Date: 2003-08-24
From: Rainbow Spring Campsite

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 164 Avg Mls/Day 13.2Total Miles: 2157.5Weather: Cloudy and cool most of the day..clearing towards evening. Temp didn't feel like it got out of the 50's. Was in the lower 40's last night. Felt like March in Georgia.Today's Nature: Rainbow Lake and its ducks.Falls: Today 0 Total 13Slept well through the coldest night in a long time. I love my sleeping bag! I will give a full review of my gear in a post hike entry after I get home.I knew I would only be doing 11 miles so I wasn't in a big rush to get going. It was 7:30 before I was hiking. Most of the others were gone.It wasn't long before I caught up with 3 of the guys from the campsite, Honey Boy, Carolina Scout and Ramon. I belive they had built the campfire last night. We chatted for awhile. I believe Carolina Scout and Honey Boy are finishing up their section hike of the entire AT when they summit Katahdin on Tuesday.   C Scout's son, Ramon joined them only recently. Nice guys.I stopped at my last real shelter on the Trail at about 11, Hurd Brook Lean-to. There, I caught up with Lost N Found. He was the fellow that I met cooking around the campfire last night. He is also completing his section hike of the whole AT on Tuesday.While I was looking at the register, the Trail Runner, Dave, dropped in from the North. Nice guy with good information. Sounds like there is a void of thru-hikers right now and I won't have any trouble tomorrow getting into The Birches Campsite.Lost N Found and I walked the rest of the way to Abol Stream together. As we left the 100 mile wilderness, there was a warning sign for SOBO's. We took each other's picture under it.I checked in to Abol Spring Campground before 1. Nice clean place with restrooms and "quarter" showers. Pitched my tent and got set up for the night.Lost & Found had left his truck here and offered to run me 10 miles down the road to The Trading Post and pay phones. There, I called Julia and was able to do my pocketmail. Worked out great! Even grabbed a hot dog. Thanks Lost & Found.Got back to Abol Bridge and got cleaned up. Shaved and took a nice hot shower.A SOBO thru-hiker, Crash, showed up about 6. I believe he said he came from somewhere about 700 miles north in Canada. Plans to go all the way to Springer. We will be sharing the same campsite. He's not using a tent...is sleeping out in his sack.I had a microwave cheesebrger from the store for supper. Honey Boy was there having 3 hot dogs.After dinner Ramon and I met this family camped out along the shore. They had 4 dogs...2 of which were Pugs...one black and one fawn. All the dogs were friendly and well behaved. Their older dog was a Retriever and the other a mixed mut from the kennel.Went to HB, CS, and Ramon's campsite where they had a fire going. Lost N Found was there and we sat around and chatted for an hour or so.Came back to turn in. Crash and I must have chatted back and forth for an hour or so...Trail talk, gear, hikers and such. It was around 10 when we went to sleep.Tomorrow I only have to do 10 miles where I will spend the night in The Birches" Campsite...a holding area for thru-hikers doing Katahdin.Thought for the Day: It's getting close now.