Date: 2003-09-29
From: Campsite

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 11.3

start campsitedestination East Branch Lean To I woke up early this morning to the sounds of silence. No rain hitting my tent,not even any dripping from the trees. But, boy was it ever cold! I guess the front moved the rain out and brought the cooler weather in. Once again I chose not to fire up my stove. It was way too cold to do anything but pack up and hike. My tent was still pretty wet,but I wiped it off as best I could. In fact pretty much everything is still damp,including my hair. I was not on the trail more than ten minutes when I came up to the lean to. If only I had of hike a few more minutes last night. But there is no way to tell with the terrain the way it is,along with the rain. The trail this morning was covered in fallen red maple leaves. They covered the ground like a thick mottled red carpet,with some yellows mixed in for contrast. The waist high usually green ferns have turned brown,touched by the frost that has alrady been here. Climbing Gulf Hagas Mountain was the first climb of the day,followed clo! sely by West Peak,Hay Mountain and finally the last big climb before MT. Katahdin,White Cap Mountain! White Cap Mountain stands at 3650 ft. I was hoping for a faraway glimpse of Katahdin from the top but all you could see was a sea of white. White clouds hanging so low you can feel them as they roll across your face like a early morning dew. So much for the views of Maine. I stopped just south of White Cap Mountain for lunch. I found a little stealth camp spot,surrounded by pines and ate lunch. It was not too long after that ,I noticed the temperature had fallen . Sure enough I could see my breath! I finished my lunch hurridly and started hiking as fast as I could. I was already shivering and my fingers were numb with the cold. It didn't take long to warm up though,once I got over to the other side of the mountain. Here,the trees were all turned to golden,their leaves waving in the breeze,as if to say " Here,get a close look at autumn,winter is on it's way. The trail was fe! stooned with the birch trees all golden colored with a few maple trees ,their leaves still hanging on with their coats of red and green. The huge boulders along the trail were covered with a thick dark moss,giving the forest an enchanted look. I saw moose droppings several times,and even saw where they had laid in the little bit of sun we had earlier in the day. The grasses pushed over in a semi circle. But no moose sightings for me yet! made good time to the next lean to,however it was still too early to stop,so I checked the register and headed on. I come to a paved road.There is a note laying under a rock for thru hikers heading north. It is from my friend Morph. As of 8:00am this morning the East Branch of the Pleasent River is too high to ford safely. He and some others are going to try to hitch around it. Since I am not planning on going that far tonight,I continue north until I come to the shelter. I set up my tent and string a clothes line ,hoping my rain gear and socks will dry somewhat. The sun peeks it's head out for a few minutes! as I go down to the water source for water for my evening meal. This is the same river I will have to ford first thing in the morning. Yuck! It is out of it's banks as it rushes along,swollen by the days rain yesterday and last night. I spy a rock in the stream and note that the water is just over the top of it. I will use this as a gauge in the morning to tell if the water level has dropped any overnight. The shelter is empty,so I have the place all to myself. What a luxury to cook,then eat at a table! I put too much water in my mashed potatoes,so I add a little bit of instant cheddar soup to thicken them up. Not too bad! I also fix a cup of hot tea and enjoy the antics of a chipmunk as he begs me for a morsel of food. I resist the temptation and hope Mudbut would be pleased with me. He fusses as I pack up and then hang my food bag ot of his reach from the ceiling of the shelter. There is a bench down at the water's edge,so I take my tea down there and sit while the sun d! rops lower and lower in the western sky. I watch as the water rushes by. I contemplate how much like that river my life is like. It seems as if I can rush here and there ,chasing after things I think I need or want,never taking the time to just be still and grateful for what I have and where I am. I certainly hope when I get home I can remember to take time to enjoy the simple things in life. To really take time to see the beauty all around me. I hope I can motivate myself to get up early and come here for my devotion. A perfect place to seek God and his goodness and maybe see a moose at the same time! I cannot finish eating my pecan caramel roll. It is my most favorite treat,and I have been hoarding this one for such a night like tonight. I wrap the remains up and stuff it into my food bag which is hanging upside down in the shelter. I will finish it tomorrow. As I sit in my tent tonight it starts raining..AGAIN..I hope I do not have to back track to the logging road in the morning. Hopefully it will not rain too long tonight. Everything is ! damp,it seeps into my sleeping bag and gets next to my bones. I wish for a hot fire to warm myself by,and to dry out my things.   total miles 11.3