Date: 2007-09-17
From: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to 2037.5

To: Monson, ME ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Highway 15 ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ 2059.5
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: few clouds

Day 166 ¢ 9/17/07Start: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to 2037.5End: Monson, ME ¢ Highway 15 ¢ 2059.5Day Miles: 22By the time I pack up and hit the trail it is around 8:15. Band-Aid Kid had gone up to the shelter to find JB and I met him coming back down. JB had left about an hour before us. Band-Aid Kid and I climbed Moxie Bald together but I was feeling the need for speed. I was concerned about his ankle but he told me to go on since I had big miles to do if I was trying to make Monson. Normally the Band-Aid Kid blows by me on the trail but his ankle has taken its toll and I am hiking with a purpose today.I stormed down the back side of Moxie Bald and past the shelter without stopping. There will be no stops today unless it is a must. The trail is perfect today. The surface is mostly smooth with good footing. This is what Shadow would call a ¢Cadillac Trail¢.I finally catch JB at the ford of the West Branch of the Piscataquis River. The crossing is at a fork where Bald Mountain Stream joins the river and there is a small island. We finally figure out the crossing is at an odd angle over to the island and then from there to the other bank.I stopped for 20 minutes with JB and stuffed my face with nuts and honey, and whatever other cold food I could find in my pack. I can¢t stay long and I move on. JB is talking about trying to make Monson as well. I am worried about not making it there before dark. You have to hitch several miles into town and it is too hard to get a ride after dark. There is a side trail directly into town but it is 1.5 miles up the old AT along pavement. It would cut off 3.5 trail miles today but only save 1.5 miles of walking and mean I would have to walk back to do this section tomorrow. I push hard for Highway 15.I stop to eat again at 2:00 when I get to the trail up to Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to. JB catches up to me here and we sit for 5 minutes. JB needs water but I think I am still okay. He stops at the spring and I move on. This turned out to be a big mistake on my part. The one trouble with a CamelBak or any ¢in-pack¢ hydration system is you can never really tell how much water you have left unless you pull it out to check. This is not a simple task so I usually estimate based on how much I think I drank.Just as I cross the East Branch of the Piscataquis River I run out of water. My pump failed so I shipped it home and I am using drops now. I don¢t like drinking from rivers if there are streams available. As a general rule, the smaller the source the less chance of contamination. I pull out the map and it shows 4 steams ahead so I decide to get water from a stream up the trail. This is mistake number 2. As I pass each stream I find them dry. The more I think about being out of water the thirstier I get.I push passed the side trail to Monson because I feel I can make the 3.5 miles to Highway 15 before dark. As I crossed one of the side roads I came upon Sundance Kid sitting on the edge of the road a little bewildered. He was unsure of what road he was on exactly but was supposed to get picked up by his Dad, Butch Cassidy. I pulled out my map and confirmed the location for him. I asked him about water ahead since he had just slacked south but he could not remember seeing any.Buck Hill turns out to be a much longer climb than the map shows. The final 3.5 miles is up hill for almost 3 miles. I am really struggling with dehydration when JB catches up to me. I finally find a running brook but do not want to stop now I am too close and darkness is coming. Finally a downgrade and we stretch out our stride and make time. We can hear traffic for quite a while before we finally hit the highway. It takes only 5 minutes to get a ride right into town and the store. Cold beer is my first thought. We make our way to Shaw¢s and dinner is being served. The price is good but they only take cash and I had trouble getting cash the last time I was in town. There is no ATM but you can get cash back at the Gas Station/Pizza place or the P.O. Neither one had much cash the last time I was in town so they limit what you can get. JB and I decide to go to dinner at the Lakeside which takes credit cards. No one told us it was closed Mondays. We head up to the Gas Station/Pizza place and order pizza and get cash back.A warm bed, hot shower, and laundry at Shaw¢s tonight. Tomorrow is errands and back on the trail. G-Force, Backfire, Butch Cassidy, and Sundance Kid are here as well. Tony Tiger is still here with a tooth problem. He is going to the dentist tomorrow.