Date: 2007-10-05
From: Monson, ME (Shaw's)

To: Wilson Valley Lean-to
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

I'm off into the 100 mile wilderness! Hopefully I have 8 days of food. This is what's in my food bag:1 peeled orange (which turned out to be rotten inside but I have to eat it or carry it for 8 days...I'll eat it!)5 oz box of Oreos15 Ritz crackers1 box of Triscuits1 tuna packet6 oz Colby Jack cheese6 oz summer suasage8 chewable vitamins2 pkts of Aplets & Cotlets1 pkt of dried fruit1 pkt Charms hard candy24 midget Tootsie rols2 Riesens1 Mary Jane2 Bit O'Honeys6 peanut M&Ms2 Twix singles1 pkt cashews, raisins, peanut6 dried mango slices2 Twix regular bars2 Paydays1 small pkt Twizzlers4 Spiced Ciderslemonade mix for 1 qt2 cups Nido milk pwder4 oz olive oil3 pudding mixes2 mayo pktsmustard, relish, chopped onion pkts1 cheese danish1 Instant Breakfast1 Instant Oatmeal3 Cup O' Noodles4 pkts Ramen Noodlesprecooked bacon pktIdahoan 4 Cheese instant potatoesdried peas1 Lipton Pasta Side Alfredo1 Backcountry Pantry Pad Thai1 Backcountry Pantry Kung Pao Chicken1 Mountain House Vegetable Lasagna1 Mountain House Pasta Primavera1 Mountain Houise Oriental Rice & Chickenthat's it! mmmmm!Oops! No it's not...I also have a small bag of trail mix, a pkt of p,b,&j crackers, and Boomi Bar in my hip pocket. I won't starve, that's for sure! Now for lunch I'll eat heavier stuff first like cheese or sausage and crackers. I just finished the orange...it wasn't too rotten. I wish I knew how many calories that all added up to. It's said a hiker burns upwards of 6000 calories a day...that said i would have to carry 48,000 calories to get me to Katahdin from here...24,000 minimum.And I'm enjoying this lunch beside Little Wilson Falls!Now I'm at the shelter waiting for my water to boil for dinner. Have to use fuel sparingly because it has to last all 8 days too.This was an absolutely fabulous day to hike!!! I felt good, had energy, the sun was shining and warm, the colors in these woods were beautiful! I'm going to enjoy these last few days of this hike and I'll be spending them mostly alone, I hope. Big Foot is here at the shelter with me, but because he snores and then gets up at 5am packing up to leave, I decided to tent...that way I won't be bothered by his noises. It's a common problem in the shelter...that and the mice, so this works for me...I love my tent! And it's easy to put up and pack up, so I really don't mind...in fact I prefer it.I had to ford my first river today...Big Foot caught up to me just before the ford so he got pictures. We just switched cameras and I took pictures of him wading away...and he took pictures of me wading towards the shore. The water was quite cold and the rocks slippery. And it came up to my knees!I'm going to get lots of sleep tonight as tomorrow I have some mountains to climb. I hope to hike closer to 15 miles. Today I got delayed at the waterfall and then later went "swimming" at a pond. Well, I did take my shoes off and wade in, but the bottom was really mucky. The water was cold, but felt good, soI dunked my head to cool off...it was that hot here...in the 80s...and it's October, in Maine! I understand from Dennis that that's about to change a little, but we could stand it cooler.Step lightly