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Re: [at-l] Blisterbutt's Maine Trail Journal (very long)
Kool,
BlisterButt, Cobweb (an AT-L lurker) and myself finished up the AT on
Katahdin and took each others pictures. Nice to hear from BlisterButt,
ok Cobweb where is your journal?
chase
Gary Roberts wrote:
>
> I thought you guys might like to read a pretty good journal from a friend of
> mine. "Blisterbutt" or "Flyin' Brian" has been hiking the trail since 1991.
> He has finally finished and I am really glad he did it. He's done some of
> the CDT, too. I hope you enjoy his journal as much as I did. I know he has
> met with lots of you already. Let's give him a big YoooHooooooo!!!
>
> Save this for sometime when you have a half hour to kill.
>
>
> BLISTERBUTT TRAIL JOURNAL 1999
>
> GORHAM, NH TO MT. KATAHDIN
>
> 31 DAYS, 307 MILES
>
>
> Many hikers consider Maine to be both the most beautiful and the most
> difficult part of the Appalachian Trail. I'll go along with that. The
> terrain, especially the first 100 miles or so, is some of the most rugged of
> the entire trail. When I got there, Maine was in the midst of one of the
> worst droughts in years. Two hurricanes later, it was anything but dry.
> Overall, it was fuckin' awesome!
>
>
> TUE AUG 24
> Long travel day. Got up at 4:30am, arrived in Gorham at 9:15pm. No
> motel rooms available. Had to settle for a bunk in a hostel which was
> crowded with thru-hikers who were using the town as a base for slack
> packing. A bit of culture shock for me, coming from a clean, spacious home
> to the stench of an overcrowded bunkroom, but I adjusted quickly and slept
> well with the aid of my earplugs.
>
> WED AUG 25 6.9 MILES TO TRIDENT COL TENTSITE
> Woke at 6:30am to a completely deserted hostel. Weird! Got to get up
> early to slack the Whites, I guess. Big breakfast, post office at 8:30 via
> borrowed bike, and finally a ride to the trail at 10:30. Miserable hiking
> conditions: steep terrain, weak muscles, heat, bugs, and NO water sources
> for 7 miles. Arrived tired and thirsty at Trident, where there was barely
> any water, at 4:00.
>
>
> THU AUG 26 4.9 MILES TO GENTIAN POND SHELTER
> Up 6:05, out 7:35. Met McGiver, who told me about 5 "near death"
> experiences he's had since leaving Georgia. More tough terrain, but
> adequate water. In 12:30. Nice shelter with a good view gave me a pleasant
> place to spend the afternoon reading. Lots of slack packers passed thru.
> Shared the shelter with Chief-No-Pecs.
>
>
> FRI AUG 27 10.2 MILES TO FULL GOOSE SHELTER
> Arduous 1 mph day. Isn't this supposed to be a vacation? Up 5:00, out
> 6:05. Good views from Mt. Success before crossing the NH-ME state line.
> After Carlo Col, a 0.6 mile detour to the only water source in the section
> and lunch, misty rain moved in. Wet rocks made for what seemed like
> rediculously difficult climbs. No views from Goose Eye Mtn. from in the
> clouds. Boots soaked thru. In 5:15. Shared the shelter with a college
> group; very nice people.
>
>
> SAT AUG 28 5.1 MILES TO SPECK POND SHELTER
> Out at 7:30 and headed for Mahoosuc Notch, reputed to be the single
> hardest mile of the entire A.T. One mile of climbing over, under and
> around house sized boulders would normally be fun, but with the rocks wet
> and with my bulky external frame pack, it was torture. Shortly after
> entering the Notch, slipped on a wet rock for my worst fall ever on the A.T.
> Landed against the side of a boulder on my hip and bruised it badly. Got up
> and proceeded with extreme caution. 3 1/2 hours later I had gained 1 mile.
> Had lunch and then started the steep ascent of Mahoosuc Arm. This was like
> a paved sidewalk at a 45 degree angle (no exaggeration) with more boulder
> climbing as well. About halfway through the 1.5 mile, 1500 ft. climb was a
> section the map calls Mahoosuc Notch Two. It sucked. In 5:30 with a bad
> heel blister, a sore hip, sore right knee, chaffing from knee supports, and
> sore legs. Shared shelter with Zau-Gau.
