I leave the land of all cell service today. I will be out of cell phone range to update my blog until I am done I think. I will update everything as soon as I have service again.
Looks like a summit on the 13th! Katahdin here I come.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Day 158: Monson!
Day: 158 Miles: 6.3 Trip: 2071.4 Started: Shirley-Blanchard Rd. Destination: Monson ME.
Yesterday Sa picked ChinMusic and I up at a road crossing before we headed into the hostel on Monson. Today we still had six miles of trail to cover before we truly reached the town. It was a fast stretch and we finished before noon giving us plenty of time to get to Greenville for resupply.
Monson is another big milestone as its the last town I will see on the trail. After this is the Hundred Mile wilderness that leads right to the base of Katahdin. I am staying at Shaw's Hostel. Shaw's is a famous place on the trail that has been here for as long as most people can remember. A bunk is cheap and they serve an all you can eat breakfast. How could I resist?
'Somebody' found some fresh pavement and decided to add a little signage to new road....
Yesterday Sa picked ChinMusic and I up at a road crossing before we headed into the hostel on Monson. Today we still had six miles of trail to cover before we truly reached the town. It was a fast stretch and we finished before noon giving us plenty of time to get to Greenville for resupply. Monson is another big milestone as its the last town I will see on the trail. After this is the Hundred Mile wilderness that leads right to the base of Katahdin. I am staying at Shaw's Hostel. Shaw's is a famous place on the trail that has been here for as long as most people can remember. A bunk is cheap and they serve an all you can eat breakfast. How could I resist?
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Day 157: Moxie Bald
Day: 157 Miles: 18.5 Trip: 2065.1 Started: Moxie Pond Rd. Destination: Shirley-Blanchard Rd.
We decided to do a slack pack day from the Sterling Inn. The room was free for the night and Sa, ChinMusic's wife is out with him for the duration and slacking was a natural option with her supporting him. The day on paper looked absolutely beautiful. Besides Moxie Mountain the trail looked almost perfectly flat. While it was not a complete walk in the park, the trail after Moxie follows the stream all the way back down to the Piscataquis River. So far in Maine this was one of the better days for trail conditions. For a long stretch the granite seemed to form a sidewalk on the trail. Unfortunately this would not last very long but it was a really pretty stretch. Some interesting rock formations also made the highlight list for the day.
Manson will be my next and final trail town. I am having mixed emotions as I get closer and closer to the end. I am glad to be finishing. Some days the end can not come fast enough and other days I think that I have not slowed down enough to enjoy where I am. I don't think I will really be able to reflect on my trip until its over and I can think about it in its entirety. I am far too consumed with the day to day planning and grind to fully appreciate the trip in its full scale. Moving north.
Manson will be my next and final trail town. I am having mixed emotions as I get closer and closer to the end. I am glad to be finishing. Some days the end can not come fast enough and other days I think that I have not slowed down enough to enjoy where I am. I don't think I will really be able to reflect on my trip until its over and I can think about it in its entirety. I am far too consumed with the day to day planning and grind to fully appreciate the trip in its full scale. Moving north.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Day 156
Day: 156 Miles: 11.9 Trip: 2046.6 Started: US201 Destination: Moxie Pond
I ended up doing a zero yesterday while we waited out a major rain storm. We had really lucky timing to be at the Sterling right when the storm hit. Sa, ChinMusic's wife got here yesterday and is going to slack us tomorrow. Sterling has a great deal and is even giving us the third night free. This was a great stay. We got to sit out the rain for free and will even get a slack pack day in.
Today is only 12 miles and I am glad for this. The rain yesterday really soaked the trail and conditions were pretty bad. Everything is very slick. Every step must be planned out. This pick and step type hiking is very tiring mentally. Maine so far has been a blessing and a curse. The trail is hard and going slow. Hopefully after two days of sunshine the trail will be in better shape.
At the end of the day I came to this sign and thought I might be on the wrong trail....
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| Muddy trail? |
Today is only 12 miles and I am glad for this. The rain yesterday really soaked the trail and conditions were pretty bad. Everything is very slick. Every step must be planned out. This pick and step type hiking is very tiring mentally. Maine so far has been a blessing and a curse. The trail is hard and going slow. Hopefully after two days of sunshine the trail will be in better shape.
At the end of the day I came to this sign and thought I might be on the wrong trail....
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| Spell check? |
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Day 154: Caratunk
Day: 154 Miles: 4 Trip: 2034.7 Started: Pierce Pond Destination: US201, Caratunk
Today I cross the Kennebec River. This is the largest river I have crossed so far that does not have a bridge. The river itself is about 400' wide and about chest deep. Fording this river is dangerous and there have been deaths in the past when deeper and stronger than normal currents have overcome hikers. The river is downstream from a damn that releases water on a regular basis and water levels in the river can swell unexpectedly. For many years a canoe ferry has been provided by the MATC to help hikers cross the river in the busy season. The ferry is only available for a few hours in the morning and afternoon so the stop at Pierce Pond last night set us up for an early morning crossing. To discourage fording the river there is even a white blaze in the bottom of the canoe. Purists would not dream of not taking the canoe because they might miss a section of the trail. I'm going to resupply at the Sterling Inn and share a room with ChinMusic for the night. We might even slack from here the next day. ChinMusic's wife will be here tomorrow and slack options will be easier logistically.
Today I cross the Kennebec River. This is the largest river I have crossed so far that does not have a bridge. The river itself is about 400' wide and about chest deep. Fording this river is dangerous and there have been deaths in the past when deeper and stronger than normal currents have overcome hikers. The river is downstream from a damn that releases water on a regular basis and water levels in the river can swell unexpectedly. For many years a canoe ferry has been provided by the MATC to help hikers cross the river in the busy season. The ferry is only available for a few hours in the morning and afternoon so the stop at Pierce Pond last night set us up for an early morning crossing. To discourage fording the river there is even a white blaze in the bottom of the canoe. Purists would not dream of not taking the canoe because they might miss a section of the trail. I'm going to resupply at the Sterling Inn and share a room with ChinMusic for the night. We might even slack from here the next day. ChinMusic's wife will be here tomorrow and slack options will be easier logistically.
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