Date: 2011-07-28
From: Full Goose Lean-to

To: baldpate lean-to
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: few clouds

I took my time in the morning, I even swept out the shelter after everyone left. Right off the bat was a steep incline. I abruptly caught up to the group of teens. They were kind and let me pass. I did feel pressure to go fast, since some of the guys in the lead where keeping on my tail. At the summit I passed some hikers taking pictures. No stopping, It's nicer not to deal with passing people. This was the day I did the mahoosic notch. I had heard a might great deal about this section from SoBo's the notch is a bolder field. I put my hiking poles in my back pack, they stuck out since they no longer co-laps. I got a bit scratched climbing up and down bolders. There wasn't any clear path to go. I remember getting past the first section thinking, "What was the big deal" not much further, there was more to come, a whole mile of up and down and through rocks. It's said its the hardest/funnest mile of the trail. After that came the mahoosic arm, a straight up rock face. I was glad I wasn't going down, a deadly endeavor in the rain. On top I dried out my belongings. A bit further was a lake, where I cooked up rice, and used my Sleeping pad to block the wind. Then a man from the past came by, it was Prescott. Last time I had seen him was Harper's Ferry. I was great to see someone I knew. I went past the Lean-to, but asked the man there for some toilet paper, but he had a pitiful amount left. I had a long decent, I was out of water, but going down hill, is better then up when looking for water. I was so thirsty for apple juice. At the bottom where some soda, and a parking lot. I was totally out of snacks and needed food. The hitch was 17 miles. I stood there, some section hikers came to get their other car, and let me ride with them. They were talking of going to the beach, and that sounded so good, I had a contact of someone who lived near the beach in southern Maine, I tried calling them, but didn't get a hold of anyone. The people driving me, weren't very interested in me, and dumped me on their friend who was much more interested in hiking. She drove me to the grocery store and talked my ear off. I wish she would have stayed, to take me back, but this was not the case. I got some whip topping along with blueberries, I was excited new food is always exciting, and nutela and tortea wraps, very normal hiking food but I hadnt had torteas in months. I was confused how to get back to the trail, I didn't even know what road to hitch hike from. I asked a man for a ride, he went inside to ask the ladies at the check out who said it was a twenty minute drive. He then was no more help. I decided to follow the roads the lady had took me on. It was quite a walk, some joy riders kept passing me and honking at me. Then at a gas station I hitched for a time, got worried, as the sky darkened. Finally a man stopped, he was a thru-hiker years back. Back at the trail head were two hikers hitching for a ride, one was Crumbs! Last time I saw him was Vermont. He was just as surprised in seeing me. He asked me where I came from. The man that drove me, said he'd take them, he was impatient, and we parted ways, discontent. Crumbs said he was going white water rafting with his cousin. I yearned to go with, to just do something other then hike. I had a two mile climb to the lean-to. At the Lean-to where a bunch of hikers I hadn't seen before, save Prescott. Todo was the friendliest of them. Who I got to know better in the days to come.