Date: 2005-08-07
From: Rainbow Spring Campsite

To: Katahdin Stream Campground (The Birches)
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: clear sky

start: Rainbow Spring Campsitefinish: Katahdin Stream Campground (The Birches)miles: 21.1day: 153I didn't sleep too well last night. The ground wasn't very level and every single mouse, chipmunk, and who knows what else in this high use camping area was romping through the fallen leaves and trying to check out my food bag. Perhaps it was English Bob. There were some strange noises, too, that I can't figure out. Biscuit said later she thought they might be a beaver in the woods - kind of a dragging rustle followed by a heavy smack. It's good to be deep in the Maine woods - there were two loud owls in the distance. That's always a good sign. They only seem to inhabit nice places.Today is gorgeous, clear and not too hot. English Bob, Biscuit and I reached Rainbow Ledges and enjoyed the perfect Maine scenery. Dark conifers mixed with white birch and some maple, bare slabs of rock covered in large patches of Labrador tea and blueberries, growing in a thin peaty soil mixed with glacial sand and fine gravel. The blueberries were abundant and ripe. Biscuit and I feasted on them, but English Bob feels they should be left for the native creatures, so he hiked on. After a bit Biscuit hiked on as well, feeling pressure to meet her boyfriend Andy at Abol by 10:00 am. I decided to wait for Goldilocks, as I suspected he was still feeling rotten. He's been running a fever and has a probable stress fracture in his foot. Like the rest of this crew, besides me, he hasn't had a day off in quite a while, pushing to finish on time, and I think everyone is feeling worn out. Chairman showed up and said he saw Goldilocks sitting down - not a good sign. Eventually Goldilocks showed up and took a break. I gave him my small supply of Tylenol and he took a couple.We rejoined all but Biscuit at Hurd Brook Lean-to, read the register and set off for Abol Bridge and the camp store there. I put my contact information in the register, as many other nobos had done, but stupidly forgot to copy other people's info. So if I met you this year and you feel like it, please sign my guestbook or send email to moosie@gmail.com with your information.Whitee passed me at Rainbow Ledges, and he was with the others at Hurd Brook. Goldilocks and I hiked with him to Abol Bridge. He's fun to hike with - I wish I had had the opportunity to hike with Whitee earlier on this journey.We all pigged out when we got to the Abol store - I think I ate 2000 calories. Andy was heading into Millinocket and meeting us at Katahdin Stream in the evening, so some people gave him some gear to slack, and we made a grocery list for the evening cookout, including burgers, hot dogs, root beer, beer, and corn on the cob.The trail north of Abol is very pretty and we all took time out to swim in Nesowadnehunk Stream near Pine Point. There's this great rock slab waterslide waterfall thing dropping into a large pool. Whitee didn't want to swim - he says he doesn't know what to do with water in it's liquid form (he's from Alaska). We talked English Bob into it, though, and it was a blast. I think he was a little nervous, and going down the slide he looked like someone resigned to their sacrificial fate. But then he went again.I tried to swim again further up, just below Big Niagara falls, but it was difficult to get to the pool, and since I was the only one there I didn't want to be too risky on the rocks. I cooled off but that was about it.When we arrived at the entrance to Katahdin Stream Campground I was surprised by the sudden burst of emotion. It's a significant place for me, as I've begun two southbound section hikes from there, and as I recognized how close to the end I'd come all these conflicting feelings about the hike just hit me at once and I started crying. I had expected tomorrow to be rough emotionally, and I think I've realized I can't really plan for it - it doesn't lessen the difficulty by expecting it. But I was bushwhacked today, just walking calmly along, and then when I saw that sign I just lost it. Tomorrow is going to be rough indeed.In camp we found Chairman's parents and descended like locusts on their site. They fed us homemade cookies and soda. Soon Andy came over with all the cookout fixin's and he was the chef, working magic with just a stick for a cooking utensil. We all ate a lot and I got really full (for a change). It was late when those of us sleeping at The Birches walked the 1/2 mile over there in pitch darkness. My headlamp was buried in my pack, and not too bright anyway, so English Bob lit the way by flicking his lighter every few seconds. This doesn't really work, as it just gives you a quick glimpse and then blinds you and ruins your night vision, to say nothing of burning Bob's fingers. The bugs weren't out, so I settled in to spend my final night on the trail in a shelter. Ironic, eh?Tonight was a good time with good people - very sweet near the end of the journey.