4:30-5, Ichabod was already there, and then The Crusher strolled in a minute after me. We called up the Stratton Motel lady to pick us up (she does for free if you stay there), and then waited around until she came by. In the meantime the older sectioner I had met last night showed up, and then Markus, although he wasn't going into town. I talked to him for a bit then he was on his way. Hopefully I'll see him again soon, I'd love to hit the summit of Big K with him.
The lady soon came and brought us four to the Motel. This town is pretty sweet for a trail town, with a grocery store right across the street from her place, plus a pizza/convenience store right next to it. I planned on meeting my buddy Davin a few days out of Stratton, but as it worked out he was here in town today so I met him while doing a resupply at the grocers. He'll be staying with me at the hostel, then we will be hitting the Bigelows tomorrow all day. He's out for a 10 day trip or so, which should bring us very close or even right up to Katahdin. After my resupply we went back to the motel/hostel and relaxed, drinking beer, eating pizza, and watching TV. What a nice way to end the day.
Almost 9:30 now, so it's bedtime soon. Trying for an early wake up so I can get Davin out on the trail and hiking big miles tomorrow. That's all from me. Mom, I'll see you in Monson on Sunday, should be arriving sometime early morning. Anywhere from 9-11 I'd say. Dad, I will be passing over the Kennebec on Friday, so if you and Dave can make it there on that day I will see you then. Goodnight!
Total miles: 1991.3
The Bigelows!
are the Bigelows, which I'll be climbing tomorrow!
Rainy mornings make for lazy mornings.
Day 118 - 8/16/10
So glad I stayed in the shelter last night. It rained hard throughout
the night and into the early morning. Although I was able to stay dry,
the wet atmosphere made me move very slow and I didn't leave the
shelter until probably 9 or so. When I left it was still sprinkling a
bit, but that wore off by the time I hit Saddleback.
So glad I stayed in the shelter last night. It rained hard throughout
the night and into the early morning. Although I was able to stay dry,
the wet atmosphere made me move very slow and I didn't leave the
shelter until probably 9 or so. When I left it was still sprinkling a
bit, but that wore off by the time I hit Saddleback.
The climb up to it wasn't all that bad, although I had to take a few
breaks along the way to check my phone and make sure my blog post was
sent. When I did summit the mountain it was much to foggy to see
anything, although I can say with 99% certainty that the view from up
there on a clear day would be phenomenal. From Saddleback it was a
moderately steep decent then a moderately steep ascent to The Horn,
only 1.7 miles away. Again I'm sure it would have nice views on a
decent day, but that wasn't the case for me. Climbing down from there
was extremely steep, worst of the day by far, and then a very hard
climb up to Saddleback Junior. Hitting 3 peaks back to back to back
was exhausting, and it was only about 7.5 miles for the day. Today was
actually one of the hardest I've had in a while. I think it was a
combination of poor weather, difficult terrain, and wet slippery trail
that made it feel so long.
I made it to Poplar Ridge Lean-to at 2:30. I stopped in for a rest and
to eat some snacks. Whippersnap was also there, he had passed me going
over Saddleback, so I talked to him about the terrain for the day thus
far. From Poplar I had another steep descent, which finally ended
after 2.7 miles at Orbeton Stream. It would be a great spot to spend
an afternoon in good weather. Maybe some other time. It wasn't too bad
from the stream, a gentle sloping uphill for the most part, that is
until I came to the hardest mile of the day. Lone Mountain. A sneaky
little mountain, one I hadn't anticipated, and so after I had finally
reached the top I cursed that mountain to the heavens.
Lone Mountain to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to, the shelter I was aiming
for, was a leisurely 2 miles, a pleasant way to end my difficult day.
I arrived around 7, Whippersnap was already here, as well as a
sectioner named Whistler who started down in Harpers this year.
Ichabod came soon after, then two SOBOs, and to my surprise The
Crusher after them. So we have 7 now here in the shelter. A bit
crowded, but it's all wet outside so I don't think anyone wanted to
deal with that. Not sure if it's supposed to rain tonight, but there
are lingering signs of the rain from last night. Anyway, I'm very
tired and will be trying to get to bed here shortly. Stratton tomorrow!
Total miles: 1977.8
Monday, August 16, 2010
Forever on the AT
Day 117 - 8/15/10
Got up and left at close to 8 this morning. Had a steep climb up to
route 17. I actually stopped halfway up and made my post when I heard
some texts coming on my phone. I'll walk with it on in the morning
when I don't have service the previous night, and when it beeps I know
I'll be able to send it. I've been having to do this more and more
lately, almost every night in Maine so far. I'm definitely getting
back into deep wilderness.
Got up and left at close to 8 this morning. Had a steep climb up to
route 17. I actually stopped halfway up and made my post when I heard
some texts coming on my phone. I'll walk with it on in the morning
when I don't have service the previous night, and when it beeps I know
I'll be able to send it. I've been having to do this more and more
lately, almost every night in Maine so far. I'm definitely getting
back into deep wilderness.
