Date: 2015-09-12
From: Jo-Mary Rd.

To: Nahmakanta Stream Rd. 2148.1 miles
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

Saturday, September 12th Today was another easy day. The Sherpa brought 3D and I to a privately owned hostel, at 6:30AM and a shuttle driver drove us back to the trailhead at Jo-Mary Rd. We began hiking by rock hopping a stream and then continuing on a relatively flat trail with mud, roots and rocks. The temperature was a perfect 70 degrees and the sun shone brilliantly. After about 5 miles we came to a river, about 50 ft. wide, that we had to ford. The water was about 2 1/2 ft. deep and there were large boulders that we felt could be used to "rock hop" across to the other side. Two section hikers, who were ahead of us, had the same idea. The 1st one proceeded to jump from boulder to boulder and crossed the river. The 2nd one followed but in the middle of the river, lost his footing and fell backward into the water. He went completely under and he and his backpack, got soaked. He righted himself and walked through the water to the other side with water pouring out of his backpack. This was not a good day for him. (Just picture him trying to figure out how he was going to dry his sleeping bag, he planned on camping out for the next few days, never mind his tent, mattress, clothes, etc) 3D and I made it across the river without a mishap. About an hour later we came to Pemadumcook Lake. There was a sign here that said we could get a good view of Mt. Katahdin from the shore of the lake. 3D and I walked out to the shore; this area was a short distance from the trail, and sure enough, there was Mt. Katahdin rising way above the horizon. We took photo's of each other with the majestic mountain in the background. The remainder of the hike was an uneventful walk across, you guessed it, roots, mud and rocks. The Sherpa went back to the motel, this morning, after dropping off the Iceman and 3D and spent the day reading the local newspapers and a wonderfully funny book by Bill Bryson called "In a Sunburned Country". Bryson also wrote, "A Walk in The Woods". Lunch was a few random items from Hannaford supermarket, eaten in the motel room, and then a trip to the Millinocket Historical Society. The Society is housed in an old, but restored house, on the main street in downtown Millinocket. It's small but has the history of the town nicely presented. There are displays pertaining to the logging industry, in a separate room and glass cabinets in the main room, with Native Indian objects. There are boxes of vintage postcards and military uniforms from past conflicts and much more. Quite a bit to see and lovingly displayed. The Sherpa chatted with a woman volunteer about the town, the loss of the paper mill, it's effect on the economy, hikers, Baxter State Park and all sorts of other things. The Iceman was dropped off at the motel by "the Ole Man" after 5PM and got ready to drive to the River Drivers for dinner. This will probably be the only place we have dinner while we're in Millinocket.   The restaurant was very busy and some people were eating outside in the garden by the lake. This camp would be a great place to spend a week or two in the summer. There are cabins around the lake and one can spend time fishing, canoeing or swimming - if cold water doesn't bother you - or just relaxing and communing with nature.