Date: 2010-10-02
From: Monson

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Chairback Gap Lean-to,    I ran into Big R before I left Shaw's this morning. I was surprised to see him. I thought he was a couple of days ahead of me.   The Babarians stayed at Shaw's last night. They are a father and son team thru hiking the trail. The son is eight years old. The son is a great kid, the father seems to be pushing him to thru hike the trail. He made a few comments to his son like "we need to get moving, we don't Chili and Pepper passing us".   I did not get as early of a start as I wanted to this morning.   When I got to Long Pond Stream Lean-to Sequoia and Yeti were packing up. They told me they only walked four miles in the rain yesterday before they called it quits. They also said Bluegrass, Cervasa, Power Nap, Tunes and Tootsie Pop were with them at the shelter last night.   Going up Barren Mountian was not real hard or to strenous, I had be be very careful because the rocks and ledgends were still slippery from yesterdays rain.   I went by side trails to overlooks but did not go to them because I had a long day ahead of me beteen the climbing and what little time I had left before sunset.   There was a man older than me I ran into southbound that was out for the weekend. He said he was from Houlton Maine. He said this was his first time out backpacking, it was something he wanted to do before it was to late to be able to do it. He gave the trail report for what lay ahead for me, mostly mud and one bog very full of water. He also told me that I was the 17th northbound hiker he has ran into today.   I stopped in the middle of the trail going up fourth mountain to have a snack and mix some gatorade. I was getting really run down and needed to get some fuel into my system. While I was sitting there Weasel came up and passed by. I asked her where here hiking partner Skid Mark was and she said he was still in his sleeping bag when she left this morning. She said Yogi (the cat) was having a really hard time hiking in the rain yesterday and was freaking out and they also did a really short day yesterday.   Later on I passed Weasel when she stopped for a snack break. We were both surprised that Skid Mark had not caught up. She caught back up to me shortly and we both were very slow going down the rock scramble of Third Mountain. Once at the bottom she quickly went out of site.   The day started dragging on and I was running out of steam. I started worrying about making it to Chairback Gap Lean-to before dark. I reached West Chairback Pond Trail which I thought only left me 0.7 miles to go so I casually started walking. What seemed like 0.7 mile seemed more like two miles. I was not able to make it in before dark. This turned into my second night hike for this thru hike. I was lucky this time and only had to walk a half hour with my headlight this time. When I got to the lean-to I found out it was not 0.7 mile but it was 1.7 miles.   I ran into Weasel when I got to the lean-to and she could not set up camp because her hiking partner Skid Mark had the tent in his pack and he had not arrived yet.   When I got to the shelter I was surprised to see Rocket there. She was slacking south from Katahdin. I had not expected to see her this soon. I said hi to her and went to set up camp. If I stopped she would have talked my ear off and I was cold and hungrey.   As soon as I got to the lean-to I set up camp. I was cold and wet from sweating on and off during the day. The wind had really picked up and was very winding in the camp site area. It was cold enough to see my breath. If I was to make an estamanted guess as to what temperature it is I would say mid 40's. I did not even bother even making a dinner. I put on dry clothes and got into my sleeping bag to get warm. I ate junk food for dinner and went right to sleep.   I woke up a couple hours after going to sleep to hear someone setting up a tent next to me. I assumed it was Skid Mark and Weasel and I went right back to sleep.