Date: 2006-09-12
From: Abol Bridge

To: Birches Campsite (1,070')
Miles today: 9.9

High 69oLow 34o Views of Katahdin definitely own this section of trail.Over Abol Bridge; on to Abol Stream, into Baxter Park, past Katahdin Stream, Pine Point, Big Niagara Falls, Daicey Pond Campground (where there is no tenting), past Pack Tote Road ending Birches Campsite (1,070¢).Will I sleep tonight? ¢K-Count¢ 1¢¦first step¢¦28 weeks, 193 days, 6 months (4 days), GA, NC, TN, VA, W VA, MD, PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT, NH, ME, history, geography, geology, national forests, national parks, state parks, maps, monuments, miles¢¦miles¢¦and more miles¢¦2,176 + miles, mist, mud, mountains, mounds, muscles, motivation, maildrops, money, NOBO hikers, SOBO hikers, section hikers, slackpackers, backpackers, zero days, hiker boxes, trail angels...trail angels...trail angels and more trail angels, trains, cars, trucks, vans, boats, busses, bridges, boots, bags, pack, unpack, loose straps, tight straps, pain-in-the-ass straps, day, night, dark, bright, setup, take down, light weight, heavy weight, solitude, stamina, silence, sounds, sores, supplies, stores, sand, shores, grass, ground, gratitude, growth, gatorade, glucosamine, gorges, gaps, glaciation, footsteps¢¦footsteps¢¦footsteps and more footsteps, fun, fatigue, fortitude, fungus, famin, food, floods, feathers, flies, energy, exhaustion, constipation, perspiration, perseverance, pavilions, parks, peaks, privvies, pizza, pasta, pens, pencils, paper, postage, weight loss, weight gain, body odor, body pain, lyme disease, duct tape, belly ache, lamb's wool, people, pines, pucker-brush, ponies, photos, phone calls, mosquitoes, moose, mice, dirt, hawks, hurt, healed, towns, tarns, traffic, ticks, highways, hamburgers¢¦hamburgers¢¦hamburgers¢¦and more hamburgers, ice cream, indigestion, trailmix¢¦trailmix¢¦trailmix...and more trailmix, lodges, luck, leisure, lonely, happy, sad, old friends, new friends, hills, dales, valleys, trail...trail...trail...and more trail, forests, farms, fields, glens, styles, meadows, walls, blazes, bedrock, blow-downs, beauty, beard, blisters, blood, bogs, boughs, branches, blossoms, birches, bears (?), trees¢¦trees¢¦trees¢¦and more trees, cook, clean, cairns, chondroitin, crap, crows, cows, caves, cities, fungi, fauna, fords, falls, fires, rhodies, rashes, ramen, rocks, ridges, roads, roots, rivers, streams, ice, snow, stop, go, hot, cold, caves, tunnels, over, under, up, down, turnaround, high, low, where do I go (?), quarries, ledges, shelters, tents, vistas, views, hostels, hotels, huts, home, motels, restaurants, diners, wind, rain, fog, hiking dogs, lost hat (what's with that!), mountain laurel, trillium, lady slippers, scat, slate, ssssssssssnakes, shadows, sun, shade, stars, moon, waning, waxing, gibbous, crescent, full, quarter, lakes, ponds, puncheons, cairns, croos, clouds, cumulus, stratus, cirrus, sunrise, sunset, rainbows, waterfalls, wonder, home, health, well-wishers, wealth, love, loss, laughter, family, birthdays, antibiotics, anniversaries, births, deaths, enthusiasm, fear, anxiety, aggravation, anticipation, courage, hope, faith, trust¢¦ A dream...Tomorrow the summit.Never, never, never, never give up¢¦      - Winston Churchill -