Date: 2005-09-20
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-To

To: Abol Pines Campground
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

7:56 pm - The Last Worthless EveningToday started with a big surprise. I went down to the stream to get some water and noticed a pack by the shelter. I thought that was odd - everybody pitched a tent last night. Then it struck me - it was a familiar Arcteryx Bora pack, faded blue with a backpacking guitar strapped to the side. Could it be? Heart racing, I peeked inside the shelter. Sound asleep was Professor Nutbag. I woke him up without hesitation, overjoyed to see him.As I suspected, he zeroed a second time in the heavy rain. But true to his word, he pushed forward to catch me. He hiked a twenty miler followed by a thirty six mile day. He reached the shelter at three thirty in the morning, not knowing that I was camped nearby. He was afraid I'd pushed on some more since I hadn't signed the register. That's friendship for you. I never should have doubted him.Amazingly, he was ready to hike on. We opted for an easy fifteen miles to Abol Bridge. I let him set the pace, figuring he deserved it. We made pretty decent time, too, much better than I expected. We passed Rainbow Lake, where yet another rumored view of Katahdin proved elusive. But we did get to see a hyrdoplane land and take off, which was pretty cool. However, it then started to lightly rain for a bit, which wasn't so cool.The rain didn't last long, though, and had stopped entirely by the time we reached Rainbow Ledges for lunch. It was a neat place with lots of rock slabs, alpine forest, and yet another missing view of Katahdin. I had to make do with Professor's tale of how he saw Katahdin last night by moonlight across a lake. I swear that I'm going to be the first thru-hiker to finish the AT without a single close up view of the final mountain.It was another easy six miles to the end of the 100 Mile Wilderness. We found a trail magic cooler waiting for us there with two sodas and two brownies, courtesy of Don Quixote. As we enjoyed them, a familiar southbounder approached. It was Wookie, a hiker Professor knew and who I think I met in passing back in Erwin. He had reached Dalton and decided that he wasn't going to be able to summit by the time Baxter State Park closes on October 15th, so he flipped. He climbed Katahdin yesterday and started south today. He's looking forward to seeing everyone he met again and grilled us for info on who is behind us.Mere yards later, we left the woods and stepped onto a road. We were out of the wilderness and fifteen miles away from the summit of Mt Katahdin. We hiked a hundred more yards to a campstore and purchased some hot dogs, chips, and s'mores ingredients for dinner. Across the road was Abol Pines Camping Area, our home for the evening. We pitched our tents and started a fire, swapping notes on summit plans with the others in the area - Bear Tracks, Fig and Just Visiting, Jon and Rachel, and Bug and Miss Priss. Train, Raindrop, Hairball and Snowbunny later showed up, too. We also ran into Hopeful Hiker who is staying at a nearby campground. I met him down south, and he, too, has flipped.Unfortunately a rainstorm hit somewhere between the hot dogs and s'mores, driving everybody into their tents. This is a night that I'd love to be spending with other hikers. It is, after all, my second to last night on the trail. This is my final stretch to swap stories and compare notes, but instead, I must spent it in solitude and contemplation. Oh, well, such is life.Two more days.