Date: 2009-07-17
From: Rainbow Stream lean-to

To: Katahdin Steam Campground
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: light rain

The big question on our minds today, what happened to Slickwood on his 45 mile jog through the woods? That question was answered after a nice morning hike on good terrain, a wild blueberry snack, and finally a wonderful view of Katahdin. When we made it out of the hundred mile woods to Abol Bridge, there is a stunning view, on page 2 of my journal is a view from this same spot two years ago. And as Hummus, Tooth and I crossed the bridge we were met by Slick and one of the Rangers for Baxter State Park. It was a wonderful reunion with a snack bar to raid for lunch and a few supplies for the evening and the hike up K tomorrow. Having lunch, we met several southbounders who at that point were 15 miles into their hike. It is amazing to think that is all we have left, and have come 2160. So here¢s the story on Slick. He started at 4:20am yesterday and was able to maintain over 3 mph by taking a five minute break every 2 hours. Yesterday, we had joked that he was going to make it here before the camp store closed, thinking it wasn¢t really possible. His initial story was that he got into the camp area, and stealthed in the woods for the night. But he didn¢t really say much more than that. After lunch while we were hiking the remaining 10 miles to Katahdin Stream Campground, we found out the real story. At a river crossing, which proved to be extra treacherous (Tooth was almost washed down stream during his ford, the log Hummus was walking across broke and he fell totally in, clinging to another rock, and I found a rock hop that required a really long jump) Slickwood ran into a huge dilemma. As I watched him eyeing the same jump I had just made, he looked really sad. He just stood there shaking his head back and forth as we all watched. I couldn¢t believe that with his legs, and light packs, he was worried about a jump, I had shown was makeable. And after a few minutes he did make the jump. A few minutes later as we crossed the same stream again Slickwood had some news. He said, ¢Guys, I lied to you. And wouldn¢t be telling you this now, but my hips are bleeding.¢ During his long hike by himself, he got to thinking. When the camp store was open upon arrival, he decided to try and get into Millinocket for the night and pick up some supplies for our summit. He was able to get a shuttle, and then walked for hours through Millinocket trying to find Andre champagne, whiskey and some backwoods cigars for us (this was all previous discussed when we though Bad Hummus was going to have people meet us for the summit.) So when he told us he lied, he pulled out all the champagne and whiskey to show us why his rock hop almost made him cry. A spill there would have broken all the champagne bottles and made his trip into Millinocket worthless. I¢ll bet his pack weighed 55 pounds. But we could not believe that Slick came through so big on that day, the day he walked 45 AT miles. He also told us, he didn¢t even shower or turn on the TV in the hostel because he spent all of his time scouring the town for supplies. That is a true Thru Hiker. Thanks Slick.We made it into Katahdin Stream Campground and met one of Hummus¢ friends, Yeti, who was an ¢08 hiker and started a few hours after me last year. So it was a big deal for him to finally meet me, as he read all the register entries I wrote the entire time I was on the trail, hoping to catch up to me. So we spent the whole evening reminiscing and eating. I have had such a wonderful past couple weeks, I can¢t believe this is my last true hiking day, and final night on the Appalachian Trial.