Date: 2008-10-04
From: Rainbow Lake Dam, ME

To: Abol Bridge, ME
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't wake up to a beautiful view of Katahdin over Rainbow Lake like I had hoped for, but I did wake up to a beautiful view of pink skies over Rainbow Lake and a view of the base of Katadin under the low clouds. I stuck my stove outside the tent door and brewed my coffee out of the lake water I collected last night. I don't make a practice of drinking lake water usually because I don't treat my water, but I don't mind as much when I boil the water for coffee or cooking.I was pleasantly surprised that my tent was totally dry! I figured it would be soaked this morning when I set it up last night because I was low, by the lake, on grass and not under any trees...a perfect combination for a VERY wet tent. I got lucky because the wind kicked up overnight and that was just enough to keep the tent dry.I laid inside my tent all wrapped up in my sleeping bag and watched morning come. It was dark at first, but I could see just a little light below the clouds and right next to Katahdin. That was where the sun came up a while later turning all those low clouds to a pink color....just about the same pink color as my ol' buddy Chief's office walls. (The pink looks way better in the clouds than it does in Chief's office though) ;-)This was an exciting day for me for a couple of reasons. I would be walking out of the Wilderness to Abol Bridge, having only about 15 miles left to the summit of Katahdin, and my hiking/biking partner, the beautiful Mrs Gorp was meeting me at Abol Bridge with my truck. My truck "summered" at Mrs Gorp's house and it's going to be very nice to see my truck again....oh....AND Mrs Gorp!! ;-)   She plans on summiting Katahdin with me since she had to personally deliver my truck to me at Abol Bridge. I ate breakfast and took a few pictures of the sky as it turned from dark to pink, enjoyed the last of my coffee and started packing up my tent for the last time on this year's walk. I'm still using the same tent I've always used...a Wanderlust Nomad 2-4-2. It's seen lots of use and I really should start thinking about getting a new tent in the next 2 or 3 years because I'm having to spray the fabric on this one with silicone sealer a couple times a year now because the silnylon fabric is wearing out. While I'm on the subject of my tent, I have to say that I don't use a ground cloth or foot print or what ever they call that extra sheet of stuff some hikers use under their tents. I was told that using one would make the tent last longer and keep the bottom cleaner....that's bunk!! I have set my tent up on beaches, mud, gravel, over rocks the size of basketballs (as long as I had a spot for my body to lay in between the rocks), on grass, briars, broken branches, moose and bear poop and probably lots of other things I don't know about....and the floor of my tent is still not worn out. Was that a rant? ;-)Anyways....I packed up my stuff and walked the almost half mile back to the Appalachian Trail and turned north once again. The trail was pretty muddy in parts, but fairly flat walking. I passed by Rainbow Spring Campsite and thought how easy it would be to pass it by if you weren't paying attention. I walked down to the spring by the lake and filled a water bottle to get me to Abol Bridge. I guess I never realized just how long the AT skirts Rainbow Lake before. I walked almost 6 miles before I finally left the lake behind. I saw two girls walking south on the Trail. One of them looked at me and said; "Stumpknocker". I didn't know her, but she had read my journal earlier this year while she was waiting to start her own thru hike. Their names were Vigil Antie and Y. We talked a while and I found out they had flipped and were almost done with the Trail too.I had an easy 500 foot climb up to Rainbow Ledges. I love it up there. I took a few pictures and will post them in my photo section under today's date. Take a look at the pictures from Rainbow Ledges and you will see why I like it so much.I kept walking and enjoying the beautiful views. I figured I had lots of time because Mrs Gorp wasn't supposed to be at Abol Bridge until about 3pm. I tried my cell phone and had reception, so I gave her a call and found out she was in Skowhegan, ME already....she woke up early and decided to get an early start on the drive from VT to ME. I did a quick calculation and figured we would probably be at Abol Bridge about the same time if I kept walking.I descended about 800 feet to Hurd Brook Lean-to hoping to sign the register at the last lean-to on the Trail, but there was an old register there that had been all used up for some time now. I didn't get to write down my final thoughts...my captivating final thoughts in the last register on the Trail. (Not that I really had any "captivating" thoughts) Ha!! :-)   It would have been nice to use up another smiley face sticker though.I was just getting ready to walk on when Hell On Bad Wheels came walking up from around the corner of the lean-to. He was walking south. I remembered then that he had told me he was planning on flipping when he could. He was in good spirits and even had on brand new shoes and a new moose hunting hat he bought. He's from Dallas, TX, so I told him to stop in and see Nancy and Bob at White Rocks Coffee House when he got back and say hello for me and also to try out some Stumpknocker's Blend Coffee while he was there. :-)   We talked quite a while before I finally walked on. I only had about three miles left to Abol Bridge. I was walking along and must have been thinking of something else because it seemed like I was at the warning sign for south bound hikers entering the Wilderness before I knew it. That meant I was almost OUT of the Wilderness and at Abol Bridge.I got to the road and walked towards the bridge. It was misting again, but I got a couple nice pictures of Katahdin in the clouds and some leaf color as I crossed Abol Bridge.I got to the camp store and sat my pack down. I said hello to Linda and was getting ready to walk inside for a Coke and some snacks when I saw a white Suburban drive up. I knew it was probably Ol' Man or Navigator from the AT Lodge...it was Navigator. She got out of the truck and gave me a great big hug! Mrs Gorp drove up right behind her, got out of my truck and gave me a great big hug!! I could really get used to that!!! :-)We stood around talking for a while. Navigator said Katahdin had been closed for four days already because of snow and ice. I walked in the store and said hello to Linda...and goodbye because I had a ride.The girls talked fast and made arrangements for dinner later tonight. They wanted to give me enough time to get cleaned up first though. ;-)Navigator took a load of thru hikers back with her, so it was just Mrs Gorp and me in my truck. I was driving down the road, talking to her about my day, just having a good ol' time, when I remembered that it was ME that was driving!! I had not paid attention and drifted to the other side of the road....sure was glad there wasn't any other cars around. :-) I paid more attention to my driving after that. Hummm, it's so much easier to just walk. :-)We did enjoy an evening with Ol' Man and Navigator dining on fine food and talking about walking. Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)