Date: 2003-10-03
From: White House Landing

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

start White House Landingdestination Abol Bridge Campground I can't remember when I have been so disappointed. It was obvious that I was not going to be able to hike today either,and today I am supposed to meet Mudbutt at the campground. Once again I sit down to breakfast with fellow hikers and once again I watch as they leave for the trail boat load after boat load. Then here I am alone waiting for Linda to shuttle me into town in her truck. We drive down the dirt road and I try to enjoy the scenery as we talk. She drives to the Abol Camp Store where I spy my car parked in the lot. "That's my car!" I cried.This was too easy. I said goodbye to Linda and headed over to my car. Then I remembered that I hadleft my car key with Keith back at Shaw's. I went inside the stoe looking for Mudbutt. I didn't find her,but I did find a Cappucino machine with a new flavor,Cherry Vanilla in it. I also found a hiker,or rather he found me,telling me that Mudbutt had went south on the trail earlier looking for me. I stashed my pack and went south on the trail,hoping to catch her before she passed a northbounder who would tell her that I was injured. I had hiked for a few miutes when I came to a long section of bog bridges. ! I froze as I stared at them,the fall still fresh in my mind and the resulting pain still fresh in my behind. It took some self talk to get the courage to walk on them,but walk I did,albeit very slowly. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped off of the last one and prayed that I would reach Mudbutt before reaching any more ofthose slippery things. I looked up to see a familiar face comingtowards me. It was Martin,better known as FlufferNutter. He had just passed Mudbutt and she had turned around upon him telling her I had fell. He hiked on by me,and I continued on. Before too much longer I spied my hiking partner hiking along her eyes glued on the trail,semingly lost in deep thought. It took me calling her name a second time before she looked up and saw me. We had a great time hiking back to the car,both of us talking at the same time trying to fill each other in on the past days happenings. Back at the car,we ran into several other hikers who ere waiting around for a dec! ent summit day. It seems the mountain is being cantankerous.We also learned a very surprizing lesson. The weather at the campground might be beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures,but that does not mean that the trail up the mountain will be passable. We ran into FluffyNutter again and he decided to ride into town with us. He had a maildrop in town,so we went by there first. Imagine our surprise when he came out of the post office,not once,but twice with his arms full of boxes. We teased him about sending himself a do it yourself woman! At the hotel,I got on the phone and found a chiropractor who would see me today on short notice,so back into the car we go and made a beeline for Bangor. I did take time to grab a shower first. Full exrays and a back scan showed maybe a broken tail bone,but because I was not hurting too bad upon sitting,it was most likely just bruised badly or fractured. I got some therapy and an adjustment and headed back to the motel. But a movie theater reached out and grabbed Mudbutt who in turn grabbed me and off we went to see School of Rock. Since I was raising babies in the 70's the movie's few good points were lost on me. An ice pack again,a long soak in the hot tub back in the motel put me in a better frame of mind. That and the fact that we are picking up Papermaker at the airport tomorrow!AND, we are within spitting distance of the mountain!