Date: 2003-09-01
From: ME15, Monson (1240') 

To: ME15, Monson (1240')
Miles today: 0.0

Aloha! Ahhh... life is good. No, life is great! It still surprises me that one single day off the trail can make so much difference in the way the body feels. What a difference a day makes!Today's zero has been planned since almost the beginning of the trek. I want one day to prepare for the final assault, one rest day before starting into the 100-Mile Wilderness and then attacking Katahdin. A mental day if you will. I'm past physically tired and that can't be remedied in one day but the mental aspects can. This was my day to do it. I'm so glad I did too. Lots of good came out of it.First off, the breakfast the Shaws¢ serve is fantastic. Much like a short order type place you tell them whether you want a 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 or 4x4. By doing so you have just ordered the number of eggs, sausages, bacon, ham, and pancakes or French toast you want. Order a 3x3 and you'll get three of everything. Huge! You also order the eggs anyway you want them. Any way! In my case I went with a 2x2 but skipped the sausage, bacon and ham. Mr. Shaw thought that was nuts but fixed the eggs perfectly sunny-side up. The pancakes probably would have been sufficient. It was definitely a filling breakfast. The rest of the morning was spent doing the logistics for the 100-Mile Wilderness portion that begins tomorrow. This can be a daunting task. This final 100-mile section is supposedly through some of the most remote-feeling mountains and forests traversed by the Trail. Signs at each end of the Wilderness suggest that you carry a ten-day supply of food. Luckily most hikers make it through in less time. But it's still hard to judge if you don't know and can't see what's ahead. The one saving grace is that the Wilderness isn't quite as remote as it once was. Now the White House Landing Wilderness Camp is 73.5 miles north of Monson. That means a shower, a huge hamburger and mail drop or resupply. Just have to make it to there and you're home free. Thank goodness because there's no way I could carry 10 days of food!Thanks to Old Corpus, after our logistics meeting, I don't even have to carry three days of food. Wuhuu! Old Corpus is going to move his truck forward to Abol Bridge for the last time. Enroute though he is going to do something he does each time - cache food in a hidden place in the woods. He's done this his whole trip and has yet to lose a bag either to hikers or critters. He's offered to loan me his unused cache bags (www@ursack.com) to do the same. It didn't take me but a second to jump on this deal. I packed in two days of food while Coffee added 1.5 days. Old Corpus has since hidden it and we'll pick it up our third day out. Excellent! As long as Old Corpus doesn't run off and leave me I'm good.The rest of the day was pretty much spent awaiting the arrival of Pizazz and Gutsy. Having spoken to Pizazz last night I knew she was picking up Gutsy from The Cabin in Andover and bringing her to join us in Monson. Gutsy has had two weeks to let her knees mend and feels ready to hit the trail with us tomorrow. That's great. It'll be nice to have her back with us.Pizazz had hoped to hike along with me for a couple of days but other commitments are keeping her from being able to do so. I still think it's wonderful that she's taken the time to come and give me that one last final send off before the completion. We had also hoped to hike that together but again, her prior engagements (busy gal) keep that from happening also. That's okay though. Her constant support through this return portion of my Grand Adventure is more than anyone could have hoped for. I'm a lucky gal and know it.With Pizazz's help, CeeBee, her friend Irene (who is joining for the 100-Mile Wilderness and Katahdin portion), Coffee and I have completed our grocery shopping and are ready to go. Once again thanks to Pizazz my dinner sack includes a lemon-pepper linguini, sun dried tomato with cashew nuts dinner. Yummm..... I'm eating in style as always!Prior to dinner, our little "family" gathered around a table outside for a little wine and question and answer session with Pizazz. She took the time to point out numerous recommended camping and do-not-miss spots in the Wilderness. The lady knows Maine. Watching everyone, she must have done her duty because it looked like copious notes were being taken. Sure hope that's what they were doing. I was just drinking the wine myself. (teehee!)Tonight's dinner with the Shaws was a smaller affair with only eight dining but you would have thought 80 were due in. Pork chops with all the fixings was the menu for this evening. Even though I'm not a pork eater I still found way more than enough to fill my belly. These folks truly do know how to feed hungry hikers. Twenty-six years and 36000 hikers have given them plenty of practice!The rest of our evening has been spent doing little more than chatting and enjoying Gutsy's SoCo-Coco. In short, hot chocolate with Southern Comfort. A lovely nightcap for sure. If you've never tried it, and I hadn't, I would highly recommend that you do. It's a given that I'll be buying some Southern Comfort when I get home. I hear it's going to be a really cold winter!Before I forget, I do want to wish my "baby" brother, Rob, the happiest of birthdays. Happy 40th birthday fella. Remember, no matter how old you get, you'll always be "pun¢kin¢ to me! Love ya guy! Hope it was special.Okay, except to thank Pizazz once again for all she's done for me, mahalo Pizazz, it's time to turn off the lights and get some sleep. Tomorrow is the beginning of the end. I'm excited but also a little sad. I'll try and explain that later on when I get it worked out in my head. For now though, you go practice-making SoCo-Cocos and I'll sleep mine off. Goodnight.Blood, Sweat and Tears: nahAches and Pains: steep stairs keep the right knee reminding me of my non-gazelle like attributes.Moans and Groans: we ran out of hot chocolate!...waah!Critter count: an adorable six-week-old puppy owned by the Shaws. Name = Katahdin.Countdown: 114.5 miles