It wasn't even a mile to the road, but when I made it up there I took
a break with Ichabod who was sitting on a bench that looks down toward
a lake. A very nice spot actually, and would be even better if it
weren't so close to the road. A great place to catch a sunset for
sure. I left after maybe 15 minutes and didn't stop again until Long
Pond where there was a sandy beach and some wooden seat things. A
great place to hit up for a swim, although it was only 10:30 then and
too cold to take a dip. Actually after hiking from route 17 to route 4
today I realized what an awesome little two day trip that section
would make. You've got a nice swmming spot, a shelter less than half a
mile after that, and a campsite with canoes at it only 5 miles from
there. I'm sure I'll pass through again for a weekend hike sometime.
I had a snack break at the pond, then commenced with the hiking all
the way to the aforementioned campsite. Along the way I met a feisty
little squirrel heading up a tree with a large nut or something in its
mouth. I snapped a picture of it, then shook my pole at him jokingly,
but he got scared and dropped his prize, scurrying up the tree as fast
as he could. Then he started squeaking at me angrily so I booked it
from there. Felt a litte bad about that. Anyway, at the campsite I
stopped for another snack and to get some water. I was worried I'd had
to resort to pond water, but there was a pipe right nearby coming out
of some underground water source. Like I said earlier there were
canoes, about 3-4, and not in bad shape. Plus the site itself looked
decent. I was sure to make a note of all that.
From Little Swift campsite it was just under 5 miles to route 4, and
what a nice easy 5 it was. Made it in under 2 hours, getting there
right at 3. Whippersnap showed up a minute later, who I hadn't seen
since Glencliff (right before the Whites) and then Ichabod came out of
the woods right after him. We all hitched into town together, getting
a ride from a guy in less than 5 minutes. It was in the back of a
pickup, not bad at all.
He dropped us right in town in Rangeley and we all walked over to the
Red Onion, a very good restaurant. All got a large pizza, pepperoni
for me, and I finished the whole thing. Ichabod finished his, too.
While we were eating out on the patio two guys showed up and ended up
striking up conversation with us about the trail. They were so
friendly that one offered to take us back when they were done.
Whippersnap was staying at a hostel in town so when he left Ichabod
and I walked to the gas station nearby, did a quick 1-day resupply to
get us to Stratton, then the guy picked us up there and drove us back
to the trailhead.
We did the 1.8 miles to Piazza Rock Lean-to really quick because I
think we were on such a high from our successful town trip. It was one
of the easiest trips into and out of a town I've had, only rivaled by
my time in Gatlinburg I'd say. So we made it to the shelter, stopping
in to talk with the caretaker before we hit up the actual shelter. He
gave us some good advice and tips for the next couple days.
After setting up a bit in the lean-to (I'm staying in here tonight
because I've heard it may rain), Ichabod says to me, "Shall we go
explore?" so I said sure. He didn't mean actual exploring, just go
check out some of the cool locations nearby. There's Piazza Rock, a
giant slab fallen onto another rock creating this ledge that juts out.
Imagine Lion King, that's pretty much what it looks like. Then there's
also some caves nearby that are similar to Mahoosuc Notch. You're
crawling in and out and over and under all sorts of differently shaped
boulders. A lot of fun. So we did those two things, spending maybe a
1/2 hour before it started getting too dark.
We came back to the shelter and I finished setting up my sleep spot,
then wrote up the entry here. Today was a really good day, the kind of
day that makes you wish you could stay on the AT forever. Nice trail,
cool spots, awesome trail town, good meal, perfect weather. It doesn't
get any better.
Total miles: 1960.9
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Beamis is a funny name.
Day 116 - 8/14/10
I did get to bed early last night, around 8:00-8:30, but I didn't wake
up early today like I'd hoped. Wasn't moving around until 7:30, and
didn't leave till an hour later. First thing I had was a big drop down
to Sawyer Notch, then a steep climb over (Mad Eye) Moody Mountain (Any
HP fans out there?). It was a small mountain, only 2440 feet, but man
was it tough. Along the way up was a reroute that I was hesitant on
taking because usually they are unnecessary and add extra miles to
your trip, but this one seemed like a necessity so I took it. Plus the
sign was nice about it, saying "please".
I did get to bed early last night, around 8:00-8:30, but I didn't wake
up early today like I'd hoped. Wasn't moving around until 7:30, and
didn't leave till an hour later. First thing I had was a big drop down
to Sawyer Notch, then a steep climb over (Mad Eye) Moody Mountain (Any
HP fans out there?). It was a small mountain, only 2440 feet, but man
was it tough. Along the way up was a reroute that I was hesitant on
taking because usually they are unnecessary and add extra miles to
your trip, but this one seemed like a necessity so I took it. Plus the
sign was nice about it, saying "please".
