Day 153: My first Moose sighting

Day: 153 Miles: 16.3 Trip: 2030.7 Started: East Flagstaff Rd  Destination: Pierce Pond Shelter

We decided to not push all the way to Caratunk today and stopped short at Pierce Pond.  The trail today was pretty deceptive from the profile map I had.  I thought it would be a quick day and finish early enough to relax by the lake for a little while.  I was wrong.  The trail was very slick and full of roots.  Many long sections of going up and down 20 foot rock scrambles really had a negative effect on my speed.

There was one major benefit to my slow pace today.  It set me up to be in the right place at the right time to see my first moose!  I was crossing a bog board walk when I heard a loud splash.  I knew it was too large splash to be a fish or bird.  I crossed out to the middle of the bridge and saw a female moose bathing in the stream.  Seeing a moose was one of my bucket list items for the trip and I am really happy to finally see one.  I was kind of down on the trail conditions up to this point but this completely made up for the slow day.

Also today was the traditional passing of the 2000 mile road crossing.  This is not the true 2000 mile point but the marking are still painted here and I was really happy to see this point in person.

One more day to Caratunk.  We are supposed to get a major storm tomorrow and if it comes to pass I will most likely wait it out for a day in town.  The trail drain pretty fast up here but when it is raining they are some of the most slick and dangerous sections I have done.

Day 152: 2000!

Day 152 Miles: 16.7 Trip: 2014.4 Started: Stratton, ME  Destination:  2014.4

Today marks a huge milestone, 2000 miles done!  I have seen the 2000 painted in the middle of a road crossing but I have not seen this yet.  I did get a picture of the 2000 mile mark (close to the real spot) up on top of Bigelow Mt. I can now say I am a '2000 miler'.  This had more meaning when the trail was just 2054 miles.  Now that it is 2187 I cant claim my title just yet.   Just crossing the Bigelow preserve is a huge milestone in itself as it marks the last major range we need to cross on the trail.  There are are a few minor mountains to go but this is the last 4000 foot peak we will see until Katahdin.

We did a slack pack out of town today.  B-Rocket, a former hiker we hiked with in VA and PA lives in ME and completed her hike about a week ago.   She has been in contact with Chin-Music and agreed to come down and shuttle us tonight and tomorrow morning.  This will make it possible to spend two nights in Stratton and then we only need to take two days to get to Caratunk instead of three.  The trail really flattens out from here north and I look forward to dong larger miles again.

Day 151: Stratton ME

Day: 151 Miles: 11.2 Trip: 1997.7 Started: 1986.5  Destination: Stratton, ME

Another two 4000+ foot peaks today.   This has been the theme for the past several days.  Up and down large climbs all day long.  Fortunately we are almost out of the higher peaks until Katahdin. The rain from yesterday has persisted all morning and as we climbed North and South Crocker Mt. we did not even pause for pictures.

Finishing the trail is on my mind quite a bit now.  I am truly ready to be finished hiking.  Everybody I talk to has about this has the same feeling.  The general thought is that it is just not that fun anymore and the final climb is all that pulling us forward one step at a time.  Even coming in to a town does not offer the respite it has in the past.  I just want to eat, sleep, resupply and move on.  I figure I have about two weeks left at this point and I want the days to go by faster.  It is almost a cruel joke that the best views and hiking are at this point.  As a through hiker I spent all summer thinking about how nice this section would be and now I am too tired to appreciate it.  I still take the time each day to reflect and acknowledge what a privilege it is to be out here but at the same time I long to simply be done. 

Day 150: Rainy night

Day: 150 Miles: 13 Trip: 1986.5 Started: Reddington Campsite  Destination: 1986.5

We got a nice early start with the goal of making about 17 miles today.  The morning started out pretty overcast but by about 8:30 the starting to come out.  On top of Saddleback Junior we actually got a pretty good view.  Later as we passed over Lone Mt and clouds started to roll in and thing were looking bad.  Just passed the plaque that commemorates the completion of the AT in 1937 thunder started to break out all around us.  Up on the Sugerloaf Mountain ridge we decided to find the first available spot to camp.  Just as the rain broke out we set up our tents for a long night in the rain.  I managed to get my tent set up while staying mostly dry and settled in for a good nights rest in the rain.  I like tenting in the rain, just not setting up or breaking down in it!  