>
>
> SUN AUG 29 6.9 MILES TO BALDPATE SHELTER
> Up 6:05, out 7:30. Cold front has passed! After 2 days of hiking in
> the clouds, it was finally windy, cool, and SUNNY! Still a bit sore,
> decided to wear heavy knee brace for extra protection. Terrain still steep
> and rocky, but easing up. Tons of day/weekend hikers. In at 2:15. Time to
> rest, relax, and read. Had a shelter to myself for the ONLY time of the
> trip. But I would not be entirely alone...
>
>
> MON AUG 30 8 MILES TO ANDOVER
> A quote from "A Walk In The Woods", by Bryson: "Hunters will tell you
> that a moose is a wily and ferocious forest creature. Nonsense. A moose is
> a cow drawn by a three year old. That's all there is to it. Without a
> doubt, the moose is the most improbable, endearingly hopeless creature ever
> to live in the wilds. Every bit of it- it's spindly legs, it's chronically
> puzzled expression, it's comical oven-mitt antlers- looks like some droll
> evolutionary joke. It is wondrously ungainly; it runs as if it's legs have
> never been introduced to eachother. Above all what distinguishes the moose
> is it's almost boundless lack of intelligence. If you are driving down a
> highway and a moose steps from the woods ahead of you, he will stare at you
> for a long minute (moose are notoriously shortsighted), then abruptly try to
> run away from you, legs flailing in eight directions at once. Never mind
> that there are several thousand square miles of forest on either side of the
> highway. The moose does not think of this. Clueless as to what exactly is
> going on, he runs halfway to New Brunswick before his peculiar gait
> inadvertantly steers him back into the woods, where he immediately stops and
> takes on a startled expression that says, "Hey--woods. Now how the heck did
> I get here?" Moose are so monumentally muddle headed, in fact, that when
> they hear a car or truck approaching they will often bolt OUT of the woods
> and onto the highway in the curious hope that this will bring them to
> safety."
>
> The thing that blew me away about the moose that woke me up at one
> o'clock in the morning, and remained outside the shelter chewing on leaves
> for the rest of the night, was it's height. With full antlers, and in the
> light of my flashlight, it reminded me of something out of Jurassic Park.
> It was huge! I wasn't scared, but between it and some lively shelter mice,
> I didn't get much sleep.
> Up 5:00, out 6:10. 2nd encounter with the moose, this time beside the
> trail. Apparently annoyed by my flash photography, he turned and came at me
> abruptly. Now I was scared. Decided to see how fast I could run uphill
> with a pack on. Made good time on the 50 yard dash, but neglected to clock
> it. Oh well, maybe there'll be more meese later. Pack weight pretty light
> now, felt strong. Summitted Baldpate Mtn. in the clouds, with 20mph wind.
> Got to East B-Hill Rd. at 12:20 where it took 50 minutes to hitch a ride
> into Andover. Stayed at "the Cabin", where owners Honey and Bear offered me
> free hostel accomadations if I would play their guitar in the evening for
> them. No problem, I'd have paid them to play it! Enjoyed my first
> opportunity to call home since Gorham. Awesome family style dinner with
> Honey & Bear, Songbird & Caboose, Do It, Dude, Wild Bill, and 'The Lord'.
> Decided to take up the offer to slack pack (hike without my pack) the next
> day and stay another night.
>
>
> TUE AUG 31 10 MILES FROM SOUTH ARM RD TO ANDOVER
> Huge breakfast, then a ride to the trail with a daypack for my 10 mile
> slack. Saw Yagi (from Japan), Zau Gau, Timeout (from Israel), Dog-Bone,
> Titanic, A1A, Steve Nevins, and McGiver. Also met "Earthworm". This guy
> looked very out of place in street clothes, and when we spoke I knew there
> was something wrong with him. Made it to East B-Hill Rd. around 3:00, where
> 'The Lord' was waiting with the truck to give me a ride back to the Cabin.
> Had a great evening, and decided to slack again the next day and stay a 3rd
> night.
>
>
> WED SEP 1 13 MILES FROM RT 17 TO SOUTH ARM RD
> Dawn's birthday! But it was a rough day for Blisterbutt. Rugged
> terrain, heat, and lack of water supply made even slacking this section
> difficult. The spring at Beamis Mtn. Shelter was completely dry. Later,
> after 9 1/2 hot miles with only 1 qt. of water, came across the only water
> of the section. It was a puddle of standing water; not exactly something I
> cared to scoop up and add iodine to. Fortunately, just as I was standing
> there staring at it, a hiker named Gentleman Jim came from the other
> direction and let me use his pump filter. Saved! A steep climb up Old Blue
> Mtn., and a 3 mile- 2200 ft. descent brought me back to 'The Lord', and
> salvation at the Cabin. Exhausted.
