Date: 2007-06-23
From: Flagstaff Rd, ME

To: Monson ME
Miles today: 57.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Well we finally got outta Stratton much later than planned, late shuttle ride.Hit the trail at 1245 and cranked out the miles to the planned shelter ~18 to Pierce Pond Shelter.What a great sunset & sunrise from the shelter which sits right on the edge of the pond. Mosquitos are killin us requiring 100%DEET,bug head nets at times and sleeping with Bug Bivy's over our sleeping bags.Stayed with two SOBOs from CT who are doing well so far, Bean & Honey Mustard.Next morning we hit Tim Harrison's Cabins for 12 homemade fruitfilled pancakes, eggs & sausage, mango juice & coffee-a great start to any day! What a super guy, too! swallowed them up easily.And finally we crossed the Kennebec via canoe shuttle-the official ATC authorized trail! Pretty cool.We caught a ride from Steve the Ferryman to his hostel for resupply just up the road. And to our great surprise we saw four full backpacks which had been dropped off by Susan the Stratton hostel owner. We recognized them right away-The Goodfellas and Fruitfly's packs-they were slackpacking and damn close to us! Unbeleivable! They were acually gonna catch up as they'd said all along.They too have a July 1st deadline.A glitch though-they couldn't get across the Kennebec that day cuz the ferry only operates until 11am (until peak season)-no afternoon service. And they wouldn't make it there in time. There are multiple warning signs & postings in all the guidebooks. The river is 70 yards across & subject to random surges due to dam releases for peak power surge needs. Swimming or fording the stream is strongly discouraged as currents are misleadingly harsh. In 1985 a hiker drowned attempting to cross on his own.They actually had called to request a special ferry but were denied as all the postings say would happen. We all knew they'd do it anyway.And they did! [They arrived at the river ~430pm and used a fording technique Slick shoes knew where they formed a chain front to back and pushed eachother along with the frontman (Ant) using a stick pushing into the ground in front of him. Water got as high as their chests!!! Then the chain fell apart and they had to swim for it. With great difficulty and exhaustion they made it to the shore and celebrated on the shore! WOW! Crazy! The technique is only good for water up to your waist!! Yikes! Lucky they made it. Typical of the Goodfellas and Fruitfly. Always another chapter of crazy adventure!We didn't see them til we got to Monson at Shaw's Hostel-the last hostel stop before "The 100 mile wilderness". They rolled into town while we were chillin at a blues jam at the local general store with all the townsfolks chillin in chairs in the aisles of the stores. We errupted! Sooo coool!The Monson Reunion! NOBOs 7 deep!!!So cool since we're running into SOBOS everyday. And only 5 2007 NOBOs are ahead of us, all but two already finished the trail. Li & Bookworm remain, but damn close to done.We were psyched though not surprise the 4 NOBOS had arrived. We knew they would.We had to oblige them and took a zero today (6/23), They did big miles to get here and to catch up. We couldn't push on without them (as planned). We had to chill with them!We hit the pub, the BBQ restaurant and then partied back at the hostel til the wee hours.Today we had another great breakfast then resupplied and chilled all day playing hiker monopoly. So relaxing.Tomorrow we hit the 100 Mile Wilderness with only 1 resupply point-White House Landing-on the lake! We sound an air horn and a boat will shuttle us there for lunch and resupply, then we finish the wilderness & hike to the Birches, the last shelter we stay in, on 6/29. On Sat the 30th we hike Katahdin with family & friends.The best part is we'll hit the final 114.5miles, The 100 Mile Wilderness 7 NOBOS deep!!!That's outragious this late in the game. Should be wild!114.5miles to go. We can't wait!****Probably no more updates via internet or text messages til we're done. No signals in the wilderness or Baxter State Park.***I expect to meet Scott Cummings & Scott Dykema & Guthook & Groove's family & friends 6/29 and hike up with them. Should be awesome. We're all carrying Champagne bottles (HEAVY!) and 4 days food thru the wilderness to the midpoint, then repeat. UGhh. Heavy packs. Heaviest for a long time since we've all been cruising and hitting hostels and towns stops every other day or so.But we can't wait!Almost nothing can stop us now!!See ya soon!