Date: 2005-09-15
From: Stream, 90 miles (+) to go

To: Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

Up and gone by 7:18 that morning. It started to rain sometime that night and rained on and off all that day. Doing the simple math of adding the average I needed to do to stay on schedule was 17 miles a day. I also figured where abouts I needed to be that night (somewhere north of white cap mountain).   Soon after packing up a wet camp, I came upon the shelter I wanted to get to the night before. The Log showed that the Troll family was just ahead of me and I knew I would most likely see them that day. In fact we kept leap frogging each other all day long, and ended up at the same shelter at that evening.    I caught up to them at the ford of the West Branch of the Pleasant River. Just as we all got to the other side, a former thru hiker called across the river to us and said he was setting up some trail magic (there was a road near by). He asked if we wanted to come back over and join him. We thanked him and said we were going to be moving on. The crossing wasn't difficult however, once over not many hikers would cross again (why temp fate). Plus, I personally had a schedule to keep (I hated having a schedule, no flexibility). There were a number of fair sized hills ahead of me and I figured because of the weather, it may take longer to get there (and I was right).   I hiked past the Gulf Hagas trail (a future day hike no doubt), up and over Gulf Hagas Mountain (2680 feet), Hay Mountain (3245 feet) and finally White Cap Mountain (3654 feet). White cap was the last of the 3000(+) foot mountains and if the weather were clear, I could have seen Mount Katahdin from there. When I arrived the mountain was all fogged in and I was exhausted. I was physically shaking and I knew I needed to eat something before I went on (I made up my mind to make it to the Logan Brook Lean-to 1.4 miles away). I snacked on Peanut butter with raisins on potato bread sandwich rolls. It was enough to get me there.   I arrived about 1/2 hour before dark. Two other hikers were there and there was plenty of room. I knew the Troll family was on the way and told those there that three more may be joining us in the shelter. One hiker, a SOBO had his gear laying everywhere (took up 1/2 the shelter). He did not like what I said to him next but, he moved his gear. I apologized and said I was on a short fuse and we let it go at that. When the Trolls arrived they elected to set up their tent. I believe it was here at this shelter when it happened, their tent just broke (the main pole snapped in half). How they slept in it that night I do not know. The next day I passed the word around to who ever I saw that the Troll Family's tent was having issues. I read in their "on line journal" that trail magic was on their side. A hiker left them a note and a repair kit at a shelter and they were able to fix it right away, how cool is that.   The mileage that day was above the 17 mile average (18.8). I was in the black a total of 2.3 miles from the past two days (I wound up needing all of it real soon). The weather was still a factor and though I hung my stuff to air dry, I had a lot of wet gear. The Mahar Tote road and the White House Hostel was 25.5 miles away (plus the blue blazed trail distance). A hiker also had to be at the dock on the near side of the lake by a certain time or they would not come and pick you up. I planned on stopping in for resupply anyway. I did not think I could make it but I figured I would give it a try (it turned out to be a little bit to far).