Date: 2003-09-26
From: Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

start campsitedestination campsite The sounds of Morph,Moonshadow and Mudbutt woke me up this morning the second time. The first time I got up just as day was breaking. I was hoping to see a moose at the water's edge. But no sign of anything stirring around,so I went back to bed and fell asleep. The first part of the day the trail followed the stream as it meandered in and out of the forest. I come to a wide spot on the trail.There wrote out with small rocks is the words "99.9 miles to go." It is less than a hundred miles to Mt.Katahdin. within walking distance! I stop to take a picture and try to grasp this fact. It seems unreal,to be this close. Even with the miles that I have skipped and have to go back and hike,it does not seem possible that I am this close. Finally,the trail turned away from the stream and started it's long climb up Barren Mountain. And it was a long climb,with plenty of slippery roots and rocks to navigate. There was just no way to make any good time. My feet just wanted to hike,to get up a good steady pace,but the trail wouldn't cooperate at all. I came to Barren's Slide. An outcropping of flat rocks tumbling over each other as in a haste to reach Barren Lake below. The sun was bright overhead,so I took a long break and laid there,stretched ! out on the rock soaking up the sun. I pulled my bandana down over my eyes and just laid there,stretching tis way and that,like a cat does when he first wakes up. Then I just lay still,and listened to the sounds of nothing. Total silence. The lack of noise and the warmth rom the sun son lulled me into a semi sleep mode. Suddenly I heard the rustle of wings,and then the call of a buzzrd. Not so fast guys,I ain't dead yet! I watched as they flew arond and around in circles,hunting for some tasty morsel for lunch. After Mudbutt joined me for a break,it was time to hike north some more. The blue sky was taken over by grey clouds and the sun was hidden behind them. The temperature dropped and a stiff wind started blowing. We found a sheltered spot in the trees,and fixed lunch. We had no sooner started eating than up comes Strider and Loser. We were then joined by Hespethiah and her friend whom I did not get a name for . We all gathered round and ate lunch together ,talking about ! our hikes and the soon ends to come. Off we went again,more climbing uphill before we reached the summitt of Barren Mountain. Of the total climb for the day,four miles of it would be getting to the top of the mountain. We passed the Cloud Pond Shelter too early in the day to stop,so we went on. By now,the clouds had moved in lower and we were once again walking through them,their white mist casting a eerie shadow over the woods. It also got us good and damp. We came to a small stream crossing and decided to call it a day. I love to stealth camp. To just find a flat spot in the woods and pitch my tent. Today I celebrated six months of being on the trail. Mudbutt has been with me for four of those months. It seems like an eternity ago and yet like it was just yesterday. I fix us a special dessert to celebrate. Chocolate pudding with vanilla creme cookies. The temeperature drops even more and sends us scurrying to our tents. Every once in a while the wind blows,sending the leaves falling from their branches abov! e. They rustle as they fall,making it sound like rain.   I am skittish as I lay here,afraid that a moose will step on me and squish me like a pancake. However silly that sounds,it is still a very real fear. I only hope that if a moose gets a whif of me,he will bolt into the night running away from me. total miles 6.3