Date: 2005-09-18
From: Moxie Bald Leanto

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

A very interesting day on the trail - complete with two serious river crossings and my first potentially serious fall - day 10 of my countdown to Khatahdin.According to the guide book, the first of the two river crossings would be the shorter and easier one, so when I saw what that one involved I was not entirely sanguine about how my day was going to go. It was right at the junction of two streams, actually, and the water was moving at a very fast pace. It looked to be about waist deep, where I could see the bottom, so I decided to repack my pack to make sure my down sleeping bag and my clothes bag were on top and thus more likely to stay dry.While I was doing that, Cuppa Joe and Tink showed up, and he just charged right in, with Tink right behind. Cuppa Joe is a stout fellow, like me, but poor Tink is only about 5'6" and at most 100 pounds. He was doing okay, but about half way across, Tink just couldn't fight the current by herself. Cuppa came back and helped her the rest of the way. I soon followed them, taking care to undo my pack straps (a standard safety precaution in case one needs to jettison it in a hurry - like, so that it doesn't take you to the bottom with it...), and used my standard, careful approach of making sure I had two feet and one pole, or two poles and one foot, anchored before moving the next foot or pole.It was slow going, and the current was so strong it made my poles vibrate like crazy, but ultimately, I was safely on the opposite bank. Thoroughly drenched, of course, but safe and sound.The second crossing, a scant three miles later, was supposed to be the more difficult one, and was definitely wide. The water level was not as high and the current not as strong, so we were all greatly relieved. Still, river crossings are not something one does every day, so I guess you could say that I am learning new skills. (skills, yes, that's the precise word that comes to mind as the current pulls me down...) Funny thing, though, out of 14 states, this is the only one that does not provide bridges when the AT goes over river or stream.....The rest of trail was a combination of bogs, rocks and roots. I made decent time, but it really took a lot out of me. I also took my first potentially serious fall. As always, I was trying to be careful where I put each foot, when I must have stepped on a really slippery rock with both feet immediately going out from under me. It pitched me to the right and I began a rapid descent straight down a steep, rocky slope. As I continued down, I passed a large tree and immediately grabbed for it. It was just enough to slow my momentum and spin me around (so THIS is how 18-wheelers jack knife...). I then attempted to grab the next tree down, which proved futile, as it was completely rotted. It did, however, make an interesting ripping sound as it came completely out of the ground to join me in my head-first flight down. Abandoning the tree idea, I choose instead to focus on a newly acquired (read: not optional) skill- that being pretty much going ass over tea kettle down the hill. Just bouncing through the rocks in that "not optional" sort of way. HareBall, who was just behind me, said she saw my feet fly over my head, and then heard some loud crashing/ripping as I took out just a bit more mountain shrubbery before coming to rest.The good news is that it was only about 15 yards down the hill, and I was essentially intact, with only a few bruises and a new hole in my pants leg to show for it. I climbed back up the the trail and resumed my hike, looking forward all the more to getting into town.When we got to Monson, I checked into Shaw's Famous Boarding House and began doing the things a through-hiker does when he reaches civilization.I also Talked to Kokomo who had just returned south from a disasterous and unsuccesful attempt to ford the Big Wilson river which was on OUR tinerary for the next day going .Kokomo's attempt to make it across failed when the water reached his neck (he's only 5'6" tall, and weighs 135 pounds), at which point the current picked him up off his feet and swept him and his pack downstream, underwater. (He had neglected to undo his pack straps.) He finally managed to grab a rock and then get back to shore, but it obviously, and not unreasonably, scared the crap out of him. For the rest of us, it was a good warning.Since I had gotten to town too late to be able to leave the next day anyway, I decided to zero in Monson and give the river a chance to go down a bit more.....That will add a day to my expected summit of Katahdin, but better safe than sorry, right? Only 9 days and 115 miles to go!Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com