Date: 2003-08-06
From: Stratton, ME

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I haven¢t written in a while, obviously, for various reasons. Here¢s a quick summary of days past.7-31: 10.1 miles to campsite at South Arm Road. Got ride back to trail from lady at Andover Guest House after being chewed out by her for violating rules I was completely unaware of, like spending more than 12 hour on the computer. She was a bit psychotic, but I have to cut her some slack since her husband recently passed away. The hike up Wyman Mtn. was cake, but then Moody Mtn. immediately after it kicked my butt. I had intended to go on that day, but was exhausted. It also didn¢t help that when I got to the camp spots at the road, so did a tribe of about 10 cute girls going southbound. They were mostly high school age I found out, but they looked older. The two leaders were in their upper 20¢s, but they looked younger. I tried to make conversation with them, but being my usual chicken-sh*t self around girls I wasn¢t too successful. I did get fed a mac and cheese dinner, thought, since the group made too much. Shortly thereafter Rice and Peas and Stretch and Nate showed up, and the conversation became merrier. We all got fake tattoos from the girls. Then we guys went to throw a frisbee for a while and went to bed late.8-1: 17.0 miles to Sabbath Day Pond Shelter. We started out with a steep climb, then headed over the Beamis Range. Coming down the other side of the ridge Stretch took a nasty fall and punctured his wrist, causing some fairly major bleeding. Rice and Peas and Stretch got off at Maine 17 to go get that tended to, and Nate and I went on to the shelter. The shelter was already packed with SOBO¢s and weekenders when I got there, and then Fly, Chameleon, String Bean, and Kosmo all showed up. We all camped out and stayed up late again.8-2: 11.2 miles to Piazza Rock Lean-to. Pretty uneventful hiking. We (Fly, Chameleon, Nate, Kosmo, String Bean, me) all went into Rangely for a meal and then hitched back out. Another cute girl there [at the shelter], the caretaker, and everybody talked well into the night.8-3: 16.9 miles to Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to. I got started before everyone else and hiked to the top of Saddleback. This place was supposed to have spectacular views, even of Katahdin in the distance if you¢re lucky, but the clouds negated that. I was, however, very surprised to have Cannoli catch me on the summit. Turns out he took three weeks off and got back on at Rangely. We hiked on, took a dip in Orbeton Stream, and made it to the shelter. There was plenty of room for me inside, but I decided to hang the hammock instead so it would maybe dry out a bit. It rained that night.8-4: 13.5 miles to Stratton. One of those days where I should never have gotten up. First, as I was taking down my wet hammock, the tarp ripped. I spent the morning sewing that up and got a late start. I hiked in clouds over Spaulding and Sugarloaf. Then, coming down a very steep and rocky section off Sugarloaf, I inadvertently kicked a large boulder very hard with my right foot. I hobbled the rest of the way to Stratton, about 8 miles, with my middle toe throbbing. The toe kept hurting worse as the day went on, and the last 5 miles into town I think were the longest of my entire hike. I was conscious of every step. When I got to town and took off my shoes, the toe was huge and red. I knew then that my August 15th Katahdin goal was out the window. I got a hotel room with Rice and Peas and Stretch, happy the day was over.Yesterday I took a zero, iced my toe and popped ibuprofen all day. Today is the same thing. My toe doesn¢t really hurt much today, and I could probably hike on it, but I decided not to. My motivation suddenly seems gone. The cloudy crappy weather we¢ve had since the last time I wrote hasn¢t helped either. I¢ll probably hike tomorrow, maybe breaking 2,000 miles. Less than 200 to go, and this happens. Frustrating.