Date: 2013-09-12
From: Ethan Pond (Stealth Site)

To: Poplar Ridge Lean To
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: broken clouds

Oh so much rain fell today as we climbed Saddleback Mountain, The Horn and Saddleback Junior Mountain. We left our camp on Ethan Ppond at 8:45am with very wet packs. We thought we would get these climbs over and try to get to the next shelter. It was a very big climb over the three mountains. It was not anything that we have not seen but yet very tedious. The rain makes it more difficult and slower especially for me. Twix handles most all of the adverse conditions very well. Once we got on top of Saddleback Mountain (the first one), rain continued and hail began. It was really pelting us and we couldn't see very far but with occasional moments, we could see in a very small direction the pond where we just came from. I was very, very cold, but knew we couldn't stop without freezing. It was such a great site to always come up over a hill or around a bend and see the shelter. Twix got there first and I could tell that she was having a very exciting conversation. With great surprise, Crowd Control was in the shelter. We met them back in North Carolina within the first couple of weeks that we started in March. Crowd Control is a family from Seattle who started their journey on March 9, 2013. Houdini, the mother was hiking with her four children; High Five and Roadkill (twin brothers age 7), Tutu (daughter age 12) and LOL (daughter age 15). Roadkill had since gone home sometime around the Smokies but the other three are still on the trail. Later in the day, Long Island, Clover, SideShow, Fresh Step, Rock Dancer, Big Yankee and Strider joined us in the shelter. Huge thunderstorms started to roll soon after we arrived in the shelter. Lightning was hitting all around us. Strider was waiting for his hiking partner, No Rush, who didn't make it to the shelter that night. We were hoping that he was able to find some shelter tonight. Bella did well her second day without Bluegrass however Strider and Clover had similar blue, raincoats like Bluegrass so she really perked up when they came into camp. I think she was thinking that they were Bluegrass. As soon as the took their hood off, she would lay her head back down and snuggle back into the sleeping bags.It was so nice to be warm and dry in the six person shelter all with eight hikers.I thought I would insert here words from our friend Canadian Bacon. It pretty much sums up what our hiking has been here lately.Canadian Bacon Blog:"Our journey through the Whites was slow and difficult. We are now in Maine, and the terrain, while different from New Hampshire, has been challenging and difficult. Imagine long, steep climbs up and down granite rock faces, some of which made us wonder if we should have rock climbing gear. Imagine hiking through days of rain and thunderstorms that roll in as you reach the peak of a mountain (truly not where you want to be in a thunderstorm, and yes, I shrieked like a little girl at the booming thunder overhead.) Imagine boulder fields and steep rocky descents. Imagine every size of tree root, all twisted and gnarled together in a path of mud and rocks, which are all treacherously slippery when wet. Imagine mud bogs, where you might sink to your knee in mud if you step in the wrong place (yes, I did). Imagine that you are gingerly proceeding down a rock face one baby step at a time only to have your feet suddenly come flying out from under you so that you land ungraciously with a thud on your ass. Imagine fording a river up to your thigh with a swift current. Imagine all of this while carrying a 35 plus pound pack on your back. At this point, you might be asking if we're crazy, or why in the world we continue. We ask ourselves the same questions from time to time. We are not always happy on our hike. And yet, we love it. The feeling of accomplishment when you conquer the worst possible conditions is part of what keeps us going. And, just when you need it, the most amazing views imaginable. We were descending a peak with gorgeous views of the valleys below the other day when I turned to Trouble and said, "Stop. Listen. It's so peaceful here." This is the answer to our why."Salsa