Date: 2015-08-08
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I awoke to the warmth of the sun shining on me through a nearby window and the cool breeze flowing through. I looked around the room and saw Yoohoo, Huey, and Rabbit still sleeping. In no hurry myself, I'd spend the next half hour listening to music and avoiding having to get moving. The guys each began getting up around 8:30am and we'd slowly begin prepping for the day. That is, of course, until Rabbit tossed in the movie "Up" and our progress would come to a halt as we'd watch it, sharing good laughs in the process. Upon the completion of the movie we sat outside with Huckleberry Finch and a couple other hikers planning to zero today and began discussing our options. Before we knew it we'd be zeroing as well. We punched the numbers and agreed that we could still reach Mt. Katahdin in 12 days as long as we stick to the schedule from here on out. With a cheesy hands-in and "USS Bennington" like you'd hear from a sports team, our plan was set.Over the next half hour as we began slipping back into our unplanned lazy mode, one of the farm animals, a pig named Pearl, approached Rabbit's pack and snatched a Snickers bar from an open pouch. Rabbit and I quickly sprang into action trying to catch Pearl as she scurried off under some picnic tables nearby. Grunting as she dodged, dipped, ducked, and dodged her way out of our reach, the Snickers - wrapper and all - was soon a distant memory. The folks at the hostel kindly replaced the Snickers from the resupply they offer hikers and we all enjoyed a good laugh. Pearl soon returned and began chewing at my pack after locating a pack of gum in one of my outside pockets. I was able to catch her in the act and move my pack out of her reach.Soon after, Yoohoo, Huey, Rabbit and I were on old, well-used mountain bikes heading into Rangeley for lunch. In what assumed would be an easy ride due to our stronger legs, we all struggled a bit cresting a large hill halfway between the farm and town. I think it was more due to the lack of working gears than it was our lack of leg strength. The town was busy with what I assume is the usual hustle and bustle of Sunday tourists during the Summer. Our first stop was a sign almost unnoticed if it weren't for a few people taking a picture beneath it - a sign marking the halfway point between the North Pole and the Equator, both 3,107 miles from our location. We stood beneath the sign, grinning and repeating "Rangeley" as a tourist snapped our picture.We then biked over to the nearby Moose Loop Cafe where we planned to eat lunch. We were seated outside on the patio, given menus, and not helped again for close to ~15 minutes. We finally decided to give it 5 more minutes, but only needed 3 to decide we were done after a family was served their drinks immediately after arriving. I'm not knocking the place, but even as thru-hikers we have standards. Hunger is a serious thing. We were soon back on our bikes heading a few blocks to the Red Onion, a pizzeria type place offering a variety of foods. Within minutes of sitting we realized the difference in service as we had cold beverages to drink, an attentive waiter, and a plastic cup of crayons so that I could complete a word search. Ordering a Reuben and club sandwich to save for dinner, I soon found myself wondering where both my sandwiches disappeared to. The fullness of my stomach gave the answer away. Crap. Back on our bikes we made our way to get some ice cream. Huey, Rabbit and I sat in the warm sun of a picnic table discussing the direction of our lives after completing the trail within the next 2 weeks. Ultimately a question we couldn't answer with much certainty, we instead did what we knew how to do - eat our delicious ice cream.Jumping back on our bikes, the tires of mine seeming to be a bit flatter than I remember before eating, we huffed and puffed our way back up and over the hill as we returned to the Farmhouse. Once back our plans were to do nothing more than relax away the remainder of the afternoon - napping, lounging, watching movies, etc.. After watching the movie "Fluke," not as good as I remember as a kid, we're currently rebounding with a masterpiece in the form of 1997's "Twister." Bill and Joe are about to square off with the final EF5 and it looks to be like quite the matchup.Hopefully completing this journal early this evening will help with more sleep tonight. Less than 2 weeks remaining and it begins with the Saddleback's in the morning. I couldn't be any happier than I am right now and what I have been over the past few weeks and months of this journey. The next 2 weeks will most likely bring ass-burning mountains, pits of pudding-like mud, roots with arms whose mission is to bring me down, and cold, sleepless nights...but I wouldn't want it any other way. Onward in the morning.Just as I finish these last few thoughts, Pearl just came grunting her way through the room in search of food. I'm going to miss being able to be a pig like her.Here's to a Pearl-like appetite, an ice cream flavored mustache hours after completion, and Maine's turn to impress.*Thank you, S.H., for following and sharing your kind words. I may never be the best hiker (many of my falls, dumb route choices, and ponderings don't make my journal,) but if I can be one of your favorites to follow, I'll take that as a win. Cheers.