Date: 2004-06-07
From: ME27 (Stratton, ME)

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Log entry: 128Start: 1115 AT(10:00 left Stratton)End hike: 1930Weather: Cloudy and mild in the morning but more and more sun as the day progressed and eventually clear skies. Never getting very warm thoughBreakfast: Poptarts and chocolate CIBLunch: Candy bars and MRE snacks, also some leftover Combos (pepperoni pizza flavor)Dinner: Hamburger Helper cheesy enchilladaTrail description: A long climb up to South Horn and then to the Bigelow peaks. But there was a feeling of great triumph as I descended the Bigelows as the next time I climb higher than 4000 feet will be Katahdin. And I will only break 3000 feet once more(I think).People: The lady that gave me a ride was the aunt of MouseBait (she thinks thatMousebait got a new trailname but she isn't sure), a current NOBO.Then 3 Southbounders (SOBO) Jen and her mom then later on another dude, I think it was Joe or Jeff or Dave or Brian. The caretaker at Horns Pond Lean-to, Alice.Wildlife: Moose scatMoney: Like $6 to ship old maps and extra food homeComplaints: I was hardcore depressed as I walked along ME27 and didn't get picked up. But I got over that then eventually just got physically drained. Which led to some mental lows.Thoughts: Well, here I am. At mile 2001.6, which leaves 172.5 to go. I remember like it was yesterday sitting in Mollies Ridge shelter with the Solemates talking about how we had come 174.1 miles and had 2000 more to go. And now here I am, roles reversed. So many thoughts and emotions.Since I didn't eat most of my dinners that I bought last week and since I got afood drop yesterday I had about 4 extra dinners. That is too much to carry. Also I had 3 maps which I am done with, so no use hauling those. The bad news was that the post office didn't open until 0930. So I slept in until 0830 and ate and moved out reaching the Post office right at 0930. My business took about 5 minutes and by 0940 I was in front of the PO trying to hitch a ride.20 minutes later and still no luck I decided to try walking and see whathappens. I just felt like I didn't stand a chance of getting picked up. So on I pressed. The longer I walked and the more cars that passed me, the madder I got.Finally, just as I crested a hill and saw territory that I recognized from mywalk yesterday, I knew I was within a mile of the AT crossing. And then it hitme.As vehicles would pass me by I would usually have a snide remark. Something tothe point of, "Your car smokes so bad, I wouldn't offer you gas money but "oilmoney"." Stuff like that. Anyways I came to the realization that nobody owes me anything. Being a thru-hiker one tends to take certain things for granted and assume that things will be handed to us. It is a common assumption. What I came to grip with is that I am doing this out of my own free will. I wasn't assigned or drafted to the AT. Nobody owes me a thing. All the hardships and endeavors I have faced are self-imposed. So why should I be upset with each passing motorist when I have dug my own grave. As I came to this point, over 4 miles and an hour since I left Stratton, a Jeep Grand cherokee pulled over and waved me in.The ride boosted moral and reenergized me a bit and I pushed on up to Horns Pond Lean-tos. There I talked with Alice the caretaker for about 45 minutes. She was on her way down the mountain for a couple days so I didn't keep her long.I spent a further half hour eating lunch and reading shelter entries. Then,northward.The Bigelows are wonderful mountains with great summits and I took lots ofpictures. Somewhere up there my energy level dropped and it was a long pull into the shelter.I am hoping it is not as hot as it feels like it is going to be tomorrow. MaybeI'll take my first swim in Maine. Or not.