Day 16 - Moose of Tranquility (17/7/2016)

I woke up early this morning and went out to watch the sun rise. It was so tranquil, all I could hear were th frogs and loons.

After a few minutes I started to hear a bit of splashing across the pond. It'd go silent then a little more splashing. I suspected a moose was wading out from a little Cove across the way, so I sat quietly hoping it would eventually emerge. After a few more moments she did. In the distance a dark spot came out moving its head about and drinking occasionally. I assume a cow, since it had no horns but it was a beautiful moment. Sipping and watching, she quietly started her day while I delayed starting mine. After half an hour I got up to break camp and saw that Stephanie was awake so I sent her out to see the moose (her first of the trip I think).

Turns out the pancakes were well worth the short day. We met Santa, Wonder and Snap (all NOBOs) at breakfast and walked away with another dozen leftover pancakes for the next few days. Definitely a highlight.

Stephanie sold so many people on the pancakes that Pancake has become her trail name. She's also convinced me that Taipan doesn't suit me, so I'm now going as Wallaby, which nicely complements my pack's trail name, Pouch. People seem less confused by that, so I think it'll finally stick.

Tomorrow we hit our first real mountains. I so the NOBOs tell us.

Start: Pierce's Pond
End: West Carry Pond
Distance: 9.9 miles (15.8 km)

Day 15 - Pancakes (16/7/2016)

I planned to do 12 miles today, but while resupplying in Caratunk, Stephanie and I stumbled across the AT board game. Obviously we had to play a round before heading out, so instead of 12 we did 3 miles. The short day turned out to come with 2 blessings:

1. We found a little side camp near the next shelter that offered 12 pancakes with blueberries,apples, and raspberries for $9, so w booked in for the morning.
2. We met a terrific pair of hikers. A woman who had just lost her mother who was doing a memorial hike with her 11 year old son. 

While booking in for pancakes we had a nice chat with the camp owner and watched dozens of hummingbirds buzz around the balcony. 

We've had a great dinner with mother and son while discussing her and her mother's life. Then all of us went to the water and quietly contemplated life as the sun set over the pond.

A beautiful end to a leisurely day.

Start: Caratunk ME

End Pierce's Pond

Distance : 3 miles

Day 14 - Trail Magic (15/7/2016)

Luckily the thunderstorms passed me by last night. Just a little rain. Unluckily, I mistakenly used up too much water leaving me with only .5L (16 oz) for the walk over and down the next peak. This was going to mean some serious rationing if the heat picked up.

After tearing down my tent from the tiny plot of land I'd found for it (my fly was pegged around a tree), I set out to get to the nearest water supply around 2 miles away.

2 minutes into my journey, I found a beautiful campsite with several large tent pads and a fire pit.

Today was going to annoy me.

In fact it turned out that I'd already done most of the climbing I had to do, and I summitted about 10 minutes after leaving my camp. The long downward rock scramble I'd assumed was awaiting me, didn't appear at all. It was a bit technical, but nothing that I couldn't have handled easily the night before.

It was easy to laugh it all off though, because I knew that in a few hours I'd be in Caratunk, where there was real food and brew pub waiting for me.

I think my favourite part of the day, though, was the hiker box at the post office where some Trail Angel had left chocolate chip cookies and some bubble gum for hikers to snack on. It also held two full meal packets, which pretty much covered me for dinners until the next town. The hostel hiker box proffered homemade dehydrated chicken noodle soup, and some electrolyte pellets that another SOBO and I shared (Stephanie - no trail name yet*).

A big feed of chickenless-wings (broccoli in batter with wing sauce), a side salad, a burger with fries, and a sampling paddle of beer will keep me going for the next step tomorrow.

The plan is to hit the trail in the morning and do around 12 miles, though I'm hearing a rumour about $9 AYCE pancakes near 3 mile mark, if pancakes are worth a nero. Tough decision.

Start: minutes from the peak of Pleasant Mtn.
End: Caratunk, ME (Sterling Inn - delightful place with an extremely friendly and chatty proprietor and good resupply)
Distance: ~7 Miles (11 km)

* I wanted to call Stephanie "Arya", because "a girl has no name."  She refused the trail name.