After going up and over Moody I was at South Arm Rd. and from there
went right back up, this time climbing Old Blue. Good name for a
mountain. It was like going up and over Moody back to back, but twice
as high. When I finally made it to the top of that one it was 1:30, so
I'd done 7 miles in 5 hours. Not very good pace. At the top I rested
for a 1/2 hour, then continued on to do another 6 miles through the
Beamis Range to Beamis Mountain Lean-to. Not too bad, nothing like
earlier at least, plus there were a lot of nice rocky exposed sections
for decent views. I made it to the shelter around 5:15, and Ichabod
strolled in a few minutes after. I had written in the register that I
was contemplating a few more miles, and when he saw that he asked if I
still wanted to. Since I knew he'd also be going along if I did I said
"sure" and after a short snack break I headed out a bit ahead of him.
I came to a nice brook 3.5 miles after the shelter and found a good
campsite nearby. He showed up ten minutes later and we both set up
camp and got cooking right away because it was past 7 by then and the
sun is setting earlier and earlier. Summer is definitely coming to an
end. While we ate we talked about all sorts of stuff, grad school,
food, books, travel, BBQ, roadtrips, etc. He's a good person to talk
to as you can see by the variety of topics. Around 9 we called it a
night, and after I'm done this it's right to bed. I'm beat after those
two big climbs today, but I'm glad I pushed for a few more miles so
I'll only have a pretty easy 16 tomorrow. Might stop into Rangeley for
a pizza with Ichabod, too. We'll see how the day goes.
Total miles: 1945.2
Friday, August 13, 2010
I'm in the Hall of the Mountain King!
Day 115 - 8/13/10
Well, not quite. I am staying at Hall Mountain Lean-to though, and
since I am part Norwegian I had to mention that song title by composer
Pier Gynt. I love that song.
Well, not quite. I am staying at Hall Mountain Lean-to though, and
since I am part Norwegian I had to mention that song title by composer
Pier Gynt. I love that song.
I slept well in a real bed at home, but woke up very early at 4:30 so
Dad could get me to the trail and take care of all the errands he had
to run that were scheduled for later on. We left at 5 and I was back
on the trail by 6:10. It was pretty cold when I started, but within 10
minutes of hiking my bodyheat was up and I felt fine. I actually felt
better than fine. The rest at home did me good. I went up Baldpate
feeling great, and made it to the east peak before 9. It was a crazy
climb, basically straight up this solid rockface. Baldpate is really
just a giant boulder, at least that's the impression I got from
climbing it, but what an awesome mountain and view. Really enjoyed
that one.
Going down the other side was tough because it was very steep and
again just solid rock, but I eventually made my way to Frye Notch Lean-
to at 10 where I saw Grapevine. I'd met him way back around Pearisburg/
Daleville area, but hadn't seen him since. I knew he was planning on a
flip-flop and so I'd been wondering when I'd bump into him again. It
was cool to catch up, and he showed me his Katahdin summit photos.
Also gave me some good tips on places further along the way. After
15-20 minutes I headed on out, going mostly downhill to Dunn Notch
where there are also some falls. After passing by those I was walking
along and suddenly hear, "Coon Cat." I look around confused, unsure
where the voice came from, eventually spotting Ichabod sitting down by
a brook nearby. Didn't expect to see him again after doing a short day
yesterday, but he had gone into Andover and resupplied there, which
had taken him most of the morning today. So I stopped and talked with
him for a minute. We both mentioned how even though this has been a
great experience we're ready for it to come to an end. It's been a
long, arduous journey.
I was soon at the road that he hitched into town from, and it was just
6 more miles to the shelter that I wanted to make. That's one of the
advantages of starting early, getting to your destination earlier. It
wasn't a very tough 6 either, just gradual ups, a few small downs. I
did make a few stops along the way for water, for some reason I was
extra thirsty today, but no extended breaks. That allowed me to make
it to Hall Mountain right around 4. Ichabod had passed me and was
already here, and another NOBO was here named Tup, a Scotsman. His
accent is awesome. There were also a few SOBOs that were hanging out,
but both left after a bit to make more miles. It's a bit strange
meeting them at this point because we are so close to the end of our
journey while they are only beginning.
I made some dinner, instant potatoes with bacon bits, and also pigged
out on a box of Mike & Ikes, a gift from Dad yesterday. I love them,
they make a great trail snack. After all that food I did some reading
and then wrote this up. I hope to get to bed at a decent time so I can
have an early start again tomorrow. It felt good hiking in the cool
morning air, I didn't get overheated or anything. That's it from me
tonight. Another good day on the trail.
Side note: I think Baldpate will now be included as one of my favorite
spots on the trail. For some reason it was just awesome, and it's not
even that far from where I live. Sweet!
