Date: 2003-09-30
From: East Branch Lean-to

To: Antlers Campsite
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: scattered clouds

start East Branch Lean To dest. Antlers Campsite I woke up just as the sun was coming up. It had stopped raining sometime in the night. lay there for a few minutes,enjoying the warmth of my bag. It was cold again this morning. I wished I could just lay here until noon. I knew it would be warmer then,but I am on a schedule,so out I come. I put on my long spandex pants and my jacket and head off to the shelter to start breakfast. Nothing seems to be touched as I take down my food bag and start my water to heat for my oatmeal. As I undo my food bag,I notice that something has benn nibbling through the opening. My caramel bar shows signs of tiny teeth marks. The rascal hung upside down and chewed a fair chunk out of my most favorite treat! For just a minute I was impressed with his tenacity,then I started looking around for the culprit. There he was hiding underneath the table,looking all innocent like. I glared at him and shooed him away. I bet you think I gave him the rest of the bar don't you? Heck no! I cut off the end he! had chewed and wrapped it back up and put it away for tonight's dessert! I did leave the tiny piece I cut off for him though. After breakfast I took my hot chocolate down to the water's edge and sat there on the bench looking out over the water. No moose ever showed up,but God did! He spoke to my heart in a very special way. I so needed to hear from him this morning. He reminded me that for months now I have been getting ready for the summitt of Mt.Katahdin. I knew it was coming. I have hiked and worked,labored up and down over various terrains and mountains. I have crawled over boulders and walked during countless days of rain. (he didn't have to remind me of those days) I have hiked in snow,sleet,rain,and hale. I have hiked three miles in a day and felt like I was dying.I have hiked twenty miles in a day and knew I was dying! All to prepare myself for this last climb. But it will not be the last climb I will make,for there will be other Katahdins in my life. Struggles and victories,heartaches and blessings. I am to train everyday for these mountains,so when they come to me I will be prepared. Sometimes I will see them coming at me,but more often than not,they will take me by surprize. I will have no time to train or to plan,I just need to be ready to climb. To face the mountains in my life unafraid,with the assurance that He is ever with me giving me the strength I need to go forward. And as I celebrate each sumitt ,relishing in overcoming a hard difficult climb,I can thank him for being faithful one more time. I need to study his word more,to pray more and to trust him more. It is very easy to pray out here as I hike. There is very little else to do. But once I get home it is hard to get into a consistant routine of prayer and Bible study,and for me it is especially hard to sit still and be quiet to hear God speak to me. He can hit a moving target,but his word says "Be still and know that I am God".What an awesome devotional from my heavenly Father! I packed my home up and headed for the river,the last time I would have to ford one on this hike. The water level had dropped at least 7 inches overnight. I stopped at the edge and eyed it. I sat down and took off my boots ,changing into a pair of liner socks and my campshoes. Hoisting mypack back on,I stepped once again into frigid cold water. I slowly felt my way across,reaching down with each step until my foot found a resting place. The water never got above my knees. And I didn't fall, not once. On the other side, changed out my shoes and headed up the trail. What's this??A mountian?? There were not suppose to be any more significant climbs until Katahdin. I checkd the data book. This was Little Boardman Mountain,standing at 1980 ft. Some insignificant climb huh? You have to understand,this flatland Florida girl thinks a significant climb is getting out of bed in the mornings! I may be from Colorado,but I have spent too much time in Florida. Anything more than a coupl! e of feet is a significant climb in my book. But ,oh well, up I go ,putting one foot ahead of the other. Finally on the top,I am rewarded with some spectacular views of the Maine Mtns. The descent is gradual and finally I am on level ground. Did I say level? I cannot beleive this! The trail is the most level thing I have seen since leaving home six months ago. It goes on and on and on. No climbs,no descents,and very few rocks and roots! Have I died and gone to heaven? Just when I thought it could not get any better,it does. I come to my first close up of a beautiful mountain pond. I do not know why they call them ponds here. A pond is something you have in your backyard and raise fish in,or have a little dock by to sit and watch the birds eat your little fish. This is not a pond.It is a lake,plain and simple. The water is shining like a thousand diamonds glittering off of it. There are lush forests all along the banks,with opening where animals come down to drink. This is ! the picture you see on Maine's postcards. A perfectly spectacular scene! I wish for a week,where I could pitch my tent and sit here day after day,trying to drink it all in. I relunctantly move on,only to be rewarded by more stunning views of lakes,hidden far back into these woods.This is the wilderness I had envisioned! Now all I need is to see a moose! I come to my intended campsite for the night. The ease of the trail has put me here ahead of time. I sit down and check my data book,deciding to hike a few more miles. I am so glad I did. Here,at Antler Campsite the ground is flat and covered with pine needles. There is a smell of dryness here.No damp,spongy ground. The view towards the lake is once again,stunning. A huge lake,surrounded by dense forest,and covered over head by skies as blue as I have ever seen. The trees are sprinkled thoughtout with reds,yellows and greens. What a perfect dining room view! I set up and go down to filter water for supper. I thought yellow water was gross last night!There is a dead frog lying belly up just at the water's edge. I try not to look at him. I also try to not throw up! The water s clear.I wish for ! yellow. It is almost dark as I cook. It is a good thing I cannot see what I am eating. I have lost my appetite. All I can see is that poor little frog laying on the bottom of the lake. I visit the privy here. Itis a sight to behold. Made of logs with windows curtianed with some strpped fabric. There is a stand with a pan in it for washing your hands. There is no running water of course,but it adds a homey little touch to the place.The walls are log and a small window on each side,like you expect to open the door and be at Laura Inglalls house out on the prairie.The door is an old door complete with an authentic glass door knob. I covet the knob for my house at home!The door wouldn't be bad either! There is a broom and a thermometer hanging on the wall.It reads 52 degrees in here. This is also where the trail register is kept.I sign in and check on the whreabouts of my hiking friends. I walk back through the dark to my tent. I hear a snorting from the bushes to my side. It is too dark to see anything.The trail is lined with small rocks all the way down to the campsite. It is like a sidewalk going up to someone's home. I finish off the rest of my caramel bar,thinking first about the yellow water yesterday,the chipmunk's teeth marks on my snack,the clear water from the lake with the dead frog in it. It just doesn't get any better than this! It is passed time for me to go to sleep!total miles 16