Date: 2014-07-29
From: Stratton, ME

To: Safford Notch Campground
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: few clouds

2000 miles! About the same distance from Raleigh, NC to Winslow, AZ on Interstate 40. I look at a AT map that is hung on most walls of hostels, and trail town diners, and it about scares me. Georgia to Maine. Georgia to Maine. Georgia to fricken Maine.I ate breakfast of course at the same diner and had the same food. Sat at the bar with a flip-flopper named Left field, and a NOBO names Linz. Linz is actually the second "Double Triple Crowner" I have met on the trail along with Sunset. (Hiked the AT, Pacific crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail) As of 2012, 174 people have accomplished the Triple Crown, so I'm guessing a dozen have done it twice? Pretty elite company. Didn't get a ride back to the trail till about 10am, which was ok with me, as long as I didn't have to pound the pavement twice. Today is one of the last 'hard' days on the trail as it is Bigelow Mountain day. Views of abundance today. First was South Horn and then onto Bigelow and Avery Peak, the last time over 4000' till Katahdin. Speaking of Katahdin, "they" say you can see the final mountain on a clear day from Bigelow. Now today was pretty nice, but not super clear. Besides, I didn't want to see it yet anyway. About mile marker 71 is where you get your first good glance at it. Can't wait.At the top of Avery Peak I run into Left Field again and we talk about a bunch of stuff during this senic/lunch break. Mostly of his 2012 thru-hike and his experiences. Come to find out he is actually about 6 months older than me and turns 40 tomorrow. I left to decend the hill and a bunch of young 12-15 year old kids commented on my beard and how cool it was. I told them that I don't want it anymore and would be happy to give it to them. They gathered around me, sat on a rock, and just started asking me a bunch of questions as soon as they found out that is started this hike from Georgia. I seem to never get tired of these questions when it comes to kids or cute females asking the questions. Interview away! At a brief moment I was lost. My rule of thumb is always check twice, hike once. I come up to an open rock terrain but nowhere to go. I looked around and around for a continuation of the trail, but couldn't find it. Left Field came hiking thru so I thought I was going the right way. Both of us couldn't have missed a white blaze..... Or can we? Turns out we did, but the good news is we didn't have to back track too far to get back on the trail. Left field can move. Fast. My shoes now have very little tread and my knees hurt. I tried to keep up for a bit but gave up after a while.Got to the bottom of Safford Notch Campsite at about 7:30 and was kinda disappointed. Not many spots to choose from as some hikers were already bunkered in, so I ended up taking a platform which I don't really care for. Mice are abundant underneath, the hard wood is not as nice as a piece of earth, and the tent stakes are a challenge. I don't get them to be honest. But overall an almost 11 mile day considering the late start and the tough climbs made me happy. Getting close to the end.SOTD, Pleasant Valley Sunday, The Monkees