Day 149: Saddleback

Day: 149 Miles: 8.0 Trip: 1973.5 Started: Rangeley, ME  Destination: Redington Campsite

Today we did not get out of Rangeley until almost 11am.  A nice breakfast and resupply at IGA ate up most of the morning.  The hitch out of town did not take long and we were on the trail at about 11:30.  The day started with a 2500 foot climb up to Saddleback Mt.  The climb was one of my more enjoyable ones.  Lots of exposed rock made for great views on the way up.  Crossing the Horn took a little longer than anticipated and by the time we got down the backside of it we decided that we were way too tired to tackle Saddleback Junior and took advantage of an established campsite on the north side of The Horn.  Tomorrow we will try to get an early start and make up the miles we did not do today.  Despite the late start it was a really nice day with great views.

Saddleback from The Horn

Day 148: Rangely

Day: 148 Miles: 13.2 Trip: 1965.5 Started: ME17  Destination: ME4, Rangely ME

Today was the easiest day yet in Maine.  The trail up from ME17 was a little steep but that would be as hard as the day was going to be. It threatened to rain all day but only managed to stay gray and windy.  As I approached Sabath Day Pond I head the sound of waves breaking.  Its a sound I have not heard in so long that I mistook it for wind.  I miss the sound of the ocean and the waves breaking on the small beach made me think of home.

Rangeley is the last town near the trail that has a full grocery store so stopping here makes sense to some degree and if I did not need to resupply I don't think I would have stopped so soon.  There are not that many reasonable places to stay in town but Mike and Shirley Schrader offer space in their back yard for tenting.  It was a nice clear night and I was able to stretch and extension cord over to my tent to charge my phone.   Tomorrow morning we will resupply and head on towards Stratton, the next place to resupply.  I have only been carrying about three days of food at a time and I hope to continue this all the way to Katahdin.

Just when I need it...
Poof a privy appears right ON the trail.  It even
 has its own blaze.

Day 146

Day: 146 Miles: 13 Trip: 1952.3 Started: South Arm Rd.  Destination: ME17

On top of Old Blue

Well, we decided to slack pack one more day.  I'm glad we did.  With the trail being as hard on my feet as it is, this was a smart option.  I do not want to take any more zeros than I have to and slack packing helps with that.  Today the trail bit back!  Up to this point we have had increasingly better trail.  Today was a little different.  Even though there were not that my climbs, the constant up and downs were back and going was a little slow.  Nobody said Maine would be easy!  We ended up at ME17 right next to lake Mooselookmeguntick.  I'm told by our host at the cabin that it was named by a local Indian showing a settler how to hunt.  'Moose, look, me gun tick (bang)'. 
The overlook where the trail comes out on ME17 was a great view.
 

View from Bemis Mt.

Day 145

Day: 145 Miles: 10.1 Trip: 1939.1 Started: East B Hill Rd.  Destination: South Arm Rd

Surplus Pond

Another day of slack packing out of The Cabin. 

An ominous warning at
the start of the day

I can't say enough about 'Honey' and 'Bear'.  They are a great couple that have been helping hikers on the AT fro almost 20 years.  Today's hike was another surprise as far as terrain goes.  Even though we have had at least two to three 2000 foot climbs a day for the past few days, the trail seems easier and easier to get down.  Perhaps the steep loose rock sections of the Whites have me feeling that everything else is a little easier.  Even though there are sections that are just as steep, there are better and better footings available as I move north.  The better footing makes for faster travel and it's not nearly as frustrating as it has been in the past week.  I can attribute some of my current energy to being close to finishing but most of it is probably from having good meals and a place to sleep for the past two nights.  It will be hard leaving The Cabin.  I think we can swing one more slack pack and then it will be on to Rangeley.

