Date: 2003-09-30
From: Stratton - Caratunk, ME

To: Stratton - Caratunk, ME
Miles today: 36.6

Stratton, ME - Caratunk, ME36.6 miles (2021.4 total miles)I slept on the couch of the "cabin" of the Stratton Plaza Hotel on day 180. It was nice to have cushions under me. We had breakfast at the diner, bought just a few food items, and packed up. We were all set to go back to the trailhead, when we decided we could all use one more burger to get us up the mountain. We stopped at the restarant. Then Slack Master H and Linda White Shoes dropped us off at the trailhead. It would be the last time we see them until we are done. Thanks again so much for helping us through!The first mile was actually downhill, then we started to climb Bigelow. It was overcast all day, until we started to climb into the clouds. Everything got slippery. Unlike what we have been used to, it was a long, slow ascent, which is the hardest kind. We just seemed to be going up and up. I had the "slackpacking hangover", which meant that my pack felt extra heavy.We did only 5 miles to the shelter. It took a long time. We got there just as the rain started coming down. I was glad to stay dry. It was a cold night, and the sun keeps setting earlier and earlier.It was cold and cloudy when we set out on day 181. We climbed immediately up to the West Peak of Bigelow. As if it were planned, the clouds broke, and we had an amazing view of lakes and colored trees below. The clouds rushed by, and soon it all vanished again into fog. We climbed down into the cold, then up Avery Peak, where again we had a brief view. Then it was a long climb down into the valley. I misjudged my footing on one particular rock face, and slid down landing in a pile of mud. My pants and pack were soaked and dirty. It was a morale drainer. I decided it was lunchtime.After lunch, we hiked up Little Bigelow.   Much like Saddleback, the junior mountain was harder than the senior. It was a ridgewalk up and down craggy rocks. I came around one corner, and saw an owl sitting on a branch right above the trail. I stopped short and it flew away. We finally hit the peak, then descended down to the shelter. The shelter marked the 2000 mile mark. Wow!We decided to move on, even though it was 4:30. A dark cloud had just passed, and the sun was shining. The trail would be easier for the rest of the way. We hiked down, and along beautiful Flagstaff Lake. We had 2 small ridges to cross. Just before nightfall, it started to rain. It was an easy, steady drizzle. It made everything slippery, which was already hard to see in the dark. We night-hiked in the rain for about an hour. I got the last spot in the shelter. I fell asleep listening to the loons on the lake.It was bright and sunny on day 182. The trail was flat into Caratunk, and we planned to make time. We stopped briefly at a lake for a second breakfast, and moved on. It was 10 miles to the first shelter, and we hurried. We did it in about 4 hours. It felt good to be making time again. The shelter was on a beautiful lake. There are plenty of beautiful lakes in Maine!We did 3 more miles to the Kennebec River. The official crossing is by ferry (canoe) service, and we were about an hour early. So I sat in the sun and played on the rocks while I waited. At 3:00 the ferry showed up, and we rowed to the other side. Then it was .3 into Caratunk. We checked into the Hikers B&B for the night.I would like to say a few words about the privies in Maine. They are so cool! First of all, about half of them have a sign that says "Latch this door when you leave or porcupines will eat this building."The Horns Pond shelter had the cleanest privy I have ever seen. The Little Bigelow shelter privy had cozy curtains. And the Piazza Rock shelter privy had 2 seats with a cribbage board in between. Bravo to the MATC for having fun with their privies!There are a few decent mountains ahead of us, but overall the trail should be fairly easy. Tomorrow marks 6 months of living on the AT. I have waked over 2000 miles. And there are less than 15 days to go. It will be a shame to see this adventure come to a close. 151.3 miles to Katahdin!