Date: 2007-10-01
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 14.8

October 1, It's October!I woke up at 6 a.m. after one of the best nights of sleep I've gotten on the trail. I didn't want to get out of my sleeping bag but I was also excited to get moving so I did. Camp chores were done and I was moving by 7:20 a.m., thrilling!The trail was such a treat today. Flat as a pancake for miles and miles, peppered with ponds and lakes, and lined with the lovely trees with leaves of all different colors. I did the first five miles in two hours and the next three in a little over an hour. Then I stopped for a snack at Jo-Mary Lake. It was beautiful. I sat on a little sand beach all to myself and ate my granola bar and Snickers. I am loving the 100-Mile Wilderness!Got moving again and didn't really make any other stops until I got here. I take that back. I did stop at a lake along the way that had a view of Katahdin. This view was much different than the one yesterday. I was much lower so Katahdin looked much more beastly. Wow!Anyway, I am at White House Landing and this place is awesome! The trail comes to a road (really a grassy trail) and you follow a blue blazed trail and signs all the way here. It's about a mile of extra walking but I think it's worth it. The trail leads you to a dock on a lake with an airhorn. All you have to do is blow the airhorn once and, like magic, a boat arrives to pick you up and take you to White House Landing. How fun and exciting!I got here a little before 3 p.m. and made myself at home. There are a few little cottages and I am staying in the bunkroom. I had the whole place to myself for a few hours and it was great - very peaceful. I sat by the lake and sewed my gloves and talked to Eric.Later, Melk, Ronin, Snakecharmer, Candyman, and Chaco showed up and we all had dinner - a 1 lb. burger that I had to cut down to about 1/3 of that. Then I had my last Ben and Jerry's of the trail. They only had one NY Super Fudge Chunk left and Bill, the owner, put dibs on it just for me! ...Only four-ish days left on the trail, which I am glad about. I am loving the 100-Mile Wilderness. I am glad Melk and Ronin are here tonight and I hope we can all summit together.Sitting by the lake here today was definitely a highlight of the trail for me. I am glad I stayed here.- Sound of Candyman and Snakecharmer talking about football, the radio playing a football game, the light of PocketMail buzzing.Post Trail Thoughts:It felt AWESOME to be able to really hike this day. For so long, I'd complained that I couldn't exactly hike - that I was boulder hopping instead. It was great to just walk and not have to pay absolute attention to the ground.I remember the woods were glorious that day and I even saw a couple of neat little things - even a little house made of sticks with a sign that a fairy live there! When I got to the dock for White House Landing, I was hopeful and a little nervous about what to expect. Only one other time along the trail had I shown up alone - and I never had to summons anyone to pick me up with an airhorn! But, alas, it worked out and it felt glorious to be the only one there for a while. I showered, cleaned my clothes, and made some calls. Then it was all about relaxing - I even started a book!I had been nervous about really losing Melk and Ronin, which was not my intent, but as soon as I talked to Bill, the owner, he said a guy named Greg had called to reserve a cabin and I stopped worrying. It was a little awkward when they finally arrived but we gathered back together after dinner for some wine and it was a little better.