Day 154 - Pierce Pond Lean-To to Caratunk

Good night's sleep. Heard the loons calling at some point, even with my earplugs in. Woke up to fog -- couldn't even see the pond, but it burned off quickly.
 

Took our time in the morning -- even had a cup of tea. Then it was off to the Kennebec. The river was definitely bigger than I expected -- wouldn't want to cross it on foot. Steve "the Ferryman" was waiting on the other side and canoed over to bring us across. Turns out he did have a cabin available for the night. We took it!

The Ferryman and Swag paddle across the Kennebec River, where Longshanks is waiting on shore

Really hot, humid day. Cabin was cute -- bunkbeds and a double bed, small kitchen and bathroom. What more could we need? Chilled out til dinnertime, then headed a mile down the road to Northern Outdoors, where Dave had his bachelor party. Nice place; not as busy as I expected. Had a decent dinner with not great service. Two beers just about knocked me out.

Kind of glad no other hikers were around, because then we probably would have stayed longer. Got a ride back to the cabin just as a thunderstorm hit. So nice to be inside! Played a couple games of backgammon with Swagman. Then it was bedtime. Pillow!

Day 153 - Safford Notch Campsites to Pierce Pond lean-to

Had a great night's sleep, even though I did have to get up a couple of times to pee. Also, wore my bug net for a while 'cause my face was so cold. Actually had a cup of tea in the morning.

We hit the road at 8 to climb our last major mountain til Katahdin -- Little Bigelow. Great views back to the ridge we climbed yesterday. Clean, dry, slightly chilly air. Great hiking weather. Got to the shelter we had planned to stay at the night before around 11 a.m. Could we make it 17 more miles to Pierce Pond? Didn't seem likely, but the terrain got remarkably easier.

 
Came to the 2000-mile mark, which was spray-painted in the middle of a road. Kind of surreal. We had lunch there and moved on, never going more than 3 1/2 miles without a break. Finally got to the water source around which we were thinking of camping. It wasn't great, and there were no tent sites. So we decided to do the extra 3.5 miles to Pierce Pond, adding up to a 22.2 mile day. Our biggest since Mass.? It's been a long time since we hit 20 miles.

 
Really nice pond, and we found a couple of tent sites right on the edge. Cooked dinner as the sun went down. Saw a moose (cow) across the way. Tomorrow we walk 3.5 miles to the Kennebec River, where we'll be ferried across. Then it's off to Caratunk. Lots of places are booked because it's Labor Day weekend. We'll see what happens.

Day 152 - Stratton to Safford Notch Campsites

Today is our five-month anniversary on the trail. Yes, it feels like we've been out here for five months. Longer, actually, when I think back to the night at Amicalola Falls in the laundry room.

Had two donuts, a banana, and a cup of coffee for breakfast. Yum! Hung out with Patch for a while. He's got a lot of stuff to keep organized. Said he'd give us a call when he gets near Becket, Mass. Wonder when that will be.

Got a ride back to the trail around 10:30. Had every intention of doing 15 miles, but it just didn't happen. Terrain was too tough. Got up on the Bigelow ridge, and we could see for miles and miles. Really beautiful. So windy that I lost my balance a few times.

 

When we got to the 10-mile campsite, we saw that Swag had left a note saying that he was staying. That's all we needed to hear. It was a heck of a 10-mile stretch! Got a good tentsite and cooked dinner (hot cocoa, cup of soup and 1/2 a Ramen with can of tuna). Change is good. I threw out my peanut butter in Stratton. Just can't do it anymore -- especially with raisins on a bagel.

A ruffled grouse

It's cold tonight, but crisp and dry. Glad I have pants and a warm sleeping bag. Oh, Dave found out his dad is back in the hospital for a week. They're going to run some tests and possibly operate on his heart again. We might be in the 100-mile wilderness if/when that had to happen. That would be scary.

Now we have miles to make up tomorrow. Wonder how many we'll do. I guess the Dude passed us today. Some people are really starting to gun it for Katahdin.

Day 151 - Crocker Cirque Campsite to Stratton

Had a good night's sleep. No rain during the night and woke to a clear morning.

