Date: 2022-08-24
To: West Gravel Beach
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Huh. Even if I only do ten-ish miles a day, Katahdin is coming up. Looks like Rainbow Dam tomorrow, Hurdle Friday, and I might arrive at Baxter on Saturday for a Sunday summit. Katahdin was so abstract until I could see the damned thing. So I finished my day at 1:30. Probably could have gotten a couple more miles in there, but I just got my food resupply yesterday and, again, Katahdin is getting real close. Sooo. Yay! New lake! This one isn¢t NEARLY as welcoming to swim in cause there is mud within view and I feel like leeches might be present. They are in most of the ponds and lakes up here. Not yesterday¢s pond. That one was basically pooped out by a unicorn. Woke up earlier than necessary but enjoyed just looking out the open door of my tent to the lake. Last night around 2am the rain started. Somehow Two Braids slept though it and Quitter didn¢t notice for a good five minutes. He woke her up and they both went into their tents. I assumed, oops, they had gone into their tents earlier when I woke up to the soft start of the rain and heard no one else stir. How could people sleep through rain on their face? Easily, it would appear. Anyway, none of us slept well between the rain and the stars. All of us kept waking up and looking at the stars instead of just going back to sleep. Whatever. Instead of an early start, most folks slept in. I, however, was in my birthday suit at 5:30 in the center of the lake watching the sunrise. No point in getting stuff wet! Wasn¢t until nearly eight when I got going. The dudes left after me but still passed me. Two Braids was aiming to do a 20 with Perceval so she gave herself a two-hour head start. I met up with the dudes at the next shelter where we all got water from The Best Spring on the AT. It was pretty good. Not as amazing at the spring I hit a couple days back, but it was better than the tepid lake water we all dumped out and replaced.So, it turns out I had met Perceval before. Way back in PA or NY, I crossed a road in the rain and a man was passing out coffee. I didn¢t need the coffee, but I think he had apples as well. Perceval came down while I was there, got a cup of coffee, and kept going. He remembered meeting me and figured it out the other day. Well done! So here I am. It¢s nearly 8:30. Gonna stand up and check the sky in about twenty minutes. Let the darkness settle in. I¢m at a nice, actual camping spot that has a picnic table! A hiker I¢ve seen a couple times now, Pasta, ended up joining me here. By him being here, the spot is just a little too full for someone else to join and a few folks are at the tenting sites just a few minutes back. It¢s nice cause he is a quiet dude and it¢s kinda like being alone, but we¢ve met a few times now so dinner was sociable. The spot we are at must be popular for locals to boat to. There was an abandoned folding chair, a ton of red marbles all over the place, and a 28oz can of Bush Beans we split. The problem is, we opened the can. Now it¢s trash. And not just any trash, sharp trash that can tear gear. I feel badly about this, but I washed it so it wouldn¢t get gross and attract animals but¢¦. I¢m leaving it here. Hopefully the boat people won¢t mind scooping it when they come back. I picked up a few pieces of small litter I¢m going to pack out!!!Time jump: 9:30 pm. The sky is crystal clear, the lake is still as a painting, and the stars are reflected in the water. I¢m hoping someone out here is seeing this tonight, too. Less magical, there are a ton of critters running around the site tonight and it¢s so still and quiet, of course all I can do is listen. Leave my food bag alone!!!