Date: 2004-06-09
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: broken clouds

Log entry: 130Start hike: 0815End hike: 1830Weather: Hot and humid all day. Supposed to have evening thunderstorms but nothing so far. It did rain a bit this afternoon, enough to make me stop and put the pack cover on.Breakfast: 12 pancakes, 3 sausage, and milk from Harrison Camps. The pancakes were great. Some were apple, blueberry, and strawberry.Lunch: The MRE version of Pork low mein. Very good, one of the best trail lunches yet. MRE stands for Meal Ready to Eat. The military uses these to feed soldiers in the field. I think they are great, but I eat them in moderation.Dinner: Lipton butter noodles with pouch turkey and orange delight pudding.Trail description: Some dificult walking due to rocks, mud, and roots but elevation gain was moderate. A good climb up Pleasent Pond mountain and also up Moxie Bald Mt.People: Steve the ferryman, Paul from the Caratunk B&B, a mess of SOBOs.Animals: A couple garter snakes and a loon, loons are pretty bird birds.Money spent: $6.30 for breakfastComplaints: Very hot and humid but bugs were horrible as I pumped water (skeeters mainly)Thoughts: This morning was a little rough. Breakfast was a late at the Harrison camp, then it took a while to get my bill. Then I asked if I could use a phone and I got this answer, "Sure, you need to call Steve?" (This would be to set up a ferry time in the off season) I explained it would be just to make contact with my sister who is leaving tomorrow afternoon for Monson. A minute latter after dicussing it in the kitchen I recieved this answer, "Well our phone isn't working very good and we only let people use it in emergencies." I wanted to say, "Well it only needs to work a little", but I thanked them and moved on. I just wish they would shoot straight and say, "Nope, you can't use the phone". So that burned me a little and I used that energy to pound out the 3.7 or so miles to the Kennebec in about 50 minutes. Once I got to the river and spoke a while with Steve, I snapped out of the funk. Thanks Steve, your pleasent and positive attitude was well appreciated.The first thing that struck me as I stepped down to the Kennebec was how wide itwas. Steve must have smelled me because I saw him move before I could raise theflag to signal my arrival. He moved efficiently and professionally across theriver. I signed the waiver and was fitted with a life jacket then pushed offinto the current.It was a short, but relaxing paddle. We stopped halfway to soak it in and face a stiff gust of wind. Then we beached up on the rocks.There was another SOBO on the shore waiting for a trip back the other way. Weall had a good chat and I moved on into Caratunk to call home. Turns out thePistons lost game 2. But no big deal.I pushed on and the morning sun was rough. When I reached Pleasent Pond Ichanged into my swimsuit and waded out about to a depth up to my knees. splashed myself cool and then dried off and enjoyed my MRE lunch. Man, that wasgood.I then moved up Pleasent Pond Mt, which was steep, not all that long, but Ireally got a good sweat going. Just before the summit I passed Paul Fuller, histrailname is Bridge something, can't remember. I pushed onto the summit andwaited for him there.Paul is the owner of the Cartunk Bed and Breafast, a hiker favorite but istaking this year off to hike the PCT. He has been out a month and is taking 2weeks off back home. He showed me what mountains were what through the thickJune haze. His big yellow lab was panting pretty heavy so Paul had to move backdown the mt to get water. My next stop was at Bald Mt lean-to where I ate a quick snack but the bugs wereto bad to hang.The next climb was up Moxie Bald Mt which was plain until the summit where itbecame a little more technical, rocky, then eventually open. I moved down toMoxie Bald Lean-to where I smelled wood smoke as I approached.There were six folks at the shelter in various stages of their evening routine.2 brothers doing a section. A father, daughter, and her boyfriend, and a SOBO.He was the center of attention and I did my best to keep it that way, under theradar whenever possible. I was unpacking my pack desperatly looking for myzip-off pants to cover exposed flesh when I heard, "You aren't Officer Taco areyou?""That's the rumor". Another Trailjournals fan. It was a nice evening by the fire. I did feel a little bad about telling theSOBO that the 100 mile wilderness, so I have heard, is rugged but pales incomparison to southern Maine and New Hampshire. But I assured him that it's allgravy the rest of the way and and well worth the effort required over the next 5weeks.The breeze in my hammock feels great and I am praying that there is some relieftomorrow. Boy, my legs itch from all the bug bites.