Date: 2003-08-27
From: Cooper Brook Falls

To: Antlers Campsite
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

"Oh beautiul for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain.      "America the Beautiful" Katherine L Bates   Samuel A Ward I am writing this from the cozy confines of my dry tent. I hear the cry of the loons from Antlers Campsite on Lower Jo Mary Lake. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The temperature is falling quickly into the upper 40s. I'm loving life of the trail! As I crawled into my sleeping bag last night I did something I rarely do - I put the radio on. The only station I could get was country from Millinocket. After a few very bad songs and one really good Willie Nelson and Toby Keith song {Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses} the weather forecast came on. Chance of showers tonight and clearing by midday. Of course last night I HAD to sleep in my tent. The 2 previous nights I was in a lean-to and no rain, last night tent...rain. Of course I pitched the tent in the lowest possible, yet most scenic spot - and of course I got wet. The floor was soaked through by 2 am. By 3 am I was about to pack up my sleeping bag, pad and dog and high tail it to the lean-to, but then I would wake everyone up. So i slept in the puddle. Got up about 7, very late, dillied around attempting to dry out the tent, chatted with the gang a good group including Crash Test Dummy. He's doing the International AT. He summited Katahdin last saturday in "ice and snow". Wow! I said goodbye to everyone and was hiking by 9:30. I had 8 easy miles to Antlers and was moving very well. The terrain was very flat and nice. I got to Jo Mary road by 11. Thats 3.5 miles in an hour and a half - very good for me. I bumped into a large group of Colby College orientation students. They seemed like a nice group and they were planning on hiking to Antlers too. I rested a bit as they hiked on. I suddenly realised if they got there first I might not get a tent site - so I hauled. I passed them in 20 minutes and never saw them again until I had been here and hour and a half. I got a great site and they got the best site for a large group. So it worked out well. I was amazed that I got here so early. It was 1 pm. Pitched my tent in a low, yet scenic spot as threatening clouds rolled in from the west over Lower Jo Mary Lake. I had flashs of being so wet last night so I picked up the whole tent, still damp from last night and pitched it on the highest place possible.. still scenic too. Just as I got everything set up it started to pour. Chloe and I sat out he brief but violent deluge inside the tent. When it cleared I sat outside and had lunch. Then I proceded to eat virtually the rest of my food with the exception of dinner. Antlers Campsite is abslutely gorgeous. I am tenting on a rocky spruce tree covered point. The lake is on my left and right. A perfect spot for sunset and sunrise - not to mention the best privy on the trail. It has skylights and 2 windows with curtains. Even a register. It's named Fort Relief. Ha! Wwent over to the west side of the lake and took a bird bath. Boy did I need it. I can't wait to shave my armpits tomorrow, also rinsed out some cloths. I took a pretty good spill today, sliped on a moss covered rock and somehow blew out the ass of my underwear. Terrific! extra ventilation I guess. I've had them since Springer so I'm keepin em. It feels so good to get all the grime off. Just as I finished, at least I hope it wasn't sooner, a few more folks showed up and pitched around my site. Nice guys, a pair of older guys. One guy recognized Chloe from Trail Journals - ha pretty funny. The other 2 guys are younger both having thru hiked with a lot of yellow blazing in 2000. Sound familiar? I am queen of the yellow blazers. Hung out and chatted as Chloe was trying to eat everything in sight. I think her hiker appetite has kicked in too. Cooked dinner - again a smashing bowl of hiker stew. 1 pack ramen, 2 tbs TVP,a plop or 2 of olive oil, a big dash of veggie soup mix and a big dash of instant mashed potatos.Ttasty, but not lobster. Still hungry so I finished off the mashed potatos and soup mix. Now my food bag is quite empty. Just a few granola bars, peanut butter and a bagel - Excellent. Tomorrow a mail drop and 0 day at White House Landing. It's supposed to be a gorgeous day and only 5 miles to White House. Oh decisions - decisions. Should I hang out here in the sun, or hang out there in the sun. What to do?      peace and positivity,Molasses