Date: 2018-09-19
From: Dirt Road 

To: Bemis Mountain Road 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

As Hugs and I exited the vehicle it began to sprinkle. Our hike started going UP. The truth is, if it¢s raining, going UP is by far easier than going DOWN. By the looks of the forest, it must have rained all night in the mountains.  The forest was lovely today! Other than a few rocks and roots the trail was just a good ole hiking trail! No mountain climbing today. Much of the path was Pine straw carpet. My joints love that!  I really enjoyed the new colors in the forest today. Maple leaves are turning red and gold. I saw yellow elm leaves, and the ferns are turning orange. The plant that¢s turning a plum color was scattered in there too. All of those colors mixed in with evergreen pines made a beautiful mural! There was a lot of moose poop today! In one 5 yards area there were several piles. I wondered if moose run in herds like cows or deer? I¢m sure all those piles didn¢t come from one moose. But as usual, I had all the evidence...no moose.  Shortly after the moose poop extravaganza I found myself face to face with Groucho! I have not seen him since Damascus. His wife was slack packing him because of a neck injury. That¢s all healed now and he¢s very close to finishing! We had a nice talk, wished each other well and went on our ways.  I was ahead all morning doing my usual hike in silence. I really enjoy listening to the sounds of nature. And that¢s what I got from a very aggravated squirrel! I must have come too close to his stash or maybe a nest. I¢m not sure but boy I got an earful of chatters and squeals! A pond came up on my left. I walked to the shore to look for moose. There was a boat pulled up on land, but not a person around. No moose either. But there was mist coming up off the pond, and that was beautiful.  Hugs caught up to me about that time and we walked on together. In a short distance standing there on the trail was a Spruce Grouse. AKA the black and grey chicken!  I took a lot of pictures, they really do look like a chicken of sorts. We walked together past another pond to a blue blaze. The blue blaze took us to our lunch spot, Sabboth Day Pond Lean-to. We took about a 20 minute break and headed out to finish up our hike. With a mile left to go we learned there was magic at our end point today. I was praying for pop. When we got there my prayers were answered! Orange Crush and a Little Debbie¢s snack cake! Four angels were there serving up hot food too if we wanted it. We chose not to eat hot because Papa Big Swig was there to pick us up. Papa Big Swig had spent his day moving our camper to New Hampshire. I can¢t believe it won¢t be much longer before I cross that state line!  We picked up a couple of hikers who were hitchhiking into town and dropped them off at a BnB before going to the campsite. As we pulled into the campgrounds I could see Big Kahuna! There he was pitching his tent! Happy happy happy! My trail brother is back! He¢s here to help Papa Big Swig with logistics, and to get us girls through the Whites. He knows them inside and out! It¢s sooo good to his smiling face again!  Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018)Where¢s your faith?