Date: 2014-09-23
From: Flagstaff Lake Campsite

To: Kennebec River
Miles today: 18.8

My objective today was to get to the Kennebec River crossing by 4 but it would mean doing better than my average (2 mph) hiking speed. Second best but more likely was to reach the shelter 3.5 miles from river--close enough to catch the ferry at 9:00 am.It was still blustery this morning so the waves were crashing on the shore of Flagstaff Lake. It was also mostly cloudy but there were sunlit spots moving across the lake and the opposite shore line, making a contrast of light with the grey clouds overhead, and the blue lake. Even with the waves, the water is clear.Turtle whom I had seen last night passing my campsite, passed me after I got started. We leapfrogged each other most of the day when one us stopped for lunch or I slowed down for the hills.Early in the day I had a couple of hills to climb but nothing compared to the previous days mountains. I started thinking about what would be good for me to eat. I thought a Rueben would be good but would ask what is the local favorite. Lost in thought, I didn't notice I had already topped the hill and started down the other side.Some of the trail today has a lot of rocks and roots which slow me down because I can't establish a regular pace. Then other places are faster with less roots. I passed lakes and a rushing stream.When I got to the shelter I was 30 minutes ahead of time so I decided to make a run for the ferry. I knew I was cutting it close but hoped the ferryman might be late in closing. The ferry is a canoe that takes hikers across the river. It isn't safe to attempt fording the river here because of currents below and sudden rises in water depth.My plan would be to cross if he were still there and if not, backtrack to the nearest stealth camping site, in order to be as close the river as possible and get to the Post Office in Caratunk before it closed for lunch.The last three miles were sheer will power as I was approaching 18 miles for the day. I was thirsty and the short hills were heating me up. I stopped for a drink but my mouth still felt dry.But the trail did its magic again. I came around a turn and spied Knaffles and her dog Champ sitting by the trail. I had hiked with them down south with the Turtle Gang but I had moved ahead of her. We kept in touch by Facebook and I was expecting her to flip flop and come back south. I have been without internet in much of Maine and didn't know she had already turned around. I was just hoping we would met and not just pass each other unawares.She told me if I would hurry I could catch the ferry. But saying she was more important than the ferry, I sat down and visited with her until she finished her break. We gave each other a big hug and went on our way. Even if it meant missing my boat, this was a time to forget about rushing off somewhere and just sit still.I arrived at the river crossing at 4:15 PM and found Turtle sitting by the river looking wistfully toward the other shore. This Ferryman evidently had his canoe out of the water at four o'clock sharp.Turtle remarked how strange this feels. We can even see traffic on the highway across the river but we are stuck here until 9 am. We ate our dinner by the river then found a flat place to pitch our tents on an old road not too far back South on the AT.