I started hiking before Dave and Swag and waited for them on top of the second Crocker peak. It was a decent climb, but nothing I couldn't handle. I especially like hiking up mountains on my own because I feel freer to go at my own pace. Nice view from the top.  

Then Dave and I started the five-mile descent into Stratton. Bumped into George "Perk" Perkins, a section hiker who we hadn't seen since Damascus. That was pretty cool. At the bottom of the mountain, we stopped and talked to a man doing trail maintenance (originally from Boston). He ended up giving us a lift into town.  

Stratton, Maine

Patch

As soon as we got out of the truck, someone came running over. It was Pacman! (now Patch). He's flip-flopping, since he realized he wasn't going to make it to Katahdin in time if he kept heading north. He looks the same -- doesn't seem to have lost much weight. Big old smile on his face. He said he's having a great time -- lovin' every minute of the trail. Wish I could have his attitude. Anyway, he's taking it slow and steady -- has to, really, since he's carrying a 60-pound pack (added a backpacking guitar).

We had lunch, and before long Dave was talking about spending the night. I thought were going to get in and out of town to save money! Oh, well. It was the third to last town, and we found a room for $30 that we could split with Swagman. And we were awfully dirty. Sold. Plus Dave said we'd make up the miles the next day.

Picked up my package at the post office. Resupplied. Did laundry. Had dinner (an omelette) at the local diner. Called home (it was Mom and Dad's anniversary). It started to rain -- got to love it when you're not in the woods.

Watched a little TV. Redneck was hanging out in our room -- had no place to go. I knew he'd end up crashing on the floor. I didn't sleep so well. Up at 8.

Day 150 - Orbeton Stream to Crocker Cirque Campsite

Well, it did start raining during the night and is still raining now. My prediction is we’ll finish the trail Sept. 10. Had trouble sleeping last night. Too much stuff going around in my head. Things that I miss about home (in no particular order):

• Kaya and Tigger
• Bed with pillows and blankets
• House to keep me warm and dry
• Fridge full of food (and freezer, too)
• Car
• Shower with hot water
• Flush toilet
• Closet full of clothes (doesn’t have to be full)
• Couch/loveseat
• Stereo
• Makeup
• Earning money
• Bananas
• Fluffy towels
• Bathrobe
• Single glass of merlot 

When the rain let up, it was still overcast/foggy, and the air was very heavy. Had breakfast in the tent for the first time. Not quite like breakfast in a big, warm, dry, comfy bed. Soon enough, I guess.

Didn’t head out til after 9. No views, but not bad walking. Took a really long morning break at the first shelter -- actually had a cup of tea! Looked like it was going to clear, but it never did. At Sugarloaf Mountain, we crossed the “less than 200 miles to go” line. Yippee!

Kept going to Crocker Cirque campsite. Lots of time to set up, try to dry things out. College group here again -- otherwise, we’d have the place to ourselves. Planning to get up early tomorrow so we can get into Stratton “at a decent hour.”

Crocker Cirque, an amphitheater-like valley formed at the head of a glacier

Must call home. Looking forward to Friday and staying at the Rivers and Trails Hostel -- and crossing the Kennebec River -- and having a shower! Hoping for a better night’s sleep. Oh, we saw a jackrabbit today. Very cute.

Day 149 - Piazza Rock Shelter to Orbeton Stream

Slept well. It wasn’t as cold as the night before. Got an early start for a change.

Began the ascent of Saddleback Mountain. On the way up, we saw our first moose across a pond. It watched us for a few moments before turning and heading back into the woods. Hopefully we’ll see another closer up, but that was pretty cool. 

Met a woman (Blueberry) who thru-hiked last year and got all the way to Route 17. Now she’s picking up where she left off to finish her hike. I guess I’m not the only one who’s had doubts this late in the game.

Later on, we met a couple (her name is Happy Feet) who already finished their nobo thru-hike and are headed south to New Hampshire. She told me Gorham to Andover is the toughest section of trail, not Gorham to Stratton (as Wingfoot says). Also, she hated that section -- found it dangerous and scary and the cause of some tears. So I’m not the only one! I was really happy to get positive info from her about the terrain in the rest of the state. Looks like the hardest part really is over.

