Date: 2017-08-09
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean-to 

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

Hiked up Spaulding Mountain which was about a mile from my tent site. About a 1/2 mile from Spaulding was the AT Completion Marker embedded into a boulder indicating that spot back in 1939 was the completion of the AT and was a continuous wilderness footpath. Hiked up a steep trail to the South and North Crocker Mountain summits. Then a long descent to ME Route 27 where I hitched into town for a few days of snacks. When I left home this last time I brought enough dinners to get me to Monson but only had enough day time snacks to last two days. Stratton will be the last resupply before Monson. A lot of south bounders this morning but mostly out for a week hike or so. Also met two groups of boys and girls from Quebec hiking for about a week as well. Met Lady and Tramp camping at the river. Both are from FL and were flip-flopping from TN. Just before getting to the Route 27 trailhead I passed a make-shift sign on the ground spelling out "2,000". When I checked my Guthook app, I confirmed that I was really at the 2,000 mile mark from Springer Mountain, GA. Wow, another big milestone in the books! Once down at the Trailhead I started walking to Stratton and attempting to hitch hike. Didn't take long and a man in a pick up stopped for me. Told him I was looking to get into town to buy a few days of food and lunch. After talking with him, I found out he and his family own the convenience store I was trying to get to. Small world. I had a great lunch and resupplied for a few days to get me to Monson, ME. While shopping fir my re-supply and my hands full of food, two older ladies asked me if I wanted their fries and I said that I had just had a big lunch but appreciated their kindness. One lady said she knows most hikers are hungry all of the time. I said that I am one of them, ask my wife.  While in town I wanted to check my email and found that there was big news in the family today, Natalie and Owen had their first child today, Leo Nicholas Owen. Congrats to all! I guess that makes me a great uncle or something like that. After lunch and resupply, I headed out and on the way back to the Trailhead (about 6-7miles) I wasn't having very good luck hitching a ride so I started walking. Finally got a hitch from a landscaper but only got 1/2 mile where his house was located. So I started walking again and an older lady pick me up and took me to the trailhead. Upon arriving there I notice one of the two ladies I had seen back at the store and she said her friend had dropped her off so that she could come back for me since they had no room in their car. Wow, talk about trail magic and generous spirit both of these ladies had today!  Thank you ladies very much  Pretty steep climb up from route 27 but the scenery was worth it in the large moss covered boulders and thick forest. Met a family with a several younger kids coming down the steep sections all talking French. When I said I, they acknowledged but kept on going.  I guess this area is popular with Quebec-French speaking folks as well. I had two spectacular views of the Horn mountain summits with the last with Horn lake in the foreground (pictures). I knew my campsite was just to the right of the pond so pace quickened so I could get down there and enjoy the water after setting up my camp. There is at least two groups of younger groups here but they are camping in the group space which is farther away.