Date: 2014-09-21
From: Crocker Cirque

To: Horns Pond Lean-tos
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

For the second morning in a row, I broke camp quickly and headed right up my first mountain for the day--Crocker Mountain. It didn't take too long to get warmed up as the temperature had risen overnight. It was overcast but we expected a view from the top. Halfway up, there was an opening in the trees with a good view of the valley and the sky. There was blue sky but lots of clouds moving fast with wisps of fog blowing off the top of the mountain. By the time we reached the overlook, a cold wind was blowing and visibility was down to 100 feet.I saw fresh moose poop and a track near the peak and guessed it had been there last night. The hike down to the road crossing was tedious because the path was a series of rocks and roots. This prevented hiking along at a regular gait. By the time I had reached the ME 27 road crossing at noon I felt like I had done a full days hike.There was a poster at the information board asking hunters to report any findings of objects that may pertain to Geraldine Largay, the lady who went missing from this section of the trail. Beneath the poster a shrine of remembrance had been established. At the base was a St. Francis statue and other objects left there. I wished I had something to leave. Then I remembered I have been carrying an Orthodox prayer rope on my backpack since GA. I placed it on the small wooded cross already there.I ate lunch sitting on the rocks in the the parking lot and had just finished when B-Man and Jo Cool came out of the woods. They set about to hitch into Stratton and I headed up my second mountain, the first part of the Bigelows.It had warmed into the 70's now and I was down to shorts and short sleeves for the first time in a few days. I was sweating now, but so happy to see the sun, I played "Here Comes the Sun" on ITunes.I thought of three things I appreciate more than ever: sunshine, a breeze, and a drink of water.I started this climb under 2,000 feet and I am passing by a lot of hardwood trees. I can see a difference from yesterday in the coloring of the birches and maples.There was a prediction of thunderstorms, so when it clouded up, I tried picking up the pace but I was going about as fast as my heart and lungs would allow.There were a few technical areas where I had to hold on to the trees to pass by obstacles. This mountain seemed to have a lot of building sized boulders.I love the smell of the pine trees and the rosin but the bark is rough and sticky. I really like the birches because they have a smooth bark. I found a large birch and hugged it just to see how it was. Felt surprisingly nice. I can add "tree hugger" to my titles now.When I reached the shelter, the fog was rolling in and the temperature dropping again. I put on my tights and long sleeves as soon as I dropped my pack. I got situated in the shelter and as I ate, I watched the fog blowing by the shelter as if the whole valley were on fire.So far no storm on the mountain but who knows about the valley. The wind is really whipping out there. Tonight, like last night, I expect to go sleep listening to the wind.It was tough going climbing a total of 5,000 feet today, but tonight we (Fiefel and Little Feet and me) are celebrating 2,000 miles completed!