Date: 2004-09-14
From: Crawford Pond, stealth camp near sand beach

To: Mahar Tote Road, White House Landing
Miles today: 16.1

Cold morning again, but I jumped right up and packed. Somewhere in the middle of night, the world went completely quiet¢no wind, no waves, no animals. The silence was deafening and I spent a good hour just studying it. I wondered if I would ever experience this deep vacuum of stillness again.As promised, the AT through the Wilderness flattens out. I reached Coopers Brook Lean-to shortly. I¢m still behind Bluebearee, but now only a half day. I saw her registry entry with a message to me promising that the hard parts of the Trail are really behind us now. Coopers Brook had a great swim hole, but as always, I had no desire to take a dip because it was too cold. In fact, the brisk mornings are giving me a strong incentive to finish. I want to be done before it starts snowing again.Today we got a closer view of Katahdin from Pemadumcook Lake. It is incredibly clear and anyone at the summit today is blessed with 100 miles of visibility. The sun warmed up the Wilderness nicely as I crossed streams and walked along lakes. By noon, it was tepid enough to wade and swim in Jo-Mary Lake. I read Jalan Jalan¢s lament in a registry that this morning he wished he were at home, but these sunny days make him relish his time in the woods. My sentiments exactly, I thought.Antler Campsite had an amusing privy. It looked like a small house. The windows had curtains and the instructions request that we sweep after each use. The registry for the campsite, located in the privy, includes many comments about the relentless mosquitoes. They¢re incredibly hardy at 40 degrees.My plan for the day was to get to White House Landing, a hostel in the Wilderness, and have a cheeseburger before camping at Nahmakanta Stream Campsite for the evening. This is a well-established resort. The only way to reach it is to walk 1.2 miles off the Trail, blow an air horn at a dock, and wait for the owners to pick you up in a motorboat. But I had heard the burgers are worth the trouble.I was told by some south bounders to not blow the horn twice no matter how long I wait. The owners get very annoyed. So I demonstrated the utmost patience as I took a nap on the dock waiting for my ride. It was a beautiful, clear day with a light breeze. After thirty minutes though, I started to wonder if they had heard me. At forty minutes, I had a strong curiosity to see what an ¢annoyed¢ White House Landing owner looked like. At 45 minutes, 81 showed up. He rang the horn again and joined me on the dock. He said he would have blown the horn again if he had waited as long as me.Bill, our host, came over with the motorboat soon after 81 arrived. I have to say that the atmosphere at White House Landing is pleasant and I decided to stay in their bunkhouse because many thru-hikers are here. They also have an inviting porch swing with pillows. Reminds me of my youth visiting my grandparents. The cheeseburgers were definitely worth the price and the effort. But I can¢t help warning hikers that if you don¢t have the cash, do not consider staying at this place. Credit card use costs an extra service fee. The bunkhouse is $20. This includes the shower but not the towel. After pizza, beer, cheeseburgers, and salad, Slips, Jalan Jalan, and I borrowed a canoe to check out Katahdin Range in the waning sun. In the opposite direction, the horizon had an orange hue over the woods and water. Katahdin, once we found it--believe it or not, we couldn¢t see it--was purple with defined streaks and grooves against a dark blue sky. Although it was chilly at the house, we were all comfortable on the water. The three of us along with 81 wish to reach Katahdin Stream Campsite in two days, a distance of 41 miles. When you stay the night at White House Landing, you are bounded by their schedule for a return to the Trail. This concerned us a bit since we all wanted to hike over nineteen miles tomorrow and our ferry back to the Trail would not be available till 9 am. As Slips remarked, 20 miles with a late start is ¢harsh.¢ The sun here is setting at 6:40 pm. In hindsight, the cheeseburger quest seemed frivolous. But I needed to talk to people after two nights of stealth camping and I was rewarded with great company on a quiet evening. I¢m sure it will work out in the end.