Total miles: 1928.6
Thursday, August 12, 2010
13 down, 1 to go. (I am home)
Day 114 - 8/12/10
Although that title is a day late, it is no less appropriate or meaningful. I do only have one state left, my home state, and that is a good feeling. I woke up around 6, a bit too early, so I tried to get in another hour of sleep. When I was up and moving around 7:15 I packed up, then cooked up breakfast with the others. I had an interesting one, putting a scoop of peanut butter and Nutella into my oatmeal. It almost tasted like a no-bake cookie, but not as good. I might do it again in the future, we'll see.
I thought I was a little farther along than I really was yesterday, so I didn't come to the brook until about a half mile. It was a 500 foot climb in that stretch, pretty steep, and that wasn't even going up the arm. The Mahoosuc Arm was another mile and 1000 feet up. It was a tough morning to say the least. I made it to the top around 9:45 and was rewarded with some decent views of the Whites. You could easily see Mt. Washington in the distance. From there it was down to Speck Pond Shelter, a nice little location next to the highest body of water in Maine, Speck Pond. It's right around 3500 feet above sea level, a very nice looking pond. I actually learned all this from The Crusher. You must think it's pretty sad that a French Canadian was schooling me on Maine geography, but growing up he went to summer camp here every year and has hiked most of the AT in Maine because of this. I actually witnessed him become a 2000-miler because the only Maine section he hadn't completed was from route 2 in Gorham to Speck Pond Shelter. If you add what he had done in years past to the rest of the trail he's hiked this year then he's done the whole thing. He could stop now if he wanted, but to be a thru-hiker and do it in one season he has to keep going to Katahdin. Must've been an exciting day for him nonetheless.
I only took a quick break there, then busted out the rest of the 4+ miles to Grafton Notch so that I could meet my Dad as early as possible. I made it down there around 12:30, and we hung around a bit talking to a few other thru's that were down there, Rocket and Fynias. Dad also brought Toby (our dog) along so it was awesome to see him. He was hanging out in the back of the truck while we talked to the others. After a bit we headed over to Pat's Pizza in Bethel and had some lunch, a couple pepperoni pies. I love Pat's, really hit the spot. We left sufficiently stuffed and went to a rest area where I took a nap in the truck while Dad sat outside lounging in a lawn chair in the sun. We didn't get back to the trail until around 4:30. As I was prepping to leave I wasn't feeling great, very tired because I've been getting terrible sleep, and just plain exhausted from the past few days of tough hiking. I think my Dad sensed this and suggested I could come home, rest up, shower, clean my clothes, etc. and after debating it in my mind I decided that sounded like a good idea. We drove back to Harrison so I could do all the above.
After showering, laundry, and some rest on the couch we drove down to the store and I bought some goodies, Ben & Jerry's, Cape Cod chips, and a throwback Dr. Pepper made with real sugar. Basically the day turned into a nice relaxing nearo, which I think I needed. We got home and the Patriot's pre-season game against the Saints was on, so I even got to squeeze in some of that. Really glad I came home, but tomorrow it's back to the trail very early to make some miles and get more of Maine under my belt. Had a good day with Dad though, Toby too, and even got to see my sister Mary for a little when she came home to Harrison. Anyway it's bedtime soon. Goodnight.
Total miles: 1912.3
Although that title is a day late, it is no less appropriate or meaningful. I do only have one state left, my home state, and that is a good feeling. I woke up around 6, a bit too early, so I tried to get in another hour of sleep. When I was up and moving around 7:15 I packed up, then cooked up breakfast with the others. I had an interesting one, putting a scoop of peanut butter and Nutella into my oatmeal. It almost tasted like a no-bake cookie, but not as good. I might do it again in the future, we'll see.
I thought I was a little farther along than I really was yesterday, so I didn't come to the brook until about a half mile. It was a 500 foot climb in that stretch, pretty steep, and that wasn't even going up the arm. The Mahoosuc Arm was another mile and 1000 feet up. It was a tough morning to say the least. I made it to the top around 9:45 and was rewarded with some decent views of the Whites. You could easily see Mt. Washington in the distance. From there it was down to Speck Pond Shelter, a nice little location next to the highest body of water in Maine, Speck Pond. It's right around 3500 feet above sea level, a very nice looking pond. I actually learned all this from The Crusher. You must think it's pretty sad that a French Canadian was schooling me on Maine geography, but growing up he went to summer camp here every year and has hiked most of the AT in Maine because of this. I actually witnessed him become a 2000-miler because the only Maine section he hadn't completed was from route 2 in Gorham to Speck Pond Shelter. If you add what he had done in years past to the rest of the trail he's hiked this year then he's done the whole thing. He could stop now if he wanted, but to be a thru-hiker and do it in one season he has to keep going to Katahdin. Must've been an exciting day for him nonetheless.