The climb up Saddleback

Anyway, we climbed to the top of Saddleback, above treeline, which was nice. Supposedly you can see Katahdin on a clear day -- not sure if I saw it or not. Then it was on to climb The Horn. Bumped into Frankenstein and his brother there. Finally we climbed Saddleback Jr. Others complained about the steepness of the climb, but I didn’t think it was that bad. Maybe I was just really looking forward to lunch.

On top, by the sign, I found two unopened cans of Budweiser and a Hershey bar. As Dave wrote in the next register, “Who do you think got the chocolate bar?” No tent sites at Orbeton Stream, so we kept walking and found a few tucked away by a stream at the side of a road. Nice bed of grass to put the tent on.

Longshanks and Swagman show off some trail magic.

Supposed to rain tomorrow. Hope we don’t stay soggy all day and night.

Day 148 - Bemis Stream Campsite to Piazza Rock Shelter

Went to bed early -- couldn’t have been much later than 8:30. But after two really late nights and fitful sleeps in Andover, we needed it.

Swagman woke us at 7:15. It was cold. We heard it got down to 38 degrees, and my hands concur. Headed out for our first day in a long time with no mountains to climb. Little ups and downs and lots of roots to maneuver around, but the easiest terrain in recent memory.

Had lunch by a pond, then walked down to the road leading into Rangeley. Got a hitch in and went to the supermarket. Little Ox offered us a ride back to the trail, and I jumped at it. No time to call home, though.



Walked two miles to the first shelter. Busy place! Big group of college kids and others. They made a fire and went to bed, so we took advantage. Stayed up past 10. Soon we will have less than 200 miles left. The end really is in sight. (Let’s get to Stratton before getting too excited).

Day 147 - South Arm Road to Bemis Stream Campsite

Woke up to a beautiful day, even though it had rained a bit during the night. Had a bowl of cereal with banana, toasted pop tarts (a first!), and coffee for breakfast. Yum!

Sandra drove a group of us to the trailhead at 9. Turns out she met Pegleg in a Yahoo chat room! Time to climb Old Blue. I’d been dreading it, but glad to get it over with early and before it got too hot. It wasn’t bad at all -- actually, quite enjoyable. I was the first one to reach the top and found a great stone seat. The sun was warm, but there was a breeze blowing. Perfect temperature.

Did some catching up in my journal. Supposedly the rest of the day was to be a "piece of cake." Actually went slower than expected, due to the usual jumbles of rocks and roots. Smashed my left knee on a rock, then my right on a stump. Ouch! No kneeling for me. Got to the shelter after 3 and gave myself a lunch break. We had been talking about doing a 14-mile day, but Dave wasn’t up for it. I guess I was pretty tired, too.

Just 3.3 more miles to Bemis Stream, which usually has to be forded -- but not right now. Lots of dry riverbeds. Found a good tent site and parked it here with Swag. The others are nearby. We will try to get into and out of Rangeley tomorrow. Hope we’re successful.

Day 146 - East B Hill Road to South Arm Road

Great to sleep in a bed, even though I didn’t sleep that well. Up around 8 to get ready for our slackpacking day. Freedom!

Got dropped off at the trail around 10:30 and had until 4 to do 10 miles. Pretty easy walking for the first half, and the steep downhills weren’t that bad at all -- for a change! No sheer rockfaces, just dirt, roots, and stones. Piece of cake!

Steep climb up Moody Mountain, but plenty of ladders, bars, and stone stairways made it quite doable. Then it was down to the road to be picked up and taken back to the Guest House.
 

Made a few phone calls. Had pineapple pizza for dinner, followed by a pint of Ben and Jerry’s smore’s ice cream. Then settled in to watch The Green Mile. The Dude came strolling in late (without Smittee or Satan). He’s pushing big miles from now to the end to finish by Sept. 6. Oh, got an email from Charlie saying that he, Gerber, Achilles, and a few others summited on Aug. 19. Congrats!

