Date: 2007-09-27
From: Lake Hebron Trail

To: Leeman Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

Last TownStoneage, Game On, and I woke up early and packed up as it started to drizzle. The rain stopped as soon as we got walking around 7:30. The three of us cruised to ME15 to get a ride into Monson. Dawn from shaws was shuttling hikers to the trail so she gave us a ride into town. We got the grand tour of town in about 10 seconds that's how big it was. She dropped us off at the post office and I got my food drop. We then went and got breakfast sandwiches at the mobil mart. After eating a bunch of food we went to Shaws and I paid for a shower and did a load of laundry.There were a lot of hikers at shaws getting their gear in order for the hundred mile wilderness. Everyones food bags were ridiculously large! I organized my food bag then went to the general store for some cheese and bread. This is what ended up in my bag for 8 days worth of food:7 lipton sides of various flavors, 1 shells and cheese, kraft parmesan cheese, 2 tuna packs, pb, nutella, loaf of bread, 8 packs of pop tarts, 1 lb of cheese, bag of sliced peperoni, goldfish, milanos, 1 pack of jerky, 10 snickers, 10 milky way, 8 coffee bars, 16 nut bars, decaf tea, and mate. Not that much food but enough to get me through. There was no liquor store in monson so 6 of us hitched to greenville to get some bottles. I got a bottle of woodford reserve bourbon, a bottle of wine, and a Reuben sandwich to eat for dinner the first night out. We got a ride in the back of a pickup truck on the way back. On our hitching journey I saw 3 dead moose in the back of trucks. It was apparently hunting season.Back in Monson I stuffed all that food into my pack and was ready to leave before everyone else. I went to the lakeshore pub for a fish and chips dinner while they were getting ready. After dinner everyone was still lazing around, getting sucked into the town vortex. Circuit rider and sherlock passed by in their car and offered a ride around 5. I figured I'd leave to start the ball rolling. Singe came with me.They dropped us off at the trail and as soon as we stepped foot outside of the car we heard thunder. We hoped it would pass north and started hiking. The thunder got closer and closer then it started to pour rain. What a welcome to the hundred mile wilderness! Singe and I decided to stop and set up my tarp, but by the time we got it up, we were soaked. Once we got under it the rain had stopped and stoneage, triple deuce, mispaced, and game on showed up and called us wusses. They were still going to night hike 3 more miles to the shelter. I packed up the tarp and started my night hike with singe and misplaced. My pack was so heavy with all that food. I could feel it in my knees and hips. I fell once on some slippery monson slate and cut my hand. It didn't bleed too much so I just let it be. We finally made it to the shelter and I decided to set up my hammock since my tarp was already wet. Hop a long and old yeller showed up about an hour later to our surprise. "The wilderness !crew" (singe, misplaced, old yeller, hop a long, stoneage, triple deuce, game on, and me) stayed up drinking our wine and enjoying our first night in the wilderness.Today's StatsStarting Point:Lake Hebron TrailEnding Point:Leeman Brook Lean-toMileage:6.3Elevation Gain:1360ftElevation Loss:980ftHiking Time:3:15Weather:Cool Afternoon ThunderstormPain Factor:2