Date: 2012-08-30
From: Grafton Notch at Hwy 26

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 10.3

SOS got a shuttle to Grafton Notch and I slept in although that is a little difficult until he leaves! When I got up, I worked on the computer and then decided to drive the 3 miles into town. Town consists of several businesses, a post office, a library but not much else. The business are a corner store, a restaurant/deli, and a hardware store. The Red Hen Deli looked like a good choice for breakfast and it was! The owner is a baker. She had made raspberry muffins so that was my choice with hot tea...after my eggs with homemade whole wheat toast. I saved the muffin for lunch after taking one delicious bite! I wrote lots of post cards to mail at the post office. The library didn't open until 1:00 but I was there when it did. It was a former church. It has an octagon shaped main room with a oblong 8 sided all wood ceiling and the original chandeler which has been converted to electric. Beautiful wooden armed chairs and wood furnishings add to the special look. I left the library and decided to head slowly in the direction to pick up SOS. There were few cars on the road so I could go as slowly as I wanted and not "bother" other drivers. I passed a stream with huge rocks diverting the small waterfall into two sides. (See photo) I also passed a little country cemetery with very old stones. One of them was of Charles Bean and his wife.(see photo) The Bean family was prominent in this part of the state and of course, LL Bean started his famous company here. I don't know if he was related to Charles. When I found the trailhead, I was the only one there and no other hikers came along so no business for Trail Mama today. Soon SOS came up out of the steep climb to the road and off we went back to our hostel. At a great dinner of corned beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, fresh corn on the cob, and carrot cake, I drove SOS back into town so that he could see the library where I am now finishing this journal. Road Name of the Day: CAT WALK ROAD...just a strange name...SOS here:Do you know Trail Mama's picture of me today is what her life has been for nearly the last 6 months. Everyday she takes me to the trailhead and every day she picks me up at another trailhead. We get to spent very little time together. Between the time of the drop off and the pick up she has to find something to do and almost always in a new place. Trail Mama has only been lost once and found me anyway at Lemon Gap and only twice has not been to the pickup site before me and then only by a few minutes. The first time I believe a yarn shop was calling and the second time Edith Chloe, our GPS, had her hung up on the interstate with the next exit being many miles down the road. The second time is when she did a u-turn on the interstate and just as she did it a police car passed her - stress.All this for me and she does not get the see all the beautiful vistas along the trail and all the unique parts of the trail like yesterday's humongous rock toy land like maze called Mahoosuc Notch.She does all this for me and the truth is she has always loved the outdoors and hiking much more than me. She will not even get to climb Mount Katahdin and share in the emotional high at the end which she has every right to do as much as I, if not more. I wish I could somehow put her on my back and take her to the mountain top.Today on top of Bald Plate mountain I had 360 degrees of mountains of Maine and big mountain lakes as far as the eye could see, but Trail Mama did not get to share it with me. Trail Mama is as much a part of this hike as I am - there are countless thru hikes we have met who would and have said this about her. I hope that she will have some comfort in friends she's made along the trail and that the memories will lessen her disappointment. I love you Trail Mama, and thank you for assisting, sharing and being a part of our thru hike together.