Date: 2016-07-04
From: Caratunk

To: Minson
Miles today: 37.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I guess the taste of stealth camping at Jerome Brook was enough to hook me. I had hoped to make a 20 mile run from The Sterling Inn to the Moxie Bald Lean to. That was enough to get me past both remaining mountains before Monson. And I did make it, although my right instep was still sore and prone to producing stabbing pains if twisted the wrong way. The problem was water. The lean to water came from a pond, a stagnant pond, and I didn't like it. The next shelter was 9 miles north and it was already after 2:30pm but I passed on it anyway and kept on walking. The first priority would be to find water and refill the bladder. Running waters at least. Spring water would be preferable but none was to be had. About an hour later I forded a small river and decided this might be the best to be had today. I filtered a liter into my water bottle and drank some from the filter. I didn't mix it yet with my badder supply. Still not completely trusting it. Shorty after, the clouds and wind picked up indicating rain. I settled for a small cleared area right off the trail just barely wide enough for my tent. I think it was meant as a water stop since there was a rough looking way down to what I believe was the same river I got water from earlier. It was running parallel to the trail. It was a tight squeeze and I couldn't use all my stakes or guy ropes. Sturdy enough though, even with a brisk wind getting brisker. I pulled myself and my gear into the tent hoping it was late enough in the day that no other hikers would come past. I wasn't exactly obeying the tenting rules, being so close to the trail and to the brook. A few did, going both directions, but I couldn't see who they may have been and they couldn't see me, just my tent. I was trying to decide where to hang my bear ursack when it started raining. First soft them hard; soft then hard. For maybe an hour. I gave up on the ursack and left it in the tent. All the food is in loksak no smell bags but I have never left my food in the tent overnight. Bad habit. I had fleeting thoughts of going too far just to see a bear. It wouldn't be funny for him to stick his nose into my tent. None came. Speaking of wildlife though I did see a moose that morning. A big female clumsily thrashing up the slope away from me. They are big. The night passed all too soon, even though I was in the sack by 7pm. The gurgling of the Brook made it hard to determine when it rained during the night. The tent worked great and everything stayed dry. I got up at 4am but hadn't yet refilled the bladder. I did that using the stream water which was arguably no different than what was in the water bottle but felt better. This delayed my start till almost 6am but my extra walking the day before had put me closer to Monson so it was a wash. The terrain was not so bad but what there was did more damage to my sore right instep. Then I tried putting it on a pointed rock while crossing a stream and slipped, going down with my body into the rocks but not too much into the water. The fall hurt my left foot. Now both insteps were sensitive to twists. My pace slowed further, trying to avoid wincing as each step stressed the feet. Thank goodness for the stretches of even trail and of roads. It was especially helpful when I found the side trail into Monson was actually a paved road; Pleasant Street. I walked into Monson around noon on Monday the Fourth of July. Right to Shaw's hostel. Upon leaving here I will undertake the 100 mile wilderness. But not today; not tomorrow; not the next day; hell, maybe not even Thursday since it supposed to storm that day. Meanwhile I will nurse my feet. They have a big say in when I'm willing to commit to a week hike without support.