Date: 2007-07-14
From: katadin stream campground

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: light rain

mi. 13.4dest. Hurd Brook Lean-tosleep. hammockWell today I me one of my goals of Maine. It took me to the second day of myhike, but I did it. About 2 miles before Abol Bridge I saw a moose. Not justany moose, but a giant full grown male bull with a full head of antlers. Scaredthe living crap out of me, I was walking along just got done looking at my mapwhile walking (more on that later) and figuring how much longer to abol bridge. The trail here is really narrowis pretty dense woods on both sides. When 10-15 yards in front of me the moosecomes trooting round the corner. Not walking mind you, but a run. It stoppedafter a couple yards. I was trying to decide if I should yell at it or run intothe trees. I went with option C. I put both of my trekking poles in one handand reached in my pocket for my camera. It reversed it direction, then dashedinto the woods. I heard it circling around the to side of me, but was unable toget a picture. It was only in front of me for a few seconds. It was kind ofscarey. I am 6'4" and it's head was over mine. The antlers were huge. i seenpictures online and on tv, but never in person. When it ran it sounded like ahorse, a really heavy one, running. All in all a really cool experience, and alittle scary. Another case too of some animal posing for a perfect picture onlyto move just as I am getting my ! camera out. I'll have to work on getting faster on the draw.I did get a picture of it's hoof print inbetween my feet for scale. It is huge. I also managed to get pictures of a snake (small and brown in color), a toad orfrogg, and multiple red squirls. I figured out that if I make quietsucking/kissing noises the squirls stop and look my way. I got a few good onesdoing this.I forgot to mention too that something chewed a hole in my ccp (closed cell foampad) the first night. I think it was a squirl, so they owe me a few picturesout of it. The worse part is that it is right at my lower back to butt area. Ionly use that pad for a frame for my pack and insulation when it is cold. Needless to say when it gets too cold for my underquilt I may have to get a newone. I had it on the ground next to me, but it didn't seem to mind. I just gotit before I left and never used it, so there couldn't be any sweat on it. Goodthing I didnkt use the old one like I was planning on.I started off today waking just after 5:30am to the sound of Nicole packing up. I finally rolled out of bed and packed up. I learned an important leason. Don't try to dry anything outside of the tarp. My hiking shorts where definitlywetter than when I went to bed. It also took me forever to pack up my gearskin. I think I finally got an idea of how to do it more efficent. I'll reporttomorrow if it works.Nicole head south before me. I stoped at the ranger station and got a pic withhim and dropped my trash off with him. Nice guy. Oh I also forgot to mentionhow much I hate litter. I packed down from the top of Katadin a water bottleand wrapper. People don't litter. I really don't want to carry it for you.I took a long break today next to the big niagra falls on the Nesowadnehunkstream. Not huge but beautiful. I stopped for a good bit and ate. My leftknee has also been bothering me a bit. I soaked it in the really cold water forawhile. That and some vit I (advil) made it a lot better. The area below thewaterfall looked really cool. It reminded me of either a waterpark or anexhabit at the zoo. I kept excepting to see a kid in a raft go over.On me next break I was sitting on a man made rock ledge where the stream emptysinto the larger river. The is a decent rapid at this point. I was taking myfirst pack off shoes off break drying off my feet after I manage to get them wetwhen I was icing my knee. One moment I was all alone, the next I was with 40 ofmy closed friends. 5 rafts pulled up and everyone got out to swim the rapid. Luckily I was on the opposite shore. I did get a good laugh and some good picswatching the tourons swim it. As I was packing up I got the pleasent surpriseof watching the last group, who were all young women in bikini's. Didn't thinkI would be using that word in my TJ .I did end up catching and passing nicole. Not sure if I will be seeing heragain. But that's the way it goes.Also dad, the whole wire on the bottom of my gaiters didn't work too well. Itmade it up and half way down katadin before both broke. Crazy how it brokethrough steel wire so thick. Now I am just using some para cord.There were also a couple sketchy log bridges today. So of course I stopped inthe middle to take pics. And yes they are of my feet. Something I have atendency to do.The theme for most of the day though was bugs, rock, mud, and roots. It's nicehow they get most of the dirt out of the way and leave the roots and rocks inthis state. Most of the dirt left is in the form of bugs. And all I can say isthat I love DEET. Even with it I have been either bitten or bothered by blackflys, noseeums (gnats), horse flys, flys, and tons of mosquitos. That is why Itried to either stop in the middlle or a bridge or on a rock in the water.I am now hanging close to the shelter with a lot of people around. There is ayoung group of Canadians, women's group, and a few others. I wanted to stayclose to shelters the first few nights. After that I will hang where ever.I also learned a couple things. First if I add to much water to my dehydratedmeals I get a tastey soup. And secondly the sound of my gearkin sliding down mysupport webbing sounds a awful lot like ripping fabric. I jumped out exceptingthe worse. Pretty funny after the fact.I was wondering today if I told my family it may be up to 2 weeks before I getahold of them. I think I told my sister. Last time I talked to anyone was the12 via email when I was at a bus stop. Next time will be around the 23rd or24th in Monson. Well of I see some SAR people, then I'll have my answer.As I was getting water I had a good 30 min or so talk with 4 kids of one of thegroups. Pretty good people. I think they will be seniors in high school. Acouple want to thru in 2 years and where asking me a bunch of questions. Theyeven want to get hammocks. One brought a diy one to lay in around camp. Inreturn they told me of what is coming up ans some cool things to see. Unfortunatly it looks like the next couple days are going to be bad with bugs. The low marshy areas. After that not too bad. Luckily they are not too badright here. And there should be blue berries blumming. Ripe for the eating.Sorry for skiping around today. Just how my mind works sometime.