Date: 2006-08-03
From: Random Spot 1 Mile Before Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Purists, be forewarned: If you have a problem with a hiker not walking past every White Blaze, read no further. If you enjoy a good adventure, read on.The rain last night did not stop from about 6:30pm ¢ 8:30am. It poured. And no cool lightening storm to go with it. I managed to get some uninterrupted sleep despite being fearful of getting my new camera wet. I did wake up in a small pool of water, which is always pleasant.Because we had little water, Chance & I decided to skip breakfast until we made it down to Long Pond Stream. About 34 of a mile down trail, I began noticing that we were following pink ribbons, not white blazes.Chance: Do you think we should turn around to find the trail?Teatree: Now, I don¢t hike backwards, especially uphill. I do this all the time ¢ I always find the trail again.We kept following the ribbons and eventually ended up at a tote [Transcriber note: I¢m not sure this is the correct word. It¢s my best guess] road. We followed this even further down until we reached a gravel road. We followed this until¢¦ what the?!?! People?! This couple from NY explained that we could follow another tote road about 34 of a mile back to the trail. Sweet, back on track.Up, up, up we went until low & behold ¢ the Shelter?!!! Man¢¦ I was wet & hungry, still having not stopped for breakfast. Not that I actually had breakfast left¢¦ Food in my pack at this point:¢¢        1 Lara Bar¢¢        a tablespoon of peanut butter¢¢        2 tablespoons of jelly ¢¢        dehydrated split pea soup¢¢        a ramen that I yogied from WesFuel left: Enough to cook one ramen.We hiked down to the Long Pond Stream ford. OH MY GOD was it raging. Not even on the PCT had I had to cross anything like this (I once took 4 hours to cross some glacial runoff in Washington State.) Luckily (?!) someone had tied a piece of bear line across the angry stream. Gee, I felt much safer with the piece of string there¢¦Chance made it across first. He¢d had lots of practice with the PCT crossing being so high this year. I watched as he got to the deepest section. The water us up about mid-thigh on him ¢ so that¢d be close to waist high on me. Sweet. Chance offered to get my pack and take one of my poles so that I could hold on to the string with one hand. ¢No. I want to carry my pack. And I want to use both poles.¢ I hiked up stream a ways to see if I could find a better crossing. Nothing. This stream was swollen in all spots. I came back to the string. I pointed at my pack and relented, ¢Chance, can you take my pack?¢ This was serious business as I pride myself on doing all things myself. I have no hiking partners. I AM AN INDIVIDUAL. That said, if I were alone, I¢d have camped right there and waited for the stream to normalize. Chance came back for my pack. He struggled coming back the opposite direction but managed. Once he was back across (his 3rd time crossing) I started across. Woo! Cold water ¢ but not as cold as the snow runoff in the High Sierra, I reminded myself. The first half wasn¢t terrible. On to the deep, fast section. I took my first step into the fast moving high water section, gripping the string in my left hand, my pole in my right. It almost took me over right them and there. Adrenaline surged as I leaned into the stream not allowing it to take me out. Oh, Hell No Stream! Not only am I crossing your ass, I¢m taking names along with it! Oh, and then, I¢m going to Monson today ¢ somehow!! A few more steps and I made it across ¢ my heart was racing and my hands were shaking. Chance & I high-fived.I mixed up the remaining peanut butter and jelly for breakfast. Yum. 3 12 hours had gone by and we¢d made it 1.8 ¢trail¢ miles. Out came the map. We pieced together a road walk that was surely longer than the remaining 14.2 mile trail to Rte 15, but was likely faster because of no roots. The section of trail from Long Pond Stream to Rte 15 is nice ¢ I remembered it from ¢01 but I knew the road would be another adventure, and it was¢¦Wes showed up and said he¢d love to join us on our roadwalk. The three of us set off. It was lovely hiking in a row down the roads, chatting the hours away. We were followed by 5 hunting hounds for a bit until we convinced them to go back home. We found an apple tree and enjoyed fresh fruit. We got to see the whole Chairback Range that we¢d climbed over the day before. We passed a camp that had a sign that said ¢If you are here to steal wood, steal it from this pile.¢ ¢ All things we would¢ve missed on the trail. Eventually after about 3 12 hours of road walking, a man stopped and offered us a lift.Sweet, dry, Monson, with its food and cotton clothing, laundry, a bed, internet, cell phone service. I was ready for a rest. Say what you will about me, but I was ready.Despite what you may be thinking, I¢m absolutely LOVING being out here. Each and every challenging day.