Date: 2015-09-04
From: West Branch Pleasant River

To: Crawford Pond
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Having camped next to the river last night, my morning started off with a fording. It was kind of chilly outside, but the river water was actually warmer. Looking at the guide, this seemed like it'd be my only river ford of the day. So two miles in when I came to the blue blaze loop trail to Gulf Hagas (a trail along a bunch of waterfalls and gorges that brings you back to the AT in another mile), I was eager to explore, but when I immediately came across a stream that needed fording, I thought "screw that, I don't want to have to keep taking my shoes off all day" and continued on. Maybe if I ever find myself hiking through the 100 mile wilderness again in my life I'll be sure to take that side trip.I was coming up to yet another one of the pond/bogs that look so inviting to moose, but having gotten so excited in the past and spending so much time scanning the perimeter for a moose and not seeing on, I just kept hiking. That is until I heard the sound of chewing. Sure enough there was a moose just hanging out and eating. It was my first moose sighting on the trail. There were a couple other hikers (slackpackers - again, this isn't really wilderness) just ahead that were still taking it all in. I offhandedly mentioned that I didn't have a camera and one of them offered to email me the photos she took (note: I still haven't received those photos. I think her name was BlackBear if anyone knows her and can send a reminder). I reached White Cap around lunch time. This is the last of the up & down mountains that I'll need to climb (still have to go down this though), and from here till Katahdin the terrain will be mostly easy going. But the really exciting part of reaching this peak is that it provides a northbound hiker the first view of Katahdin. It looks intimidating. I push on and do some extra miles today in order to reach my food bucket. I have enough food for the night and morning, but if I take care of this now, I'll have more time tomorrow to do a big mile day. With the flat and easy terrain that is supposed to be ahead of me, I'm really excited to get this hike finished. Just before reaching the turnoff towards my food, I came across a momma moose and her child. That makes for 3 moose in one day. I've been contemplating why spiders put out a single line of web across the trail. This action of theirs has been bothering me for nearly 5 months now. One simple theory is that they use it for transport to get across the trail. But if the ATC in Maine can't build bridges for hikers to cross rivers, I don't see why the spiders can't just ford the trail. Another theory is that it's some sort of lottery web for the spiders to try and catch a hiker. They're not expecting to actually win the lottery, but if one web catches a hiker than they're set for life. They'll have enough food to feed their family and never have to work again. Or maybe they see a hiker and think "look at all those orifices that I can lay my eggs in." Yet another theory is that it's a public service. If I get enough webs across my face, the mosquitoes and flies with no longer be able to bother me. Fitbit-------------Miles: 22.9Calories: 5100Stairs: 546