Date: 2006-08-12
From: US 201 - Caratunk, ME

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to 
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a really cold night last night a local would later tell me it got down to 39 degrees. Woke up around 8, pack my stuff and walk about a half mile down the road to a hiker friendly store. While in Maine I have loved all the small towns I have passed through. One of my favorite parts is asking a local a simple question like "What's the weather suppose to be like today?" and generally getting a 30 min response that may or may not actually include any information about the weather. Today I asked the weather question and the guy behind the counter at the store proceeded to talk for the next 30 min about the following: Traffic, Winter Driving, French Canadians, the falling value of the dollar and something about terrorists using toothpaste to make bombs. It was fascinating. I just stood there nodding my head and eating my hot pocket. I love small towns.The guy behind the counter at the store offered to give me a ride back to the trail so I took him up on it. I was on the trail and hiking by 9:45. The first part of the trail was great, a very graded up hill. The trail then sends you straight up Pleasant Pond Mtn. It was on the way up Pleasant Pond Mtn. that I encountered my first of five "Minute Down Pours." A storm would roll in and it would literally pour for up to but no more than 5 min. Then the sun would come out and the skies would clear like nothing had happened. Weird. From the top of Pleasant Pond Mtn., I got some great views, but those views were completely blown away by the views I got about 5 hours later from the top of Moxie Bald Mtn. From Moxie Bald, I was given 360 degree views of the stunning Maine country side. Mountains, lakes, rivers, valleys and the plains stretching out to the ocean. It was beautiful. And to top it all off I saw Mt. Katahdin. I can now say that the end is in sight. It was a very odd feeling to see Katahdin though, it made the end actually seem real. Before today I don't know if I really ever thought the trail would end. As soon as I spotted it I began to cry, and tears dripped down my cheeks. I wasn't sad, I was happy, and it wasn't happiness from knowing the trail is almost over. It was just pure happiness and it felt good, really good.I made it to the shelter around 6:30 and was happy to see I would be alone tonight. It was then that I realized that this would be my last night on the trail alone. (I am meeting my Dad in Monson and he will be hiking the rest of the trail with me.) Since it would be my last night by myself I decided I would sent up my tent. I then built a fire and made dinner. As I was sitting by the fire and eating, I could hear Loons from a nearby lake singing. I now understand why they are called "Loons" when they make their bird call it literally sounds like a crazy woman screaming or laughing. A little creepy, but very cool. A sat by the fire for almost an hour just thinking through my day. Eventually the fire began to die down so I retired to my tent. What an absolutely incredible day, I couldn't have asked for better. It's just funny that it has taken me this long to realize that not all Trail Magic comes in a cooler. I guess I had it in me all along.