Date: 2004-09-29
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to 

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 18.7

The Rowboat!Start: Pierce Pond Lean-to @ 0830 Finish: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to @ 1819Miles: 18.7Weather: Great! Sunny & clear skies cool temps.Breakfast: Granola w/ Strawberries and Blueberries.Lunch: 2 Snickers ice cream bars, 1 drumstick, trailmix, tortilla w/ Nutella.Dinner: Mountain Chowder, 2 Snickers,, 2 Fudgerounds.Trail Conditions: Easy walking, 1,000 ft. climb up Pleasant Mtn., crossed Kennebec River.Animals: Loon, Crane, Frog, Snake, Grouse, Squirrels, Birds, Chipmunk.People: Steve Longley (Ferryman), Brood X, Eric & Jess, Momma¢s Boy, Rooster, Guy, Dayhikers.Everyone was up and moving early today so they could get to Harrison Camps in time for their reserved pancake breakfast. The troops all left and I spent the morning alone going through the standard routine. It was a wonderful day, cool and crisp, a gentle breeze blowing across Pierce Pond and rustling the leaves. The rising sun cast it¢s orange glow into the shelter. It was so peaceful until some butthole fisherman started trolling by in their tin boat and I got to breath their engine exhaust.After I choked down my granola I hit the ground running. The trail, minus the standard rinky-dink PUD¢s, was flat and fast. I made good time and was very excited to cross the Kennebec on the much acclaimed ferry ride. I arrived at the bank of the river, and contrary to what I thought I would see, I saw a calm river with a low water level, that wasn¢t very far to cross. After making my acquaintance with Steve Longly, the ferry dude, I learned the river was the lowest it had been all season, and that in fact the river would rise several feet today at the Florida Power Company had just opened the flood gates 15 miles up stream. The Kennebec RiverAfter shooting the bull with Steve I signed the liability waiver form and buckled all three clips on my life jacket (he was real particular about that) and enjoyed the ride in the rowboat. I got to the other side and saw Brood X and the gang on the southern bank waiting their turn. I waited for them to cross and then we all moseyed into Caratunk.Caratunk was just too cool. There¢s really nothing to the town except its one street, small post office, and one hundred or so residents that live in houses with the dates they were built on them ¢ some going back as far as 1890. ***** was picking up a mail drop and was all pissed off when his several ounces of weed for the end of the trip didn¢t come in his big jar of Jiffy peanut butter. It¢s a rough life I tell ya. But we did luck out on some good trail magic and I got some pop tarts, enjoyed a soda, and gnawed on some gum. Things got even better when Steve picked us up and drove us to his shop and sold me chocolate drumsticks (ice cream cones) and snickers ice cream bars for $.50!! I stuffed my face with them. Yummy. Nature's PatchworkIn route back to the trail, we all sat in the back of Steve¢s truck, as we cruised at 50 mph it dawned on me that the wind wasn¢t blowing hard at that speed ¢ since I¢ve gone through much worse on Franconia Ridge and Mt. Washington. Odd how that works.The remainder of the day was the usual deal. Lots of hiking through incredibly beautiful country. There was nothing too eventful except a quick 1,000-foot climb up Pleasant Mountain, which offered some decent views of Bald Mountain Pond and Moxie Mountain. The colors are absolutely spectacular in the woods and I am happy to get to enjoy them. View from Pleasant Pond Mountain I am spending the night with Rooster and Guy (former members of the hiking pack ¢Chapel Hill A-Train¢). They are nice guys and were behind me the whole trip and passed me sometime in the last few days. They were glad to finally meet me, and it was a pleasure to meet them too, as I heard many stories.Tomorrow I¢ll push over Moxie Mountain and push into Monson, the final stop before the end.