>
>
> THU SEP 2 8.3 MILES TO LITTLE SWIFT RIVER POND CAMPSITE
> Out 9:00. Still tired from the day before. Sore feet and achilles
> tendon. Terrain still rugged with many roots and rocks. Beautiful ponds,
> some very swimmable, others infested with leeches. Break at Sabbath Day
> Pond with Citrus, Yogi, and Binx. Watched a snake eating a large toad.
> During my lunch, Earthworm came slacking the other way. All he was carrying
> was an unopened bottle of wine. When I mentioned I was from Jacksonville,
> he related that he had stayed in a homeless shelter there once and gotten
> beaten up and robbed by a bunch of crackheads. I suspected that this kid
> really had some problems. Made it to camp at 3:30 where I encountered a
> college group and Timeout. Steve Nevins, Little Mac, and Gentleman Jim
> showed up later. Got a much needed 10 hours of sleep in my tent.
>
>
> FRI SEP 3 10.4 MILES TO SADDLEBACK MTN.
> Up 5:00. Saw a female moose wading in the pond and drinking. Out
> 6:30. Easier terrain. Had lunch at Piazza Rock Shelter with Yagi and the
> caretaker. Later, bathed and rested at Eddy Pond, before deciding to carry
> 3 quarts of water up a dry Saddleback Mtn. to camp on the summit. Tough
> climb, but well worth it! Outstanding views from well above treeline, with
> hardly any wind and no clouds. I was really enjoying the peace and solitude
> when, just before sunset, I saw someone else approaching the summit. It was
> Earthworm. Shit! We talked a bit, and he pulled out the same unopened
> bottle of wine and offered to open it. But the conversation with him was
> making me very uneasy, so I declined, not wanting to encourage him to stay.
> In fact, I blatantly encouraged him to move on. After an incredible sunset,
> I got in my bag to go to sleep, but Earthworm lingered on, staring at me
> from 10 yards away. My instincts told me that this guy was a psycho, and
> being in such a secluded spot with him made me very tense. Finally covinced
> him to leave, much to my relief. Soon the stars were out in all their
> brilliance, and I was dazzled by meteors, sattelites, and the glow of the
> Milky Way.
>
>
> SAT SEP 4 9.2 MILES TO A LOGGING ROAD
> Out 6:45 after a beautiful sunrise. Tough terrain as usual. Lunch at
> Poplar Ridge Shelter with southbound section hikers. Bathed in Orbeton
> Stream. Dinner by a brook, where I met up with Steve Nevins. We hiked
> another mile or two, then camped on an old logging road (the only flat spot
> in the area).
>
>
> SUN SEP 5 10 MILES TO CROCKER CIRQUE CAMPSITE
> Up 5:00, out 6:30. Hiked with Steve all day; good conversation.
> Several tough climbs including Lone Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, and
> Sugarloaf Mountain. Long descent to the Carrabassett River for a cold swim,
> lunch, and a rest. Reached campsite at 3:45 with sore toes and bad chaffing
> behind the knees. Hung out with Timeout, Gallahad, Double, Yagi, and Steve.
>
>
> MON SEP 6 7.3 MILES TO STRATTON
> Up 5:20, out 6:30, psyched to be headed for town! Reached Rt. 27 at
> 11:30. Quickly got a ride, along with Timeout and Gallahad, in the back of
> a pickup. As we approached Stratton, I spotted Earthworm who was hitching
> back out. Found out that my instincts about him were good. It had taken
> Gallahad a couple days to ditch Earthworm back in New Hampshire.
> Apparently, Earthworm had been in trouble with the law as a teen and
> committed to a mental hospital. He was diagnosed to be schitzophrenic,
> didn't want to take medication, and hoped that hiking would cure him. I
> never saw Earthworm again, but I hope that he'll be OK. Got a room at
> the White Wolf Inn and enjoyed the ammenities of civilization. Had to wait
> until the next day to get my mail drop from the PO, since it was Labor Day.
> Had dinner with Gallahad, and a nice talk on the phone with Dawn.
