Date: 2015-09-08
From: Caratunk, ME

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 18.8

It has been unseasonably warm here in Maine the last week or so, and I think yesterday and today were the warmest. Our little 'Cozy Cabin' at Northern Outdoors never cooled down very much despite two fans. So, we got up early without any trouble. It is so much harder to get out of bed when it's cold.Gary dropped me off at the trail at 6:42 and I was on my way. The first 5 miles were pretty easy going and I made such good time that I began to think about maybe hiking the 22 miles to the road so Gary could pick me up and I could sleep in a bed again. You'd think that after 2000 miles, I'd know better than to fall for a few easy miles! There were two climbs today, not super high ones but we also started at pretty low elevation so they were still a lot of work. The first was Pleasant Mountain, which only had very disappointing views from the top. I did find a nice spot though, and had my second breakfast (or 10 am lunch, whatever you want to call it). The downhill from Pleasant Mountain seemed to take forever but eventually I came to the south end of Moxie Pond, which was supposed to be a ford. The low water levels made this a rock hop like most previous fords, but I soaked my feet for a while anyway, as I like to do. I got passed first by Easy Strider and a bit later by Stretch, who has broken away from the group I hiked with into Rangeley.After Moxie pond there were three miles that went up very mildly, almost like a false flat, and then the two mile climb up Moxie Bald Mountain. It was very humid today, so I was sweating buckets all day but particularly when climbing Moxie. Because it is a bald though, there were fantastic views from the top, unlike at Pleasant Mountain. By now it was late afternoon and it had become obvious I would not be hiking 22 miles today! The downhill from Moxie was uneventful, except for the cave that looks like a bus stop. Or maybe that was on the up, but either way it was pretty cool. It also put that 'under my umbrella' song in my head. This shelter is right on Bald Mountain Pond and the tent sites are right at the water. I'm about twenty five feet away (not very 'Leave No Trace'). Stretch, a Sobo named Sensodyne and I cooked and ate on a big flat rock right at the water's edge. While we were sitting there, a beaver swam by, completely at ease with our presence. Of course I didn't have my camera but a half hour later the beaver swam back past us, so I ran to get it. I needn't have bothered running, he or she stayed around feeding on the water plants for at least 15 minutes. Now, if I could just get a moose to show up tomorrow morning, that would be perfect! I could see it from my tent. Tomorrow is Monson. Stretch and I were saying how when you're in Monson, the end really is near. But there is always the Rusty Bumper factor, so I'm not counting my chickens just yet. (For more on Rusty Bumper, you can read his journal from a few years ago here on trailjournals, but the upshot is that he broke his leg 85 miles from the end. 85! That's just not fair! He finished those miles the following year).Open map in new windowWant to add a map to your journal?