Date: 2007-08-30
From: ME 15, Monson 

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

(Erin) We got up around 6:00am and started to get packed up and waited for a man name Buddy to get back to make us breakfast. The other couple staying her name Sir Wounded Knee and Lady Green wanted to get on the trail by 6:30 but we wanted to have breakfast first. Buddy made us a great breakfast and then we were taken back to the trail by 7:30am. It was now time to start the 100-mile Wilderness! The first 3 miles to the first shelter were no problem. The trail was nice and the weather was holding up for us. Just before we left PA Bluebird caught up to us, but we kept going to try to get to the next shelter before any storm rolled through. Well we didn¢t make it! Three more miles later we could hear the thunder rolling our way and the sky was starting to get darker and darker. The wind picked up and it started to rain. Then the thunder and lighting was right on top of us. This time we were in the trees so it wasn¢t as scary to be walking in the thunder storm until we had to cross a river. We tried to move as quickly as possible across the river on the rocks but of course I got one of my poles stuck and slipped a foot into the river. The storm didn¢t last too long and by the time we were hiking up to an exposed cliff side the rain had stopped. Not too long later we had another river ford to do before getting to the shelter for lunch. I took off my shoes and socks and walked across the river in my crocs. The river was moving pretty quick after the rain that had just come through but it was still only up to my knees. At the shelter Bluebird caught up to us and she walked the next 4 miles to the next shelter. Not too long after we left the shelter another bigger thunder storm was rolling over us, dumping buckets of rain. This one was much worse. We had a few brook crossings that if it had not been raining so bad we would have been able to rock hop across with no problem. The first crossing was very slippery and when I was trying to jump from one rock to another I slipped and fell on my butt in the river. I was able to get up really quick but Will had come back down to try to help me and then he slipped and fell just in front of me. It was crazy with all of the rain and lighting all around us, so we had to keep moving to get to the shelter. We kept going and came to another brook that was over flowing with water. Will and Bluebird crossed the river with no problem but I was going to need a hand to get across. I stepped out onto a rock in the middle of the raging water and just as I was going to step to the next rock a huge bolt of lighting hit right above the three of us. Will and Bluebird jumped back from me screaming and I screamed. I was stuck on a rock in the middle of river. Finally Will came back to give me a hand and step to the next rock. I was scared to death from that lighting bolt that almost took all three of us out! We had to keep moving though. We kept hiking and had to cross yet another river that was flowing like crazy. I was not going to try to rock hop across this one, I just stepped right in and walked across behind Will with the water raging around us. This time is was over my knees and I was trying to be very careful to not slip and fall. After the last river crossing we had .7 to get to the shelter. The rain had let up and the lighting was moving away from us. Today was the worst and the wettest day on the trail! I think I now have a healthy new fear of lighting! Tonight we are staying in the shelter so that we don¢t have to set up a tent in the wetness.Check out Bluebirds journal entry for this day