I only took a quick break there, then busted out the rest of the 4+ miles to Grafton Notch so that I could meet my Dad as early as possible. I made it down there around 12:30, and we hung around a bit talking to a few other thru's that were down there, Rocket and Fynias. Dad also brought Toby (our dog) along so it was awesome to see him. He was hanging out in the back of the truck while we talked to the others. After a bit we headed over to Pat's Pizza in Bethel and had some lunch, a couple pepperoni pies. I love Pat's, really hit the spot. We left sufficiently stuffed and went to a rest area where I took a nap in the truck while Dad sat outside lounging in a lawn chair in the sun. We didn't get back to the trail until around 4:30. As I was prepping to leave I wasn't feeling great, very tired because I've been getting terrible sleep, and just plain exhausted from the past few days of tough hiking. I think my Dad sensed this and suggested I could come home, rest up, shower, clean my clothes, etc. and after debating it in my mind I decided that sounded like a good idea. We drove back to Harrison so I could do all the above.
After showering, laundry, and some rest on the couch we drove down to the store and I bought some goodies, Ben & Jerry's, Cape Cod chips, and a throwback Dr. Pepper made with real sugar. Basically the day turned into a nice relaxing nearo, which I think I needed. We got home and the Patriot's pre-season game against the Saints was on, so I even got to squeeze in some of that. Really glad I came home, but tomorrow it's back to the trail very early to make some miles and get more of Maine under my belt. Had a good day with Dad though, Toby too, and even got to see my sister Mary for a little when she came home to Harrison. Anyway it's bedtime soon. Goodnight.
Total miles: 1912.3
Success! Goose Eye! & The Notch!
Day 113 - 8/11/10
Man what a day. Lots of milestones and lots of fun. I had a slow
morning, not leaving until 9 with the others. After maybe a half miles
I fell behind when I stopped to check my phone and see if I had
service so that I could publish my post from yesterday. Fortunately
where I stopped had a signal and I was able to put up the blog.
Man what a day. Lots of milestones and lots of fun. I had a slow
morning, not leaving until 9 with the others. After maybe a half miles
I fell behind when I stopped to check my phone and see if I had
service so that I could publish my post from yesterday. Fortunately
where I stopped had a signal and I was able to put up the blog.
I didn't catch back up with everyone until the top of Mt. Success, a
cool spot at 3565' with flat rocks and nice views. I sat down, took
off my boots and socks to dry them out, then had a snack with the
others. When I walked up I had had my music playing, so I confessed
some of the guilty pleasures I have on my voice recorder that I've
been listening to. Sinead O'Conner's "Nothing Compares 2 U" was
probably the most embarrassing, but since they all found out I figure
you can know too. And hey, it's a good song.
A little more than a mile after Success was the New Hampshire-Maine
border, so we stopped there for some photos. Can't believe I'm in the
last state now. So that was one milestone, then only a few miles later
we hit 1900 total. Not a special number by any means, but it's always
cool when you get to a new series of hundreds. Anyway, right when you
cross into Maine it throws some tough stuff your way. A nice friendly
greeting and introduction. There's steep wet rocks you have to slide
down, boulders to climb up, and just all around tough terrain. Fun
though. And there were some excellent mountains not too far into Maine
as well, Goose Eye east peak and north peak. You get rewarded with
some great views on top of both. Similar to Mt. Success with flat
rocky tops.
As I was coming down the northern peak, crossing on some of the bog
boards, I misjudged the mud and instead of only submerging a couple
inches I went in all the way up to my knee. It was incredibly deep,
and when I pulled my leg out it was covered in stinky mud. That was a
bit of a bummer. Forced me to make an unscheduled stop so I could take
off that boot and sock and then clean off both. After that it wasn't
too much farther to the next shelter, Full Goose, so I stopped there
for a lunchbreak before I entered Mahoosuc Notch, described in my book
as, "Most difficult or most fun mile of the AT? Make your way through
a jumbled pit of giant boulders." Sounds like fun right?
Around 4:15 I left the shelter and made my way to the Notch with
Ichabod, Fynious, and The Crusher. When we got there we timed
ourselves, we'd been told it would take at least an hour. What a blast
we had going through there. It really was very tough, with hand over
hand climbing, squeezing through tiny caves, jumping from boulder to
boulder, and so on. All that stuff made it so much fun, and even
though it took over an hour it felt much shorter than that. Got some
great photos throughout as well.
When we had made safe passage all the way through we stopped at a
stealth site that another hiker was at, Rocket. I had met him way back
at Upper Goose Cabin in Massachusetts, and I'd seen him through the
Whites a few times. We all set up our tents here, made dinner, then
had a nice little campfire and good conversation. Even though I hiked
in wet boots all day, and I didn't put in the miles I had wanted to,
it was still an awesome day. Tomorrow I'll hopefully get a chance to
see my Dad at Grafton Notch and maybe grab lunch or something. Getting
late. Time for bed!
Total miles: 1905.7
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
So close...
