Date: 2004-08-04
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to

To: White House Landing, Maine
Miles today: 15.8

15.8 miles todayBunk HouseWhite House Landing, MaineI had planned on sleeping in this morning, but I slept so good last night that I was up at 6am. I went down to the stream to get water for my coffee and I saw Hippie and Coughdrop were already up and packing their stuff. I asked them to come by where John Galt and I were camped and to talk loud and help me wake him up. I went back up to my tenting area and made my coffee and ate a couple breakfast bars. They came up and we were able to get John Galt moving. We started hiking at 7:20am. Hippie and Coughdrop got started before us.About 10 minutes into our hike, I heard what I thought was a moose. I got John Galt's attention and we went down by a pond and I spotted a cow moose about 80 yards away. I kept trying to get it's picture, but everytime I would get ready, she would walk into some shadows. I started looking around and I spotted her calf about 40 yards away from her. These were the 10th and 11th moose sightings this year for me. We watched them for a little while and then hiked on.We stopped at Cresent Pond and took a short break. We caught up to the girls there. We hiked on up to Nesuntabunt Mountain and took another break. There was a nice view of the lake below and Katahdin in the distance. I went looking for some blueberries, but didn't find many. The others weren't too motivated to move too much today, but I knew there was a one pound cheeseburger at the end of my trail today, so I kept them moving as much as I could. After we started hiking, we ran into a nobo by the name of First Light. His dad was at the shelter area that we stayed at last night.We all stopped at Wadleigh Stream Lean-to and ate lunch. When we started hiking again, we only made it a half a mile before we found a nice beach area at Namakanta Lake. John Galt and I only stayed a short while. The girls weren't going to White House Landing because they are trying to budget there money. I have no budget when it comes to food that someone else is willing to cook for me. They stayed there to lay in the sun and go swimming. We ran into a nobo by the name of Sauerkraut. He is from Frankfort, Germany.A little while before White House Landing, we ran into Brickhouse and Jaywalker. This is the third time I've run into them on the trail this year.We got to the side trail to White House Landing and went the 1 1/2 miles to the boat ramp. John Galt sounded the air horn and Bill came over and picked us up in his boat. It was good to see Bill again and when we got to the camp, Linda came out and talked to us for a while. She said that Artsie and Twinkle Toes were just here last week and they had warned them that I was on the trail again. I met Artsie and Twinkle Toes in '02 on a nobo thru hike and again this year at Trail Days.We ordered our one pound deluxe cheeseburgers and while we waited on them, Linda made us some fresh squash from the garden and gave us some zuccini bread. They always take good care of me here.The burgers were so big that I had to take a picture of them to post on this website so everyone would believe me when I say they are the best cheesburgers I've ever had.On our way out the door, Linda gave us some brownies to hold us over until morming. I went and took my shower and then went down by the lake to the old hand operated ringer washer and washed my clothes. I really love this place. I need to come here more often even when I'm not hiking.I sat down by the lake to start writing my journal for today and got to listen to the loons while writing. It got dark, so I came up to the bunk room to finish writing.There are two section hikers here by the names of Gerald and his son, Mark.John Galt and I made arrangements for breakfast and told Linda that we wanted to pack out 2 pizzas for tomorrow night. That will be trail magic for Hippie and Coughdrop. If they aren't at the area we are supposed to meet them at tomorrow, John Galt and I will have a whole pizza each...hummmm.Another great day on the A.T.