Date: 2005-08-23
From: North Crocker Mountain

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to 
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning I got up and had breakfast in "bed" before packing up my stuff. Boy it is starting to get chilly in the morning! I headed down to the highway and stood by the road trying to get a hitch. Hardest one since I have been hiking on my own. Hitching into Andover took 45 minutes but only 3 cars total went past in that time. It seemed like most of the traffic was logging trucks and mostly headed away from Stratton. Eventually a painter gave me a ride into town. On the way in we picked up Coredump another hiker who had walked part way into town.Once in town I went to the Stratton Dinner for breakfast. I had 3 pieces of French toast, bacon, eggs and toast. It was pretty good and reasonably priced. After I finished eating I resupplied from the one grocery store in town. At first I thought it looked really small and wouldn't have all the things I wanted but it turned out to have a god selection and I found everything I was looking for.While I was in town I ran into the flip-floppers from the Bears Den Hostel that I mentioned yesterday Boo Boo, Stikerbell, and Two Step. At the Stratton Motel across the street from the diner I also saw Vertical Eddie who I met way, way back at Elmer's in Hot Springs NC. Back on the trail I ran into Nokia, who Stewie and I hiked with a bit south of Pearisburg, the night that we had an amazing sunset. It is a lot of fun seeing people you haven't seen in a while.At the post office I mailed some things ahead that I didn't need - to Millinocket. What a scary though, that is beyond Katahdin, beyond the end. I suppose I realise that I have 8 days left, but it really hit me writing that address on the box.I didn't get back to the trail too early so I ended up hiking a bit in the dark. I got to meet Alice one of the MATC caretakers at the Horns Pond Campsite and talk for a while. She is a real friendly lady and I am glad to have met her. I actually first ran into her when I was about to use one of the two privies. I was about to open the door but I could hear all this noise. Was someone inside? Not exactly, someone was below/inside evening out the piles below so they don't overflow. They empty them once a month but that isn't for another week.I was worried about getting to the shelter late tonight and getting up tomorrow morning early but just my luck no one was in the shelter. I didn't have to pitch the tarp or try to be quiet and I don't have to feel bad about waking anyone up. I used all the extra room to spread out my ground trap to dry. It has been quit a while since it was dry and has started to smell a bit. I'm getting up extra early tomorrow so that I can hike 21.0 miles before 3:30pm in order to make the Kennebeck canoe ferry. It runs 9-11 and 2-4 at this time of year. The profile looks pretty flat but it is still a "mountain" of work.This morning I got up and had breakfast in "bed" before packing up my stuff. Boy it is starting to get chilly in the morning! I headed down to the highway and stood by the road trying to get a hitch. Hardest one since I have been hiking on my own. Hitching into Andover took 45 minutes but only 3 cars total went past in that time. It seemed like most of the traffic was logging trucks and mostly headed away from Stratton. Eventually a painter gave me a ride into town. On the way in we picked up Coredump another hiker who had walked part way into town.Once in town I went to the Stratton Dinner for breakfast. I had 3 pieces of French toast, bacon, eggs and toast. It was pretty good and reasonably priced. After I finished eating I resupplied from the one grocery store in town. At first I thought it looked really small and wouldn't have all the things I wanted but it turned out to have a god selection and I found everything I was looking for.While I was in town I ran into the flip-floppers from the Bears Den Hostel that I mentioned yesterday Boo Boo, Stikerbell, and Two Step. At the Stratton Motel across the street from the diner I also saw Vertical Eddie who I met way, way back at Elmer's in Hot Springs NC. Back on the trail I ran into Nokia, who Stewie and I hiked with a bit south of Pearisburg, the night that we had an amazing sunset. It is a lot of fun seeing people you haven't seen in a while.At the post office I mailed some things ahead that I didn't need - to Millinocket. What a scary though, that is beyond Katahdin, beyond the end. I suppose I realise that I have 8 days left, but it really hit me writing that address on the box.I didn't get back to the trail too early so I ended up hiking a bit in the dark. I got to meet Alice one of the MATC caretakers at the Horns Pond Campsite and talk for a while. She is a real friendly lady and I am glad to have met her. I actually first ran into her when I was about to use one of the two privies. I was about to open the door but I could hear all this noise. Was someone inside? Not exactly, someone was below/inside evening out the piles below so they don't overflow. They empty them once a month but that isn't for another week.I was worried about getting to the shelter late tonight and getting up tomorrow morning early but just my luck no one was in the shelter. I didn't have to pitch the tarp or try to be quiet and I don't have to feel bad about waking anyone up. I used all the extra room to spread out my ground trap to dry. It has been quit a while since it was dry and has started to smell a bit. I'm getting up extra early tomorrow so that I can hike 21.0 miles before 3:30pm in order to make the Kennebeck canoe ferry. It runs 9-11 and 2-4 at this time of year. The profile looks pretty flat but it is still a "mountain" of work.