17.9 miles, 2063.8 total.
early start today because we were excited about making our last official trail town stop. town time is always exciting!
the trail was awful again today. very muddy and wet. several times my poles sunk into the ground up to their handles. I'm surprised I haven't snapped them in half yet.
nothing spectacular today other than the fact that of didn't rain until we were done hiking. very nice.
staying at Shaw's, a famous hostel - among hikers. they offer a $7 all you can eat breakfast. you order by giving them one number - 1,2,3,4,5,etc. the number is how many of each item you will receive. if you order 3: you get 3 eggs, 3 blueberry pancakes, 3 pieces of bacon, 3 sausage links, and 3 scoops of hash-browns. wow.
tomorrow I will begin the 100 mile wilderness. it's touted as the most remote stretch of the entire trail. then it's just about 15 miles to the finish!
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
moxie bald mtn. lean-to
18.8 miles, 2045.9 total.
late start out of caratunk, but on the trail by 10:00. nice weather today. no rain!
the day was broken up very well by shelter placement. good distances apart for breaks which were needed because we had a couple rigorous climbs; pleasant pond mountain and moxie bald mountain. also had to ford a large stream - about 25 yards wide with water up to my thighs. I've given up on taking off my hiking shoes and wearing my crocs across rivers and streams because my shoes are always wet anyway - due to the muddy wet trail. I just truck right through the water, watching for deep holes and slippery rocks.
right after the ford I saw a white FORD pickup driving down an old logging road...and the driver was shooting a .22 rifle out his window into a field. not sure what he was shooting, but it was in the opposite direction.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
late start out of caratunk, but on the trail by 10:00. nice weather today. no rain!
the day was broken up very well by shelter placement. good distances apart for breaks which were needed because we had a couple rigorous climbs; pleasant pond mountain and moxie bald mountain. also had to ford a large stream - about 25 yards wide with water up to my thighs. I've given up on taking off my hiking shoes and wearing my crocs across rivers and streams because my shoes are always wet anyway - due to the muddy wet trail. I just truck right through the water, watching for deep holes and slippery rocks.
right after the ford I saw a white FORD pickup driving down an old logging road...and the driver was shooting a .22 rifle out his window into a field. not sure what he was shooting, but it was in the opposite direction.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Monday, July 20, 2009
caratunk, me
14.0 miles, 2027.1 total, 151.2 to go.
another very cool night with bugs buzzing outside my tent. left camp at 8:30.
trail was flat, flat, flat. hiked next to pierce pond river for a couple hours and saw several beautiful waterfalls. also got to go across the AT famous Kennebec river. we had to wave to the "ferry driver" who waits on the other side of the river. he paddles across in his canoe and takes back two hikers at a time, and the hiker in front is required to paddle. it's about 50 yards wide, 8-10 feet deep, and flows very very fast. cool.
right after the river is caratunk, where we had mailed extra food for the next few days. we got the packages from the post office and someone offered to drive us to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch. it turns out it is also a hostel/river rafting lodge...and it's really cheap. so we're staying here tonight. $12 per person with all the usual offerings. here with the amigos. this doesn't change the schedule and plan for the rest of the trip. at this time, looks like the five of us will summit Mt. Katahdin, Baxter Peak (end of the U.S. AT) on July 28th. that's 5 months and 2 days after I started this journey. wow. amazing.
the amigos are the 4 guys from cincy. they're all very athletic, in much better shape and younger than I am (by about 13 years!), but it's great to hike with them.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
another very cool night with bugs buzzing outside my tent. left camp at 8:30.
trail was flat, flat, flat. hiked next to pierce pond river for a couple hours and saw several beautiful waterfalls. also got to go across the AT famous Kennebec river. we had to wave to the "ferry driver" who waits on the other side of the river. he paddles across in his canoe and takes back two hikers at a time, and the hiker in front is required to paddle. it's about 50 yards wide, 8-10 feet deep, and flows very very fast. cool.
