Date: 2015-08-01
From: ME 27 Stratton

To: Long Falls Dam Rd
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: clear sky

We received a ride from "Spartacus" back to the trail to start our SoBo back slack. It was a 45 min ride by rode to go around the mountains to get there. Spartacus would not take payment for the ride and said that it would be trail magic for us. Very kind of him. Thank you Spartacus. The day started out pleasant enough with clear skies and comfortable temperatures. The day would be challenging hiking over the Bigelow Mountains. Our first ascent was up Little Bigelow a 1800 ft climb. It was strenuous and invigorating hike. The big climb was Avery Peak a steep 1800 foot climb above tree line. The terrain was beautiful. The approach is peppered with huge house size boulders. They stood like ancient monuments covered with moss. Trees grew among them with their roots intertwined around the stone as if holding them together. My intent was to have lunch on the summit of Avery Peak. The rapidly changing weather on top would change my plans. Thunder began rolling in the distance and the skies darkened. As I ascended the thunder was getting louder. My plans for lunch would change but I was determined to get over the mountain before the storm. I hiked faster with considerable effort. The weather more than match my pace. The storm could always miss the mountain. That would not be the case today. The summit was in sight. I hiked faster when suddenly a clap of thunder and lighting struck at the summit. Spartacus was ahead of me. We looked at one another and turned immediately around. The wind gust blew to where it was difficult to stand. The rain hitting me horizontally turned to pea sized hail.I ran back down the steep terrain that I just climbed to get below tree line to find refuge. We found a safe spot and waited out the storm. Sitting on my pad with some protection from the pine trees I was pelted with a mixture of rain and hail which soaked me through. My rain jacket provided warmth and my resting spot afforded safe protection and the worse of the storm. This is were I had my lunch. Huddled over I ate among the pine trees waiting for the storm to pass. I listened for the timing and distance of the thunder until it moved far away. The hail stopped leaving its snow like beads on the ground. The strong winds remained as I carefully retraced my steps back to the summit.The winds were too strong and I was too cold to stay long for a view. The winds on the summit were strong enough to move me.   However the view was spectacular with the clouds, rain and winds in the distance. It was a short hike down a couple hundred feet and then back up to summit Bigelow West peak. The skies were rapidly clearing but the strong winds persisted making it cold and difficult to stand. The views were incredible. The long distance range, sharp drops and lake views were inspiring. Unfortunately I was not able to linger there long. Summiting the Bigelows will be a climb that I will always remember. The remaining hike was strenuous but with improving weather. I felt good and strong. Despite this I took a couple of falls. One fall broke my pole in half. The same pile that Obsolete fixed the day before. He would repair it yet again when I returned. Thanks Obsolete. A mile before the finish someone hung a rain jacket left on a tree. Hikers do this when an item may have fallen out of another hikers pack. It looked like Obsolete's. He was well ahead of me. I was able to text him to confirm that in fact it was. What luck it was to find it as I was passing by and return it to its owner. Just as I was finishing I met a teacher, Seaweed Sally who was out for a section hike. She was going to hitch into town and asked it I might join her. My plan was to hitch a ride back to town anyway. The first truck that came by picked us up. A quick end to a long day hiking. Thank you Seaweed. It was an exciting day to hike one of the most beautiful sections of the trail. The storm will make it even more memorable. 169 miles to go.