Date: 2009-09-06
From: Wadleigh Stream Leanto

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 7.5

I got up half an hour later today after considerable hacking in the night. I probably slept 6 hours. But the lack of sleep is wearing me down. I did not hike as well today as yesterday. It was nice, although rooty and rocky, walking along Nahmakanta Lake. (I don't know what the dividing line of size is, but lakes are a number of miles long and ponds somehat less than a mile?) Nick, Dean and Remi passed me NOBO. Remi is a beautiful dog, maybe some pitt bull in her but a very nice and friendly dog also enjoying the hike. I passed a nice sandy beach not far from the leanto and then a gravel beach farther on where I found Book Worm interviewing Hazard, Spoon and Crock Star. After leaving the Lake the trail followed along Nahmakanta Stream. Moonwalker, Flying Scotsman, Tank and Tweek, Tinman, Ironman, Gaspar, Ewok, and Soda all passed me headed NOBO. Scotsman called to me after passing and wondered if I would climb Katahdin with he and his fiance and have a ceremony for them on top. Sorry, Scotsman, I am headed in the other direction. I had one very boggy stretch even though I took the high water route recommended by Gaspard. There were a hundred feet or so where I could not really see the trail and crossing the muddy bog was a challenge. I have not had a bog mis-step over the tops of my toes yet although a couple times nearly so. It is very black and gooey mud. When a pole goes in past the basket it is hard to pull it out of the sucking goo. I stopped at Nahmanakta Stream campsite for lunch and a rest. I finally got moving again. I am feeling tired and ready for my zero day tomorrow even if I have not been on the trail that long. Having this miserable cough is getting me down. But it was not far until the side trail to Pemadumcook Lake. And shortly after that Canteloupe, Joker, Cyborg and Giddyup passed me after their lunch at White House Landing. Lots of hikers take the extra mile off trail to get a good meal there even if they do not stay overnight. I eventually got to the landing area and blew the airhorn. That is the signal for the folks at White House Landing to come across the lake to get you in their boat. For $40 I get the boat shuttle, a bunk house bed, a shower and an AYCE breakfast at a rather beautiful location, on a hill of lawn and pocket gardens and several cabins. I got my shower. My, that felt good even if it has only been 3 days since Abol Bridge and my last shower. I also washed clothes (by hand in lake water but there is a nice clothesline in the sun.) Linda, the proprietess, heard me cough and started trying to take care of me. She had no decaf tea but I had sweetened hot water with lemon and I did enjoy my meal. She makes up 1 lb hamburgers or pizza but I had a half pound burger with trimmings and that was fine for me. She also looked around in her house and found some Alkaseltzer Plus and gave me a bunch of packets. Bookworm and I are the only ones in the bunkhouse, which was unheated but much warmer that outside. Just burning their propane light for a couple hours with the windows and door shut heated the place nicely. I took my alkaseltzer plus and all my regular night time meds and went to bed by 7:30 or 8. I was glad to have a bed and a meal and be clean. I still cough but life is good.