Day 112 - 8/10/10
Had another glorious morning packing up my wet tent. Slowed me down of
course, so I didn't leave the campsite until close to 8. Not even 30
seconds into my hike I came to an opening with some flat rocks and
since the sun was out I unpacked all my wet gear and dried it out. I
wasn't going to carry the extra weight of a soaked tent two days in a
row. Because I did this I really didn't start until closer to 9, which
isn't what I had in mind but at least my tent wasn't so heavy.
Had another glorious morning packing up my wet tent. Slowed me down of
course, so I didn't leave the campsite until close to 8. Not even 30
seconds into my hike I came to an opening with some flat rocks and
since the sun was out I unpacked all my wet gear and dried it out. I
wasn't going to carry the extra weight of a soaked tent two days in a
row. Because I did this I really didn't start until closer to 9, which
isn't what I had in mind but at least my tent wasn't so heavy.
I climbed upward and over Mt. Moriah, the last 4000-footer of the
Whites, and then down down down to Rattle River Shelter where I took
my first break. I met a SOBO girl there and we talked about how she's
just getting into the Whites. She seemed a little concerned about
finding alternative places to camp so I gave her a few suggestions for
stealthing. I left there around 12:30 and was at route 2 by one.
That's where Mom and I put the trail magic. Now you all know. There
wasn't any sodas left, but there was still 1 orange, so I ate that and
also refilled my water with a big gallon jug she had left in the
cooler. She'll be picking it up tonight, so no need to worry about
leaving it as trash. We're responsible trail magicians.
From route 2 there was a bit of road walking, then a steep climb up
Mt. Hayes. Along the way I came across several hikers, Ichabod was
one, another was Landfill who I just met today, and both were looking
miserable. I guess a bunch of others have gotten sick too, so there's
something going around. I hope I don't get it. I'm surprised they were
able to hike with the way they were looking. After Hayes came Cascade
Mountain, another tough climb, and the whole time I was contemplating
whether I would stop at the campsite on the other side or not. When I
came to where the trail turned off to it I saw a bunch of packs,
everyone was down by the site getting water, and for some reason
seeing how many people were there motivated me to push for the next
shelter (Gentian Pond), another 4.9 miles. I filled up on water as
well, had a short snack break, then was on my way. It wasn't very hard
elevation-wise, I had gotten most of that out of the way earlier in
the day, but what was hard to deal with was the torrential rainstorm I
got caught in. Soaked me, my pack, my boots, and everything else to
the bone. Plus there was some threatening thunderclaps going off
around me the whole time. After an hour or maybe a little less it had
cleared, so I hiked the last mile and a half really wet, but at least
not getting any wetter.
I finally made it around 7:30 and quickly tried to get all my wet
clothes off. Two others were here, a father and son out for 5 days.
Really nice and friendly. They talked with us as we (The Crusher,
Ichabod, & Fynias are also here) cleaned up and made dinner. After I
set up my sleep spot in the shelter I hopped in and started writing
this up. I'm very happy I made it this far, there were several times
today I didn't think I'd make it, but I did. It puts me just shy of 5
miles to the border. Tomorrow is a new state...the last one.
Total miles: 1893
Monday, August 9, 2010
Coon Cat vs. Wildcat: The Showdown
Day 111 - 8/9/10
After I posted last night I struggled to find a stealth spot near
Pinkham Notch. I asked a girl working at the visitor center if she
knew of any, but she only knew of some that were South, so I just
tried my luck going North along the AT. I found an okay one near a
brook really close to route 16. Thankfully the brook was loud enough
to drown out some of the traffic sounds. The other thing that helped
that was the rain, although it kept waking me up in the middle of the
night, and also made for an unpleasant morning. I hate packing up a
wet tent.
After I posted last night I struggled to find a stealth spot near
Pinkham Notch. I asked a girl working at the visitor center if she
knew of any, but she only knew of some that were South, so I just
tried my luck going North along the AT. I found an okay one near a
brook really close to route 16. Thankfully the brook was loud enough
to drown out some of the traffic sounds. The other thing that helped
that was the rain, although it kept waking me up in the middle of the
night, and also made for an unpleasant morning. I hate packing up a
wet tent.
I woke up around 7 and slowly got my things together. The other reason
I didn't enjoy packing up was because of all the sand covering my
belongings. Being near a brook does have some disadvantages. I finally
got going around 8:30, starting the climb up toward the Wildcat Ridge.
Once I got to a viewspot higher up I could see from looking back that
Washington was shrouded in clouds. Not a good day to be up there I
imagine, it seemed to stay that way all day.
Wildcat was a tough hike and it felt like forever before I made it to
Carter Notch Hut, the last of the Huts through the White Mountains. I
stopped in there to eat my lunch and refill water. Each night a
different crew member cooks dinner at the Huts, and I watched as the
guy doing it today had a giant bread disaster. He took out the loaves
and they were sunken and stuck in the pans. They looked terrible. I
heard him tell another guy he'd be making some cornbread later to
replace the mishap, so I hope that worked out for him.
