Date: 2014-08-19
From: Stealth campsite at Oberton Stream

To: Straton Motel and Hostel via Rt 27
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: few clouds

A week ago when I entered Maine, my former boss, Bobbi, who is living her own dream oil painting in Maine, offered to provide trail magic at an AT road crossing a couple hours from her house on the coast. We settled on Rt 27 not far from Straton, where I had planned to resupply and spend the night tonight in a hostel. Although it was only 19 miles to the meeting point today, the AT passed near or over four 4000-foot peaks, so I knew it would be a tough day. I had set my alarm last night for 5:00 am to get an early start. It was another cold night in my tent by the falls. Like yesterday, I packed up by headlamp and cringed when it came time to put on my socks, which were still wet and cold from fording the river the previous evening. I hit the trail at 6:00, before the sun had made its way above the ridge I was climbing.The forecast called for good weather, and today the weatherman or woman delivered. The first climb of the day was up Spaulding Mountain, and since the AT bypassed the summit, I dropped my pack and took the short side trail to the top. An hour later I did the same thing at Sugarloaf Mountain, site of the popular ski area, but this time the side trip added an extra mile to my day. Between Spaulding and Sugarloaf, I passed a plaque honoring those men from the Civilian Conservation Corps who had completed the final link of the AT in 1937 near that spot. I wonder if they had envisioned the large number of women who thru-hike the trail today. There was a long, rocky descent to cross the Carrabaset River before heading up South Crocker, and by this time the day had become quite warm in the early-afternoon sun, so I took a dip to cool off and clean up. The swim gave me a burst of energy for the ascents of South Crocker and Crocker Mountain. The actual river crossing, which was listed as requiring a ford in my guide, could be rock hopped due to a board that had been placed across two boulders spanning the river's primary channel.I met a section hiker, Steech, at the top of South Crocker. His original thru-hike in 2006 was cut short in Gorham, NH by a health issue, and he's now filling in the missing pieces in Maine. After texting Bobbi with my approximate arrival time, Steech and I hiked most of the final six miles down to the road together. I was feeling exhausted on the descent after yesterday's big day and climbing four more peaks today.Bobbi was nowhere to be found when we arrived at the road. Turns out she was walking around looking for the trailhead from which we'd emerge from the woods. Since New Hampshire, it's frequently been the case that finding where the trail enters the woods at a road crossing is a challenge. When we finally found her, or she found us, she pulled two coolers out of her car filled with sandwiches, soda, and apples. Since there was way too much food for just Steech and me, Bobbi gave food to another hiker who arrived in the parking lot, plus his dog. The food helped revive me after a tough day on the trail. Thanks so much, Bobbi.We then drove with Bobbi to Straton, where Steech and I are staying in a hostel tonight. Bobbi and I had dinner together across the street at a tavern before she hopped back in her car for the ride back to the Maine coast.