Date: 2003-09-07
From: Antlers Campsite (520ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ) 

To: Mahar Tote Road, White House Landing (520ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ)
Miles today: 5.9

Aloha! What a fantastic day! Each and every day, as we sadly draw closer to the ultimate finish line, I swear the hiking day just gets better and better. Not because we¢re closing in on the end of this Grand Adventure but because the last miles of this hike are fantastic and the company even better. It has been a spectacular day and for the most part that¢s only because I¢m here, hiking, with these individuals. I so don¢t want this to end! Ahhh¢¦ but let me tell you about my day. It¢s been quite spectacular. I was already awake when Old Corpus stopped by my tent to remind me that the sunrise should be a gorgeous one this morning. My thoughts exactly as I lay there watching the light streaks begin to show over the lake¢s horizon. I, along with most everyone else, scrambled out of my tent to sit quietly, almost meditatively, shoreline and just watch; watch one of the most gorgeous sunrises I¢ve seen to date unfold before me. I¢d like to say that I¢ve seen hundreds of sunrises like this one but I haven¢t. Normally trees, clouds or fog obscure the view. This morning though, there was nothing but softly growing reds and golds and oranges shining across the lake. It was enough to take your breath away once again. If I were a sentimental sappy type person it would have brought tears to my eyes. Oh wait, I am and it did. I do wish you could have been there. Maybe then you¢d understand what it is that makes people walk hundreds and thousands of miles for no apparent reason. This morning¢s sunrise was but one of those reasons. Since we were only going 5.9 miles today there was no hurry in departing. I hiked along with Old Corpus this morning and I¢m so glad I did. Though we¢ve shared numerous campsites together I really haven¢t hiked with Old Corpus as much as I would have liked. Old Corpus is kind of special to me. I don¢t really know what it is that makes him so but he is. Maybe it¢s because he¢s from Corpus Christi, Texas, close to my former home of Beeville, Texas. Or maybe it¢s because we shared the Whites together. Or maybe it¢s because he¢s one of the sweetest and kindest people I¢ve met to date. Oh, he¢ll try and come off like an old curmudgeon in the beginning but the truth is that he¢s just a teddy bear. I¢m a nut about Old Corpus and it was great hiking along with him. We spent a lovely morning hiking, talking and sharing. For the most part I tell you everything but I will admit that now and then I hold one or two things back. Today will be one of those days. Suffice it to say, I treasure my morning with Old Corpus and hope he feels the same.Moving on, we did. Old Corpus and I covered 3.5-miles in something like an hour and 20 minutes. It surprised both of us to arrive at the Potaywadjo Spring Lean-o so quickly. This had been Coffee¢s end point for yesterday. The register showed that he had done his big mile day by arriving there. Good on him! Old Corpus and I enjoyed a short break and checked out the supposed 15-foot wide Potaywadjo Spring. It was different in that you don¢t see many springs 15-feet wide but otherwise I didn¢t get overly excited about it. Especially after taking a blue-blaze to get to it only to find that the AT walks right by it! At least it was a short blue-blaze down and back. Not long afterwards, we also got our second view of Katahdin. It¢s beginning to look really big!The worst part of today¢s hike was the approximate one mile hike to the White House Landing (WHL) boat dock. Located approximately 2.8 miles north of Potaywadjo Spring Lean-to, a NOBO has to go east on something known as the Maher Trail or Maher Tote Road (the third road from the lean-to), then .02 miles to the Pemadumcook Lake. At that point you follow whatever route is being used to get to the boat dock. The latest markings take you .9-miles through a partly logged, partly torn up wooded area. Once arriving at the boat dock you then sound an air horn for the ferry ride to camp. Pretty cool! Hiking and a boat ride all in one day, in the 100-Mile Wilderness - life is so rough!The White House Landing is the only camp left from the original 11 from the 1930s and ¢40s. Owners Bill, Linda and their six-year old son Ben Ware offer lodging consisting of private rooms or a bunkhouse with linens and showers. This is one of the cleanest and loveliest places I¢ve stayed to date. With Thirsty Boots and Tom settled in the bunkhouse, the rest of us all shared our own lakeside cabin that