Date: 2006-09-10
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Bama crossed on the dam that holds back Pierce Pond over which the AT passes this morning and went to Harrison Camp nearby (207-672-3625) for the ¢lumberjack¢ breakfast of 12 delicious blueberry pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice, milk &coffee. The cabins and camp were really nice - one of those ¢gotta come back to this place¢ visits. She met Wrong Way who stayed at Harrison¢s last night. The folks at breakfast were Pilot, Little Engine, Pi, Professor, Jesse James, Wrong Way and Bama. She enjoyed meeting and talking with Tim Harrison, the owner, who was full of good trail information. Bama had a hard time leaving the rocking chair beside the iron fire-burning stove in the kitchen. It was a slow, relaxed ease into the trail with a full belly. She was back on the trail at 8:45 am. Later she saw Single Malt whom she hadn¢t seen for a long, long time ¢ nice reunion.After a few more miles, she reached the Kennebec River. The Kennebec is the most formidable unbridged crossing along the entire 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail. The river is approximately 70 yards wide with a swift, powerful current under the best of circumstances. However, as a result of releases of water from hydro facilities upstream, the depth and current of the river surge quickly and unpredictably. One cannot cross faster than the water level rises. The MATC and the Appalachian Trail Conference have contracted with Rivers & Trails Northeast (www.riversandtrails.com) to provide a scheduled ferry service across at the A.T. crossing at no cost to hikers. Hikers must meet the ferry on either the east or west banks of the Kennebec River at the point of the AT crossing. If the ferry is on the opposite side, a signal flag will be provided to alert the ferry operator. Hikers are required to sign a release form, wear a life jacket and follow the instructions of the ferry operator.Professor & Jesse James went first, then Bama, then others. She paddled with Jacob, the ferryman today. She is an experienced canoeist and she said it was quite a ferry ride with the strong current. Fortunately, the dam had released no water at the time and it hadn¢t rained recently, so this was as easy as it gets. Once across, Jacob asked if they wanted to be re-supplied. They said, yes, and he called Steve Longley who owns Rivers & Trails Northeast. Steve came and met them at the road and shuttled everyone. Bama bought a few things, especially a stove fuel canister, and enjoyed talking with Steve.From there, it was a small rise in elevation from the river - after several brook and stream crossings - up to the Old Logging Road before the Pleasant Pond Lean-to. On the way Bama met a 71-year-old SOBO named Heaven Bound, who told her he had been reading her journal as he prepared for his trip south.Pleasant Pond Lean-to is set-up similar to Pierce Pond, but the pond and swimming area is about a quarter mile away. She did say that the loons were in full chorus ¢ all night ¢ at both Pierce and Pleasant Ponds. Keep in mind, what the Mainers call a pond, we would call a lake (and a big one at that).Tomorrow, one more lean-to tomorrow night and then into Monson, ME on Sept. 12 to Shaw¢s Lodging, mail pick up and the beginning of the 100-mile Wilderness. Hikers are told that they need a minimum of 10 days worth of food, although Wingfoot¢s Thru-hiker Handbook says most hikers get thru it in fewer days and it¢s not quite as remote as it once was due to logging roads ¢ but still no towns or services.Bill