Date: 2023-09-25
From: East Flagstaff Road

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 16.4

We woke up to beautiful sunshine, and unfortunately sand everywhere in our stuff. The Choir was long gone as they had to do the Bigelows. Apparently there were pancakes to be had in 17 miles, so despite trying to chill out we were intrigued enough to do a big mileage day. I set off, but saw Rabbit¢s poles by a turn off to the shore and I joined him on a rocky beach where we watched the waves for a while. He initially wanted to swim but it was too cold for him lolol. I passed the road where 2 teenagers were and when they asked where we were stopping, I blurted out to Rabbit to not tell them because there was only 10 spots available for sign up (classic). I continued on, losing my shoe and phone in the process, but retrieved both. I didn¢t feel fantastic, as the cold was kicking my butt so I was sort of zombie hiking on. Randomly the first little hill felt so hard, and the second (still piddly hill) felt better. I stopped at the shelter for lunch, and to my amazement I saw Village Tart and Long Strides! I hadn't seen them since the dry stretch out of Boiling Springs. I got to catch up with them while reading the graffiti in the shelter, and the poems in the log book. I continued onwards in search of pancakes, as I was getting passed by people (Food Truck, Candied Ginger¢¦ etc lol). I sat down as I was feeling dizzy but continued on after 10 minutes. I staggered on, and I saw Village Tart filling her water at the last stream before the pond, and started hustling as I wanted to get the fucking pancakes but then Karen passed us! Must make it to pancakes dizziness be damned. We got to the shelter, dropped our stuff and walked over to the Harrison¢s Pierce Pond Camp which was a Maine sporting camp. The blue blaze was .3 miles over tricky terrain, with a hand made log bridge that felt like a rustic video game set piece, and the lodge itself was a very tilted wooden building with floors so skewed I felt drunk walking on it. But it was so cute, and Tim was so kind and nice and his dog Charlie was an adorable fluff who looked like a skinnier, blacker, smaller version of Monkey. I was able to put my name down as the LAS ONE ON THE LIST, and you know what? Every other hiker at the lean-to had gatekept the pancakes from the teenagers, so it wasn't just me fanatically pushing on for carbs. We snacked on pink lemonade and snickerdoodles. While talking to Tim the door to his quarters opened on its own, and I jokingly asked if the place was haunted and Tim told us about how the lean-to we were at was supposedly the most haunted one on trail to which my eyes grew huge and I made Food Truck walk back w me as to not get murdered by ghosts. We joined the others by the fire but when I tried to show folks pics of the pre sunset over the lake, I realized I didn¢t have my phone on me, so I (and Rabbit) retraced my steps back in the dark and somehow miraculously I found my phone 2/3 of the way back!!! So we trekked back yet again to the shelter, PFT told us the story of his trail name (a fly got trapped in his foreskin while he was peeing and it died hence Penis Fly Trap - best trail name story ever) and I passed out.