>
>
> TUES SEP 7 10.7 MILES TO SAFFORD NOTCH CAMPSITE
> After the customary huge breakfast, picked up my mail drop, which
> included replacement straps for my pack. (A shoulder strap had broken back
> in the Mahoosuc Range.) With repacking and a hard hitch, finally made it to
> the trail at 10:30. Hiked with Timeout for a while, but couldn't keep up
> with the 24 year old thru-hiker on the steep climb into the Bigelow Range.
> Caught up with him at Horn Pond Shelter. Had a quick lunch and decided to
> press on to Avery Campsite, 3 more tough miles over and beyond Avery Peak.
> The caretaker at Horn Pond assured me that there was water available there
> in the spring. But along the way, hikers coming the other way were telling
> me otherwise. Summitted Avery Peak in the clouds, and descended to the
> campsite. Sure enough, no water whatsoever. The word 'angry' doesn't begin
> to describe how I felt about that caretaker; especially since it was 3 more
> difficult miles of steep downhill to the next water source, AND it was
> getting close to dark. Decided to go for it. I NEEDED WATER! Made it to
> camp at 7:00, tired and thirsty, just as it got dark. Set up my tent and
> cooked dinner in the dark with my headlamp. Loud college group nearby, but
> I was happy to be where I was. It rained heavily all night. The drought
> was over.
>
>
> WED SEP 8 12.5 MILES TO WEST CARRY POND SHELTER
> Up 7:00, rain had stopped. Packed up my wet tent and left at 8:20.
> First 5 1/2 miles, over Little Bigelow Mtn., were very difficult- big, wet
> rocks and steep terrain. Had lunch at Little Bigelow Shelter with Timeout
> and Gallahad. Then the trail got easy for the rest of the day. In fact,
> what is considered to be the toughest part of the entire A.T., now lay
> behind me, much to my relief. In 5:30. Took a cold bath in the pond.
> Full site, with 7 in the shelter and 4 camping outside. Hot weather,
> crowded shelter, and a sick Gentleman Jim made for a poor night's sleep.
>
>
> THU 9-9-99 14 MILES TO CARATUNK
> Awesome day! Nine must be a lucky number. Up 5:30, out 6:35. Sunny
> weather and very easy terrain. Hiked my 2000th A.T. mile! Best swim for me
> in Maine at Pierce Pond, just before lunch. At 3:00, crossed the Kenebec
> River, which was unfordable, via canoe ferry. Got a ride to Northern
> Outdoors resort with tent cabins, showers, swimming pool, hot tub, laundry,
> restaurant, bar, and game room. Was treated to some Maine lobster by some
> vacationers from Rhode Island. Found out about Dawn's new job, with more
> pay and more vacation! Also found out about a new CEO at Wind River...mo'
> money fo' me! Decided it was time for me to take the next day off and rest
> my weary body. And this was definately the place for it!
>
> FRI SEP 10 0 MILES
> Monsooned all day long. Couldn't have timed my day off from the trail
> any better! Turned out to be the remnants of Hurricane Dennis. Had a good
> time. :)
>
>
> SAT SEP 11 14.7 MILES TO BALD MTN. SHELTER
> Up 6:00, buffet breakfast, and hitch to the A.T. Out 7:40. Cool,
> clear weather, but the brooks were all flooded. Wasted half an hour trying
> to find a dry way across a roaring brook. Finally made it over dry, via a
> moss covered log, only to slip in the mud while skirting the opposite shore
> and get soaked up to the knees. With wet boots and socks, at least I didn't
> have to worry about further crossings- just walk right through! Took a 2
> hour lunch break at Pleasant Pond Shelter. Made good time to Moxie Stream,
> where I met Ramen Train, and we had to cross the stream on cables- very
> squirrelly! Hiked with Ramen for the last 3 miles; in at 5:45. Shared the
> shelter with Sparrow.
>
>
> SUN SEP 12 13 MILES TO HORSESHOE CANYON SHELTER
> Up 5:30, out 7:15. Cooler weather, finally, after weeks of
> unseasonably warm weather. Climbed Moxie Bald with a nice view, then easy
> terrain all day. Had lunch after fording the West Branch of the Piscataquis
> River. In at 4:30. Shared the shelter with McGiver, Matt, and 2
> southbounders.
