Date: 2006-07-29
From: Black Brook Campsite

To: Bemis Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: light rain

I awoke twice during the night. The first time was because it had stopped raining. The second time was because the wind had picked up ¢ shaking the tent and the water off the trees. By morning the storm was over and, thanks to the wind, there was not even that much water left on the tent.   I started out early on the ascent of Old Blue Mountain. Very steep at first, then less so, then very steep again, with rebar over the final sections. It was dull and overcast and misty as I climbed, and I was startled to meet Allison SOBO thru hiking, coming down out of the early morning mist.   It was hard to say who was the most surprised to meet another hiker on a misty mountain before 7AM. Allison said that she had been seeing a lot of moose sign and thought that I was a moose looming out of the mist. Old Blue was tough ¢ especially the final steep section, but as I approached the top the sun tried to break through. I got a good cell signal and checked with KT at home ¢ all is well.    It was another sharp and steep descent down Old Blue and then a series of ¢PUDS¢ to use Allison¢s phrase, up and down over Elephant Mountain. Do you know how to get down off an elephant? ¢ You can¢t. You get down off a duck! Sorry! Just couldn¢t resist it.   I need not have worried about the lack of water on this section, the recent rains had replenished a series of ephemeral streams, one of which had been a water source for Allison when she hammocked on the descent when the storm started yesterday.   Then it continued Up and Down ¢ but not pointless, all the way to the summit of Bemis Mountain. I do not know why people call these Ups and Downs ¢pointless¢ The trail goes where the trail goes ¢ its up to you to accept that fact or reject it. The trail is not ¢pointless¢ ¢ to call it so, tells more about your own feeling about your hike that it does the nature of the trail. The day continued to improve and I was able to discard the rain gear as I came down off of Bemis Mountain.   As I was approaching where I had calculated the Lean-To to be, I met with North Wind coming up. She asked where the shelter was! A hurried consultation with map and Handbook did not help - one of us had already passed the shelter. But which one of us? Since neither of us was absolutely confident that we had not passed it, we decided to both continue on our own way. I suggested a series of whistle blasts, when either of us found the shelter.   Sure enough, I found the shelter 10 minutes later, as I continued my descent. I blew the prearranged signal, but got no response from North Wind. Too far away by that time I figured.   The shelter is packed with SOBO hikers, many of whom know North Wind. I did manage to get a spot in the shelter ¢ under the sunlight!! ¢ and have spread out my gear to dry. A good days hiking. Nine hours for 8.7 miles is good by my measure in this country. The water source is good here ¢ despite being referred to as a ¢Muddy Pool ¢ by a SOBO I had met a few days ago. The rains do help!   I was thinking today that there are some lessons that can only be learned from experience, and seem incapable of being taught in any other way. This struck me again as three young NOBO hikers flashed past me, on the descent of Old Blue ¢ clearly fixed on the miles and ignoring all else. I envied them their youth, but not their mileage focus. Or am I just jealous that they can do the ¢Big Miles¢ and I can¢t?Thought for Today ¢    Some things can only be learned from experience.