Date: 2005-08-28
From: Fourth Mountain Barren-Chairback Range

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 25.5

Well I thought that I was going to get a view of Big K today but I woke up in a cloud and spent all day in a cloud. Ended up getting rained on for a few hours too. Just enough to thoroughly soak my shoes.I met MATC ridgerunner Goldy today at the ford across the West Branch of the Pleasant River. When I was half way across the river I heard "I've seen that lizard before" and then he started fording across after me. I have Stewie's stuffed dinosaur Mr. T with me. Due to an "unfortunate kidnapping" incident Mr. T missed part of the trail and is riding along with me to become a 2000-miler. He crossed the finish line at Maine 15 outside of Monson, but I don't have the address that he is going to "USPS blaze" to, so he is doing the 100-mile "wilderness" again.About this so-called wilderness: I saw more day hikers today than I have in the non-wilderness part of Maine (they were at Gulf Hagas). There are roads all over the place (mostly logging), ATV¢s all over the place, logged tree stands all over the place, no National Forest Wilderness signs - I hardly call this place wilderness. There just aren't any significant roads with significant traffic that go anywhere significant. I think that we were more cut off in the Smokies. I really think that the US federal government should make some of this area a National Forest. In other parts of the eastern continental US areas like this don't exist. The problem is that Mainers take it for granted that the woods are out there and will be out there. Besides it provides the basis for the economy - lumber and pulp and paper. Where I live is the same way. I take it for granted that I can leave my house and be biking in the woods in less than 5 minutes. Economics don't work in favour of things like that in areas like this.Well I thought that I was going to get a view of Big K today but I woke up in a cloud and spent all day in a cloud. Ended up getting rained on for a few hours too. Just enough to thoroughly soak my shoes.I met MATC ridgerunner Goldy today at the ford across the West Branch of the Pleasant River. When I was half way across the river I heard "I've seen that lizard before" and then he started fording across after me. I have Stewie's stuffed dinosaur Mr. T with me. Due to an "unfortunate kidnapping" incident Mr. T missed part of the trail and is riding along with me to become a 2000-miler. He crossed the finish line at Maine 15 outside of Monson, but I don't have the address that he is going to "USPS blaze" to, so he is doing the 100-mile "wilderness" again.About this so-called wilderness: I saw more day hikers today than I have in the non-wilderness part of Maine (they were at Gulf Hagas). There are roads all over the place (mostly logging), ATV¢s all over the place, logged tree stands all over the place, no National Forest Wilderness signs - I hardly call this place wilderness. There just aren't any significant roads with significant traffic that go anywhere significant. I think that we were more cut off in the Smokies. I really think that the US federal government should make some of this area a National Forest. In other parts of the eastern continental US areas like this don't exist. The problem is that Mainers take it for granted that the woods are out there and will be out there. Besides it provides the basis for the economy - lumber and pulp and paper. Where I live is the same way. I take it for granted that I can leave my house and be biking in the woods in less than 5 minutes. Economics don't work in favour of things like that in areas like this.