>
>
> MON SEP 13 9 MILES TO MONSON
> Up 5:50, out 6:50. Easy terrain and a light pack. Got to Rt. 15 at
> 11:30. Within minutes, Keith Shaw (from my intended place of lodging,
> Shaw's Boarding House) drove up and asked if I needed a ride into town. We
> went to Greenville first, on an errand, then over to Monson, where I would
> spend the night and resupply for the longest stretch of wilderness on the
> A.T.- The 100 Mile Wilderness. Of course, the "Wilderness" isn't what it
> once was. Several dirt logging roads provide access to points along the
> trail, and there is even a hostel within a mile of the trail at one point.
> But, nevertheless, I would still have to carry 9 days worth of supplies,
> which is a pretty heavy load. My pack weighed 30 lb. coming into town, and
> 45 the next morning. When I called home and spoke with Dawn, I learned that
> a hurricane, named Floyd, was threatening Jacksonville and that she might
> have to evacuate in a couple days. We discussed our plan of action, and I
> felt very comfortable knowing that she was there to take care of everything.
> The hardest part for me would be not knowing what, if anything, was
> happening there until 10 days later! Enjoyed a big family style dinner at
> Shaw's. Songbird came by later to see if Matt and I wanted to go to her
> party, but we both decided not to. I wanted a good night's sleep, and Matt
> was sick.
>
>
> TUE SEP 14 10.4 MILES TO WILSON VALLEY SHELTER
> BIG breakfast! Out, 8:10. The first 50 miles of the Wilderness are
> exceptionally rugged, and would prove to be a very trying time for me.
> Tough terrain and a heavy pack made for a difficult 1st day, but hurting my
> achilles tendon made it miserable. Didn't eat until I got to the shelter
> at 3:45. Rested my heel and ate. Shared the shelter with McGiver, and
> Golden Waldo. Camping nearby were Grayman, Spuds, Carolina Kid, and Heavy
> Pack. The mice in this shelter were ferocious!
>
>
> WED SEP 15 10 MILES TO CLOUD POND SHELTER
> Despite my best efforts, the mice got to my food bag and anhilated my
> gorp- eating all the peanuts but leaving all the raisons. Had to chuck the
> raisons anyway for obvious reasons. Nine days worth of energy food gone.
> Hiked with McGiver until lunch. My heel felt OK for the first 5 miles, but
> after boulder hopping across Long Pond Stream it got considerably worse. It
> stung with pain throughout the steep climb up Barren Mtn., but when the
> terrain eased up it felt better. I probably needed to take a day off, and
> let my heel heal (sounds like something you'd say to a dog, doesn't it?),
> but with a limited food supply and wanting to return home on the date I had
> planned on, I really didn't want to. Decided to let nature decide: If it
> rained the next day, I'd rest, if it didn't, I'd hike. Found a large
> Snickers bar on top of Barren Mtn. It looked like it had been melted and
> crushed in someone's pack at some point. After staring at it for a minute,
> I opened it up. The wrapper had to be peeled off. It looked like a turd.
> Ate it anyway. It was very good! In at 4:30. Shared the shelter with Frog
> and Slow Buffalo.
>
>
> THU SEP 16 0 MILES
> RAIN! Frog felt he was carrying too much food and unloaded 2 bags of
> crackers on me to help me through my rest day. Around noon, Sir PeeAlot
> showed up after a 5 mile day and decided to take the rest of the day off
> because of the rain. Had a full shelter that night with Sir PeeAlot, Matt,
> Rhubarb & Jilebi, and Golden Waldo. Rain pounded the shelter all night.
> Ironically, I was still worried about Hurricane Floyd hitting Jacksonville,
> not knowing that it was already right here, raining on me!
