Date: 2006-08-31
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: East B Hill Rd
Miles today: 14.9

FINALLY! A really good day! I didn¢t say easy - I said good. Bama and the ¢crew¢ left the Speck Pond Shelter and she had planned a 10-mile hike to maybe Frye Notch Lean-to (she¢s in Maine and the shelters are called Lean-tos). Still wearing the wet, nasty clothes from the last three days, it was cold, about 35*. Needless to say what wearing wet, squishy clothes, socks and boots in 35* air feels like.She climbed to the top of Old Speck Loop (4,180 ft). At one point the wind was so strong that it knocked Bama over and she ended up ¢monkey walking¢ the rocks to keep her center of gravity down. The first mile and a half after Speck was the hardest but then the trail gradually got easier on the descent. She soon reached Grafton Notch at 1,498 ft. Professor and Jesse James caught up with her and they were thinking about going to the Grafton Notch SP. The others from last night had decided to hike on to East Andover (about 10 more miles) to a hostel called ¢The Cabin,¢ owned and operated by Margie (Honey) and Earle (Bear) Towne.About that time, a woman named Ram Bunny (one of The Cabin's caretakers) drove up and said, ¢Are you Bama? The others said for y¢all to come on and join them. Do you want me to lighten your load?¢ So Bama, Professor & Jesse James emptied their packs of heavy stuff and put it in Bunny¢s car. They had a quick lunch in the parking lot, and then they hiked on. Thanks everyone!Then back up to cross Baldpate Mountain¢s West and East Peaks (3,812 ft). It was really pretty and the overcast and doom & gloom from the previous days had turned into a bright, sunny day. The vistas were magnificent. The downside of Baldpate¢s terrain was much, much better and reminded Bama of woodsy trails in Vermont (Vermont looks a whole lot better now in retrospect).They reached East B Hill Road about 6:00 pm and Aqua (the other Cabin caretaker) was waiting on them. They had to hurry ¢ Honey serves dinner at 6:00 pm sharp! Soon they reached The Cabin and dinner was being held for them. Everybody was dressed up for a formal dinner in dresses, gowns and sports jackets!! What a sight! Bama, Professor & Jesse James almost fell out. This is something of a tradition ¢ Honey and Bear keep a closet full of town and dress-up clothes and everyone gets all dressed up ¢ what a hoot! Of course, Bama, Professor & Jesse James didn¢t have time to bathe or dress, but went right in and were welcomed to an excellent dinner of shepherd¢s pie, salad, zucchini casserole, corn on the cob and brownies and ice cream for dessert. Bama said she had two servings of everything and drank a quart of milk!Before long, the trail-worn, depressed mood everybody was in lifted and everyone was relaxed and having a good time. Bama felt the best she remembered in many a day. The crew tonight included Brainfreeze, Fiddlehead, G-Walk, Rusch Hour, Baldylocks, Moe & Ponch, Professor & Jesse James, Birkenstock, Cool Hand and others. Bama can¢t say enough good things about The Cabin and the owners¢ wonderful hospitality.The Cabin (www.thecabininmaine.com) in East Andover (207-392-1333) offers a stay on the lower floor of the three-story log home. The hikers¢ area has a modern, complete kitchen, full bath room, laundry area, bunk room, one private room and social area including CATV, VCR, phone and e-mail. All linens and blankets, extra cabin clothes and shoes are included. The fee is $17.50 per person, per day, tax included. All-you-can-eat (AYCE) meals are served family style: breakfast $7.00 and dinner $9.50 tax included. They also provide shuttles to the trails, airports and near-by shopping needs ¢ plus they sell hiking essentials. Tenting and RV camping is also available.Bill