Date: 2008-09-24
From: Stratton, ME

To: Near West Carry Pond Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 22.6

I woke up at 4:40am and packed up my stuff while I watched the Weather Channel in my room at the Stratton Motel.Sue showed up at 6am. I had asked her out to breakfast this morning before I headed back out to the trailhead. I was going to eat at Stratton Diner, but she said I'd probably like the old Mainely Yours better. It's changed names and owners, but I didn't catch the new name.It was good! I had plenty of coffee and a mushroom and Swiss cheese omelette with bacon, toast and homefries. I was still hungry, so I ordered another breakfast just like the first one. :-)Sue took me out to the trailhead and dropped me off. I started walking north on the Appalachian Trail at 7:15am. It was kind of breezy, cool and a bit overcast today.I had a 3,000 foot elevation gain this morning climbing up to Avery Peak of Bigelow Mountain. I passed by Cranberry Stream Campsite without stopping. That's when I remembered that I forgot my dinner in the refridgerator back at Stratton Motel.I called Sue because I knew there were a few hikers slacking south over the Bigelows today, and maybe one of them could carry my dinner to me. She said they had already left, so I told her to do whatever she wanted with the salami and cheese in the fridge. Sue was taking a food box of mine to Caratunk later today since she had to go there anyway and said she'd leave it with that stuff.I kept climbing...and climbing. :-)I got to a beaver pond pretty fast and realized I was already almost half way up the mountain. I kept climbing and eventually got to Horns Pond Lean-to which I passed by without stopping. I climbed to South Horn and took a self portrait and a few other pictures when I got there. I had worked up a pretty good sweat, so I didn't stay long with the cool breeze blowing.I got to thinking about how things always have a way of working themselves out on the Trail...I had asked Sue yesterday if Steve Longley's store was still open in Caratunk for resupply. She said that there was no longer any resupply in Caratunk, but she had to drive over there and would be happy to drop off a food box for me. A person couldn't plan anything any better! Thanks Sue!! :-)I was almost to the summit of West Peak when I caught up to a nobo by the name of Stubs. I lady was coming down the mountain and asked if we were thru hikers. I said yes and she gave us both a candy bar. Thanks Jo! :-)I descended to the side trail to Avery Memorial Lean-to and walked by without stopping, then climbed to the summit of Avery Peak at about 4,250 feet high. The views from Avery Peak of Flagstaff Lake and the colors of the changing leaves down below are just awesome...you can really see the color change taking hold.I had a 2,000 foot descent to Safford Notch. I ran into Weatherman, Jesse and Homeward bound who were all slacking south. I climbed about 800 feet up to Little Bigelow Mountain, then descended almost 2,000 feet again. I stopped at Little Bigelow Lean-to and talked to Goose while I was there. He knew some of my friends from past years. He has been sectioning the Trail since '05 and only has about 500 miles left.I got to the bottom of that mountain, then climbed a little 500 foot hill, descended that, then climbed Roundtop Mtn. I ran into a sobo who is an '05 and '08 flip flopper who's trying to get the Trail done this year.I kept walking and summited Roundtop, then started down. I had only gone half a mile and had been looking all around for moose when I stepped on a slick root I didn't see and ended up on my butt. That's my second fall on the AT this year. :-( Good thing I have plenty of padding back there....I didn't feel a thing. ;-)I got to West Carry Pond Lean-to and sat there talking to a guy by the name of Solo who flipped from southern Mass and was walking back.There were three tins of homemade cookies that someone brought over in a small boat. I ate four cookies...they were great! :-)It was getting dark, so I went and found a flat spot and set up my tent for the night.I was listening to a bunch of coyotes yipping while I set up, then again after I crawled into my tent, then some loons started in. I sure do love walking through Maine! :-)I finished snacking on some food and fell asleep listening to the loons.Note; I have uploaded a bunch of pictures today. I usually upload about 10 with each day's journal entry, but ended up with about 25 today. :-)Note #2; I'm slowly getting caught up on the journal from the time I entered Maine where I had no data service at all. I have tons of emails to answer and promise I'll get to that as soon as I can. There just isn't enough time in a 24 hour day to do all the things I want to do. :-)Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)