Date: 2009-09-18
From: Bald Mountain Brook Leanto

To: Pleasant Pond Leanto
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The boys had a campfire and were up later than I was but I still got pretty good sleep and was up early and on the trail by 7:05. Just a little bit down the trail I met Mo and Lucky Joe who had camped by the stream. Nice to see Mo, female, after all the testosterone at and around the shelter last night. I was the only female. The guys are nice but it is nice to see another woman too. I walked pretty well for the first three miles. It was much warmer than yesterday, about 50. The trail was smooth too. Nice. After I reached the pond I then headed up hill. Most of the rest of the day was uphill. I caught a nice picture of a pretty little brown snake. I have seen several but they usually don't stick around long enough to get a picture. I don't get too close to snakes. I remember the profile of those who get bit by rattlers: males 18-25 who get bit on hands or arms. Those boys were messin' with them rattlers. I just take snakes' pictures from a distance. Before too long I met Phatman Dude. He didn't want to catch up with everyone but it looked like he would. I stopped for my trail bars and contiued on. There was intermittant wind and as I looked overhead and to the west there were very dark clouds threatening rain. The forecast was for a 30 percent chance of rain. I kept moving, actually pretty fast for me. But I finally decided I had better be prepared. I stopped to take care of the call of nature and also got out the rain gear. I put on rain pants but I did not want to hike in my rain jacket. I sweat going up hill even at 50 degrees and I would just swealter in my jacket. I have all clothes and things that need to be dry in plastic bags in the pack and put on the pack cover. I finally draped the jacket sort of like a poncho over the pack. I lean forward going uphill and would probably stay dry. It seemed to work pretty well. Not as good as the umbrella I had but not too bad either. After all that fiddling around I continued up the hill. It did rain, but just a little bit and soon stopped, although the threatening clouds remained. My altimeter seems to be running out of battery. No matter how much I climbed it didn't register that I was going up very much. I got a little discouraged thinking it was right. But I kept on plugging away and got to the top of Middle Peak and then Pleasant Pond Mountain itself. Actually I got there in not too bad time, especially considering fiddling with rain gear and then also stopping for lunch. I took a few quick pictures but did not tarry as the wind was very icy. I even put on my rain jacket for the way down to cut the wind. The views were nice but nothing like the spectacular views from Moxie Bald. I tried to send a Happy Birthday text to William and a text to Sara and a call to Sara but nothing was going through although it said I had lots of bars. Oh well. Going down was very steep, especially in spots. Kathy, imagine 25 percent more steepness than the steep side of Mt Pete and all roots and rocks. I picked my way down slowly and carefully but it went pretty well. Maybe I am getting a little used to the terrain. I know it helps to be getting good sleep and my bug is now at least 95 percent gone. It is pretty nice to be hiking and feelng a little better about how I am doing. My right heel seems to like the crazy arrangement in my shoe too. It only hurt a little bit. I got to the shelter by 4:30. Great! I had time to get cleaned up a bit, which always improves my disposition. Hatchet and Hold Out are staying here in the shelter with me. They are nice young NOBOs. We are near a big lake that actually has roads and houses around it. Tomorrow is a short hike of less than 6 miles into Caratunk. Half the day will be a day of rest. Not a zero but a nero in hiker lingo. The wind is blowing but I am snug in my bag and life is good.