Date: 2009-10-05
From: Monson, ME (ShawÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs)

To: Monson, ME (ShawÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We woke up tired from the beating of the last six months, but hungry enough to try Shaw s famous all-you-can-eat breakfast. All you have to do is to put up a number in your hand, say for example  four , and they would bring out four eggs, four pancakes, four pieces of bacon, and four sausages. Yeah, it was a lot. I think that I started off with two and then worked it up to three (2+1, that is), but it was a lot of food.After breakfast, we planned to hitchhike our way some 10 miles down the road to the town of Greenville and Moosehead Lakes, where we hoped to get our re-supply. The guy that picked us up was a self-proclaimed protector of the state of Maine. He was honest and a little nutty, but a good man, nevertheless. He was telling us how upset he was that all the  flatlanders , or people from the northeast, were coming up to claim a stake in the beautiful Maine countryside. He wanted the state of Maine to be for the people of Maine. Sounds like the Maine  Declaration of Independence , no? He then went on to say that it is terrible that the state has allowed for hunter licenses to be given out to Maine residents. He explained that the moose are beautiful creatures and that they should not be shot. Upon dropping us off, we thanked him and wished him well. Inside the town supermarket, we purchased our items and, mostly convinced by Chef, I decided to buy a steak, which I would eat out in the wilderness. The Maine air was still frigid as can be and, outside the supermarket, we were freezing waiting for the rest of the crew to get finished with shopping. Jungli had to go buy some allergy medicine, whereas Chef and Chucks wanted to head back into town. So, I decided to accompany Jungli, but we first stored our food in some bushes outside a boat store...the things we do on the trail. Then, we walked a mile or so to the town of Moosehead Lakes. I managed to find an outfitter in town, who just happened to have the final bottle of Polar Pure to ensure that I wouldn t get giardia while in the wilderness. Once we left outside, the rain came pouring down again and we were left scrambling for a way up the hill to get our stuff and then to make our way back to Monson. I decided to begin to stick out my thumb and try to at least get up the hill to get our stuff. Within 15 minutes of the rain coming down on us, a local from a neighboring town stopped at the side of the road and gave us a lift up to the grocery bags and all the way back to Monson. The man turned out to be a painter and he had his palette, brush, and a few works in the trunk of his car. We could see that he was incredibly talented from the paintings in the back and, when we asked him about it, he said that he just enjoys the Maine landscapes and he loves the area. He tried New York City for a while but didn t like it and decided to make his way back to Maine, where he could feel comfortable and do his work in relative peace. I headed into the town of Monson again, where I was going to buy some heet, a liquid substance that is similar to denatured alcohol. While there, I struck up a conversation with the owner of the general store who went on to tell me bits and pieces of the town of Monson and about his life. He was a lifer in the army and, upon retiring, decided to buy the General Store, which he now views as a terrible mistake. But, he says that he loves meeting all the hikers coming through and it is something that keeps him busy and continues to pay the bills. For some reason, we got onto the subject of guns (I have no idea how this happened) and he pulled out a few rifles from under the desk to show me. He explained that he has this fascination with revolutionary and civil war rifles and that he managed to make the frame and barrel of one. Very interesting chap from the wee town of Monson, ME. Back at Shaw s, Chef prepared an incredible meal in the hostel, which we were initially told we couldn t make. We all set together and then a few other stragglers started coming in. 10 x 10, who I had met a long time ago, but never had a chance to really get to know arrived late at night nearly famished. He missed the Kennebec River crossing by some 20 minutes and then had to camp there without any food. He managed to catch one trout and cook it over a fire, but he was just hungry as can be and started really moving on his way to Monson. I should also note that the package that arrived for me was filled with all sorts of pictures, drawings and notes from my aunt and two cousins, Katie and Alex. These guys have meant so much to me, cheering me on in each place, with Katie being especially interested about my whereabouts. Can you believe it? Tomorrow we set forth for the last leg of the journey for Katahdin! I hope the weather holds up ?