Date: 2012-08-27
From: Lakeshore House, Monson, Maine 2066.4

To: Wilson Shelter 2080.1
Miles today: 13.7

We started the day with another breakfast at Shaws: three of everything plus potatoes, with MaMaw B, Rainbow, and Bigfoot, a southbounder who started August 15, and who gave us information about the Hundred Mile Wilderness and Mount Katahdin. He warned us that Katahdin wouldn't be easy. We walked back to the Lakeshore, settled up with Rebecca, the owner, and got a ride to the trailhead where we'd been picked up three days ago. We didn't get started hiking until almost 9:00 am, then hiked the three miles to highway 15, which was relatively flat. Soon after we crossed the highway, we had to ford a brook, not listed as a ford. (Random note: Yesterday it thundered but did not rain in Monson. It DID, however, rain on trail. The stream must have been up just enough higher from the rain to submerge rocks that are usually above the water. No matter...we just changed into our water shoes and crossed it. However, the rain did make for wet, slippery rocks, especially the slate, on the trail.) Three miles later we passed the Leeman Pond Lean To, then had lunch on a rock outcropping in the sun. We continued past North Pond, past Little Wilson Falls, then forded across the Little Wilson Stream, knee high, and with slippery, algae covered rocks. Along the way we met southbounder Reese, and flip floppers Bull Moose, and Rediculous, with his beautiful and well behaved dog Pearl. They had left Springer April 23, hiked to Harpers Ferry, and were now hiking south from Katahdin back to Harpers Ferry. When I asked how Pearl was doing, Rediculous said, "She makes everything look easy." Both look like they were having a great time on the trail. We climbed again, and, after a couple of miles, passed MaMaw B and Rainbow, camped for the night. Rainbow was still injured, and was hiking much slower than normal. She was tough, though, and was continuing in spite of the pain. Half a mile later we forded the Big Wilson Stream, also knee deep. At this point it was early evening, so we filled up water containers for dinner, even though we had more hiking to do, since it would likely be getting dark by the time we arrived at our destination, the Wilson Shelter. After the ford, the trail went up again, then crossed the Montreal, Maine, and Atlantic railroad tracks, which appeared to be still in use since the rails were shiny. Finally, we ascended to the Wilson Valley Lean To. By then it was 7:30 pm, and was starting to get dark. Soon after we arrived at the shelter, it started raining...hard. We were glad we already had water for dinner. Already at the shelter was Kristy, who was hiking from Katahdin to Monson. She said she was glad not to be thru hiking, and was also lamenting that she'd left some socks on the fire tower on top of a mountain north of here, and suggested that I might want to pick them up since they were expensive, and brand new. The trail today was rocky, covered with roots, and slippery from yesterday's rain. I fell three times, but fortunately didn't get hurt. (Random note: so far I've been really lucky. I've fallen many times but have not been seriously hurt.) Life is great on the AT when you get to the destination shelter just before dark and just before a rainstorm!