Date: 2006-08-14
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: few clouds

Left the shelter at 6:30 as I wanted to get to Monson relatively early. The trail went over rocks, roots, and lots of mud holes before it went by Bald Mtn Pond. I saw some beautiful white water lillies in the water. I tried to take some photoes of the flowers but the camera did not have enough zoom for a good photo. Only one thing to do... I walked right into the pond with pack, socks, and boots on! And I got a couple of good photos Splosh, splosh and 3.7 miles later I stood at the brink of the West branch of Piscataquis River. I forded the river without any difficulty. Walking and day dreaming makes the time fly by so before long I was at the Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to. A really nice shelter. I nearly missed the side trail into the shelter had it not been for the sign leaning so much that had I continued I would have hit it with my head! Took a little break there just to see the shelter and the area and from there it was a short an easy walk to the East Branch of the Piscataquis River. It was not too wide nor too deep and the moment my eyes caught sight of a cooler on the other brink I was in the water waddling across. The blue cooler contained trail magic from Strider, a thru hiker from 2003. I took an orange and a Mtn Dew, which I enjoyed right on the spot. It was a nice cold caffeine drink just what I needed in the hot humid weather. Thanks Strider. I was making good time and right before reaching the blue blazed side trail to Monson I met Rebekah Santagata, the owner of the Lake Shore House and pub in Monson, which also includes a hostel for hikers ($25). Rebekah has just recently opened the hostel, which explains why it is not yet listed in any of the hiker books. She has bunk beds and a calling card phone and she is really nice. Check it out. I told her I was planning on just passing through Monson to pick up food and then out again in the evening but she was great to talk to. Instead of taking the 2 mi blue blazed trail I hiked the 3 miles on the AT up to ME 15, that way I could get started right on the 100 mile Wilderness - and it would be 3 miles less to carry a full pack At the highway I found yet another cooler. This one was from the parents of Meiniac. I took another Mtn Dew and hitched into town. At the post office two HUGE packages were awaiting! One food drop from my friend Donna and a surprise box from my friends at Harpers Ferry. I must have been quite a sight walking down the street to Shaws Hostel as I had on my big backpack and at the same time was trying to carry two huge boxes over which I could not see anything!!! How in the world was I going to fit it all into my pack - and I have a HUGE backpack? At Shaws I met Dodger as planned and he had a surprise for me. He had booked us in for the night. That gave me time to take a much needed shower, wash my stinky t-shirt in the sink, and get a haddock burger before I went through the boxes. Donna had done an excellent job in keeping the food weight as low as possible for the 7 days in the 100 mile Wilderness. Thanks for all the effort and all the funny stickers and comments on the food packages, such as "This is an easy one to guess" (a label on the bag of orange gatorade!) The other box, from Harpers Ferry, contained a big can of chocolate covered caramel popcorn, Marathon Snicker bars, a huge bag of the best home roasted Georgia Pecans, and best of all - another home made card. This card had a drawing of Mt Katahdin with the trees below and a headline reading: "Katahdin or Bust" I loved it. Thank you so much for all the boxes you have sent out along the way and for your invitation to your home - it has been such a motivation to know that I can share this journey with others. Later on Dodger and I took a walk and we stopped by to see the Lake Shore House & Pub. The pub is closed on Sun and Mon but Rebekah invited us in to see her place and to meet her husband, Jeff. The pub is beautiful and Rebekah and Jeff have done all the work by themselves. They had friends visiting from Minnesota so it was fun talking about different trails and the culture in Minnesota versus New England and the South. Had Dodger not already gotten us a room at Shaws we would have stayed at Rebekah's place.