Date: 2009-08-20
From: Grafton Notch

To: Hall Mt. Lean-to
Miles today: 16.3

Tmax for Topofgothics... Turns out he didn't make it to Baldpate lean-to yesterday. Instead he got to Grafton Notch and couldn't locate his food drop. Last night was a rough one, besides not being able to get his drop he lost his headphones and his container with all his money! So Topofgothics was only able to eat a little last night thinking he would have to ration what food he had left. However, he found the drop this morning, had a good breakfast and then headed back down the trail. At the next road crossing a note had been left for him tacked to a tree with a phone number of a parks service person who found the container with the money in it (a blank check with his name on it was also in there). The world is full of all sorts of trail angels! Another big elevation day with just under 6000 feet climbed. The plan is to get to Rangeley Friday evening.  ****When I woke, I put Topo in my pocket and asked for his help in finding our grub. If nothing else, I would try for at least an hour, partitioning the area into a grid and doing a proper search. As I neared where it should have lain, Topo suggested going a little out of the lines, just to make sure. Three minutes later, just north of the outer limits of my search hours ago, there it was. Relief is not a strong enough word. With one down, I tried for an hour to locate my missing headphones, figuring the white chords should be easy to spot. No such luck. Sometimes you take what you can get. Up at the lean-to I took a short early break. In the log book at this place where I would have liked to have spent last night, everyone talked about the moose that has adopted this place and who comes to visit every evening. I hope to see one yet (not by a road), since that is one of the last things to tick off my list. Baldpate Mountain was beautiful. On a different day I would have spent hours and hours up there. The ascent was steep and open and the views went on forever. It was a perfect day, so I called TMax to tell her that I loved her. I was thus inspired. I was approaching East B Hill Road, the first sign of civilization in over ten miles. A long lunch was spent at the falls that I had just passed, and things were looking brighter. My one last hope was that I would not have to put a stop-check on the one that I had just lost. I figured that it was gone in those woods where I was searching for the drop, and no one would ever find it. Twenty feet before the road ahead there was a note pinned to a tree. ¢Dave from Buffalo ¢ Grote St. I have your plastic match case w/$ + a check inside! Grafton Notch State Park 207-824-2912.¢ Unfreaking believable. It turned out that someone had found it on a day hike to Old Speck, then by chance ran into Chance, who knew me and that I was from Buffalo (as was another day hiker heading north that we met that morning) and with his persuasion the case was handed over to the ranger at the park, who then drove around in a big loop to get to where I would be and surely see the note, all before I reached that point. What a world it is out here in the wilderness. I was elated, and called my love to tell her as soon as I received a clear signal. Bolstered by this news, renewed vigor filled me, and I was again ready to kick some ass! Some of that was taken back by a mountain named Surplus. Any hill with that name cannot be good. I felt like I was back in the south, where there were endless short steep, and decidedly needless ups and downs. Yuck! I saw an even contour that could have been taken, but that would have been too easy. I am sure that this was provided more work for the sadistic morons that have laid out part of this trail. Finally, with just under 6000 feet for the day, I reached the shelter with a meager water supply and set up my tent. Blueberry and Wizard were there also. With dinner on, I started to build a fire. That got going, and afterward I ate. Wanting to enjoy the evening, I went to the lean-to where I knew there was a few larger pieces leftover in the their pit. I asked the southbounder who was making his dinner if he planned to use any of it. ¢I don¢t deal with no fires unless someone else makes them. It¢s too much work.¢ OK. I enjoy the ambience, and it is not that much work for the enjoyment and comfort that it brings. I stayed outside the tent for quite some time that night, and relished in every minute of my evening.