Date: 2008-07-27
From: Spaulding Mountain lean to

To: Horns Pond lean to
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Whew! Another long day. Stick a fork in me... i'm done. I am tiiiired. Again, it felt good to get the miles, but today i bonked on the final ascent, and was dragging all the way in. I feel much better now that i have eaten and drank.Today started with a 6:20 start. I was having trouble getting moving this morning. We had a torrential downpour about 10 last night. It was loud on the metal roof, and woke me up. And my leg cramped too, so maybe waking up for those things tired me out. The hike for the first couple of miles was great! Finally, real trail, trail that wasn't flooded, a mud pit, a giant puddle, a stream, or a giant rock ascent/descent or some mixture of those things. I got a little turned around at one point because a dead pine tree was across the trail, just where the a.t. had been re-routed in the past. I thought the dead tree was put there on purpose, so i went up the old a.t., which went backwards for me. I ended up back on the current a.t. and had to re-trace my steps. Annoying. I really think these trail maintainers need to do a little more maintaining...Anyway, i got down to the river ford, and there was a plank "bridge" across the only place we would need help, so i got across by the bridge and rock-hoping. Didn't even get my feet wet. I took a break there, and began my ascent of crocker mountain. A nice 2000 foot climb. It was a mixed bag of nice trail, super-steep hand over hand trail, and rock scramble. That was tiring. But i met grey bear and duct tape at the top. They were fun to talk with. There was no water up there, so i kept moving. No good views either. Disappointing, considering the effort i put in to get up there.I came down the mountain, again, great trail for the 5 mile descent. Some steep/rocky patches, but nothing like the early days in maine. I crossed route 27, and got water not far past that.Side note: the trails are consistently getting better and better. more and more like trail. I am very excited about this. Maybe it's because with two nice days, everything is drying out. I'm not sure, but i'm savoring it.After my water/lunch break, i had the fun 2000 foot climb up here to the shelter. I was energized after lunch, but that only lasted the first 2 miles... then i bonked, and had a slow go of it from then to here.The climb up was cool... the trail sent you through an expanse of woods with house-sized boulders all strewn about. The trail wanders past them, and it was fun to look around (actually, when i first saw them, i was groaning, because i assumed the trail would pointlessly climb up and over as many of them as possible - but the trail worked around them)I am at horn pond lean to tonight. They have a most excellent privy here... but they faced it away from the view, so it's not the best i've had the pleasure of visiting (stony indian gap in glacier is still the best for views) There are two 8-person shelters here, and i am the only one in either of them. There is another hiker - hiker dude who is here, but in his tent. The shelters are nice, and the water source is really nice. I went to the pond and soaked my feet, and washed off the mud that was caked to my legs.I think i will do an easy day tomorrow, unless the weather is really good. I am tired and want to rest some. I will probably just shelter hop tomorrow and do 10 miles, then do 17 on easier terrain the next day. But depends on weather. I want to get as many miles in during good weather as i can.Man, my boots STINK!!!Ghah! I hope i can get them to dry out sometime soon. They stank before, but now that they have been wet for over a week, combined with my stinky hiking feet in there for long hours, they really stink. These boots are already breaking in bits and pieces now... so i hope they don't disintegrate from wet rot before i get to katahdin. I'm debating trashing them after katahdin, because i don't want to bring them into the apartment.decisions.... decisions...Well, time for bed. I hope the gang escaped the vortex of town and got back on the trail today... i miss having them to hang out with at the shelters. It's dull when you're here alone.