Date: 2008-08-07
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to ME

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to ME
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: light rain

Day 172 Thursday August 7 ¢ Pierce Pond Lean-to ME - Miles Today: 17.3 Total Miles: 2021.0It rained very hard off and on all night and the trails continue to get worse. I don't think we could have imagined that they could get worse, but they have. There's really no way to accurately describe what we walk through all day long. I think you have to experience it to really know. But I will try to explain. The trail conditions toggle back and forth all day long between miles of flooded trails and a couple miles of really sweet trail. We walked through several miles today of water logged trails where the water was ankle deep and at times almost knee deep. The length of some of the puddles was probably 30 yards. When we had the luxury of boardwalks, which are planks of wood attached to logs, they were floating rather than resting on the bottom of what was once a boggy area, but now resembles a stream.   We had quite the obstacle course, as the floating boardwalk sections would sink, wiggle side to side, and up and down under our weight. It was actually quite fun as long as we didn't fall. I¢d hate to think of the prospect of falling in the most likely chest deep swamp. The trails are literally quite a mess. It's taking us about an hour longer each day to do these miles, as we have to work for every step. Both of us had falls again today with the score now perhaps 19-18, with Grasshopper still in the lead.   All day long Grasshopper kept waiting for somebody to tap her on the shoulder and say, "You know, you've paid your dues, here's a card that says 'Skip ahead past the 100 Mile Wilderness and go directly to Katahdin.' " But you know what? The tap on the shoulder never happened. I have a feeling that the 100 Mile Wilderness, i.e. swamp, is probably still open. Bummer. It was a very gray day with just sprits of rain, on and off all day, but no steady rain, so life was very, very sweet. The low system we are currently under is supposed to stall here until Sunday, so we are just pleased to not have had a rainy day.We're here tonight at this shelter with Chipmunk, a 3 year section-hiker. He has decided to pull off the trail and finish it next year, when conditions are more pleasant. We walked by several large ponds or lakes today and although it was gray we could tell they were quite beautiful. At this shelter, Pierce Pond Lean-to, we are positioned right at the shoreline facing the pond with a mountain hidden in the gray skies at the other end. It's the first time we've actually seen a shelter sitting right on a lake or pond edge, so very, very cool. Though I can imagine that the mosquitoes might be a bit bad when the night comes on. Again for the second night in a row, we've decided it's not worth trying to set up a tent in these conditions. Comfort right now, I think, is more along the lines of a dry shelter. We did not pass any southbounders today and our thought is that perhaps the ferry for the Kennebec River is closed down due to high water and unsafe conditions. If that is true, it would be the second time this year that it is closed down. We have a 3.7-mile hike to the ferry tomorrow and we're not quite sure if it will be running. And if not, what do we do? With today being basically rainless, and hopefully tonight, it will give the river and dam 24 hours of drain time, so hopefully the ferry will be operational tomorrow for us. We have not seen High Life, Floyd or Segue. Our guess is that they are a day or two behind us, perhaps taking more breaks in towns due to the weather. I think that's it from rainy, gray Maine. Let's hope that for our final 150 miles, the sun will come out. Goodnight.