Date: 2004-07-17
From: White House Landing

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

(Noon). What a beautiful day. I am lovin' the trail this morning. We had an early breakfast thin morning because Bill and LInda Ware (the owners) had a lot of shuttles planned this morning including Josh's shuttle to Millenocket and my shuttle to the trail. Josh and I parted company about 7:50 AM and as Bill piloted the boat with me and three others in it away from the dock, I saw Josh walking toward the truck with Linda. Goodbye to a piece of paradise..White House Landing and Goodbye to my good hiking partner.I stepped out of the boat and started walking alone. Within an hour I had gotten lost and slipped off a wet, green log bridge into a stream. Oh well, it only makes life more interesting. In fact, guess what the name of the stream is...Tumbledown Dick Stream. Yep, I'm serious.Now I am sitting on a rock on the side of Woods Road having a bagel and a handful of freshly picked raspberries for lunch. I have been making good time even without my hiking partner. I'm halfway to Wadleigh Stream Lean-to, my day's planned destination. My feet feel GOOD. I still have taped blisters. Josh taped my feet and toes really well before breakfast. I hope they heal up soon because Katahdin looms ahead. We have had several looks at is as we hiked the last few days.I plan to hike Katahdin, then return to the wilderness as a SOBO util I get to the White House Landing Wilderness Camp again. Then I will take a plane (pontooon bush plane) from Pemadumcook Lake to Monson. Apparently the pilot can land the plane on a lake behind The Pie Lady's house! I will be able to easily re-stock, launder. and continue on easily. It seems like a terrific addition to my AT advendure!!!OK gotta get moving... I will write more later.It is 3:38 now. I arrived at the Wadleigh Stream Lean-to about 3:00. After leaving my lunch spot, I made good time just strolling along. The traIl is nice with lots of stream crossings that I could rock hop. I did not get my feet wet after the first dunking early in the day. I saw a very interesting flower today: Indian Pipe. It is odd because it is all white, stalk and flower. It dos not photosynthesize. As I walked the trail along side of Nahmakata Lake, I say a single purple iris growing among a bunch of tall, white flowers. The white flowers grew on bushes that were taller than me, so it was like walking through a tunnel of them in a few spots. There was a lot of laurel. The lake was so inviting!   Lots of sandy beaches and secluded coves. If my feet were not taped I would have been forced to go swimming. I didn't see anyone else since the several hikers exiting theboat this morning.It was such a perfect day...It doesn't get much better than this.Later-it's about 2AM and there is a mouse running around making lots of noise. I lay here listening to him and the rain drops on the roof. I drift back to sleep only to be reawakened when the little guy crawled under my arm and explored. When I lifted my arm I hear him scamper away. I reached for my light lying beside my head and shined the light at him; the fat, little gray and white varmint didn't mind... I watched him search the entire floor of the shelter before he vanished into a crack. I just hope he doesn't try to steal the snickers that Josh hid for me to find in my spice bag. THANKS JOSH!!!