We went home for a wedding and returned to Maine yesterday. The drive up here was a LONG 12 hours! It was also quite expensive, as I was ticketed for excessive speed on the New Jersey Turnpike, to the tune of $221. I'm very glad this is the last time I have to drive to get back to the trail.
We are staying at the Bingham Motor Inn, which is a really great place to stay. The rooms are recently updated and the staff was absolutely lovely to Dad the last week he stayed here. They gave him fresh peaches from their tree, and on our check-in they left us nice "welcome back" notes with snacks.
My alarm clock goes off far too early at 5:15, and I make a cup of coffee, brush my teeth, and pack furiously, and at 6 am Dad and I are on the road after a stop across this street from the motel for a breakfast sandwich.
We drive the forty minutes to Monson on a very rough Highway to the iconic Shaw's Hiker Hostel; an establishment serving the needs of Appalachian Trail hikers for over 40 years. I texted Mama Turtle yesterday, and she is at the hostel for a zero day with EZ, so I'm stopping by to see her before I head into the 100 Mile Wilderness.
The parking lot is packed to the gills, with the front yard in front of the two houses surrounded with cars double parked around the perimeter. Breakfast is in full swing as we go inside and wend our way through the 25 or so people distributed around the three large dining tables.
We find Mama Turtle at a table with five other hikers, enjoying Shaw's famous pancake breakfast; all you can eat eggs, bacon, and pancakes, and lots of coffee. There are two empty seats at the table, like our visit was ordained by the hiking gods, and we take a seat to chat while the hikers are stuffing themselves on the repast.
We catch up while admiring a tall stack of pancakes served by hostel staff that looks like an upside down cone. Many of the hikers will be heading out today, so I'm sure I'll be seeing some of them again. I'm really surprised by how many people are here! Every time I think that I'm way behind the other hikers I run into a big group, and I am reminded that there are a lot of other hikers on the trail right now.
I say farewell to Mama Turtle and EZ and we drive to the trailhead where I am deposited and on the trail at 8:15. It feels so weird to be back on the trail, but I'm so glad I got so much rest. I think my knees and Achilles have recovered from the stresses of the last couple months, and I feel refreshed and I am eager to go, even though I am experiencing a great trepidation about having to maintain a 15 mile-per-day average to be able to summit in 9 days.
About a mile after leaving the road and after passing a pond, I realize that my feet and hands are really cold. It is only 43 degrees this morning, after all, so I stop and change out my socks for neoprene socks and grab my gloves. Other than the chill, the weather Is perfect for hiking today; it's going to warm up to the 60's, the sun is shining, and there's no rain in the forecast for the next week. I am very thankful because the 100 Mile Wilderness can be an absolute mud pit in wet weather. I know because I hiked the north half with my husband many years ago, when it rained for several days.
Two miles after getting on the trail I go across a stream and at the top is Leeman Brook Lean-to. There are Two people at the lean to and a section hiker named Freehand who thru hiked five years ago. I drop my pack and visit the privy, which I must admit is very nice, before going back to the shelter and talking to the other hikers while I eat a sandwich Dad made for me.
Leaving the lean-to, the trail passes one of many ponds that I will see today. There's no really big climbs today, but a series of meandering ups and downs. Although there are plenty of roots and rocks to keep me occupied.
The trail goes downhill past Little Wilson Falls and I get a couple nice views of the falls before the trail crosses Little Wilson Creek.
I make good time over the first 10 miles and at 2 p.m. I arrive at Big Wilson Creek where I planned on staying tonight, but it's early and I'm feeling good so I think I'm going to push on to the next big stream crossing where there are more campsites.
The trail crosses the stream and there are not enough rocks to hop across on so I will have to ford it, which is actually a good thing because I was thinking of taking off my shoes and soaking my feet anyway. I pull on my water shoes which I haven't carried for most of the trail but decided to bring them for the Wilderness because I knew there were going to be many stream crossings where I could get wet.
The stream crossing only takes a few minutes. The water is knee deep In one spot and delightfully cold on my weary feet.
On the other side I take off my pack and filter some water and eat a heavy snack of pepperoni, cheese, and crackers and mix up some electrolytes. At home I made up a big batch of the mix that LMNT has on its website and mix it with a packet of Ocean Spray Drink mix and honey for the added carbohydrates. This drink is quite tasty and I've actually come really look forward to drinking it three times a day.
Back on the trail, I walk around another pond and up a hill with pretty views. At the top of a length of stone ledges, a man is sitting on the rock with a daypack eating a sandwich. I stop to say hello and he tells me he is slackpacking the trail from Gorham to Katahdin with a group who is supported by the legendary Warren Doyle. Doyle has completed the trail and amazing 18 times, which is a trail record.
I say goodbye and cross a defunct logging road that looks more like a seasonal stream bed. It's so rough I can't imagine anything being able to traverse it, but an ATV is coming up. It sounds like it is stuck just down the road and I can hear several voices yelling and some trees falling as I keep going up the trail.
A mile later the trail crosses a talus field and the rocks continue for longer than I've experienced in weeks. My feet are starting to hurt so bad and I'm realizing that my shoes have bit the dust. I bought these when I started Massachusetts, so I probably have about 500 miles on these shoes, which is on the high end of life expectancy of shoes on the trail. The good news is I have another pair in the truck, and when I see Dad the day after tomorrow I can switch out my shoes then. For now I pop some ibuprofen and keep walking.
I cross a decent size stream and then another one named Vaughn just after. It's such a relief to not have to worry about water all the time. Just as the FarOut comments report, I see a nice campsite next to the stream with a small waterfall. This is where I'm stopping tonight and I'm relieved to get off my tired feet.
I set up camp and filter water to make my dinner. By the time I eat and finish my camp chores it is seven o'clock and I am spent. I have the realization while I write this I realize that I am at mile 2,097, which is exactly 100 miles to Katahdin!
Today's Stats: 14.2 miles, 2,454 feet gain
Trail Stats: 2,097 miles, 421K feet gainMiles to Katahdin: 100
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