Date: 2007-10-04
From: Pine Ellis Hiking Lodge, Andover, Maine

To: Hall Mtn Lean-to, Maine
Miles today: 6.0

David from the Pine Ellis Hiking Lodge dropped me off at East B Hill Rd where it intersects the AT and I began hiking north. As I do when I leave town; I am carrying too much weight. I dropped my tent; my flip flops; my titanium drinking cup; and my inflatable Therma Rest sleeping pad. I had acquired a 3/4th body length Z-Rest sleeping pad that would suffice for the next 3 weeks or so. I knew that it was a little risky to hike up this far north and this late in the year with out carrying any shelter; but, I fgured that I could stay in the shelters; since there were not too many people out hiking this time of year. As I was walking: I noticed that my right knee was still a little tight. It was not debilitating as it had been the last couple of days; but, I still noticed some pain. It was a lovely day and the leaves were just about ready to be in peak colors and I could not understand why more people were not out here hiking. I know the ATC; MATC; and The Baxter State Park really stress that all thru hikers should finish by Oct 1st and the BSP even shuts down for overnight camping by Oct 15th. With all of this advice; I still did not have a real sense of urgency to "get my butt in gear". So, when I got to the shelter; I had kind of a lazy feeling and just sat down and read the whole Hall Mtn Lean-To register. It was amazing to read about all of the folks that I had met. One funny entry was from "The Professor"; whom I had not seen since Pearisburg, Va when I was Hiking with "Mo Lassus, The Jersey Diamond". He had a message for Mo. It said,"Come on Mo, I know that your back there!" MO had given up In Port Clinton, PA. It seemed that everyone was "Shouting Out" to all of their friends that were behind them. Many had left the trail; but, these folks did not know this. The register was also full of remarks about how tired people were and how homesick. There were also several entries about people "throwing in the towel". As a psychologist and thru hiker; I really pondered a hiker's decision to give up at this point. Anyone that had made it this far was definetly a tough individual and figured that I would not judge anyone that went home. It is sooo damn close though. As I sat at the shelter; I kept hearing voices off in the distance; but, in the same location and not too far away. Soon "Bonnie and Clyde" showed up. They were happy to see me and as they put it: happy to have cought someone. They said that they had just cooked dinner down at a spring that was the shelter's water source. I told them that I had heard them singing and Bonnie said that she was singing as she pooed. She said that she dad not been feeling well with a nausea. She was seriously thin for a female. They said that her father was coming out to pick them up in a day or two and they were going to ride up to Kathadin and summit. I told them that I had been feeling that nausea as well. I told them that I thought it was our diets that are high in sodium and low in protein. The only way that I can get rid of the feeling is to drink alot of water. The argued a bit about the nights destination and then they were on their way. Before they left; they told me that "BlackFoot" was in Gorham, NH with Gang green of the foot or something. I stayed at the shelter and slept pretty well and was kind of happy to see my friends, the mice, again. I went to sleep thinking that I was trying to sabotage my trip by not pushing harder and feeling bad that some of journal entries had been taken as "offensive" by one thru hiker.