right after the river is caratunk, where we had mailed extra food for the next few days. we got the packages from the post office and someone offered to drive us to a nearby restaurant for a late lunch. it turns out it is also a hostel/river rafting lodge...and it's really cheap. so we're staying here tonight. $12 per person with all the usual offerings. here with the amigos. this doesn't change the schedule and plan for the rest of the trip. at this time, looks like the five of us will summit Mt. Katahdin, Baxter Peak (end of the U.S. AT) on July 28th. that's 5 months and 2 days after I started this journey. wow. amazing.
the amigos are the 4 guys from cincy. they're all very athletic, in much better shape and younger than I am (by about 13 years!), but it's great to hike with them.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Sunday, July 19, 2009
west carry pond lean-to
17.5 miles, 2013.1 total.
wonderful dry and cool night. got back on the trail at 8:30 this morning.
had a couple of small beautiful climbs this morning and then it flattened out a bit. passed a large stream that flowed over giant bloulders that were bowl shaped. SO, took off my clothes and got in. it was just like a big bath tub...with really cold water, but it felt great.
got some great pictures from the top of Bigelow mountain as I hiked over its long rocky ridge.
Maine has been wonderful so far. couldn't really ask for better weather so far. it's almost like Maine has a little bit of all the other states rolled into one. mountains, hills, fields, rocks, boulders, roots, bogs, streams, rivers, etc. the good, the bad, and the ugly. so fitting that it's the last state. really amazing.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
wonderful dry and cool night. got back on the trail at 8:30 this morning.
had a couple of small beautiful climbs this morning and then it flattened out a bit. passed a large stream that flowed over giant bloulders that were bowl shaped. SO, took off my clothes and got in. it was just like a big bath tub...with really cold water, but it felt great.
got some great pictures from the top of Bigelow mountain as I hiked over its long rocky ridge.
Maine has been wonderful so far. couldn't really ask for better weather so far. it's almost like Maine has a little bit of all the other states rolled into one. mountains, hills, fields, rocks, boulders, roots, bogs, streams, rivers, etc. the good, the bad, and the ugly. so fitting that it's the last state. really amazing.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday, July 18, 2009
horns pond lean-to
18.6 miles, 1995.6 total.
it rained ALL night. had to pack up inside the tent and then pack up a wet tent, which I'm sure added an extra pound of weight to my bag. left camp at 9:00 and it stopped raining shortly after. huh.
more big climbs today and had to ford a roaring stream and near the end of the day we went through an amazing boulder field. giant boulders the size of houses all over the mountain. they were covered with moss and had trees growing through and around them. really cool. it made it a little easier to go up 2000 ft in about 2.5 miles at the end of the day. I was running out of gas - had to stop several times and rest. starting to feel old while hiking with a bunch of 26 year old kids! also saw another moose today. big antlers and big body quietly moving through the forest. amazing they are so quiet.
got here by 5:00. quickly set up my tent so it could dry and then I ran down and jumped into the pond for a swim/bath. it felt great! dark clouds have been rolling by, but no rain yet. in the tent now and can hear the buzzing mosquitos outside. tomorrow morning I have a couple of big climbs and then it flattens out. getting closer. 182.7 miles to go now.
all day I was singing this Ozzy song - or some version of it:
times have changed and times are strange,
here I come but I ain't the same,
mama, I'm coming home.
I could be right, I could be wrong,
it hurts so bad, it's been so long,
mama, I'm coming home.
