Date: 2016-07-03
From: Oquossoc vie ME Rt. 4

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: broken clouds

I knew today was going to be a long long day of hiking, and Dave offered to get up at any time, so we were on the road by 6:30. We stopped in Rangeley for a bacon egg and cheese and some coffee before heading back to the trailhead. Right before the AT, we saw the huge form of a moose, antlered and enormous this time, cross the road and head back into the woods to our right. I was just slightly too slow with the camera. I thanked Dave and said goodbye. He wished me good luck and a happy independence day! I then crossed the road one more time and picked up where I left off. The trail headed up through dense conifer forest and wound through ravines approaching the main bulk of the Saddlebacks, one of the highlights of Maine, and one of the last ranges of true mountains on the Trail. I eschewed stopping at the Caves next to Piazza rock and continued on. the climb up to Eddy Pond was surprisingly challenging, clambering through natural rock formations and up rooty gullies. Once again, Maine trailblazers seem to have cut down a few tress but not done anything really to improve these trails. It's more natural feeling, but tiring. Just after Eddy Pond, I got a call from none other than Lightning! After some futsing with reception I finally got a clear signal and we chatted. As usual, while I do steady miles, he, Seal Tree and Goldie alternate big miles and days off. They took a day off in Andover at the Cabin, which was apparently their favorite hostel ever, then put in another couple big days, and after my short day in rangeley, I was still a day behind them; they would be pulling into Stratton later on this evening. I told them they needed to do whatever they wanted, but I would love to see them.The climb up Saddleback began in earnest after the pond, ascending pretty consistently through ever-thinning conifers. The day was clear, but the wind was blowing brutally from the east, the hardest I've felt all trip. Fortunately, it was warm enough I didn't need to break out my raincoat, but I still was hiking at an angle all morning. As I hit treeline, I heard a sound behind me and found Speed Limit, one of the three hikers we had met back in the whites at Mizpah Spring Hut that Large had said "would sleep in a ditch." While we had sort of been surly to him at Mizpah, he and I had a lovely chat and we paced each other for a little before I let him blow by me. The trio's routine is to get up around 4 or 5, hike very quickly and be done by noon or just after. The Saddlebacks truly are a gem, a very long open ridgeline, covered in moss and little shrubs, with a great view away to the rangeley lakes to the west and some of the higher peaks in all of Maine to the north. The hiking was easy over the flat tops of the three summits - Saddleback, the Horn and Saddleback Junior (which Ali says sounds like a kid's menu at a BBQ chain - but dropped away pretty impressively on either side. The descent off of Saddleback Junior was particularly sketchy, steep and poorly maintained because most people approach the range from the south or west, not the north. I pulled ahead of Speed limit on Saddleback Junior, and sat down to eat some lunch at Poplar Ridge Lean-to. Speed Limit showed up, as did Blazer and their buddy whose name i cannot remember for the life of me. They were done for the day, having come from Sabbath Day Pond, over 20 miles, and it wasn't even noon yet! Jeez they go quick. As they laid out for a nap, I packed up and pushed on. After dropping off of the ridge, the trail began to follow a number of streams on old logging roads. The hiking was very pleasant, and a nice change from the brutal blast of wind all morning. There were some lovely cascades at Orbeton stream, and I sat by Sluice brook for a while on a logging road just enjoying the water and the small view.The ascent up towards Mt. Abraham was strange in that it consisted largely of puncheon on top of bare rock between areas of moss, with streams flowing underneath the planks. I ended up doubling back at one point to grab water from under on of the bridges. The climb up Lone mountain was taxing and took longer than I expected. I figured I would have the hard stuff done in the morning, over Saddleback.The trail flattened from here though and wove through dark dense forest towards Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. As i passed the first entrance to the loop trail for the shelter, I heard lots of voices, and worried I would miss a spot in the shelter; but fortunately, the voices were coming from a large group from a girls' camp, who were all tented out, and the shelter was basically empty. I filled up water from the lovely stream nearby and sat out on the shelter's front, recovering from the long day. Two section hikers showed up, as did two nerdy young sobos, Woody and Noodles, whom I got along with quite well. I also talked quite a bit with the two leaders of the girl's group, and the group themselves, who asked me lots of questions about my hike. As the only Nobo there, I was on the hook for lots of information, but I was happy to supply it. It drizzled a couple of times through the evening, but nothing serious. Noodles was incredibly excited to start using vegetable oil for cooking, because he was getting tired of the taste of olive oil, and quickly realized that vegetable oil just does not taste that good.Today was one of the last days of consistently mountainous hiking that I will have on the trail. Tomorrow promises to be an important day, too: I'll climb over the Crocker Peaks, then head down into Stratton - on my way, I will pass the 2000 mile marker. I can't believe it.