Date: 2016-08-29
To: Moxie Pond Rd.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Destination: Moxie Pond Rd.Start: Road past Pierce PondMiles: 15.5Today we crossed the Kennebec River. There are two ways to do this. There is a free canoe ferry that operates between 9 AM and 2 PM.   That¢s the official route of the trail ¢ a white blaze is painted inside on the bottom of the canoe. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club strongly encourage hikers to use the ferry. A hydroelectric dam upstream releases water at unpredictable times, causing the current to increase and the water to rise to levels that make the river unsafe to cross. The other way is to ford the river on foot. Warren prefers this as the ¢traditional¢ AT route and says the river can be forded so long as it is done under safe conditions ¢ that is, you begin before 8 AM, the rock bars and riffles 200 feet upstream are clearly visible, and you wear hiking boots/shoes to avoid slipping on the slick rocks.   Back at Flagstaff Lake he had surveyed the group as to which route each of us would take. He offered an incentive to those who forded on foot. The van would meet them at the road crossing on the other side with their dry shoes and clothing and take them to a place in Caratunk that has really good breakfast. He asked me first, and I said I¢d take the ferry. (I don¢t want to take any unnecessary risks. I¢m old, and so far my body isn¢t broken: no bad joints, no back injuries, etc. I¢d like to finish the hike without any permanent damage to it. That¢s why I want to hike the trail as a series of day hikes rather than carrying a heavy pack.) Steve immediately said he¢d go with me. Ron and Gene said they¢d ford, and Bill later decided to ford as well. They left at 5 in order to be at the river in time to cross before 8; Steve and I left at 6 to get to the river when ferry service started at 9. The trail began with a long gentle descent to the river. For several miles the trail ran parallel to Pierce Pond Stream, which was lovely and had a nice waterfall. These were the woods of my childhood ¢ the same green mossy growth on rocks and fallen trees, the same plants (teaberry, bunchberry, clintonia/bluebeard lily), wildflowers, sounds, smells, and silence. I felt really at home and at peace. Steve and I reached the ferry crossing at 8:45 and sat down on a log to wait for the ferry. We saw Bill upstream, about halfway across, fording on foot. Then we saw him turn around and head back to this shore. He changed his mind when he realized that all the photos from his 6-month hike were on his smart phone and he would lose them if he lost his balance and got wet. The ferry arrived upstream from its usual landing place because the water was so low. I took the ferry with Bill, and Steve followed on the next one. From the road crossing in Caratunk the trail headed gradually uphill for 5 miles before becoming steep just below the summit of Pleasant Pond Mountain (elev. 2470). I reached it shortly after 2:30 and found Ron sitting on a boulder texting home. (Earlier I reached a sunny clearing and found him just getting up from an hour¢s nap.) The view from the top was spectacular. It was a sunny day with a bright blue sky and puffy clouds that made shadows on the land below. I stayed a few minutes to enjoy the view and take some pictures. Most of the other mountain tops also have been very beautiful, especially Saddleback Junior, but I arrived at the top of them too exhausted to even think to take pictures. Ron left before I did and was soon far ahead of me. The rest of the hike was a gradual 5-mile descent to the road crossing where we were meeting the van. I was hiking alone and stopped to pick a few late blackberries, which were very sweet. After I¢d been hiking what I judged to be 5 miles I started to get worried that I might have have missed the road crossing. I passed through a power line right of way, which I thought AWOL had located north of our stopping point. Then I came upon a woman who¢d pitched her tent for the night. I asked her how far it was to the gravel road, and she told me it wasn¢t far. Not long after, I reached our meeting place. I pitched my tarp between two trees, ate dinner with the others, and went to bed.