I've seen your face a thousand times
every day we've been apart,
and I don't care about the sunshine anymore,
cause mama, mama I'm coming home.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
it rained ALL night. had to pack up inside the tent and then pack up a wet tent, which I'm sure added an extra pound of weight to my bag. left camp at 9:00 and it stopped raining shortly after. huh.
more big climbs today and had to ford a roaring stream and near the end of the day we went through an amazing boulder field. giant boulders the size of houses all over the mountain. they were covered with moss and had trees growing through and around them. really cool. it made it a little easier to go up 2000 ft in about 2.5 miles at the end of the day. I was running out of gas - had to stop several times and rest. starting to feel old while hiking with a bunch of 26 year old kids! also saw another moose today. big antlers and big body quietly moving through the forest. amazing they are so quiet.
got here by 5:00. quickly set up my tent so it could dry and then I ran down and jumped into the pond for a swim/bath. it felt great! dark clouds have been rolling by, but no rain yet. in the tent now and can hear the buzzing mosquitos outside. tomorrow morning I have a couple of big climbs and then it flattens out. getting closer. 182.7 miles to go now.
all day I was singing this Ozzy song - or some version of it:
times have changed and times are strange,
here I come but I ain't the same,
mama, I'm coming home.
I could be right, I could be wrong,
it hurts so bad, it's been so long,
mama, I'm coming home.
I've seen your face a thousand times
every day we've been apart,
and I don't care about the sunshine anymore,
cause mama, mama I'm coming home.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Friday, July 17, 2009
spaulding mtn lean-to
18.7 miles, 1977.0 total.
very late start today because of shuttle schedule out of gull pond. we hit the trail at 10:30.
what a beautiful day! mostly clear and sunny skies with amazing visibility. climbed Saddleback Mtn - 4120, The Horn - 4040, Saddleback Jr - 3655, and Lone Mtn - 3260. got some great pictures from Saddleback. could look back and see the White mountains in NH and, for the first time, could look north and see Katahdin looming - the final summit and the end of the trail. still have 201.3 miles to go, though.
got here around 7:00. just as we were beginning to cook dinner it started to rain and it hasn't slowed yet. the shelter is full of NOBOs and SOBOs, and I'm with the amigos - tenting nearby. tomorrow is another dealt tough day, especially if it keeps raining, then the trail flattens out.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
very late start today because of shuttle schedule out of gull pond. we hit the trail at 10:30.
what a beautiful day! mostly clear and sunny skies with amazing visibility. climbed Saddleback Mtn - 4120, The Horn - 4040, Saddleback Jr - 3655, and Lone Mtn - 3260. got some great pictures from Saddleback. could look back and see the White mountains in NH and, for the first time, could look north and see Katahdin looming - the final summit and the end of the trail. still have 201.3 miles to go, though.
got here around 7:00. just as we were beginning to cook dinner it started to rain and it hasn't slowed yet. the shelter is full of NOBOs and SOBOs, and I'm with the amigos - tenting nearby. tomorrow is another dealt tough day, especially if it keeps raining, then the trail flattens out.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
Thursday, July 16, 2009
gull pond lodge - rangeley, me
9.4 miles, 1958.3 total.
left camp at 8:00 knowing we only had about 10 miles to go to rangeley. I ran out of water treatment last night, my pole bent a little more while I was trying to keep from falling into a giant mud hole, and I'm almost out of insect repellent, so I need to go to an outfitter. rangeley is the last trail town with anything close to an outfitter. they also have a big grocery store, so we're going to buy extra groceries and mail them ahead to a post office on the trail. that way we don't have to go to another town until monson.
stating at this hostel that is completely filled with NOBO hikers. looks like I'm in a big pack - that hasn't happened much.
getting closer. have two really tough days coming up - big climbs - then things flatten out a bit.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
left camp at 8:00 knowing we only had about 10 miles to go to rangeley. I ran out of water treatment last night, my pole bent a little more while I was trying to keep from falling into a giant mud hole, and I'm almost out of insect repellent, so I need to go to an outfitter. rangeley is the last trail town with anything close to an outfitter. they also have a big grocery store, so we're going to buy extra groceries and mail them ahead to a post office on the trail. that way we don't have to go to another town until monson.
stating at this hostel that is completely filled with NOBO hikers. looks like I'm in a big pack - that hasn't happened much.
getting closer. have two really tough days coming up - big climbs - then things flatten out a bit.
later,
L
-- Post From My iPhone
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