When I left there I had a steep climb up to Carter Dome. I started
getting really frustrated and feeling like it was a bad day because I
was still carrying a soaked, thus extra heavy, tent. On top of that I
had just resupplied yesterday so my pack felt even heavier. And the
trail wasn't giving me any breaks, I'd go up and down, and each down
part seemed like it was incredibly rocky and hard to navigate, slowing
my pace to 1mph or so. That 7.2 miles from Carter Notch to Imp
Campsite (where I stopped for the day) seemed never-ending and
extremely difficult. By the time I reached the side trail to it my
knees were toast and I wouldn't have been able to go any further.
I went down, time was about 5:30, and set up on the very last platform
available. I hurried to set up my tent so it could start airing out
immediately, and then got to work on chores, water, dinner, etc. After
a few hours my tent had finally aired out and dried enough to set up
my bed inside. When that was all said and done I hopped inside so I
could write this up. It stinks like mildew in here. Wish I had some
Febreeze. I wonder who made up that product name? While I was midway
through writing it started to rain, so my tent didn't stay dry for
very long. Looks like I'll probably be packing up a wet tent again
tomorrow. Darn. I hope today was just one of those days and that
tomorrow I can get back in the swing of things. It's tough when it
feels like nothing's going your way. One thing to look forward to at
least is that I'll be in Maine within 2 days.
One last thing. I forgot to mention this in yesterday's post, but I
just wanted to give a shout out to my sister Mary saying thanks for
the b-day card that was hand delivered by Mom. Sorry I forgot to put
it in last night, but I did appreciate it. Thanks sis!
Total miles: 1873.2
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Pinkham Notch visit.
Day 110 - 8/8/10
Got up around 7:30 and had a quick morning to make it to Pinkham Notch
as early as possible to meet my Mom for the day. Left around 8, having
a bit of confusing uphill due to the poorly blazed section known as
Madison Gulf Trail, until I came to the road you use to drive up Mt.
Washington. I stopped and talked to #1 son and '96, and a few minutes
later some SOBOs named Ragamuffin and Mega Mo, both from Georgia. From
there the trail was mostly downhill and well blazed, so it went by
fast and before I knew it I was there.
Got up around 7:30 and had a quick morning to make it to Pinkham Notch
as early as possible to meet my Mom for the day. Left around 8, having
a bit of confusing uphill due to the poorly blazed section known as
Madison Gulf Trail, until I came to the road you use to drive up Mt.
Washington. I stopped and talked to #1 son and '96, and a few minutes
later some SOBOs named Ragamuffin and Mega Mo, both from Georgia. From
there the trail was mostly downhill and well blazed, so it went by
fast and before I knew it I was there.
It was much bigger than I had expected, all the other notches had
little to no parking nearby, so I was a bit worried I wouldn't be able
to find my Mom, but I spotted her quickly siting on a picnic table. I
went up and gave her a hug, then saw some fellow hikers nearby
(Ichabod, The Crusher, Brooklyn, Penny) and since I knew she was
bringing trail magic I asked if they wanted some. They said yes so Mom
drove up and we all hung around eating oranges, apples, some awesome
brownies and these terrific chocolate bar things, and some sodas. I
also have my grandparents to thank for the trail magic, so I just
wanted to give them a shout out here saying THANK YOU! I know the
others really appreciated it too.
When they geared up to leave Mom and I drove to Gorham, NH so I could
take care of a few errands, namely resupply and laundry. We were doing
that maybe an hour and a half, and when all was said and done we drove
to a secret location to place the rest of the trail magic. I don't
want say exactly where in case this information falls into the wrong
hands. I hope those that come across it do enjoy it though.
After that we drove to a nice picnic area, Dolly Copp I believe, and
stayed there about 3-4 hours having a BBQ of ribs, red hotdogs, corn,
and other delicious treats. It was a great way to relax and enjoy the
afternoon, and having to leave at 5:30 made me really sad. I just love
lounging. We drove back to Pinkham Notch and she dropped me off, said
goodbye, then headed back to little Harrison. I went into the visitor
center to finish charging my phone, and while there decided to write
this all up so I wouldn't have to do it later. Plus I'm able to post
it tonight because of the free wifi Internet here. Score!
So I had a pretty easy hiking day, but an amazing, albeit too short,
day with Mom. Thanks Mom, Dad, Morm & Farf for making the trail magic
and visit today an amazing success. A few more days and I'm in Maine.
Woohoo!
Total miles: 1860.1
Crowds in the clouds.
Day 109 - 8/7/10
Got to eat leftovers around 7:45. I had chicken, peas, pasta, rice,
bread, and some chocolate chip cookie bar things. After I had eaten
they had me chisel away ice build-up in their refrigerators
downstairs. Did that for maybe an hour, finishing up around 9. I
didn't get to sleep until late though because they had me in the
library, and people were in there hanging out until 9:30ish. To pass
the time I started chapter 2 in a new book I've been reading, a
Western by Louis L'Amour, and even though everyone had finally left I
wasn't done the chapter and didn't want to leave it in the middle, so
I stayed up till 10:30 finishing it. Long chapter.