>
>
> FRI SEP 17 7.2 MILES TO CHAIRBACK GAP SHELTER
> "The Thru-Hiker's Handbook" warns: "The section from Cloud Pond to
> Chairback Gap is only about 7 miles long but can be a challenge when the
> rocks are wet and the weather is nasty. It has a lot of little ups and
> downs that make wet-weather hiking somewhat tedious. Take heed." The rocks
> were wet, the weather was nasty, and Wingfoot was not kidding. It took me 5
> 1/2 hours to get to the shelter, where I arrived cold, wet, and tired at
> 12:45. In the shelter were Gumby & Smoky, who were staying put from the
> nasty weather, and were figuring that the upcoming West Branch of the
> Pleasant River would be flooded anyway. The shelter soon got more and more
> crowded with hikers taking refuge. Later in the afternoon, Gumby's huband,
> Tom, showed up, having hiked up 4 miles from his truck which was parked at
> the river. He reported that the river was severely flooded and probably
> wouldn't be passable for at least 3, probably 4 days. He offered to take as
> many of us as could fit in the back of his pickup, the next day, to a point
> further up the trail. He figured that Jo-Mary Rd., 28 miles up the trail
> from the river, would be the first place available. I wasn't happy at all
> about skipping 28 miles of the trail. But with limited time, and very
> limited food, I couldn't afford to wait 3 or 4 days to cross a river. Maybe
> I could come back and hike the section later. Or maybe I could come to
> terms with not having hiked every mile of the Appalachian Trail. Either
> way, it looked like my dream of completing the trail on Mt. Katahdin was not
> going to happen. Spent a very cramped 18 hours in the shelter with Matt,
> Sage, Sir PeeAlot, Gumby & Smoky, and Roger. Chase, Cobweb, Rhubarb &
> Jilebi tented out in the rain.
>
>
> SAT SEP 18 10.8 MILES TO NEWHALL SHELTER
> Out at 9:00, clear, cool, and windy! A very redeeming day. Made it to
> the river at 11:30. Flooded indeed. Yelled across to southbounders
> stranded on the other side. They'd been camped there for 2 days already.
> Dried my wet gear in the sun. While waiting for Tom's ride, two trail
> maintainers showed us a way on a topo-map that the A.T. could be accessed
> via dirt roads at a point directly across the river. As ten of us piled
> into Tom's pickup, I asked if he could try the route they had described. 45
> minutes of bumpy road later, we reached a sign at the end of our
> questionable road: "Gulf Hagas Trail, Junction with A.T. 0.9."
> Back in business!! Six of us got out there, while the other four continued
> with Tom to Jo-Mary Rd. for fear of being stranded at the upcoming East
> Branch of the Pleasant River. Hiked with Matt. Got to the shelter at 5:30,
> but tented out rather than stay in another crowded and mice infested
> shelter.
>
>
> SUN SEP 19 15.9 MILES TO CRAWFORD POND
> Up 5:30, out 6:50. 40 degrees. Four steep climbs before reaching the
> summit of Whitecap Mtn. with the first good view of Katahdin. Lunch at
> Logan Brook Shelter, the point at which the trail would suddenly become
> remarkably easier all the way until Katahdin! Forded the East Branch at
> 2:30. Tough ford on underwater boulders which were invisible in the dark
> water. The swift current didn't make it any easier. At least I wasn't
> stranded for 2 days like others had been in the wake of Floyd. Kept hiking
> until 6:00, when I camped on a flat spot in the middle of the trail, near
> Crawford Pond. Around 10pm, I heard what sounded like 2 hikers coming down
> the trail and past my tent. But without lights? Called out and unzipped my
> window to see who it was. As soon as the noise of the zipper stopped, all I
> heard was something trotting away quickly. Moose! Slept poorly after that,
> worried that some 1500 lb. moose might trip over me in the darkness. (This
> is rarely a problem back home.)
>
>
> MON SEP 20 17.4 MILES TO WHITE HOUSE LANDING
> Up 5:55, out 7:15. Easy terrain and great weather. Had lunch at
> Antlers Campsite, 2 days too late for a spaghetti feast that had been hosted
> by Bill Irwin (the only blind person ever to thru-hike the trail). I heard
> it was 5 dollars for all you could eat, but you could give him 1 dollar. Ha
> ha. Made it to the hostel, which had just opened to hikers in July '99, at
> 4:15 after a motorboat ride across the lake. Hot shower, relaxation, call
> home on a cellphone, and pizza and pumpkin pie for dinner with Cobweb,
> Chase, and Glenn. Slept GREAT!
>
>
> TUE SEP 21 16.6 MILES TO RAINBOW STREAM SHELTER
> Big breakfast, then out at 7:50 in light rain. Rained on and off most
> of the day, but for my last hour and a half hiking it came down heavily.
> Got to the already crowded shelter and took the last available spot, after
> searching unsuccessfully for a tent site. Shitty night with lots of mice,
> and a hiker named Just Divine, who Chase and I agreed was one of the most
> inconsiderate people on the trail. My only physical discomfort now was
> chaffing, but it was pretty bad.
