Date: 2021-07-15
From: Long Pond Stream lean-to

To: Katahdin Ironworks Road
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The owners and staff here at Shaw¢s have been phenomenal during our stay, they are real pros who excel at hospitality.  They drove Iceberg, Quiksilver, Lamb¢s Ear and I out for our last slack pack at 5:30 this morning and we were back on the AT at 6:15, headed north into the Chairback mountains. We had a 1700 foot climb over three miles and the sunlight was absolutely gorgeous slanting through the trees and light fog. It was like we were walking in a fable. There were no sounds other than our footsteps and the birds. No cars, no planes, no leaf blowers, nothing motorized. The climbing was easy (comparatively) as long as I kept my eye on the wet tree roots that are lying in wait, looking to turn an ankle an ruin ones day. We had a total of six peaks to cross over and I was aiming for Chairback Third Mountain (they are a prosaic lot, these Mainers) for a lunch break and I chose wisely. There was a 180 degree panoramic view north into the mountains and I sat on a rock for 45 minutes just taking it all in. Sun, 75 degrees, food, birds taking baths in a puddle just behind me - it¢s a lunch I¢ll remember for a long time. The afternoon hike was a largely stress free walk as we all needed to finish around the same time.  We called the hostel from the last peak (Chairback One)  about 3.3 miles from the road and arranged a retrieval time of 3:30. There was one neatly vertical rock scramble after the final peak, but it was only about 150 feet and was manageable with some deliberation. We were all down at the logging road by 3:20 and the shuttle was there shortly after.  The road is privately owned and maintained but open for use for people to access some of the backcountry areas. There is a $16 charge for non-residents to enter and $11 for Maine residents.  There is a home hard by the road and the woman who lives there collects the tolls and she has a rope-gate that she can raise and lower from her living room to allow vehicles to pass.  Everyday in this life brings it¢s little surprises!We are still running into a lot of SOBOs which has surprised me a bit as some of them won¢t finish in Georgia until Christmas with a July start. They vary from the still fresh and exited to the disillusioned and weary - probably similar to NOBOs after their first 100 miles in Georgia. Poet here at Shaw¢s performs pack shakedowns to help hikers lower their base weights. Yesterday he filtered out 10 pounds of gear from one hikers pack. I know I could cut another two pounds from mine, but I refuse to give up my camp clothes. I just like changing into a (relatively) clean shirt and pants and get out of my hiking gear.  I also prefer to use three stuff sacks for my two quilts and spare clothes - another 3oz penalty.Iceberg commented today that this was to be his last Thursday on the AT as we are planning to summit Katahdin on the 21st. We also arraigned for his (our) last resupply on Saturday when we¢ll get a food drop roughly 30 miles up trail from the people here at Shaw¢s. Not having to carry 5-6 days of food makes for happier, faster hikers. We also finalized post-trail plans on where to stay before heading for home or points South. The last hurdle will be trying to get into the thru-hiker campsite at Baxter State Park on the 20th.  But that¢ll get figured out too - this is fine.Si you may not be seeing a post from me until the 21st or 22nd as cell signals are nearly nonexistent between here and Katahdin.  I¢ll be writing posts daily and then putting them up if I catch a signal or when I get to Millinocket next week.Be well, and send some positive thoughts my way!