Day 144

Day: 144 Miles: 10.6 Trip: 1929.0 Started: Grafton Notch  Destination: East B Hill Rd, ME

View from Table Rock

We are going to slack pack the next two stretches from The Cabin.  We had a great all you can eat breakfast for only $5 and set out for the trail. Right at the start of the day I came to a sign promising a 'extraordinary view'.  Normally I would not have even considered a 1 mile diversion just for a view, but I was slacking and looked back with a little regret at other views I have skipped.  The view was just fair but I am glad I did it.   In general the trail today was the best trail I have had since Vermont.  Sawyer notch was the only strenuous section of trail today.  It would be great if rest of Maine was like this section, but that would be delusional at best.  Even so, it was nice even for a little while. The climb up to Bald Pate was a huge smooth rock climb and was one of my most fun climbs so far.  There were some great long stretches without difficult obstacles and it was really nice to get a nice stride going.

Day 143: Grafton Notch

Day: 143 Miles: 9.7 Trip: 1918.7 Started: Full Goose Sh.  Destination: Grafton Notch, ME

The trail is getting a little easier, to a point.  Today there were quiet a few stretches were I could actually walk and not think about every single step.  Everything was going great until we got to Mahoosuc Notch.  Mahoosuc Notch is described as either the hardest or most fun mile on the trail.  I have to say that it was both hard and fun. 
The Notch is a steep ravine filled with car and large truck sized boulders.  There is no obvious trail though the section and I found myself jumping and crawling over many boulders.  The fact that we could see vultures circling the section as we entered was not a good omen.  Moose have been known to get stuck in the notch and I did not want to encounter a cornered moose, fortunately we did not see one. 

Climbing around in the notch was fun, but immediately after leaving I was faced with the Mahoosuc Arm, an exposed 1500 climb. 
We hit the arm in mid afternoon and the sun and blue skies made for an awesome climb.  I really enjoyed this stretch despite the tough conditions.  I would hate to think what this would be like if it was raining.  Speaking or weather, we have had an amazing stretch of good weather.  The famous Maine mud has been in check for the most part, a true blessing. 

Spec Pond

Day 142: Maine !!!

Day: 142 Miles: 9.6 Trip: 1909.0  Started: Gentian Pond Sh.  Destination: Full Goose Shelter, ME

Today I see my final border crossing.  I'm now in Maine!  It seems so surreal to be here.  Back in Georgia the thought of making it this far was just a distant possibility.  I never doubted that I would make it this far, just that it was almost too far away to comprehend at the time, but I am finally here!  I can now say that I have walked from Georgia to Maine!

The talk of the southern Maine mountains is all true.  This stretch is tiring.  There are many miles of trail that just go up and down about 20' at a time.  While not long climbs, the constant changes really slow me down.  Even though the trail was tough, I could not be more happy to be in my final state.  I don't think anything could get me down today.

Up and down, all day long.

It's easy to get Katahdin fever even though I am still 270 miles from finishing.  I am already thinking ahead to home and all the projects Mary has in store for me, and am looking forward to all of it.

Tonight we are heading in to East Andover and The Cabin.  The Cabin is cross between a trail angels home and a hostel.  They have such a good reputation that I even heard about this place all the way back in Georgia.  They offer slack packing for a very reasonable price and we both want to do some of this rough terrain without a full pack if possible.  We called Don from The Elbow trail and they graciously offered to pick us up at Grafton Notch.  They even said they would hold dinner for us, an unexpected bonus.

View from Goose Eye Mt.

Day 141

Day: 141 Miles: 11.8 Trip:  Started: Gorham, NH Destination:  Gentian Pond Shelter

The Gentian Pond shelter offers a great view.

This will be my final day in NH.  The mountains today have been pretty tough.  I have been told for a while now that the mountains in southern Maine are tougher than the Whites and if today is any indication of what is to come then the next few days will be tough.  The trail has been a little easier for the most part, but the technical drop offs are more common and difficult than they were in the Whites.  The Whites had many long steep ups and down, where here the trail is more gradual but the steep sections require much more finesse to get down.  I need to pick up my miles, but was only able to get 11 in today.  Hiking with Chin Music was fun and I look forward to the Mahoosuc range and the stretch into Stratton with him.  I fear he may be on a slower pace than I and I might have to split off from him to finish by early September.