Date: 2008-09-30
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-To

To: East Branch Lean-To
Miles today: 10.4

The morning started with the wet clothes ritual of the "moment of truth".Today would be a relatively short day, I really am not anxious to speed up the finish, I want to savour and enjoy everything.I met Sprite & Freckles on the trail as they were doing another Slack. As if seeing them wasn't good enough, they pulled out a Coke and a Suzy Q for me and Ohhhh was it good! It has been a couple of days since I have seen them, we fianlized our rendezvous plans in where to meet and pick up our food drop that we had mailed ahead, back in Rangeley.I had already climbed Gulf Hagas Mtn, West Peak and Hay Mountains and upon reaching the summit of White Cap mountain I found Mas & Blazing Star there with all their gear spread out to dry. Although there was heavy cloud cover above, it didn't hinder the view of the surrounding mountains covered in firey colors of orange, red,and yellow. You just couldn't take your eyes off the view.I opened the camera that Cotton Joe gave me, I was saving it for Katahdin, but I just couldn't pass this up. With Tail-Gate and the New Hampshire Boys arriving, it was a get together with a great view. After snacking, I relunctantly moved on but enjoyed as I walked, the view for a while longer before descending back down below treeline and into the woods.I soon came into a seemingly endless White Birch forest with colored Maples. It was so beautiful, it literally brought tears to my eyes. I mentioned before that autumn is my favorite time of year and this is a perfect example of why? When I die, other than my loved ones, the colors of fall is the last thing I want to see. Not this fall, or the next, but in the fall none the less.The 100 Mile Wilderness has conjured up all kinds of imagination? But for me in being here now, it has allowed me to let go of distractions and thoughts of town, and has brought my focus back to the trail. Here will take place some of the final images I will imprint into my memory, reminding me and never letting me forget, all that was great in it's rugged beauty of the AT.It has become a Corridor of Reflection where I have laughed out loud and also had tears flood my eyes in looking back on the past 6 months. Having been able to share and live in this wilderness has redifined what I thought it meant to live and actually be free.I have also discovered emotions I was unaware that existed in me. When I think of people whom I have met, shared campfires and laughter with, and who have since had to leave the trail, I think about the calling that brought strangers together and left parting as friends and even family.I have clearly begun to see things differently. When you live your passion it becomes easy to see the things you need in life and to recognize the ones that serve you no purpose and denies happiness. If nothing else, I have at least learned this.I am low on water and fortunately have come upon this shelter that is fairly new. I notice it has a roof with translucent panels that lets in the light. The shelter and the setting it is nestled in, is so inviting, I decided to stay here for the night.The area was flooded where the spring was suppose to be earlier, so I went to the river to get water. In my Nalgene it had the appearrance and color of tea. I have always treated my water, so a little grit won't hurt.I was able to spread my gear out in hopes of it drying somewhat. It wasn't really warm and there was no direct sunlight but atleast it wasn't raining.I got out of my wet boots and socks and went into flip flop mode. Other than at night, my feet have been sopping wet for the past 4 days. The water has been continuously cold enough to mask the pain and burn from where my feet have become damaged. Hang in their boys, just a little while longer.This area of woods has it's own special feel and look about it? This shelter is one of the cleanest I have seen, The sign indicating the name of this shelter is different than the one recorded in other publications.In looking around I discoverd a deck of cards on a wooden cross beam and have been playing solitare, what else?I had dinner with some daylight still remaining. Afterward, I just laid back in my sleeping bag,listening to the subtle sounds of the woods and let my thoughts drift where ever they may. I always want to remember this time and spot, as today was a special gift in having it to myself. It reminded me of a saying I heard somewhere that goes like this: Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery but Today is a gift, that's why it is called the Present.