Date: 2018-09-16
From: Caribou Valkey Road 1983.9

To: Sluice Logging Road 1994.4
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

With our full packs on, we started our hike going UP this morning. Then right away we had a river crossing. It was the South Branch Carrabassett River.  Hugs went first. It was a difficult crossing with swift water and wet rocks. A full pack made it even more difficult.  Once we were about halfway across we could see a boardwalk was there. It went from two big boulders to the shore on the other side.  Thank goodness! It wasn¢t long before we came to  a rock slide.  More tedious climbing. The trail beyond it was pretty good though...until it wasn¢t.  During the good terrain I got ahead a little bit.  I usually do that when things are easy hiking. I like to hike quietly to see and hear what the forest has to offer me. Today it offered me two mice. One was chasing the other!  I had no idea that mice came out during daylight. It was really cute to watch until my presence scared them in two different directions. Soon enough the journey started back UP. I was working on Spaulding Mountain 4010ft elevation. This was going to take some time!  I had to drop pack once in order to get up over some boulders. My trekking poles were thrown up ahead of me several times. Hugs looked on Guthook¢s and found an unmarked Logging Road. She thought maybe Papa Big Swig could pick us up there tonight.  He said he will give it a try. On the way up I crossed paths with Turn. I haven¢t seen her since North Carolina.  She had been hiking with Just Kelly(aka Stryker).  It¢s funny I was thinking of Just Kelly yesterday. She¢s about 4 days behind so hopefully I¢ll see her soon!  We stopped for lunch at the top. My phone rang while I was there.  I was surprised to see it was my Aunt Fran!  She was just checking on me.... I think because of the hurricane.  We had no effects here really except maybe some rain. She said North Carolina is a mess.  Keeping them in my prayers. The A.T. doesn¢t quite go to the summit of Spaulding.  There¢s a blue blaze 200 yards up for the summit and a view of Sugar Loaf and two other mountains. We decided to leave our packs and take the blue blaze. It was a disappointment.  Trees had fallen, there was no view to be seen. When we arrived back at our lunch stop 3 NOBO¢s were breaking there too.  It really was the only place to break for miles. One of them was Blue Streak.  He remembered us from Woodchucks Hostel in Damascus.  After he reminded me, I remembered him too.  As we were hiking to the logging road it grew dark. We then realized that we have no idea which way to turn on the road to get to Papa Big Swig. We knew from a local it was gated off some distance back. Worse yet...we lost cell service.  Hugs was praying for a miracle. It was pitch black when we arrived.  It appeared we could only go right. Then suddenly I got a text message. It was from my sister of the heart. I had service!  I called Papa Big Swig immediately. It turns out that he had to go back to the campsite because the closest he could get was 12 miles away. Just like that I lost phone service again. Hugs had gotten her miracle!  It was no big deal that he couldn¢t get us. We pitched our tents right on the road beside Orbeton Stream, and closed our eyes knowing everybody was fine.  Until Next Time Blue Raccoon (2018).Where¢s your faith?