Date: 2011-07-26
From: Madison Spring

To: stealth camp
Miles today: 16.0

It was wonderfully nice not to be disturbed in the morning. I slept in, waited a bit, but in the comforts of being indoors, and inside my sleeping bag. I think they made extra food for us, there were tons of pancakes, so many us hikers couldn't finish them. My stay at Madison was the best of all the huts. They were so helpful, and cheery. It's always nice to be out of the rain, but to have our own private room was so luxurious. We were all crammed in, we had to step over each other to get anywhere, but we were as happy as a worms is moist dirt. It was a shame though, I did such a petty job helping out with chores. I did a poor job sweeping. No one told me to do a thing. I now know I should have asked before I left. It is one of those things I regret to this day. Because the other hikers caught up to me on the windy rocky ridge of Madison mountain and informed me the crew were looking for me. I felt so terrible. I remember someone saying they radioed the other hut to not take me in. I felt like a naughty dog who shredded the family couch. Not only did I make the hut unhappy, my fellow hikers did not seem so pleased. I felt like I had to make it up. The climb down the whites was dangerously slippy. The one man started swearing, then apologized for his language and said those bleppen rocks don't move. He had hit his shin in the rock. The trail was really hairy. We took our time. I was excited to get to town and get my package at the post office. Once I got to the 'flat part' I still had miles to go. I crossed the auto road up Washington, that was weird, I totally could have skipped a whole section. I was here last morning, nothing like being reminded there's an easier way. Finally I can hear the road, and the other hikers pass me up at their altra man hiking pace. There's a gift shop and bathrooms, at the bottom, with toilet paper. Hand-me-down, was there, he said he was going to someone's house, I told him to invite me, then found out he was just kidding. I met a lady at this place, she was totally out of food, so I gave her some chewy bars, and let her nibble on my fig newtons. I invited her to hitch with me to town, she had never hitched before, but said she'd like that. I was hoping we could room at the same place, she was telling me about a hotel she was going to stay at, and how she longed for a bathe in a tub. She had sent all sorts of boxes to the gift shop, food, and gear. In all were three boxes. Took a while for the people there to locate them. Her one box was damaged, but her box was huge, and shipping cost was extra-mental since it had insurance, and wasn't in a flat weight box. I bought a postcard I ment to send home. Then we stood by the road, hitching. No one was coming I told her, it doesn't take long. Then someone pulling out of the gift shop gave us a lift. They asked about our hiking, this lady started half way, and was heading north, she skipped a large portion since she was injured for a while. She had about 25% of the trail completed. She had started out with a friend, but she decided to stop. I was dropped off at the post office with no invitation to room, with the lady, I felt deserted. I knew I didn't deserve it though, we could have had a fun time enjoying each others company, I should have offered to pay half, but I was too concerned about saving money. So I plotted on to the post office, where they didn't have my package, imagine that. The man there was extremely nice about it, and called up all the possible places the package could have gone to. We even called up a post office from another Gorham, in Maine, to see if perhaps it got confused. Then a man came in and asked for a package, and in a second they brought it out to him. He noticed I was having trouble, and said I could have his. I was dumbfounded, really? Then he explained he was finished with his section hike early and did't need his trail food. He then asked if I needed a ride anywhere. I told him I could go to the trail, I was confused at this moment, there were a lot of emotions going through my head. I was sad I hadn't found a place to stay, I was sad my package was lost, glad I was given a package. I wasn't sure if I should keep on searching for a place to stay, but there I was on my way to the trail. I saw blazes on the trail, he said this was a section on the road and he said he'd drive me to the tailhead. At the place I felt a bit confused. He asked if there was anything else he could do. I said no, and thank. It was after he was gone, that I realized I was not near the place I had left, infact I was twenty miles down the trail. I decided to just keep going. I had no water, and there was a long climb till I got to some water. I called my mother, and explained what I could about me skipping ahead. Four or five miles later thunder was booming, and then the rain came down. There were no shelters close, there wasn't even a campsite near. So I just stopped once it started raining, and nestled in the pinetrees. I had to break some branches to fit my hammock in.