Date: 2009-09-07
From: Near Bemis Stream

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

September 7 --It was another good night's sleep, cool and the morning was another bright, crisp day, perfect for my run to ME4 where my truck was waiting. I soon crossed ME17 with a familiar, yet magnificent view of Mooselookmeguntic Lake and the Bemis Range. Familiar because I had driven to Rangeley on the road, and had stopped at the popular roadside lot for photos, not knowing that the AT crossed just yards from where I had stopped, it was a happy surprise. Just across the highway was another surprise, at the trail edge, in fact at the last tree, was a pair of metal crutches, leaning upright. I did take a picture and spent a while imagining how they got there, a rescue? As I made my way along the mild up/downs, I came upon a long set of puncheons in the colorful woods and stopped for a photo, and within seconds I noticed movement just off to the right, 10 yards ahead. It was a bird, a grouse or partridge, pecking along as it moved across the trail, then another, more colorful with blue highlights, then 2 or 3 more, grazing like chickens moving slowly in a group. They looked small for grouse, but the heads fit the profile, as I snapped and videoed their display before moving on. Soon I was at a nice sandy beach on Long Pond, a pretty spot on what I would call a lake, but it seems ME reserves the term for their really big bodies of water, everything else is a pond. Within minutes I was at the Sabbath Day Pond Lean-To which sat nearly in sight of the Sabbath Day Pond, where I once again calibrated my altimeter based on the elevation provided by the well documented MATC AT map, and where I took a granola bar break and evaluating the rest of the day and my expectations of roaming the aisles of the Rangeley IGA, and sleep in the truck if necessary. The plan executed well and I was at the truck by late afternoon where I spotted 3 hikers near the road crossing, I dropped off my pack and went to check if they were headed into town, 9m away. I recognized one of them as a guy from my last day in PA, who we met, we being me and the Unexpected Party of Kevin, Mike and Alex, at the Kirkridge Shelter, a guy about my age, with a thick ME accent, who was continuing the AT from last year. He didn't remember me until I replayed the scene at the shelter and the lightning and thunderstorm that followed, then yes, Chris, still no trail name, remembered me. He was hiking out and the other 2 were SoBos so I headed into Rangeley, stopping first at the IGA where I bought chips and beer and sat in the parking lot, again stitching my pack, watching a beautiful sunset over Rangeley Lake before driving into town. I stopped at a motel where they wanted ~$80 for a room and moved on, driving through town scoping for a suitable spot to park for the night when I reached the Town & Lake Motel & Cottages. I had pulled in to U-turn so I might as well see what the rates were, $35, done. Cleaned up, went to Sarge's for a burger where I found Cous Cous, Wheeler, Fat Kid, who was under attack from the others for allowing his ex-girlfriend to take of his pet chipmunk while hiking the AT, Hummingbird and ------?bird, (sisters?) and Tufted Titmouse, they started doing shots, no thanks, they bought me 2, I wouldn't budge and someone quickly picked up the slack. I left, minutes later they came out, I drove Cous Cous and one of the 'birds back, all staying at the Town & Lake. It was a wierd feeling, I was thru hiking with a car, I had a new power for a day, I could move fast without carrying my stuff everywhere, this will help make the transition back to reality!