Found out that Martha Stewart will be hiking Mt. Katahdin on Sept. 7 or 9! My perfect story opportunity. Alas, we will not be able to summit on the same day.

Worked out a deal with Pegleg to stay in the room another night, but Sandra didn’t know about it and cleaned it. I felt guilty and wound up paying the extra money anyway. Trouble sleeping again, but I’m not complaining.

Day 145 - Grafton Notch to East B Hill Road

Very lost without my watch. Forced myself awake when I thought it had been light out for a while -- only to find out it was 6:15. Got up anyway.

No more rain during the night. A group of hikers was being dropped off at the trailhead, and we were introduced to driver Pegleg, who runs the Guest House in Andover. He offered to take our wet tents, sleeping bags, etc. to his place. How could we resist?

With a much lighter burden, we climbed Baldpate Mountain’s two peaks. The second was quite spectacular, and the sun even broke through the clouds for a while. But we were on a schedule and had to keep moving.

After lunch we had a few steep ups and downs, but then the terrain flattened out enough for us to pick up the pace a little (finally!). Took a break at a waterfall when it started to rain. Really came down for a few minutes, but luckily we were less than a mile from the road. Got picked up just before 3 and taken to the Guest House.

Great place! (though I would have been happy just about anywhere). Big Victorian house with wraparound porch and lots of side porches. Dave and I are making the supreme sacrifice of moving into a private room to free up space in the bunkhouse (no extra charge!).

Pegleg and his wife Sandra are awesome. This place has a shower, laundry, TV, Internet, kitchen, ping pong. Stores and restaurants all a stone’s throw away. Oh, Pegleg makes you wear his “clean hiker clothes.” Dig through the drawers and pick something out. I found a floral Liz Claiborne shirt and jean shorts (size 4, a little big!).

Sandra and Pegleg

Got pizza across the street and have been chillin’ ever since. Had 1 ½ beers, and that was plenty for me. We’re slack-packing for 10 miles tomorrow. Hurray! That means we’re coming back here tomorrow night. Strangely not concerned about not having a watch. With this terrain, it just isn’t possible to push the miles. So I’m goin’ with the flow, and if that means staying at a clean, warm, dry hostel, by golly I’ll do it. We’ll figure out the money later.

Downtown Andover

Was really surprised to bump into Izzy here. We haven’t seen her since Neels Gap, GA! She looks good. Jumped ahead to do Maine so she wouldn’t have to worry about when she finishes. I guess a number of people are doing that.

Sat down and watched the entire Ferris Bueller’s Day Off movie. On a couch! Will definitely make a few phone calls tomorrow. Do I have a job to come back to? Will I be ready to face the “real world” on October 1? I will be ready to start earning a paycheck again, that’s for sure.

Day 144 - Full Goose Shelter to Grafton Notch

It’s getting dark early now. Everyone went to bed soon after nightfall. I think I held out til 9.

Slept very well for being in a shelter. Those two Benadryl tablets didn’t hurt, either. Woke up to a rainless sky. I guess we would have to tackle Mahoosuc Notch after all. Everything was still wet, though.

Took a long time just to get to the notch. It ended up being the jumble of rocks I expected it to be -- and what I thought Dante’s Inferno would have been like. Took us over 2 ½ hours to do this one mile. But I made it through, with Dave’s help.


 

Oh, the notch ate my watch! I feel lost without it. But will I bother/be able to buy another one? I don’t know. It would be nice to just get up in the morning and go to bed at night when the mood strikes. But it could also be dangerous -- especially in the a.m.

Had a steep climb up Mahoosuc Arm, followed by Speck Pond. At 3:15, we had only done five miles (after seven hours). I was using muscles in my hands, arms, feet, and legs that don’t normally get used in hiking. But this isn’t your average hiking.

Why didn’t I appreciate Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, etc. when we walked through them? Hopefully the southbounders will take advantage of the easier terrain. Decided to push on five more miles to Grafton Notch. It was a bit of a risk to get there before dark if the trail was similar to earlier in the day. But we took our chances, and I’m glad we did.

