Date: 2013-09-13
From: Katahdin Iron Works Rd

To: French Town Rd, ME
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: broken clouds

Katahdin should have been in our sights today. Instead we got fog, clouds and snow flurries!! On a clear day you can see it from White Cap Mountain. When we got to the top Badonkadonk said "There's white stuff around us."I replied "Maybe it's gnats."We are such Floridians. It took us a few to realize it was actually snow flurries. We were in shorts, wet boots and socks and sleeveless/short sleeve shirts. We got warm while hiking up the mt but on top it was a polar blast. It's ridiculous the temperatures we are out in 24/7. At home we'd be freezing, totally bundled and running from the house to the car. We will be like the Canadians his year swimming on the Florida beaches in December.We hiked from Katahdin Iron Works Road to East Branch Pond Rd also called Logan Brook Rd (apparently also called French Town Road (so says the editor and keeper of the miles (Blueberry))). We climbed 3 mountains with ease. They are getting smaller though a mile up is still a breath-sucking experience and wet rocks and roots are just as hazardous.We started the day with Buddy Backpacker adorably singing his morning songs.If anyone has connections to The Ellen Show they ought to notify her of this kid. He is exactly the kind of funny, endearing kid she likes. I expect great things from this kiddo. He's really special. We were able to warm our wet, soggy socks on the hood of the car. Sherpa warmed Buddy up in it before setting off. Today started out in the upper 50s...perfect hiking weather. The rain stopped for a bit, getting us off and on all day. We got our damp clothing on and water-drenched boots and set out. This is the worst part of the day when you have to put that cold, slimy stuff on. Within a mile we hit a river that was supposed to be ankle deep but due to the rain was much deeper and the current was swift. There are flash flood warnings out here right now. The river was about up to the girls bottoms. It varied in depth due to the size of the rock you managed to step on. The guide book warned about the extreme slipperiness of the river rocks. It's hard to imagine rocks worse than the millions we've been over but these were, given the rapid flow of water. Again, I'm glad the girls are confident in water. I'm also glad Sherpa was slack packing us so we didn't have all our gear to risk. One advantage to wet boots is the lack of care for them. We didn't have to change into crocs, we just waded right in. Very time saving. And since there were so many puddles, mud pits and rivers to go through we didn't even stop to empty them. We just slogged through the day, squishing water out of them with each step. At the end of the day we ohh and ahhh over our white, pruney feet. They look just like the dead people whose toenails Ethel makes me clean when we do Taharas. Hey Tahara buddies, I know what my dead feet will look like. NOT a pretty picture. So sorry if you outlive me.Anyways it like a science experiment to see the changes in our feet.I write this and it is still raining. Our tent is dripping on us. It has reached the saturation point. The entire floor is a puddle. Even though our bags are wet we are warm. I highly recommend synthetic sleeping bags for the AT. The down bags don't work when wet. We've been wet more than dry or at least it feels that way. I haven't seen the sun in days and its driving me bonkers. The girls and I have sung every sun song we know trying to entice the sun to come back. Tomorrow is supposed to be much colder. Sigh. Missing Florida terribly! It's hard to climb mountains all day and get no view. We'd take the cold if we could just get the blasted rain to stop. Surprisingly the girls are taking it all in stride. Badonkadonk only negative was "Maine is not my favorite state, the weather is too bad." Cub loves splashing us and laughing as the mud sucks off her shoes. She finds the wet shoes liberating we don't have to try to go around mud pits, etc because we just slog right through. She makes the day fun. Kids are the best, they rediscover the wonders of the world. When was the last time you played in mud and splashed in puddles?! Try it and think of us!