Date: 2005-09-12
From: Maine Hwy. 17

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 13.3

start Maine Highway 17destination South Arm Roadmiles 13.3I do not think I will ever get used to this early morning stuff. I have the utmost respect for people who have to get up early,and I have the utmost respect for those people who ENJoY arising before sunup.I am just not one of them. For years I got up early to get my children off to school or my husband off to work,complete with a warm breakfast everyday,but when those days were over,they were over for me.This morning I cannot manage to eat more than a biscuit,washed down with some herbal tea.I fix us each a bacon biscuit for lunch,swip a couple of brownies from the kitchen,and by 7:00 Honey has us in her van,heading down the highway to the trail head.I do not remember whether we are going north or south toady,it matters not as long as she turns us in the right direction when we start. The sky is dark and omnious.I did not pack any rain gear,what is the use.But then I begin to worry about being cold and wet out here toady. My frame of mind is somewhat better this morning than the past few mornings.I attribute the improvement to a lack of sugar the last few days. When we stopped at the store last evening I got rootbeer and vanilla ice cream and after supper found the biggest glass I could find and made myself a rootbeer float. The lack of recent rain makes the two fords over Bemis Stream nothing more than a rock hop.We begin to climb and the entire way up the First Peak of Bemis Mountain rock carins show us the trail.We climb over solid rock ledges,making sure to keep a carin in view.It is very easy to mistake an animal trail for the At when there are no trees with the familiar white blaze. Today is a series of upsand downs,much like a roller coaster.East Peak,West Peak,First Peak,Second Peak,Third Peak,the peaks go on and on. The wind is whipping around and when we do get a view of the mountain range ahead,the sky looks like it could dump rain at any minute. It is too cold to stop for much of a breakso we push on until we reach the Bemis Mountain Lean To.We have a roll of toilet paper to leave at this privy. The shelter offers us some shelter from the wind and we take advantage of the opportunity to eat lunch.Old Blue Mountain is our formidable foe today,but by hiking in the opposite direction,we say some nasty uphills climbs.I am not sure this way is much easier,as I still find it hard to go backwards down re bar steps set into the rockfaces. The data book does not list any water sources past the shelter,but we have a brush of good luck and find a small spring that crosses the trail Papermaker had spilled most of his water back at the shelter,so we have been sharing what water I have left. We are releived when we finally get to the road crossing and Bear is there waiting for us.Another hot shower,an excellent meal,and a comforatble bed finish out the day.I snuggled farther under the down comforter that is on our bed. Today was a good day.Tomorrow we will leave The Cabin and hike into Rangely where we have already arranged for a shuttle to pick us up and deposit us at the next hostel.Bumpkin                           5 Million Steps for PolioAppalachian Trail GA-MA BumpkinMore in 2004