Date: 2020-10-03
From: Route 15 (Monson)

To: Otter Pond
Miles today: 15.3

Woke several times in the early morning. We had a few snorers in the bunkroom but that wasn't it. I couldn't decide whether to hike today or zero as planned. My body said zero. Laying there I could feel my tired limbs and sore feet. Plus the recent memory of being wet and cold made me not want to leave the warm bed.But by the time breakfast was on the table and my muscles had warmed up I was ready to commit to a slackpack. It would be the first fifteen miles of the 100 Mile Wilderness, and I'd be going southbound due to the shuttle arrangements. At first I resisted the idea of flipping direction even for a short leg. My hike isn't purist, but I am following the principle of "continuous footsteps". But after a few minutes reflection I decided the only one who cares which direction I hike is me, and I was just throwing up artificial constraints. This hike will let me put miles on the board on a day I'd otherwise have zeroed, and split the cost of a shuttle with other slackpackers.Water Queen and 5-Oh, a South Carolina boy, joined me in the shuttle. They are slackpacking north the second fifteen miles, having done my slack yesterday. We walked a nearly one mile long side trail from the parking lot to reach the AT, gaining a few hundred feet. This is the foot of Barren Mountain, part of the Chairback Range.The trail went up and down over low but steep ledges, similar to New York, with several waterfalls and creek fords. Plus a lot more roots, rocks, and mud. The ledges are bedrock ridges turned 90 degrees making for some interesting descents.The Little Wilson Falls cascades over an Escher-like series of square-edged ledges into a narrow bedrock canyon. These waterfalls are the first I've seen in many weeks with any flow.Ran across thruhikers Colonel Clothesline and Sunset with friend Joanna having lunch by Mud Pond. They opted to hike into the Wilderness with full packs, though they may be getting a food drop halfway through. Also saw Cowboy, a sixtyish leathery guy carefully toeing down slick rocks toward the first shelter. And two small groups of backpackers doing the Wilderness, in various stages of struggle with the difficult terrain.When I got back to the road to Monson I had some time before my shuttle came, so I tried to dry my socks in the sun to little effect. Two days of fording rivers gave them no time to dry.Back at the hostel Snorlax and I hit the gas station for a hot lunch - yes, the gas station. It's the best quick order restaurant in town. Spurs, Wild, and Muck Fichigan piled into the hostel in late afternoon, surprising me since I thought they were just coming out of Caratunk today. But it was great to see familiar faces. Muck discovered he'd left his wallet behind at the Sterling Inn. Fortunately the owner Eric, whose son serves as Caratunk's postmaster, had already mailed it ahead to Shaw's.We tried to get a table at the Pub, but they were full on a Saturday evening. So I ordered a pizza from the gas station. It had been nearly two hours since I last ate! I gave Muck half of it since he had no money to buy dinner.5-Oh and Water Queen came in late and exhausted from slacking the Chairbacks. Must have been pretty brutal to dim Water Queen's usual ebullient mood.