Date: 2014-08-04
From: monson, me

To: wilber brook
Miles today: 16.9

I packed as soon as i got up and headed down to the house for breakfast. They do a good job at shaws and breakfast is super for a hiker. After eating they ask who needs a ride and take us all where we need to go. I was the only one going to the trailhead i got off at so i got a ride first. I thanked them for everything, i really enjoyed my day off there. From the drop off point i was three miles until the official start of the hundred mile wilderness, i cant wait to get it going. These first few miles were just up and down through the woods and with overcast sky there was not much to see. I moved along quick until i got to rt 15, the start of the wilderness. It wasnt long till i saw sobos heading out, thrilled to be back to civilization. I passed a few ponds early on and inspected each one for moose, no moose. Three miles to the first shelter i stopped in quick to put on my pack cover due to the light rain falling. It wasnt raining hard enough to wait it out under cover so i carried on. It stopped by the time i got to little wilson falls so i sat at the top of the falls and ate lunch. It was a large waterfall over verticle layers of slate with a drop of @ 70'. I talked to a few swction hikers there, they were hiking the wilderness. They as usual had many a questio about the trail and some advice. Just after lunch i had to ford a small river. I dont like taking the time to take off my boots, cross the river, dry feet, and put boots back on. I looked for a place i could rock hop over and found a route i could take. I hopped over to a rock and quickly found it was covered with vaseline. Feet out from under me and into the creek. Grrrr. I was disgusted with my laziness and now my feet were soaked. I would not do that again. A on the bank i took off my boots and wrung out my socks. First rule of hiking is to keep feet dry and i failed hugely. About a mile down the trail i came to a big rock in the sun so i took all footwear off and spread it out to dry for twenty minutes for whatever good that would do. Today was not a terribly long mile day so i had time. The trail was not difficult today, just over rolling hills so i was making good time. Then i heard thunder. Where there is thunder there are downpours, here comes the downpour. At first i huddled up to a pine tree but then it started to saturate me anyway. I strolled on since it didnt matter. It stopped about forty five minutes later and the sun came out. Thats better. Then i got to the wilber brook, another ford. Again i found a route to hop from rock to rock. Three quarters of the way across i found another greased rock. In the river i went. Oh this time i was so proud of myself. You stupid #+&%*@!!! I crawled myself up to the bank with dismay. I was a mile and a half away from where i was gonna camp but saw a great spot right by theriver so i stayed there. Good enough for one day. Sometimes you gotta put an end to a bad day and start again tomorrow. I cooked myself up some goood dinner and ate and went to my tent. I had hung my wet clothes in hopes they would dry at least a little by morning. The sound of the river running by in a hurry to get downstream put me to sleep quickly. How did i ever camp not next to a river?