Date: 2005-09-16
From: Logan Brook Lean-to

To: Potaywadjo Lean-to
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Up and gone this day by 7:18 that morning. At 7:39 I saw my 5th Moose. This one was a Bull (no bull) and moved through the woods like a freight train. I am no judge of moose size or its antler size however, I would not of wanted to be standing in front of it. The rack was about three feet wide, not large but a moose is a moose. He was gone in but a few seconds, no time to get the camera.    The sun came out but the weather report on my AM/FM radio said it would not last. I dried my gear the best I could when I stopped at the ford of the East Branch of the Pleasant River. What was nice about the Pleasant River is that it was, well, pleasant. I cooked lunch, took a stream bath and eventually the Troll family caught up to me. Other hikers were there as well however, I cannot recall their names. Once across the ford (the break was on the near side) I walked back to the trail and touched the shore to make sure I covered all of the trail. Papa Troll busted me out saying, "Dang Purist" (his words were more colorful). Afterwards the terrain was fair but the legs were exhausted.   I stopped in at the Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to and met up with Squid Jerky for the first time. I passed on the message I had for him from the Lion King. Squid Jerky (Jeff) was from Georgia and got his trail name from the fact that he was carrying a package of Squid Jerky. I never knew there was such a thing. I asked if I could see it and he showed me the package (complete with oriental writing) and then told me the story of how he came upon it. Evidently his brother sent it to him from the Far East at the beginning of the hike. He kept it with the promise that he would not eat it until he was on the summit. He did in fact do this, he summited the day after I did on the 21st.   I stopped in next at the Antler's Campsite. It was a beautiful piece of land that stuck out into the lake there. I was not going to stop at first, in fact I was taking a break at the entrance to the campsite, near the entrance sign. I looked up and saw a huge owl staring at me just 15 feet away. I know that to some Native American's the Owl is the messenger of death. I hung my head and said, "O.K. I take the hint", a moment later I looked up and it was gone. I took a long break.    There at the lake side I cooked supper and hung my gear out again to dry. I almost stayed the night but, I decided to slowly move on. I signed the log book that was located in the out house and made my way north. I ended up at the Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to another 3.5 miles away. The spring there near the shelter was an outstanding water source. It reminded me of the spring in Boiling Springs, PA. Squid Jerky was at the shelter as well as two section Hikers, Carl and Pickwick. Carl was more of a displaced person then a section hiker. He was unemployed and hiking for something to do. He was also the hiker who told of his run in's with Moose along the trail when night hiking. He was the hiker who was knocked over by a Moose (when he almost stepped on the animal) as it got up quickly. Pickwick was finishing up his AT thru-hike. Like many section hikers, he took years to do it all but, was just about done.   We all had just 48.3 miles to go. The rain started that night and I was glad to be in the shelter. The Shelter Mice were terrible and for the first time I saw the "World's Greatest Mouse Trap" put to use. In a word, effective. The floor of this shelter was the "Base Ball Bat" style. Originally designed to be covered in Pine Boughs, it was uncomfortable to sleep on. I was dry and tired so I paid it no mind. My plan was to go to the White House for re-supply and move on (if the weather cooperated). It started to rain real hard that evening and lasted all day the next day, so much for the plan.