Date: 2009-08-12
From: Maine

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Our motley crew of a group: Squatch, JJ, MissStep, Possum, and I all did 10 miles yesterday up and over the Saddlebacks and down into the town of Rangeley. Some really tough terrain. First was Saddleback Jr., then the Horn(the toughest...steep!) and then Saddleback Mountain. I was up sick all night running a high fever with aches, pains, stuffed up... flu-like symptoms. Thought I was going to die hiking up Jr, but by the time I pushed on and got to Saddleback and 5miles of grueling uphill later I felt remarkably better. The sun was shining and we had some really spectacular views. The sky wasn't clear enough to see Katahdin, but I hear on a nice day this is the first mountain most northbounders get their first sight of the big K, the finish line, the end of the trail... a journey. Since, I'm now heading southbound and once was northbound, I'm called a flip flopper. I'm doing a flip flop of the AT. My "end" is just north of Damascus, VA in the Grayson Highlands. Anyways, we've had fairly good weather, as far as Maine weather is concerned. A little rain here a little rain there... "liquid sunshine" as I heard one local lady coming out of the IGA last night say. So, we got in late in the afternoon yesterday. I received my drop box full of food from my mom. THANKS MOM! LOVE YA! I'll have enough to get to NH now... lol Seriously, though, because NH is only 60 miles and 4-5 days away. Squatch was expecting a package and it hadn't come yet. We were planning on getting right back on the trail, but the package was scheduled to be here this morning, so we decided to stay the night. We all didn't want to pay $20 to stay at the hostel and were going to "stealth camp" somewhere. So, we were hanging around the park and a guy drives by and asks us if we needed a place to stay. Really? Does this really happen? Only on the trail. His name, well trail name, was Pogue. He thru-hiked the AT back in '07... I think. He said we could stay on a piece of land a couple miles outside town. He brought us out there and picked us up and brought us back into town this morning. Thanks man for the trail magic. You are the man.Squatch just received his package from his girlfriend, Amber. He was very happy about this. I bought a replacement spork (my other one broke)and some aquamira water treatment drops at the outfitter. So, now we're about to get back on the trail about 11am and on another 36 miles to Andover, ME where I don't know about the rest of the group, but I'm looking forward to a shower. Didn't get one here, but I did wipe myself down with antibacterial handsoap in the public bathroom down by the lakeside park. The lakes in this region are amazing! You can see them all around when you get up on the mountain tops. Indescribabilityness! There is a hostel in Andover called Hi-Five hostel, we hear, that encourages work for stay and provides all the services we need such as shower, laundry, etc. I talked to Tim and Jenna who stayed there a few days ago, and they said it was a good place to stay. I off into the woods I go once again. I hear the next little section is incredible. ONward...Southward...PS: Oh yeah, and I have a whole cook pot full of wild raspberries that I collected this morning. Our camp spot was surrounded by them. Raspberry syrup for tomorrow mornings pancakes