Date: 2015-09-20
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: clear sky

Despite the storm and the obvious evidence of a rodent problem (the mouse and rat traps), I slept well, but woke a little confused. I had a very vivid dream that I was in a bad car accident and was placed in a medically induced coma. While in the coma I dreamed that I was hiking the AT. When I came out of the coma I was convinced I had been hiking the AT. I even argued that my weight loss was a result of the hiking. But I woke up in a hospital bed hooked up to IVs and monitors, which quickly convinced me otherwise.As a result, when I woke up this morning in a shelter in the middle of the woods initially I was not sure whether I was really hiking the AT or this was all part of the medically induced coma of my dream. I quickly realized I was very lucky on both parts. I was NOT in a car accident, and I AM actually hiking the AT.As I packed up to leave I saw several cars drive down a nearby road. Apparently some folks had driven in and camped near the pond. I was glad I stayed in the dry shelter and had the place to myself.The first order of the day was to climb Pleasant Pond Mountain. At only 2470 ft. it is not high, but it was a long steady climb to the summit. Along the way I had to pee. I dropped my pack on a rock next to the trail and walked a little further up the trail to squat behind another rock. As usually happens, I am all alone on the AT until I have to pee. A young man came up the trail, saw my pack, saw at least my head, stopped momentarily, then kept coming.I said "excuse me!" He again stopped momentarily then kept on coming.I then said "I am going to the bathroom, could you please give me some privacy?" Again, he stopped momentarily then kept on coming.At this point I yelled to him "You need to stop and let me finish, I will let you know when I am done." He finally stopped.When I was finished all he said was that he had his ear buds in. I still do not understand what the ear buds have to do with his obvious lack of consideration.   But I am sure employers are not lined up at the base of Mt. Katahdin anxiously waiting to hire that very dense inconsiderate young man.Once at the summit I tried to call Shaws in Monson to reserve a room, but I did not have enough signal strength.   So I texted my husband in Florida with the information and he called Maine and made the reservation for me. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box.The descent was relatively easy. In fact, the last few miles today were very easy. There was one fording listed in the AT guide, at the south end Moxie Pond, but it was just a rock hop. With no rain for several days, the water levels have been greatly reduced. I planned to tent at Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to. There is a small camping area at the brook before the turn off to the .1 mile side trail to the lean-to. That is where I found Sparky & his girlfriend, Spark, along with Soda. They invited me to tent with them. It was a nice location - water, privy nearby, and right off the trail. So I agreed. We had a nice conversation while we were cooking our respective dinners, then we aLL went to sleep early.The AT is calling. I Hope I am not up all night peeing because of the sounds of the babbling brook next to my tent. If so, I hope the young man I met earlier is FAR up the trail so I can at least pee in peace.