Date: 2018-08-26
From: Bemis Mountain Lean-to

To: Mile 1969.7
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: scattered clouds

The only other people at the shelter last night were two south bound section hikers. They were older gentlemen, finishing the last stretch of the AT. They had been working on it for a few years. They had a big fire blazing and one of them ventured over to our tent and invited us to join them by it. I declined saying I was tired. He stayed for a while anyway, asking lots of questions. Too many for my liking. I know he was just trying to be friendly, but really, I was tired!¢Did you Resupply in Andover?¢¢No¢You didn¢t Resupply in Andover? My goodness, how much food are you carrying?¢Pleeeeeeease, just let me go to bed!Our neighbours were out before we were in the morning. 7:30 has been our normal departure time lately.On top of Bemis Mountain we had our reward for yesterday¢s climbing. Down at the bottom of Bemis Mountain we found an unattended trail magic cooler. Cole¢s eyes lit up and he practically ran to it. I don¢t get excited about those anymore since half the time they are empty or full of garbage. Happily, this one was stocked with cold pop, peanut butter and jam sandwiches and an assortment of treats. We both had a drink, a sandwich and a treat. We crossed a dirt road approaching a stream that the guide book said we would have to ford. In the distance we could hear an obscene word being emotionally, loudly, and repetitively uttered. ¢Somebody isn¢t too happy,¢ Cole observed.¢It sounds like a chicken.¢ I said. ¢A chicken?¢¢Yes, a chicken.¢I imitated the sound I had used as a child to mimic a chicken. ¢It doesn¢t sound like that!¢ Cole protested. It sounds like a frog.¢¢A frog? No it doesn¢t!¢By now the cursing had stopped. As we approached Bemis stream we found a hiker sitting on a rock filtering water. ¢Hello!¢ I greeted him. ¢How are you?¢His response was a despondent mumble. Clearly he was the source of the chicken (or frog) sound.¢Are you NOBO or SOBO?¢ I asked.His eyes widened as he replied in a bit of a panic ¢Why am I going in the wrong direction?¢To myself I was thinking, dude you are sitting on a rock. I have no idea which way you are going or should be going. I pointed the way ahead of us.¢That is North.¢¢Ok, good. I am going the right way.¢ He said. Then, ¢Sorry, I am just ready to be done. I¢m just so tired.¢¢ I understand,¢I commiserated, ¢ and sleep doesn¢t help it much does it?¢He perked up a bit.¢No it doesn¢t. You¢re right, it really doesn¢t.¢We exchanged a few more words and then moved on. When we were out of ear shot, I said ¢A chicken.¢Cole countered with ¢A frog.¢¢ I don¢t see how you could think that sounded like ribbit.¢¢Frogs don¢t actually say that.¢¢Ok fine. You make the frog sound so I can compare it.¢¢No, I can¢t make the sound.¢¢Then chicken wins.¢Back and forth we bantered for a little while longer. After the steep descent off Bemis, the terrain evened out for most of the day and I was able to make better time. We stopped at Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to for lunch and a rest. Our despondent friend was doing the same. He told us that this morning he had completely soaked his shoes while fording the stream and that is why he had been so upset. We talked more about being tired, about sore feet, about being sick of trail food, and about all of the other reasons he is feeling so ready to just be done. I heartily agreed with every point. But I can¢t give up on Maine. She is beautiful and I want to see the rest of her. Tomorrow we need to go into town to resupply and so today we were trying to get as close to the road as we could. The easier terrain helped immensely and we made it to a stealth spot about .8 from the road. We had two dinners left, so we ate both. Full tummies! What luxury!