Date: 2007-10-19
From: .8 miles north of Bald Mtn pond, Maine

To: Lake Shore House, Maine
Miles today: 14.0

Woke up abruptly to a light rain. I didnt panic; but, was packed and dressed just like when my drill sargent used to yell at me in the morning to get packed. I was hiking in about 5 minutes. I check my camera and it said 5am exactly and there was just a hint of light. As I got going; it quite raining and did not rain again for another 10 hours. That was really wierd. The light rain was my alarm clock. It reminded me of another time when I had an unusual wake up. My granny had just died and it was the day of the funeral. My family and I were in a hotel in Donelson, Tn. We had all stayed up late the night before and had several days of high stress/drama and the rest of my immedite family had recently converted to Catholicism. So, there was the traditional Wake like party the night before. Somehow the power went out the night before, as well, and all the alarm clocks were flashing with the incorrect time; so we had all slept several hours past our wake up times. Well, my deceased Granny was not going to have us miss her funeral and you had to know her matriarchal spirit to fully understand this; but, the fire alarm went off around 10am! The hotel could not turn it off. It took the fire department to come and turn it off. There was no fire and they could not see where anyone had pulled the alarm? The hotel staff apologized to me and said that they did not know what had happened? A power surge or something? I knew it was my Granny, though. Anyway, I made about 2 and a half miles to the Piscataquis River Ford before the sun was even completely up and wished my circadian rythym would allow me to do this everyday. I was hoping to find a way across that would not get me all wet. I walked up and down the river; no spot to cross and stay dry; so, across I went. It was up to mid thigh in the deepest spot where I nearly fell and went down river in the current. I got to the other side and put on dry clothes and drank coffee and ate. As I sat there: a big wind started up and came down the river and the clouds got a little darker. They both were around the rest of the day. I knew that I had to make some time to avoid a big storm. Ive got to where I can tell when a big one is coming. The route to Monson is fairly "Flat". The walk along this river is another gorgeous one with multiple waterfalls. I made good time; but, it was a little laborious with soaking wet shoes. I then came to the second ford of the river. This time, I did not try to find a nice dry place to cross; like a finicky cat. I just stomped across like a Labrador retriever(the breed mentioned in memory of "Marley", "O.G.'s" dog that just died and as well as McCluscky's dog that went missing in Tn. Both were Lab mixes). It was so much easier to do it this way and somehow I was not as wet: go figure. I got going down towards town and went by Hebron Lake where the fog and drizzle began. I had an optical illusion where the water began and where it meshed with the fog. It looked like it was a cliff that would look down on the town; but, it was actually where the clear water touched the shore. I took the blue blaze down into town along Pleasant Street. Alot of evidence of logging around here; but, Im sure "it's a living" for many. I went to the PO and picked up about ten days worth of food; "Ya Done Good", again. It was really starting to rain now. I then went down to The Lake Shore House and got a room and a beer. I went upstairs and there was "Lentil". He decided to stay another night due to the rain. I went over to the library and saw how all my readers were wondering where I was. I left a quick note for them; an apology; and some wild LAWRENCE OF ARABIA reference. As I was writing; a great grandmother who ran the one room library and who was babysitting her 3 year old great grand daughter, Abigail; kept me company. these small town libraries have been as much of my hike as the AT. Each one is so different: The loud one in Andrews, NC; The strict mean one in Dalton, Mass(one hour that's it!); The giant one in Hanover, NH; and this one. This one is the best one yet. I had all the time I wanted with headphones and I could even sing. Abigail, sat next to me and looked at me with those big blue eyes and would say, "I want to listen to music" or "I want to play games". I would set her up on her computer and then she would run off and her Grandmother would scold her, "leave that book alone"..."where did you get that one". Then she would run back over to me, while I was singing an old Merle Haggard tune playing on PANDORA BOX RADIO(internet). I then went back to my lodging and washed my clothes. Lentil was getting some serious attention from the proprietor, Rebecah(married). She would say to him, "oh, look at those long, muscular, tannned legs." I swear, the trail, is what it must be like in Alaska: all these fit men and so few women and about all of them married. I guess it is nice that they flirt with us. It makes us feel good and is probably good for business. She asked me if I ran around camp naked in front of other men and that she bet I knew how everyone was "hung". I just did not have the energy to get into it. I said that I had not really thought about it. I did not sleep well. I do not sleep well indoors anymore. Plus, I was thinking the 100 mile wilderness tomorrow!