Date: 2004-07-18
From: Safford Notch Campsite

To: White Wolf Inn, Straton, ME
Miles today: 10.4

10.4 miles todayWhite Wolf InnStratton, MaineI woke up at 5am and I got my coffee started. I had to put on my wet, stinky clothes. Normally I don't mind doing that, but I sure didn't feel like putting them on this morning. With all the rain we've been having, everything stinks...my shoes smell like 3 day old roadkill in a hot, humid climate. When I take my socks off during the day to air my feet out, they draw flies. I've walked through alot of wet weather before and never even thought about it. I guess I was having a yuppy moment. Once I got everything on, it wasn't too bad. I ate breakfast and packed up and was hiking by 6am. The day was absolutely beautiful and the area from here through the Bigalow's was even more beautiful than I remembered. Right out of Safford Notch I started climbing and it took about 2 hours to reach Avery Peak. I took the side trail on the way up, to a viewpoint and loved seeing all the fog in the valley below. I could see parts of Flagstaff Lake peaking through the fog. When I got to the top, I was soaking wet, not from rain, but from sweating on the steep climb up. The wind was blowing a steading 10 mph and it felt really good. I took a break there and took a bunch of pictures. I could see Sugerloaf Ski Area, a mountain that I'll be climbing in a day or two. About 5 minutes past Avery Peak was a spring. I sat down and had a snack and drank what seemed like ice cold water. It doesn't get any better than a spring like that. I hiked on down a ways and then climbed to the West Peak of Bigalow Mountain. It was a little higher than Avery Peak at 4145'. These are some of the most rugged mountains on the A.T. I just had a great morning! I was stopping every 5 minutes or so to take more pictures. Now that I have this digital camera, I have to find the easiest way to get the pictures on this journal. If anyone knows of an easy way that a digital beginner can post, please email me at stumpknocker@pocketmail.com or post it in my guest book. I'm going to have alot of pictures, but they won't do any good until I can get them online. I only have one 256 memory chip, but can get another if needed.I got to the top of South Horn just before 10am. These mountains are giving my legs, that are used to Virginia hiking, a real workout. It feels great. From there I started heading down and I ran into 2 hikers that hiked from Ga. to Ct. last year and are out here to finish up this year. Their names are Puffy and his girl friend is Stumbles. They left Ga. last year on March 21st. I thought my bad luck with getting caught in the rain was going to continue today. Just before I got out to Rt 27 to hitch a ride into town, it started to thunder just off to my right. I was thinking, oh great, now it's going to be tough to get a ride in the rain. Well, it only rained lightly and when I got to the road, the very first car stopped and gave me a ride to this motel. They were Mary and Scott Walker. They're the ones that are trying to get a hostel opened up about 2 miles from the trail. When I hiked through here last year, I heard it was going to be open this year, but they said that they are going to try and open next year. Thanks for the ride.There are a bunch of sobos here at the motel. Lunchbox, Caveman, GiddyUp, Commando, Cobweb, Shawn and Jessica. They've been enjoying their share of beer today. Their a good group of hikers and it looks like everyone may stay in town tomorrow because there's talk of a summertime nor'easter heading into Maine overnight. It's hard to beat this motel. It cost $26.95 including tax and there's a bar and grill downstairs...a hiker's dream come true.When it stopped raining, I walked around town for about an hour. I'm still trying to find a house here in Maine that's close to the trail. I found two that I can call on tomorrow. Another great day on the A.T.