Date: 2018-09-04
From: Carter Notch Campsite

To: Rattle River Lodge and Hostel
Miles today: 15.2

I slept pretty well last night as the rain fell down. A puddle started forming under my tent but it didn't get too wet inside though. I woke up to find that I had camped next to Santiago. He was planning on hiking the section I would be doing today. It didn't seem as crazy as the Wildcats but there was still some pretty good climbs. I went up to the hut to grab some coffee and baked goods. Maga was there eating breakfast with the other hikers that did a work for stay. He was waiting on some packages in town and would be taking it easy until they came in. I filled my water and got ready for the day.  The initial hike up Carter dome was a steep one. It took me about an hour to go one mile. At the top I could see Mt Washington and the route I came down yesterday. I ran into Bear Claw at one of the peaks and we hiked together for a few hours. She was supported by her husband and two kids that follow her in a truck all the way up the trail. Bear Claw was from Thailand. She had met her husband while giving him a nature tour in Thailand. Her husband decided to hit on her and 14 years, a marriage, and two kids later they are still going strong. Her husband had a kush government job but he quit to help her on the trail. They are running on fumes but are very happy. Bear Claw is planning on hiking with her daughter Crusty Butt sometime soon. We stopped to take a break and dry out our stuff. Santiago and Stretch passed as I was eating and talking to Theresa. I packed up my stuff and headed out.  The rest of the trail down was more boulders and roots. At one point I slipped on a board and my whole foot went in the water. It was soaked and covered in mud. I kept pushing on. At the bottom of a 3 mile descent I came to the rattle river shelter. A woman named Freddy was giving out trail magic! She had foraged for wild mushrooms and cooked them. There was also cheese, crackers, guacamole, fried chicken, and hot dogs. I helped her with getting the fire going. I ate a bit of food at the shelter then headed out with Bear Claw and Easy Bake. Bear Claw was talking about an all you can eat Chinese restaurant in town. Down the trail her husband and two kids surprised us. They were waiting for her on the trail. The boy named Duct Poop wanted me to go with them to the Chinese restaurant. It really didn't take much to convince me. We met a man named Marathon man who had hiked the trail in 1991 and 2011. He kept repeating his stories and couldn't remember my name after telling him several times. He mentioned that he lived north of Katahdin with his wife. I went with Bear Claw and her family to get some Chinese food. The buffet was not bad but I was starving anyways. The kids wanted to sit next to me and were bouncing off the walls. It seemed that they couldn't sit still. Santiago and Easy Bake joined us for dinner. I plowed through a few plates of food. The bill came and it was all combined with the family. Bear Claw's husband paid for my food! A two trail magic day. They dropped me off at the hostel and I said goodbye to them.At the hostel they made me take off my shoes outside. They then had me take a shower and wear town clothes before I could enter. It's one way of keeping a hostel clean. My bunk was really clean with its own sheets and a blanket. Way fancier than other hostels. Stretch and I watched a movie on Netflix called Goon. I didn't pay too much attention as I texted Theresa and worked on my journal. The hour hit midnight and it was time.Tonight I'm cozy in a bunk bed listening to water ripple outside.