More climbing to the top of Old Speck (no view), then a 3 ½ mile descent which could have been traumatic but was actually the nicest stretch of trail we’d seen all day. Got to the parking lot at 6:15. There’s a small picnic area where we, along with Swag and Bad Moon, cooked and set up our tents. Not much traffic on the road nearby. It was raining earlier but is just drizzling now.

Oh, we crossed the 1900-mile mark about a mile back. Yippee! And we’re going into a town tomorrow to resupply and maybe stay at a hostel. These little things help keep me going. Eighty more “tough” miles to go.

P.S. -- Fall is in the air. Lots of semi-colored (brown, yellow, and green) leaves on the ground and the smell of rotting apples (I guess it’s leaves).

Day 143 - Gentian Pond to Full Goose Shelter

Good night’s sleep on the tent platform. We went to bed early -- not much else to do. Nice to be semi-clean inside my sleeping bag.

Up at 6:30, out at 7:30. They weren’t kidding when they said this terrain was tough. Steep ups, steep downs, all rocks and roots -- miles come very slowly. At least it was cooler and cloudy. We were sweating up a storm nonetheless.

Four and a half miles to the NH/Maine border. We did it! I did it! Now I can truly say I walked from Georgia to Maine, even if I don’t make it all the way. I still have my doubts. Oh, just before the border I saw a black bear. Heard it before I saw it. Dave was a bit ahead. The bear started to move away, then stopped and turned around and started coming back towards the trail. I didn’t stick around to find out its intentions.

Did a shot of whiskey out of a Gatorade bottle at the border. Our last state line! Maine certainly didn’t start off gently. The rain didn’t help at all -- turned rocks and roots into banana peels. It’s really dangerous walking. I did OK, though, kept myself under control. 

Clockwise from left: Boog, Swagman, Bad Moon, Blur, and Longshanks

It was a long, tiring 10 miles to the shelter -- made longer by the rain. What will the weather be like tomorrow, when we tackle “the toughest mile on the AT” -- Mahoosuc Notch? Rain would make the day much more stressful.

Hopefully we’ll go at least 10 miles -- although Dave mentioned a shelter at 5. Sometimes I think we’re never going to finish this trail! We went from an early September projected done date to Sept. 15. I don’t know if I’ll be up for going to Acadia if we finish that late. I just want to go home!

I’m warm and dry in the shelter but will have to put on my wet, smelly clothes in the a.m. Ew! I’m the only woman here out of eight thru-hikers. Something about this adventure definitely appeals more to males than females. I would not be here right now if it weren’t for Dave. He’s pulled me though many rough times. I have a lot of admiration for the solo thru-hikers (especially women).

Day 142 - Gorham to Gentian Pond

Up at 8:15. Took a shower, just because I could. Called home and gave Dad the shelter run-down.

Got a hitch back to the trailhead and started walking around 11:30. Very hot with the sun out. Some steep climbs, which I was sort of expecting and sort of not. But we took it nice and slow.

Last five miles weren’t bad at all. At the shelter with Swag, Bad Moon, Frankenstein, Cy, Babbalouie and Shiloh. We hit Maine tomorrow! The profile map for the miles ahead is pretty intimidating, but I know we can handle 12 miles a day. Is Dave going to start dragging his heels, though?

Day 141 - Gorham, New Hampshire

As I said, did errands and took a nap during the day. Got to stay in the same room, big moneysaver. Decided to go for a real sit-down dinner -- how strange. Went to a place that specializes in turkey -- so I got the hot turkey platter. Yuk. Maybe I’ll go back to being a vegetarian after all.

But we had a nice time -- just the two of us, for a change. Everyone else was at the hostel. An ice cream cone, then off to veg in front of the TV. Now this is living! I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Another great night’s sleep with two pillows and AC. Can you say spoiled?

Day 140 - Carter Notch campsite to Gorham

Got packed up quick so the tent wouldn’t get wet. Climbed up to Carter Dome, followed by three more Carter peaks.

 

Then we hit a nasty, rocky descent. Just the kind that I hate, especially when wet. Actually had to take my pack off at one point. Also did a lot of sliding down rocks, which felt lovely when the small pebbles and dirt particles ground into the backs of my thighs.

