Date: 2006-07-20
From: US 201 (Caratunk, ME)

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To
Miles today: 27.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 136 Slept well on a lumpy mattress but no mosquitos...a good trade-off. Writing at 6:15AM, ready to go, waiting for Mt. Squid to finish his breakfast. Steve will drive us to the Trailhead. Foggy weather, which will be cool. No rain is forecast for today. Two hills to climb today, both over 2,500 feet, which is about 2,000 feet above the elevation of the Kennebec River. After that, it's flat to Monson. 9:30AM on Pleasant Pond Mountain: Taking a food, water, and foot break. Have covered 7 miles and climbed almost 2,000 feet. Now I have to go back down. Gorgeous views from the flat, exposed rocks up here. I'm probably seeing Katahdin but not sure which it is. Walking alone, which is good. Conversation uses too much breath. I am walking today in honor of all the volunteers who build, mark, and maintain the AT. We thru-hikers are quick to complain when markings or maintenance is deficient, so we should also give credit where due. Thank, guys and gals! Evening in the Shelter: LOOOOOONG day, one of my longest of the trip. I was on the Trail for 14 hours and 5 minutes and covered almost 28 miles. I did that to improve the chances of getting to the Monson post office before 4PM. Now I only have 9 miles to do tomorrow, which will give me plenty of time to do chores and rest up. The Trail was typical...about 10% was smooth for walking and the rest had its quota of rocks and roots, then some. I had to ford one stream in Crocs, which slowed me down this evening. The second mountain I crossed today, Moxie Bald, had some great views. Its summit was mostly exposed rock slabs. It is ironic that on the day I walk for Trail Maintainers, I run into some sections where maintenance is really behind. Especially annoying are blow-downs or partial blow-downs that can't be climbed over or gotten around, forcing hikers to squat, bend, crawl under. Met lots of SOBO's today, some thru-hiking, but I didn't stop to get names. Weather stayed beautiful all day...low humidity and frequently breezy. I saw one snake, one moose, and one mother duck with about a dozen ducklings in the river. She had a reddish-brown head - a merganser, I think. The moose was a cow, standing in Moxie Pond feeding. Fortunately, she posed for a picture. Also at Moxie Pond (at the shelter where I had stopped for water and to sign the register) two guys paddled in in a kayak carrying a 12 pack of cokes. Welcome Trail Magic to a thirsty, tired hiker. A couple of notes from previous days: Steve Longley said I was about # 30 or 35 to cross the Kennebec River northbound. And I found an orange bandana on the Trail a couple of days ago...an omen.   I walked into this shelter at 8:35 PM, almost dark in the shady woods. Surprisingly, no one else is here. Also, no broom, no shelter register, and no nearby water that I can see. Supper was cheese, a bagel, and a candy bar. Drank most of my water; I'll worry about more water tomorrow. Climbing back down to the river in the dark violates my first rule on this hike "Be safe". I could have been here 5 minutes sooner, but wild blueberries were ripe along the high points of the Trail, and what hungry hiker can pass up fresh fruit, especially when it's free? I am sweaty, tired, and ready for town. Good night.