Date: 2014-06-17
From: Baxter State Park

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 109.3

The next day I hiked out of Baxter State Park and into the 100 mile wilderness. I got a late start because of sleeping in to get full recuperated from hiking Katahdin the day before. Luckily there wasn't a cloud in sight and I got to hike in gorgeous weather. I made one small boo-boo on a blue blazed trail but quickly caught my mistake and went back to the AT. The white blazes of the AT are easily distinguishable and well-marked in this section of the AT. Before getting out of the park though I did have to ford the upper and lower forks of the Nesowadnehunk Stream. Fording streams by yourself can be scary! On the first I slipped on a rock and my foot went into a hole between some rocks up to my crotch, lost my shoe, and scratched a couple of toes. Luckily my shoe popped up close enough for me to catch it before it floated down stream. I got to the first shelter (Hurd Brook) with just enough sunlight to set up my tent and eat another cold dinner. Most of the other hikers there were either already asleep or going to bed so no chit chat around the campfire that night! Had to use my head net almost the whole day. Maine is known for black flies being a problem. For me, it was mosquitos that were the problem. They are blood thirsty savages sent here to drive all the hikers insane! Without the head net I would have given up then and there. God bless the person that invented that! Total miles to date: 18.6.I was the last one out of camp again the next day, though I did manage to get out at a much more reasonable hour. I hiked by myself all day, which is great because that way there is no one around to see when I take a misstep and end up on my rear! I don't find it lonely, but rather a chance for the peace and solitude I have been so desperately needing. The trail is tough here, not to be underestimated in any way, shape, or form. There were times when I was so tired that I felt like I couldn't take another step. But every time that happened the trail would reward you by opening up to some incredibly amazing view of a valley, pond, stream, etc. that would make it all worth it and give you the encouragement to go on. I made it to the Rainbow Stream shelter that night in time to actually hang out with some of the other hikers, eat a hot dinner, and soak my foot tired feet in the cold waters of Maine. Total miles to date: 30.1. The next morning I was the last shelter hiker out but not the last hiker. Sleeping in a shelter means if one person is up so is everyone else in the shelter as sound reverberates loudly! If you want to sleep in you need to sleep in a tent. I hiked for a while that day with Alex from Tennessee. Nice kid who after two and a half years of college is so burnt out that he needs a break! Of all the people I have met and talked to so far most of them have expressed some form of burn out as the taproot for their decision to be a thru-hiker on the AT. Got to the shelter in time for a campfire and an even longer soak of my feet in the water. Total miles to date: 38.2. The next day it rained. All day. Without let up. I was quite cold and miserable by the time I got to the shelter. My rain gear seems to hold up just fine for the a few hours, but after that it just becomes completely soaked through. By the time I got to the shelter I was not a happy hiker. I hung up all my wet stuff to dry from nails in the shelter and curled up in my sleeping bag for a nap. I could have hiked on to the next shelter (this was a low mileage day) but at the time I sounded like the worst idea ever. The rain let up in time for dinner thankfully though. And the boys made a campfire again! Campfires are a huge luxury on the trail because most of the time hikers are too tired to go through the effort of making one. We all went to bed fairly early, close to 6pm. Total miles to date: 48.3.Best day of hiking yet! Weather was perfect and I felt great. After days of making adjustments to the straps on my packs I finally got it right! Don't feel the pack on my back anymore, except when I take it off. Then I feel like I'm walking on the moon and light as a feather! Today I felt like I really hit my stride and was loving every minute of it. I have let go of trying to keep up with other hikers and am just hiking at my own pace. The AT is not a race, it is an endurance test! Some of the other hikers, especially the younger boys, are really trying to get as many miles in a day as possible. I think they are crazy though. They are going so fast that they can't be enjoying this. Or they are getting injured from stress injuries and then not able to keep going. At this point some people have already dropped out only a few days in due to injuries, poor gear choices, or from just plain underestimating just how hard the AT is. Total miles to date: 59.7. The next day I pushed hard to get to the Logan Brook shelter and passed by the shelter in between. I wanted to get a jump on the next day because it was going to be White Cap Mountain, which would be the hardest hike since Katahdin. Logan Brook is half way up. Logan Brook was the first time that there were more girl hikers than guy hikers. Pretty cool to see some other chicks out there! Plus got my food drop today! The AT Lodge has this great service where for a small fee they will drop you some of the food you need at a certain location in a certain place. Totally awesome because it meant that I didn't need to start with as much food, and therefore as much weight! Total miles to date: 71.4White Cap Mountain was crazy. The weather was nuts that day. It was so windy that I about lost my footing and slid down. At the summit I again did not take the time to look around and appreciate what I had just climbed up but instead darted right into the treeline again for some protection from the wind. Wouldn't have really mattered since I couldn't see more than fifteen in front of me anyway! I briefly considered taking the blue blazed Gulf Hagas trail because it is supposed to be amazingly beautiful, but I was not trying to add another 5.9 miles to my trip that day. I am hoping to come back someday and do that! Total miles to date: 78.6. The following day was Chairback Mountain. Holy cow. That just about killed me. The mountain itself is not that tall or big. But is has this crazy 80 foot rock scramble that really made me scared. Staring at it from the bottom it seems impossible. The only thing that helped me to get over that was the knowledge that other people have already done this and were able to make it. It reminded me of the bouldery part of Katahdin, minus the bad weather but this time with a 35-pound pack strapped to your back. Most of the time I say that my trekking poles save my life but for this section I put the poles away. Crawling up the rocks I said lots of prayers and kept my body as close to the rocks as possible. Three points of contact at all times! We also had to ford the Pleasant River. Wide but slick rocked. I had another great milestone that day, my first Trail Magic! Someone had left cold waters and sodas in a cooler by the trail for us. So awesome! Was just the pick me up needed to finish the day strong. I missed the turn-off for the shelter and ended up having to tent it by myself by a stream. Was kind of nice though. First night totally by myself since Katahdin. Total miles to date: 99.4. Almost out! The last day in the 100 mile wilderness was probably my longest yet. Although the miles were that many or the terrain that crazy, it was my longest day of hiking yet. On average I hike about eight to ten hours a day. Today I hiked for twelve. There were three stream crossings that day. Luckily previous hikers had strung rope up from one bank to the other so that we had something to hold onto. Without the ropes some of the crossings would have been sketchy. Saw my first moose, though it was dead along the trail... Made it to the last shelter in the wilderness before the sun went down. My feet were screaming at me and begging for mercy. Total miles to date: 111.5.Walked into Monson, ME today. Staying at the Lakeshore House hostel for the night. Was able to take a shower. I washed my hair twice and then just stood in the hot water for a really long time. I got to do laundry too. Everything is cleanish... It is crazy how just a little bit of hiking gets the smell of body odor completely into a fabric! I was so smelly and dirty and this was like a slice of heaven for me. Taking a zero day to get some much needed rest and recovery. Plan is to head back to the trail tomorrow but they are calling for thunderstorms tomorrow morning so that plan could change...   So far I have experienced roots, rocks, and mud. Normally a combination of the three. I have had moments everyday where I felt like giving up. Those times have normally been when I have been tired and hungry. Eating normally clears this up. More often than not I have been sooo happy to be here and thankful that I am getting to see all this. Most people will never get to see these things. I'm one of the lucky ones! Thanks to everyone for their support and prayers. I appreciate it immensely! Hugs and kisses to all!