Date: 2018-08-12
From: Full Goose shelter

To: Route 26
Miles today: 9.7

It was my bladder and not mice that woke me at 1:50am. I layed on my stomach looking out of the shelter and thought about getting up to relieve it and where I'd go but ultimately decided I'd rather will the urge away and get 2 more hours of sleep and so I did. At 4:30 two musical alarms woke the shelter, all but the German hiker who must have kept the mice entertained last night because I never saw or heard one once my head hit the pillow. I did my yoga stretching and packed up my sleeping stuff. River boiled water and I had oatmeal and the Chai Mate tea I've been holding onto since the Yellow Deli. It's Brazilian tea for energy and I'm hoping it's my lucky charm today. I walked down to Which Way's tent at 5 to be sure she was up and she was. Bagels and Sarah arrived for breakfast shortly after, all packed up. By the time River was ready and we left camp it was 6:17am. All of us light on water and with everything stowed inside our packs we headed down 1 mile into the famed most difficult mile on the trail, the Mahoosuc Notch. The descent was real and a reminder of what we might see on the other side at the ascent of the Mahoosuc Arm. When we reached the bottom we stowed our trekking poles and forged ahead as a team. We worked as a team trying to solve the puzzle of getting thru this mile. Over, under and around boulders the size of small homes with very few blazes or arrows. We passed backpacks, spotted each other, pushing or pulling each other as needed to assist and even unstuck a boot wedged in rocks. In 2 hours and 20 minutes we arrived at the other end with just a couple of scrapes and a profound feeling of teamwork and accomplishment. Team Mahoosuc! We regrouped, filtered water, ate snacks and headed up the Mahoosuc Arm once again helping and directing each other as needed over the ledges and granite inclines of the extremely steep Arm for yet another mile. As we hiked I noticed that Sarah makes a lot of little noises when hiking. She's got one when she boosts herself up, one when she slips, one when she sees something, etc. I've named her Sound Effects, which she gladly adopted. When we reached the top bathed in sweat we sat and had lunch together. Again feeling accomplished and proud. When we departed the top of the Arm I hiked ahead and spent most of the rest of the day in front a little so I could enjoy some quiet time and reflection. At Speck Pond I stopped for a minute to look. Though I couldn't see much because of the dense fog and mist I still took a moment. When I resumed walking my left boot toe caught a rock and I tripped falling hard on my left side and smashing my right shin on the rocks. I crawled up on my hands and knees and got myself up with my pack on. I looked at the scrape and blood on my shin and although it hurt like hell I was really grateful it wasn't my face. I studied the scene of the crime for a minute and hiked on. Being thankful to God that I wasn't injured but the bruises and scrapes. I ascended Old Speck Mountain which quite honestly is the first one to scare me. Increadibly steep granite slabs with nothing to hold onto and steep drop offs. I was thankful that the rest of my group was not far behind and at times could see me on the exposure above them. Socked in the fog and drizzle I couldn't see anything beyond my immediate surroundings. When I reached the top of the trail at the junction of a .3 blue blaze trail to the summit I stopped to feed the beast. My growling stomach which reminds me every 2 hours at least that it's there. Sound Effects and Bagels caught up with me and took the blue blaze trail to bag the peak while I waited a little longer for River and Which Way. I got chilled and had to hike ahead not waiting for them so I could stay warm. With 3.5 left to go I was ready to see the parking area and River's friend Sara (I've been spelling her name wrong) and Stripper who Sara rescued a couple of days ago after she took a fall. They're giving me a ride into Bethel and I'll be taking double zeros to rest up from the past 8 days of tough hiking and very long days. Brian will come up tomorrow and spend a night with me. I'm looking forward to it! The 3.5 mile descent took forever and I took my time because my body is tired and I was thinking River and Which Way or Sound Effects and Bagels would catch up. They never did. A half mile from the parking lot I took another fall, this time onto my pack and smashing the back of my left hand onto the rocks behind me cutting my hand, my pack saving my head. Thank you again God. I got up and moved down the trail another 10th of a mile to a small stream and washed the blood off my hand and trekking pole. I wrapped my hand up in my cold wet bandana and finished the descent to the parking lot thinking about my upcoming 2 days off and how much my body needs it.  Sara and Stripper greeted me at 5:15 with chips and a Body Armor hydration drink. I sat down and indulged and as the others made their way down we cheered for them. It's be been another long hiking day but the reward of friendship and teamwork has been so great. On that long climb up Old Speck and that lengthy descent I thought about how wonderful River was to stay behind and wait for Which Way and hike the duration with her. I thought about the trail karma necklace I wear, given to me by the ATC for choosing a flip flop hike considered healthy for the trail. I can keep this necklace or I can give it to someone who I see providing karma to the trail. I decided on that descent that Which Way for her 27 years as a steward and maintainer of the trail and for still being out here hiking and helping hikers deserves this necklace far more than me and it would make me so happy to give it to her. So after our break in the parking lot I asked her if she'd ever seen the necklace I wear and what it is. She hadn't. So I told her about it and that although it's bathed in my sweat I was presenting it to her. I'm amazed by her. I'm blessed to know her and her family and friends are blessed to have her. I can't wait to get to the 100 mile wilderness and see her work in front of me. And to get the recipe for the trail bars she makes so my beast won't growl so soon after morning oatmeal! We parted ways with Which Way, Sound Effects and Bagels but will share pics and emails. River, Sara, Stripper and I headed off to Belfast to get me check in to my accommodation and then enjoyed dinner at the brewery. I was back at my room by 9pm with a full belly and a full heart. I love my life, I love my hike, I love my trail friends and I love the man I'm going to see tomorrow. I'm looking forward to 2 rest days and it will give all of me what is needed to get me thru the next difficult 8-10 days. It's 11pm and I don't know why but I turned on the TV and there are still 100 channels of "nothing" on. I don't miss it!