After lunch the terrain flattened out quite a bit. We planned to stay at the shelter two miles out of Gorham to save money, even if it was raining. However, when we got there, Dave made an “executive decision” to push into town. I didn’t resist too hard.


 
First we stopped at The Barn, a hostel. Saw Swagman, Bad Moon, Frankenstein, etc. Really crowded. We walked further into town and found a motel room with bath down the hall for $32. Perfect! Great shower, soft bed, nice pillows. Met some hikers at the Chinese restaurant across the street. One beer and I was feeling pretty loopy. Went back to the room, had some oatmeal, and zonked out.

Took it easy in the morning, then we split up to do the usual town errands. Took a nap in the afternoon. Watched TV. Awesome day! Feel very refreshed and ready to tackle these last 300 miles. How hard will the Mahoosics be? Can they be that much more difficult than the Whites? Will they be even more beautiful? Can I handle 10-12 miles per day? I think so. No, I know so.

Day 139 - Mt. Madison to Carter Notch campsite

A campsite for two on top of Mt. Madison

 I’ve been getting behind in my journal writing. Let’s see… Great night’s sleep on top of Mt. Madison. I was so exhausted that the rocks beneath me almost felt like little pillows -- almost.

 
Had breakfast, then started the long, rocky, rooty, slow descent into Pinkham Notch. Thank goodness we hadn’t tried that hike at night. It would have been disastrous, I think.

Got to Pinkham Notch and the AYCE buffet around noon. I filled up on fruit punch and hummus sandwiches. Not psyched about the upcoming climb up to Wildcat Mountain’s five peaks. Quite a strenuous hike, followed by a steep descent into Carter Notch. When I stopped hiking, I realized that my toes were killing me.

Got water at Carter Notch (no food there) and walked a couple tenths of a mile to a decent campsite. Couldn’t sleep. I think it was a combination of being disgustingly dirty and having many thoughts (trail and otherwise) spinning around in my head.

Woke up to a very grey, heavy sky. Rain was near. Glad it was our last day in the Whites (rained on our first day, too).

Day 138 - Mizpah Hut to Mt. Madison

What a day! (in more ways than one). I didn’t have a great night’s sleep in the bunkroom. Too dark. Thank goodness for the skylight, which helped a little.

Worked breakfast and got to eat leftover scrambled eggs, blueberry cake, and grits. Then we were asked to clean out under all the mattresses (lots of them). It took quite a while. Finally headed out to climb Mt. Washington.

Lake of the Clouds

Another perfect day. We were told there was 70-mile visibility from the summit -- almost enough to see the ocean. Lots of people around. It was a steady climb to the peak. Great views from the top -- along with a parking lot and tons of people. Kind of like Disneyworld. Went downstairs to the backpacker room, then had lunch and hung out for a while.

It was late by the time we left, and the sun was beating down on us above treeline. Got to Madison Spring Hut at 7:30 p.m. The croo already had two thru-hikers staying there and turned us away, but said we could each pay $10 to sleep on a table. They had offered hiker duo Team GAK the same deal for $6. Bunch of college kids collecting some beer money on the side, I think.

So we headed out at 8 (sunset) and had to climb Mt. Madison. Very rocky. Fine going up, not so fine going down. I wouldn't have liked the descent on a dry day, and was positively not comfortable hiking down with a headlamp. Very fortunate to find a semi-flat spot about 25 feet past the summit -- big enough for two sleeping bags and that’s about it. Beautiful night, with a sky full of stars and no chance of rain. Not too cold, either. We cooked dinner and hit the sack. I was physically and mentally exhausted and slept quite well, despite the rocks. Up at 7.

Oh, forgot to mention my crying fit on the way to the hut. Just tired of walking, especially on rocks, tired of trying (and failing) to keep up with Dave. Said I might not make it to Maine and that maybe I don’t want it badly enough. But Dave said I would have given up long before now if I didn’t have it in me. I guess this is true. How did I get so lucky to find this man, who says and does just the right things at the right time??