Date: 2006-08-28
From: East Branch Lean-To

To: Potaywadjo Spring Lean-To
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: light rain

Wow! 19.5 miles and I was not even sure that I could do 16! But I digress.   As the rain started to come down harder last night, ¢Squarel¢, NOBO thru hiking, arrived. He is a high school student from Georgia, who is thinking of starting college in the spring ¢ or maybe working at the Hostel at Nell¢s Gap! His trail name is the way that ¢Squirrel¢ is pronounced ¢ and the way that he spells it ¢ in Georgia. Like all of the NOBO thru hikers now, he is focused in on the finish of his hike and, like many of them, has a summit date ¢set for certain¢ because he has already bought his plane ticket home.    It rained intermittently all night long ¢ not realy heavy, but the showers were frequent during the night. I awoke at 4AM for an early start in a very cold, damp, wet and misty morning. I wanted an early start for an anticipated 16-mile day to Antlers Campsite ¢ a long day¢s hike for me ¢ and so I was ready to go before the sun was up.   I took a trip to the privy in the dark, and appreciated for the first time how difficult night hiking would be for me. I don¢t hike at night because of my difficulty with balancing ¢ the same condition that produces my fear of heights ¢ and, even with my headlight, on I have trouble with my balance. In addition to having difficulties in finding the trail last night, I could not distinguish the ¢blue¢ blazes from the ¢white¢ in the light of my headlamp, and spent an anxious few minutes wandering around the site in search of the elusive privy.   I was off at 6:30AM and soon faced my first challenge ¢ The Fording of the East Branch of the Pleasant River. It was not a problem to day and I was even able to rock hop across, with the help of a strategically placed ¢ and I believe artificially placed ¢ tree branch.   The ascent of Little Boardman Mountain was foggy, slippery and very cold, but not too difficult of an ascent, I did get a photo of Mountain View Pond before I climbed, with three stark and limbless trees standing in the mist. They reminded me of a crucifixion scene. After Little Boardman there is a quick initial descent and then the trail turns into trail magic foot candy with bon-bons for desert. It is one of the nicest sections of trail that I have ever hiked.   The trail is broad and level and slowly descending ¢ I just picked up my feet and the trail flew by underneath them. I was pushing just a little to cover my 16 miles, but I was just flying. The trail is so smooth and wide, and graded so nicely, that I think that it may be an old roadbed. Occasional bits of twisted metal add to that impression as you pass by their moldering remains returning to the forest.   At Kokadjo-B Pond Road there was trail magic, but my initial excitement was doused when I saw the attached note that said that the sodas and food were for ¢The Kentucky Boys¢ ¢ both of whom I met later in the day ¢ Tree Cat and Moss Foot ¢ who had flip flopped from N.J.      I had made excellent time to Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To, meeting there a SOBO trail maintainer, and the trail continued its magical smooth steady descent as far ahead as the eye could see. Everything was just clicking along and I was flying. I had to force myself to drink water and to take my snacks ¢ it felt as if I could hike on and on and on forever ¢ it was just magical. Here was Slow Walker flying along with effortless strides through the 100 Mile Wilderness!      And so it was still early afternoon ¢ on a cold but dry day, which had held off on the rain ¢ when I arrived at Antler¢s Campsite. The campsite is on a lake and has a beautiful view. But it was too early to stop ¢ and the forecast was for rain tonight ¢ so, after getting lost among the blue blazes for a few minutes, before finding the white again ¢ I was off north and hiking.   The trail was a little more rocky and rooty after the campsite, but I still continued to make good miles and time. I met with Grit Hog, SOBO from Connecticut, who knew Matt ¢ also SOBO from Connecticut, [with the big knife and the injured knee] who I had also met earlier in the day. Grit Hog assured me that the shelter was close.   And so it was, and so I am now here. Pat and her husband Brien are here with their dog Kathy ¢ all SOBO doing the 100 Mile Wilderness. Two more SOBO 100 Mile Wilderness hikers soon joined us. Squarel has also arrived, so the place is filling up.   So that is the story of how I hiked 19.5 miles in 10 hours ¢ I didn¢t mean to do it, honest! It just happened.Thought for Today ¢   The best way to do big miles,   Is to do them one at a time!