Date: 2015-07-15
From: Sabbath Day Pond Lean To

To: Woods Road 
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning I had to get up and use the the privy just as it was getting light. After I got back into my tent, 10-Speed called out from his tent asked if I want to get started since he is also awake. So we did. It worked out really well, because as soon as we had our tents packed up it started raining. We stood under the shelter overhang to eat breakfast and hoped it would stop, but it only started raining harder. 10-Speed ran through the rain to use the privy before we started, then after he finished using it, he slipped on the wet wooden steps and fell down the entire flight of six steps. After examining himself to make sure he didn't break anything, we discusses how bizarre that would have been if it had ended his AT thru hike. We climbed up and down ridiculously hazardous rock jumbles, slanted slabs, and cliffs in the past few days without any serious mishaps, now a few privy steps nearly did us in.We headed out into the rain around 6:00, I didn't bother wearing any rain gear, because it was too warm. The trail was a muddy mess and I was soaking wet in short order. I tried to keep my feet dry but gave up after about a quarter mile into the day. Oh well, we were going to town to resupply and shower anyway, and it didn't really matter.We did a quick nine miles and got to the road which was 9 miles from Rangely. We just tried hitching, when a middle aged couple walked out of the woods with backpacks. After talking to them and finding out that they were wrapping up an overnight camping trip and finding out that they had a car I asked if they are going toward Rangely and if we could ride along. The lady jokingly said we can if we don't get the seats wet. We offered to be tied to the roof of the SUV, but they relented and let us sit in the back and dropped us off at grocery store.We did our shopping in wet and smelly hiking duds and ignored the looks we got from other shoppers. When we got outside and we're getting ready to repackage our food into our food bags, the people from the Farmhouse Inn stopped and asked if we need a place to stay. When I told them we don't, but that we need showers, she offered to take our backpacks and groceries to the Inn so that we can get something to eat first then go to the Inn to shower and pack our food. After getting a burger, fries, and a few Cokes we headed over to shower. By this time it had stopped raining and the sun had come out. We showered, did laundry cowboy style, aired out our sleeping bags, charged our phones, and packed our food, then we got a ride back to the trail when they took some other hikers out. What great luck and what nice people.We were back on the trail by 2:00 and started climbing with ridicously heavy packs. We had enough food to go to Munson, which will be our last resupply. We got to the top of Saddleback Mountain which is 4120', then dropped down a bit and climbed up to The Horn, which is at 4032'. After dropping back down and going a few miles, we summitted Saddleback Junior, which is 3655'. The skies were clear, and it was much cooler than the it was the past few days, and the wind was sailing on the mountaintops. It never ceases to be exhilarating to be climbing around above the tree line on exposed mountains with the wind threatening to scrape you off the top. It was absolutely thrilling! 10-Speed and I talked about how this is just as good or better than the Presidential Range in the Whites. It is so much less accessible, and less crowded, than Mount Washington.We kept on hiking till we couldn't see anymore and set up camp down low by a waterfalls. It is remarkable how a day can start out rather miserable, but end up so fantastic.