Date: 2018-09-02
From: Stealth site at White Brook Trail JCT mile 2116.1

To: Antlers campsite
Miles today: 21.9

I started packing up around 5:15 after stretching. When I had everything ready to go I went and got my bear bag down from up the trail and joined River on a log for my breakfast of Good To Go Granola. I love this stuff. It's coated with powdered milk I guess so I just add less than a half cup of water and I've got a cold cereal. It can be eaten hot but I am loving it cold and it stays with me a little longer than my oatmeal. We left camp at 6:34 and immediately climbed White Cap. As promised we got a view of Katahdin from the peak. The sky was a bit cloudy and River noticed some dark gray clouds and made a beeline for the treeline wanting to be off the summit if a storm should come. I didn't see her again until just briefly at Logan Brook Lean to where I stopped for the privy and water. This spot marks our half way point on the trail in miles hiked. That's pretty exciting to think about! I hiked for a few more hours and stopped at Crawford Pond where I sat on a piece of log that had been stood up in the sand and was the perfect height. There was no one around at this beautiful beach. I enjoyed the solitude along with my summer sausage and crackers. With my break over I continued on seeing only a few sobo section hikers. It was very quiet. Except the bugs. No one talks about them but they're annoying. These little black nats that have been a part of my hike since somewhere around boiling springs. Nasty nats I call them. At any given time there can be a half dozen flying right in front of my eyeballs. All vying for a spot on my eyelashes where they like to land. I'm so annoyed by them I wave at them and try to blow them away from my face. But sometimes I let them land. And I hear the voice of Jeff Dunham's character Ahmed....."I kill you!"and after they land on my lashes I take my bandana and wipe my eye and presto.....dead nasty nats. I love cook or breezy days because Ahmed gets a day off! There were long stretches of nice smooth pine needle carpet and I cruised at 2.5 mph thru them. I was filtering water at a stream 4.3 miles from Jo Mary Rd when I received a text from River saying there was trail magic there. So I upped my pace naturally! Along the way since I didn't have music, I've used up the battery in my MP3 player, I imagined all sorts of things about the trail magic. Kind of like what you do if you buy a lottery ticket. It's really a cheap way to daydream. I conjured up all kinds of things about who was there and what they had. When I arrived River commented on my speed, so I know I was flying! Baggette was a thru hiker from Manchester NH and hiked last year with her Mom. She chose to do Trail magic here because this is a spot they could really have used it. She had ice cold polar seltzer water which is my at home drink if choice and it was wonderful. Also some snacks, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and some camp bracelets she'd made. I joined River, Galaxy and Songbird when I arrived and baggette gave me her chair which I sweat all over. I couldn't help it, it's more humid and warmer today than it has been. At 4:40 we thanked her and left together to conquer the last 4.4 miles to Antlers campsite. It was enjoyable to hike in together after a nice rest. When we arrived at camp around 6:30 River had gotten in first and claimed a site. She's been here before and checked on the peninsula for me and there was a site at the very end which I eagerly claimed. I could bathe and see both sunrise and sunset and have some privacy which is rare out here. I enjoyed all of that, especially the bathing. I hung my shirt on a trekking pole after rinsing it out in the lake and hung it on a tree branch to dry overnight. It smells a bit less now but I know that won't last long. With sunset coming around 7:30 now there Really wasn't much time so I ate my dinner and crawled into bed to text with Brian and post a couple of journal entries. My cell service is amazing out here! I was even able to text Brian a couple of pictures. I'm looking forward to seeing him in a few days and it keeps me rolling on. The next 2 days will need to be 17-19 mile days. We'd like to get to Abol Bridge to the store for soda, ice cream and food. I don't think I can get enough calories in what I carry so I really need the town food to supplement. Sometimes when I'm hiking I feel like I'm folding in half at the waist and I remind myself to stand up straight. I know I've lost more weight but I won't know how much until I get home. At about 9:30 I said goodnight to Brian so I can get some sleep.