Date: 2015-10-04
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.7

Soon it was morning and we all got up and quickly packed and started heading to Harrisons Pierce Pond Camp for breakfast! I walked with the hiker's mother and we took a wooden bridge made across the river and found that we were on the wrong trail. We turned back and found the short cut to the cabins and were soon on the porch waiting with the other hikers for the door to open. Mr. Harrison soon opened the door and his dog greeted us with as much enthusiam as we did the coffee which we all launched coordnated attacks uponn while we waited for breakfast! Mr. Harrison had taught his dog tricks, one of them is where the dog would on command bark quietly at one of the stuffed animals "talking nicely to it." If the dog barked "nicely" he would get a treat. Soon breakfast was served and I had a huge stack of red white and blue pancakes that made me patriotic and ravenous at the same time! They looked so good it almost seemed a shame to eat them, but eat them I did with a gusto! The owner hooked me up with some trail magic to go while the others were heading out and I was on the trail after them. I took the wrong turn on the trail and ended up back at the shelter. I didn't recognize it as I had taken a shortcut to the shelter. I backtracked and soon was back nobo and on track again. I hurried as I didn't want to miss the morning canoe ferry across the Kennebec River as it was a dangerous crossing, subject to sudden rises of several feet in the river level when one of several dams upstream released the water form the power generating dams. Numerous close calls had occured and one hiker had lost his life attempting to ford this river. Upon arrival I found the group waiting for the ferry to return from the first trip across and I was told to hop on while the others wanted to watch and wait to cross. It happened so fast that I didn't have time or thought to take a picture or video. Soon I was at US 20 and turned right and went to the Sterling Inn where I was informed that they didn't do work for stay. I asked if I could raid the hiker box which they allowed and I was soon rewarded with a number of meals, snacks and coffee packets. While there I bought a soda and a snack to be polite and for the use of the hiker box before heading back to the trail.The trail came upon several streams along the way. I was dragging during the day as I just didn't seem to have energy. I hadn't slept well due to my shoulder, I woke up after rolling onto it, feeling like I was being stabbed with a knife. It took awhile to get back to sleep and I woke up several more times during the night as well. Arriving at the shelter I set up my bed and saftied up and walked to collect water and the fastest bath in history in the frigid water. Shivering I got dressed and returned to the shelter and started a fire to warm up. A couple came in and tented down by the lake and I went to visit for awhile before returning to the shelter to crawl into bed around 4:00 where I then continued listening to the Art of War and Bible on audio books until dinner. I made a dinner and coffee and tended the fire for awhile before banking it for the night and going to sleep to the haunting sounds of loons crying in the dark.