Got to eat leftovers around 7:45. I had chicken, peas, pasta, rice,
bread, and some chocolate chip cookie bar things. After I had eaten
they had me chisel away ice build-up in their refrigerators
downstairs. Did that for maybe an hour, finishing up around 9. I
didn't get to sleep until late though because they had me in the
library, and people were in there hanging out until 9:30ish. To pass
the time I started chapter 2 in a new book I've been reading, a
Western by Louis L'Amour, and even though everyone had finally left I
wasn't done the chapter and didn't want to leave it in the middle, so
I stayed up till 10:30 finishing it. Long chapter.
I woke up and was packed by 6:45, so I went downstairs and grabbed a
quick bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar. That's the only thing they'll
give you before everyone eats because they make it every day and
always have so much of it. I didn't want to wait around until everyone
had eaten for the real leftovers because by the time I'd have left it
would be 8:30-9. So I left at 7:15 and was on my way up to Washington.
It was a nice steady climb, nothing too difficult, but as the mountain
appeared when I poked above treeline it looked to be covered in a
thick swarming fog. I was worried it might stay that way and I
wouldn't get a view. I remember Bodacious had said because these
mountains are so high up they create their own weather, and that was
clearly visible from what I was witnessing.
When I made it to Lakes of the Clouds Hut, about 1.6 miles from the
summit, it still hadn't cleared, so I stopped in for some hot
beverages to give it some time. By then I was up to 5000 ft. of
elevation, so I was feeling the cold as well and could do with some
warming up. When I had left Mizpah it was really cold, 40s-50s, and
that Hut is 1200 feet lower than Clouds, plus no exposure to wind
because it's below treeline, so you can understand the need to stop. I
had some coffee mixed with hot cocoa, something I've been doing lately
when I make breakfast myself at camp. The best is the Taster's Choice
hazelnut packs mixed with the cocoa, but they don't have those at the
Huts. What they had was still good though.
After drinking that I was ready to go. It was not hard steepness, but
the wind was a challenge. It can be fierce. They even have warning
signs before you go up that Mt. Washington has the worst weather in
America and not to go up if you see it's getting bad. Luckily for me
it started to clear as I ascended, and when I reached the summit the
visibility was great. What wasn't so great was the crowds. It seemed
as if that place was an amusement park or something. There were cars
and a parking lot, trains with loads of people, a museum, a shop, and
a dining hall. It was a little too much to handle. I wanted to get out
of there and back to hiking, which would get me away from most of the
people, but I was starving and had been planning on eating at the DH
there. When I went in I bumped into The Crusher and Ichabod who I
hadn't seen since Kent, CT. I'd say at least a good 300 miles back. I
caught up with them, ate a couple lunches worth (2 hotdogs, chips,
slice of pizza, whoopie pie, a coke, and coffee), then got myself out
of there.
Leaving Washington and hiking along the presidentials is amazing. It's
hard to describe the views in a way to give them justice, but I will
say this. Sometimes you turn, look back, and are so amazed by the
beauty of these mountains that you just want to cry. It would be tears
of joy and awe. I'm serious. Even the springs and water you see up in
those mountains is beautiful, you just can't help and admire how
clean, clear, and crisp it looks. Nature's most beautiful resource.
Going through those mountains in a day was fantastic, but I know
that's not enough. They are worth several hundred return visits, at
the very least.
After a solid 6 hours above treeline going around and up those
mountains I had made it to the next Hut, Madison Spring. I stopped and
hung out, getting myself a $1 hunk of not-so-good bread. Brooklyn came
in as I was eating, and I hadn't seen him since Manchester Center in
VT. We caught up, and I also met two other NOBOs, a father and son
team named #1 son and '96. Once I felt rested I geared up for the last
few miles of the day. It was a steep uphill rocky climb over Mt.
Madison, and then just as steep and rocky heading down. I'd say the
downhill from Madison was the hardest couple miles of the day. Having
that at the end was a bit rough. I did make my goal though, Osgood
Tentsite, at around 6:30. Trashman, Ohibro, and Bodacious were here,
so I stopped and talked to them a bit before I found myself a platform
to set up on. This place is crowded! I'm glad I got here when I did
because any later and I would have been S.O.L. I watched as a new
hiker, sometimes two, came in about every 5-10 minutes for a span of
about an hour. Some even turned around and left because I imagine all
the other spots had been filled up.
Anyway I cooked up my dinner, then ate and jotted down notes for the
day. Now I'm buried in my sleeping bag, bundled up tight, trying to
keep warm. It's actually so cold my eyes hurt. Glad I'm not up in
those mountains tonight where it's even colder. Had an awesome day in
the Whites, couldn't have asked for anything better.
Total miles: 1855.3
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