Date: 2012-07-03
From: Just south of Old Blue Mountain

To: Andover, ME
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Today is our official one month anniversary of being on the trail. Today we hiked 10.1 miles. It was a rough beginning of the day. I made oatmeal for us and we both decided not to add our poop to the already horrid smelling campsite, so we packed up and hiked out.Our first mountain was Moody Mountain. I was feeling very tired and Steven didn't want to poop in the woods. There was a campsite in three miles, so he decided that he'd go there, but I was hiking too slow for him to make it. I told him to hike ahead. He said, "Okay. See you in 2 hours." I responded, "Have a good poop!" and he was off.I changed my shirt, pooped (in the woods because it doesn't bother me), and left about 10 minutes after him. It was difficult to bushwhack my way to an appropriate dumping ground. Anyway, I was hiking happily along until partway into the downhill. There were orange ribbons indicating a newer trail, so I followed them thinking that it was maybe an easier trail. WRONG! There had been a rock slide or something and the trail had been completely eradicated. It was pretty intense/scary hiking for me, especially alone. Every now and then I'd look over the edge of the hill to make sure that his blue pack wasn't below with him dead under it. I slipped/fell three times - one time twisting my knee fairly painfully. Luckily I didn't get seriously injured. There was one tree that was hanging too low over the trail for me to fit under with my pack unless I wanted to eat dirt. It was too fat for me to climb over. So, I took my pack off and shoved it under the tree. It wasn't out of the way enough, so I gave it a harder shove with my foot. My pack went careening down the hill! Ironically, where the trail turned, so did my pack. It landed (or stopped) upside down against a tree. Phew! At least I could safely hike down to it without going off the trail. When I reached it, I noticed that one of the black mini bungee cords that holds my sleeping pad was gone. I searched for it for about five minutes, but I have up. I had, after all, purchased two new bungees in Rangeley in case I lost one. I took out one of the new ones, called out an apology and a thank you to my black one and hiked on. Later in the day I wrote, "Ode to the Black Bungee" in the Hall Mountain trail register. Anyway, after finishing one of the all time scariest hikes of my life, I reached the campground where I saw Steven filling up the water bag. I hopped across the stream like the gazelle I am and asked him how it went. He didn't make it to the camp in time to poop. Doh! The best part is that if he had, there was no privy anyway! hahahahaWe saw Booterman in the Hall Mountain Shelter and ate lunch and talked with her. Six miles later, we were at the end of our planned hike for the day (a road) with no cell phone service!! No way to call the shuttle to get us. EEK! SO LUCKY that there were two day hikers that agreed to give us a ride. Larry and Ken (?). We were SO grateful. They were talkative and asked us questions about hiking the trail because they have thought of doing it. Larry declared that he will go three days MAX without a shower. I guess that answers that!We're now at the Pine Ellis hostel in Andover with Booterman. We had dinner with her at the diner too. Must sleep... Nearly 11 PM so tired...