Date: 2003-06-29
From: Mt Wilcox North Lean-to (1950')

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin (1515')
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

Aloha! My, my, my... what a lovely day. Here I sit inside a great cabin at a real table with a real tarp tablecloth beneath a real gas lantern. Life is awesome! Want the rundown on how I ended up in such luxurious accommodations? Okay, I'll tell you.   The first several hours of this morning's portion of the hike was spent alone trying to work out the kinks. I don't know what to tell you about my feet except that they're not behaving, as I would like them to. I'm sure that as soon as the new boots and inserts arrive I'll be as good as new. In the meantime, I walk and work out the kinks.   Luckily the terrain pretty much allowed me to do just that today. It wasn't easy, lots of 500' - 1000' UPs, but not terrible either. There were also some nice downs and those make me HAPPY!   Around the 4.5 mile mark Chilz and Cipher, great dog, found me sitting calmly with my feet in a stream munching on dried fruit. A perfect way to spend a break. Knowing a good plan when they see one, they quickly joined me. As they did for the remainder of the day.   Chilz is an excellent pacesetter for me. He takes it slowly for Cipher's sake and doesn't believe anything over a 15-mile day is necessary and even that's pushing it. Not the usual for most of those in his age bracket (29) out here. He was great with getting me UP a mountain with a decent pace and no heart attack. This works for me!   He's also good about ensuring both he and Cipher have "pack off" breaks and often. That's something I'm terrible about. I'll take breaks but normally don't bother to take the pack off. I'm a "stander". Standing for a break seems to be my habit. Probably not the most restful but I still do it. Hiking with these two today I took many more breaks... with the pack off. Chilz has been a good asset for me this past day and a half. I thank him for that.   After a leisurely lunch sitting on a bridge with my feet once again in the water, and several other breaks along the way, we finally made it here at about 4:30p. And I'm so glad we did. Here is great.   Here is the Upper Goose Pond Cabin. The cabin is located on a half-mile side trail next to Upper Goose Pond. The cabin offers bunks, fireplace, covered porch, privy, swimming area, and canoe. Yep, a canoe. A resident volunteer caretaker maintains it, often-former thru-hikers, which change weekly. The caretaker is the one responsible for bringing water by canoe from a spring across the pond. They are also the ones that make the pancakes and coffee in the morning for all those that stay. Even without the lake, canoe, kitchen propane stove and everything else, that's enough of a reason for me to be here!   The caretakers this week are Debra, Ralph and their daughter Maarat from NYC. This is their 11th year coming out for a week to take care of the passing hikers. They admit that for the most part they get an awesome and peaceful vacation with little to do during the day. What a great way to spend a week! May have to beg a week myself when this Grand Adventure is complete. Maybe.   It wasn't long after arriving that I convinced myself that I had certainly earned a dip in the pond. You have to understand that the pond is more like a lake than a back pasture type fishing pond. I stood on the dock, looked around, stripped down to the sports bra and underwear and took the plunge. Whatever was I thinking! Cold water can give women in their 40s heart attacks! It was chilling. Refreshingly chilling but chilling nonetheless. More importantly I feel clean. That's one of the greatest feelings you can have out here. Kind of like shaving your legs.   Okay, I've just been given a hint that 10p is a good time for the propane light to go out and everyone to go to bed. For whatever reason I'm extremely tired tonight so I think I'll take the hint. It's been a good day and a good sleep will just make it better. So for now, sleep well and remember - I'm thinking of you. Really!BSandTs: some but not horrible. Great 80 degree temps.AandPs: da feet, oh da aching feet!MandGs: a slightly stopped head and sinuses that are irritating me... waah!Critter count: 1x frog, 2x tiny toads, 8x chipmunks, and 1x turtle (whatever are they doing on mountain tops?) Don't see a lot of animals with a dog around.