Date: 2011-08-24
To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Update:Tonight I am back in Stratton Maine. After missing most of the Stratton to Rangely section due to a crazy overflowing Carabasset river, I finally got a chance to make it up. I had already made up my missing miles in Virgina and Pensylvania in October 2009, so only Maine and NH are left.I drove my motorcycle from Detroit, through Ontario, New York, Vermont and and a hellacious rain storm in New Hampshire. I checked in to the stratton hotel Sunday night and had a nice talk with Sue, the owner. She agreed to shuttle me the next day.Day 1 - 5.2 milesAfter a nice large blueberry breakfast I finally got started on my hike. Sue took me up caribou pond road to the trail, exactly where I left off 3 years before. The stream was actually manageable this time, I ran into 2 NOBO's crossing it and they showed me the best crossing spot.The first mile after the river had a 1300 foot elevation gain, but it didn't seem so bad. Was Maine not as brutal as I remembered it? (later Maine would make me her bitch...it was worse than I remembered). At the top I hiked the extra .5 mile and back to the Sugarloaf warming hut and had lunch with some college kids from Vermont. I miss meeting people like that, everyone is so nice on the trail. I continued over spaulding mountain and made it to he spaulding mountain shelter. I would see no one until the next day. It was a very cold night and I forgot to pack warm clothes and motrin, so I didnt sleep so well. Lucky I brought my kindle. But it was good to sleep outside once again.Day 2 - 8 milesI got up, ate breakfast and packed just in time to run into a NOBO looking for water. I asked him the time (8am) and then he took off. The rest of the day I would see 3 other person before the next shelter; 1 NOBO and 2 sectioners. I had a rough climb down to the Obterton stream and a rougher climb up. I made it to Poplar Ridge Lean-to and called it a day.I met 4 hikers that night: So Far So Good and Monday, a german couple thruhiking NOBO; and Michigan and ???, section hikers who were finally finishing their hike of the AT. It was great conversation and we all got along so great. It really made me miss hiking on the trail.In the middle of the night I got up to go to the bathroom and almost ended up peeing on some lady who randomly chose the same pee spot as me. Very weird..must be a popular place? I guess she came in late after I fell asleep.Day 3 - 10.7 milesThe Plan today was to go to Piazza Rock lean-to and spend one last night on the AT. That didn't happen. I pushed myself as hard as I could and made it to the road. It was tough...threee big climbs, lots of rock and roots, and some super sketchy descents. I was beat, but it was good to hitch into Rangely and order another Smoking Willy hotdog!I got a hitch from a nice lady from boston (she is a Ringer, plays hand bells in a choir) and then a hitch from Rangely to Stratton from a nice lady who moved out here from Chicago. It is so nice to meet such nice people, I wish the world was more like the AT.Next stop is Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire, should be an easy 2 miles and then I will be a 2000 miler!!!