Date: 2016-08-23
From: South Arm Road Andover ME

To: Old Blue - South Arm Road Andover ME
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

I woke at 3 am to the realization that I could hike the 4 miles we skipped, while Red Squirrel iced and rested her knees.I started our laundry a little after 3 and put it in the dryer around 4:30 am. I fixed myself quinoa for breakfast and let Naomi know I wanted to be shuttled to South Arm Road on the 7 am run. I called Red Squirrel to let her know my plans and that her laundry was on the front porch. She would come by to check out the knee braces Naomi had purchased and put my knee braces on my bed. I found out Pine Ellis had day packs I could borrow. I mended the back seam of my pants using the sewing box at Pine Ellis. Just before 7 am I went in the garage and chose a pack, filled it with my stuff and got in the shuttle van. As we were driving to South Arm Road,the woman in the front seat said she did not want to go back on the trail. When we arrived at our destination, all of us got out of the van.I quickly realized the pack only had one back strap. This would not work for me. Gloria was turning around the van and I got back in.Back at Pine Ellis, I emptied the day pack and filled my big backpack with only supplies for the day. The man I talked to the night before, said he wanted to cancel his shuttle to South Arm at 8 am. He wanted to rest his knee. I signed up for the 8 am run. Off I went again in the van. When we arrived at South Arm Road, the woman who earlier said she did not want to hike today, was waiting for us. She had forgotten her water bottles.She returned to Pine Ellis Lodging.   It was a beautiful day to hike. The rock slates were continuing to drain from the rain early the previous day. There were two series of rebar ladder on the way to the summit.Beautiful views from the top. See pictures. I walked over the summit and down, to the flat boggy area, to past where we met Mike the trail maintainer and Noah his grandson four days earlier. I passed the two stealth campsites. I turned around, heading back to the summit and down to South Arm Road. I called Pine Ellis at the summit to let them know what time to pick me up. I had a great time singing and talking to myself and God.I hiked down the rebar ladders I had previously climbed up. As I approached the road, I heard people talking. I called out that I was there. Sherlock asked if I was Sara. I said no. I identified myself.I was who he was waiting for.   When I was at Pine Ellis, I texted Red Squirrel I was back. I met up with her. She gave me the knee braces Naomi had purchased. She was going to send them home.She was on her way to a 90 minute massage for $85. What a deal. I went out to dinner with Maxine and the woman with the missing water bottles. I put on Naomi's knee braces.It was like taking Ibuprofen. My knees were so much happier in the braces. My braces were falling apart and needed mending. I decided not to mend my braces and use Naomi's braces. On the way back, the woman with the missing water bottles said when she started her thru hike she was cynical and did not like people. With her thru hike and many trail angels, she is no longer cynical and actually likes people.During the day, Red Squirrel had gotten a shuttle to Rite Aid and purchased some additional knee braces.   Red Squirrel and I got together after the massage. She said it was one of the best massages ever. There is a septic tank problem in Andover. There is no tent camping at Pine Ellis because the septic can not handle additional people. The Market does not allow customers to use their bathroom, due to limited septic. While waiting to purchase some items at the Market, I learned of two residences with backed up septic tanks.Red Squirrel had to leave the Tiny House because a family had a reservation the next day. She set up her tent behind The Little Red Hen.