Date: 2016-07-12
From: Perham Stream Road

To: Rt 4 and Rangeley
Miles today: 15.8

We were up and out on the road to the Perham Stream road between 6:30 and 7. Got to drop off point just before 8 and had a nice talk with Shawn during the drive. He told me a few stories about people who got in trouble in the Saddlebacks and also said that one of the nice things about them is that you can see where you are going next. From Penham Stream, the trail is level down for about 1/2 mile then drops steeply following a stream down to sorbet on Stream. On the way almost to the stream I got a strong smell of creosote and thought that was weird. A half mile later it was obvious, the trail crosses a railroad track and the rail company had laid out new ties that it was installing on the tracks. One thing I noticed since hiking the trail was that my sense of smell seemed to become more acute. All of the different plants had there own aroma with the pines and ferns being especially fragrant. After the tracks there is a steep rocky scramble to Oberton Stream following by a nice 1500' climb up to Poplar Ridge. On most of the mountains in Maine you are in what seems to be an endless green tunnel. The tunnel has a lot of variation but it typically doesn't give you a view of the mountain you are climbing. I've grown to recognize approximately where I am by the type of tree cover and under brush. The valleys are dominated by hardwood and disciduous trees. As you climb they transition to large pines and eventually there are only pines. As you climb and get closer to the alpine zone the pines grow shorter with an under cover of huckleberry bushes. When you reach an area where the ridge is exposed more to harsh wind and weather, the pines look gnarled and thin at times often with a base of brilliant green moss or a boggy thin marsh. I love these areas. Usually if you get a view from this zone at a rocky ledge it is territorial looking away from the peak you are driving to. This was the case climbing up Poplar Ridge to Poplar Ridge lean-to , where I met the young Canadian French gals again. They really were a fun group and had stopped for a break and some spice cake, which they offered to me. From the lean-to there is a steep up and over Saddlebacks Junior. From here you can see the entire ridge line on both sides, north and south and the extent of the climb ahead of you over the Horn and finally over Saddleback Mtn. Following that ridge was a blast and was beautiful with outstanding views for the 4 miles from Saddleback Junior. Climbing the ridge seemed to build to a crachendo at the top of Saddlebach, which was a massive mountain with a broad 1 mile long rocky top. It was spectacular. I called the Shaw's from the last ridge to let them know that I was on time for a 5 pm pick up at the trail head at Rt 4 and started down a very steep 1 mile stretch dropping 1500'. I worked my way Dow carefully to Eddy Pond where the trail starts to level out a little for another 2 miles. It was in this stretch that I started to feel light headed. I ignored it at first, but finally realized that my sense of balance was off and I needed to figure out what was going on. I was hungry and ate some jerky, peanuts, dried mango and a few dried peach halves. Hmmm.... That seemed to fix it, I must have had low blood sugar. I'll pay attention to that going forward. One thing that I have found is that my metabolism has changed. What normally would be a breakfast that woul hold me until noon now burns off by 9 or 10 o'clock. I realized that I was turning into a habit. My feet were getting bigger and I was eating 5-6 meals a day and still loosing weight. Beyond Ethel Pond the trail was level down and I was cruising. I was expecting to reach the trail head well before 5. About a half mile before the road I saw Shawn with two of his younger kids and apologized to him for being late again. He said, you aren't late, it's 4:30. We just got to the trail head early and decided to hike a little. Shawns daughter is about 8-9 years old and is enthralled with hikers. She sleeps in a tent in her room. And will only were trail runner shoes. I collapsed one of my poles and gave it to her to use and showed her how I hikers use poles to maintain balance and momentum goin up and down. The last 1/2 mile went a little slower since we were moving at the pace of the kids. Back at the car and then at the Farmhouse I looked back on a great day. I was thinking about picking up a few groceries and making crispy skinned chicken thighs with cannilini beans saut©ed in a garlic, shallots and chicken stock reduction, with a side of asparagus, but Bear Bait had the stove completely occupied cooking a layered affair with a spicy meat sauce, home fries and macaroni salad heavy in mayo. I hate mayo with a passion, so it sounded disgusting to me. Ended up eating one of my freeze dried dinners while sorting out my mail drop. It seemed that I had too much food for the next stretch so I gave 2 days worth to Magoo, a friendly Nobo about 60 years old. He wears glasses and has eyes that are constantly shifting back and forth. Took a shower, washing out my shoulder again. I also had been taping a blister and sore spot on my left heal. This seems to be working since I haven't had any pain from it for the past few days and the blister was healing. To bed with an an early wake up at 5 to prep for the next day and section of trail between Rangeley Maine and Gorham NH.