Date: 2018-08-26
From: Caratunk B&B Hostel

To: Bald Mt Brook shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

I absolutely loved staying at Paul's hostel. I was comfortable all night but as usual I think too much about the upcoming section and slept intermittently. It was very hard to leave this morning. Breakfast was served family style in the dining room which is furnished with antiques properly suited for the farmhouse. I enjoyed the conversation and company of our fellow hikers and we all worked together to clear the table for Bonny. Then I finished my pack, squared up with Paul, filled my water bottles, hugged Paul and Bonny and said a goodbye to Gibson before setting off down the street and to the trailhead. It was a late start at 8:45. Today's hike wasn't the most difficult but it was hard on me and it was my own fault. Staying hydrated is key and I let myself down a bit in that department today. Hiking up from the trailhead I stopped and talked with Ridge runner Edbeard. He confirmed that the Penobscot tribe has booked the campgrounds in Baxter State Park for Labor Day weekend and to avoid summiting Katahdin during that time if possible. No problem for me, we're expecting at Sept 6th summit. I ran into Cribbage and Red Hawk at the blue blaze trail to the pond and decided not to hike the .2 down and then back up. I wasn't going to swim and I didn't want to waste the time. I also met the Bolton family hiking with 3 beautiful little girls all wearing custom Pleasant Pond Mountain t-shirts. They let me skip in front of them as we began the climb. My pack felt heavy today with a fresh 3 day supply and I noticed increased humidity so of course my shirt was drenched half way up. At the summit we had a snack break with River, Cribbage and Red Hawk and the Bolton family arrived for their lunch at the summit. After enjoying a handful of blueberries compliments of Red Hawk's hard work I continued on. I drank almost my liter and a half of water by the time I reached Moxie Pond at 4:15. Not enough for the 7.5 hours of work and 12 miles of hiking. I was thinking about getting to the parking lot and taking one of the stealth sites noted there, feeling unable to hike the remaining 2.8 miles to Bald Mt Brook shelter as I'd planned. Red Hawk and Cribbage were sitting on a dock at the pond so I dropped my pack and joined them for a rest, drinking what was left in my half liter bottle. River arrived shortly after and when I voiced that I couldn't make it to the shelter they were all surprised especially River who knows me. Surmising that I was dehydrated and probably hungry River went to my pack and grabbed my empty bottle, filter and snacks from my waist bag where I keep them. I filtered water and drank 20oz and ate my snacks. At 5pm we left there and I hiked the remaining 2.8 miles making it to Bald Mt Brook shelter and settling up camp by 6:30pm on my second wind. The trail was cooperative and I felt so much better. The others stopped at the power lines to pick blueberries but arrived right after me. I washed up in the brook and Red Hawk entertained us with some hiker TV during dinner (a fire in the fire pit). We hung our bags all from his bear line and went to bed as the forest darkened at 8pm. One other tenter was there but he never came out and one other hiker passed thru. I'm quite comfy in this spot and I can hear the Brook from my tent. It's very soothing.