Date: 2007-10-01
From: Speck Pond Shelter, Maine

To: Pine Ellis Hiking Lodge, Andover, Maine
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up way early, after a disturbing dream that I dont remember(thank goodness). I could not get back to sleep and I tried; so, I went and got some water. I did all my morning ritual and completed it; just around daylight. I climbed up to Old Speck Mtn and had one of the best views of the trip. It was clear on all the mountain tops; but, clouds/fog in all the valleys. I learned from Greg and Ken that this was called "cotton candy". On thing was that I could not get my camera to work. The batteries were all used up. Sorry folks it was a good sight. I was now totally out of food and had a very long 3 mile descent down to Grafton Notch. I would have to hitch about ten miles towards Bethel to get some food. It was way, way down and not very easy on my knees. I descended down into the fog where I fianlly hit the road and got a ride with a hunter, right away. It was bird season opening day. He was driving down the road shooting birds. Damn, I thought only Tennesseans did that! I went down to a small grocery store. Everyone was very friendly and asking all kinds of questions about me and my hike. I was so hungery that I walked around the store in circles. I stopped and got a grip and bought 4 hot dogs, a newspaper and a 16oz Coke. I consumed the dogs and coke and read the newspaper. "How 'Bout Dem Cowboys(4-0)!?" and "How about the 'Dores(3-1)" Then I bought to take with me: a 16oz budweiser; a Red Bull; a 16 oz coffee; 6 packs of peanuts; 2 JIMMY DEAN sausage biquits(460 calories each/40 grams of fat); & 3 pickled eggs. I got a ride back to the trail rather quickly with a cool guy. We talked and when he dropped me off, he gave me a hug. Kind of weird; but, it was asexual. I then began the climb up to the first Baldplate mtn and had a moose stomp by right in front of me. It was nearly black, I thought they were brown. Anyway, what a giant animal? I got to the top of BaldPlate and felt as if I was in some sort of primordial setting. Fog was blowing by and I could see down into the red, green, yellow, and orange foliage. It was more of that bedrock walking with green and red spongy moss and dwarfed pines. Then it was over to Baldplate East. This was a different climb. No trees at all, no dirt, just bedrock up for 100's of feet with fog zipping by. I wonder if this is how my Stewart ancestors had it in Scotland. Maybe, that will be my next trip. I needed to move fast to get down to E B Hill rd where I was going to get picked up at 6pm by the Pine Ellis Hiking Lodge folks. I left Grafton Notch around 11:45 am. I then descended all the way down to Frye Notch Shelter and then you guessed it: all the way back up to a no name mountain that I did without stopping. Unbelievably it followed the ridge for several miles. That was the first time since outside of Glencliff that this happened. I then went down to Dutch Notch and Falls. I thought I was at the road. Not the case, I had to climb again and kind of up and down for a mile. Sorry to admit that I was cussing again. I got to the road and took off all of my clothes(light traffic) and got into dry ones before David from the hostel showed up. He was 15 minutes early; just as you should be in business or with a military appointment. I actully had a counseling statement in the Army for not being 15 minutes early once. That was hard for a 20 year to figure out, dont know if I do to this day. Got to the Hostel. I like this place. Good internet and walking distance to all stores and PO. 3 thru hikers named "Tron, Pogo, and Tron's Brother" showed up. They had skipped from Rutland, Vt to Hanover, NH. I told you, not many hike the whole thing. Anyway, they were from the Va Beach Area and pretty cool. Me and the older brother did alot of talking. They are ready to finish this thing as well. We did not get to sleep until 3am!