Date: 2018-08-21
From: Carrabassett River tentsite

To: Stratton route 27
Miles today: 8.4

I slept in a little, needing the rest and getting up around 6:30 when the other tenters started stirring. After packing up and getting our bear bags down I had breakfast with River on some nearby logs. Then I filtered my water and headed out around 8am for an 8 miles to Stratton where we had motel reservations. I need a 3 day resupply and to wash my stinky body and clothes. Also I need to somehow pad my shoulder straps where they hit my collarbone. I have 2 painful bumps there and I'd like to get some relief. The immediate hike out of Camp was a 3-mile Ascent of South Crocker with a dip and then another ascent of North Crocker. It was a steep climb but again today I drank plenty of water and I knew that I'd be getting to town so my mood was much lighter. On my way down south Crocker I met a really lovely lady named Penny out for a Day hike and we stopped and had a really pleasant conversation for several minutes. She'll be hiking in the Bigelow's this weekend and I'm not sure if I'll see her there but it would be really cool! A little further down my descent between South Crocker and North Crocker I met another lady day hiking who had come upon a bear and stopped to let me know. Wanting to make some noise as I proceeded I made a little song that went hey there, hey there if you're still there, run away, run away. And I sang the silly song out loud until I was near the bottom of the descent between mountains, a little notch or collar area. At that point a young woman was hiking southbound on the trail with a dog and when I saw her I was somewhat relieved knowing that bears don't like dogs. So I stopped and asked her if she had seen a bear down in the notch and she responded with no, but Bears don't like my dog. I smiled, Instantly relieved I proceeded without incident through the notch and started on the ascent of North Crocker. At the summit I met another hiker who had dropped his pack to scurry out to a small side trail with a view, and we chatted for a minutes until he turned to me and said, looking North to the trail, so I guess next we get a really steep descent. I Shrugged my shoulders and I said probably cuz that is what has become Maine, and I followed him down the trail to find to both of our bliss a very gentle yet muddy descent of over 6 miles all the way to the Route 27 parking lot. Relaxed and feeling great I texted River from the parking lot. She was a little over half mile out. I waited 15 minutes before calling Trout at the motel for a shuttle. Within a few minutes River was there and then Trout. Trout greeted us with Ma'am and was a little abrasive. I assumed military but waited a few to ask. Marines was the answer. We got the rundown on rules and the nickel tour of town as we drove thru, landing at the motel where 3 hikers had clearly been stranded outside for years. Carved bears. Clearly no one but hikers would stay here. We don't expect much I guess. We dropped our stuff in the screened in room that is the "pack room" and put on our camp shoes. The room has all we need and it's clean. The grocery store is across the street next to the restaurant and bar and the laundry is not far away. We showered and relaxed having gotten in at 3pm it's an early day. Blueberry, Knots and Earth Heart are here. Blueberry is taking a zero tomorrow because of the weather but the other 2 are heading back out to the trail this afternoon. Glider is also here and Just Mike. We haven't seen them since Harper's Ferry!!! We had a little reunion and had dinner across the street together along with a couple of others. Sara is coming tomorrow to drive us to Rangeley to the IGA and see what we can do about my pack straps too. We'll get laundry done also. We're going to take a zero because the weather calls for heavy rain and thunderstorms. We won't hike the Biggelows in that weather and we've hiked 8 days so a day off is in order. We watched Married at First Sight in our room with Blueberry and enjoyed some chips and dips from the store. Something I won't be able to do when I finish the trail! At 10:30 I said goodnight to Brian and rolled over. Sleepy time!