included a kitchen, living room and edrooms for each. The kitchen and living room even have propane gaslights! It¢s great! This recliner is the best for writing to you folks.Now, what to tell you about the day¢¦ well, we¢¦ ate! And I do mean ate! The WHL isn¢t the cheapest place on the trail by a long shot but then again, the Wares have to travel 50 miles round trip to pick up supplies and mail. Economics show here ¢ supply and demand. And oh¢¦ so worth it! I can¢t believe the amount of food I put away today! Let¢s see, there was the ton of cherry tomatoes, bananas and zucchini bread eaten while awaiting the HUGE, and I do mean HUGE, 34 pound cheeseburger for lunch, and the corn on the cob while waiting for my half of the pizza I shared with Gutsy for dinner. I could have been perfectly content today just eating the snacks Linda put out had we known about them in advance. That¢s one of the little surprises here. Oh yeah, let¢s not forget the pint of Ben and Jerry¢s ice cream I attempted to put away after dinner. Couldn¢t do it though. I¢ve actually left half of it for CeeBee and Irene who are expected to arrive tomorrow. Food? Oh my, my, my¢¦. My bill is going to be astronomical! But damn I loved it!Now, here¢s the biggie for the day. While I was lounging comfortably, too damned full to move, Coffee came in and gently turned me toward the lake instructing me to look across. A very pretty sunset was happening, one to almost match this morning¢s sunrise. No, turns out that¢s not what he was showing me. After quite few hints, he finally told me to go get my sunglasses (remember, the only prescribed pair I have remaining) so I could see the ¢¦ MOOSE! Not just one but TWO MOOSE! (Does that now make it ¢meese¢?) I¢m not a runner but I was down to the cabin and back to the dock in the wink of an eye! There they were, across the lake, a bull moose at wood line and a cow at water¢s edge. Awesome! Even in the evening with dark sunglasses on, moose are a sight to behold. Huge! Maine does everything huge!We watched for a while as two others staying at the WHL canoed over to take pictures. As soon as they started their trek back the Bull Moose came out of the trees and joined the cow for a swim across the lake. What a sight to see a moose head with a massive rack of horns moving quickly across a lake. Wild! That was our opportunity. Coffee and I grabbed the returned canoe and headed to the moose. Wuhuu! So exciting! Both moose were on shore and trying to hide behind a big rock by the time we arrived. That was comical. They finally did come out to cross a narrow inlet and go up the hill and out of sight; but not before the bull stopped less than 30 feet away to stare at us. Obviously I raised my camera, tried to convince Coffee that he really didn¢t need to paddle us right into the bull¢s horns, and took a couple of pictures. The camera went off three times before Mr. Moose decided to move on. AWESOME! It was so great! With their departure we slowly paddled our way back to camp loving every moment of being out there. Not just on the lake but the whole thing. I¢m still excited!Okay, here¢s the disappointment for the day. I did take those pictures, the flash did go off, and I have absolutely nothing to show for it! At the time I hadn¢t realized that the flash went off ¢ too far away for a flash. Damn it! Do you know what you get when a flash goes off too far away from its subject? You get black. That¢s it ¢ black with a bit of red from the sunset thrown in at the top. No moose! No anything! But more importantly, no moose! Hopefully my saving grace here will be when I arrive home and can use the computer to adjust the color and find my moose! I did see a moose folks. Two moose to be exact. I swear! I just can¢t prove it! WAAH!Okay, I am tired. It¢s been a short hiking day but a long and exciting day otherwise. We¢ve sat and done the logistics for the remaining days through the Wilderness. We¢ve enjoyed hot chocolate and each other. Thanks to Char I have my last mail drop of food and am ready for the few remaining miles. It¢s been a wonderful day. Again, they just keep getting better and better. I do wish you could be here to experience them with me. You¢d love it. Maybe next time. Now though, I have to go to sleep so tomorrow will get here even faster. Sort of like Christmas. Good night.Blood, Sweat &Tears: Tears with Old Corpus, tears with Coffee for his moose, tears just because I can¢t help it these days. What a sap! Aches & Pains: Not a one!Moans & Groans: This adventure is slowly coming to an end¢¦ a very big WAAH!Critter count: 2x Moose!!!!!!!!! Who cares what else!Countdown: 45.9 miles