>
>
> WED SEP 22 11.5 MILES TO HURD BROOK SHELTER
> Up 5:30, out 6:50. Wet hiking clothes, and the trail is a continuous
> puddle. Still chaffing badly. Met up and hiked with Rhubarb, Jilebi, and
> Matt. Stopped for the day at Hurd Brook at 11:50. Peace, rest, and food.
> Shared the shelter that night with Spoonman, Dutch, and Peter.
>
>
> THU SEP 23 13.4 MILES TO KATAHDIN STREAM CAMPGROUND
> Up 6:00, out 7:15. EASY HIKING! 3 miles to the road that marks the
> end of the 100 Mile Wilderness and where I loaded up on food at the Abol
> Bridge General Store. This store and the hostel a few days back were a big
> help. 8 easy miles later, at Daicey Pond, Spoonman, Dutch and I secured a
> reservation for a lean-to at the very popular Katahdin Stream Campground.
> Saw many of my aquaintances at KSC, returning from summitting Katahdin (and
> completing their thru-hikes)! It was very exciting. This was a pretty bad
> day to be above treeline, though, from the sound of it. Only thru-hikers,
> and none of the day hikers, ventured into the harsh, cold winds. Enjoyed a
> picnic dinner courtesy of Funtracker and his wife, along with Spoonman and
> Dutch.
>
>
> FRI SEP 24 10.4 MILES SUMMIT AND BACK
> What made the last 5 miles of the A.T. really fun, was the fact that I
> could leave my pack on the porch at the ranger station. Took a day pack
> with food, water, camera, and warm clothing and headed out at 6:30am.
> Although the climb up Mt. Katahdin is only 5 miles, it is the single biggest
> climb of the A.T., with more than 4000 feet of elevation change to reach the
> 5267 ft. summit. Much of the climb is hand and foot rock climbing, which
> was enormously fun without the full pack. Luckily the weather was much
> nicer than the previous day. But near the summit, I ascended into the
> clouds, and was denied one of the best views on the A.T. It seemed fitting,
> though, considering how many other great views I've missed due to weather.
> ( Standing Indian, Max Patch, Roan Mtn., Big Bald, Greylock, Moosilauke, the
> Franconia Range, the Presidential Range, Baldpate, Bigelow, and many more.)
> Maybe another time! Summitted at 9:30, with Cobweb already there, and Chase
> just behind me. Stayed about 45 minutes, then hurried down. ( If I could
> get to Millinocket before the P.O. closed, I would have a ride that evening
> all the way to Bangor with Funtracker.) Naturally, the weather cleared an
> hour after leaving the summit. But everything worked out great, and I was
> happy to be headed home!
> The End
>
> PREVIOUS A.T. SECTIONS
>
> APR '91 JAMES RIVER,VA to ROCKFISH GAP,VA 7 DAYS 73
> MILES
> AUG '91 DICKS CREEK GAP,GA to SPRINGER MTN.,GA 8 DAYS 80 MILES
> MAY '92 DICKS CREEK GAP to FONTANA DAM,NC 9 DAYS 97
> MILES
> MAY '93 FONTANA DAM to HOT SPRINGS,NC 9 DAYS 107
> MILES
> JUL '93 ROCKFISH GAP to HARPERS FERRY,WV 12 DAYS 148
> MILES
> JUL '94 HOT SPRINGS,NC to DAMASCUS,VA 14 DAYS 184
> MILES
> SEP '94 FRANCONIA NOTCH,NH to GORHAM,NH 10 DAYS 77
> MILES
> APR '95 JAMES RIVER,VA to DAMASCUS,VA 23 DAYS 311
> MILES
> OCT '96 CARLISLE,PA to HARPERS FERRY,WV 8 DAYS 105
> MILES
> APR '97 CARLISLE,PA to HUDSON RIVER,NY 21 DAYS
> 289 MILES
> OCT '97 DALTON,MA to KENT,CT 8
> DAYS 104 MILES
> MAY '98 KENT,CT to HUDSON RIVER 5
> DAYS 64 MILES
> AUG '98 DALTON,MA to FRANCONIA NOTCH,NH 22 DAYS 250
> MILES
> SEP '99 GORHAM,NH to MT. KATAHDIN,ME 31 DAYS
> 307 MILES
>
> ______________________
>
> 187 DAYS, 2196 MILES
>
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> * From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | http://www.backcountry.net *
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | http://www.backcountry.net *
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