Date: 2006-08-05
From: Popular Ridge Lean-To

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 8.0

A good night last night at Popular Ridge. Summer, Hatchet and I slept in the shelter and the Group of Ten tented out. Quiet night but cloudy.   All three of us in the shelter were awake early, Summer to head to Crocker Cirque and Hatchet to Rangeley ¢ for a haircut! Hatchet was quiet the talker his morning, manically psyching himself up for an 11 mile hike in 5 hours. He is 40 yo, and has retired from the Navy, but still retains a lot of his military style personality. We were finally all off hiking away, to the sounds of Hatchet yelling to himself fading away to the south.   It was a fairly steep and stiff descent down off of Popular Ridge ¢ with one flattish bit in the middle ¢ and it made for slow and careful going. The Group of Ten began to catch up with me as we approached Orbeton Stream. Upon arrival at the stream, a moment¢s inspection quickly showed that this was going to be my first formal fording experience.   The stream was neither particularly deep - knee high ¢ nor swift, there was just no way across except by fording. I had thought a lot about how I was going to do this ¢ so I implemented my plan.   First boots and sox came off ¢ sox were stuffed into the boots and the boots were clipped [one to each side] of the pack with two small carabineers, purchased especially in Rangeley for this task. Then it was on with my Wallaby Crocks, pole in each hand to ensure stability, and across I went. It all went very well. The poles provided great stability in the stream and the Crocks protected my feet from the rocks, which were easily visible through the clear water. Most of the others did OK, but carrying your boots in your hands, and not using hiking poles did not help, and at least one pair of boots went under water when their owner overbalanced and placed hand and boot on an underwater rock to stabilize himself.   At the other side I dried off my feet with my bandana, clipped my Crocks to the outside of my pack to dry, donned my dry sox and boots, and was ready to roll once again. I was well pleased with this first test of the system.   It was then a steady, but even, uphill hike of Lone Mountain. The first part of the climb is alongside a rushing stream ¢ I love streams ¢ and it was wonderful hiking. Dappled sunspots on a cool shady trail, with the sounds and sights of the rushing Sluice Brook alongside. The Group of Ten began to pass me, but I soon came upon one of the adults, Red Shirt, sprawled with his pack on, beside the trail.      He denied any problems and said he was ¢just resting¢ but his general appearance was one of a hiker who had ¢hit the wall¢ and was having trouble going on. At the logging road adjacent to Perham Stream, his friends awaited him while we all stocked up on water. He arrived, clearly in bad shape and we were all concerned. Just then ¢ of all things ¢ a pickup truck appeared, crawling slowly along the old overgrown logging road. The driver was our looking for discarded moose antlers, but Red Shirt spurned the opportunity for a ride and insisted on going on.   I started up on the final and very steep section of Lone Mountain, and met with a SOBO group of youngsters on the summit, out for a four-day hike. While I ate lunch and spoke with KT on the cell, the Group of Ten arrived with the news that Red Shirt had turned back to the logging road and was now hiking out,   After the top of Lone Mountain, the trail is foot candy all the way here to the shelter. More sun dappled hiking on an easy trail ¢ but no stream this time.   I rejoined the Group of Ten ¢ now Nine ¢ here at the shelter. They have all decided to continue on for another three miles and spend their last night on the trail in the summit house on top of Sugarloaf. As they were leaving I was given a residual bag of their Gorp, but scarcely had I expressed my thanks, when its owner ¢ returning from the spring ¢ reclaimed ownership!   So I have had a late lunch ¢ coffee and the half bagel with peanut butter ¢ and switched to the north end of the shelter, because of a stiff breeze coming through a sizeable chink in the south side logs. The gear is all on the bear line drying, and my boots are airing out in the sunshine. I am well content with the world and, were I a Hobbit, I am sure that I would be blowing smoke rings from my pipe!      Boogy Man NOBO thru hiking just stopped in. He is from Michigan and so he is a fellow flatlander. He is also heading for the summit house for the night. We will see how the evening progresses.   Thought for Today ¢ The Primary purpose of Work Is the Dignity of the WorkerI thought of this because of Red Shirt's refusal to accept a ride. His work was the hike, and for him to have to give up his work/hike would mean a loss of dignity.